ETR | Chapter 69

Or maybe, it was just him being wishful, feeling something that wasn’t there.

In reality, Xiao Xueman had never changed. The two of them could never be together again; it was simply impossible.

He should be content with what he has.

Xiao Xueman was in a hurry to meet Shen Guan, so he didn’t have time to argue with Qin Lou, nor did he care what Qin Lou was thinking.

Without saying a word, he just left.

Shen Guan had been quite busy lately. He was leading a team stationed at the demon clan’s base. The Fox Clan had suffered significant damage, especially the younger generation.

Shen Guan had been working hard for years to nurture the younger ones. This Blue Sea Competition was crucial for him, and he also had to take on the role of a judge.

When Xiao Xueman found him, he was in the middle of giving a stern lecture to a group of fluffy little foxes.

“…You have to be serious, got it?” Shen Guan’s tone was strict, but his hands were gentle, constantly petting the fluffy ears of the little foxes. “Don’t underestimate your opponents. Of course, there are dangers in competitions. Some have suffered irreparable injuries in the past. No matter what, a competition is just a competition. If you lose this time, there’s always a next time. Nothing is more important than yourself.”

The little foxes nodded obediently.

“That’s all for now,” Shen Guan said as he saw Xiao Xueman enter, letting the foxes go rest. “Go on, the competition is in a few days. Get some rest.”

Xiao Xueman had brought a food box with him. Both he and Shen Guan had been busy all day and hadn’t eaten much. He planned to eat while they chatted.

“How’s Xiao Wan’s preparation going?” Shen Guan asked casually. “It’s his first time participating, he might not adapt well.”

“He’s already fifteen. If he can’t handle this preparation, that’s his own problem, not mine,” Xiao Xueman was quite open-minded. “I’m his dad, but I don’t need to be responsible for him from start to finish in this matter. I have my own things to do. You’re different; you’re the clan leader, responsible for the clan’s affairs, and you have a lot on your plate.”

Shen Guan rubbed his hands and neck, sighed, and said, “You’re lucky, free and easy. Being a clan leader is exhausting, and I don’t know when it will end.”

Xiao Xueman chuckled and said, “I just saw you enjoying it.”

Shen Guan thought for a moment and didn’t argue.

The younger generation of the Fox Clan was working hard and being serious, so Shen Guan wasn’t disappointed.

“The Five-Person Competition and the Alchemist Competition are held at the same time, but not on the same day. To avoid time conflicts, they are interspersed.

The preliminary rounds of the individual competition are usually held first, with everyone entering the arena simultaneously for fair competition, lasting seven days. After the preliminary rounds, everyone rests for three days.

So, ten days after the normal start, we begin the Five-Person Competition, interspersed with the semi-finals and finals of the individual competition,” they talked about the competition itself. “So, the individual preliminary rounds are attended by all the judges.”

Xiao Xueman wasn’t involved in judging, but he could watch.

“You haven’t been to the First Heaven much lately, so you might not know the young people from the Upper Realm. There are a few really good ones, and some are quite interesting,” Shen Guan said. “I’ll point them out to you when the time comes, and you’ll see.”

Xiao Xueman was genuinely interested.

After chatting with Shen Guan, he returned to his room at the arena. As he walked through the corridor, he heard a noisy commotion, like a party was going on.

Xiao Xueman frowned, but when he reached his room, everything suddenly quieted down.

Xiao Wan and Yun Rong had set up a soundproof barrier.

“What’s going on outside?” Xiao Xueman asked. “Isn’t the competition in a few days? How do they have time for a party?”

Yun Rong explained, “It’s normal. They’re kids from small families, not like those from big families who can form groups. The preliminary round is a mixed battle format, and forming alliances can be beneficial. Xiao Wan and I received invitations to the party, but we weren’t interested, so we didn’t go.”

Xiao Xueman chuckled and said, "Won't you be ostracized for not participating?"

"Everyone makes their own choices," Xiao Wan said calmly, "We'll see each other in the arena."

Families from the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Heavens might not get first-hand information, so Xiao Wan and Yun Rong's identities weren't publicly known yet.

Soon, the preliminary rounds began.

When the competition started, Xiao Xueman stood in the judges' area, watching wave after wave of kids enter.

Maybe it was a father's intuition, but he spotted Xiao Wan immediately, standing next to Yun Rong. The two kids seemed to be talking.

The venue for the individual preliminary rounds was the arena, which had been used for many years. Over eight thousand kids were divided into eight groups, each with about a thousand people, entering from different entrances.

The preliminary round was a mixed battle format. The venue simulated a mine or secret realm. Contestants entered to find and seize hidden “points,” which were recorded on their contestant cards.

The judges could see the battle situation and real-time rankings on a large projection device. The final ranking determined who advanced.

To ensure fairness and prevent cheating or malicious battles, points couldn’t be transferred or stolen once recorded. The competition lasted seven days without an elimination mechanism. Contestants could choose to exit early if they felt they had enough points.

Of course, this system wasn’t absolutely fair. No system is. Even the one-on-one format in the semi-finals could involve luck in drawing opponents.

But with so many participants in the preliminary rounds, this was a relatively efficient and fair mechanism.

As Xiao Xueman had seen at the party, forming teams inside could be advantageous for point acquisition. But teams were temporary; everyone was still a competitor, and teams faced point distribution issues.

