Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San
Chapter 997: The Draw

Chapter 997: The Draw

The day before the tournament began, Tang San had the Grand Elder place bets on him, both for making it into the final top three of the Battle for the Throne, and for winning the overall championship.

Originally, the odds were 200:1 and 300:1, respectively. But after the Blue Gold Tree clan dropped a massive wager, the odds increased... to 100:1 and 150:1, respectively.

After all, there were far too many people betting against him. So even with the clan's significant investment, there were plenty of people willing to take the other side of the bet. As a result, the odds barely moved.

Tang San could only feel helpless. His clan's fortune was truly outrageous, though, so he had no qualms betting however much he wanted. As for the other participants' odds, he couldn't care less; he only paid attention to Mei Gongzi's. Hers were significantly better than his, and she seemed to be ranked fifteenth or so. This was thanks largely to the fact that she would enter directly in the semifinals.

Clearly, newcomers like them weren't highly regarded. After all, many of the contestants were long-established top-tier powerhouses from all across the continent.

To win in a competition like this, there could be no luck involved. No one would hold back in a fight like this; it would be an all-out war. There was little Tang San could do about it.

By now, the stands were already packed, and the atmosphere outside was noisy. Tang San arrived fashionably late. He was among the last to show up.

The weather was perfect: a cloudless blue sky. Sunshine bathed the majestic Council Mountain in a golden glow.

Not long after Tang San had taken his seat, a calm voice echoed across the arena.

"Silence."

Just two words, but they overpowered the chatter of hundreds of thousands. The crowd fell into immediate silence.

On a platform halfway up Council Mountain, in the reserved seating area for Emperors, over a dozen of them stood together.

At the center stood the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor, his gaze calm as it swept across the field. His voice carried effortlessly, resonating through the entire Ancestral Court.

"Today marks a grand occasion for the Ancestral Court. The last time an Emperor was crowned was when our fellow Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor ascended. But not long ago, the Crystal Demon Emperor and the Adamant Nymph Emperor both fell—a tragedy for us all. With these losses, the number of Emperors has decreased.

"Emperors are essential; they represent the core power and the greatest fortune of the Daemon Continent. Thus, we have decided to hold this Battle for the Throne. The top three contestants will be granted the right to inherit the title of Emperor."

In front of each of their pavilions, the city lords and their retinues had stepped forward.

Tang San was slightly taken aback. They weren't even calling it a matchmaking tournament anymore; it was now officially the Battle for the Throne.

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor continued, "This tournament was originally initiated due to the new Lord of Kali City. The original idea was to find a worthy consort for her. At her suggestion, it was set in the format of a tournament. Later, due to vacancies among the Emperors and a lack of consensus in the Ancestral Court, the event was expanded. The matchmaking tournament still exists, but is now part of the larger Battle for the Throne. The top three winners will be granted the right to choose a partner from the finalists. Those chosen may not refuse. Well, with that said, I trust no one would turn down such a blessing. Being the consort of an Emperor is the fortune of a lifetime. City Lord Mei, please come forward."

Silver light shimmered, and Mei Gongzi appeared on the Emperors' platform.

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor smiled as he looked at her. Today, Mei Gongzi wore the traditional ceremonial gown of the Peacock Demon clan, a silver dress that outlined her graceful form. Her beautiful face, still hidden behind a veil, held a hint of chill beneath its calm expression.

He smiled. "The Ancestral Court thanks you for your suggestion, which brought about this grand event. Due to this, you are granted the privilege of bypassing the preliminaries and entering the semifinals directly. Do you have anything to say to the crowd?"

Mei Gongzi offered him a slight bow, then turned to face the massive arena. "My fate is mine alone. I will reach the top."

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor continued to smile. "Very well. You won't show your true face to the contestants?"

Mei Gongzi shook her head. "No need. This is not a beauty contest."

She rejected his request with no hesitation, and there was no mistaking the distance in her tone. But the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor didn't seem to mind. After all, he had been opposing her at every step; it would have been weird if she had carried any measure of goodwill toward him.

"Since you are the centerpiece of the tournament, you shall announce its beginning," he said gently.

Mei Gongzi nodded, took a step forward, and in the golden sunlight, her silver gown sparkled.

"Let the Battle for the Throne officially begin!"

With these words, a silver glow flared again, and she returned to her pavilion.

The atmosphere in the arena ignited. A grand clash between eleventh-order powerhouses was about to begin.

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor then said, "Now, we will begin the draw. Male and female contestants will draw separately. The closest numbers will face each other in the first round."

There was no doubt about it; the preliminary round would be absolutely brutal. Even so, nobody had any thoughts of stepping back.

With a wave of his hand, a white sphere of light rose into the air. Within it were countless smaller white lights.

"Male contestants, draw your numbers."

All the male participants stepped forward and reached out toward the sphere. At the eleventh order, everyone could manipulate space to some extent, and drawing in a small object was no effort at all.

White lights fell into each contestant's hand. Tang San also grasped one.

Inside each ball of light was a stone-like object engraved with a number.

Tang San looked down at his—funnily enough, it was number 33. That meant his opponent would be number 34.

From a distance away, Ning Chen'en looked over and smiled. "What number did you draw, Clan Leader Jin?"

Tang San glanced at him with a half-smile. "Why? Hoping to face me?"

Ning Chen'en chuckled. "Not just me. I think everyone hopes to draw you."

Tang San sighed and shook his head. "What about you?"

"Lucky number, sixty-six."

Tang San smiled. "Then I'm half your luck, thirty-three. Looks like we're far apart."

Ning Chen'en made a show of disappointment. "Fate's not on our side this time. Good luck, Clan Leader Jin."

"You too, Brother Ning."

With the male draw complete, the female contestants followed suit. Each drew a number of their own.

Only Mei Gongzi abstained from the draw. As the only proper seeded contestant, she would enter the semifinals directly, skipping the bloody preliminaries.

The preliminaries would last only three or four rounds. For female contestants, two or three. But in these few short matches, one's path to becoming an Emperor, and therefore one's future, would be determined.

The atmosphere in the waiting area was full of tension, so thick that a knife could slice it apart. With so many eleventh-order powerhouses present, even if they didn't do anything in particular, their bloodline power auras and divine consciousnesses were strong enough to affect the surrounding space.

In contrast, the VIP pavilions were more relaxed. Most city lords were seeded players and unlikely to face each other early on. Jin Miaolin, of course, was an exception.

"The draw is complete. Male contestants will fight today, female contestants tomorrow, and we will continue until the semifinalists are decided."

As the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor finished speaking, the other Emperors returned to their pavilions. Then, a streak of light descended. The Sword Saint Demon Emperor had arrived to officiate the matches.