Very quickly, the other three duels also came to an end.
The three victorious factions, together with the Evil Star Sect, advanced to the second round of competition.
In this second round, a single victory would secure them a seat.
"Second round — let's keep the momentum going and ride this dark-horse streak all the way to the end. What do you say?" Han Shuang's fighting spirit was soaring. Clearly, Jiang Chen and Jiang Huan's performances had given her tremendous confidence. She almost felt that as long as she could win her own match, these two elders were guaranteed to win theirs.
As for Elder Ge and Elder Xu, it would certainly be nice if they won, but if they didn't, it wouldn't matter much. After all, they had only been brought along to fill the roster.
The second-round drawing of lots began.
Anyone who had made it through the first round was no pushover. Among the three potential opponents, at least two were on par with or stronger than the Golden Talisman Sect. The remaining one was roughly equal to the Golden Talisman Sect.
No matter who they drew, it would be a grueling fight.
The results came quickly. The Evil Star Sect's opponent, quite fortunately, was the relatively weakest among the three possibilities.
"Heh heh, Sect Master Han, your Evil Star Sect's dark-horse run has to end here, wouldn't you say? Every last one of us at the Thousand Battles Sect are battle-hardened veterans who've survived countless engagements. Things can get rough on the arena platform — someone might slip up, and wouldn't that be a shame for our rapport?" The Thousand Battles Sect had already begun threatening their opponent.
Han Shuang smiled with cool amusement. "Does Your Excellency mean to surrender and concede defeat?"
The Thousand Battles Sect Master's face darkened. "Sect Master Han, stop playing dumb. I'm giving you the courtesy of advising you to forfeit. Otherwise, once the fight starts, no one will be able to guarantee your safety."
Han Shuang smiled faintly. "As though anyone can guarantee yours either."
Jiang Chen gave Han Shuang a thumbs-up. That response — now that was dominance!
"Enough, both sides — save the chatter and settle it on the platform!" The Divine King's Manor had no patience for endless posturing. The arena was meant for fighting, and that was where strength should speak for itself.
The rules remained five-on-five, best of three. Opponents were drawn randomly.
This time, Han Shuang was the first to be selected. Fortunately, her opponent turned out to be an ordinary elder of the Thousand Battles Sect — ranked roughly third or fourth among their five fighters in terms of strength.
When Han Shuang saw her opponent step forward, she shot Jiang Chen and Jiang Huan a glance that clearly said: I've got this. This one's all up to you two.
Jiang Chen said nothing, but returned a confident, unwavering smile.
Jiang Huan, on the other hand, shamelessly rubbed his nose and tilted his nostrils skyward — the very picture of someone who couldn't care less about his opponent.
Jiang Chen knew that all of it was an act put on for the benefit of others, especially the Scarlet Water Divine King. It was obvious that Jiang Huan didn't want the Scarlet Water Divine King paying too much attention to him.
Soon, Jiang Chen's opponent was drawn as well, and Jiang Huan's opponent followed.
Jiang Chen was also quite fortunate — his opponent was roughly on the same level as Han Shuang's.
Jiang Huan, however, drew the Thousand Battles Sect Master himself. This put him in a bit of a bind — not because he was worried about how to beat the man, but because he had to figure out how to put on a convincing show while doing it, so as not to arouse suspicion.
That was something Jiang Huan had to figure out. Jiang Chen, meanwhile, strolled onto the arena platform with an easy, unhurried gait.
His opponent was already waiting there.
The Thousand Battles Sect's fighter this time was clearly a veteran of countless life-and-death battles. The killing aura emanating from his body was proof enough that this man had been tempered through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
But so what?