All Things Are Contracts

Chapter 180: Three People Eliminated

With the winners’ bracket matches concluded, Tai’e, Huang Xueqing, and Yunyao became the first three to secure spots, especially Yunyao, who barely had to lift a finger, which was quite a pity. The upcoming losers’ bracket matches were to be much more exciting, as the losers would be directly eliminated. The winners would retain their chance to compete for spots against those who had fallen from the winners’ bracket earlier.

“First match of the losers’ bracket, Xionxin versus Jiang Licheng!” Thunder Lord’s voice once again resounded throughout the venue.

A handsome golden-haired man stood opposite a long-haired, classically dressed beautiful man, giving a feel of European nobility facing an Eastern recluse.

“I can’t lose this match!” Xionxin, aware of his situation, immediately activated the armor on his body, a huge golden gorilla phantom enveloping him.

The gorilla raised both hands and smashed towards Jiang Licheng, who dodged with a graceful flash, his body in mid-air, nine divine needles shooting from his hand. The needles pierced through the phantom, broke through Xionxin’s armor, and entered his acupoints. Instantly, Xionxin’s body froze, the golden phantom directly dissipating.

“I… I lost,” Xionxin admitted defeat painfully. If the opponent’s attack had targeted his vital points, he would already be a corpse.

“What happened? Jiang Licheng’s needles broke through all of Xionxin’s defenses so easily, but earlier Huang Xueqing’s lotus could easily block these needles! How powerful are Huang Xueqing’s techniques!” The spectators below felt a chill. Jiang Licheng’s strength was formidable, able to instantly defeat Xionxin, yet he was helpless against Huang Xueqing.

“In my opinion, Xionxin is probably the weakest among all the participants. But that’s understandable, the real prodigy of the Rising Sun Kingdom is Her Highness the Holy Maiden. It’s a pity we can’t see the Holy Maiden in action and glimpse her celestial countenance,” another person sighed.

In the private box, Holy Maiden Lixi had no particular feelings about Xionxin’s defeat. Xionxin was part of the Crown Prince’s faction, and he was probably the weakest among all participants, so losing was normal.

Jiang Licheng breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he didn’t encounter Fan Longyu in the next battle, his chances of advancing were high. However, according to the rules, he and Fan Longyu belonged to Group B and would automatically avoid each other. So his opponent would only be Feng Bulang or Liu Zhaoran, both tough battles!

“Next match, Song Yuxian versus Huan Xiaoyao,” Thunder Lord’s voice rang out again.

On the arena, Song Yuxian’s face was serious. In the previous battle, he had used all his trump cards but was still easily defeated by Tai’e, which had troubled him for a long time. Today’s battle was definitely to prove himself to the world.

“Young Brother Huan, let’s begin,” Song Yuxian, holding the Xiaguang Sword, charged towards Huan Xiaoyao.

Huan Xiaoyao’s figure was agile, easily dodging Song Yuxian’s Xiaguang Sword Technique.

“What’s going on? That Huan Xiaoyao actually has his eyes closed. Although Song Yuxian’s Xiaguang Sword Technique confuses vision, it shouldn’t be possible to dodge with eyes closed, right?” Everyone was shocked.

Below the arena, Feng Bulang smiled. Only he knew that Huan Xiaoyao’s contract object was the pair of shoes on his feet. Those shoes were extraordinary. Now he had entrusted his movement to those shoes. It wasn’t Huan Xiaoyao dodging Song Yuxian’s attacks, but his contract object, a pair of ancient cloth shoes.

“Xiaguang Fills the Sky!” Song Yuxian leaped high, his Xiaguang Sword emitting seven-colored light. Instantly, rosy clouds filled the sky, covering the entire arena, leaving Huan Xiaoyao nowhere to hide.

However, Huan Xiaoyao’s figure instantly burrowed into the ground, avoiding this terrifying large-scale attack. The sky-filling sword energy bombarded the arena, leaving it pitted, but it was quickly repaired by the formation.

Song Yuxian had anticipated Huan Xiaoyao would burrow underground. He fell from the sky, stabbing his sword into the ground.

“Xiaguang Ten Thousand Zhang – Earth Shaking Posture!” Terrifying sword energy poured directly underground. With Song Yuxian as the center, the arena began to crack, and more terrifyingly, the entire underground was enveloped in sword energy.

