The road to the top hundred

The three-day rest period after the selection of the top 200 members of the Fire Tribe headquarters was not entirely peaceful. The rules of the martial arts tournament gave those warriors who were eliminated due to encountering strong opponents earlier, but whose strength was indeed outstanding, a valuable opportunity—the right to challenge.

With Jianshi personally overseeing the process, along with a team of experienced referees, each challenge application was carefully evaluated. Warriors were required to state their reasons and sometimes give a brief demonstration of their abilities. Only those applicants who genuinely demonstrated impressive strength and whose defeats were largely due to bad luck (such as encountering top-tier fighters like Dabang or Dali in the first round) were granted the coveted challenge qualification to challenge one of the two hundred already qualified fighters from the main force.

In the end, fewer than twenty people qualified to challenge. The challenge took place publicly on a special arena, attracting a large crowd of tribespeople. The process was intense and brief, as challengers had to seize this unique opportunity, while those who were challenged were unwilling to lose their hard-won seats. Ultimately, only a handful of people succeeded in their challenges, taking the places of the original qualifiers, truly enacting a "loser's resurrection" drama.

The Small Gathering Valley Outpost and the Deer Tribe Mining Area also completed their respective challenge stages under the supervision of the resident referee team, following the same rules, ensuring that those who ultimately came to headquarters were the strongest from both places.

On the afternoon of the third day, two groups, weary from their journey but full of energy, arrived at the Fire Tribe Valley one after the other. Thirty-six warriors selected from the Small Gathering Valley Outpost boarded a large boat and traveled along the waterway to the Fire Creek Wharf, led by Jianya.

Almost simultaneously, fifty warriors selected from the Deer Tribe Mining Area galloped in on horseback along the newly constructed road. The sound of their hooves was rhythmic and powerful, kicking up a trail of dust. Leading the pack was Shi Bang, a former Shibang of Yan. He rode with high spirits, unable to contain his excitement as soon as he saw the outline of the valley in the distance. The warriors behind him were exceptionally strong and had sharp eyes, clearly possessing excellent combat skills.

Headquarters had made preparations, arranging clean cabins and ample food for the eighty-six warriors who had traveled from afar. After a brief period of commotion, the valley returned to tranquility, and everyone was gathering their strength for the more crucial match the following day.

On the morning of the fourth day, as the first rays of sunlight dispelled the thin mist in the valley, the training ground was already packed with people. Two hundred and eighty-six warriors who had advanced, along with almost the entire Fire Tribe, had gathered there early in the morning. The air seemed to tremble slightly with anticipation.

"Woo--woo--woo--"

Three long, deep blasts of the Niujiao resounded through the sky, silencing all the noise. Two hundred and eighty-six soldiers quickly lined up in front of the platform, their movements perfectly synchronized and completely silent. The registrar moved among them, quickly counting the soldiers, and then nodded to the Jianshi stone on the platform.

Jian Jianshi's gaze slowly swept over the 286 resolute faces below the stage, representing the Fire Tribe's most elite armed force.

"Warriors!" Jianshi's voice, clear and powerful like striking rocks, resounded throughout the arena. "First of all, congratulations! To have fought your way here from among thousands of warriors, each and every one of you has proven yourself to be a true warrior of the Fire Tribe!"

Below the stage, 286 pairs of eyes shone like stars.

"The battles to come will determine who qualifies for the final top 100!" Jianshi's words ignited a fire in everyone's hearts. "The top 100 is not only an honor, but also a responsibility! Give it your all and fight for your rightful place! But remember, standing opposite you are your brothers whom you can entrust your backs to! Go all out, but also show mercy! Now—the draw begins!"

There were no extra shouts, but a more solid and fervent fighting spirit rose from these 286 people.

The drawing of lots was orderly. Inside a huge wooden box were 286 small wooden plaques, each engraved with one hundred and forty-three numbers. Each number corresponded to two plaques. Yan reached in, his fingertips touching a slightly cool plaque. He took it out; it simply read "Sixty-four." He calmly went to the registration desk and engraved the number next to his name, "Yan," on the roster. Whispers of relief, seriousness, and fighting spirit rippled around him as soldiers drew their lots.

After everyone had registered, Jianshi gave the order, "The competition begins!"

Under the referee's guidance, the warriors quickly split up and headed to the forty pre-assigned arenas, each requiring about seven to eight matches. Yan quickly found his arena and was scheduled to fight in the third match. He walked to the rest area next to the arena to wait, his gaze calmly fixed on the arena.

