Ye Tianfan walked up to Senior Brother You Tianjiao. You Tianjiao hurriedly grabbed Ye Tianfan's arm and led him towards the crowded center of the square, "Hurry, junior brother, registration is about to close. We're running out of time."

You Tianjiao pulled Ye Tianfan, squeezing through the crowd, finally reaching the registration booth.

After registering their names, the person in charge of registration took out a rosewood box and said to the two of them, "Draw lots. The number you draw will determine your sequence. After all lots are drawn, matches will proceed according to the numbers: No.1 against No.128, No.2 against No.127, No.3 against No.126, and so on. In the second round, lots will be redrawn, following the same pattern as the first round: No.1 versus No.64, No.2 against No.63. This continues through the third round, the fourth round, until the finals. Do you understand?"

"Understood," Ye Tianfan replied.

After speaking, Ye Tianfan reached his hand into the rosewood box.

Actually, these tournament rules are the same every year. Seeing that Ye Tianfan was a new face, the person responsible for registration explained them again. Unlike You Tianjiao, who immediately started drawing his lot.

Ye Tianfan drew a small paper ball and unfolded it to look.

One must directly state their number after drawing, as the registration personnel must arrange the match table accordingly.

"I'm number forty-two! What number are you, Senior Brother?" After informing the registration officer of his number, Ye Tianfan inquired of You Tianjiao.

"Junior brother is number forty-two? I'm number thirty-six. Seems we won't be opponents, that's a relief," You Tianjiao sighed with relief.

This lot drawing procedure has its pros and cons. The advantage is randomness, ensuring fairness where skill and luck are concerned. The downside is, you might end up drawing an opponent from your own sect.

The entire martial arts event consists of one hundred twenty-eight participants. Each peak is required to put forth an average of fourteen participants, while the main peak, Taichu Peak, sends sixteen, and Taihuo Peak has only a mere seven. In previous years, it had as few as six or five. How do they handle having so few people, you ask? The main peak, Taichu Peak, can send more people. If Taichu Peak doesn't want to add more, then other peaks can send participants.

"Since you're number forty-two, your opponent should be number eighty-seven. My opponent is number ninety-three. Let's hope no infighting happens within our line," You Tianjiao remarked, looking at Ye Tianfan.

With Ye Tianfan's strength after returning from training, combined with his two Supreme Magical Treasures, it seems no one can defeat junior brother this time in the tournament. Hopefully, our fellow disciples do not draw lots against junior brother; otherwise, they might as well concede immediately. All have sparred with junior brother over the past few months, only to be beaten in a few moves, with junior brother not even using his two Supreme Treasures.

"Senior Brother, let's hurry and find our fellow brothers to see what numbers they've drawn. It would be troublesome if we really had to face each other in the matches," Ye Tianfan suggested to You Tianjiao.

It had been some time when Ye Tianfan and You Tianjiao found the rest of the senior brothers.

"Junior brother, what number are you?" Third Brother Liang Tianqi asked Ye Tianfan, fearing he might have to face him as an opponent. Others might not understand just how powerful junior brother is, but he knows very well.

Once, while Ye Tianfan was cultivating, Liang Tianqi happened to pass by. The mere aura from Ye Tianfan's breakthrough inadvertently pressed him flat on the ground for as long as the breakthrough lasted.

Since then, Liang Tianqi has had a clear understanding of Ye Tianfan's power.

"Third Senior Brother, my number is forty-two, what's yours?"

"Great, junior brother is number forty-two, I'm number nineteen, not a conflict at all." Before Liang Tianqi could answer, Fourth Brother Xue Tianjie exclaimed.

"I'm seventy-six! Not me either!" This came from Second Brother Mu Tianshun.

"I'm sixty-seven! Not me either! By calculation, junior brother's opponent is number eighty-seven, that poor soul!" Fifth Brother Su Tianxing remarked.

"I'm thirty-one! You're right; eighty-seven is really unlucky!" Sixth Brother Dai Tianxin chimed in.

Liang Tianqi glanced at his paper strip, relieved it wasn't him, as he drew a perfect one hundred.

"Looks like we all lucky to dodge any conflicts, very good. Seems like we'll do well in the first round!" You Tianjiao calculated everyone's numbers and concluded aloud.

Unexpectedly, after You Tianjiao spoke, everyone fell silent, all looking at him with slight awkwardness.

"Wh...what's wrong?" You Tianjiao was bewildered by everyone's gazes, clueless as to why they were reacting so awkwardly.

"Senior Brother, if you said junior brother would reach the finals, I'd believe it, but suggesting we'll do well... I'm already considering how I'll pass my time during seclusion!" Xue Tianjie awkwardly said.

"Um... I'm actually considering the same thing too, how to pass the time." Mu Tianshun said with equal awkwardness.

The rest, except for Ye Tianfan, nodded in agreement.

"You...you all..." You Tianjiao was rendered speechless from anger. He too was internally considering how to pass the time, but being the senior brother, he couldn't say it outright. Little did he expect all his junior brothers to think the exact same thing.

"Senior Brother, don't be mad. I've heard that this tournament features elite disciples among the elite disciples. Even Sect Leader's direct disciple, Senior Brother Yun Tian, has returned to participate in this tournament! We don't stand a chance." Fourth Brother Xue Tianjie explained.

"What? Why is Senior Brother Yun Tian participating in this tournament? He hasn't participated in several events! Why participate now, and why are the elites participating?" You Tianjiao curiously asked.

He felt there was something unusual about this tournament. Given that the successor of the main vein, who has been wandering the lands, returned to participate, could this event be simple?

"Senior Brother, it's like this. It's said the reward this time is the legendary Space Ring, and it's as big as a box!" Xue Tianjie cautiously looked around before speaking.

"What? A Space... mmm!" Fifth Brother Su Tianxing exclaimed upon hearing the prize was a Space Ring.

However, Xue Tianjie quickly covered his mouth.

"Don't shout; many disciples don't know yet. The Sect Leader hasn't announced it officially, so it's only a rumor for now. If you make it public knowledge and the Sect Leader changes the prize, you'll be to blame." Xue Tianjie warned frantically.

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