The ten-person elimination round of the preliminaries lasted a day. After watching their friends' matches, Ming Tian and the others left.
To comfort Gan Ling and Ning Tong, who hadn't made it through, Ming Tian's group went to the Gan Family BBQ Shop. Besides offering comfort, they also analyzed the next stage of the competition and prepared for the one-on-one elimination matches in the next round, which would be determined by a draw.
Meanwhile, the people from Spirit Hall who were organizing the selection competition weren't focused on the competition itself. They were more interested in the soul bone auction that would take place after the matches concluded.
Yuan Tianxiong and Zhan Yaqing had prepared a considerable fortune during the competition, intending to buy the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone at the auction. However, they didn't know that everything was within Qian Xunjie's calculations. What no one expected was that the soul bone had already been swapped out.
Everything was secretly being prepared behind the scenes. On the surface, the Spirit Hall selection competition was still attracting a lot of attention, with people privately betting on who would be able to enter Spirit Hall and speculating on who would win first place. This time, the appearance of dark horses made everyone even more interested, as they waited to see how far these dark horses would go and what exciting fights would come next.
After the first round of selection, the contestants for the next round returned to the competition venue two days later. The second round was hosted by Spirit Hall, with two boxes, red and black, each containing identical numbered balls of different colors. The contestants who drew balls with the same number and different colors would be opponents.
The rules were simple. The fighting platforms were also divided into two rows. The people entering the second round were split into two teams and would draw their numbers from their respective boxes.
"Brother Yan Wei, rest assured. We have a way to ensure your son can legitimately enter Spirit Hall. This round of the competition is essentially prepared for your son."
Lordialla, standing on the host's platform, watched the contestants drawing numbers and said with a smile.
Yan Wei's twisted expression softened a bit. Hearing Lordialla's words, he asked in a low voice:
"My lord, is there something special about this?"
"Naturally, but the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed."
Lordialla said mysteriously and gave a strange laugh.
"Then, regarding that Evil Soul Master fellow..."
"Don't worry, he will die in the competition as planned, but not now. I want to give him the most painful death. In the final arena match, I will make him challenge one opponent after another until he is exhausted and dies."
"So, this guy will pass this round too?"
Yan Wei was somewhat disappointed.
"Hehehehe, not necessarily. I like to watch some, self-inflicted, morbid fun."
Lordialla laughed sinisterly, looking at the crowd who had already started drawing numbers. He gave a signal to someone beside him, and that person nodded. The numbers being drawn were mysteriously and coincidentally ending up in everyone's hands until the last number was drawn.
"Drawings are over! Please find your corresponding opponents according to your drawn numbers! And go to the corresponding number's battle platform!"
The people who had drawn their numbers stirred, and someone immediately announced their number.
"Red number eight is here! May I ask who has black number eight?"
He Mengyan raised the red numbered ball in his hand, searching the crowd.
"What the?! No way?!"
It was Chu Su who spoke, staring at He Mengyan in astonishment. In his hand was a black number eight ball.
"Huh? Old Chu?"
He Mengyan heard this voice and looked at Chu Su, his expression becoming very interesting as his gaze fell on the numbered ball in his hand.
"My god! No way?! Are we fighting?"
"What a coincidence? I was still planning to have a match with you in the arena."
"Old Chu, I won't hold back!"
"For the Spirit Hall selection, are you going to be ruthless to your brother? He Mengyan, I misjudged you. I can only go all out later."
Chu Su said with a mournful look.
"Hey, hey, compared to going all out, my holding back is already light, alright? You're the ruthless one!"
"Come on, then let's decide the winner today! Go to the number eight battle platform!"
"Who's afraid of you, let's go!"
Chu Su and He Mengyan bickered as they went to the number eight battle platform. Some others had already arrived at their corresponding platforms and started their matches.
Ming Tian's team gathered together at this time.
"Old He and Old Chu are truly good friends. They even drew each other in the second round. Their cultivation is about the same, so it's hard to say who will win for a while. But they say that, I'm afraid they still hope that the other can reach the final arena, eh?"
Yuan Yun said, watching them leave, gathering with Ming Tian and the others.
"Those two are interesting. How come I didn't notice before? Brother Yan, what's your number?"
Ming Tian smiled, asking Yan with concern.
"I'm red number twelve, I don't know who my opponent will be..."
Yan said with an excited look.
