C256 Group Competition and Seed System
Chu Yi's expression remained utterly composed as he and Lee Zi departed without waiting for the battle to resume. Most combatants would linger after a fight to observe their potential adversaries unless they were gravely injured or had depleted too much strength and needed immediate recovery. It made sense to scope out the competition since no one knew whom they might face in the main event. Besides, there wasn't much else to do upon returning.
Moreover, watching these clashes offered valuable insights. Yet for Chu Yi and Lee Zi, there was little point in staying. If they were seeking to enhance their combat experience, the virtual battles with human elites were far more appealing.
The team leader from Redmarsh City didn't compel Chu Yi and Lee Zi to stay. The rest was out of his hands. Fairmoor City had arranged an array of flying cars specifically to transport the candidates away, showcasing their superior organization compared to Redmarsh City.
Back at the hotel, Chu Yi chose not to venture out. Instead, he and Lee Zi sat down to strategize, focusing not on today's skirmishes but on the challenges of tomorrow. Lee Zi's prowess, even without unleashing her battle body, was more than enough to qualify her for the national competition. Her abilities were on par with Fairmoor's Four Young Masters and Grassvale's Three Young Talents.
Assuming the others had no hidden aces, they would stand no chance against Lee Zi once she deployed her battle body. Chu Yi was convinced that no secret weapon could match the power of a battle body.
"In the battles to come, keep your trump cards as concealed as possible," Chu Yi advised. "Lee Zi, with your current strength, securing a spot in the top sixteen should be well within your grasp. Save your full potential for the national battle stage."
Lee Zi had immense respect for Chu Yi and typically heeded his counsel. She understood his strategy and, having been informed about the Milky Way Academy, was eager to stand by Chu Yi's side.
Lee Zi knew that without her trump cards, her chances of being selected would be slim. But with the battle body at her disposal, the situation was entirely different.
Unleashing the battle body on the national battle stage would undoubtedly create a sensation and significantly boost her reputation.
Even though the battle body itself didn't require such fanfare, being well-prepared never hurt.
Moreover, with numerous civilizations invited to witness the country war, it would be a dishonor to the prestige of a top-tier battle body not to showcase it there.
...
The day's battles concluded swiftly.
The afternoon's eight rounds were all wrapped up before dusk.
The latter matches were essentially indistinguishable from those in the morning.
Ultimately, the aristocratic children's average advancement rate was just over twenty percent.
Out of the 256 spots in the official competition, the Aristocratic Alliance's progeny secured only sixty.
At least it was over twenty percent.
The government was quite pleased with this outcome, but for the Aristocratic Alliance, it was utterly unacceptable.
Aside from a few exceptional talents deemed invincible, not one of the other prodigies had advanced.
This was, arguably, the first time the Aristocratic Alliance had been so thoroughly humiliated.
Following this event, they recognized that their training methods had become obsolete.
In the past, a twenty percent advancement rate might have been tolerable.
But moving forward, if nothing changed, the Aristocratic Alliance risked falling into complete decline.
After all, the Terran Federation was on the brink of ascending to a Second Level Civilization!
The impending shock to the Aristocratic Alliance would be severe, and without adaptation, they faced grave peril.
The following morning, Chu Yi was roused early.
This time, Redmarsh's showing was quite impressive.
Nearly twenty participants had come, and five had made it into the main competition.
To put this in perspective, even Fairmoor, the host city, had only seven contenders advance.
Grassvale fared only slightly better than Redmarsh, with six participants.
While it might appear that Redmarsh was lagging in the competition among the three cities, the reality was not so straightforward.
The number of spots available is certainly a factor, but it's not the most crucial one. What truly captures everyone's attention is the outcome—the crowning of the champion. That's the focal point of interest for all.
Moreover, this year's crop of prodigies from Redmarsh has significantly dwindled, leaving few noteworthy contenders. While many are aware of this, Fairmoor, despite being the host, only managed to secure two more participants than Redmarsh. Grassvale, on the other hand, only added one more. This situation highlights the deep-rooted strength of Redmarsh. Even in times when talent is scarce, they remain hot on the heels of the other two capitals.
Of course, the unexpected emergence of Chu Yi and Lee Zi plays a part in this dynamic. Without them, Redmarsh would only be represented by three individuals, which would be far less impressive.
"The agenda will begin with the opening ceremony, followed by the lottery," the Half Step to War God team leader briefed Chu Yi and the rest of the group. The upcoming segment is crucial as it pertains to the distribution of power among the three capitals. Despite Chu Yi's affiliation with the Aristocratic Alliance, the Half Step to War God leader is wholeheartedly committed to assisting Chu Yi and his peers.
