After entering the finals, Tilan quickly scanned the list and, as expected, saw so familiar faces, such as Li Qingfei from the first round and Shaliye from the second round.
"In the final round, in addition to existing rules such as scoring points for defeating opponents and deducting points for damaging the scenery, other supplentary rules have been added," the host announced, highlighting what made the finals different.
"Firstly, within the twelve bronze chanical constructs that fly in a circle, there are twelve Red Marrow Crystal Gems hidden. Contestants who obtain one can gain 3 extra points. In addition, on the clock hands of the giant clock, there is a disc on each—the hour and minute hands—that, when stood upon, grants a magic boost, allowing for rapid recovery. Contestants may try their best to compete for these to gain an advantage." To add an elent of fun and unpredictability to the competition, the officials included so easter eggs in the finals.
As the host introduced the rules, the contestants' gaze also shifted to the giant chanical clock rotating in the air, wherein at the one-fifth mark on the hour hand there was a blue disc, and on the minute hand, there was a purple disc, reminiscent of the luminous dots made specifically on vintage chanical watches to mark the hands' positions at night.
As for the ntioned twelve Red Marrow Crystal Gemstones hidden within the bronze chanical constructs, they were not imdiately apparent; so were held in the 'swans' beaks, so were set within the constructs' interiors. According to the rules, removing these gemstones without damaging the structure was no easy task—it probably required carefully observing their construction to find the correct approach, which inevitably diverted attention and left one vulnerable to opponents' attacks.
After understanding the rules, the host announced the list of contestants for the first match, which was in groups of eight, totalling eight groups, until the final three were determined.
"In the first match, Lidell, Jianni, Li Qingfei, Xue Lai..." After the announcent, Tilan's team mbers were not in this group.
Sitting in the audience, the young girl couldn't help but glance at the familiar Suqing girl, who was now calmly drawing her sword and stepping onto the stage.
As soon as the match began, Li Qingfei focused on defeating her opponents instead of wasting her efforts on the puzzle-solving chanical constructs. She first seized the position on the hour hand, standing on its disc and rotating with the clock hand above the stage, while the other contestants were either attempting to obtain the Red Marrow Crystal Gemstone from the constructs or engaging in battles with one another.
Even though she stood still, the slow rotation of the hour hand's pointer brought her near each of the struggling constructs. When one contestant made a move as Li Qingfei approached, the two clashed in mid-air.
Suqing's sword light flashed and another contestant was eliminated by Li Qingfei. Instead of stopping to solve puzzles and pick up the nearby Red Marrow Crystal, Li Qingfei directly lunged at the next contestant.
This ti, however, her opponent was not a contestant caught up in solving puzzles but instead a rmaid with a purple fish tail, wielding a sword made of dark blue tal, wearing a sea-blue gown with white wave motifs lining its edges, their figure full of grace.
Unlike the other contestants, the rmaid's attack path didn't rely on leveraging off clock components. Her movents were more akin to a swimming fish, dodging through the air with sword moves that diverged significantly, not focusing on blocking or countering, but on thrusting, swift and unreserved like a swordfish darting through the sea, difficult to confront head-on. One either had to trade blows or evade the sharp edge.
Flustered by the unfamiliarness of their duel, even Li Qingfei took quite a setback, her wrist sliced open with a long cut. In contrast, her opponent, the rmaid, rely had the trim of her dress nicked and a few scales from her tail fall off.
Seeing that Li Qingfei had managed to respond to her attack, the rmaid showed slight surprise, then changed her moves and surged upward again, but this ti she switched from a single-minded thrust to a spiral dance in the air. The bluish sword trails circling her were like the paths of stars, crossing paths with Li Qingfei.
Afterwards, another fine cut appeared on Li Qingfei's cheek, while her opponent, the rmaid, now bore two grievous wounds—one piercing her shoulder and the other slicing open her tail, with scales flipping outwards and blood spilling copiously.
The first exchange went poorly simply because Li Qingfei was unfamiliar with the rmaid's style of attack. The second ti around, there would be no rcy. Her 'Yanyu' swordsmanship was not rely for show, and the lethal force it could unleash in an instant was extrely dangerous.
In the subsequent fights, Li Qingfei defeated the remaining few contestants in succession, until the end of the match.
"The winner of the first match is Li Qingfei..." the host announced the result.
"'Yanyu' Li Qingfei has once again impressed us. This girl in Eastern attire, with her exceptional swordsmanship, intense focus, and decisive, quick fighting style, made a lasting impression. Although we don't know who will ultimately win this competition, I believe she is definitely one of the most anticipated contenders," comnted the host after summarizing the first match. Then the second round began, and although Tilan still had not entered the field, Zhuo Gexi from her team did.
In the chaotic fight, he occasionally looked for opportunities to quickly defeat weakened opponents, sotis concealed himself, removed Red Marrow Crystals from the bronze chanical constructs, and ultimately won with the group's second-highest score.
No familiar figures for Tilan appeared in the third match, but during the fourth, Wei Ke took the stage, where it seed she could no longer hide her strength.
The silver mirror shattered, and Wei Ke's opponent, taken aback, next had a silver blade piercing out from his back. Taking advantage of rapid traversal through mirrors, Wei Ke thrust her sword through her opponent, defeating him.
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