Chapter 307

Chapter 307: Round Robin

What came next matched Yan Fan’s faintly showy promise: he took Li Shuang around all the stationed sect quarters.

Besides the Upper Six Sects, there were four more: Tyrant Blade Sect, Flowing Moon Sect, Skyvault Sect, and Radiant Blossom Sect. Other than Tyrant Blade Sect and Flowing Moon Sect, Yan Fan brought Li Shuang to all the other eight.

The more she saw, the colder her heart grew. She hadn’t met every Elder from each sect, but among those she did meet, several made Li Li cover her nose again and again.

By the time they finished, the day was nearly over. Yan Fan arched a brow and asked lightly: “People from the sects still give me some face. Do you want to see the last two, Tyrant Blade Sect and Flowing Moon Sect?”

Li Shuang shook her head and said calmly: “No need.” These two probably had problems at the root.

“As you wish,” Yan Fan said with a smile: “If you need anything next time, just ask me.”

“Thank you,” Li Shuang replied.

“No need to be so polite,” he said with a reserved nod, though inside he cheered. Showing off before normal people no longer satisfied him. Showing off before a fellow genius like Li Shuang felt truly delightful. He swaggered off, pleased.

Li Shuang, meanwhile, compiled a list and handed it to several Supreme Elders, worry tightening her chest.

Ancestor Can Shang stared at it and blurted: “All these people… have problems…?” He was stunned.

“The chances are very high,” Li Shuang answered carefully. If only the Supreme Emotionless Art reacted, maybe those people just disliked her and held personal malice. But combined with Li Li’s reaction, the odds were nearly certain. Most on the list had problems. Those not on the list were not necessarily clean.

Silence fell. The situation was more complicated than they had thought. Give these people another ten years underground, and even the Upper Six Sects would be riddled like a sieve. Better to pierce the veil early.

Ancestor Can Shang said gravely: “Li Shuang, once you reveal Ye Zhao Zhao’s true form, these hidden agents will likely move. If the Nanlan Continent is fated for a disaster, it is better to trigger it sooner than later.” Only by letting everyone know the Devil Seed existed could the Immortal Realm unite to face it. Otherwise, if the Devil Seed finished all their preparations and then struck, it would be a complete catastrophe.

“Yes,” Li Shuang replied, voice steady though her heart was sharp as ice. All the sects were busy preparing for the tournament, but she knew that once she lit the fuse on this hidden calamity, the Devil Seed would act early. The Nanlan Continent would fall into a long conflict. But she had to do it. If they triggered it early, there was a sliver of hope. If they waited for the Devil Seed to trigger it, the continent would only have one ending: ruin.

Tomorrow was the sect tournament. When Ye Zhao Zhao stepped onto the stage, that would be the moment to spark the explosion.

That night, many could not sleep. Some were nervous about the tournament. Some were planning new schemes. Li Shuang held a Thunder Marrow in her hand, her face solemn. If things reached the worst point, Thunder Marrow would be the last life saving straw for the Nanlan Continent. She had three pieces. She still didn’t know if that would be enough. She had to use each one where it mattered most.

When the sun rose and the new day began, Cangyuan Sect was lively from early morning. First on the schedule was the arena matches for disciples under one hundred years old.

A hundred years was a special number, whether in the Nanlan Continent or the Central Continent. What you achieved before a hundred often decided your final height. For the ten sects’ tournament arena matches, each sect sent twenty contestants. Each sect arranged its lineup internally for a series of one on one fights. The last disciple standing decided the winner for that pairing. If a peerless genius appeared, they could stand from the first to the last and defeat all twenty. It was not impossible.

On Cangyuan Sect’s largest square, the six Sect Masters sat on the high platform. As the host, Sect Master Yun Qing Yu greeted everyone with a bright smile and gave a speech. It ran a bit long, and many people drifted in their thoughts.

Li Shuang glanced toward Tyrant Blade Sect. At this time, she still hadn’t seen Ye Zhao Zhao. Ye Zhao Zhao’s name was clearly on the list of twenty. The three new disciples Yan Zhong He had just taken in were present, though. From a quick look, nothing seemed off. Li Shuang pulled her gaze back. [No rush. Ye Zhao Zhao has to show up.]

Finishing her speech, Yun Qing Yu finally got to the point as she said with a smile: “We will now draw for the first round. There are ten sects and ten red lots, each with a number. The sect that draws number 1 will face the sect that draws number 10. Number 2 will face number 9, and so on. The sect that draws number 5 will face the one that draws number 6. The first round will be a gauntlet for disciples under one hundred. Each sect may send one disciple forward to draw.”

Cangyuan Sect’s steward stepped up with the box. Jiang Rong Yi glanced back at Li Shuang. She blinked and said, a bit puzzled: “First Senior Brother, why are you looking at me? You should go draw.”

He scratched his head, about to say something, when Luo Ming Yue urged him with shining eyes: “Don’t stand there, go draw. Best is to pull Cangyuan Sect first. I want to watch Li Shuang beat up Yan Fan. If not, pull Tyrant Blade Sect. If not, pull Flowing Moon Sect. If you can’t pull any of the three, don’t come back.”

Jiang Rong Yi sighed and said helplessly: “I’ll do my best.”

The ten sects sent their top disciples. Under the steward’s guidance, each confirmed their lot.

The results were: Cangyuan Sect vs Thousand Mechanisms Sect. Bright Light Sect vs Radiant Blossom Sect. Unity Sect vs Tyrant Blade Sect. Absolute Resolve Sect vs Flowing Moon Sect. Sword Sect vs Skyvault Sect.

A winning sect received 2 points, a losing sect received 0. After all ten sects fought each other in a full round robin, the ranking would follow Merit Points.

Of course, the under one hundred matches were only the appetizer. The real show would be battles at Integration Stage, Void Refinement Realm, and even Tribulation Crossing Realm.

When Jiang Rong Yi returned with the results, he met a circle of sad, resentful eyes. His scalp tingled as he muttered quickly: “It’s a round robin. We’ll face those three sooner or later.” So please stop looking at him like that.