Chapter 18: Screening Battle!
The crowd followed the patriarch, along the outer square of the great hall, towards the three ancient dragon-slaying stele. As they approached, the people surrounding the stele cast their eyes over and nodded in response to the patriarch's subtle smile.
The clan leader's expression remained unchanged, his tall figure floating at the forefront.
Among these people, some were imperial generals, some were princes or princesses of the royal family, and they were all from the upper class of the Cangxue Dynasty.
Tang Lin followed behind and saw that the crowd made way for a path, with the clan leader at the forefront. The people walked up several steps along the path and climbed onto the dragon-slaying monument.
In the center of these three dragon-stele, there is a vast square. The clan leader stands in front of the square, looks around at the crowd and says loudly: "Today is the tenth annual Dragon Festival of my dragon family, thank you for your appreciation and coming to watch the dragon family."
"Two years ago, due to that sudden accident, this year's Dragon Festival was postponed for two years. According to the previous rules, only boys under 18 years old can participate in the Dragon Festival. This year is an exception, and 20-year-olds can also participate!"
A burst of cheers erupted from the crowd.
The clan leader smiled slightly and said, "Everyone knows that the Dragon Festival is not only a test of the Barbarian God's bloodline, but also a challenge for new rising stars. According to past conventions, as long as you can rank in the top three in the newcomer competition, you can learn the external skills of the Dragon Family's ancestral secret book, 'Barbarian Seal Technique'!"
Everyone's eyes in the whole venue lit up.
Tang Lin could clearly feel that the young men of the Long family in front of and behind him were all slightly trembling with excitement.
"What's the external form of the Barbarian Tattoo Fist?" Tang Lin wondered in his heart.
He didn't know that "The Barbarian Tattoo Formula" was the Long family's number one martial arts secret manual. The upper echelons of the Empire had heard its name, and almost everyone yearned for it.
But this secret book can only be cultivated by people who have awakened the bloodline in the Long family!
As for the rest of the people.
Can only practice the moves in this secret book, but can't learn the essence and charm inside.
Although it was just a move, it was enough to make even the strongest martial artists jealous.
"Below." The tribe leader looked around the scene and smiled: "The martial competition will be held on this Dragon Platform, and after the competition ends, we will test the bloodline on the spot."
At this time, the butler led many servants to move the noble guest's table and chairs and placed them at the top corner of the Dragon Suppression Platform. And on the table were arranged fresh flowers and fruits.
Many celebrities under the stage were in the hands of a large number of family members and got comfortable seats.
The clan leader sat on a VIP seat and nodded slightly to an old man with white hair.
The white-haired old man immediately walked to the center of the Dragon Town stage and said, "After counting, there are a total of thirty-five people this time. Among them, three people do not need to participate in the first round of screening and can directly enter the final battle."
Everyone was astonished when they heard this, and it was clear that these three people must have had extraordinary abilities.
"The first person is Long Zixing!"
As the old man with white hair spoke, the woman in purple clothes took a step forward slowly and gently, seeming to walk out slowly. However, her figure suddenly appeared beside the old man, standing quietly like an immortal in the mist.
"The Second Person, Long Chen!"
A white-clad youth emerged from the crowd, carrying a long sword wrapped in black cloth on his back, with his raven-black hair fluttering. With an air of carefree abandon and untamed spirit, there was a faint, enigmatic smile in his starry eyes that could captivate one's soul.
"Third person, Long Sanjie!"
A youth in light golden clothing walked out of the crowd, with a handsome face and disheveled hair that was messy and unkempt. The expensive brocade on his body, however, gave off a slovenly air.
The young man stood there yawning, as if he would fall asleep at any moment.
As the three of them walked out, the onlookers secretly took note of their figures, knowing that these three were the new generation's elite of the Long family!
The people around Tang Lin were silent, but some of them were not convinced and immediately shouted: "Why should they be exempt from the battle? I don't agree!"
"Not satisfied?" The white-haired old man glanced at him and said, "If you're not satisfied, wait a moment and I'll defeat them with my fists!"
The man was immediately speechless.
Yes.
If you're not convinced, go beat them then.
The three men stood beside the old man with white hair, and after the old man whispered a few words, they turned around and sat down on the seats next to the dragon throne.
"There are thirty-two of you." The white-haired old man looked around the room and said, "Come up on stage together, each person will receive a number plate. Those who get three plates can stay on stage. Those without a plate or with only two plates must come down!"
"The time limit is one hour." The white-haired old man said coldly.
Everyone was stunned.
This screening... is actually a big mess?
No one dared to question the words of the white-haired old man, and they all walked up to the Zhenlong platform one after another.
Tang Lin followed the crowd, his expression unchanged. He knew that such a melee was the fastest screening method, and in the melee, what one relied on was not just strength, but also character.
After all thirty-two people had gone on stage, the chief steward carried a wooden box onto the stage. The white-haired old man said: "You will each come forward to receive your number plates."
The steward was the man in golden clothes. Tang Lin looked at him, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, with some disgust in his heart. His expression didn't change, he walked to the front of the wooden box, felt around inside and pulled out a token, then returned to his original position.
