Douluo: I have too many clones

Chapter 779 Round-Robin Tournament Draw

The elimination rounds of the martial arts contest for marriage continued to advance amidst fierce competition, and Nan Fusheng's luck remained as always.

In the remaining three rounds of competition, all of his opponents were Soul Masters at the Soul Emperor level.

Facing such an opponent, Nan Fusheng easily won the round with a record of four wins out of four, successfully advancing to the next round-robin tournament.

The promotion of the round-robin tournament had already spread like wildfire, with all kinds of advertisements visible everywhere in the streets and alleys of Mingdu, pushing the popularity of this grand event to a new peak.

Numerous analyses of the potential strength of each group and predictions of their advancement prospects have emerged. Some people have even predicted the seeded players in each group based on the players' performance in the knockout stage, sparking heated discussions among the public.

At this point, only one hundred players remained to advance to the round-robin stage, a number that was now quite manageable compared to the previous scale.

The Spirit Tower announced that, in order to further improve the competition venue and provide a better competitive environment for the players, the competition will be suspended for three days. After three days, the round-robin tournament will officially begin.

At first glance, the round-robin tournament doesn't seem as brutal as the knockout stage, where you can't be eliminated by a single loss. But in reality, every match in the round-robin is crucial, requiring you to go all out and fight for every single one.

Because in the round-robin tournament, the accumulated points directly determine the final ranking. Once you lose a game, your points will fall behind your competitors, and it will become extremely difficult to catch up later.

Only the top team in each group can secure one of the ten coveted spots, making the round-robin tournament just as competitive as the knockout stage.

Under this competition format, the results of the group draw become particularly important, as they greatly influence the players' subsequent path to the next round.

The draw ceremony explicitly required that all contestants who made it into the top 100 must attend; absence was not permitted.

Standing inside the magnificent Mingdu Gymnasium, Nan Fusheng's gaze slowly swept over the other athletes present. In an instant, many familiar figures came into view—Yu Longyue, Ye Lan, Li Zhi, Zheng Yu…

Indeed, although these people's appearances and names were different from what he remembered, Nan Fusheng recognized their true identities at a glance. They were Tang Wulin, Ye Xinglan, Xu Lizhi, Le Zhengyu, and others.

Nan Fusheng couldn't help but think to himself, "Qian Gu Dongfeng is really bold. He has clearly noticed that these people's identities are suspicious, but he has completely let them go. Is he so confident that he can keep everything firmly in his hands?"

Although Tang Wulin and the others had carefully disguised their appearances and martial spirits, it was not difficult to discover the clues with careful observation.

Take Le Zhengyu for example. Once his signature Angelic Martial Soul is unleashed in battle, its intense and almost undeniable divine attributes will emanate, and anyone with a little knowledge can vaguely sense its extraordinary nature.

In addition, there is Sima Jinchi's Dragon Slayer Blade. During the Five Gods' Battle in the Star Luo Continent, Tang Wulin used a Martial Soul Fusion Technique with his opponent.

Given Qian Gu Dong Feng's information channels and influence, it's impossible that he didn't receive intelligence about these anomalies, yet he chose to ignore them and didn't even conduct rigorous checks on the genders of the contestants.

No, gender isn't the most important thing; he didn't even care about race.

Nan Fusheng's gaze inadvertently swept across a corner of the venue, landing on a rather conspicuous figure—a plump white goose, pacing back and forth on the sidelines as if no one else was around, its neck held high, its expression revealing a hint of indescribable absurdity and arrogance.

What's even more striking is that it occasionally makes strange cries of "my son, my son," which seem out of place in the solemn atmosphere of the venue, drawing frequent glances from the dozen or so contestants around it, their expressions a mixture of confusion and barely suppressed amusement.

Seeing this, Nan Fusheng's lips twitched slightly. He wasn't surprised that this big white goose could make it into the top 100, given its strength.

But the question is, is it really okay for this thing to participate in this martial arts tournament with "marriage selection" as its core purpose?