Yuan Yun jumped up, shouting:
"No way?! Red twelve? You?"
"Yeah, what's wrong..."
Yan looked at Yuan Yun strangely, then thought of something...
"Brother Yuan, you wouldn't..."
"Come, come, we were just talking about Chu Su and them, and now it's our turn. Yan, are we good brothers?!"
Yuan Yun put his arm on Yan's shoulder.
"No, not..."
Yan shook his head, then used a teleport to put some distance between himself and Yuan Yun.
Yuan Yun looked at Yan with some gloom, as if he was about to cry. What about the promised brotherhood?
"No way, is it a coincidence, Brother Yan, are you fighting Brother Yuan?"
"But it's okay, at least one of you will definitely make it to the arena final."
Ming Tian comforted them, but the atmosphere between the two was clearly wrong.
"I say, Yan, why don't you just forfeit? Otherwise, I'm afraid it will be hard for me to look good when I beat you up. We're brothers, I have to save you some face, right?"
Yuan Yun said with a sincere tone.
"Stop it! I will definitely enter Spirit Hall and get the final spot! I want to stand until the very end! If you consider me a brother, we will use all our skills and have a proper one-on-one duel on the competition platform!"
"Uh... okay, I didn't expect you to be so persistent. I have one more soul ring than you, and the agility-type has an advantage over the power-type."
"Don't underestimate me!"
"See you at the number twelve battle platform then."
"Let's go!"
"Hey, Brother Yan!"
Ming Tian didn't expect that the several people who were just laughing and talking turned into a confrontation, was the Spirit Hall spot really that important? So important that they could disregard their brotherhood...
The two were stopped by Ming Tian. Looking at Ming Tian's worried expression, they understood something. Yuan Yun smiled, put his big hand on Ming Tian's head, and stroked Ming Tian's hair, saying:
"Don't worry, little Ming Tian, fighting is fighting, friendship is friendship. We'll give it our all on the competition platform, and after the match, we'll still be brothers sleeping in the same bed! There's no conflict, we won't ruin our relationship because of this competition."
"That's right, Ming Tian, don't think too much. When we get to the arena, we'll also give it our all and take it seriously, because we're friends, and we should respect each other, instead of saying things like, 'You should withdraw,' or 'It's really hard to go all out,' but instead, we should get even more pumped, out of respect for the other person! Have a proper duel like a man!"
Yan also put his hand on Ming Tian's shoulder.
"Mm, I understand! Brother Yan, Brother Yuan, you guys go for it!"
Ming Tian nodded, looked at the two, and smiled.
"Hey, don't talk as if you've already won, you idiot!"
"What? Not convinced? I'm going to be a Title Douluo! Damn it! How could I be defeated by you, and it seems like I've won against you once."
"Huh?! What?! That time was just your luck! And it wasn't because of Ming Tian..."
Yan and Yuan Yun walked away towards the platform, bickering. Ming Tian watched from behind, and amidst the arguments, was the warmth of truly treating the other as a friend. It was really great to have met them, wasn't it?
"I just saw Zhan Ni, and her situation doesn't seem so good."
Yuan Yu came over at this time, her tone cold.
"What happened?"
"Her opponent is that four-ring Soul Ancestor..."
"What?! The Soul Ancestor who fought against nine people?"
Ming Tian was surprised.
"That's right, it's really too bad, but Zhan Ni won't necessarily lose."
"That's right, we've all fought Zhan Ni and know how good she is."
Ming Tian nodded, this competition was really full of highlights.
"Besides, that man named Meng Xun's opponent is You Xiaoqing. It's also worth paying attention to, we should study it carefully later."
"Mm! Okay! Yuan Yu, what's your number? Who's your opponent?"
"Well, I don't know yet, I'm going to the platform first."
Yuan Yu showed an indifferent attitude.
"Then, good luck! I haven't found my opponent yet, I'm going straight to the platform."
"Okay, see you after the match, little Ming Tian."
Yuan Yu smiled and learned from her brother, messing up Ming Tian's hair before leaving.
Ming Tian watched Yuan Yu's back, that cold, always wearing a gray long coat, and suddenly felt a strange feeling.
For mysterious and aloof things, people will have the desire to get close, to know, the unknown, in their hearts...
"Good luck, Yuan Yu..."
Ming Tian whispered.
....
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(End of Chapter)