The two fighters for the first duel have already taken to the stage. One is Tunyong, the famous warrior leader of the former White Pig Tribe. He is burly and stands there like a solid wall, with a confident and even somewhat arrogant smile on his face. His opponent is Lingjiao, a warrior from the former Deer Tribe. He is agile and has a sharp eye, and he is currently staring intently at Tunyong.

Tunyong sized Lingjiao up and down a few times, then suddenly grinned and said in a booming voice, "Lingjiao, I advise you to go down yourself. You're no match for me, so you won't look bad later."

Upon hearing this, Lingjiao frowned, a flash of anger in his eyes. "Tunyong, stop talking big! We'll find out who's better after we've fought!" He was young and impetuous, and provoked by the other party, his anger flared up. Without waiting any longer, he shouted and pushed off with his feet. The wooden spear in his hand shot out like a venomous snake, carrying a burst of anger as it thrust straight at Tunyong's chest, attempting to seize the initiative.

A smug smile of triumph flashed across Tunyong's eyes. Though seemingly clumsy, his reactions were incredibly swift. Just as the spear tip was about to strike, he nimbly slid half a step to the side and back, perfectly dodging the furious blow. At the same time, his wooden spear followed like a shadow, using Lingjiao's forward momentum to attack the opening created by Lingjiao's full-force spear thrust!

Lingjiao was startled and quickly parried with his spear.

"Bang!"

The hasty parry was insufficient, and Lingjiao's arm went numb from the shock, and he lost his footing. Tunyong pressed his advantage, pressing forward suddenly. Lingjiao was caught off guard, and within the first ten moves, he lost the initiative and became impatient, being kicked twice by Tunyong. Although the force was not heavy, it still made him slightly unsteady and his blood and qi surge.

"Despicable!" Lingjiao cursed inwardly, but had no choice but to calm himself down, grit his teeth, and defend with all his might. However, Tunyong was not only strong, but also extremely experienced in combat, firmly controlling the rhythm. Lingjiao tried to counterattack, but was always suppressed by the opponent with stronger power or exquisite moves.

After nearly thirty rounds of fighting, Lingjiao, which had been kicked earlier, began to ache slightly, affecting his agility. Tunyong keenly noticed this change and, after a successful feint, suddenly risked closing in and kicked out.

Lingjiao was about to retreat and avoid it when a sharp pain shot through his injured leg. His movements slowed down by a fraction, and he was kicked solidly in the thigh by Tunyong. He lost his balance, staggered off the stage, and fell to the ground.

"Match 1, Tunyong wins!" the referee announced loudly.

Lingjiao sat on the ground, panting heavily. Looking at Tunyong, who stood with a smile on his face and had sheathed his Tunyong had clearly held back his power in his last kick. He got up, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Tunyong, and walked off the stage dejectedly, accepting the outcome.

The second match began immediately, featuring Yandun, one of the earliest core warriors of the Fire Tribe. This warrior had a resolute face and was known for his Chenwen, powerful, and forceful fighting style. His opponent Yuantiao, the former leader of the Green Sheep Tribe, who was famous for his accurate eyesight and agile movements.

The two were clearly acquainted, exchanging nods before engaging in combat. Yandun's fighting style mirrored his personality: methodical and deliberate, each spear Dali, forcing Yuantiao to constantly dodge and weave, searching for opportunities to counterattack. Yuantiao's spear technique was precise, his counterattacks targeting the slightest openings in Yandun's moves, forcing Yandun to retreat and defend. However, Yandun's strength advantage was simply too obvious; his defense was like a moving mountain, difficult for Yuantiao's Thrust to truly shake. And once Yandun seized an opening to launch a fierce attack, the relentless barrage of heavy blows left Yuantiao exhausted from parrying.

After more than twenty rounds, Yuantiao's stamina was greatly depleted from high-speed movement and frequent blocking. One of his dodges was a little slow, and Yandun seized the opportunity, launching a swift sweeping attack. Yuantiao tried his best to block, but was pushed back by the immense force and eventually retreated outside the arena.

"Second match, Yandun wins!" the referee announced. Yandun Yuantiao Yuanchao, who was slightly out of breath. The two smiled at each other and walked off the ring side by side.

"Prepare for the third match! Flame, opponent, Jingjue!"

Yan rose, spear in hand, and stepped into the circle. His opponent was a leader of the Yuanlu Deer Tribe named Jingjue. True to his name, he had sharp eyes and a focused expression, giving off an air of alertness. He was clearly well aware of Yan's reputation—not only was he the chieftain's son and the head coach of the Youth Team, but he had also recently assassinated Tujiu, the leader of the Wolf Tribe, making him a young hero feared by the enemy on the northern battlefield.