The answer is naturally—no problem.

If Qian Gu Dong Feng could understand Nan Fusheng's doubts at this moment, he would certainly give such an answer without hesitation.

This seemingly ordinary white goose is actually the masterpiece of the master craftsman Lu Fa.

The Divine Craftsman Lu Fa himself had no intention of participating in this martial arts contest to find a husband. However, in order to indirectly experience the atmosphere of this grand event, he sent a message to Qian Gu Dong Feng through the special channels of the War God Temple, hoping that he could make an exception and grant this big white goose a chance to participate.

For the ancient Dongfeng, this was undoubtedly a pillow handed to him when he was sleepy.

He was struggling to find a suitable opportunity to connect with the master craftsman, and upon receiving this news, he was overjoyed. Without any hesitation, he immediately approved the white goose's application to participate in the competition.

In his view, the final interpretation of this martial arts contest for marriage was firmly in the hands of the Spirit Pagoda. Even if this white goose could truly overcome all obstacles and ultimately make it into the ten available spots, so what?
As a core member of the Spirit Pagoda, Gu Yuena has an extremely noble status. From any perspective, there is absolutely no way she would accept a large white goose as her mate.

Even if Gu Yuena explicitly rejected the white goose, it would be perfectly reasonable in the eyes of outsiders, and would not cause any controversy for the Spirit Pagoda or Gu Yuena herself.

After all, the gap between humans and mythical beasts is already common knowledge.

The kind of "grass and rabbit" love between humans and animals, like that of Tang San, the Sea God, is ultimately just an exception.

In weighing the pros and cons of the ancient East Wind, how could he refuse such a profitable deal—to exchange such a trivial matter for a favor from the divine craftsman Lu Fa?
As for whether the seriousness of this conference will be compromised, in Qian Gu Dong Feng's eyes, it is utterly insignificant. Compared to the long-term benefits of establishing a connection with the Divine Craftsman, this trivial "flaw" is completely negligible.

The core purpose of the Spirit Pagoda in holding this grand event was not to actually find a partner for Gu Yuena, but to consolidate its own position and win over various forces. Now, the fact that it can gain the favor of the Divine Craftsman has become an unexpected bonus.

……

Suddenly, a faint chill crept over him, causing Nan Fusheng to instinctively turn his head to the side. What he saw was a small, bright blue head staring at him with undisguised malice, the surging anger in its eyes almost tangible.

It was Lan Fuzi.

Noticing that Nan Fusheng's gaze had turned to her, Lan Fuzi did not flinch. The moment their eyes met, she glared at him fiercely without any politeness, then abruptly turned her head away, adopting a completely indifferent attitude, as if the hostile gaze from before had never happened.

Why hold a grudge like that? Wasn't it just that he "beat" her up inside the Ten Thousand Beasts Platform? If you really want to be precise, he actually helped this girl out that time.

Shaking his head, Nan Fusheng glanced at her and then turned away, ignoring her. He wasn't the type to fawn over anyone; he wasn't one to offer his help only to be met with indifference.

At this time, the Mingdu Stadium, after careful renovation, has taken on a completely different look from the past.

The ten square competition stages that originally stood side by side in the arena have all been removed, and in their place stands a solitary circular competition stage in the center.

The new arena is 300 meters in diameter, several times larger than the previous square arena, enough to accommodate high-level soul masters to unleash wide-range soul skills, providing a much wider competitive space for the upcoming round-robin tournament.

At the other end of the stadium, directly opposite the podium, a giant screen, fifty meters high, rises from the ground, its edges inlaid with flowing halos of light, giving it a high-tech feel.

This screen is undoubtedly designed to allow off-site viewers to have a clearer view of the game, so that even those at the edge of the field can see every detail on stage.

Today's lottery ceremony was of a very high standard, with a solemn and respectful atmosphere.

Perhaps to ensure the solemnity of the ceremony, the venue was not open to the public, and the huge audience seats were empty, appearing spacious and silent.

