"You all know the rules of this contest, right?"
"There are three factions in all. We'll face off freely, whether with armies, battle formations, or individual experts."
"Each faction starts with ten points. Lose a match, lose a point."
"The first faction to run out of points is eliminated entirely. When the Southern Region is divided later, it will have no right to voice an opinion and can only accept what the others decide."
"The faction with the most points at the end will take the lead in dividing the Southern Region. Of course, even then, it can claim no more than three-fifths of the territory. The remaining two-fifths will be left for the other two factions to divide."
"Understood?"
Inside the command tent, Nie Zhao finished announcing the rules.
The marshals of the other two imperial dynasties nodded.
They agreed.
There really was nothing wrong with the rules.
"Good. The fighting begins tomorrow. Go back and prepare."
At a wave of Nie Zhao's hand, the other two marshals departed.
"Marshal, we're certain to win this time."
"When it comes to strength, our Heavenward Imperial Dynasty is no weaker than any other."
"Exactly. Victory is ours this time. I can already see it."
"Hahaha! Now that you mention it, I can see it too. In a straight fight, we've never feared anyone."
Once the marshals of the other two imperial dynasties had gone, the officers and soldiers in the command tent burst into confident laughter.
Their Heavenward Imperial Dynasty was the strongest of the three.
When it came to strength, they feared no one.
"Enough. Show some restraint. The other two imperial dynasties have deep foundations. Don't underestimate them."
"Wipe those looks off your faces. What kind of behavior is this?"
Nie Zhao, seated at the head of the tent,