Throughout the process, the steward had been coldly smiling at Tang Lin, with a hint of mockery at the corner of his mouth, as if deliberately telling him - I'm waiting for you to make a fool of yourself!
Tang Lin's expression was calm and composed, as if he hadn't seen anything unusual. Instead, he looked at the card in his hand, which was made of sandalwood and had a faint fragrance.
After everyone touched the plate number, the white-haired old man gestured to the general manager to step down, then retreated to the edge of the dragon-suppressing platform and said: "The competition, officially begins!"
The entire town was silent on Dragon Tower, as if brewing a terrifying storm.
Everyone stood alone, as if surrounded by enemies, on high alert. Tang Lin's expression was cold and indifferent, but with his keen sixth sense, he could feel that there were two people behind him, staring at the card in his hand.
"Rob me?" Tang Lin sneered in his heart.
For a moment, no one on the Zhonglong platform moved. This intangible sense of oppression made even the celebrities sitting below feel suffocated, as if they couldn't breathe.
Time flies...
This oppressive feeling grew stronger and stronger, until a black-clad youth standing at the edge of the field suddenly burst out and rushed towards a short and thin youth beside him.
Weak and small, always get shot first.
The black-clad youth's sudden plundering caused the atmosphere in the entire arena to become chaotic, with many people being shocked and turning their eyes towards him. Meanwhile, others seized the opportunity and rushed towards their own targets.
Battle erupts in an instant!
Tang Lin didn't go to see the young man in black, he just stood quietly, and suddenly two breaths burst out from behind him, the fist wind seemed to tear his clothes apart.
Tang Lin's expression was cold and indifferent, his palm turned over and grasped, pinching the palms of the two people who had snuck up on him. Then he lifted his foot and kicked them out with lightning speed, sweeping them away horizontally.
At the moment when the two flew backwards, Tang Lin's palm grasped and quickly pulled out the cards hidden on their bodies.
Even the most skilled thief can't match Tang Lin's swift movements.
"Grabbed two, plus one for myself, got three in hand." Tang Lin's mouth curved into a slight arc, standing quietly still.
He just made his move and immediately attracted a lot of attention. Some people who were about to make a move on Tang Lin stopped in their tracks.
Everyone else around Tang Lin was fighting in confusion, but no one came to move Tang Lin.
Tang Lin was delighted and relaxed, taking a moment to look around, only to see the others displaying their own martial arts skills. Some people were fighting in pairs, evenly matched and unable to gain the upper hand, when suddenly someone from the side would intervene, directly defeating the two of them and successfully snatching the wooden plaque.
"The soldiers are not tired of cheating." Tang Lin smiled lightly and felt that this screening match was indeed interesting.
On the stage, a chaotic scene unfolded as those who had their wooden plaques snatched away immediately prepared to counterattack, but were ruthlessly defeated. Some people whose plaques were stolen joined forces and targeted those with multiple plaques.
Tang Lin immediately became one of their targets.
"Six." Tang Lin glanced at these six people, "The strongest among them is only a Martial Artist of the Sixth Realm."
The six men surrounded Tang Lin and one of them shouted: "Hand over the wooden signboard, and we'll spare your skin."
Tang Lin took out three wooden plaques.
The six people's eyes lit up. Tang Lin, however, simply took out the wooden sign and placed it in his hand, weighing it and playing with it, lightly saying: "Things that enter my hands have never had the habit of coming back out."
The six people were furious.
"Looking for death!" someone bellowed, throwing a punch at Tang Lin.
Tang Lin reached out and pinched the fist, lightly laughing: "So soft and fluffy, could it be to scratch an itch for me?"
This man was shocked, but Tang Lin's face turned bright red with shame and anger, and he continuously swung his fists to attack. The others also shouted in anger and attacked Tang Lin together.
Tang Lin smiled lightly and his figure flashed, instantly appearing as ten Tang Lins that surrounded the six people from all sides.
"The wooden sign is here." All ten Tang Lin waved their hands with the wooden sign.
These six people were shocked in their hearts. They had only heard of such a movement, but they had never seen anyone who could perform it so effortlessly.
This stunning scene caused many celebrities in the audience to look over, and more than a few were stunned, exclaiming: "The 'Endless Starry Sky' of the Seven Stars Martial Arts Academy?"
The six people surrounding Tang Lin were as pale as dead ashes, knowing that Tang Lin's strength was not something they could defeat with just numbers, and immediately withdrew their intention to fight.
Tang Lin withdrew his body technique and turned back to see a grey-clothed youth standing on the other side of the battlefield, in front of whom a blue-clothed youth was lying on the ground, battered and bruised, gasping for breath as he handed over a wooden sign to the grey-clothed youth.
...the wooden sign in the hand of the youth in grey clothes...
High and high, there seem to be more than twenty of them stacked up.
Tang Lin looked somewhat astonished, looking at the gray-clothed youth's appearance, as if he wanted to take away all the wooden plaques in the entire arena. Could it be that after this screening match, only he would remain?
……
Today, I only got one monthly ticket, embarrassing. Although I can only update once in the next few days, after the new year, updates will definitely be made up for. Brothers, the monthly tickets were exploded continuously, really powerless, hoping everyone can help stabilize the situation, waiting for Lao Gu to return and explode.
