The instant the rankings froze in the Main Control Hall, the golden patterns along the edge of the screen suddenly began flickering faster.
Yi Chen raised a hand and lightly swiped across the screen. The original information interface vanished, replaced by a brand-new system prompt:
[S1-DEMO-001 Settlement in Progress...] [Match Type Detected: Exhibition Match · First Official Eight-Player Match] [Reward Multiplier: Exhibition Match Bonus · Enabled] [Settlement Subjects: Top Four Players]
Ning Rongrong was still thrilled about coming in first. When she saw the prompt, she froze for a moment. "...There are rewards too?"
"Then what did you think the season system was for?" Yi Chen said without looking back, his fingers swiftly entering several commands on the screen.
"One of S1's core mechanics is rank rewards. Even though this was only a placement match and your ranks haven't been officially locked in yet, the first exhibition match comes with an extra bonus. The system will issue one-time first-match rewards based on your current rankings."
He paused and glanced at the four girls. "And they'll be announced to the entire continent."
Ning Rongrong's smile froze on her face. "...Announced to the entire continent?!"
"Mm." Yi Chen's tone was as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.
"The first official match after the S1 Season begins will have its top-four rewards broadcast through the Sky Screen System to the terminal screens in every Golden Spatula Pavilion. Players at every branch in Spirit City, Heaven Dou City, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Star Luo City will see them."
Xiao Wu swallowed. "Then won't the whole continent know how we did in that match?"
"They'll know the rankings and rewards, but not your exact lineup or the details of your plays," Yi Chen corrected her. "The system only announces the results, not the process."
As soon as he finished speaking, the golden patterns on the screen blazed with light. A beam shot up from the center of the Main Control Hall, pierced through the roof, and soared into the clouds.
At the same time, the terminal screens in every Golden Spatula Pavilion in Spirit City, Heaven Dou City, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Star Luo City switched over. The match lists on display were replaced by a line of large, gilded characters:
[S1 Season · First Exhibition Match Settlement Announcement]
The contents of the Sky Screen announcement appeared line by line.
First Place: Ning Rongrong
Affiliation: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect/Shrek Academy
Rewards: Increase the age of all Soul Rings by ten thousand years, one ten-thousand-year spirit-type Head Soul Bone, and a three-level increase in Soul Power
The moment this information appeared, a deafening cheer erupted inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's branch pavilion.
Ning Fengzhi had been having tea on the pavilion's second floor. Hearing the commotion from below, he set down his teacup and walked over to the railing for a look. The players in the hall were gathered around the terminal screens. Some were shouting the young lady's name, others were clapping wildly, and a few had already started discussing the value of that ten-thousand-year Soul Bone.
Ning Fengzhi paused with his teacup in hand, then slowly set it down. A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
At the Heaven Dou City branch pavilion, Dugu Bo stood in the middle of the hall with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the announcement on the screen.
When he saw Dugu Yan in fourth place, he pursed his lips. But when he saw the rewards, he gave a reluctant nod. "A three-thousand-year increase to her Soul Rings for fourth place. Not bad. At least she didn't embarrass herself."
Inside the Main Control Hall behind Shrek Academy, Ning Rongrong stared at the line of rewards bearing her name. Her mouth opened several times, but she couldn't manage a complete sentence.
A ten-thousand-year Soul Bone, a ten-thousand-year increase to all her Soul Rings, and three full levels of Soul Power—together, these rewards were enough to send any Spirit Master soaring. And she was only at level thirty-seven.
"...Master." Her voice trembled a little. "Are these rewards really being given right now?"
"Right now." Yi Chen raised a hand. A gentle golden orb drifted out from the screen and slowly descended in front of Ning Rongrong.
A translucent skull could just be seen within the orb, radiating an immense wave of spiritual power. "The increase to your Soul Ring ages will automatically apply to all your existing Soul Rings. You don't need to do anything. The increase to your Soul Power will gradually be released after this energy merges with your body. It should take about three days to absorb fully. As for the Soul Bone, you can fuse with it whenever you find the time."
Ning Rongrong reached out and took the glowing orb. The moment her fingertips touched it, warm, boundless energy flowed into her body along her arm, coursing through every limb and bone.
She could clearly feel the ages of the Soul Rings within her being stretched, strengthened, and raised by an invisible force. The sensation was even clearer and more solid than when she had taken the Aromatic Silk Beauty.
The Sky Screen announcement continued to scroll.
Second Place: Ye Lingling
Affiliation: Heaven Dou Empire/Ye Family
Rewards: Increase the age of all Soul Rings by five thousand years; break the Nine Heart Begonia curse of single succession (members of the same generation may coexist, and succession no longer requires the previous generation's death); Martial Soul Evolution into Sacred Heart Begonia (retains its pure healing origin and gains the "Begonia Flower Seed," which can attach to allies and provide a minor boost to elemental resistance without compromising its pure healing core)
The instant these words appeared, Ye Lingling's fingers clenched hard around the hem of her clothes, her knuckles turning white.
The single-succession curse of the Nine Heart Begonia was a taboo she had heard about since childhood.
Only one Nine Heart Begonia Spirit Master in each generation of the Ye Family could survive. If two were born in the same generation, one of them was doomed to die.
