"I am Liu Ming, an elder of the Thousand Bamboo Sect's Law Enforcement Hall. The residential slots on the spirit vein being offered this time originally belonged to our Thousand Bamboo Sect, so I will personally judge this contest.
"The rules are simple. Every lineage will send someone up to draw a number, and adjacent numbers will face each other, starting with numbers one and two. This will continue until only two contestants remain. Once a lineage's representative loses, there will be no second chance.
"If any lineage objects to these rules, speak now. Otherwise, I will take your silence as agreement," the scholarly-looking man announced expressionlessly after withdrawing his aura.
The lineage heads and their clansmen on the stone platforms were all as silent as crows and sparrows struck dumb.
"Very good. Let the drawing begin." Liu Ming nodded in satisfaction, then shook his sleeve. A pale yellow bamboo tube packed with bamboo slips flew out and made its way from one stone platform to the next.
At each platform, someone flew up and drew a bamboo slip at random. When they returned to their clansmen, a flurry of whispers followed.
In the blink of an eye, the bamboo tube reached Wang Yu's platform. After exchanging a distant glance, Yin Linglong and the head of the Yu Household each drew a bamboo slip and flew back down.
"Husband, take a look?"
Yin Linglong handed him the bamboo slip.
Wang Yu glanced at it and saw the number thirty-six clearly written in pale silver.
"How many lineages are taking part in this contest?" Wang Yu asked, sweeping his gaze over the people on the other stone platforms.
"I checked just now. Sixty-four in total. Almost every lineage is participating," Yin Linglong said gravely.
"So it will take five rounds to