Chapter 134: Chapter 135: Group Fight
Translator: 549690339
The grand competition between powers took place in the ancient bronze-colored Supreme Court Imperial City, at the intersection of the Five Royal Palace Avenues; hence, those who wanted to watch this battle simply needed to follow any one of the palace avenues to the end to catch sight of the showdown between the Dragon Shepherds and the God and Mortal!
The avenue of the Droplet Lake Imperial City actually starts right outside the doorway of Zhu Gate.
Zhu Minglang had wanted to ride directly into the heart of the Imperial City on the Divine Green Holy Dragon, but considering that the central part of the Imperial City isn’t Zhu Gate’s territory, dragon flying isn’t permitted.
It was still early, and Aunt Bai Xin had a luxurious carriage prepared for Zhu Minglang and Nan Lingsha, suggesting they proceed slowly, to also take in the prosperity of the Droplet Imperial City and the Central Imperial City.
Upon arriving leisurely in the Central Imperial City, the ground paved with ancient bronze-colored large stones was neatly cut and polished smooth. With sunlight shining upon them, they look like a field of gold and copper.
“There are a lot of people.” Nan Lingsha remarked quietly upon seeing the usually spacious road already somewhat congested.
“Let’s walk over there, who knows when this carriage will get there,” Zhu Minglang suggested.
“Mhm.”
The grand competition adopted a very open approach: five Royal Palace avenues, if you believe you have what it takes, just walk into the Bronzed Battlefield. As long as you can hold your own until the specified time, you’re considered selected.
Hence, the grand competition basically didn’t require prior registration, and even if you weren’t a member of any powers, you could still enter the battlefield. If you could continuously survive several rounds, powers would naturally want you.
By the time Zhu Minglang and Nan Lingsha reached the Bronzed Battlefield, the surroundings were already buzzing with noise, much like celebrating a festival.
As for those taverns located around the Bronzed Battlefield with excellent views, their business was booming. For some people, sitting in a tavern, drinking, while enjoying the chaotic competition of the Ancient Bronze Battlefield, was an ultimate pleasure.
Thus, some prestigious individuals from these taverns established betting rings, setting odds on the competing disciples’ numbers before the competition started, winning with every round they surpassed.
Zhu Minglang and Nan Lingsha walked towards the interior of the Bronzed Battlefield, where Qin Yang had already arranged seats for them away from the crowds.
The Bronzed Battlefield is an epic gladiator arena left from the era of Church rule, large enough to accommodate nearly ten thousand people for collective training.
There was not a single wall around the battlefield; only the crescent moon-shaped Chi River separated the throngs of city streets.
Therefore, as long as the citizens of the Imperial City came early, they could secure a good spot on the other side of Chi River and directly watch the thrilling combat inside the Bronzed Battlefield.
Similarly, the taverns built around the Bronzed Battlefield had even better views.
In short, anyone could come to watch, and even entrance tickets weren’t collected, you just needed to come early to avoid being pushed back by the crowd.
Moreover, there were some white stone pavilion seats on the surface of the crescent-shaped Chi River, reserved for dignitaries from various powers.
Zhu Minglang and Nan Lingsha were currently in one such pavilion on the water, with water grapes, cool melons, fragrant peanuts already laid out on the table, as well as some wines and melon juices bought from the taverns.
If one spoke of luxury, it actually didn’t cost that many silver taels, but when looking back at the crowded and noisy streets beyond Chi River, sweltering under the blazing sun, the exclusivity of the few enjoying the pavilion on the water seemed incomparably precious, especially since even wealthy merchants had to reserve spots in advance at the high levels of a tavern.
“Is anyone from Zhu Gate participating today?” Zhu Minglang asked Qin Yang.
“Master, Zhu Gate is primarily known for its casting art, not as skilled in fighting and killing as other powers, so we haven’t planned on competing for any ranking in this competition,” Qin Yang explained.
“That laid-back, huh?”
“But to prevent some powers from ganging up during this free-for-all and over-collaborating, we only allow one to three disciples from a power to enter the field at the same time,” Qin Yang stated.
“It seems like a mass brawl,” Nan Lingsha pointed out, indicating the several stone bridges where people were gradually stepping onto the Bronzed Battlefield and preemptively choosing strategic positions.
“Yes, each round will have one hundred participants enter the field. Either you’re still standing when time is up to advance to the next round, or only the last ten remain,” Qin Yang nodded and replied.
A hundred people brawling!
So the grand competition between powers is this thrilling. I had imagined it would be one-on-one duels on a rigid stage!
Zhu Minglang liked this approach.
He glanced again at Nan Lingsha, and there seemed to be a gleam in her eyes too.
“After the fringe forces have entered, Young Master and Miss Nan can go in,” Qin Yang said, holding two rank insignias in his hand and handing them to Zhu Minglang and Nan Lingsha.
“Numbers fifty-five and fifty-six?”
“It’s about to start, Young Master and Miss, be careful. Once it begins, try not to make too many enemies, and opt for opponents who appear weaker to eliminate them first,” Qin Yang advised.
“What round is Hao Shaocong in now?” Zhu Minglang asked.
“The third round; that’s already a battlefield for the strong players among the forces,” Qin Yang replied.
Zhu Minglang took a bunch of grapes and started walking towards the Bronzed Battlefield.
Nan Lingsha slowly stepped onto the field still filled with the scent of blood from the previous fight.
However, Zhu Minglang and Nan Lingsha had no intention of sticking together.
They each headed towards different sides.
“These two, they came from the Daguan Pavilion, they must be descendants of some big powers. Why didn’t anyone inform us beforehand, ah, betting on their numbers would have made a fortune!”
“It seems they are from Zhu Gate, haven’t you heard that a few days ago a kid from Zhu Gate died in there?”
“I was there that day, the kid was a Dragon Shepherd, his dragon got killed, and he was chewed up so miserably, probably by the time they carried him back to Zhu Gate, his parents wouldn’t even recognize him.”
“Zhu Gate excels in Casting Art, but I’ve never heard of any particularly outstanding Dragon Shepherds or Divine and Mortal ones. It’s also baffling who they have sent to the battlefield this time.”
People were already discussing.
Some enthusiasts who were extremely keen on such a competition feast could even name and background of the vast majority of entering disciples.
But for Zhu Minglang and Nan Lingsha…
To many, they were strangers.
“A bunch of loners, trying to gain fame in a place like this, don’t end up losing your lives in the process,” said a young man wearing a black straw hat.
The young man in the black straw hat was less than twenty meters from Zhu Minglang, and he also seemed to be one of the latecomers.
Generally, those who enter the battlefield will keep a safe distance from their opponents as soon as possible to avoid being attacked by multiple people.
But this young man in the black straw hat didn’t care at all, as though no one on the battlefield was worthy of his attention.
And he could stand wherever he wanted to.
“Hey, you with the grapes…” the young man in the black straw hat glanced at Zhu Minglang and said.
Zhu Minglang tossed a grape into the air, and Little White on his shoulder swiftly lifted its paw. A gust-like force sliced through the large crystal grape. The grape shed its skin in mid-air, revealing its plump and tender flesh.
It then accurately dropped into Zhu Minglang’s mouth.
“What is it?” Zhu Minglang asked, chewing the flesh and tilting his head.
“If you don’t scram now, you won’t have the chance later,” the young man in the black straw hat said with some arrogance..