Chapter 1359: Not Worthy

As the representative for the Lion clan in the drawing, Shi Rong saw them and chuckled, "It's a small world, isn't it? Do you regret being so arrogant a few days ago?"

Zu An sighed, "I used to read novels and lament how villains always die from talking too much. I never thought it would be the same in real life. We'll settle this on the field later; there's no need to stand here bickering like women."

Beside them, Yu Yanluo was speechless, feeling offended.

Shi Rong was taken aback. He had expected to see fear or nervousness on Zu An's face and was about to gloat, but Zu An's reaction was entirely unexpected, leaving him feeling utterly unsatisfied.

Fury value from Shi Rong +355,355,355...

He took a deep breath, composed himself, and feigned nonchalance. "Hmph, with your strength, you probably won't even make it out of the group stage. Who gave you the courage to think you can challenge us? Bah!"

After speaking, he spat on the ground and turned to leave.

Given the vast number of demon races, it was impossible for everyone to enter the knockout rounds directly. A preliminary group stage was necessary to filter participants for the next round, which also saved a significant amount of time.

The Lion Prince and the Snake clan's participants were not in the same group; they would only face each other if they advanced to the knockout stage.

Zu An was amused. He said to Yu Yanluo, "Shi Rong is usually so reckless, yet he can still use provocation tactics. It seems even a fool occasionally has a good idea."

Yu Yanluo smiled faintly. "He is a prince, after all, raised with elite training since childhood. He's not as incompetent as you make him out to be."

Zu An's expression also grew serious. "While this draw suits me perfectly, it's too much of a coincidence. Someone clearly manipulated it."

Yu Yanluo analyzed, "Though the Lion clan is powerful, they don't wield that much influence in the royal court. Someone else is clearly behind this manipulation."

"Was it Hei Chi Fei just now?" Zu An immediately recalled the man's sinister smile.

Yu Yanluo shook her head. "Although Hei Chi Gu died by our hands, they have no proof. I've also specifically investigated these past few days: Hei Chi Gu was merely a distant relative in the Hei Chi family. Hei Chi Fei wouldn't go to such great lengths in a crucial competition just for a collateral descendant. The true instigator must be someone else."

"The Golden Crow Crown Prince!" Zu An instantly realized.

"It seems that because of the previous assassination attempt in the palace, he still suspects you haven't returned to the human race. So, even though he knows the Lion clan has a grudge against us, he deliberately arranged this to see if he can force you into revealing yourself," Yu Yanluo analyzed.

"That guy is truly devious," Zu An remarked.

Yu Yanluo smiled faintly. "You put him in such a miserable state, so of course he'd meticulously plot his revenge against you."

"Whose fault is it but his own for doing such despicable things?" Zu An thought, recalling how if he hadn't arrived in time that night, Xue'er's innocence would have been ruined. He only regretted not having enough time to kill him then.

After returning to their seats, Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue learned about the draw, and their expressions became quite interesting.

After all, as Grandmasters, they never imagined a day when people would eagerly line up to fight them.

"I can hardly wait. I've been feeling so stifled lately. This will be a perfect opportunity to vent legitimately." Yun Jianyue had indeed been feeling very frustrated, having suffered significant losses multiple times, unlike anything she'd experienced in her life.

Normally, she would have crushed her opponents to dust, finding satisfaction in it. However, since the opponent was Zu An, she couldn't bring herself to act, leading to growing frustration. Coupled with the Lion clan members repeatedly getting on her nerves, she had been wanting to teach them a good lesson for a long time.

Yan Xuehen's face fell. "Demoness, don't act recklessly. You're not allowed to indiscriminately kill innocent people later."

The events of the previous night still bothered her; so many people were killed on a whim.

"Heh, feigning benevolence. I wasn't originally planning to kill anyone, but since you said that, I'm determined to kill!" A flash of fierce intent crossed Yun Jianyue's eyes.

"Are you being reasonable? We're here to help the Snake clan secure a spot. What if your meddling brings trouble to them?" Yan Xuehen glared at her.

Yu Yanluo said softly, "Actually, while killing is forbidden at these assemblies, fights often get out of hand. There are many instances of accidental disfigurement or death. So, as long as the methods aren't excessively cruel, it won't have too much impact."

"However, with so many experts from the royal court watching this competition, if you're not careful and someone realizes you're human, or if your true identities are exposed, then many experts will attack you all at once. And with your current injuries, I fear..."

Yun Jianyue laughed, "Don't worry, I was just saying that to annoy that Ice Stone Woman. We come from the Sacred Sect and live on the edge, constantly licking blood from blades. We understand strategic thinking better than anyone. It's that Ice Stone Woman who's foolish, insisting on treating others like idiots."

"You..." Yan Xuehen angrily turned away, no longer bothering to speak to her.

The preliminary matches then began. The vast plaza was quickly divided into hundreds of large and small arenas.

At each arena, several Golden Crow Guards stood watch, and an official recorded the proceedings.

Zu An even worried if these few individuals could maintain order if a conflict erupted later.

Yu Yanluo explained that in places like the Demon race territory, strength was paramount. With countless eyes watching, it was difficult to cheat or fake anything.

Moreover, the competition format was remarkably simple and brutal, not like the football-style group stages he had imagined, where pairs would compete and points would be tallied.

Instead, hundreds of participants in each arena engaged in a free-for-all. The last ten standing would be declared winners and qualify for the next round.

Zu An's expression was odd. He thought to himself that everyone had just been worrying about being too heavy-handed, yet with such a brutal competition format, it was impossible *not* to strike hard.

No wonder the Golden Crow Crown Prince had arranged for the Lion clan to target the Snake clan participants later. He was probably using this event as a legitimate excuse to severely injure or even kill them.

Wait, wasn't he afraid that the Snake clan's participants wouldn't even qualify?

A thought struck him: if the Lion clan could be arranged for the knockout rounds, perhaps they were also involved in the preliminary selection.

Sure enough, upon entering the arena, everyone was initially cautious. After all, if you appeared too strong, you could easily become a target, prompting others to gang up on you.

Furthermore, for such competitions, many clans had already secretly communicated, agreeing to team up if they encountered each other. In a large melee, two fists are no match for four hands, and the more allies you have, the more likely you are to be the last one standing.

While others were still warily observing their surroundings, over a dozen individuals charged directly towards them, each with a grim smile on their face.

Zu An was about to remind Yun Jianyue to hold back a little, when she rolled her eyes and showed no intention of acting. "These small fry aren't worthy of fighting us. They're all yours."

Zu An was speechless.

Then, Yun Jianyue started chatting with Yan Xuehen. "Besides these guys, that participant from the Giant Maggot clan over there looks quite strong. We'll probably end up fighting him later, but I absolutely refuse to engage with such disgusting creatures."

Yan Xuehen nodded in agreement. "Indeed, we'll leave him to Zu An then."