Above the mage

Chapter 717 You Haven't Visited Me in a Long Time

Nourished by the gentle light elemental energy, Cedric, whose injuries had healed, slowly stood up.

At this moment, his gaze toward Liu Ying was filled with pure awe and shock.

Cedric knew that what Liu Ying had shown was only the tip of the iceberg of her methods.

But even from this corner, he was already able to sense the "transcendental" nature of the light elemental magic in Liu Ying's hands.

That was no longer limited to ordinary spell casting, but had reached a level of complete mastery and unparalleled skill.

She can manipulate and alter the inherent effects and power of spells at will.

The Holy Light Shield, which could only defend and block attacks, was transformed into a mirror shield that could perfectly reflect all attacks.

Whether it's a projectile spell like [Fire Arrow] or a wide-area attack spell like [Elemental Storm], she can reflect them back without any loss.

Cedric knew very well that this reflective ability was not an inherent effect of any light elemental spell.

All light-based defensive spells at the fourth ring level and below have only a pure defensive and blocking effect; they have never had the characteristic of reflection.

This has exceeded the limits of the spell itself.

It was entirely due to Liu Ying's extraordinary talent in the light element that she achieved the ultimate control over the light element, enabling her to maximize the effect of the light element shield and even generate this additional powerful ability.

The room was completely silent; so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was stunned by the methods Liu Ying displayed.

Standing in the crowd, Gao De was no less shocked than anyone else, and perhaps even more so than everyone else present.

In his presence, Liu Ying mostly played the role of a "weak woman" who needed his protection and was "obedient" to him.

Yet at this moment, in the arena of magic, she displayed such cold and skillful methods, exuding an invisible aura with every move she made.

The contrast is absolutely amazing!

After a moment of silence, Cedric took a deep breath, bowed slightly to Liu Ying, and said with complete admiration, "The captain's methods are indeed brilliant. I thought my strength was not bad, but after today's battle, I realized that I am still far from being good enough."

He has always been proud, but he never talks big.

The methods Liu Ying displayed were on a completely different level from his.

Upon hearing this, Liu Ying blinked her clear blue eyes slightly, thought about it seriously for a moment, and then said in her still pleasant voice, "You are indeed quite good, but your opponent cannot be me."

Gao De's lips twitched.

He knew Liu Ying's personality all too well.

To others, Liu Ying's words might be seen as the demeanor of a master.

But in reality, it was just what the girl truly felt; there was no other meaning behind it.

"Alright, alright, you've all seen your captain's strength." At this moment, Fritz stepped forward with a smile and interjected, breaking the atmosphere in the arena.

The formal encounter and sparring session were now completely over. Fritz then announced the follow-up arrangements: "For the last three days, I won't be arranging any more French fighting training for you. Everyone should take a good rest, don't be too tense, adjust your condition, and prepare for the French fighting tournament."

Then, he turned to the five sparring mages he had personally invited, a sincere smile on his face, and nodded slightly to them: "Regardless of the final ranking of this magic combat competition, I still want to thank you for your training over the past period of time."

"Thank you all for your guidance and sparring!" Gao De and the others also realized what was happening and bowed to the five sparring masters, their tone sincere.

A mage's time and energy are precious, especially for a combat mage of this level.

The sparring mages have been incredibly dedicated over the past ten days, significantly improving their mage combat skills.

The five sparring mages wore humble smiles, and the leader, a mid-fourth-ring mage, said, "Mage Fritz, you are too kind. We have also benefited greatly from sparring with such talented mages."

"I believe you can definitely win this championship for the dynasty..."

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""

After a few simple pleasantries, the five sparring mages nodded slightly to the crowd, then turned and left Silverwing Nest, their figures gradually disappearing at the end of the passage.

After the sparring mages left, Fritz's expression gradually became serious. He looked at the team members present and slowly said, "Also, there's something else I need to clarify with everyone..."

""

"In order to ensure the fairness of the competition as much as possible, the specific competition rules for the group stage of the Unparalleled Fighting Tournament will not be officially released until the group stage draw."

He paused, then added, "Because this is the first French Bulldog tournament, there are no previous results to refer to."

Therefore, no country or power can skip the group stage and directly enter the knockout stage.

"Everyone has to start from the group stage, including our Golden Flower Dynasty and the powerful Empire team. We are all treated equally, without exception."

Upon hearing this, Gao De's heart stirred slightly.

In fact, he had this question for a long time.

This first French fighting tournament was quite different from the traditional ring competitions he was familiar with in one aspect: the specific competition rules were delayed and remained confidential.

Even Fritz, the team leader, had previously only relied on guesswork to formulate the training program.

According to Fritz, the specific rules for the group stage will not be announced until the group draw.

And this is only the rule for the group stage.

The rules for the knockout stage will most likely be changed.

This is done to ensure fairness as much as possible and to prevent anyone from knowing the rules in advance and secretly studying loopholes to exploit.

