Translator: Kazeyuki_ Editor: Jimmy_
Qin Wushuang was also considering this problem. Hearing the question from his teacher, he said in a neither fast nor slow tone: “Both predictions from the two Senior Brothers are reasonable. I feel that since the Dragon and Tiger sect might decide to take the risk and go all in, we should not get dragged down by them. We can follow the changes and fight aggressively. We could also put disciples with stronger attacking power on the team. As long as we made enough points, we would not fear even if they got points from the defending side.”
“Oh? We are in the lead, why should we take the risk?” Zhuo Buqun asked curiously.
Qin Wushuang said: “It is because we are in the lead, we should not play conservatively. Staying too conservative will cause us to lose the upper hand. I feel that we might get dragged by the enemy when we make plans. We should focus on ourselves.”
“Very reasonable.” Zhuo Buqun said with gratification, “Our Stargaze Palace needed such dauntless spirit, and not to feel satisfied with the current situation. In the Tian Xuan land, feeling satisfied would make one feel at ease. When one felt at ease, they would not be far from death. Wushuang’s suggestion is what I have in mind. I’ve decided to put both Wei Yi and Wushuang on the attacking side! We have been taking the lead all the way, of course, we shall not stay conservative in the last round. We should aim to take the lead and be the star in the final climax. We will leave them speechless in their defeat.”
Both Tan Zhongchi and Tian Zhixing did not expect that the usually gentle Head Palace Master would announce such mad tactics. However, after some thinking, they felt it made much sense.
As long as the attacking side earned enough points, they would not fear even if the defending side got destroyed. With two victories already, their advantages from before would be enough to allow them to smile to the end.
“Wushuang, tell us, do you feel that such arrangements have any deeper reason?” Zhuo Buqun asked curiously.
Qin Wushuang said with a smile: “I feel that since the Dragon and Tiger sect is behind us, they would not have any chance to breakthrough without fighting to the death. For sure, they must be holding onto their plans to unleash onto us. In that case, even if either Wei Yi or I went to the defending team, we could not ensure that they would not create an opening when they attack madly. Thus, it doesn’t matter if we let those two Middle Stage warrior fight to the end. We will let them earn their points. Senior Brother Wei Yi and I will regain those lost points for sure. Our main focus is to defend against the other two attackers. Thus, the four people arrangement in the defending team needs some careful planning.”
After Tan Zhongchi had listened to his words, he smiled: “Since you and Wei Yi are being put into the attacking team, then the main person for the defending will be Fu’Er. Her red silk is enough to defend.”
Zhou Fu nodded and said: “Senior Uncle, teacher, let me be in the defending team.”
Deng Bohu also spoke up: “My strength is suitable for defense. I am also willing to take the role.”
Zhuo Buqun, the Head Palace Master nodded: “Ok, Shaonan and Chaoyang, you two will assist Zhou Fu and Bohu in the defense. Wei Yi, Qin Wushuang, Zhao Muzhi and Miao Zhongxia, you four will be on the attacking team.”
Zhao Muzhi was extremely satisfied when he heard that he had been put in the attacking team as he smiled and nodded: “Ok, if the Dragon and Tiger sect put the two Middle Stage warriors on the attacking team, I need to get more points.”
“Yes, Wei Yi and Wushuang will not have much problems. Muzhi and Zhongxia, you two needs to get more points. This way, you can better ensure our stability in gaining a higher final score.”
Both Zhao Muzhi and Miao Zhongxia nodded.
This way, the Stargaze Palace had made their teams.
In the attacking team: “Number Four, Miao Zhongxia; Number Three, Zhao Muzhi; Number Two, Qin Wushuang; and Number One, Wei Yi.
In the defending team: “Number Four Huang Chaoyang, Number Three Lu Shaonan, Number Two Deng Bohu, Number One Zhou Fu.
They had to assign everyone a number. It was because the attack and defense teams in the competition needed to go according to their numbers. It would keep increasing from the low to high ranking.
Within the half month resting period, besides training hard, the Stargaze disciples exchanged ideas and encouraged each other.
As Zhuo Buqun and the other Palace Masters had thought, the Friendly Competition of the Eastern Three Empires was an excellent stage. It could unify the disciples of the Stargaze and twist them together into a rope.
Half month of time passed in a snap of the fingers.
Once again, the three major powerhouses gathered before the mountain of the Archaic Mysteries sect.
All three sects had handed in their list. Once they had handed in this list, they could not change it. Until the end of the competition, they must follow this arrangement of personnel and no accommodation was allowed.
As everyone of the Stargaze Palace had expected, the Dragon and Tiger Sect had, indeed put Wei Shenglong and Huang Qinghu into the attacking team.
It seemed that the Dragon and Tiger Sect had planned to burn their own boats.
The Archaic sect’s list reveal also held no suspense. Being the only leader in the sect, they had put Luo Guiyun in the attacking team.
From the list of the Archaic sect, they knew that they did not plan to burn their own boats. Since they would not fight for the grades, they must fight for their pride and dignity. As the host in the Heavenly Lake Empire and under thousands of staring eyes, naturally, they could not shame themselves too much.
On the contrary, the Dragon and Tiger sect were secretly astonished by Stargaze’s arrangements. They always thought that the Stargaze would use a balanced strategy by splitting their power between the attacking and defending teams. They had thought that the Stargaze would put both Upper Sky warriors into different teams.
