The winter wind howled and wailed, causing the thousands of long banners on the drill ground to flutter and rustle, like dragons trying to break free of their restraints and soar into the sky.
The arrival of Emperor Yassin did not mean that the rituals for worshipping the gods would begin immediately.
Because His Holy Church the Pope of the Zenit Diocese has not yet arrived.
From the very beginning, this ceremony to worship the gods exuded a very eerie atmosphere.
According to past traditions, His Holiness the Pope should arrive at the sacrificial ceremony before the Imperial Emperor to show respect for the Empire. Although the Holy Church acts domineeringly on the continent, it still pays great attention to etiquette in this regard. Who would have thought that His Holiness the Pope would unexpectedly break this etiquette today and has not yet arrived.
Waiting is an unbearable silence.
The harsh cold was becoming unbearable for some of the weaker soldiers from the vassal states.
"Start!"
Just when everyone thought they would have to wait any longer, a soft voice suddenly came from the yellow dragon throne on the ninth floor of the platform.
The voice was filled with an awe-inspiring and inviolable nobility, and an aura of self-importance swept over him. However, Sun Fei heard it clearly and could feel that there was a hint of weariness and loneliness in this noble aura, and even a sense of old age and vicissitude, which made people feel desolate.
Whoosh!
A crimson fist-like gust of wind shot out from the throne as the words fell.
The white bull, lying smugly on a pristine white blanket, was cleaved in two without even a cry of pain. Not a drop of blood spilled out, and its heart, split in two, was still slowly beating, emitting wisps of white steam... before quickly freezing into a block of ice!
"The rest... will be handled by the two of you." The noble voice from the golden dragon throne resounded once more.
"Yes, Father!" The two princes on the eighth floor of the platform knelt down and resumed their positions.
The next instant, the enormous golden throne suddenly rose into the air.
The dragon beasts circling in the sky seemed to be of one mind. With a swoop, they swept across the training ground with terrifying pressure, carrying the golden throne on their backs. Then, they flapped their wings and took off, lifting the four Six-Star Class royal archmages on the platform into the air as well. Just like when they came, they surrounded the dragon beasts on all four sides. In an instant, they transformed into several streaks of light, like shooting stars, disappearing in the distance towards the imperial capital and disappearing into the majestic and magnificent imperial palace.
Emperor Yassin... he just left like that?
This was something no one expected.
This is yet another matter that does not conform to the etiquette of the Empire's previous Martial Combat Competition.
A few hushed whispers suddenly rose from the squares of the various vassal states in the training ground, but they quickly disappeared without a trace.
The two princes on the platform had already begun to preside over the upcoming complex and lengthy rituals of worshipping the gods and reviewing the troops.
However, Sun Fei had no interest in watching any longer. He was constantly conjuring up the image of Emperor Yassin of the Empire in his mind—the legendary invincible king, the super martial arts genius who swept across hundreds of surrounding empires without encountering any match. What had become of him now?
Judging from the series of strange events just now, it seems that the founding emperor of the Zenit Empire is indeed nearing the end of his life. He came in a hurry and stayed for less than ten minutes before his physical condition became unbearable, and he left in a hurry.
Sun Fei's strength far surpassed that of the people around him. He even faintly heard a few soft coughs just now, followed by a faint, almost inaudible sound of rapid breathing.
That sound undoubtedly came from a seriously ill patient struggling to stay afloat.
Is the empire truly about to collapse?
More than three hours later, the ceremony to worship the gods ended hastily under the supervision of the two princes, and the first round of the Martial Combat Competition officially began in the afternoon.
Fifty sword-testing platforms were built and constructed within the twenty-mile-long camp area, with ten platforms each assigned to the five major war zones: East, South, West, North, and Central. The first round of the ranking competition will be fiercely contested on these fifty platforms.
Chambord City quickly drew his first opponent – Good Kingdom, number 42.
Good Kingdom, also located in the northern border of the Zenit Empire, was a third-class vassal state, not bordering Chambord City, and the two countries had previously had little contact. This state was considered top-tier among third-class vassal states; Prince Drenthe, one of the Seven Wolves, known as the Black Wolf, was quite powerful, commanding three hundred armored warriors who were formidable in combat.
Many people initially thought that the Good Kingdom could become a second-class vassal state in this Martial Combat Competition, but unexpectedly, it encountered Chambord City so early, and its prospects for the competition were suddenly viewed negatively by countless people.
Sword Testing Platform No. 44.
Below the testing platform, countless people crowded the entire platform, making it impossible to move. Competition venues like Chambord City, a popular venue for major tournaments, are always packed with people. Apart from the preparation and rest areas for the two participating countries next to the testing platform and the VIP observation area on the other side, there was not even room for a pin to be inserted. Everyone was eagerly anticipating and discussing the upcoming six-match tournament between Chambord City and the Good Kingdom.