But for some reason, Gao De had a vague feeling that things might not be that simple.

There seems to be some hidden story behind it.

After all, there are only three days left until the start of the competition.

Announcing the rules now leaves them with little time to prepare.

Even if someone wanted to exploit the loophole, it would be too late.

From any perspective, it won't affect fairness at all.

He frowned subconsciously, pondering to himself.

Could it be that the competition organizers have made some special arrangements?

Or is this related to a power struggle between different countries?

For a moment, countless thoughts surged in his mind, but he couldn't find a clue, so he could only suppress his doubts for the time being.

After briefly explaining the details of the competition and reminding everyone to rest and recharge, Fritz announced, "Alright, everything has been explained to you. Let's call it a day."

Everyone nodded in agreement and were about to turn and leave.

But then something completely unexpected happened.

As Fritz finished speaking and everyone turned around, Liu Ying, who had just displayed his might in the fighting arena and easily overwhelmed Cedric, walked straight towards Gao De in the crowd, amidst the slightly surprised and bewildered gazes of the crowd.

All eyes were fixed on Liu Ying.

Liu Ying, who was the focus of everyone's attention, did not care at all about the stares and strange looks around her.

She walked up to Gaode and stopped.

His face, which had been completely expressionless just moments before, suddenly broke into an extremely happy smile, a stark contrast to his previous cold and aloof demeanor.

Immediately afterwards, Liu Ying did something that shocked everyone present.

She slowly raised her fair and slender hand, her fingertips slightly curled, and gently extended it towards Gao De, complaining in a soft, sweet voice, "You haven't come to see me in so long."

The voice wasn't loud, but it clearly resonated throughout the entire Silverwing Nest, each word exploding in everyone's ears like thunder.

Feng Lin felt as if her brain had crashed at that moment.

She simply couldn't reconcile the gentle, soft-spoken Liu Ying in front of her with the awe-inspiring Liu Ying from just moments before.

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"What does Princess Liuying mean by this?" She subconsciously turned her head to look at Aria, who was also staring blankly beside her. Her tone was somewhat confused and uncertain, as if she was seeking an answer, or as if she was talking to herself.

Arya was completely stunned, her mouth agape, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

She hesitated for a long time before whispering, "It seems like... they're very familiar with each other?!"

Cedric stared intently at Liu Ying's outstretched hand, the shock in his eyes no less than when he had witnessed Liu Ying's transcendental light elemental magic.

The identity of the high-ranking grassroots monk is common knowledge among them.

Liu Ying is the legitimate daughter of the noble Wang Mian, and a top-tier light element mage in the late fourth ring.

There was an insurmountable chasm between the two.

He simply couldn't imagine that Liu Ying, whose strength and background far surpassed everyone else's, would say such intimate words and make such intimate gestures to Gao De.

This completely overturned his understanding.

Not to mention the five of them, even the well-informed Fritz was completely stunned.

He subconsciously stopped in his tracks, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Liu Ying and Gao De.

As one of the main characters, Gao De was not surprised at all, but he was still somewhat helpless.

However, he didn't dwell on it. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he naturally took Liu Ying's soft yet burning hand, which felt like a thorny rose, and explained, "I've been busy with training camp lately and haven't been able to find the time. It's my fault."

After witnessing the two holding hands, the glasses that had fallen down shattered completely on the ground.

In the year 9659 of the Norlan calendar, on the thirtieth day of the winter solstice, which was also the last day of the year.

The cold wind, carrying the chill of the year's end, swept through every corner of the city, yet it could not dispel the scorching heat that permeated the air.

Tomorrow, the Unparalleled Magic Tournament, which has been brewing for a whole year and has captured the attention of the entire Nolan Continent, will officially begin.

Today, all participating teams will gather together for the intense and exciting group stage draw, which will be crucial to their future performance.

This magical combat tournament, jointly organized by the Holy Empire, the Golden Flower Dynasty, and Linhai City, has attracted widespread attention since its inception.

Its scale and momentum far surpassed any previous mage duel on the Nolan continent.

The organizers have given the event an air of authority due to its incredibly generous rewards.

In addition, the prestige and influence of the events, the continental rankings, and the overwhelming attention they garnered attracted countless forces, large and small, from across the Nolan continent to participate, hoping to make a name for themselves in this grand event.

After multiple rounds of selection, a total of 64 teams were selected to qualify for the competition.

All seven members of each team, along with their team leaders, gathered at the Mithril City Municipal Square today, as required.

This square is the heart of Mithril City, covering a vast area, and is a place where citizens gather and announce important matters on weekdays.

Today it is decorated with even greater solemnity.

A high platform was erected in the center of the square, with its surface made of white marble.

Although today was just the draw, not the official match.

However, the square was already packed with enthusiastic spectators, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

Everyone's face was filled with undisguised excitement and anticipation.

This draw not only concerns the fate of each team in qualifying, but also involves the interests of countless people.

