Chapter 391: The Two Biggest Wild Cards in the Final Matches
Long Juxue stood at the most eye-catching position like a proud peacock, unconsciously showing off her position as number one genius.
Although Lei Gangyang was the type to hold his plans close to his heart, Long Juxue’s blatant provocation still enraged him, but he couldn’t afford to explode in front of all the sect elders.
He wasn’t Ceng Shi, not someone to accept his fate that easily.
He had borne the glorious halo as the first genius amongst the younger Purple Sun Sect generation since youth. He’d enjoyed this honor and privilege for twenty some years. For him to suddenly hand over this title and let Long Juxue be crowned instead, he was far from capable of doing so with serene acceptance.
To ensure that the four venerated ones and the heavyweights of the sects could observe all candidates from all aspects, the final matches didn’t start in a flurried manner.
A hard rule was set; only four matches could be held a day.
Two in the morning, two in the afternoon.
Each match was limited to four hours. In this way, the four matches a day would expend 16 hours.
Eight days would be needed to complete the first round, and only four days for the second round of sixteen matches.
After the final sixteen were chosen, the number of fights would only decrease. The total time needed to complete all the matches wouldn’t exceed a month.
Although the formation could hold out for another two or three months, none of the forefathers wanted to take the risk and go down to the wire.
Jiang Chen and the two others weren’t called in for the four matches on the first day.
However, according to the rules, all candidates had to be present and observe during the matches.
The candidates fighting on the first day were relatively weaker, so the matches weren’t that exciting.
None of the three were called in even on the second day. Liu Wencai only had the chance to take the ring only on the third day.
He took the field with great momentum and faced off against rank number 43.
Number 43 was also at the peak of the fifth level spirit realm. On paper, it looked like he was a hair ahead of Liu Wencai’s fifth level spirit realm.
Therefore, number 43 was actually secretly delighted before they met in the ring. When he saw that Liu Wencai was a rookie who’d just come up from the earth quadrant, he smiled gloatingly, “Kid, you’ve just charged in from the earth quadrant and spent so much effort farming points. Your rank is higher than mine, but you’re going to be crushed by me all the same!”
This candidate was really quite happy, thinking that he was simply too lucky to be matched up against a rookie candidate from the earth quadrant.
However, when the fight commenced, he discovered just how ludicrous his thoughts had been.
Liu Wencai used less than fifteen minutes to wipe the floor with his opponent, as easy as using a cleaver to dice vegetables.
And, he hadn’t even exercised a hint of his full strength. He’d only punched and kicked, using brute force to pound his opponent’s face in.
This unexpectedly daunting momentum also shocked the examiners. When they saw that Liu Wencai looked unfamiliar, people started pulling up his information for further research.
The heavyweights from the Myriad Spirit Sect also had absolutely no idea of what they could say to forefather Ninelion.
Such a fine seed had had to fight every step of the way up from the mystic quadrant!
“The hell are you guys doing? Such a fine seed was sent to the mystic quadrant?! I’d like to know just how you divided up the disciples! Was someone up to no good behind the scenes?” Ninelion cursed loudly at all the senior executives of the Myriad Spirit Sect.
The division of disciples into quadrants had been according to potential and strength. Of course, there were many who had sent disciples to various quadrants based on personal factors, such as their familiarity with and popularity of the disciple.
The sect heavyweights really didn’t know Liu Wencai.
After all, he’d simply been too unseen in the sect before. Although it was a bit less than what he should’ve deserved with his original potential and strength in the mystic quadrant, it wasn’t completely out of line.
His potential had yet to be tapped at that time.
His true explosion into his own had come after he’d met Jiang Chen and the subsequent tempering and occurrences.
Therefore, the senior executives were a bit undeserving of this lecture.
Of course, there was reason to Ninelion’s rage as well. Such a good seed had been sent to dither in the mystic and earth quadrant for so long.
If he’d been put in the sky quadrant from the very beginning and caught Ninelion’s eye, receiving the proper attention from the sect, he might have been even more stunning and heaven defying now.
“I must pay attention to this seed.” Ninelion privately made up his mind and firmly fixed Liu Wencai’s name in his heart.
He’d made up his mind that even if this kid didn’t make it into the top 16, the kid would gain a place in the plan for further, targeted training.
Ninelion was an origin realm old monster alright. The sharpness of his eye wasn’t something that anyone could measure up to. He saw a certain potential and explosive power in Liu Wencai’s battles.
Ninelion privately felt that when he was this kid’s age, he might not have displayed such potential and explosive strength.
“Haha, to think that my Myriad Spirit Sect would have another young genius such as this one rise after Luo Xi. It looks like the heavens favor my sect.” Ninelion was filled with pride at seeing a genius of his sect thoroughly trample his opponent, striking out with might and awe.
