"After intense negotiations and maneuvering, the Two Great Empires and the Academy Alliance finally reached a consensus."
"To balance everyone's interests, the finals will be expanded to a total of forty teams. The competition format and schedule will be announced soon."
Having finished, Zhou Tianshu looked at Chen Xiaojun with a burning gaze.
Chen Xiaojun was a little surprised. "Forty teams? That's quite an expansion."
Zhou Tianshu nodded lightly, a faint smile on his face. "That's right. The Eastern Sea region still has four slots, while the Three Rivers Basin now has two slots of its own."
Chen Xiaojun turned toward Zhou Tianshu, his clear gaze carrying a measure of sincerity. "Congratulations, Uncle Zhou. Perhaps we'll meet your city's team in the arena and have a chance to spar and exchange ideas."
Yet Zhou Tianshu shook his head gently. "Tianshi City has never participated in competitions like this. We aren't good at fighting."
"Besides, if we competed, we would lose our neutrality as a media outlet."
At that, a subtle smile curved Chen Xiaojun's lips, while he silently grumbled to himself. You aren't good at fighting? Among the neutral organizations of the soul master world, Tianshi City is universally acknowledged as the hardest to deal with.
Still, the argument about losing their neutrality was at least somewhat plausible.
He nodded lightly and continued, "That's a shame. Since Tianshi City won't be competing, that leaves only the other three major cities in the Three Rivers Basin."
Zhou Tianshu sighed softly. "Yes. Taiping City-that's Ghost City's actual name-probably won't compete either."
"One runs an underground black market, and the other is purely an assassin organization. Given their backgrounds, they've never had any interest in competitions like this."
Chen Xiaojun smiled without saying anything.
He considered it silently. *The people from those two