In the knockout stage, one loss means total defeat and elimination.
If the two sides are vastly different in strength, the match often ends quickly.
However, if the two sides are evenly matched, they will fight tooth and nail for the sole qualifying spot, resulting in extremely fierce battles until one side is completely defeated.
With the participation of numerous sects, the number of teams participating in this year's competition far exceeds that of previous years, requiring four days of intense battles in the knockout stage alone.
Although the students of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy were extremely confident in their own strength, they never relaxed in the slightest.
During this time, they have been constantly active in the team's preparation area, gathering intelligence on potential opponents and analyzing their Martial Soul, tactics, and weaknesses.
Through these few days of observation, Kong Xuan has gained a general understanding of the strength of those sects he doesn't know.
Although there were some quite powerful individuals among them, none of them were worthy of his attention.
In Kong Xuan's view, without the involvement of the Holy Spirit Cult and the Body Sect, he was almost certain that the final battle would still be a contest between the two fated rivals Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and Shrek Academy.
The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, which did not participate in the war as a sect in the original work, sent a team this time.
Kong Xuan cared about wasn't their strength, but rather Ning Tian, the Soul King captain.
Although Ning Tian has not yet made a move, Kong Xuan guessed that the immortal Immortal Herb he had given to Sect Master Ning Yuanshan had most likely been consumed by Ning Tian.
Her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul should have evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, which originally only existed in legends!
The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's purpose in participating in this competition may not be to win a high ranking.
They wanted to use this momentous event, which attracted attention across the entire continent, to announce to the world that the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda had reappeared in the world.
The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect has truly lived up to its name and returned to its peak!
Soon, the four days of fierce competition came to an end, and the knockout stage officially concluded.
As the smoke cleared, some left dejectedly, while others were brimming with confidence.
After a day of rest, the more brutal lap race phase will begin.
The teams that successfully break through will be divided into four groups, and their rankings will be determined through round-robin matches within each group.
Only the top two teams from each group can advance to the next round, the quarterfinals.
Apart from a few lucky ones who were matched with weaker opponents, the teams that emerged from the brutal knockout stage were all strong teams with deep foundations.
It is foreseeable that the upcoming round-robin matches will be even more intense and thrilling than the knockout rounds.
The night before the return race, after having dinner in the restaurant on the first floor, Kong Xuan led his team to return to their rooms on the top floor.
The group stage draw has been announced. Even if they have absolute confidence in their own strength, they must not underestimate the necessary tactical arrangements, after all, their opponents in the group are not easy.
In the previous elimination rounds, Shui Ling and Xu Wei easily advanced with just one move each. Now, every move of this defending champion team remains the focus of attention.
As they walked through the hall, they were immediately drawn to the gazes of those around them, both overt and covert.
Curiosity, scrutiny, inquiry, and even a hint of apprehension—these gazes intertwined to form an invisible net, enveloping each team member.
They were all extremely interested in this previous champion team and wanted to uncover more about their secrets.
However, due to the opponent's strength, these onlookers only dared to stand at a distance, exchanging their guesses and discussions in hushed tones, and no one dared to step forward and disturb them.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the group opposite them walked straight towards them without flinching or avoiding them.
When they were only one meter apart, they stopped at the same time, as if they had tacitly agreed beforehand.
Kong Xuan's golden eyes calmly swept over the opposing team, noticing that the eyes of several team members standing at the back were shifting, unconsciously avoiding his gaze, and their body language revealed an undisguised tension.
However, the tall young man standing at the very front was completely different.
His back was as straight as a pine tree, his gaze as sharp as a torch, and he met Kong Xuan's Golden Eyes, which seemed capable of burning the soul, without any hesitation. His eyes were filled with the confidence of a strong person and an undisguised fighting spirit.
Kong Xuan looked at the other person calmly, and he recognized the other person's identity - Yu Tianlong, the captain of the Heavenly Dragon Sect.
Kong Xuan then frowned slightly, looking at Yu Tianlong who was so close, unsure of the other party's purpose.
At this moment, Yu Tianlong spoke up, looking directly into Kong Xuan's eyes and saying in a deep voice, "You are very strong. We are no match for you in team battles, but in a one-on-one fight, I hope to have the opportunity to spar with you."
Kong Xuan has not made any public appearances for a long time, so the outside world's knowledge of him is mostly limited to rumors.
Rumors are often the easiest way to give rise to unrealistic fantasies.
Yu Tianlong certainly has reason to be proud. At such a young age, he was able to break through to the Soul Emperor realm. In a power like the Heavenly Dragon Sect, he must be a prodigy nurtured with all available resources.
He also wanted to test the strength of Kong Xuan, the legendary strongest player in this competition, a thought that Kong Xuan could understand.
Upon hearing this, Kong Ling, who was standing beside Kong Xuan, immediately let out a soft snort.
Her clear gaze pierced straight at Yu Tianlong, and she said without any politeness, "Want to fight my brother? You'll have to get past me first."
Yu Tianlong turned his gaze to Kong Ling, a fleeting, almost imperceptible hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.
Twin Martial Souls, Self Martial Soul Fusion Skill —these key pieces of information about Kong Ling immediately came to mind.
He dared not be negligent in the slightest; Kong Xuan, his twin sister, was by no means an ordinary person.
As his thoughts raced, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly, realizing that this year's Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy was truly a gathering place for geniuses.
At this moment, Kong Xuan's calm voice came through, revealing no emotion.
"Want to fight me? Wait until you're actually standing before me before you say that."
After saying this, Kong Xuan said no more and took a step forward.
In an instant, an overwhelming and unstoppable aura erupted like a tidal wave. Though it lasted only a moment, it was as heavy as a mountain and pressed directly down on Yu Tianlong.
Yu Tianlong felt his breath catch in his throat and his whole body tremble. His body reacted before his mind could react, and he took a step to the side to make way for him.
The terrifying aura emanating from Kong Xuan vanished in a flash, as if it had never existed.
His gaze swept calmly over the other person, and he stepped across the cleared path, leading the group straight into the soul-guided elevator ahead.
The stairwell doors slowly closed, shutting out all the complex gazes from the outside world.
Xu Wei then curled his lip and said with a hint of mockery, " Brother Xuan, it seems you haven't shown your skills in public for too long. Now even the slightest Tom, Dick, and Harry dares to jump out and challenge you."
Upon hearing this, Kong Xuan glanced at him indifferently. "Don't underestimate him. Yu Tianlong's Martial Soul is the top-tier Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. If you were to fight him, your chances of winning would probably be slim."
Upon hearing Xu Wei remained silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, without offering any rebuttal.
The opponent is also a lightning-attribute Soul Master, and their Martial Soul is the top-tier Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. I won't have any advantage in terms of attributes; on the contrary, I might be suppressed by the opponent's natural lightning resistance.
He himself was Agility Attack System Soul Master, specializing in speed and burst damage, while Yu Tianlong was a typical Power Attack System, possessing terrifying strength and defense capable of overwhelming opponents head-on.
Both were Soul Emperor, and if they were to face each other head-on, his chances of winning were indeed slim.
Thinking of this, Xu Wei was not discouraged. Instead, he glanced at everyone and laughed, " Yu Tianlong is the strongest in the Heavenly Dragon Sect, while I am only the weakest among us."
Even if I can't beat him, there are plenty of others who can.