Chapter 769: Rewards & Surprise.
Tian Long waved his hand, and a few pillars rose from the void. The sovereign said, "These pillars are made of the strongest and hardest stone in the world. They can withstand attacks from Immortal Emperors. So you guys will not have to worry about fighting for your best. Now, get on there."
Shi Lang and the other people jumped as they climbed the pillars. The pillars were thirty meters high, and everyone frowned a bit. Tian Long smiled and said, "Yes, your senses are correct. The top of the pillar is engraved with a gravity array. It is to prevent you from flying in the void."
Shi Lang clicked his tongue and flexed his body to get used to the effects of amplified gravity on the peak. Tian Long said, "So, for the first phase. Those who lost earlier, you can come forward and fight these people. If you win, you get their ranks and rewards."
Bo Qingtan thought of something and asked, "Senior, can you tell us the rewards?"
Tian Long was surprised and exclaimed, "Oh, finally, someone who knows their business."
The crowd laughed out loud at his joke. Tian Long placed his hands behind the back and said, "Well, there are nineteen of you. The ranking is based on how many fights you win."
This was fair logic; everyone agreed, and Tian Long continued, "The last five will get a million superior-grade spirit stones and a medium-level spirit artifact."
The crowd gasped at the extravagance. A million superior-grade spirit stones were enough to buy a city in the central plains, and the medium-level spirit artifact would amplify the strength of a person by twenty percent.
Tian Long continued, "The people who rank from tenth to fifteenth will be rewarded with one million superior-grade spirit stones, one medium-level spirit artifact, and a bronze-level membership to the martial council."
The people were shocked that the arena exploded into a clamor. This sort of thing was never given out as a reward in any of the contests. Merits earned membership in the Martial Council, not given out as a reward.
Tian Long said, "Many of you are probably thinking that the old fogies at the Martial Council have gone mad for handing out the membership to these young people so easily. However, you must agree that young people are the world's future. This membership will allow the people to learn how things in the Martial Alliance work."
The people understood what the Martial Council intended to do. Tian Long continued, "The people who rank from fifth to ninth rank will be given a chance to pick a master from among the Martial Council Seats. They will all get the same rewards as the rest."
The crowd was shocked again, but Tian Long continued, "The top five will have a chance to seek the inheritance from the esteemed seniors who rest in the Hall Of Gods. They will also have all the rewards that others have."
This reward was very generous, and the surprise it brought to the people was too much for them to express. Tian Long said, "The last surprise is for the person who manages to attain the first rank. Their name will be placed in the Golden Dragon ranking scrolls. They will have a right to form their army at the frontline and act without interference.
They will be supplied with ten years of resources to sustain their armies, after which they must depend on their merits."
Many people on the pillar had sparks flying in their eyes. They all wished to attain glory, but a few people were standing calmly. They could not help but exchange glances and think about why the Martial Council was doing this. They could have given out some resources at max to appease the top rankers.
Most people here were after the fame of winning the Centurion Tournament, and rewards did not matter to them.
Tian Long cleared his throat and said, "This must clarify all your doubts. Now is the time for those who lost the chance earlier to try and clinch the opportunity."
Suddenly, a few people challenged those standing on the pillars. Shi Lang sat down on his pillar. No one approached him. The major cause was how he beheaded the young man with a move. The challenges were not interesting enough and were settled instantly without any change in the ranks.
Tian Long nodded and announced, "That concludes the second chance duels. Now, you all can challenge each other."
Shi Lang was still sitting on the ground when he sensed a few people gazing at him. His friends were not looking at them, but a few who did not know him were eager to try and fight him.
The Terran stood up from the ground and said, "Come."
The first person that appeared before him was cloaked in black clothes. He was calm, but his heart was uneasy all of a sudden. Shi Lang had not paid much attention to this person before, so he had no recollection. He assumed a battle stance and found the person standing straight before him.
He wanted to take the initiative and attack when the person moved and appeared beside him with a golden flash. The Terran defended himself, and blows from everywhere began to land on his forearms.
Shi Lang was stunned that someone could suppress him in such a fashion. However, the more they fought, the more his heart began to beat. The people were surprised by this scene because the invincible and daunting impression of the Terran was falling apart.
Tian Long wondered if this guy had run out of strength, while Yun Xue, Bo Qingtan, and Yang Niao were shocked to see someone who could stand up in such a manner. However, Amelia had her mouth covered as tears flowed down her eyes. Ying Yu noticed this and thought Amelia was crying because her husband was about to lose.
Suddenly, Shi Lang evaded one of the blows and clawed at the cloak. The fabric could not withstand the crackling lightning and tore apart like a thin paper on the window. The torn cloak revealed a woman. The person was dressed in armor like nobody had ever seen before.
The lady was beyond beautiful, and many people were stunned by her appearance. Shi Lang himself opened his eyes wide and shivered in shock. The woman had hair cascading down her shoulder, forming a curtain as dark as the night sky. She was looking at Shi Lang with a smile and provocative expression.
Amelia knelt on the ground as tears fell down her eyes like a dam had broken. Shi Lang stepped closer to the woman, but the person said, "Are you going to let me win so easily?"
The Terran realized where he was and looked around at the people. He chuckled, wiped his eyes, and said, "I will not."
The woman gestured for him to come at her. Tian Long sighed at the scene while Ying Yu and Yun Xue frowned. Shi Lang moved quickly, and so did the lady before him. They exchanged blows, but the Terran was not suppressed this time. His body was covered with red lightning, and the woman before him was covered with golden energy.
The fight was strictly melle, and they were fighting like people who were crazy. The shockwaves from their waves were visible in the void. After five minutes, Shi Lang changed his fighting style and revealed a martial art style that surprised the girl. With every few blows, he changed his style, and eventually, the girl could not keep up. Shi Lang caught her in a grip that made her unable to move.
Tian Long waited a bit, and the lady said, "I forfeit."
Tian Long nodded and announced the result. The people were troubled because the fight was not as dynamic as expected, but suddenly, the girl asked, "Did you miss me, Baba?"
Shi Lang loosened his grip and replied, "You miss the people you forget, but I did not forget you, Xiao Tao."
As he said this, he hugged the Shi Tao in his arms. The Terran was extremely emotional, and his eyes were brimming with tears. Tian Long cleared his throat, and Shi Lang raised his head with a glare and said, "Old man, this is my daughter."
The sentence was equal to a bomb exploding in the Arena. Many people did not know what was going on. Tian Long was stunned and asked, "Damn it, did you bring your entire family?"
Shi Lang chuckled and said, "Don't worry, they might not be far, but they are not yet here."
Shi Tao smiled as she wiped away her tears. She missed Shi Lang, not because he was a father figure to her but because he was the first person to give her a home when she was alone. Shi Lang smiled and asked, "I will catch up later with you. For now, let's focus on the tournament. If you find it too hard, do not risk your life."
Shi Tao nodded and said, "I know."
He was saying that she had returned to her pillar. The final round started with an emotional start, but the people were looking forward to the battles even more. Why? No one among the top ten wanted to have a group of people from the same team to monopolize the ranking.