Grouping

But the crucial point was that the ten-on-ten match was worth fifteen points—almost enough to decide everything! A team could lose every earlier bout and still come back by winning the ten-on-ten. Conversely, a team could deliberately concede some smaller bouts to conserve its strength for that final match.

This format made tactics vital. Should a team fight for every early point and build a lead? Or preserve its core fighters and gamble on the ten-on-ten showdown? Different rosters would call for different choices.

Li Xuansheng and Dongyue Qi exchanged a glance. Both saw the gravity in the other's eyes.

"Now, we begin the draw for the preliminary divisions!"

At the side of the raised platform, five enormous transparent soul-tool crystal boxes were wheeled out. Each held eighty jade balls engraved with team numbers. Five supervising elders acted at once, using Soul Power to send the balls spinning rapidly inside the boxes.

"East District, first team—" The supervising elder responsible for the eastern draw, a gray-robed old man from Bright Valley, reached out and caught a flying jade ball. "The Sea Whale Gang of the south!"

Whale Fall's expression darkened. The Sea Whale Gang had landed in East District.

More jade balls flew out.

"Flower-Washing Valley of the east!"

"Fire Dragon Valley of the west!"

"Mountain-Suppressing Sect of the central region!"

Each name stirred the crowd below. The random draw really had thrown teams from different regions together! East District already had the Sea Whale Gang, Flower-Washing Valley, Fire Dragon Valley, and Mountain-Suppressing Sect!

The gray-robed elder kept drawing.

"The Li Family of Heavenly Phoenix City in the east!"

Li Xuansheng's gaze sharpened. The Li Family was in East District.

"The Dongyue Clan of the east!"

Dongyue Qi drew a deep breath. The Dongyue Family was in East District too.