But this does not mean that the attention this ceremony has received has diminished—through live broadcasts across the entire continent, countless eyes are watching every move on the field through the screen, eagerly awaiting the announcement of the group results.

To ensure absolute fairness in the lottery process, the Spirit Pagoda specially invited a powerful figure from the Temple of War to supervise. Each contestant who made it into the top 100 received a unique new number before entering the arena. This number will serve as a unique identifier during the lottery, preventing any interference that might result from the leakage of personal information.

At this moment, a sophisticated number selection machine is already in place below the huge screen.

Several Soul Masters dressed in the uniforms of the Temple of War were solemnly conducting a final inspection of the machine, scrutinizing every detail from its internal structure to its operating mechanism to ensure that there were no loopholes that could be manipulated by humans.

The machine is covered by a huge, transparent glass dome, inside which are neatly arranged one hundred small balls, each with a number clearly engraved on it corresponding to the number held by the contestant, quietly waiting for the moment to be drawn.

This lottery will be conducted entirely by machine, which means that luck will play a crucial role.

During this process, no one can predict whether several top-tier experts will be drawn into the same group, thus leading to an intense clash between strong individuals ahead of schedule.

That's why this lottery ceremony has attracted so much attention.

Once you actually make it into the top ten, you might not even have the chance to meet them again, because at that point the choice will be in the hands of the Silver Dragon Princess, Gu Yuena.

The round-robin stage, as the crucial stage for determining group rankings, is the real battlefield that tests both strength and luck, and its group results will directly affect the subsequent path to the next round.

No one wants to face a strong opponent too early in the round-robin stage.

Keep in mind that there are as many as ten spots available in the final round. As long as you are not in the same group, it means that you all have a chance to advance to the top ten, so there is no need to fight tooth and nail in the early stages.

"Greetings, fellow young talents!" Just then, a loud and authoritative voice echoed throughout the stadium, instantly attracting the attention of all the athletes present.

The speaker was none other than Qian Gu Dongfeng, the master of the Spirit Pagoda. He did not appear next to the number selection machine in front of the screen, but was on the dais with a wide view. His figure was projected onto the huge screen through high-definition camera equipment, clearly presented to everyone.

Beside the eternal east wind, Princess Gu Yuena, the silver dragon, stood quietly.

Today, she changed her usual attire, wearing a well-tailored black dress. Her long hair, a mix of black and silver, cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, creating a striking contrast with the black dress and making her skin appear even whiter and her beauty unparalleled.

"First of all, on behalf of the Spirit Pagoda, I congratulate you all on successfully making it into the top 100."

The voice of Qian Gu Dong Feng rang out again, carrying just the right amount of praise: "Being able to reach this point is enough to prove your strength and potential. Each and every one of you is an outstanding member of the Federation's younger generation."

"At the same time, you have probably all received the phased rewards that the Spirit Pagoda previously promised. As for the final generous reward, it will be distributed to you all after the martial arts tournament concludes successfully. Please prepare for the battle with peace of mind."

He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the hundred contestants in the arena, and continued:
"Next, we will be holding the draw ceremony for the round-robin tournament. To ensure the process is fair, just and transparent, we have specially invited the master craftsman 'Lu Fa' from the Forging Masters Association and the chief of staff 'Fu Xuan' from the Federal General Staff to preside over the ceremony."

"I hope that everyone will give their all in the upcoming round-robin tournament, show their best form, strive to stand out, and ultimately become one of Na'er's chosen ones."

"The round-robin tournament will officially begin tomorrow. I won't say any more. I believe everyone is exhausted after days of fierce competition. After the draw, please go back and adjust your condition as soon as possible so that you can meet the challenges ahead in the best possible way."

At this point, Qian Gu Dongfeng turned to look at Gu Yuena beside him and said gently, "Na'er, it's your turn to announce the start."

Gu Yuena nodded slightly, her clear eyes remaining calm, and her red lips parted slightly: "Let the drawing of lots begin."

