Chapter 1063: The Finals Begin
Chapter 1063: The Finals Begin
Xu An'yu's cheers put him third among the six. As the leader of the dragon race, the most powerful race overall, his prestige was naturally immense, especially with the Tenebrous Dragon King withdrawing from this tournament. If he could claim an Emperor's seat, then he would receive the full endorsement of all dragon clan leaders, and becoming the Lord of Crystal City would be a matter of course. His renown would surely reach a whole new level.
Aside from him, the other three finalists had notably lower popularity.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor scanned the arena. "I won't repeat the rules of the double-elimination tournament. Simply put, anyone who loses twice will be eliminated. The top three will earn the right to claim an Emperor's seat. However, the ascension will be done in order of tournament ranking. If a higher-ranked seed gathers too much fortune when they ascend, it may affect those ranked lower. The Ancestral Court will not be responsible for such outcomes."
This statement was concise, but instantly caused a subtle tension to ripple among the six contestants.
In other words, even if one secured a spot among the top three, they might not necessarily ascend to Emperor. For example, if the first-place finisher turned out to be someone like the Crystal Demon Emperor, they could monopolize the fortune required for two seats, making it impossible for the third-place holder to ascend despite earning a seat.
Thus, even though all top-three finishers would gain the right to claim an Emperor's seat, that was just the right to claim it, and not the seat itself. It was clear that the higher the placement, the better. It also meant greater prestige, and once they ascended, likely a higher standing among Emperors as well.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor's message was clear: Fight with everything you have. Only unstoppable momentum would bring opportunity and the chance for greater resources.
"The first match will feature Mei Gongzi, who ranks first in total points, against Ning Chen'en, third among male contestants. For each match in the finals, two Emperors will act as judges. Contestants, come to the platform."
As his announcement echoed through the arena, the other Emperors returned to their resting chambers. From the Empyrean Dominion, the Sword Saint Demon Emperor soared into the sky, and from the Solstice Empire, the Rainbowglaze Nymph Emperor took flight. One Demon Emperor and one Nymph Emperor entered the battlefield as referees.
This was the final battle, and it was no time for carelessness. The Emperors of both Empires naturally took these referee roles extremely seriously. Without question, every match moving forward would be supervised extremely strictly. Unlike in the elimination rounds, when it was practically a free-for-all, mishaps would not be allowed to happen at this stage.
After all, anyone who had made it to the finals, be they nymph or demon, was undeniably a pillar of their race. It would be a massive loss for the continent as a whole if something untoward happened to them.
Overall, demons still held deeper foundations. Among the six finalists, three and a half were from the demon side. Why three and a half? Because, technically, Ning Chen'en counted as a half. Of course, being raised by the Golden Mammoth clan put him on the Empyrean Dominion's side, but who knew what the final outcome would be? Adamant City had no ruler right now.
In overall strength, the Empyrean Dominion had the slight edge, though the results were still acceptable for the Solstice Empire.
Of course, Tang San was the wild card. Without him, the male finalists would've likely included Jin Anguo instead, and that would have tilted things far more heavily in favor of the Empyrean Dominion. Even the Sunborne Nymph Emperor had to admit that nymphs lagged behind demons in overall strength—after all, the demon races had long held dominance on the Daemon Continent.
Now, Mei Gongzi and Ning Chen'en both rose into the air and landed in the center of the battlefield.
Double-elimination wasn't as cruel as single elimination with a non-negligible possibility of instant death. But by this stage, every contestant wanted to win, and they would give everything they had. The first match was crucial.
Ning Chen'en's expression was rarely this serious. He had watched Mei Gongzi's matches, and if he were to be honest, he hadn't expected to face her in the finals. Not because she was unlikely to make it, but because he was.
In the Empyrean Dominion's original plan, male contestants were supposed to eliminate all nymphs. With competitors like Radiant Dragon King Xu An'yu, the Tenebrous Dragon King Li Zhaopeng, and Behemoth King Jin Anguo, three demon finalists were anticipated among males, and they were also the most likely to win the overall tournament. Ning Chen'en had only been considered a backup at best.
No one had foreseen Tang San throwing a wrench into those plans. With the Scourge Dragon, he defeated Jin Anguo, and later forced Li Zhaopeng to withdraw. Only then did Ning Chen'en gain the opportunity to qualify.
But despite his friendly demeanor, Ning Chen'en was proud to the core. With two first-tier bloodlines, he was confident in his strength, and naturally longed to reach the end of the tournament and prove himself.
And prove himself he had. He had truly defeated Jin Anguo, his own brother-in-law, and reached the finals.
Even Lan Moqian's attitude toward him had shifted after that.
Before, Lan Moqian had been the dominant force in their home. She was the highest-ranking female member of the Behemoth clan, and her lineage stood higher than the Golden Mammoth's. Though both clans had Emperors supporting them, Lan Moqian's domineering personality meant she often acted as the head of the household. Their relationship was good, but Ning Chen'en had always been a bit henpecked.
Yet this time, after defeating Jin Anguo and making it to the finals, he hadn't received a scolding for beating his brother-in-law. Instead, Lan Moqian had greeted him with unprecedented passion.
In the demon world, strength truly reigned supreme. So despite being the lowest-ranked among the six, the very fact that he had made it to the finals had already brought immense honor to the Golden Mammoth clan.
Originally, predictions favored finalists from among the dragons and Behemoths for the demon side; as for nymphs, bets were on the Scorching Sunflower and Nethermoon Flower participants.
Yet in the end, dark horses emerged on both sides—three of the six weren't even from those top-tier clans.
And chief among them stood Mei Gongzi, who was now facing another dark horse.
Ning Chen'en deeply feared her Asura Sword, hence his heavy expression. Still, with his combat experience, he could see her weaknesses. If he could defeat this top-ranked Peacock Princess here, it would not only give him a major advantage in the Battle for the Throne, but vastly improve his chances of securing an Emperor's seat… and boost his standing at home as well.
Lan Moqian was set to face Tang San afterward. They had spent many days analyzing Tang San's situation. What tricks could the Blue Gold Tree clan leader still have? No matter how they examined it, they all agreed: Without the Scourge Dragon, Tang San had almost no chance of beating Lan Moqian, whether she used her divine swords or not.
So if he won and his wife also won, they'd both enter the winners' bracket. According to the rules, their next match would be against each other. No matter who won between them, at least one of them would make the top three and gain an Emperor's Seat. What could be more satisfying?
With that thought, Ning Chen'en felt heat surging through him. He subconsciously clenched his fists.
"Contestants, prepare." The Rainbowglaze Nymph Emperor announced in a calm voice.
Ning Chen'en nodded. Instantly, a surge of dark-golden light burst from him, and his already massive form grew even more imposing. Muscles bulged beneath his skin as the domineering aura of the Golden Mammoth bloodline erupted. The dark golden glow rapidly condensed into a solid-looking Golden Force.
At the same time, his eyes transformed. His left eye turned a deep, dark gold that seemed to swirl like an endless vortex; his right eye turned a radiant gold that shone like a yellow diamond.