Tomorrow was the day the advancement matches would begin, but the citizens of the Heaven Dou Empire were not as excited as they had been during the preliminary rounds.
This was because the organizers had suddenly announced that, under the pretext of protecting the privacy and safety of the participating teams, the matches would be held at the Royal Hunting Grounds located fifty miles southwest of Heavenly Dou.
This immediately sparked dissatisfaction and criticism among some spectators.
They had already watched the preliminary matches in the Heavenly Dou City division—what secrets were left to hide? Was this move intended to shield the participating teams from the other five kingdoms and duchies from being seen by the citizens of Heavenly Dou?
However, the Heaven Dou Empire's officials offered no explanation for such doubts.
When Li Xun and the Heavenly Dou Royal Team arrived at the Royal Hunting Grounds, the area was already under strict security.
The hunting grounds covered a vast area with varied terrain, serving as a place for royal family members to hunt and train. Normally, commoners were not allowed to approach.
Now, with such a grand event and the arrival of Bibidong, the security had become even more stringent. The number of Royal Knights patrolling the area had increased from ten thousand to twenty thousand.
"Welcome. I am Roxsen, captain of the Third Division of the Royal Knights. Please follow me."
A middle-aged general in Bright Light Armor, with a helmet adorned with red plumes, dismounted to greet them. Although he was welcoming the members of the Heavenly Dou Royal Team, his gaze remained fixed on Li Xun.
Understanding the man's intent, Li Xun smiled and nodded at Roxsen.
The Royal Knights were considered the strongest force under the Heaven Dou royal family. They were an elite unit meticulously crafted by the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family, totaling fifty thousand in number. Each hundred soldiers were led by a Soul Master as a squad leader, and each ten thousand were commanded by a division captain.
Roxsen was the captain of such an elite division.
Though the number of soldiers under his command wasn't large, each one was a top-tier fighter, exuding an intimidating presence. Even the high-ranking ministers of the duchies and kingdoms under the Heaven Dou Empire would offer a smile when meeting him.
It was worth mentioning that Li Xun and Roxsen had some history. The little fatty that Li Xun and Ning Rongrong had beaten up at the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy was this middle-aged man's son.
However, Roxsen was a pragmatic man. Not only did he apologize at the time, but he was also among the first to choose sides when Li Xun and Qian Renxue were purging the opposition within the Heaven Dou Empire.
Another hardliner, Ge Long, wasn't so fortunate. As the Empire Marshal, a position of great importance, he was the first target of Li Xun's reforms.
Not only was Ge Long stripped of his position as Empire Marshal, replaced by Yang Wudi, but evidence of corruption and embezzlement by Ge Long and his family members was also gathered, leading to their imprisonment. If it weren't for the fact that some key positions in the empire hadn't been fully replaced and the new appointees' positions weren't yet stable, Li Xun would have already eradicated Ge Long and his family completely.
Roxsen, accompanied by two hundred fully armed Royal Knights, escorted Li Xun and his group, walking slowly toward the interior of the hunting grounds.
Such a scene was extremely rare and drew the attention of many surrounding Royal Knights. After Li Xun and the others disappeared from view, they began inquiring about the situation. After all, the previous teams had not received such a grand reception—this was treatment befitting a prince.
The hunting grounds were vast, and without horses, Li Xun and his group walked for a long time. After crossing a small hill, the view suddenly opened up before them. The endless grassland seemed to merge with the sky, making one's heart feel expansive and their eyes brighten.
However, the large military camp stationed not far away somewhat disrupted this picturesque scene.
The other fourteen teams had already arrived in the past two days. Some teams training on the grassland were stunned when they saw Li Xun's group. They couldn't understand why a team would break the rules and arrive so late for such an important event.
But when they saw Rockston and the two hundred royal knights beside Li Xun, they immediately understood. They secretly cursed the favoritism and looked down on them, wondering why they only had fifty escorts when they arrived yesterday.
Among them was the Shrek Academy team.
No one expected that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had grown to such prominence in the Heaven Dou Empire.
Tang San and Dai Mubai stared at Li Xun, who was surrounded by the crowd, their eyes narrowing.
"If the Clear Sky Sect were still around, we might have received the same treatment," Tailong said, his eyes flashing with resentment as he looked at Li Xun.
His grandfather was still imprisoned in the Spirit Hall's dungeon, and no one knew how much suffering he was enduring. Their clan had tried every possible method but had failed to rescue him.
And all of this was likely due to the Breaking Clan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's betrayal.
"Tailong, don't worry. After the competition, come with me. I will definitely find a way to rescue Senior Tai Tan," Tang San said, his eyes flashing as he patted Tailong's shoulder.
The Strength Clan, as a former vassal of the Clear Sky Sect, was inherently different from other families. They were more like subordinates unique to his father, operating outside the Clear Sky Sect's control.
Now, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was growing stronger than ever, and there were rumors that they were in talks with the Spirit Hall and would soon form an alliance.
If they relied solely on him and his father, they might not succeed. They needed to gather all available forces to counter them. And Tai Tan, as an 86th-level Battle Soul Douluo specializing in strong attacks, was a crucial resource they couldn't afford to lose.
"So this is where we'll be staying for the next while!" Ning Rongrong exclaimed, curiously examining the lavishly decorated interior of the military camp.
Unlike the normal barracks where the other teams were staying, Li Xun had delayed their arrival by a day to allow time for preparations here. After all, the competition would last for half a month, and even if the matches weren't exhausting, poor living conditions could affect their rest.
"Our rooms are all the same. If you like this one, I'll let you have it."
Seeing Ning Rongrong sprawled on his bed, Li Xun tried to push her off but failed, then smiled and said, "Or you can sleep with me."
"Humph! Dream on," Ning Rongrong retorted, tilting her head on the bed. Then, her eyes sparkled as she grinned and said, "I could sleep with you, but you'd have to sleep on the floor."
"Heh! Not only do you have ideas about gender now, but you've also grown bolder. Have I not disciplined you in a while? How dare you make me sleep on the floor?"
Li Xun chuckled, his lips curling as he squinted at Ning Rongrong, who was clutching his blanket.
"How am I being bold? Didn't you say our rooms are all the same? So, wouldn't it be the same for you to stay in another room?" Ning Rongrong pouted, retorting, then quickly rolled herself up in the blanket, leaving only her little head exposed.
"You make a good point, but it seems you've forgotten that my reasoning has always been the only reasoning that matters."
Li Xun scoffed, then stood up on the bed, grabbed the edge of the blanket, and with a swift motion, shook it, sending the pest, Ning Rongrong, tumbling onto the bed.
"Ah! Brother, I was wrong."
"Isn't it a bit late to admit your mistake now?" Li Xun sneered, then waved his hand.
Slap, slap, slap—
After a series of sounds, Li Xun walked out of the barracks in high spirits, leaving Ning Rongrong clutching her bottom, on the verge of tears.
"Zhu Zhuqing is always the one who knows how to care for people."
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