Lín Xiāo and Zǐ Líng stood up, while Líng Hǔ on the other side also rose. The other young participants who had advanced from the second round followed, heading toward the stone platform to draw lots one after another.
After unsealing the bamboo stick and seeing the number, Lín Xiāo was slightly taken aback and said, “I’m in Group One?”
Group One had two participants from the second round, relatively weaker compared to others. As long as he didn’t face powerhouses like Líng Hǔ, Zǐ Líng, or Lí Rénchóu, it was good news for him. With so many groups, the odds of encountering those three were relatively low.
“Hey, I’m in Group Two!” Líng Hǔ said with a laugh.
“I’m in Group Ten!” Zǐ Líng announced.
Lín Xiāo quietly sighed in relief. Not facing his own allies made things easier. Líng Hǔ drawing Group Two was also fairly lucky. As for Zǐ Líng, now a sixth-grade Spirit Controller, she was likely unbeatable even for him. Even if she hadn’t drawn Group One or Two, there was no cause for concern. Once Zǐ Líng revealed her spiritual power, everyone would surely be stunned.
“Now, the head referee will step forward to activate the Void Battlefield!” Shèng Qiānyǔ declared after the group finished drawing lots.
As she spoke, nine ninth-level Martial Monarch elders stepped forward to activate the formation altar. The five-hundred-zhang stone platform instantly projected a transparent barrier into the sky, rising straight up to a thousand zhang. Within it, additional layers of barriers divided the thousand-zhang-high space into ten cylindrical barrier arenas, stacked like a tower. Each layer was as large as the stone platform, five hundred zhang in diameter and one hundred zhang tall.
The crowd was astonished at the sight of the ten-layered Void Battlefield. The Southeast Region Youth Meeting had indeed spared no expense, creating such an extraordinary formation with materials of incalculable cost.
“The first group’s arena is on the first layer, the second group’s on the second layer, and so on, corresponding to each layer,” Shèng Qiānyǔ explained, pointing to a spot on her left. “Starting with this referee, those in Group One, please stand near the referee. The thirty-seven participants who directly advanced to the third round, please come forward to draw lots.”
Lín Xiāo moved to stand near the Group One referee. At that moment, he noticed Yīn Hǎo from the Yīn Family approaching him. Yīn Hǎo’s appearance was somewhat unattractive and unlike Yīn Mù, but he exuded the same eerie aura. Lín Xiāo had observed Yīn Hǎo’s combat strength in the previous round, which was quite formidable. Seeing Lín Xiāo in Group One, a glint of wariness flashed in Yīn Hǎo’s eyes.
Soon, the other thirty-seven participants drew their lots and began dispersing to their respective groups. Lín Xiāo spotted a familiar face approaching his position: Lú Qīngyù.
“I’m in Group One too!” Lú Qīngyù said with a darkened expression.
Before arriving at Shèngshì City, he had thought Lín Xiāo was no match for him. However, after witnessing the first and second rounds, he realised he couldn’t withstand even a single move from Lín Xiāo. Even Yīn Hǎo, standing beside Lín Xiāo, was beyond his ability to defeat. What frustrated him more was that in this third round, Lín Xiāo and Yīn Hǎo were likely the weakest in Group One. The other two in their group were probably far stronger, meaning Lú Qīngyù was essentially there to make up the numbers.
The Líng Family’s strongest member was only a first-level Martial Monarch, and Líng Huáng had casually selected someone to advance directly to the third round, choosing Lú Qīngyù. In this round, no matter the grouping, he was destined to be at the bottom.
Lú Qīngyù even regretted being chosen by Líng Huáng. Had he been placed in the first round, he might have advanced to the second round on his own merit. Of course, in terms of ranking, anyone in the third round was among the top fifty of the preliminary list. However, his presence in the top fifty felt unearned, leaving him with no sense of pride.
Still, he found some consolation in the fact that, since he was bound to lose, being grouped with the Zǐ Family’s team, which was close to the Líng Family, at least helped Lín Xiāo by reducing his competition.
Lín Xiāo didn’t say much to Lú Qīngyù. Another youth, dressed in the same attire as Duàn Tiānyá, approached.
“What a coincidence, I’ve been grouped with you!” the youth said, glaring coldly at Lín Xiāo with a sneer. “I am Duàn Dōngfēng, Duàn Tiānyá’s clan brother. Tiānyá could have advanced to the third or even fourth round, but unfortunately, you sabotaged him! I’ll settle this score for Tiānyá. When we’re matched in combat, you’d better concede before stepping into the arena, or the consequences will be more than you can bear!” Duàn Dōngfēng’s tone was icy, his eyes flashing with intense killing intent.
“Quite the coincidence. I, Luó Zhèng, also want to teach the Líng and Zǐ Families a lesson. If you two are matched against me, you’d better concede as well!” another youth said, slowly approaching Lín Xiāo and Lú Qīngyù.
Lú Qīngyù frowned. The incident where Líng Hǔ and Líng Huáng disciplined the Luó Family was well-known. Naturally, the Luó Family’s representative wouldn’t hold back against them. Lú Qīngyù cursed his luck; with so many groups, he still ended up with the Luó Family.
Lín Xiāo’s brows also furrowed slightly. It seemed both opponents were intent on targeting him ruthlessly.
“Luó Zhèng? From that family that got disciplined recently? Can such a family produce any decent talent?” Duàn Dōngfēng scoffed in response to Luó Zhèng’s words.
Luó Zhèng’s expression darkened. “Whether my Luó Family can produce talent isn’t for the likes of you, Duàn Dōngfēng, to judge!”
“You’ll find out soon enough whether I’m qualified to judge,” Duàn Dōngfēng retorted, his words laced with tension.
Lín Xiāo was taken aback. These third-round direct entrants were each more arrogant than the last. Similar scenes unfolded in other groups, where these fierce, unyielding characters clashed, none willing to yield in aura or bravado.
Lín Xiāo glanced around, noticing Zǐ Lóng in Group Three and Jīn Yǔxuān from the Jīn Family in Group Four, their brief encounter charged with rivalry. Yīn Mù, also in Group Four, eyed Zǐ Lóng and Jīn Yǔxuān with cold hostility, even casting a chilling glance at Lín Xiāo. The Zǐ, Jīn, and Yīn Families had deep-seated grudges, and since Lín Xiāo had taken the Netherfire Evil Insect Spirit Core, Yīn Mù naturally wanted to target him. Unfortunately, they weren’t in the same group.
Once everyone had gathered near their respective group referees, Shèng Qiānyǔ’s clear voice rang out, “In the third round, participants will draw lots for battles within their groups. To allow everyone to fully display their talents, this round’s battles will have no regard for life or death until a participant concedes!”
