Chapter 1023: Xu An'yu vs. Jin Anguo

Aside from Mei Gongzi, every other contestant who had made it into the semifinals had fought their way here. Moreover, winning three consecutive matches hadn't been as easy for them as it had been for Tang San. Most had relied purely on their own formidable strength to enter the semifinals.

Therefore, any opponent in the semifinals would only be stronger, and every battle would be a hard one. Strategic and tactical planning would be all the more critical.

As usual, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor stood on the mountainside, conducting the draw.

"The elimination stage is over. We will now begin the semifinals. The semifinals will follow a round-robin format, and the final rankings will be based on points. The top three male and female contestants will enter the final championship round. Now, we will start with the draw for the first day. Male contestants, please get ready for your draw."

Tang San and Ning Chen'en clamped their mouths shut.

When they heard the announcement, all the other contestants emerged, males and females alike.

Out of the corner of his eye, Tang San caught sight of Mei Gongzi stepping out of her own pavilion.

Today, she wore a white mid-length dress, the hem falling just below her knees and revealing jade-like calves. The cinched waist perfectly outlined her graceful curves. Her peerless face was still hidden beneath a veil. Today marked the first time that the grand prize of this matchmaking tournament would truly take part.

Although she had been the champion of the Ancestral Court Elite Tournament, the Battle for the Throne was on an entirely different level. While no one underestimated her like they underestimated poor Jin Miaolin, few believed she could make it to the end.

Aside from Tang San, only the Undying Demon Emperor and White Tiger Demon Emperor had some sense of Mei Gongzi's true strength. Even the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor, her own father, didn't fully grasp how powerful his daughter really was.

Mei Gongzi didn't look toward the other pavilions. Instead, she gazed upward at the sky, quietly awaiting the draw. Once the male contestants drew, it would be the female contestants' turn.

The familiar white light sphere appeared in the sky once more. As before, Tang San moved without hesitation and grabbed a number at once.

Ning Chen'en was just a beat slower, also seizing a number.

"Clan Leader Jin, the pairing for the round-robin is the same as for the elimination rounds, consecutive numbers. Let's see if fate brought us together. What number did you get?" Ning Chen'en asked with a grin.

Tang San opened his palm, revealing a token marked with the number three.

Ning Chen'en looked at his own token, then opened his hand toward Tang San with a look of regret. "Ah, damn. I drew number five. We'll have to wait until the third round to meet."

Tang San's first-round opponent would be number four. The second-round opponent would depend on wins and losses. If he lost, he'd face the loser between numbers one and two. In the third round, he was likely to encounter Ning Chen'en.

Tang San said, "What a pity, I didn't get to meet you this time. But giving out points is only a matter of time. There's no such thing as luck in the semifinals."

Seeing his helpless expression, Ning Chen'en couldn't help but feel a faint unease. It was not because luck played no part here, and his attention on Tang San was not just because Tang San seemed like easy prey. The Blue Gold Tree clan had slain the Adamant Nymph Emperor, who had not only been Ning Chen'en's blood relative, but also an ally of the Golden Mammoth clan. That had dealt a heavy blow to the development of both the Golden Mammoth and Adamant Nymph clans. How could he not hate the Blue Gold Tree clan? At the same time, he also deeply feared the Ancestral Tree. If the Ancestral Tree's projection could kill the Adamant Nymph Emperor, what stopped it from killing

him

?

Thus, in this tournament, he had been focusing on Tang San, hoping to better understand the Blue Gold Tree clan. At the same time, of course, Ning Chen'en also harbored his own ambitions in the Battle for the Throne.

The male draw completed with no surprises. Next came the female contestants' draw, and all nine drew their numbers in turn.

"The draw is complete. First pair of male contestants, please enter the arena. First pair of female contestants, please prepare," commanded the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor.

Tang San and Ning Chen'en turned their attention to the field. The semifinals were the point where observing every contestant became crucial. For one, it was only now that the really strong ones would start revealing some of their true abilities. Secondly, every one of them would eventually become another's opponent in a match; it was only a matter of how soon.

Two figures shot out simultaneously, landing in the arena, the male contestants number one and number two.

When Tang San saw who entered, his eyebrows couldn't help but lift slightly. A clash of titans, right from the start!

Radiant Dragon King Xu An'yu versus Sky-Splitting City Lord Jin Anguo!

A showdown between the dragon race and the Behemoth clan!

Both were absolute peak Great Demon Kings, and the strongest of their respective lineages. If they went all out....

Ning Chen'en gripped the railing before him, muttering, "Damn, now

that

is a heavyweight match!"

Both Xu An'yu and Jin Anguo were seeded contestants with high expectations, representing the pinnacle of power among the dragon race and the Behemoth clan. No one had expected them to face each other in the very first round.

"Clan Leader Jin, who do you think will win this one?" Ning Chen'en asked Tang San.

Tang San shrugged. "If only they'd met in the elimination stage, that would've been a fight for the ages. Now, whoever wins doesn't matter to me."

Ning Chen'en sighed and shrugged. "You've got a point. It really makes no difference to you at this stage."

Tang San just smiled, unbothered by the subtle jab.

By now, both powerhouses were facing off in the arena. The referee for this match appeared in the sky—it was none other than the Undying Demon Emperor.

The Undying Demon Emperor's gaze was calm, betraying no emotion. "Prepare."

Xu An'yu grasped at the air and a dragon spear appeared in his hand, radiating a soft golden glow. At the same time, a petite figure that looked like a human girl appeared above his shoulder. Six transparent wings fluttered behind her as she hovered, and ripples of golden light spread outward. It was the Light Sprite he had paid a tremendous cost to acquire.

Facing Jin Anguo, Xu An'yu held nothing back. Even his most precious asset was brought out without hesitation.

With the Light Sprite's appearance, the light energy within the arena instantly grew denser and swirled around Xu An'yu, to the point that his own body emitted a faint golden glow.

Meanwhile, Jin Anguo's massive frame stood firm, and he seemed completely unbothered. He was still in human form, but his skin had taken on a dark golden hue. His arms bulged, claws extended from the tips of his fingers, and his form grew even more robust.

Neither of them had wanted to face such a powerful opponent in the first round, but since fate had paired them, they had to fight to win. A victory here would make the rest of the tournament much smoother.

"Begin!"

With that announcement, the Undying Demon Emperor shot into the sky, and the two mighty auras clashed instantly.

Xu An'yu raised his spear overhead and dazzling incandescent holy light surged forth, transforming the entire arena into a world of radiance. Torrents of intense light energy swept through everything.

There was no denying that the Light Sprite's boost was tremendous. With it present, Xu An'yu's radiance was unprecedentedly solid. The sheer power of that holy light was already brushing the threshold to the Emperor level.