They did not expect that Stargaze’s arrangement was also mad!
While feeling shocked, Shi Chenglong could not help but look closely at Zhuo Buqun. He realized that he did not know him very well.
“You two, this martial arts competition has two cycles. Like the old rules, we will draw lots.”
“Yes, still go with the old rules.”
Soon, the results of the lottery came out.
In the first cycle, the Dragon Sect would attack, and the Archaic Mysteries sect would defend. The Stargaze would then defend, and the Archaic Mysteries would attack. Then, the Stargaze would attack and the Dragon and Tiger sect defend.
Immediately after the first cycle was announced, the order of the second cycle also come out. In the second cycle, the Dragon and Tiger would attack the Stargaze first. Then, the Archaic would attack the Dragon. Finally, the Stargaze would attack the Archaic Mysteries sect.
To put it bluntly, each party’s offensive combination would challenge their opponents once. They would come out onto the stage twice.
The defending teams would each defend once while facing two different attacking teams.
To put it precisely, the cycle would go around once in pairs.
In each cycle, there would be three groups of competition. Thus, they needed three martial arts competition stages.
In the first cycle, the attacking team of the Stargaze would face the defending team of the Dragon and Tiger sect. Thus, the result of this first battle was crucial.
Zhao Muzhi said in a low voice: “Both Middle Stage warriors in our team are on the attacking team. This time, we must get more points. Junior Brother Miao, you are the first, you must have a good start!”
As the rules stated, the one that was being challenged would have the Number Four from the attacking team challenge the defending team’s Number Four.
Such ranking was ordered by strength.
Miao Zhongxia nodded: “Rest assured, I will give it my all.”
Inwardly, He gave himself a goal to succeed at least two rounds. According to the rules, he would get ten points by succeeding in a one on one challenge. Then, if he could succeed in a one versus two, he would get another twenty points. It was equivalent to getting thirty points in the first cycle.
Thus, in each cycle, theoretically, the highest points an individual could get was to successfully defeat four people together. The accumulated points should be one hundred.
Theoretically, the highest points four people could get was four hundred points.
After two cycles, theoretically, the highest points one could get was eight hundred points.
Of course, this was only in theory. In reality, no one would have the skill to get a perfect score. At least historically, it had never occurred.
After Miao Zhongxia had gone up onto the stage, the Number Four from the Dragon and Tiger’s defending team also followed him onto the stage.
On the Dragon and Tiger side, the two strongest had gone to the attacking team. This way, their defending team seemed somewhat lesser.
The Dragon and Tiger sect only had one requirement to the defending side, they must fight as if their life depended on it when they met the disciples from the Stargaze Palace. They must pin down the enemies to prevent them from getting too many points.
However, after all, this Number Four was much weaker than Miao Zhongxia. No matter how much he fought as if his life depended on it, he could not beat Miao Zhongxia, who ranked number six in the Stargaze.
After a short stalemate, he was defeated by Miao Zhongxia.
As the attacking side, Miao Zhongxia had received ten points for winning the match.
Next, Miao Zhongxia would fight against two people. From the enemy’s defending team, Number Four still went on the stage. However, this time, there was another disciple with him, Number Three.
Since Miao Zhongxia had defeated Number Four, he planned to use the same strategy to attack only Number Four. Unexpectedly, Number Three’s power was much stronger than Number Four. Regardless of how much Miao Zhongxia targeted Number Four, he was unable to break away from Number Three. In the end, within the two hour limit, he could not break through their defense line.
He had failed in the fight against the two disciples!
This way, in this cycle, Miao Zhongxi only got ten points.
It would be Zhao Muzhi’s turn to come out next. When Miao Zhongxia went down the stage dejectedly, he said to Zhao Muzhi: “Senior Brother Zhao, that Number Three possesses a peculiar spear technique. You must be careful of this point.”
Zhao Muzhi said with a smile: “Ok!”
Zhao Muzhi was fighting against Number Three. It was also for fairness.
Zhao Muzhi was different than Miao Zhongxia. As soon as he went up the stage, he shot two of his Magistrate Brushes out like a machine gun and like a violent storm. He did not allow a single moment for the opponent to rest. In less than fifteen minutes, that person got hit by Zhao Muzhi and went down the stage.
In a spurt of energy, Zhao Muzhi would fight against both Number Three and Number Four like Miao Zhongxia. Now, with some injuries, that Number Three could not fight as freely as he did with Miao Zhongxia. In less than an hour, they were swept down the stage by Zhao Muzhi.
Giving off an awe-inspiring authority, Zhao Muzhi continued the challenge against three people next. He targeted that Number Three specifically. Plus with his special body movements that was swift and fast, he still managed to succeed in a sneak attack and won against three people.
However, in the fourth round, Zhao Muzhi did not have much luck when he was fighting against four people. The Number One of the Dragon and Tiger sect’s defending team could suppress Zhao Muzhi regardless of speed or defense skills. He made Zhao Muzhi realize that he had no hope to succeed during the halftime.
When the two hour of limit was up, Zhao Muzhi went down the stage as he had failed!
However, with three consecutive wins, Zhao Muzhi had gotten a total of sixty points by getting ten, twenty and thirty points in each fight.
Despite Miao Zhongxia not performing that well, he had saved the situation!
