"His opponent in the first match was a descendant of the Xiang clan. The two clashed in pure strength, and the Xiang clan descendant lost."
On the high observation platform of the Imperial City, the Carp tribe judge in charge of deciding the outcome of the matches bowed. The observation platform was empty. The members of the Council of Elders and the high-ranking officials of the Demi-human Court were all in the gloomy stone hall, pensively reading the files that had just been delivered.
Upon hearing the Carp tribe judge's words, many gazes turned to the mountainous figure at the very top.
The Chief Elder was also the leader of the Xiang clan.
Why had a descendant of the Xiang clan gone to a place like the Pine Paths to participate? And he had still lost?
The Chief Elder's eyes were still closed, as if he was asleep. He showed no reaction. The important figures in the hall shook their heads and returned their gazes to the files. A high-ranking official of the Demi-human Court suddenly changed his expression and said, "His opponent in the second match was actually Nie Chi?"
Whispers of discussion rose from the stone hall, all of them clearly shocked. To these important figures of the Demi-human race, Nie Chi was naturally nothing, but he was still a famous expert. If it really was him, how could he have lost?
"Nie Chi was directly killed, because his blade was not as fast as his opponent's fist."
The Carp tribe judge paid no attention to the cries of shock coming from the stone hall. With his head lowered, he continued, "The third match was fought by Han Xiaodao."
A shocked voice came from the stone hall. "Wait, are you speaking of the Han Xiaodao that we all know?"
The Carp tribe judge's voice trembled as he replied, "Yes, and then he was also defeated."
Someone anxiously asked, "What happened next?"
The Carp tribe judge fell quiet for a while, as if the mental impact of the events that had taken place had still not completely dissipated.
"The fourth match was fought by Wu Yu. He was also defeated."
"Wu Yu?" the person asked in shock. "You're not mistaken, right? How could he also be defeated?"
At this moment, an official looked at the resounding names that appeared one after another at the end of the dossier. He frowned slightly and asked, "Wait a moment, I don't understand. Why would there be so many experts appearing in such a remote lower city arena?"
The Carp tribe judge lowered his head even more, not answering this question.
Not a single colleague or member of the Council of Elders in the stone hall answered his question.
There was a hint of awkwardness in their silence.
Many of the important figures in the stone hall knew the answer to this question, because they had arranged this beforehand.
Other than powerful individuals like Xiaode, the tribal leaders and officials of the Demi-human Court did not have any extravagant hopes that the participants of their tribes would obtain the final victory in the Heavenly Selection ceremony and marry the princess. They only wanted to use this opportunity to have the young experts of their tribes enter the front ranks and obtain the right to enter the Celestial Tree. As long as they could receive the baptism of the Wildfire and the blessings of the ancestral spirits, they would be able to greatly increase their strength, even break through in a short period of time.
Because of this reason, these big figures had arranged for the young experts in their own tribes who had great potential but were not particularly eye-catching to be sent to the lower city district, which received very little attention. They hoped that they could avoid more powerful enemies and fight for one of the three places.
This way of thinking was very reasonable. Even though there were many tribes with this idea, and in a sense, they had still clashed with each other in advance, the competition in the lower city was still much easier than in the imperial city and the vicinity of Heavensguard Pavilion.
However, no one expected the final result to be like this.
The young warriors, whom all the clans had high hopes for, had all been defeated.
They had all been defeated by a very ordinary-looking bear youth.
An elder suddenly sternly asked, "Even if this child miraculously won six matches in a row and represented the Pine Paths in winning the selection of the San Chun district and obtaining a spot, why did only he come? Didn't the lower city district have three spots? What about the other two? "
He was the leader of the Deer tribe. Today, he had secretly placed his most beloved illegitimate child in the southern village, hoping to fish in troubled waters and obtain a chance for his illegitimate child to enter the Celestial Tree tomorrow. Yet he had clearly received news that his illegitimate child had won, so why had he not appeared?
"That fellow represented the Pine Paths in the selection, and after obtaining a spot in the San Chun district, he went to Star River Bay and the southern village."
The Carp tribe administrator recalled the scene he had seen and couldn't help but sigh. "He also took those two spots."
The stone hall was quiet for a few moments, clearly out of shock and confusion. A few moments later, the Deer tribe leader angrily roared.
"Just what does this idiot want to do! Isn't taking one spot enough!? Does he not know that the spot cannot be transferred!? "
This was something that many elders and officials could not understand. Since he had already obtained a spot in the San Chun district, he could enter the Celestial Tree tomorrow to be baptized by the Wildfire, so why did that fellow refuse to give up and run off to Star River Bay to fight two more matches with the southern village?