Jiang Chen and Tang Hong’s turn had yet to come even as the fourth and fifth days passed.
On the sixth day, Tang Hong took the field against rank number 56.
When number 56 saw that he was matched up against the infamous madman Tang Hong, his face drooped. He’d thought to put up a strong front at first, and then leverage his energy and drive to somehow triumph from a weaker position.
However, when he discovered that his opponent was Tang Hong, he knew that his plans had been in vain.
Tang Hong was the number one crazy of the sky quadrant.
This person would never be scared by an opponent’s fervor and drive. On the contrary, the more crazed his opponent was, the more insane Tang Hong would become as well.
Tang Hong’s madness could change with his opponent. The stronger his opponent was, the more berserk he would become.
Therefore, number 56 was close to listless. He was more willing than anyone to compete in terms of energy and drive, but he knew that this would only make things worse with Tang Hong. He’d just be in for an even worse pounding.
It was finally Jiang Chen’s turn on the seventh day.
His opponent was number 59.
When the fellow made it into the ring, Jiang Chen noted with surprise that it was an old acquaintance, Zhou Yi of the Precious Tree Sect.
This fellow was indeed something to make it into the round of sixty four.
However, Jiang Chen hadn’t paid any attention to Zhou Yi back in the day, as he and Iron Dazhi had been defeated by him back in the capital of the Skylaurel Kingdom.
Therefore, he naturally easily trampled this kind of opponent.
The swift sword work that Zhou Yi was proud of was as effective as a child playing with a wooden sword in front of Jiang Chen.
If it wasn’t for Jiang Chen not wanting to show off his strength beforehand, Zhou Yi wouldn’t have lasted even fifteen minutes.
However, even though the match lasted that long, Jiang Chen still used only his fists and legs to throw Zhou Yi off the stage. Jiang Chen, Tang Hong, and Liu Wencai all won without a shadow of a doubt in the first round.
On the eighth day, the top four candidates, the four geniuses of the sects, took the field.
Long Juxue, Lei Gangyang, Luo Xi, and Shi Yunyun.
These four had the highest scores and were the four strong seeds of this time’s selection.
Originally, Lei Gangyang had been an undisputed first seed, but with Long Juxue’s fierce momentum, her score had surpassed Lei Gangyang’s at the last moment, and she had taken the title of first seed.
Their opponents were candidates ranked 61 to 64, candidates on completely different levels of strength.
The four geniuses won easily, not even able to warm up properly.
The next round of 32 candidates were set up after the first eight days. Candidates ranked near the top had mostly won their matches.
According to the rules, all candidates were to rest for two days after the first round.
Truth be told, they also needed the rest. One’s situation needed to be adjusted to top condition before a fight.
The organizers also needed to analyze the list of names and understand the candidates who had won.
There weren’t that many surprising names on the list.
There were four or five names that hadn’t been thought highly of that had actually emerged from the masses. Of course, the most apparent were Liu Wencai and the secular freak genius of the boulder’s heart.
Just who was this freak genius? Apart from the Purple Sun Sect, all of the other three sects were full of curiosity.
The three sects had had a few speculations, but their guesses weren’t that reliable either.
However, the three sects could also see the enmity that the Purple Sun Sect bore towards the secular genius. Therefore, they were all considering how to entice the secular genius over to their side.
The list of the final sixteen was about to be produced. Once the secular genius made his mark on that list, the four great sects could make their move to recruit him.
Thus, they were all focusing their attention on the secular genius.
As for the Purple Sun Sect, it was intensely analyzing the match line-ups.
They discovered that Jiang Chen’s next opponent was their Chu Xinghan!
Chu Xinghan was ranked number 27 and had won on the first day.
“Xinghan, do you need your master to remind you who your next opponent is?” Master Shuiyue said faintly. “I’ve heard Juxue say that you weren’t enthusiastic about suppressing that swine Jiang Chen in the sky quadrant. I can let bygones be bygones, but you must strive your utmost to kill him this time. Even if you cannot win, you must kill him no matter the cost. Even if he is gravely injured, that would be a great accomplishment as well. If you cannot do so, you will be the sinner of my Shuiyue faction and I would’ve unjustly reared you for twenty years. Do you understand my meaning?”
How would Chu Xinghan not understand his master’s meaning? She was telling him that even if he had to detonate his own spirit ocean and take his enemy down with him, that would be what he’d have to resort to in order to fight his opponent.
This was treating him as a pawn, a pawn that was set up for sacrifice!
Chu Xinghan’s heart spasmed with pain as grief flashed through his profound gaze. He hadn’t thought that he’d only be a pawn in his master’s heart in the end!
