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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 19: The Lost Audience
The League began amidst discussions about Lian Yun.
In the first round, there were a total of 16 matches, with all competitors entering the arena simultaneously. Although the League intentionally spread out the stronger players, all participants were exceptional talents, and there were still plenty of thrilling moments.
However, despite the vastness of the Arena, the number of competitors made it difficult for many spectators to keep up. After the sixteen matches of the first round concluded, many viewers felt a lingering sense of anticipation.
In the second round, with 56 competitors, Lian Yun once again had a bye. By this time, the audience had stopped searching for Lian Yun’s presence because they all understood that the League was also waiting for Lian Yun to arrive. Even if Lian Yun did show up, it would likely be several rounds before he took the stage.
Once again, there were sixteen matches, each featuring sixteen teams of competitors. The excitement escalated, and there were even more details for the audience to focus on.
As the second round ended, the spectators felt an overwhelming desire to stay.
However, at this point, they were even more convinced that within Fengdu, the one who was safeguarding all Major Powers was indeed Lian Yun.
In the Third Round, Lian Yun had yet another bye. Not a single person in the audience voiced any objections to this; even representatives from powerful families and dominant factions remained silent.
Yet foreign competitors expressed their dissatisfaction. No matter how impressive Lian Yun was, he was only protecting those from Huaxia, which had nothing to do with them. Many among them actually looked forward to having a bye themselves; after all, it meant they could rest longer and preserve some of their strategies.
However, the Huaxia Alliance was determined to create a façade. With no one in the audience opposing this arrangement, even if they felt deeply dissatisfied, their voices carried little weight and had no effect.
Only a few knew the true intentions of the League.
Was it merely to ensure Lian Yun's right to compete? Did they have no desire to gauge Lian Yun's true strength?
Third Round
In the third round, there were still sixteen matches, each featuring four teams. By this time, discussions about Lian Yun had dwindled significantly among the audience, who were now focused intently on the competition.
This was the moment when true experts began to emerge. The so-called Dark Horses that typically appeared in the League were starting to reveal themselves to the world.
Moreover, all participants were already exceptional talents, and with three-quarters of them eliminated, what remained were undoubtedly the kings among kings.
Not only would each match be spectacular, but there would also be many valuable lessons to learn.
It should be noted that while there were not many in the entire Huaxia Monarch scene, countless champions existed. Many competitors might not possess extraordinary skills, which is why the League attracted so many spectators eager to observe and learn each year.
Although all the participants were young, their abilities spoke for themselves, leaving no room for some older individuals to boast about their past glories.
As the first match of the Third Round began, most of the audience was already focused and free from distractions. The atmosphere in the stands became unusually quiet. When the match concluded, however, it erupted into a frenzy.
"That Zhuang Wu caught my attention in the second round; he defeated his opponent in seconds. Now he’s facing Zhu Jiang from Alliance Academy, ranked twentieth, and he can take him down just as quickly. How strong is he really?"
"Yes, I noticed him too. His strength is impressive; I just wonder where he came from since I hadn’t heard of him before."
"Under normal circumstances, Zhu Jiang would have a chance to reach at least the fourth round, but against Zhuang Wu, he stands no chance at all. This Dark Horse has championship potential!"
"Indeed. The gap in strength is too significant."
"Let’s hold off on making predictions for now. In past Leagues, championship favorites often defeated their opponents in the first five rounds within seconds; some even went on to win without losing a single match. There are still some international competitors left; we should wait until after this round to determine who might win."
"Indeed, the competitors from abroad possess exceptional skills. So far, only half of them have been eliminated."
"Look, Alliance Academy's top contender, Xue Qiong, is on stage! I've been paying attention for the first two rounds, and he defeated his opponents in less than a second."
"That's right. The so-called False Emperor, Xue Qiong, is incredibly strong. Many believe he hasn't faced the former Cloud Emperor yet; if they were to battle, he might not lose."
"I really hope Cloud Emperor arrives soon!"
"Yes, the match between Cloud Emperor and False Emperor is definitely something to look forward to."
……………………
After the sixteen matches of the Third Round, the audience felt quite satisfied. These battles provided them with significant insights. Although the matches in the fourth round would surely be even more thrilling, many spectators understood that those spectacular fights were likely beyond their comprehension.
Only a select few champions eagerly anticipated the fourth round's battles, while most were more concerned about the outcomes.
Throughout the three rounds of competition, there were indeed several quick victories, but there were also many evenly matched contests. As a result, the forty-eight battles consumed nearly an entire day.
Now that the event had concluded, it offered the competitors time to rest, recover, and even heal or break through their limits.
Moreover, after observing for a while, it became clear that many Major Powers and even alliances would set up large betting pools in the evening, testing the spectators' judgment and adding some excitement to the League.
In ordinary times, even an Intermediate Monarch would hesitate to spend a night in the wilderness. However, this time was different; many people chose to camp out in the audience area overnight to secure good spots for viewing. Some even moved closer to get a better view of the matches.
The night was bustling with excitement, whether at the competition venue or within the capital itself. Many people were engaged in heated debates, discussing who might win the championship or analyzing the strengths of various techniques.
However, for some reason, amidst all the arguments, laughter, and scornful remarks, the conversation always seemed to circle back to Lian Yun, followed by an uncomfortable silence.
Only when someone skillfully changed the subject could the sudden lull be avoided.
As the night wore on, many members of powerful families returned from Fengdu, and news began to spread among the clans.
It was reported that everyone had searched every area outside of Fengdu Center, leaving only the central location unexamined. Yet, without exception, no one had found any trace of Lian Yun.
The only possibility left was that Lian Yun had either been killed or taken to Fengdu Center. The center represented the Evil Spirit of Monarch strength, nearly on par with that of an Emperor. This meant that even if Lian Yun possessed extraordinary abilities and the Yin-Yang Stage had not vanished, there was little chance for survival.
As this news circulated, the audience's enthusiasm immediately waned by half. Although the competition venue remained packed in the morning, a sense of inexplicable gloom hung in the air.
When the alliance announced that the lucky participant for the fourth round was not Lian Yun but someone named Xiao Yun instead, the feeling of disappointment among the spectators intensified.
This wave of emotion even affected the fighting spirit of the competitors.
(End of Chapter)
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