Chapter 1073: Mei Gongzi and Jin Miaolin
Chapter 1073: Mei Gongzi and Jin Miaolin
Before this tournament began, who could have imagined that the clan leader of the Blue Gold Tree clan, top candidate for the most bullied nymph clan in history, would make it all the way to the end? Who could have expected him to become one of the three prospective Emperors and even being personally ushered into the top three by the dragon race leadership?
The spectators didn't care about political interests or strategic alliances; they cared about results. And the results spoke for themselves.
This was the true underdog's rise to glory! Relying on the power of money and intellect, Jin Miaolin had truly made it into the final top three. Even if he only ranked third, in the end, it didn't matter; securing a seat was enough to drive the audience into a frenzy.
Jin Miaolin had unknowingly become their idol—the one who turned the impossible into reality, the mundane into the miraculous.
Xu An'yu looked at Tang San with a smile and said, "Brother Jin, do I get a hug too?" As he spoke, he opened his arms toward Tang San.
Tang San twitched inwardly, but then laughed and gave him a solid hug. "Brother Xu, thank you. I will never forget this favor."
Xu An'yu gave him a thumbs-up. "You earned your place as an Emperor by your own strength. Everyone's seen how you got here, step by step. Honestly, I'm not even sure I could've beaten you if we fought for real. But there's still another chance. I'll fight my way back up from the losers' bracket. And when we meet for the final rankings, I won't concede again!"
Xu An'yu's two concessions had undeniably helped Tang San secure his spot among the top three. By this point, everyone could see just how close the Blue Gold Tree clan and the dragon race had become.
Tang San smiled lightly. "No problem. When the time comes, let's give it our all. Win or lose, it won't matter anymore. As for the matters you want me to help you with, I'll be honored to do so. I believe you'll become the first Holy Dragon Demon Emperor in the future."
"Hahaha! I'll take those words as a blessing," Xu An'yu said with a hearty laugh.
Today's set of matches had been the shortest since the tournament began. Both had ended with quick concessions; not even the preparation phase had occurred, let alone actual fighting.
In the winners' bracket, only Mei Gongzi and Tang San remained.
The losers' bracket now held Xu An'yu, Jiang Chenchou, and Lan Moqian.
Tomorrow would feature the championship match of the winners' bracket, and the winner of that battle would rest while waiting for the final challenger. In other words, whether it was Tang San or Mei Gongzi who won tomorrow, that person would be guaranteed at least second place.
When Tang San walked out of the competition grounds, he was instantly swarmed by the jubilant elders of the Blue Gold Tree clan.
An Emperor! Their own clan leader had secured an Emperor's seat! What could be more joyous than that?
A surge of life energy erupted from the dozens of elders as they tossed Tang San into the air over and over, making him seem as if he was taking a bath in life energy. Jin Miaosen shouted herself hoarse.
As a group that had long been considered mere background characters at best and props at worst, none of them had ever imagined they would one day regain their place among the clans with a representative in the Ancestral Court's Council. For the Blue Gold Tree clan, this was the greatest event since the fall of the Ancestral Tree; their previous Emperor had been short-lived and hadn't brought the clan much glory, as he had vanished not long after attaining his seat.
Even if Tang San didn't compete in another match, it didn't matter; he had already won. Neither Radiant Dragon King Xu An'yu nor Mei Gongzi seemed likely to claim two Emperors' worth of fortune, which meant that he had every chance to become an Emperor.
Xu An'yu's concession undoubtedly involved other political considerations—like compromises between the two countries and balancing power among the various clans. After all, the Solstice Empire had to secure at least one seat. They couldn't possibly allow the Empyrean Dominion to take all three, especially after the fall of the Adamant Nymph Emperor.
Initially, they had even aimed for more. But now it was clear that compared to the demon clans, the Solstice Empire was somewhat lacking. Trying to claim another seat would be extremely difficult.
However, securing one was absolutely essential. Otherwise, the Solstice Empire would never accept the outcome. Sure, now that the Crystal Demon Emperor had fallen, the Empyrean Dominion no longer had anyone capable of suppressing the Sunborne-Earthshade pair, but even so, six Nymph Emperors could not possibly fight eleven Demon Emperors. It was just not possible.
Ultimately, ensuring Jin Miaolin earned a seat became the only mutually acceptable outcome. What remained now was to see whether Jiang Chenchou could shake Xu An'yu in a second challenge. That fight would undoubtedly be more intense than their first.
Ning Chen'en hadn't conceded in vain, either. His chances of earning a seat had already been slim; he could not beat Xu An'yu and it was anybody's guess whether he could beat Jin Miaolin. By conceding now, he had not only earned his wife's heartfelt approval but also mended the slight rift between the Golden Mammoth clan and the Behemoth clan.
The Behemoth clan, once so full of confidence, had ultimately fallen a step behind. Had Jin Miaolin lost to Xu An'yu, Lan Moqian might still have had a glimmer of hope by defeating Jiang Chenchou. But with two towering opponents in front of her, her chances now looked equally slim.
By the time Tang San returned to the White Tiger Grand Hotel, his clothes were torn in several places—the elders had simply been too enthusiastic. And under those circumstances, there had been no stopping them. After all, this was indeed a great day for the Blue Gold Tree clan.
Xu An'yu's concession was actually really good news for Tang San; it saved him the trouble of a difficult battle. In fact, Tang San had been fully prepared to duke it out with Xu An'yu today. He couldn't afford to lose that match. Only by winning could he ensure that Xu An'yu could not possibly get to Mei Gongzi.
Thus, unbeknownst to Xu An'yu, Tang San had been determined to win today. His unexpected concession allowed Tang San to keep more of his trump cards hidden. Tomorrow, he would face Mei Gongzi, while Lan Moqian would face Jiang Chenchou.
At this point in the tournament, the losers' bracket had reached a boiling point. One wrong move could mean elimination.
"What? Xu An'yu conceded?"
At the top floor of the White Tiger Hotel, Mei Gongzi was utterly stunned upon hearing the news.
"Yes, he conceded. And I have to say, it was a very smart move," said Luo Qingzhu. "The dragon race has clearly been courting the Blue Gold Tree clan. This is the second time Xu An'yu has conceded to Jin Miaolin, and this time, it ensures Jin Miaolin will get a place in the top three. It's obvious the dragons believe his ascension will be beneficial to them. As for Xu An'yu, he's confident that he can just win his way out of the losers' bracket and challenge him again. Little Mei, you'll be facing Jin Miaolin tomorrow. You must go all out to secure the top position. But I suspect your final match will be against Xu An'yu."
Mei Gongzi frowned deeply. What troubled her most was the possibility that if she lost to Xu An'yu in the end, he wouldn't just win the Battle for the Throne, but also become the champion of the matchmaking tournament. That meant he would have first pick of a spouse. And before the tournament had even begun, he had already made his interest in her known. If he proposed to marry her afterward, it would be a huge problem.
No matter what, she had to defeat him.
"Xu An'yu is hard to deal with. That Light Sprite's energy is overwhelming. Are you confident?" Luo Qingzhu had clearly seen through her concerns.