Chapter 1006: The Grey-Robed Figure

At this moment, all the Emperors had their minds occupied with the Battle for the Throne. No one could possibly pay attention to such an insignificant spatial fluctuation.

After three consecutive leaps through space, Tang San arrived at a remote tavern somewhere at the periphery of the Ancestral Court.

Due to the ongoing Battle for the Throne, the majority of people were still near Council Mountain, in the city center. So when Tang San entered the tavern, it was practically deserted.

In the entire hall, there was only a single guest seated in a dim corner. This individual emitted almost no presence; one wouldn't even notice them without deliberately looking.

Tang San, naturally, noticed them the moment he stepped inside. He quickly walked over and sat down opposite them.

"A mug of ale, please," Tang San ordered.

The person seated across from him was completely shrouded in a dark gray cloak, their head lowered so their face was obscured. And even if they did raise their head, all that would be visible was a hazy mist.

Tang San couldn't see their face clearly either, but he didn't need to.

"How is it?" he asked after taking a sip of ale.

"Acceptable," came the soft, almost ethereal response.

"Continue?"

"Can do. Deposit."

The voice was delicate and whisper-like, and didn't use a single word more than necessary.

Tang San didn't seem to need any clarifications, either. With a flick of his hand, he tossed over a storage ring.

As the ring reached the other person's hand, the surrounding light seemed to distort slightly, and the ring simply vanished.

Tang San finished his ale in one gulp, said nothing more, and rose to leave.

It wasn't until long after he was gone that the gray-robed figure finally stood up. The light within the tavern distorted slightly, and over a dozen more gray-robed figures silently appeared around them.

"Can you tell who he is?" the original figure asked.

"Can't tell. Just that he's extremely strong. The kind of threat that could even... kill us. Possibly an Emperor. But we can't determine who unless we directly attack. This guy is very dangerous. My lord, are you sure you want to work with him?"

"Since we've taken his deposit, we proceed. Besides, this is something I've long wanted to do. Continue. Use the most cautious approach."

"Yes!" All the surrounding gray-robed figures bowed toward him. In the next moment, the light in the tavern twisted once again, and everything returned to its prior quiet state.

Outside the tavern, time and space around Tang San slowed significantly. A full minute before his figure even vanished from the street, he had already returned to his room in the White Tiger Grand Hotel. With the concealment of the Spacetime Lighthouse, no being could track him.

A faint smile crossed his face, and Tang San narrowed his eyes slightly. He had, of course, sensed the presence of others during that brief moment. Although the other party had been extremely cautious, even utilizing what seemed like a specialized divine item, they were still unable to escape his perception.

He wasn't at all worried about them launching an attack. If they dared, he had a kaleidoscope of abilities at his disposal; he could handle them in any number of ways without fear of exposing himself.

Still, they were cautious and ultimately didn't act, and that pleased him. He liked working with reasonable people.

Just then, he sensed that Mei Gongzi had also returned. The first day of the Battle for the Throne must have concluded. Tomorrow, the male contestants would rest, while the female contestants would begin their matches.

On the second day, Tang San did not go to Council Mountain to watch. The women's matches, before the semifinals, didn't require much attention. As long as Mei Gongzi wasn't competing, he had nothing to worry about.

He stayed in his room to rest. The updated odds had already been released. There was little change in the odds for Tang San winning or placing in the top three. Other contestants had adjustments depending on their first-round performance.

The greatest shift was with the one called "World-Sundering Sword." His odds had significantly improved, rising to third place.

All in all, first-round results were relatively normal, with no upsets. At this level of competition, upsets were hard to come by. It was all about raw power.

However, anticipation for the second round was rapidly building. No one knew how the draw would play out. Would top-seeded contestants clash? If they did, it would be like lightning meeting fire. Those strong enough to be seeded were all close in strength, and most of them hadn't even revealed their full capabilities yet.

After the second day's women's matches concluded, the new odds were once again updated. Much like with the male contestants, based on the principle of avoiding seeded clashes in the first round, no major surprises occurred. Compared to the men's matches, the women's side was somewhat restrained, and there were no instances of double elimination. At least one contestant always advanced.

And so, the third day of the tournament arrived as scheduled.

Upon entering the arena once more, it was clear the space had undergone further reinforcement and upgrades. The aura from the giant pillars of the defensive array was noticeably denser.

Accompanied by the elders, Tang San arrived at his assigned pavilion.

Just as he reached the door, someone called out to him. "Clan Leader Jin!"

Tang San turned his head to see Ning Chen'en standing at the entrance to the Golden Mammoth clan's VIP pavilion, waving at him with a big grin on his face.

"Brother Ning, good to see you." Tang San smiled in greeting.

Ning Chen'en laughed. "Let's just hope we don't get matched today! That Sword Saint Demon Emperor statue of yours really gave me a fright. I definitely don't want to get chopped in half by that!"

Tang San made a face of mock distress and said, "I don't want to face you either! If I face someone else, I can still rely on the Sword Saint Demon Emperor's power to do something. But you of all people should stop being so whiny. I feel that this strike might not even be enough to give you a close shave."

Ning Chen'en sighed. "So many people said you were just blindly bidding during the auction. But now, it's clear that you had a sharp eye! When you activated that statue, we finally felt how powerful the Sword Saint Demon Emperor's sword intent truly is."

Tang San chuckled. "Just luck, pure luck. But it was definitely worth it."

How would it not be worth it? The Sword Saint Demon Emperor's statue practically guaranteed a win. And as long as he didn't face the strongest seeded opponents, it meant a second one as well; after all, the statue hadn't actually been used.

Ning Chen'en could barely hold back his envy. No need to risk life and limb—just use that Emperor-level consumable and cruise through two elimination rounds. If he had bought it for a few thousand amethystine coins and saved it for a critical match, wouldn't that have dramatically improved his chances?

"Clan Leader Jin, how about we make a deal? I'll buy that statue from you for ten thousand. How's that sound?" Ning Chen'en tested the waters. "You probably won't make it much further anyway. Rather than waste such a valuable item, why not sell it to me? That's nearly three times the original price."

Tang San shrugged. "Brother Ning, do I look like I'm short on money?"

Ning Chen'en nearly choked.

No shit! You threw around money like birdseed during the auction! But do you really need to say it so bluntly?

Tang San grinned and said, "With your strength, Brother Ning, you don't need to worry about advancing. As for me, I just hope to last a little longer before getting eliminated. After all, I represent Skytree City. I can't let our city lose face too badly."

Ning Chen'en just barely managed not to retort.

Isn't losing face kinda your clan's special ability?