"Zhou Zhiqiang wins in the Eighth Arena!"
When the Silver Armored Officer announced the result, many people were still looking toward Li Mengchao.
The strength he had displayed while severely injuring Lin Yue had been far too astonishing.
Against Li Mengchao's strength, Zhou Zhiqiang's performance, though impressive in its own right, clearly lacked the same impact.
After the fourth match came an hour-long recovery period, giving the martial artists time to tend their injuries and recover.
Meanwhile, the examiners began sorting the results, dividing everyone into two groups according to their wins and losses.
The first group consisted of the four winners: Zhou Tong, Qin Yu, Li Mengchao, and Zhou Zhiqiang. They would continue competing for the higher rankings.
The second group comprised those ranked fifth through eighth: Xu Guangwei, Yang Jing, Lin Yue, and He Han.
However, Lin Yue had already been carried away from the parade ground, unconscious and severely injured.
According to the rules, anyone too badly injured to continue automatically placed last. Thus, Lin Yue became eighth.
The hour of rest passed in a flash, and the clamor gradually returned to the parade ground.
The sun was nearing its zenith, baking the flagstones until they were hot. The faint smells of sweat and dust hung in the air.
The Silver Armored Officer stepped onto the main arena again, his armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight. He cleared his throat, his voice carrying across the parade ground. "Second group, prepare to begin!"
Only Xu Guangwei, Yang Jing, and He Han remained in the second group.
With one participant missing, customary procedure required one of the three to receive a bye. The other two would fight first, with the loser taking seventh place outright. The winner would then face the recipient of the bye for fifth and sixth