Preliminaries, Advance!

Imperial Capital University had roughly ten thousand students, and more than five thousand had signed up for this Martial Arts Tournament.

The tournament was divided into four competition areas—Groups A, B, C, and D. Advancement was decided by drawing lots, and the tournament lasted three days. That was why Li Yao had given Yang Mingyou three days.

On the first day, competitors would fight three matches drawn by lot, followed by challenge matches to determine the top thousand. Everyone in the top thousand would receive a reward of one hundred Spirit Stones.

The second day would determine the top hundred and the top ten.

The top hundred would still be decided through matches drawn by lot and challenge matches. For the top ten, the university would provide ten arenas.

Anyone strong enough could hold an arena alone against everyone else.

"Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D..."

Li Yao glanced at the list and found himself in Group A, numbered A-0378.

"Three matches on the first day, and I'm in the top thousand?"

He muttered to himself.

Group A's competition area was at the Martial Arts Arena behind the teaching building. Ten platforms stood in a row, with a referee beside each one.

When Li Yao arrived, a referee was calling out, "Group A competitors, draw your lots! Draw your lots!"

He walked over, reached into the box, and pulled out a slip of paper.

It read: "A-0378 VS A-1245."

"Who's my first-round opponent?" Li Yao looked around and spotted a sturdy-looking student reading his slip.

The student noticed him too and came over. "Brother, you're in Group A as well?"

Li Yao nodded. "Yeah. My first-round opponent is A-1245."

The student froze. "That's me. I'm Zhang Wei."

Li Yao gave him a once-over. Zhang Wei was powerfully built; one look told him the man had trained.

"I'm Li Yao," he said casually.

Zhang Wei's expression changed. "Li Yao? You mean... that Li Yao?"

"What's with 'that Li Yao'? I'm Li Yao." Li Yao smiled. "What, you know me?"

"Of course I do," Zhang Wei said quickly. "Who at Imperial Capital University doesn't? The Martial Saint's grandson, the Martial Emperor's son—you're a legend at our school."

"And you're also..." Zhang Wei stopped himself just in time.

Li Yao shrugged. "It's fine. You mean my reputation as the most notorious lovesick lapdog at Imperial Capital University. You can say it. I don't bite."

Zhang Wei made no comment.

"First round, A-0378 versus A-1245! Platform three!"

Li Yao and Zhang Wei stepped onto the platform together.

A crowd had gathered below. When they saw Li Yao take the stage, they began to chatter.

"Holy crap, Li Yao actually entered? Isn't he asking to get himself killed?"

"He's only a Third-Rank Martial Master, and he dared to compete?"

"Who's that across from him? Anyone know?"

"Here, here. That's Zhang Wei, a Fourth-Rank Martial Master. Li Yao's probably in trouble."

Li Yao listened and smiled.

The referee stood in the middle of the platform and raised a hand. "Ready!"

Li Yao cupped his fists toward Zhang Wei. "After you, brother."

Zhang Wei returned the gesture, then settled into a fighting stance.

The referee swung his hand down. "Begin!"

Zhang Wei attacked first, throwing a punch straight at Li Yao's face.

Li Yao slipped sideways, dodged the punch, and caught Zhang Wei by the wrist.

"What?" Zhang Wei froze. He tried to pull free, but Li Yao's grip was like a pair of iron pincers. His arm would not budge.

Li Yao smiled. "Brother, you're too slow."

With that, he gave a hard swing and hurled Zhang Wei off the platform.

Zhang Wei flipped in midair and landed steadily on his feet, though his expression darkened.

"I lost." He cupped his fists. "Brother Li Yao, thank you for holding back."

"You're not bad yourself." Li Yao waved a hand. "We'll spar again if we get the chance."

The referee announced, "First round: A-0378, Li Yao wins!"

An uproar swept through the crowd.

"Holy shit, Li Yao beat Zhang Wei in one move? Zhang Wei's a Fourth-Rank Martial Master!"

"Was Zhang Wei's rank inflated or something?"

Li Yao hopped off the platform and dusted off his hands.

The system's notification sounded: "Ding! Congratulations, Host, on winning your first match in the Preliminaries. Someone has come to regard you with awe. Background Value +200."

"Only 200?" Li Yao was speechless. "That's way too little."

"Host, the rewards for winning later matches will gradually increase."

"I seriously suspect you're skimming my Background Value, System."

Li Yao walked to the rest area and sat down in an empty chair.

The students nearby hurriedly moved away when they saw him, afraid of provoking him.

Li Yao did not mind.

He watched the matches on the platforms.

The draw for the second round began soon after. His opponent was someone named Ye Xuan.

"Ye Xuan? A Fifth-Rank Martial Master?" Li Yao looked at the slip and considered it. This one might be interesting.

He stepped onto the platform and found that Ye Xuan was tall and thin, with a bright, alert face.

