Chapter 394: Interlude - Third Round (1/2)
The death of Chunyu Qiong reminded Yuan Shaoqing of his disadvantages. Now, his side was downed by four men.
Seven nascent soul cultivators might not be enough to take down Siren City's 11 fighters!
Yuan Shaoqing took several deep breaths as he decided to take an extreme measure. He revisited Brocell, who had been spectating this event nearby with his followers and the golems.
…
As the stage had been partly ruined by Chunyu Qiong's material dissolving sperm, it was not in a condition to be used for another match.
Fang Yanxu pointed his finger at the damaged floor.
The stone platform repaired itself. After a second, everything was restored to normal.
Fang Yanxu turned around and initiated the third match right away. He looked at the girls from Siren City, who had been hovering nearby.
”Siren City, since you won the previous match, you get to choose the next match type. Single Match, Group Match, or Gauntlet Match, pick one.”
As Ju Shoufen was still busy spanking Ju Xie, Wei Yuan assumed the team leader's role. She made her decision right away.
”Group Match!”
”Hoh?” Fang Yanxu smirked, ”You seem confident.”
”Obviously, Yuan Shaoqing's men are nothing when it comes to team fight.”
”Though I'm a referee, personally, I'm with you. Oh, well. A group fight, it is,” Fang Yanxu turned to Yuan Shaoqing's side, but the latter was not here.
Fang Yanxu frowned and looked around. Then, he found Yuan Shaoqing at a distance, talking to a strange youth with metal golems as if they were in the middle of negotiating something.
”Yuan Shaoqing,” Fang Yanxu called the clan leader. ”Don't waste my time. Your opponent has chosen to fight in a group match. You get to choose how many people your team wants to fight.”
Yuan Shaoqing turned around for a moment. Upon hearing that his side got to fight in a group match again, he snorted, ”Two people!”
As Yuan Shaoqing was aware that his side lacked unity, he limited the number of participants.
The immortal nodded, ”You may challenge two opponents from Siren City's side. Yuan Shaoqing, you get to pick two opponents that you wish to fight.”
Again, Fang Yanxu never left the team assignment to themselves. He forced both sides to pick their opponents whom they thought they could defeat.
This way, the grudge-solving matches would seem fair from the onlooker's perspective.
As soon as both sides realized that they had to choose their opponents again, they looked at each other and began consulting which fighters they should challenge.
While Yuan Shaoqing was busy, Zhang Liao stepped forward and took over the authority of the team leader. He pointed his finger at Fogan.
”We challenge that orc and the Siren City's team leader, Mao Miaomiao!”
The challenge came out of nowhere. Even Yuan Shaoqing had to stop talking to Brocell and stared at the Zhang Clan's branch leader in shock.
The colleagues of Zhang Liao were also confused why he picked the orc, who seemed to be strongest among the group.
”Why that orc? Shouldn't we pick the weak women? They're so weak that we can crush them with one hand!”
Zhang Liao snorted, ”At a glance, yes, that orc seems to be their strongest fighter. But if you're paying attention to their essence purity, their physique, elemental Qi, dantian volume, and their equipment, you'll notice that everyone but that orc is carrying heaven-grade artifacts, and they are abnormally stronger than their peers with the same cultivation base. From my point of view, the orc is the weakest member among them!”
”…”
The elders on Yuan Shaoqing's side were stunned by Zhang Liao's analysis. Only then, they stopped ignored the cultivation base of all Siren City's fighters and rescanned their aura with their Qi senses.
Three of the elders instantly discovered the unique advanced element Qi within them while the rest found out about their true races.
”Vampire, Weretigers, Succubus, Viera, Oni… There are only two humans among them! What about that little girl from before!? Is she a demon, too!?”
Zhang Liao nodded, ”Indeed. We can't use our standard to evaluate demons and beastmen's overall strength. Even a 5th-stage demon can kill nascent soul realm cultivators like us if we aren't careful. Look at what happened to the other guys. Can you still say that you can kill them with your eyes closed?”
”…”
Everyone, including Yuan Shaoqing, gazed at the girls and people from Siren City in solemn. Being reminded of the cold truth, they now treated the women as top fighters among their peers.
One of Yuan Shaoqing's fighters cupped his fist and saluted Zhang Liao, appreciated his reminder, ”I'm Qu Yi, the patriarch of the Qu Clan. May I ask why you chose Mao Miaomiao? Who is he?”
The patriarch of the Qu Clan was an archer, similar to Fang Meirong and Huang Hansheng. This middle-aged man was lightly equipped as his style prioritized speed and range attacks. However, his leather armor and fur helmet were made from the skin of a 7th-stage bear, which he had bought from Qiong Sui.
As his territory was located near the centaur prairie, he didn't know Miaomiao.
Zhang Liao gazed at Yuan Shaoqing, who was still busy talking with Brocell, ”For that, Lord Yuan can explain.”
”…”
Yuan Shaoqing didn't pay attention to his team anymore. Instead, he was checking the anti-material rifle in his hand, which he had bought from the self-proclaimed demon lord.
Zhang Liao and others saw him exchanged spatial rings. Yet, they hadn't finished talking.
”AHEM,” Fang Yanxu interrupted them. ”Since the person you've picked is not here, we shall wait until the person for a bit. However, if Mao Miaomiao doesn't show up within 100 breaths, we shall change the rules of the third round.”
As this was a golden opportunity for Fang Yanxu, he indirectly forced Nero to send Mao Miaomiao here, or Yuan Shaoqing might win another point.
…
100 seconds passed quickly.
Fang Yanxu announced in glee, ”Since Mao Miaomiao couldn't respond to the challenge, the chosen fighter of Siren City will have to fight alone against two of Yuan Shaoqing's representatives. Now, red orc, you may choose two opponents to fight.”
Fogan glared at the immortal in frustration. Without bothering looking at Yuan Shaoqing and others, he planned to forfeit the match.
”Oh, I almost forgot,” Fang Yanxu sneered at Fogan. ”In this match, the winner can decide the loser's fate. If you forfeit before you even choose your opponents, you will become Yuan Shaoqing's property, aka a slave.”
”…”
”Don't look at me like that. I've warned you that winners can do whatever they want to the losers. I let it slide in the first match since I didn't explain the rules properly. But now, I made myself clear. Don't expect me to be lenient again.”
Fogan gritted his teeth as he glared at Zhang Liao and Yuan Shaoqing. Without a choice, he leaped onto the platform and brought out his war-axes.
As Zhang Liao seemed smart, Fogan deemed him as the greatest threat to Yuan Shaoqing's team. The orc pointed his axe at the former.
”Fine. I challenge that ugly bastard! As for the other, I choose…” Fogan turned to Qu Yi, who seemed like a country bumpkin. ”YOU!!”
”Hmm.”
Zhang Liao and Qu Yi, who had been levitating 100 meters away from the platform, landed on the stage. The archer's expression was solemn as the stake of this fight involved his life and his clan. As for Zhang Liao, he was expressionless as always.
Seeing the three contestants on the stage, Fang Yanxu hurried and sent his signal, ”Both sides may begin whenever you want. Now, fight!”