53 Anping's Match

After the drawing ceremony, officials distributed the schedule to each participant. The individual competition and team competition were held in the morning and afternoon, respectively, with no conflicts.

The team competition took place in the main venue of the stadium, while the individual competition, having a large number of applicants, did not require a venue as extensive as the team competition. Consequently, the early games of the individual competition were held in different sub-venues. Unfortunately, several people happened to be in different venues, so they separated after leaving the hotel.

Anping followed the road signs to the venue where he was competing and entered the waiting area under the guidance of the staff. His game was scheduled as the first on the fourth stage.

"Please welcome the contestants of the first round to Arena No. 4." As the audience entered one after another, it was soon time for the competition.

Anping arrived at the fourth arena under the staff's guidance. When he took the stage, his opponent was already waiting—a boy who appeared to be about fourteen or fifteen years old.

Observing Anping on the stage, the referee was momentarily stunned. Although the age group for the youth division was ten to fifteen years old, most participants were typically fourteen or fifteen. It was genuinely uncommon to have such young contestants.

After a brief pause, the referee dutifully began to explain the rules: "The rules are straightforward. Use your own attack methods without restraint. I will intervene when necessary, ensuring safety. If either side admits defeat or loses the ability to fight, the match will be decided. You have thirty seconds to prepare. Start preparing."

The young man across from Anping, noting Anping's youthful appearance, said indifferently, "Little brother, don't worry; I'll go easy on you."

Anping shook his head slightly, "Thank you, but I won't hold back."

The young man responded, "Didn't expect my little brother to be quite confident."

Anping shook his head slightly and said nothing more.

"Begin!"

Following the referee's order and the young man's shout, a tiger shadow swiftly materialized as the martial spirit took possession. Two yellow soul rings then emerged.

Observing Anping standing still, the young man was puzzled and remarked, "Kid, if you don't make a move, I will."

"Let's begin." Anping nodded.

"I'm coming." The boy's first soul ring lit up; his body expanded slightly, and he charged towards Anping with large strides. Clearly, this was an amplifying soul skill.

The youth division's arena was compact, and they closed in on Anping almost instantly. The second soul ring lit up, and a tiger claw shadow appeared on the boy's right hand. He leaped and lunged towards Anping.

Seeing Anping unmoving, the young man thought Anping was foolish, a smirk playing on his lips. He hadn't expected to encounter such a naive opponent in the first round.

Of course, Anping wasn't standing idly. He simply wanted to observe more martial spirit and soul skills to see if they could inspire him.

With a resounding bang, the boy collided with the ice wall released by Anping. Before the boy on the ground could react, a series of frost chains ensnared him.

"Stop! Anping wins." After a brief moment, the referee observed the boy's struggle against the chains and declared the result. The young man descended from the stage disheartened, his earlier enthusiasm extinguished.

The referee nodded approvingly and handed Anping a new number plate, certifying his participation in the next round.

In his quest to learn more about martial spirit and soul skills, Anping, despite winning the game, did not leave immediately. Instead, he carefully observed other matches in the waiting area.

The youth group, mostly with third-ring capabilities at most, comprised children with limited combat experience. While the exchanges were either soul skill demonstrations or direct hand-to-hand combat, it wasn't merely about gaining combat experience for Anping; he genuinely enjoyed the spectacle.

As the morning games concluded, Anping joined the exiting crowd, making his way back to the hotel. When he returned, others were engaged in lively conversations, and he was evidently the only one who had watched the entire morning's games.

Gu Yuena pulled Anping to sit next to her and inquired, "I recall it being your first appearance. Why did you come back so late?"

Anping replied softly, "I watched the whole game, so I came back a little late."

Surprised, Xie Xie commented, "I've watched a few, and the practical combat experience of other players is truly lacking. Plus, you're so skilled, what's the point of watching other games?"

Tang Wulin nodded in agreement, "My opponent today was a second ring-level soul master. He was defeated by me without even a chance to make a move. Practical experience is crucial. It seems not all teachers are like our Teacher Wu."

Anping shook his head slightly and said, "It has nothing to do with fighting. Mainly, I want to learn more about martial spirit and soul skills."

Xu Xiaoyan pondered, "Why didn't I think of that? Knowing more about martial spirt and soul skills would make it easier to deal with similar situations in the future. I'll also go and watch the next competitions."

Gu Yuena, understanding Anping's intention, nodded in agreement. Having spent the most time with Anping, she knew he was reminding them not to rush out without the end of the game.

However, Tang Wulin and Xie Xie, placing a higher value on actual combat, found it reasonable but didn't take it too seriously.

Xie Xie patted Tang Wulin on the shoulder and said, "Wulin, everyone is in good condition. Why are you here in the afternoon?"

Tang Wulin explained, "The strength of the contestants varies, so we just need to perform normally. In the afternoon, I, Xie Xie, and Xu Xiaoyan will appear. The opponents we encounter in the first game shouldn't be too strong. We have to hide our strength."

As it neared their turn to play, Xu Xiaoyan's tone took on a hint of nervousness, "I'm only in the first ring, and the competition time is still during the day. Is it really okay?"

Gu Yuena comforted her softly, "XiaoYan, don't be nervous. Although you're only first rank ring now, we've seen the training for a month. With your strength, there will definitely be no problem."

Several others also nodded in agreement.

In the afternoon, Wu Zhangkong, unsure about his role, saw the team leadership shift to Long Hengxu for the competition.

"Little ones, are you ready?" Long Hengxu looked at the children surrounding him, feeling very pleased. He had specifically checked the results of their individual competition in the morning, and they all passed the first round.

In unison, several people declared, "Ready."

Long Hengxu nodded, smiling, and remarked, "The next step is up to you. I don't know if your teacher Wu has informed you. To train you, the academy has invested considerable resources to enable your participation in the competition. It's not just about broadening your knowledge; it's also an evaluation of your strength. The higher your ranking, the more resources the college will have in the future."

Glancing at Tang Wulin, he added, "Tang Wulin, especially you, your consumption alone exceeds that of all others combined. So, give it your all."

Tang Wulin's face reddened, and he affirmed, "I will never let the academy down."

"Alright, don't be nervous. I'm not saying this to add pressure; just give a stellar performance." Long Hengxu patted Tang Wulin on the shoulder and walked ahead.