"This year's lottery is unlike any other, considering the upcoming national war," he continued. "The selection will be conducted in a group format. Eight groups in total, with the top two from each advancing to the final sixteen. These finalists will then vie for the national war spots."
At this point, the leader's demeanor turned markedly solemn. "The group lottery isn't just a matter of chance. Each group will first establish several seeded players, who will be evenly distributed across the eight groups. After that, the remaining candidates will draw for their respective groups."
In previous years, such measures weren't necessary. If you had the misfortune of facing the elite early on, it was simply bad luck—there was no one to blame. The lottery was fair and transparent, with no foul play involved. However, this year is different. The national exam is no longer the last hurdle; the national war lies ahead.
Compared to the national competition, the national examination ostensibly serves as a nationwide martial arts assessment. However, many view it as more of a selection process, designed to identify the top prodigies for participation in the national battle.
Given this purpose, it's crucial to prevent these elite talents from clashing too soon.
Imagine if the seven top prodigies from Redmarsh and the three from the Northern Capital were all placed together; only two of these exceptional individuals could advance to the national battle. Such an outcome would be unacceptable for the entire Adirang Region!
Hence, the introduction of the seeded player and group systems is a novel approach to ensure the allocation and caliber of participants in the national battle.
"Chu Yi is certain to be a seeded player," someone remarked.
"But Lee Zi..."
The team leader paused before continuing, "You're unlikely to be a seeded player."
"Even though the power you've demonstrated is incredibly formidable, on par with the top geniuses, their levels of cultivation are somewhat higher than yours."
"And what's crucial is the backing they have from powerful families."
"This implies they have access to some fearsome tactics!"
"If it weren't for the elite geniuses backed by the government, your chances of being a seeded player would be substantial. But now..."
The leader trailed off, the implication clear.
Lee Zi's abilities were impressive, but without any hidden strengths to her name, she couldn't stand up to the other top prodigies.
"However, I have faith in your abilities!"
"So, Lee Zi, you must give it your all!"
Indeed, this was merely straightforward encouragement.
Considering Lee Zi's prior performance, the odds of her advancing through this grouping system weren't great.
Yet...
Lee Zi merely smiled, seemingly unfazed.
Chu Yi, standing beside her, maintained a serene demeanor.
Their earlier discussion had centered on Lee Zi keeping her trump cards concealed unless absolutely necessary.
But if it came down to it, revealing them was a lesser evil compared to forfeiting a spot in the national battle.
"Alright, let's set off!"
With that, the leader escorted Chu Yi and the six others onto the flying car provided by Fairmoor City, heading towards the martial arts center they had visited the day before.
The throngs of people outside the Martial Arts Stadium in Fairmoor were indescribable.
Chu Yi was reminded of the scenes from the World Cup finals he had seen on TV in his past life.
Even more fervent!
There were far more people than at any World Cup, and in this world, the zeal for martial arts dwarfed the passion for soccer.
In the world he once knew, despite the multitude of fans, a significant number didn't care for soccer.
But in this world...
You might not be fond of martial arts, but you couldn't overlook its significance.
Indeed, nearly 99% of the population had an unimaginable enthusiasm for martial arts.
Hence, the annual college entrance exam was the grandest festival of the year, capturing the attention of nearly the entire nation.
The arrival of Chu Yi and his companions barely caused a ripple.
Representing Redmarsh, they were outsiders in Fairmoor, where the gathered crowd was primarily local.
The locals were unlikely to root for candidates from other regions.
Chu Yi and his group easily made their way through the throng and into the stadium, while Fairmoor's vehicles weren't as fortunate.
Of course, the other prodigies envied their smooth entry, but Chu Yi and Lee Zi were unconcerned with such matters.
At that moment, the stadium was packed to capacity, with over 500,000 seats filled and people spilling into the aisles.
Had the tickets been for sale, they would have fetched an average of over 10,000 federation coins each.
This meant that hosting such an event could generate over five billion in revenue for the sect!
For the average citizen, this sum was astronomical. Chu Yi's own father, Chu Xong, had nearly faced jail time over a mere three million!
However, the Fairmoor City government wasn't concerned about the revenue. Their goal was to create a spectacle, with little regard for the financial aspect.
Thus, the tickets were complimentary.
And it was a truly egalitarian affair!
Anyone who managed to get their hands on a ticket could attend, regardless of status—even a beggar could find a seat inside the stadium to enjoy the competition!