"Hehe, facing the King of Chambord, I think this Good Kingdom can just admit defeat. As long as he preserves his strength, even if he enters the loser's bracket, he still has a chance to advance through the next revival match. If he fights to the death with the Chambord people, not only will he be sure to lose, but he will also lose his own strength."
"Yes, given the current situation, admitting defeat is indeed a very wise choice. Facing a formidable enemy like Chambord City, even if we admit defeat, no one will laugh at the Good."
"Huh? Someone's come up on stage... Look, Good Kingdom has sent out a top fighter..."
"Faced with the Chambord people, they actually chose to fight? Did the people they hired have some kind of guaranteed victory?"
Below the testing platform were a diverse group of people from all walks of life: citizens of the capital hoping to witness the prowess of masters, warriors seeking inspiration from observing duels, mercenaries from various groups, scouts from different nations assessing their opponents' strengths, vendors taking advantage of the crowd to sell small goods, gamblers who had already placed bets in the capital's major gambling dens, and wandering poets carrying pens and ink to record the battles and find inspiration for their poems...
Many people speculated that Good might give up when faced with a strong opponent, but when they saw the first Good master leap from the rest area onto the testing platform, they were all surprised and started discussing it.
The first warrior to step onto the testing platform was a tall, Good man with a thick beard, clad in black chainmail, wearing a skullcap, and wielding a pair of massive clubs covered in barbed iron nails.
He leaped onto the sword-testing platform, his giant Wolf Fang whistling through the air as he slammed it down, sending Mars flying and creating a deafening roar that ignited the passion of everyone around him. The crowd cheered as the burly man with the thick beard patted his chest, his eyes gleaming with malice, constantly showing off his strength to the audience and provoking the Chambord rest area.
"Ha, this is a provocation. Who will go and deal with that brat for me?" Sun Fei sat on the highest stone seat in the rest area, his gaze sweeping over the Chambord warriors below.
"Your Majesty, let me go!" The fat man Oleg grinned slyly as he stood up and volunteered.
"I'll go, Your Majesty! Let me lead the first battle!" [ The Heng and Ha Generals ] and several other top experts stood up, requesting to fight.
Sun Fei's gaze finally settled on Petr Čech.
This military leader of the Chambord Expeditionary Army was undoubtedly capable, and he was also extremely loyal and hardworking, managing the Chambord Expeditionary Army in an orderly manner, which allowed His Majesty the King to comfortably be a hands-off leader.
However, Čech had not had many opportunities to fight along the way. In the Azeroth Continent, as a military commander, it would be difficult to gain the complete trust of his soldiers if he could not demonstrate his martial prowess.
Sun Fei decided to give the opportunity for the first battle in Chambord to this unassuming commander.
"Remember, be clean and efficient, but don't kill anyone," Sun Fei added, not wanting to make too many enemies in such a competition.
" Glory is my life!" Čech understood Sun Fei's intention, knelt down to thank the King for his grace, then stood up, turned around abruptly, and in a flash, he appeared on the forty-fourth sword-testing platform.
An incredibly fast and agile movement.
The cheers and clamor around them immediately ceased. Just from the way he stepped onto the testing platform, many people could tell that the warrior sent by Chambord City was a true master.
Even the smug Good warrior, who had been proudly brandishing a pair of Wolf Fang clubs and showing off his strength, stopped and looked Čech up and down with a fierce glint in his eyes and a serious expression.
"War! War! War! War! War! War! War! War! War! War! War!!!!"
The cheers of the audience were like rolling thunder. Everyone raised their hands and roared wildly, waiting for the most exciting battle to begin. The duel between masters was finally about to start. A faint layer of light blue flame flickered on the sword-testing platform. The magic circle protecting the platform was activated, which meant that the first duel had officially begun.
"Hahaha, take this! Chambord Skinny!"
A thin layer of pale yellow light emanated from the Good warrior, a symbol of Earth-Element Dou Qi. Earth-type warriors generally possess strong and terrifying bodies and strength. This burly bearded man, clad in chainmail, charged forward like a savage beast trampling the earth, carrying a terrifying momentum as he rushed towards Čech, who stood silently opposite him.
Waaaaah!
Two thick, heavy Wolf Fang clubs, each weighing over six or seven hundred pounds, whistled through the air as he swung them around, transforming them into a ball of black light that slammed down on Čech's head, one above and one below, one in front and one behind.
Second update.
Many readers have mentioned the update issue. Xiaodao 've been writing like crazy every day to prepare for the Chinese New Year, and I can guarantee updates during the holiday; there will absolutely be no break in updates.
After returning from the Lunar New Year holiday, I will start updating my blog three times a day.
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