The other contestants were also silently observing the three of them.
"My first-round opponent is some scrub with three Blood Qi Barriers. Hopefully my luck holds in the second round and I don't run into any of those three."
Wang Xudong's expression had returned to normal by now. Clearly, his master Yuan Huan was becoming increasingly adept at controlling him.
He was still warmly greeting and interacting with the audience.
Seeing this, Hu Jiarui privately felt that he had overthought things earlier.
"This guy is still the same pretentious bastard!"
Everyone in the arena was shouting the names of the three favorites to win.
As the cries died down, the host onstage looked at the teleprompter in his hand and continued:
"The first-round draw was conducted in advance. Next, please welcome—"
At that moment, Wang Yue raised the Thunder King Megaphone in his hand and cranked it to maximum volume. Meng Yiyi leaned in, and the two shouted together:
"Meng Chuan, Meng Chuan, peerless talent of this age! I'll take second—who dares take first!"
The thunderous voice from the megaphone swept across the entire arena. The people from Infinite Martial Arts Academy were stunned at first, then began shouting along with them.
In a corner of the arena, Meng Chuan found it rather funny, but then warmth filled his heart.
He raised an arm and gave a shout in response to his small band of supporters.
Seeing someone causing a scene in the stands, the security guards maintaining order confiscated Wang Yue's megaphone.
Wang Yue and Meng Yiyi then pulled huge LED signs from beneath their chairs and held them high.
The giant overhead screen captured that moment, and Meng Chuan's eyes moistened for the first time.
"Brother Chuan'er, go!"
The little fat boy's heart-rending shout echoed through the arena.