"Leader Yan, please enlighten me!" The Jingjue clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, his tone respectful but his eyes firm, showing no fear whatsoever, but rather an eager excitement. To be able to fight such a strong person was an honor and a learning opportunity in itself.

Yan returned the greeting. "Jingjue, there's no need to be so polite, please."

"Start!"

Jingjue, he immediately took action. Instead of rushing forward, he pressed forward with steady steps, his wooden spear pointing firmly forward, his eyes fixed on Yan's every move, displaying excellent tactical skills and patience.

Yan didn't rush to attack. The two moved slowly around the arena, looking for each other's weaknesses. After a few breaths, the Jingjue one launched a probing attack, a quick straight thrust aimed at Yan's shoulder. Yan responded calmly, his movements concise and efficient.

After two moves, Yan had a clear idea of what was going on. This Jingjue leader was indeed living up to his reputation. He had solid basic skills, quick reactions, and excellent tactical awareness. If he hadn't encountered Yan beforehand, he would have had the potential to break into the top 100 based on the strength he had shown.

Since his opponent was not weak, Yan no longer held back. When Jingjue's third thrust came, Yan no longer simply blocked. His wooden spear moved like a snake, striking first and accurately hitting the side of Jingjue's spear tip, deflecting the attack. At the same time, he shifted his feet and instantly closed the distance by half a body length.

Jingjue bells rang in Jingjue's mind, and he hurriedly retreated to defend. However, once Yan's offensive began, it was like Kuangfeng, yet it carried an indescribable rhythm and precision. Sometimes Yan's wooden spear would fall like a heavy hammer, forcing Jingjue to parry with all his might; sometimes it would strike like a fine needle from an unexpected angle, making Jingjue flustered; and sometimes it would feint, inducing Jingjue to make a wrong reaction.

Jingjue exerted all his strength, pushing his skills to the limit, and barely managed to hold on for seven rounds. In the eighth round, Yan's seemingly ordinary straight thrust was blocked by Jingjue with great effort. However, Yan flicked his wrist, and the blocked wooden spear drew a tiny arc, its tip pointing upwards!

"Smack!"

Jingjue felt a sudden jolt in his hand, a sharp pain in his tiger's mouth, and the wooden spear slipped from his grasp and flew upwards! He himself was also thrown off balance by this sudden force and staggered backwards.

Before the wooden spear could even hit the ground, and before he could regain his Jingjue, the tip of Yan's spear shot out like a ghost, stopping firmly an inch in front of his throat, motionless.

Jingjue sweat instantly soaked his back, his heart pounding. He had no doubt that if he were on a real battlefield, he would already be a corpse.

Yan slowly retracted his spear.

"Yan wins the third match!" The referee's voice rang out at the opportune moment.

Jingjue a few deep breaths to suppress his shock, he looked at Yan with genuine admiration. "Leader Yan... truly formidable! I admire you!"

Yan smiled slightly, "The Jingjue leader is very strong."

The core members of the Youth Team outside the arena could no longer contain themselves and erupted in deafening cheers. Yan smiled at them and walked back to the rest area.

The subsequent matches remained intense, with exciting duels unfolding one after another, and warriors leaving the court with regrets. By the time the final matchup was decided, the sun was already nearing its zenith.

The 143 winners, led by the referees, gathered again near the stage. Next came the crucial draw to determine the top 100 spots. A box contained 143 small wooden plaques, each corresponding to one of the 72 numbers. Seventy-one numbers had two plaques each; the two players who drew the same number would face off directly in the next round, the winner securing a spot in the top 100. The only number drawn, "72," had only one plaque; the winner would receive a bye and advance directly to the top 100, but might also face challenges from those eliminated.

The atmosphere was slightly heavy. Yan reached into the wooden box, took out a wooden plaque—"Thirty-Five"—calmly registered it, and then walked to the side.

Soon, all the registrations were completed, and a total of 142 people (two for each of the 71 numbers) qualified for direct competition. They would compete for 71 spots in the top 100 in the afternoon. The lucky one who remained was also revealed—a warrior named "Feishi" from the Small Gathering Valley Outpost. He excitedly held the only wooden token with the number "72," attracting envious glances from those around him. However, some were also eager to try their luck and prepared to challenge him in the challenge rounds later in the afternoon.

Jianshi Shi offered a few words of encouragement and then urged everyone to eat and rest. The vast training ground fell silent for a moment, but the tension and anticipation in the air grew even stronger. In the afternoon, the brutal elimination round that would determine the top 100 would begin.