Chapter 604: Joining You in the Inner Court
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Aside from Xu Lizhi, the rest were taking part in the one-against-one battle. For the two-against-two match, they formed four teams which included everyone.
As for the team battle, Xu Lizhi was the substitute contestant.
It could be said that everyone had a foot in every competition.
“I don’t want to be in the same team as him,” said Gu Yue coldly as she stood before Elder Cai.
Shuffling contestants before the competition was not initially required for those from Shrek Academy. However, something had occurred to cause Gu Yue’s refusal to participate.
Elder Cai’s knit her eyebrows tightly. “Let me remind you. All of you aren’t just representing your individual selves in this competition, but the academy as well. Similarly, this trip to the Star Luo Empire is a test of sorts for you, and every action you take here will be taken into account when you’re being graded. If you’re not going to participate in the competition, you’re forfeiting your entry to run be one of the Shrek Seven Monsters in the future. At the same time, your entrance to the inner courts will be dependant on your performance from this point on.”
“Okay,” Gu Yue agreed.
Tang Wulin quickly pulled her arm. “Gu Yue, are you out of your mind!? Why aren’t you taking part in the competition?”
Gu Yue only nodded her head. “I’m in a bad mood.” After she finished, she turned around and left Elder Cai’s room.
“She can’t still be jealous, can she? But this is…” Xie Xie hesitated.
Tang Wulin hastily said to Elder Cai, “Elder Cai, I’m sorry. I’ll go talk to Gu Yue.” After he finished, he quickly turned around and chased after Gu Yue.
Gu Yue stood silently in front of the window as she gazed to a faraway place.
She seemed to have foreseen that Tang Wulin would come so her door was left open.
Tang Wulin pushed on the door and entered her room. He walked quickly and stood behind her, unable to help himself but question her, “Gu Yue, what’s up with you? Why won’t you take part in the competition?”
Gu Yue continued gazing outside as she replied drily, “Why do I have to take part in the competition?”
Tang Wulin walked up to her and grabbed her by the hand. “Stop playing around, alright? I’ll bring you to Elder Cai to explain all this, and we’ll take part in the competition together. Don’t you want to enter the inner court? Don’t you want to become a member of a new generation of the Shrek Seven Monsters?”
Gu Yue turned around and looked at Tang Wulin, “Do you honestly think that I can become one of the Shrek Seven Monsters? Don’t you forget, I’m a member of the Spirit Pagoda. In truth, things aren’t as harmonious as you imagine between Shrek Academy and the Spirit Pagoda. I don’t think this matter has gone unnoticed to you.”
Tang Wulin was stunned. “You’re choosing the Spirit Pagoda?”
Gu Yue replied drily, “I’ve already made my decision when Elder Cai deliberately made things difficult for us in the past when we had just joined the academy. The Spirit Pagoda provided me with plenty of things unavailable in the academy. I don’t think I’m destined to join the ranks of the Shrek Seven Monsters.”
Tang Wulin stared at her blankly. This was his first time hearing about this from Gu Yue.
“B-but…” Tang Wulin was slightly at a loss on how he should be advising Gu Yue. After knowing Gu Yue for so long, he knew just how stubborn Gu Yue could be. There would rarely be any changes made once she set her mind to something.
“But, don’t you want to continue being with me?” Tang Wulin blurted out.
Gu Yue’s body shuddered. There was an instant addition of color in her gaze toward Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin continued weakly, “I mean… to cultivate with me.”
Gu Yue looked at him with keen sparkling eyes. “Do you want me to take part in the competition?”
Tang Wulin nodded without hesitation. “Of course I do. We’re partners!”
Gu Yue squinted her eyes slightly. “Okay. I’ll enter the two-against-two match with you, but I’ll only enter this one match with you. I won’t be taking part in the solo and team competition. It won’t affect you guys anyway.”
Tang Wulin’s wore a slightly complicated look. Although she had agreed to join him in the two-against-two match, the words she had just said drew a line between her, him, and the others, seemingly placing several layers of barriers along with it.
This feeling made Tang Wulin very uncomfortable. He did not like their current condition.
“Gu Yue…”
“Why don’t you get out? I need some time alone,” Gu Yue said softly.