The rules of succession were also cruel to the extreme. The next generation's Nine Heart Begonia could only be born after the previous generation's Spirit Master died.
As her grandmother lay dying, she had clutched Ye Lingling's hand and coughed up blood as she said, "The begonias of the Ye Family bloom alone in every generation." Ye Lingling had remembered those words for over a decade. Before this, she hadn't even dared to imagine that the deadly curse that had haunted the Ye Family for centuries could ever be broken.
"...Members of the same generation can coexist?" she murmured, repeating the words. The faintest shimmer of moisture appeared in her silver-gray eyes, but she quickly forced it back. Only her lowered lashes trembled uncontrollably.
A verdant orb drifted out from the screen and hovered before her.
The edges of the Nine Heart Begonia petals within the orb had once been marked by a faint black curse. Now, the mark was fading before their very eyes, and the petal edges had taken on the faintest golden sheen. Warm, sacred light flowed through the flower's heart, while the faintest shadow of a tiny seed drifted within the glow.
Ye Lingling raised both hands and gently cupped the orb. The instant its energy entered her palms, she felt the shackles pressing down on her Martial Soul Origin shatter. The Ye Family would no longer have to lose someone to the curse. She could coexist with any Nine Heart Begonia born in her generation, and she no longer had to die before the next generation could inherit the Martial Soul. This mattered far more than a five-thousand-year increase to her Soul Rings.
She closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, a trace of red still lingered at the corners, but her expression had returned to its usual coolness. Only her fingertips continued to tremble slightly.
The Sky Screen continued to scroll.
Third Place: Xiao Wu
Affiliation: Shrek Academy
Rewards: Increase the age of all Soul Rings by five thousand years and a two-level increase in Soul Power
A pink orb descended in front of her. The instant it merged with her body, she narrowed her eyes in contentment, like a cat basking in the sun.
Fourth Place: Dugu Yan
Affiliation: Heaven Dou Empire/Dugu Family
Rewards: Increase the age of all Soul Rings by three thousand years and a one-level increase in Soul Power
Dugu Yan accepted the dark green glow with a fairly composed expression, but the slight upward curve of her lips gave away how she felt.
A three-thousand-year increase to her Soul Rings and one level of Soul Power would help her consolidate her cultivation, having only recently broken through to Soul Ancestor, and lay a sturdier foundation for her future training.
After the fourth announcement finished displaying, the Sky Screen slowly folded away, finally turning into a brief closing message:
[S1 Season · First Exhibition Match Settlement Complete] [The Rank System will unlock after ten official matches have been played this season] [May fortune favor all players in battle]
The terminal screens in the various pavilions returned to their normal match-list interfaces, but the excitement in the halls didn't die down.
The players who had witnessed the Sky Screen announcement were already discussing the rewards wildly.
"All your Soul Rings increase by ten thousand years? Isn't that something only gods can do?"
"A ten-thousand-year Soul Bone! That's a ten-thousand-year Soul Bone! There are barely a few of those on the whole continent!"
"The second-place player broke the Nine Heart Begonia curse? The Ye Family's going to soar!"
"If I'd known the first exhibition match had such insane rewards, I would've registered sooner..."
Inside the Main Control Hall, Yi Chen withdrew his hand from the screen and turned to face the four girls.
Each of them was absorbed in the rewards they had just received, their expressions all different. Rongrong was still grinning foolishly, Xiao Wu was moving her limbs around as she sensed the changes in her Soul Power, and Ye Lingling had her eyes closed as she felt her Martial Soul transform, her fingertips still holding the creases from where she had gripped her clothes. Dugu Yan was looking down as she inspected the state of her Soul Rings.
"The rewards have all been distributed, but there's something I need to remind you of." Yi Chen spoke, his tone a little more serious than before.
"The first exhibition match's rewards came with an extra bonus from the system, meant to show the first players the S1 Season's sincerity. But starting with the next match, rewards will be issued strictly according to the rank system. The higher the rank, the better the rewards; the lower the rank, the more basic the rewards."
He paused and looked over the four of them. "Your rankings and rewards from this match have already been announced across the continent. From now on, the four of you are the most visible faces of Teamfight Tactics on the whole continent. Some people will want to challenge you, some will try to copy your lineups, and others will study your strategies."
"The sign has been put up. Whether you can keep it standing depends on you."
Ning Rongrong clenched her fist, her eyes shining brightly. "Don't worry, Master. I won't let the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect down."
Xiao Wu nodded in agreement. "Next time, I'll definitely take first place!"
Ye Lingling opened her eyes. A resolve she had never possessed before now filled her silver-gray gaze—not just for herself, but for the centuries-old curse of the Ye Family, finally laid to rest. She said nothing, only giving a gentle nod.
Dugu Yan withdrew her Soul Rings, stood up, and rolled her wrists. "When does the next match start?"
Yi Chen glanced at her, the corner of his mouth shifting almost imperceptibly. "Tomorrow. Focus on absorbing your rewards today. The second match starts at eight tomorrow morning, sharp."
The four girls answered in unison: "Yes, Master/Senior!"
The information for this match had been filed away on the screen, which now waited quietly for the next match to begin.
And in Golden Spatula Pavilions across the continent, players who had just watched the Sky Screen announcement were rushing toward the terminals, eager to start their own first ranked match.