Aside from concerns about the face of their own country or power, underground gambling dens had already made their plans in advance.

There are countless betting odds surrounding the teams that advance from the group stage, the group winners, and even the outcome of each match and individual duels.

The odds will fluctuate depending on the rumors surrounding the strength of each team and the format of the group stage draw.

Many people are willing to invest large sums of money to bet on the teams they believe in.

Some people hope to get rich overnight, while others want to demonstrate their support for the powerful.

After all, as long as there are competitions, especially those with extremely high attention and wide-ranging interests, betting on these events is always unavoidable.

This is a principle that applies universally.

Sixty-four flags were neatly erected on the stone pillars on both sides of the square.

Each flag represents a participating team. The flags are different in color and pattern, and each flag is printed with the exclusive emblem of its country or force. The colorful flags flutter neatly in the cold wind, making a spectacular sight.

On the high platform, all the representatives of the organizers were already in place.

Leading the group was Richard Wang Mian, whom Gao De had met once before. He was Liu Ying's older brother and the eldest son of the Wang Mian family. No one knew when he had returned.

His aura was calm and profound, making people hesitant to look directly at him.

When it was almost time, all the team members had arrived.

Richard cleared his throat, and his voice, amplified by magic, clearly resounded throughout the entire square: "Today, before the start of the Unparalleled Magic Fighting Tournament, we will conduct the group stage draw, and the matchups for each group will be finalized."

"At the same time, before the draw, I will read out the specific rules for the group stage."

"All rules are jointly negotiated and confirmed by the three host countries to ensure the fairness and impartiality of the competition."

The square fell silent instantly, everyone holding their breath and listening intently.

Even now, the participating members of each team are still unaware of the specific rules for the group stage.

Every detail of the rules will directly affect subsequent tactical arrangements and personnel deployment.

It even concerns the team's fate of qualifying, and there is no room for the slightest negligence.

Richard spoke slowly and steadily, reading out the rules in detail: "First, in this group stage, the sixty-four participating teams will be divided into eight groups by drawing lots."

"Each group consists of eight teams, with the groupings being completely randomized, and the entire process is jointly supervised by representatives from all three parties."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "The eight groups will start their matches simultaneously tomorrow. The competition will use a single round-robin format within each group, with each pair of teams playing each other only once, and there will be no repeated matches."

"Each match will be a best-of-three series, with the specific schedule consisting of two singles matches and one doubles match."

"There are a total of three matches. The team that wins two of them is the winner. The winning team gets 1 point, and the losing team gets 0 points."

"For each match in the group stage, the players to be on the court for the three-game series must be submitted to the referee team by the team leader before the start of the match. Once submitted, no changes are allowed, and impersonation or temporary substitutions are strictly prohibited."

"Once discovered, the team will be automatically forfeited in this match." Richard's tone became increasingly serious.

"In addition, the players in a singles match cannot be the same. That is to say, each team needs to send at least three different players to participate in each match, so as to test the overall strength of each team."

In fact, the rules for the group stage are not complicated, but are clear and easy to understand, without too many obscure or difficult clauses.

Upon hearing this, the participating teams below the stage all nodded and began to whisper among themselves.

Some team members were calculating their own team's lineup, while others were speculating about the strength of other teams; a tense atmosphere permeated the air.

Of course, tension doesn't exist in the Golden Flower Dynasty team.

They are a team with the ability to win the championship; for them, the group stage is just a formality.

Gao De stood in the Golden Flower Dynasty team, pondering to himself.

So it seems that my previous worries were unnecessary?

Or is the real highlight the knockout stage?

Richard's voice continued: "After the group stage is over, teams will be ranked according to their total points. The top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout stage."

"If two or more teams have the same points, the ranking will be determined according to the following priority:"

First, head-to-head record; second, net wins, which is the total number of wins minus the total number of losses, with higher net wins ranking higher.

If the above two methods still cannot determine the advancing team, a tiebreaker will be held.

"In addition to this, there is another important provision:"

During the competition, each participating team member is only allowed to bring one extraordinary weapon into battle, and this weapon must be submitted to the referee team by the team leader before the start of the competition.

"The referee team will be jointly dispatched by the three host countries to ensure fair judgment. If there is any objection to the judgment, the team leader can submit an appeal to the referee team."

Richard paused again, his gaze slowly sweeping over each team below the stage, his tone softening slightly: "These are all the rules for this group stage. Is everyone clear on them? If you have any questions, please ask now, and I will answer them one by one."

The square fell silent for a moment, and no one raised any questions.

The rules are detailed and rigorous, covering all possible scenarios.

It ensured fairness while also maintaining the entertainment value of the event, fully meeting the expectations of all parties, and leaving no obvious loopholes.

Seeing that no one raised any questions, Richard nodded slightly: "Since everyone has no objection to the rules, let's begin the drawing of lots now."

"Please come to the stage one by one, team captains."