The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

As the Emperor of Immortality finished speaking, there was a brief silence in the square, followed by a burst of noisy discussion.

"A gauntlet tournament? It really is a gauntlet tournament!"

"Each region's contestants will take turns going on stage... So the Eastern Region only has two people? The other side has hundreds of people taking turns, they'll be exhausted to death."

"I knew it! In the first round, the Eastern Region crushed the first place with 48 points. We definitely need to make things more difficult for them in the second round, otherwise what's the point of this all-region selection?"

"Fairness? There's no such thing as absolute fairness in this world. The Eastern Region had a huge advantage in the first round, so they're going to suffer in the second."

The participants from the Southern, Western, and Northern Regions exchanged glances. Some wore expressions of schadenfreude, while others were already calculating which member of their sect should send out first to maximize their chances of winning.

The area around the four major sects in the Central Region was even more bustling.

The elder from the Qian Yuan Sect, dressed in a dark gold robe, stroked his beard, a reserved smile playing on his lips. His voice wasn't loud, but it was just loud enough for the people in the surrounding spectator areas to hear.

"A war of attrition is a test of numbers and endurance. No matter how strong the Eastern Region is, they only have two people. They can be worn out by exhaustion. In this round, the Central Region's advantage is the real advantage."

"Indeed, no matter how strong Wang Long and Ye Niannu are, they can't withstand the wear and tear of the wheels. As long as the people in front wear down their spiritual power, the people behind will naturally benefit."

Shi Yue of the Di Dezong clan stood silently in front of the crowd, arms crossed, neither speaking nor refuting.

A faint smile appeared on Yin Jiuyou's effeminate face as she glanced at Wang Long and Ye Niannu, as if she were calculating something.

Ling Feng of the Tianlan Sect gently shook his head, a thoughtful smile playing on his lips, and murmured something.

"A war of attrition... the Eastern Region is truly in a precarious position now."

The leaders from the Southern Region, Western Region, and Northern Region all showed similar expressions.

The leader of the Western Regions Snake Bone Sect crossed his arms, his voice carrying a confident composure.

"The Eastern Region has indeed produced two promising talents, but the selection process across the entire region is never won by just one or two people. The round-robin format is the fairest selection method; whoever has the strongest foundation will make it to the end."

A team leader from the southern region chimed in, his tone carrying a hint of schadenfreude.

"A war of attrition is indeed most disadvantageous for forces with fewer troops; the Eastern Region is likely to suffer a setback this time."

In the center of the square, the faces of the people from the Eastern Region were not very good.

Zhou Yanzhi clenched his fists, his voice filled with suppressed worry.

"A war of attrition... This is clearly a rule designed to target the small population of our Eastern Region. Each person only has one life. There are only two of us against hundreds of people on the other side. Even someone made of iron couldn't withstand it."

A disciple of the Green Wood Sect standing nearby gritted his teeth and whispered.

"This is so unfair! The advantage we Eastern Region fought so hard for in the first round, has been wiped out by the rules in the second round?"

Another disciple of the Xuancang Sect clenched his fists, his voice filled with suppressed resentment.

"If only we had more experts like Wang Shengzi, we could at least last a few more rounds..."

Chen Yuanzhi stood at the back of the crowd, his face also showing worry, but he did not speak up to echo those complaints.

He just stared at Wang Long's back, recalling the scene in the first round where Wang Long led him and Zhou Mingxuan to ambush and kill the pursuers, and then he remembered the aura he had just sensed that was obviously more profound and steady than two days ago, and muttered to himself.

"Wang Shengzi... he wouldn't just give up like that, would he?"

Wang Qingyan stood in front of the Qian Yuan Sect crowd, listening to the surrounding discussions, and couldn't help but snort coldly. Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a long-suppressed arrogance.

"Wang Long, you are indeed very strong. I admit you won the first round, but this round is a series of matches. You only have two people, while we have hundreds. No matter how good you are, a series of matches will wear you down!"

She raised her voice and stared directly at Wang Long.

"This time, our Qian Yuan Sect will surely win!"

Zhao Heng stood beside her, neither agreeing nor stopping her from speaking.

His gaze also fell on Wang Long, with a complex scrutiny.

He also sensed the change in Wang Long's aura; the calm and restrained fluctuations of the late-stage Supreme Realm made him even more vigilant.

But he was also rational enough to know that the numerical advantage of the gauntlet attack was real, and no matter how strong Wang Long was, he couldn't withstand the repeated attrition of hundreds of people by himself.

Ling Feng stood a few steps away, his gaze lingering on Wang Long for a moment before a thoughtful smile appeared on his face.

He muttered to himself.

"Breaking through two minor realms in two days... This Holy Son of the Eastern Region is becoming increasingly unfathomable. But it's a series of battles... I'd like to see how many rounds he can last."

Yin Jiuyou didn't speak, but her fingers, hidden in her sleeve, gently caressed the dark black short dagger. Her gaze swept over Wang Long and then slowly moved away, as if she was assessing something.

Hearing the surrounding discussions and pronouncements, the people from the Eastern Region looked even more grim. Some clenched their fists, while others bit their lips.

Wang Long stood in the center of the crowd, listening to the discussions and pronouncements coming from all directions, his expression calm and composed.

He could sense the complex emotions in those gazes; some were filled with schadenfreude, some with scrutiny and sizing, and some with a simple desire to watch the spectacle.

He didn't rush to respond to those voices, but simply turned his head slightly and glanced at Ye Niannu beside him.

Ye Niannu turned her head to look at him, her peach blossom eyes showing no worry or nervousness, but rather a look of eager anticipation.

She smiled at him, her voice low and playful, only the two of them could hear.

"My lord, they all seem to think we won't last more than a few rounds."

Wang Long looked at her and smiled. Just as he was about to say something, the voice of the Eternal Emperor rang out again.

"Gentlemen, please be quiet."

The voice was neither hurried nor slow, yet it possessed a penetrating power that pierced through all the noise, silencing all the clamor in the square.

All eyes were once again focused on the Emperor of Immortality.

He raised his hand and waved it gently.

A soft yet powerful light surged from his sleeve and landed on the wide open space in the center of the square. The light quickly condensed, expanded, and deformed.

At the same time, a deep and resonant beastly roar emanated from the depths of the light, like the first breath of an ancient behemoth awakening.

The sound wasn't shrill, but it carried a soul-piercing tremor that made everyone present pause involuntarily, their heartbeats pausing in rhythm with it.

The light dissipated.

A gigantic deer-shaped spirit beast appeared in the center of the plaza. It was tens of feet tall, its entire body covered with pale golden scales, and its antlers stretched out like ancient trees, intertwining and gleaming with a warm luster.

Its four hooves are as thick as pillars, and when it steps on the ground, you can feel the bluestone slabs under its feet trembling slightly.

Those eyes were warm and deep, as if reflecting ten thousand years of time. At this moment, they were calmly watching the contestants around them who were looking up at them. There was no aggression in them, but they carried an undeniable presence.

A vast and heavy pressure silently emanated from its body, enveloping the entire square like a tide.

The contestants felt a tightness in their chests, and their breathing involuntarily became lighter.

Some people instinctively took a half step back, some gripped their weapons tighter, and many more looked up at the deer-shaped spirit beast, their eyes filled with shock and awe.

"The Heavenly...Peak of the Heavenly Supreme?!"

A team leader from the Southern Region suddenly stood up, his voice trembling with barely suppressed emotion.

"This spirit beast... is only one step away from reaching the Emperor Realm!"