Huan Xiaoyao desperately dodged the sword energy surging from all directions underground. Suddenly, Thunder Lord said, “Huan Xiaoyao, out of bounds. Winner: Song Yuxian!”

“What!” Huan Xiaoyao emerged from underground, only to find he had somehow already run outside the arena. He looked at Song Yuxian on the stage with a black face, praising, “Young Master Song truly has great skills. I admire you.” Huan Xiaoyao’s defeat was bewildering; he hadn’t even used his earth control technique before losing.

In the private box, Zhanyue commented, “Even underground, Huan Xiaoyao should know where the edge of the arena is. The fact that he went out of bounds can only mean Song Yuxian’s Xiaguang Ten Thousand Zhang interfered with his soul perception. Like the Phantom Light Sword Technique, when practiced to a profound level, it can not only interfere with the enemy’s vision but also their soul perception. It seems Song Yuxian has achieved this.”

“I see. What level has your ‘Phantom Light Sword Technique’ reached?” Nangong Weilai asked curiously beside him.

“Not much different from Song Yuxian. MuMu Lixi has been learning the ‘Phantom Light Sword Technique’ for a short time, but her mastery of this sword technique is already above ours,” Zhanyue sighed.

“Of course, Sister MuMu Lixi is a Light Contractor. She naturally has an innate advantage in cultivating this sword technique,” Nangong Weilai said proudly, hugging Holy Maiden Lixi beside her.

“You… you know his strength, what’s there to argue about?” MuMu Lixi comforted.

Nangong Weilai pouted. Since her first encounter with Zhanyue, his strength had become equally terrifying. Although not as strong as Tai’e, Yunyao, and that strange Huang Xueqing, even Fan Longyu might not be his match. Among the participants, only those three could definitely beat Zhanyue; others like Xionxin were no match for him at all.

“Third match of the losers’ bracket, Gongsun Taoli versus Meng Huyue!”

The last battle of the losers’ bracket was between Gongsun Taoli from Moon Reflection Pavilion and Meng Huyue from White Cloud House, attracting countless eyes.

“Go, Senior Brother Gongsun!” Nangong Weilai shouted. “This battle is definitely won.”

Not much different from Nangong Weilai’s prediction, Gongsun Taoli’s strength was indeed much stronger than Meng Huyue’s. The dual contract objects of the peach wood staff and small green snake were too much for Meng Huyue to handle. He soon fell to the ground poisoned; he was no Fan Longyu.

Thus, Xionxin, Huan Xiaoyao, and Meng Huyue became the first three to be eliminated.

Soon after, the draw results came out. Tomorrow would decide the remaining three spots. The matchups were: Jiang Licheng vs Feng Bulang; Song Yuxian vs Fan Longyu; and Gongsun Taoli vs Liu Zhaoran.

People waited expectantly for tomorrow, wondering who would secure the remaining three spots. As they left, they were still discussing Tai’e’s strength, Huang Xueqing’s mysteriousness, and Yunyao’s cold beauty, wondering what the result would be if these three faced each other.

Returning to the small courtyard, Zhanyue still refused all visitors. Since his Divine Son identity was exposed, visitors had been endless. Soon after, a beautiful white figure appeared outside the courtyard gate again.

“Yunyao from White Cloud House is visiting, please inform,” Yunyao said calmly.

Today’s gate guard was stunned. He had never seen such a beautiful person, even comparable to the Holy Maiden, whom he had seen before. Only her eyes were too cold. It took him a while to come back to his senses. “I’m… I’m sorry, miss. His Highness the Divine Son said he’s not receiving any guests.”

Yunyao frowned, not expecting Zhanyue to still refuse visitors today. Although Tai’e and Fan Longyu hadn’t come, this was her second visit.

She couldn’t force her way in when others weren’t being received, so she had to leave reluctantly, her mood worsening.

A beautiful figure brushed past her. She recognized it as the veiled Huang Xueqing. She stood at a distance watching, expecting Huang Xueqing to be turned away like her, but to her surprise, the guard opened the door for her and let her in!

Seeing this, Yunyao’s gaze turned cold. Didn’t this Divine Son say he wasn’t seeing outsiders? Could this be targeting her specifically?

“Hmph!” Yunyao left with a cold face. There would be a chance to catch him and ask for clarification.