As soon as she finished speaking, the number selection machine in front of the screen started instantly.

With a soft "hum," the hundred small balls inside the glass case began to bounce violently, colliding and tumbling like boiling water droplets. For a moment, it was difficult to see the exact number, filling the room with unknowns and suspense.

At that very moment, two figures descended slowly from mid-air without warning, stopping directly above the number selection machine.

The man was handsome and tall, with short, platinum blonde hair that shone brightly under the lights, as if flowing with metallic luster, making him highly recognizable.

The woman beside him was youthful and beautiful, with skin as white as snow and a rare head of long pink hair that cascaded down her shoulders in waves. Her beauty was so stunning that it was no less than that of the Silver Dragon Princess Gu Yuena, and she even had a touch more girlish charm and vitality.

The two people hovered in mid-air, their hands behind their backs, their expressions indifferent, seemingly without making any movement.

However, those present were all high-level Soul Masters with considerable cultivation, and they immediately sensed that under the aura of these two individuals, the machine would not be subject to any human interference.

"That is...that is the master craftsman!"

Someone suddenly exclaimed, instantly breaking the silence in the room.

The news of Lu Fa's advancement to the Divine Craftsman has already swept through the entire Soul Master world like a hurricane, becoming the hottest topic recently.

Those who are able to stand here to participate in the martial arts contest for marriage are all young talents carefully cultivated by various forces. They are well-informed and naturally cannot be unaware of Lu Fa's reputation.

"It really is the divine craftsman Lu Fa! The Spirit Pagoda actually managed to summon him!"

Many of the participants looked shocked, and murmurs of discussion arose one after another.

Especially those powerful individuals whose cultivation had already reached the level of Title Douluo, their gazes instantly became incredibly fervent, their eyes filled with excitement and longing as they looked at the white-gold short-haired man, even surpassing their reaction when they saw the Silver Dragon Princess Gu Yuena earlier.

After all, even though Princess Silver Dragon was incredibly beautiful, winning her favor was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

The reason these titled Douluo participated in this tournament was primarily for the generous prizes promised by the Spirit Pagoda and the legendary Beast Platform, which was said to be able to rapidly enhance the strength of one's soul spirit.

Now, seeing the master craftsman Lu Fa, who is capable of forging four-word battle armor, appear in person, one can imagine their excitement.

It should be noted that the previous master craftsman in the Soul Master world, Zhen Hua, was full of energy and had superb forging skills when he was young, but as he got older, his energy was not as good as before, and his stamina was far inferior to what it used to be.

Nowadays, it's as if they're completely drained of energy; often, it might take one or two years to forge even a single piece of battle armor.

This is why the entire Soul Master world has not seen a new four-word Battle Armor Master for many years.

Until recently, the news of the birth of a new master blacksmith from the Blacksmith Association shook the entire Soul Master world.

Heaven knows how excited these Title Douluos were when they heard the news—they were so eager to obtain a four-word battle armor of their own to achieve a leap in strength.

Unfortunately, before they could arrange their itinerary to visit the new master craftsman in Tiandou City, the Blacksmith Association released another message stating that the master craftsman Lu Fa had gone to Mingdu and would be engaging in in-depth cooperation with the Temple of War.

Behind the Temple of War Gods stands the Federal Government. Although these Title Douluos are extremely anxious, they dare not rashly go to the vicinity of the Temple of War Gods in Mingdu. They can only suppress their excitement and wait patiently in Mingdu, hoping to have the opportunity to meet the Divine Craftsman and seek a chance encounter.

Unexpectedly, during the lottery ceremony for this martial arts contest to find a husband, the Spirit Pagoda managed to invite this master craftsman to the scene and have him act as the referee.

This unexpected surprise instantly stirred the minds of the titled Douluos present, their gazes towards Lu Fa filled with eagerness and anticipation—perhaps this was the perfect opportunity for them to get close to the Divine Craftsman and obtain the Battle Armor.

(End of this chapter)