Chapter 1062: Stepping Onto the Stage
Chapter 1062: Stepping Onto the Stage
Xu An'yu had been able to defeat Ning Chen'en in their match partly because Ning Chen'en had not been quite into it, and partly due to the overwhelming energy advantage brought by the Light Sprite. Ning Chen'en specialized in attrition battles, but with the Light Sprite at his side, Xu An'yu could hardly be less afraid of such tactics.
Meanwhile, what Mei Gongzi feared most at present was an attrition battle. If she were to fall into the loser's bracket, things would become very troublesome for her. It would make the path forward far more difficult.
Thus, today's match was crucial.
Under the escort of the Ancestral Court's royal guards, Tang San's carriage once again entered the competition grounds. As soon as his carriage arrived, the arena erupted into a wave of cheers.
"Amethystine Warrior!"
"Amethystine Warrior!!!"
The cries of support came in wave after wave. In terms of popularity, Tang San was clearly in first place.
He stepped down from the carriage and walked into the arena through the corridor.
The city lords' rest area had been dismantled, and the dozen pavilions had been replaced by six smaller ones. They were no longer fully enclosed either; the side facing the battle platform was open. Each pavilion contained only a single seat: a luxurious throne carved from a golden metal and encrusted with all kinds of gemstones. Each of the thrones was placed a little higher than the next one, obviously showing the rankings of the contestants.
This was the honor reserved for the finalists. At this moment, aside from Jin Miaolin's, all other thrones were already occupied.
Mei Gongzi sat proudly on the first throne. Upon seeing Tang San arrive, she nodded slightly at him.
The other contestants also nodded in acknowledgment.
With a calm smile, Tang San returned each greeting and took his seat on the second throne, right beside Mei Gongzi's.
On his other side sat Xu An'yu. Further down were Jiang Chenchou, followed by Ning Chen'en and Lan Moqian. The married couple occupied the fifth and sixth seats respectively, and as if to showcase who the boss of the house was, Lan Moqian sat ahead of Ning Chen'en.
All six thrones were now occupied.
To get the right to sit here was the result of countless grueling battles, and a testament to their brilliance.
Seeing all six finalists seated, the spectators in the arena erupted into cheers again. The powerful soundwaves seemed to ignite the very atmosphere above the Ancestral Court.
The Emperor's pavilions halfway up Council Mountain remained unchanged. Just then, beams of light descended from the sky, each landing in front of one pavilion.
Only then did the cheers in the arena gradually subside.
The matches were about to begin.
One by one, the doors of the Emperors' rooms opened, and figures stepped out. This time, it was not just one or two; every single Emperor alive was present.
A total of fourteen Emperors walked side by side to the edge of the platform upon which their pavilions were built.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor turned toward the Sunborne Nymph Emperor, who made a courteous gesture, inviting him to speak first.
Only then did the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor face the arena. Instantly, an invisible aura swept across the space. It held no pressure to speak of, but it caused the entire crowd to quiet down instinctively.
The six finalists all rose to their feet and bowed respectfully toward the Emperors standing on the mountainside.
A smile spread across the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor's face. "To the six finalists of the Battle for the Throne, and to all the spectators present, I bid you welcome. Today is a day of extraordinary importance to the Ancestral Court.
"As everyone knows, the Ancestral Court has not added a new Emperor in many years. This is because the plane can only sustain a limited number of top-tier beings. But not long ago, we mournfully witnessed the passing of Her Majesty the Crystal Demon Emperor and Its Majesty the Adamant Nymph Emperor, causing the Ancestral Court to lose two of its own. Their fall left behind three vacant seats. Thus, the Battle for the Throne was decided, a rare and long-awaited opportunity to ascend for the Great Demon Kings of every race.
"By the end of this tournament, three individuals will emerge victorious and gain the right to claim an Emperor's seat. In the near future, they will join our ranks, and help protect the Ancestral Court, the Daemon Continent, and both demons and nymphs."
He paused, turning his gaze to the six competitors below. "After days of matches and grueling elimination rounds, the six of you have made it to the finals. The final stage will follow a double-elimination format. The top three finishers will be granted the right to claim an Emperor's seat and, in due time, ascend to Emperorhood. Now, everyone, allow me to introduce these six contestants, in order, by number of victories."
"First, Mei Gongzi, Lord of Kali City, leader of the Peacock Demon clan. Apart from the Peacock Demon Blood, she possesses White Tiger and human blood as well. She is the strongest of the Peacock Demon clan in many years, and ranks first among the six."
Immediately, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers like crashing waves. As the overall top scorer, she was seen as a frontrunner to claim one of the three positions.
Mei Gongzi first gave a deep bow toward Council Mountain, then turned to the audience and nodded in acknowledgment.
"Second, Jin Miaolin, Lord of Skytree City, leader of the Blue Gold Tree clan. He bears the original bloodline of the Ancestral Tree and possesses massive life energy. He also possesses a massive stock of amethystine coins, for which reason he is also known these days as the Amethystine Warrior."
Upon hearing the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor's introduction, the entire arena exploded in deafening cheers and chants, along with uproarious laughter.
Even the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor knew the title of Amethystine Warrior, and he actually said it aloud. Though there was undoubtedly a hint of jest in his words, it clearly showed that the Emperors acknowledged Tang San.
With a smile, he bowed to the Emperors and then turned to wave merrily at the audience. Instantly, the cheering grew even louder. The raucous ovation continued for a good minute before gradually quieting at the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor's raised hand.
Mei Gongzi couldn't help glancing toward him with a raised eyebrow. This blue-skinned guy had really gathered some popularity.
Sensing her gaze, Tang San turned and smiled at her with a nod. Mei Gongzi nodded back as well, but the sense of distance between them remained unchanged.
Tang San sighed inwardly. Once she finds out who I really am, I hope she won't get too angry… Nah, she probably will. I'd better prepare some gifts.
"Third Xu An'yu, acting Lord of Crystal City and leader of the Radiant Dragon Clan. He is a pure-blooded Radiant Dragon and the most powerful Great Demon King of the dragon race."
The crowd cheered once more, though noticeably less enthusiastically than for Tang San. Xu An'yu, however, maintained a calm smile and respectfully saluted both the Emperors and the audience.
"Fourth, Jiang Chenchou, princess of the Scorching Sunflower clan from Solar City." There was even less fanfare in Jiang Chenchou's introduction, likely because she wasn't even an acting city lord or clan leader, let alone a confirmed one.
"Fifth, Lan Moqian, princess of the Behemoth clan from Sky-Splitting City."
"Sixth, Ning Chen'en, Lord of Golden City and leader of the Golden Mammoth clan. He is renowned for having the most powerful defense below the Emperor level!"
With all six introductions complete, the cheers clearly reflected the disparity in popularity. Tang San, without question, received the loudest ovation—more than the other five combined, especially when the crowd chanted "Amethystine Warrior."
Next came Mei Gongzi. As the top scorer and the central figure of the matchmaking tournament, she too commanded immense popularity, and this was without even revealing her stunning appearance. If she had, her popularity would surely have soared even higher.