C441 Advance!

Everyone knew that Rice was just there to make up the numbers. So, it was no surprise when people expected this little girl to concede as soon as she got on stage. However, once again, something unexpected happened. Rice advanced!

Before Rice even had the chance to give up, the young boy on the opposing side conceded first... Suddenly, a sea of doubt, complaints, and wry smiles filled the air. Many were already unhappy about Rice making it into the top hundred, and now, not only did she make it, but she also broke into the top fifty, currently sitting at twenty-first place.

The folks from Great Leaf Village were just as surprised, each of them furrowing their brows. It wasn't long before the people from Daxing Village, who had conceded to Rice, came over with big smiles to congratulate her, and everyone understood. Daxing Village was extending an olive branch.

If nothing unexpected happens, Woo Zhengyang and Great Leaf Village's rise is unstoppable, and Woo Zhengyang's achievements might exceed many people's expectations. Offering goodwill now is far more effective than waiting until Great Leaf Village has already made a name for itself.

While many villages value a spot in the top fifty, for a super village, losing one spot is manageable. If Woo Zhengyang can truly become a disciple of the Azure Sun Martial Mansion, then building a good relationship now becomes even more crucial.

A smiling face is hard to hit, and although Daxing Village's actions were clearly strategic, Woo Zhengyang and the Old Village Chief weren't too opposed. After all, there was no previous conflict between them, and now they were offering a top fifty spot as a gesture of goodwill.

This is the ever-present rule of the strong prevailing. Since it can't be broken, it must be followed. Great Leaf Village understands this, as does Daxing Village. Blue Jewel Village, which has benefited from this rule for years, might soon taste its bitterness after the Thousand-village Martial Competition.

As the selection for the top fifty neared its end, the battles became increasingly one-sided. In the final matches, the peak martial masters from the nine super villages took the stage, and their opponents conceded immediately.

Woo Zhengyang's opponent did the same. Even though everyone knew he was still at the late Skin Stage, his displayed combat power was more impressive than that of the peak martial masters.

When Woo Zhengyang stepped down from the platform, it marked the end of the day's battles. Remarkably, three people from Great Leaf Village made it into the top fifty, leaving many in awe.

Meanwhile, some villages that had defeated other members of Great Leaf Village regretted not seizing the chance to build a good relationship with them. However, some later analyzed that Great Leaf Village was most interested in befriending Woo Zhengyang. Since Rice was always seen with him, this naturally had the best effect. While conceding to the others could also foster goodwill, it wouldn't have the same impact.

In this regard, the folks of Daxing Village were fortunate to encounter Rice, and the decision-makers of Daxing Village decisively seized this opportunity.

As the number of participants dwindled, the rankings were quickly announced. Woo Zhengyang unsurprisingly took the top spot, Liu Dahu came in at twenty-sixth, and Rice, who was just there to fill the numbers, landed at twenty-first.

With Liu Dahu and Rice advancing in the rankings, Great Leaf Village also moved up, securing the fifth position!

...

After the top fifty battles concluded, there were mixed emotions of joy and disappointment. That evening, Great Leaf Village was bustling with visitors, none arriving empty-handed, keeping the Old Village Chief and Sun Li busy and beaming with delight. They had never experienced such hospitality, mingling with people from prominent and even elite villages, all while the final rankings of the Thousand-village Martial Competition were still pending.

All of this was thanks to Woo Zhengyang, a once down-and-out young man they had inadvertently welcomed into Great Leaf Village.

The next day marked the start of a new round of ranking battles. This time, it was a contest for the top twenty-five spots and the final ranking for the top fifty. The drawing method remained the same, with the current top twenty-five drawing lots. As a result, Liu Dahu missed by one spot, while Woo Zhengyang and Rice had to draw. Woo Zhengyang drew the thirty-fourth spot, and Rice drew the twenty-ninth.

The first draw had Rice jumping with joy. Making it this far was already a pleasant surprise, so no one cared much about the outcome. Quickly, it was Rice's turn to go on stage. She hopped off Woo Zhengyang and bounced her way up. This time, there were no surprises. Rice conceded immediately, exchanged number tags with her opponent, and stepped down, landing in twenty-ninth place.

The current rankings were crucial for every village, and they couldn't afford to be careless. With Great Leaf Village setting a precedent, even intentional losses wouldn't have much effect. As long as no one laid a hand on Rice, maintaining peace with Great Leaf Village was all that mattered.

This round of battles lasted much longer, and it was a while before Woo Zhengyang's turn came. His opponent, ranked thirty-fourth, was a young girl in a pink dress. Upon learning she was up against Woo Zhengyang, she wasn't disappointed; instead, she seemed a bit excited.

"Are you married? My grandpa said if you're not, I should be your wife..." Her words sent the crowd into fits of laughter. The girl's innocent charm was endearing, and what she said was likely meant to be a private conversation with her grandpa. Yet, she blurted it out in front of everyone. To add to the amusement, someone in the crowd protested, "No way, Rice is going to be Mr. Zhengyang's wife in the future..."

It was supposed to be a simple tournament, but it turned into a bizarre contest for winning a man's favor. Everyone seemed to understand the unspoken truth: there were more than a few people and communities with the same idea.

At the heart of it, the rules favoring the strong were everywhere. Some people worked hard to become stronger, aiming to rise above these rules, while others desperately sought someone to rely on, throwing themselves into the confines of these rules.

Thanks to the intervention of the young girl's grandfather, the farce finally ended, and Woo Zhengyang maintained his top position.

However, today's battles weren't over. Everyone had three chances to challenge others. Once all challenges were completed, the top twenty-five would move to the next stage, while the rankings for the bottom twenty-five would be set.

The challenge rules were simple: ten arenas, step up whenever you want, and declare the rank you wish to challenge. If you win, you swap rank numbers; if you lose, you lose one chance.

The three from Great Leaf Village had no intention of challenging anyone.

Woo Zhengyang, being in first place, didn't need to challenge anyone for now; he just had to wait for others to challenge him. Rice was just there to enjoy the show, not aiming for anything else. As for Liu Dahu, his current ranking was already higher than his actual combat ability...

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