“Alright.”
Nobody could sway Gu Yue’s emotions. After she agreed to participate in the two-against-two match, she remained in her room the entire day, completely shutting herself in.
Tang Wulin was also in a bad mood, so his appetite was only half of what it usually was. He wanted to persuade Gu Yue but did not know how he should go about doing it.
The Continental Young High-Ranking Soul Masters Elite Competition finally began as millions anticipated its beginning.
The competition took place in the Star Luo Coliseum in Star Luo City. Due to the overwhelming numbers of participants, the contestants were separated into teams by the system, and the preliminary matches would continue for a long time.
In order to reduce the numbers of contestants quickly, they based the preliminary matches on an elimination system. Whenever a contestant lost a match, it would spell their end in this year’s competition. Undoubtedly, luck played a huge factor in this but one’s strength also played a part in it.
Justice was always relative. Just as Elder Cai had once said, there was no absolute justice in this world. If one wanted to receive and control justice, one would have to rely on sheer strength.
The first of the competitions to take place were the solo matches. This was also the most intense and fiercest battle which millions looked forward to. Amidst the Star Luo Coliseum were fifty competition rings where the contestants would compete against one another according to the order set by the system. When a battle ended, another would start immediately, and the process would repeat itself until all the preliminary matches had ended.
Everyone present had an electronic contestant number card that contained detailed information about them inside the card. At the same time, there was also information about their competition times. If the contestants missed their match, it would be considered a forfeit and they would lose the match.
The opening ceremony of the Continental Young High-Ranking Soul Masters Elite Competition did not take place at the very beginning because there were too many contestants. It had to wait until after the preliminary knockout matches ended.
The Star Luo Coliseum could accommodate three hundred thousand spectators at any one time. It was the largest coliseum in Star Luo Empire and the entire Star Luo Continent. It was also the coliseum with the most advanced equipment.
Before the competition began, the entrance tickets were already sold out. In addition to that, there were a huge number of registrants. The income from ticket sales alone was sufficient for the Star Luo Empire to cover the expenses for the entire competition.
Moreover, there was also a live broadcast throughout the entire continent and anyone who wanted to watch it had to purchase the broadcast rights. When it came to the profit streams from developing the Continental Young High-Ranking Soul Masters Elite Competition, the officials of Star Luo Empire were well versed.
Even the most ordinary of people would wish to become a soul master. The opportunity to watch such a wonderful competition was practically like a festival to them so Star Luo City was not the only place with an exhilarating atmosphere. It even spread toward the entire Star Luo Continent.
Since the order of the contestants’ matches was immediately assigned, the participation of those from Shrek Academy was not concentrated in one day alone. Tang Wulin’s number could be recalled easily. 333, it looked like a good number.
His match was on the first day. After Gu Yue had refused entry in the solo matches, the interesting thing was that the competition for the rest was on the second and third days and had just missed Tang Wulin’s match.
“Are you unhappy because I’ve given up on the competition?” Gu Yue walked forward, brushing shoulders with Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin shook his head. “I don’t really feel unhappy or anything if you don’t take part in the competition. It’s just that… I feel like you seem to be estranging yourself from us. I even have this premonition that perhaps… you might leave us in the near future. I don’t like feeling like this.”
Gu Yue was stunned, “I’m sorry. Even the longest feast must end at last. We’ll eventually have to go out separate ways. We’ll have to grow up one day, and when we do, we’ll have to part ways.”
“Why must we part ways?” Tang Wulin blurted.
They looked at each other as their eyes interlocked but Gu Yue suddenly looked away, “Maybe we don’t have to be apart. We’ll see how it goes. Aren’t I joining the competition with you later?”
Tang Wulin mumbled, “Actually, we can still cultivate together for many years! Although you’re a member of the Spirit Pagoda, Shrek is just an academy! I I can still go to the Spirit Pagoda after I graduate.”
A strong surge of reluctance suddenly filled Gu Yue’s heart. She took Tang Wulin’s hand by her own accord and said, “I promise you, I’ll at least enter the inner court with you, is that alright?”
Tang Wulin was shocked at first, but his shock quickly turned to joy. “I’ll hold you to that!”
Gu Yue nodded and smiled, “Of course.”