"After you." Ye Xuan cupped his fists.

"After you." Li Yao returned the gesture.

The referee swung his hand down. "Begin!"

Ye Xuan did not attack at once. Instead, he circled Li Yao.

Li Yao was in no hurry either. He stood where he was, hands in his pockets, watching Ye Xuan with a grin.

"You're not going to attack?" Ye Xuan asked.

"Why don't you?" Li Yao replied.

Ye Xuan gritted his teeth, rushed forward, and drove a fist straight toward Li Yao's chest.

Li Yao slipped aside and kicked him in the shin. Ye Xuan staggered and nearly fell.

"You..." Startled, he hurried to steady himself.

Li Yao smiled. "A Fifth-Rank Martial Master, and that's all you've got?"

Ye Xuan flushed and threw another punch.

Li Yao did not dodge. He caught the fist and twisted hard.

"Ah!" Ye Xuan screamed as Li Yao wrenched him over at the waist.

"Concede. You can't beat me," Li Yao said.

Ye Xuan gritted his teeth but still refused to yield.

Li Yao shook his head and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying.

Ye Xuan slammed into the ground below the platform and could not get up for a long while.

The referee announced, "Second round: A-0378, Li Yao wins!"

Cries of surprise rose from the crowd.

"He won again? And just as easily?"

"Damn, with that kind of strength, Li Yao must be at least a Sixth-Rank Martial Master!"

"A Sixth-Rank Martial Master? Wasn't he Third Rank? How did he suddenly reach Sixth Rank?"

"Come on. He's the Martial Saint's grandson and the Martial Emperor's son. He has more resources than he could ever need."

Li Yao hopped off the platform and brushed the dust from his clothes.

The system's notification sounded: "Ding! Congratulations, Host, on winning your second match in the Preliminaries. Background Value +500. Current Background Value: 700."

"Not bad. More than the first round." Li Yao nodded in satisfaction.

In the third-round draw, he pulled an opponent named Zhao Qiang.

Zhao Qiang was a hulking man, clearly the type who relied on raw strength.

He stepped onto the platform, saw Li Yao, and chuckled. "Li Yao, I watched your first two matches. You're pretty strong, but unfortunately, this is as far as you go."

"Enough bullshit. Come at me."

Zhao Qiang roared and swung a fist at Li Yao, wind whistling around it.

Li Yao did not dodge. He met it with a punch of his own.

Bang!

Their fists collided with a dull thud.

Zhao Qiang's expression changed. He stumbled several steps backward and nearly fell.

"You..." He stared at Li Yao in shock. "How are you so strong?"

"I do all right." Li Yao smiled. "Again?"

Zhao Qiang gritted his teeth and threw another punch.

Li Yao still did not dodge. He met it with another punch.

Bang!

This time, Zhao Qiang flew straight off the platform and crashed heavily to the ground below.

The referee announced, "Third round: A-0378, Li Yao wins!"

The crowd erupted.

"Three straight wins! Li Yao's won three in a row!"

"Damn, he's guaranteed a place in the top thousand!"

"Top thousand? At this rate, he might even make the top ten!"

Li Yao hopped off the platform and dusted off his hands.

The system's notification sounded: "Ding! Congratulations, Host, on winning your third match in the Preliminaries. Background Value +1,000. Current Background Value: 1,700."

"Three straight wins, and I'm straight into the top thousand." Li Yao grinned. "This Martial Arts Tournament isn't that hard after all."

He was about to leave the competition area when someone called out to him.

"Li Yao!"

Li Yao turned. It was the referee.

"What is it, sir?"

"Three straight wins means you've advanced directly into the top thousand," the referee said. "Come back tomorrow at two in the afternoon for the next round. We'll determine the top hundred and top ten."

"Got it. Thank you, sir." Li Yao turned and left.

When he came out of the competition area, he found it was barely afternoon.

He stretched. "Tomorrow's the main event. The top hundred, then the top ten."

"Young master."

Li Wenbin's voice came from behind him.

Li Yao turned and saw Li Wenbin standing at the university gate with a document in his hand.

"Uncle Bin, what brings you here?"

"Didn't you ask me to keep an eye on the Yang Family? I just received word that they've nearly gathered enough Spirit Stones," Li Wenbin said.

"But..." Li Wenbin's expression turned a little strange.

"But what?" Li Yao asked curiously.

"I found out the Yang Family has received support from the Lin Family."

"The Northern Border Lin Family?"

"That's right." Li Wenbin nodded.

"How did Yang Mingyou get mixed up with the Northern Border Lin Family?"

Li Yao murmured to himself.

The Northern Border Lin Family was a top Lineage, counted among the Three Great Families alongside the Shangguan Family of the Western Territory and the Sun Family of the Southern Territory.

Each of those families had a Martial Emperor in its ranks.

The Li Family, however, stood in a class of its own, for one reason alone—a Martial Saint!