Although the rules of the Heavenly Selection ceremony did not forbid this, although that fellow was truly very strong, a truly powerful opponent had yet to appear. Besides consuming true essence and energy, what meaning was there in this?
"I don't know." The Carp tribe administrator recalled the words that fellow had said when he walked onto the fighting platform and hesitantly said, "It seems to be because … he doesn't like other people participating in the Heavenly Selection ceremony. As long as it is a participant, he will knock them down."
What sort of reason was this? It was simply incomprehensible.
Suddenly, a cold voice said, "I don't understand, how did he win?"
It was not that he truly didn't understand, but that he didn't believe, that he had doubts.
It was obvious that many important personages of the Demi-human race, including this official, felt that this matter was far too strange and began to feel many doubts.
The Carp tribe administrator was thinking of something else, his mind a little dazed as he said, "He used his fist."
"Fist?"
"Yes, whether it was against Nie Chi, Han Xiaodao, or any other expert, he only used one fist."
"One fist?"
"Yes, each time he went on stage, he only used one fist, and then his opponent would fall."
The stone hall was quiet for a very long time, with not a single sound coming from it.
The twilight was not deep and the sun was still setting, but the wind was rather chilly.
The Carp tribe administrator stood on the observation platform, his clothes fluttering in the wind. In the setting sun, he looked like a blazing banner.
From dawn to dusk, countless matches had been held on the fighting platforms of the Heavenly Selection ceremony.
But it was obvious that the most important matches today were the nine matches taking place in the lower city.
In these nine matches, that fellow had used a total of nine punches.
One punch for each match.
One punch to defeat his opponent.
What sort of concept was this?
What sort of sight was this?
The important personages all had slightly chilled expressions, but they remained silent.
Yes, no matter how graceful and daring he was, no matter how much of a ruckus he could cause, it was not enough for the impoverished populace of the lower city to silently and orderly follow him, gazing at him with eyes filled with fervor and respect.
The problem was that this fellow was not an expert sent by the tribes. He was a true citizen of the lower city. The dossier clearly stated that he had lived in the lower city for many years. He had worked as a laborer, painted, and was even washing dishes in a small tavern.
The important personages in the hall were extremely distant from the lower levels, but they were keenly aware of what this meant and how dangerous it was.
"Just who is this fellow? His name seems rather familiar."
As these words broke the silence, countless gazes turned to a certain place in the hall.
In that corner was a stalwart figure, but just like the Xiang clan leader, he had been very quiet the entire time, as if he was sleeping. But at this moment, neither the elders nor the high officials of the Demi-human Court would allow him to continue pretending to sleep.
Because he was the leader of the Bear tribe.
The Bear tribe leader slowly said, "Don't look at me. I did not arrange this, nor do I have the right to arrange this. As for who he is … all of you should know. If all of you have forgotten even his name, what right do you have to sit here?"
… …
… …
In a very short amount of time, the events of today's lower city spread.
The luxuriously dressed denizens of the upper city looked at this figure with reverence and fear in their eyes.
Those beautiful and delicate noble ladies looked at this figure with much more passion in their eyes.
The other six participants who had also obtained the right to enter the Celestial Tree all looked at this figure with different emotions.
Some of their eyes were brimming with apprehension, while others were brimming with killing intent.
The gaze of the Great Western Continent's Second Prince slightly froze, his thoughts inscrutable.
The young man in the bamboo hat looked in the direction of the Imperial City, his thoughts inscrutable.
Xiaode calmly gazed at this figure, thinking about the specific battle report he had just received.
He was sure that he had never seen this Bear tribe youth before, but why did this person give him a familiar feeling?
The several thousand denizens of the lower city stopped in front of the plaza of the Imperial City like a tide.
There was a large space at the very front of the crowd, allowing that reef-like figure to stand out even more clearly.
The important figures on the observation platform said nothing.
Even higher up, the Empress said nothing.
This was tacit approval.
The high official in charge of the Heavenly Selection ceremony asked, "What tribe are you from? State your name. "
The names of all the participants were written on the scroll. Registering one's name was just a traditional custom of verifying one's true identity, but indicating one's tribe was a form of glory.
It was very quiet in front of the Imperial City. Countless gazes looked over, wanting to know the answer.
"The Bear tribe. But today, I am not representing my tribe in this battle. "
The light of dusk shone on his face like the light reflected off the surface of a lake.
The great banyan tree was on the opposite side of the lake while the kitchen was on this side.
He squinted his eyes, perhaps because of the piercing light or because he was smiling foolishly.
"Orthodox Academy, Xuanyuan Po."
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