Chapter 1054: The Highest-Level Female Duel
Chapter 1054: The Highest-Level Female Duel
Ning Chen'en took a deep breath and said, "That's not something I can decide on my own. I'll have to ask first."
"No rush. Just give me an answer before our match begins."
Ning Chen'en nodded. "Alright, I'll give you a heads-up once I talk to him."
In truth, Tang San had no intention of continuing in the remaining round-robin matches. As the saying goes, the more you do, the more mistakes you make. The best way to avoid trouble was to participate in as few battles as possible and stop exposing his abilities in front of others. Six wins were already more than enough.
Of course, Ning Chen'en had no way of knowing that, and if Tang San had an opportunity to grab some profit… Well, who was he to let it slide?
The matches continued.
Tang San's attention had already shifted back to the competition arena, because it was once again Mei Gongzi's turn to fight. And this battle was extremely important for her. If she won this match, she would have four victories, and her opponent today was the top contender from the second bracket—also with three wins.
There were five female contestants in the second bracket, and matches had been determined by drawing lots, meaning someone always had a bye. Since only three rounds had passed, there were still contestants who had only fought twice.
Mei Gongzi's opponent today could very well be the strongest she'd face in the round-robin stage, maybe even stronger than Lan Moqian. At the same time, winning this match would put her in a comfortable lead. If she could defeat this next opponent, the others wouldn't pose much of a problem to her.
Mei Gongzi and her opponent were already standing on the battle platform. Since Tang San's match with Li Zhaopeng hadn't caused physical damage to the arena, the matches could move on straight away.
A new referee presided over this match. Perhaps it was due to the Sunborne Nymph Emperor being pissed and taking the day off, but the Undying Demon Emperor now served as the chief referee.
Tang San had nothing against it; with the Undying Demon Emperor presiding, he felt reassured. At the very least, Mei Gongzi wouldn't be in any danger and could go all out.
Mei Gongzi's opponent was a woman of striking beauty, with long, bright-red hair cascading down her back. She appeared to be in her early thirties, and possessed every bit of the grace and allure of a mature woman.
She hailed from the Scorching Sunflower clan and was virtually unknown before this tournament. Even within her own clan, few knew much about her. But once the competition began, she emerged from the elimination round with a flawless win streak to reach the semifinals. There, she again won three consecutive matches, earning the highest number of victories among the second bracket's contestants. Only then did the audience start paying attention. The power she displayed, especially her explosive combat ability, was in no way inferior to the male contestant representing the Scorching Sunflower clan—the Scorching King.
"Both sides prepare," the Undying Demon Emperor announced, glancing at each contestant.
Silver light shimmered around Mei Gongzi, rippling outward in waves, casting countless overlapping silhouettes of her figure in its glow.
Her opponent, the Scorching Sunflower clan's Jiang Chenchou, had not even been listed among the clan's Great Demon Kings prior to the competition. Very few people apart from the Sunborne Nymph Emperor were familiar with her.
But while her life and evolution were rather mysterious, her performance in battle had demonstrated a dominant and aggressive fighting style. Based on her previous matches, her strength was at least equal to that of the Scorching King. And since female contestants were generally weaker than male ones, her ability to match such power appeared even more impressive. She had stormed through her matches undefeated.
Today's match was just as critical for Jiang Chenchou as it was for her opponent. If she defeated Mei Gongzi, the rest of her matches would be a breeze. Securing a spot in the top three would be practically guaranteed.
As the round-robin progressed, matches were growing increasingly intense. Any contestant with hopes of advancing had to give it their all—holding back now would mean missing their shot.
Jiang Chenchou gazed at Mei Gongzi, her eyes blazing gold and red. Behind her, illusionary giant blossoms bloomed, and the arena on her side began to ripple and distort, exuding a strange radiance.
"Begin!" The Undying Demon Emperor rose into the air, leaving the arena to the two contestants.
In a flash, all the illusory giant flowers behind Jiang Chenchou solidified. Dozens of fiery pillars erupted like jets of lava, surging toward Mei Gongzi's side.
Silver light shimmered around Mei Gongzi as silver portals opened before her, directly confronting the incoming fire pillars and swallowing them whole.
The collision of space and fire immediately caused the atmosphere to distort throughout the arena. One side blazed with radiant silver, the other roared with fiery pillars, as the sudden clash turned the stage into a swirling vortex of elemental energy.
Spectators, thrilled by the spectacle, erupted into cheers, screaming the names of their favorite contestants with frenzied excitement.
Every contestant had fans—not just from their own clans, but also among those who admired strength and skill. Both Mei Gongzi and Jiang Chenchou had gained many followers through their previous outstanding performances, and now their supporters roared with unrestrained enthusiasm.
Only the truly powerful audience members could see that, despite the visual intensity, both sides were still just probing each other. These opening exchanges were cautious and exploratory.
This battle was crucial for both sides, and each contestant was being careful.
Tang San's gaze remained fixed on the match, his eyes unblinking. If not for Mei Gongzi's match, he would've already left the arena. If anyone was currently the most popular figure in the Battle for the Throne, it wasn't the ostensibly mighty Radiant Dragon King Xu An'yu—it was him, the Amethystine Warrior. And after today's match, his popularity was sure to soar to unprecedented levels. But while this popularity certainly had its advantages, it also came with some problems he had to deal with.
Both the life-annihilation cycle and the holy energy he had revealed just now had stunned the entire Ancestral Court. Even the Emperors were shaken by his strength. Who dared underestimate the Blue Gold Tree clan's clan leader now? He still had the Scourge Dragon in reserve, and with the evolved Holy Dragon Spear, his strength had reached the very top among Great Nymph Kings. People even felt that with the Scourge Dragon, he might even stand a chance against a low-ranked Emperor!
More importantly, there was the legend he had created during the Battle for the Throne. From an overlooked unknown, he had risen step by step to become a hot favorite. At first, it seemed he was relying solely on wealth, but over time, the audience had begun to understand that he was much more than met the eye. He was a mystery, and that mystery was a treasure trove of infinite possibilities. No one could guess what ability this "rich wastrel" Blue Gold Tree clan leader might bring out next. And that was precisely what the crowd loved to see.
The problem was that, of course, he had revealed a lot. Too much, maybe.
Tang San had every intention of remaining as low-profile as possible, doing his best not to use any of his true abilities and only resorting to the things he'd bought in the auction and some clever strategizing. But now, as the tournament progressed, a low profile was no longer something he could maintain by choice. He had to pay great attention.
And speaking of people who kept a low profile but were secretly true powerhouses, this Jiang Chenchou was certainly one of them. As he watched the match, Tang San started nodding; this Great Nymph King was indeed worthy of admiration.
Compared to the Scorching King, Jiang Chenchou's bloodline power was even more concentrated. It also seemed more profound and stable, an indicator of solid foundations. And her affinity with fire was astonishing. She had this affinity innately, without relying on any divine item, much like Mei Gongzi's innate resonance with space. This made her seem like a true incarnation of fire; in fact, Tang San suspected she might well be the Avatar of Fire. And even if she wasn't, she had a real chance of becoming that.