The arena was specifically designed for the Blue Sea Competition. The judges’ area was a large circular space, with walls made of seventh-tier spirit instruments displaying real-time projections of the arena.

The Blue Sea Competition didn’t allow the use of spirit instruments or storage spaces. Although the preliminary round lasted seven days, contestants could use recovery and healing pills provided by the organizers, with a fixed amount for each person to use sparingly.

Judges weren’t just there to watch; they had to keep an eye out for violations.

Shen Guan sat next to Xiao Xueman, introducing the interesting kids he had mentioned before.

To be precise, the outstanding kids in the preliminary rounds were easy to spot.

Once inside, they quickly identified the terrain and searched for points. Soon, Xiao Xueman saw the rankings on the counter change.

“Half of the current group leaders are from Wangtian Immortal Gate,” Shen Guan told him. “Look at that kid.”

The leader in Xiao Wan’s group was also from Wangtian Immortal Gate. The projection screen followed him, and the current leader was standing opposite Xiao Wan. Whether it was luck or misfortune, they encountered each other right away.

Xiao Xueman wasn’t nervous, but Qin Lou was.

The kid didn’t seem hostile; Xiao Wan’s expression showed no change, indicating a normal conversation.

“Even if you’re the Dijun’s child, I won’t let you win,” he said to Xiao Wan. “This time, I’ll definitely be first.”

It was just competitive banter, youthful bravado. Xiao Wan, holding Yun Rong’s hand, retorted, “I’m using the Chamber of Commerce’s slot, never had anything to do with Wangtian Immortal Gate or Qin Lou. I don’t need you to let me win. If you lose, don’t go crying to your Dijun saying I bullied you.”

“I won’t!” The kid was clearly angry. “Let’s wait and see then!”

There was no need for them to fight right away and waste energy. It was better to compete for points. After all, the preliminary round was over, and there were still semi-finals and finals. Opportunities to face off would come.

Xiao Wan remained steady. Xiao Xueman watched as he and Yun Rong stayed consistently in the top ten for the first three days, around seventh or eighth place.

By the fourth day, as everyone grew tired, he began to make his move.

On the fourth night, Xiao Wan rose from eighth to fifth. By the fifth morning, he had climbed to fourth, just a step away from the top three.

The kid named Lu Ming from Wangtian Immortal Gate remained steadily in first place.

By noon on the sixth day, Xiao Wan smoothly reached second place, with Yun Rong following him to third. The gap with the first place was getting smaller.

Starting from the sixth night, their positions kept swapping, with the first-place name changing frequently.

Shen Guan’s foxes performed well, with two of the most talented ones likely to secure top three spots in the third and sixth groups. Considering the Fox Clan’s recovery in recent years, Shen Guan was quite satisfied.

As for Xiao Wan…

“I hope he wins, but it’s okay if he doesn’t,” Xiao Xueman said helplessly, speaking to Shen Guan and also to Qin Lou beside him. “Competitions are like this. Relax, don’t be so tense, okay?”

But just as Xiao Xueman finished speaking, Xiao Wan’s steadily increasing points suddenly slowed down.

He dropped from first to second and stayed there for a long time.

Something seemed off.

The organizers adjusted the screen in time. Xiao Wan appeared to be surrounded by some teams.

He and Yun Rong had been together, and Yun Rong helped divert some people, but some remained.

Besides those like Xiao Wan competing for first, those vying for the top two hundred spots were equally eager.

As Yun Rong had mentioned, not all kids from the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Heavens were cannon fodder. Some were genuinely talented, and some were crafty.

Some would form teams, while others only aimed to help the top few in their team advance. Although points couldn’t be transferred, having a team made scouting and securing points easier than going solo.

Many benefits were negotiated outside the arena. Some kids from small families knew they couldn’t advance on their own, so they made deals before the competition, exchanging favors with kids from medium-sized families for benefits outside the arena.

This way, their trip wasn’t in vain.

Such situations were hard to judge as violations in the arena. People were free to team up and help each other; it was a personal choice and couldn’t be forcibly separated.

Exchanging benefits outside the arena was also hard to catch.

But with two hundred spots available in the preliminary round, there was enough room. Subsequent rounds were one-on-one point-based, so this loophole wouldn’t last long.

These teams were also quite cowardly, avoiding big sect contestants they recognized from prior information.

Xiao Wan and Yun Rong were initially avoided because they seemed formidable. Now, they were targeted because the competition was nearing its end, and points were scarce.

The team leader estimated they couldn’t make the top two hundred and had no choice but to follow.

Xiao Wan’s ability to quickly find hidden points made him seem like a juicy target.

Moreover, Xiao Wan’s face wasn’t on the big family list, and they had seen him in the arena’s guest rooms. Without a fixed base, he wasn’t from a big family.

This team had about ten people, mostly with spirit master level five strength. Xiao Wan, having lasted until the seventh day, couldn’t handle so many people.

They even apologized while following him, fearing his strength and potential future trouble.

“Sorry, you’re already so strong, surely in the top three. We just want to make the top two hundred. Please have mercy on us.”

Xiao Wan: “?”

Isn’t a competition about strength, not mercy?

Realizing there were too many people, he quickly regrouped with Yun Rong to discuss strategies.

“This time, I probably won’t get first in the preliminary round, being surrounded like this,” Xiao Wan said, wiping his wet forehead in frustration. “But they won’t make it through with this method either.”