120: Chapter 121 Drawing Lots

As Lin Muyang entered and the shocking information of his "Level 56 in one month" was made public, the gazes of the many competing Summoners in the preparation area shifted dramatically.

Those looks, which might have previously held contempt for a newcomer or mockery of his "Friend of Beautiful Girls" constitution, were now mixed with shock, wariness, disbelief, and a trace of indescribable complexity.

Less than a month, Level 56!

What did that mean? It meant that as long as he was given enough time to grow, his future achievements would be unimaginable! Even though many guessed he was being fully nurtured by a top-tier powerhouse, this leveling speed itself exceeded what "nurturing" could explain; it was monstrous!

In the front of the contestant seats, Long Aotian, dressed in white, expressionlessly withdrew his gaze from Lin Muyang. He appeared calm on the surface, even maintaining his usual smile, but deep within those seemingly gentle eyes, a faint trace of imperceptible gloom and displeasure flickered.

He had prepared for this Summoner competition for a long time. Not only had he reached Level 95, but he had also recently spent a massive price to obtain an extremely precious legendary-grade defensive skill book, [Ice Crystal Protection].

Once this skill was activated, it could reduce the damage taken by himself and all ice-attribute summons by 85% for 12 seconds! Coupled with the ice-element bonuses from his SS-Rank Talent "King of the Ice Kingdom," his overall survival and sustained combat capabilities had taken a qualitative leap.

He had intended to use this opportunity to defeat his old rival Senior Li Yun in one fell swoop, ascend to the top of Zhongnan City's Summoners, and carry that momentum into the Provincial Tournament to truly make a name for himself. To this end, he had meticulously designed his entrance image and arranged for fan support—all to create the maximum impact.

But he hadn't expected that before the competition even officially began, all the limelight, topics, and even the greatest shock from the audience and peers would be snatched away by a junior who had "only" reached Level 56! This made him feel like he had thrown a powerful punch into empty air, leaving him feeling stifled and uncomfortable.

Moreover, his Hua Yun Pavilion and the Tianqi Tower had always had some business competition and friction, so their relationship was not harmonious. As a newcomer heavily promoted by Tianqi Tower, Lin Muyang was naturally seen by him as a potential target that needed to be suppressed.

"At least this year, this kid won't be able to make any waves," Long Aotian sneered inwardly, consoling himself. "The level gap is right there; his experience and summon cultivation are far behind. In the first round of the melee, he might even be cleared out by some unknown veteran."

"However... four years later, during the next tournament, this kid might become one of my most troublesome competitors." This thought made him even more annoyed.

If Lin Muyang knew what Long Aotian was thinking right now, he would probably find it laughable. Four years later? Let alone four years later, even now, he didn't care about the likes of Long Aotian. If it really came down to a fight, dealing with an opponent of this level wouldn't be any more difficult than swatting a fly.

Many people in the arena held similar thoughts. Although Lin Muyang's talent and leveling speed were shocking and his potential was limitless, in the eyes of the vast majority, that was "the future." As for "now," he was only Level 56. It was almost impossible for him to stand out among a group of veteran Summoners with an average level of eighty or ninety, or even over a hundred, who possessed rich combat experience. The brutal first round, a sixteen-man melee, was a threshold that would be extremely difficult for him to cross.

Among the tens of thousands of spectators, the only ones who truly held firm confidence in Lin Muyang were perhaps the members of the Secret Realm team led by Su Qingyue. They had personally witnessed Lin Muyang's completely illogical support abilities and were even more shocked by the Elf Priest's mind-bogglingly terrifying burst of output. In their hearts, Lin Muyang's strength could not be measured by common logic; to him, the level number might not have much reference value.

Especially Su Qingyue's best friend, the short-haired and lively Liang Qiqi, had now transformed into his number one die-hard fan. She held a glow-in-the-dark sign she had made overnight that said "Lin Muyang, Go For It!" with a giant heart drawn on it. Standing on her seat, she shouted loudly without any regard for her image:

"Go Lin Muyang! Lin Muyang is the most handsome! Crush them!"

Her clear and loud voice stood out exceptionally in the surrounding area, causing many nearby spectators to look over. Seeing this, a refined-looking young man wearing glasses couldn't help but smile and strike up a conversation: "Beauty, so enthusiastic? Lin Muyang's talent is indeed impressive, and he's handsome, but this competition is about solid combat power. He's only Level 56; once he gets on the melee stage, I'm afraid he'll be taught a lesson by those big shots' summons. You're shouting so hard now, but if he gets eliminated quickly later, won't that be embarrassing?"

As soon as he finished speaking, several nearby onlookers also nodded in agreement, clearly holding the same view.

Hearing this, Liang Qiqi didn't care at all. She tossed her short hair, tilted her chin up, and said with certainty: "What do you know? These... well, most of the contestants in Zhongnan City aren't even enough for Lin Muyang to hit! Just wait and see!"

She almost blurted out "trash" but changed her words at the last second, though the disdain in her tone was still obvious. This statement immediately made other spectators in the small surrounding area a bit unhappy, and they all cast dissatisfied looks at her.

The man with glasses didn't get angry; instead, he pushed up his glasses and revealed a smile he thought was quite graceful: "It seems the beauty is full of confidence. How about... we make a bet? If Lin Muyang can advance past the first round, I lose, and I'll treat you to a month of milk tea, any shop in the city you choose. But if he's eliminated in the first round... you treat me to a meal, how about that?"

This slightly clichéd attempt at picking her up was too obvious, causing some people nearby to let out low chuckles.

"In your dreams!" Liang Qiqi rolled her eyes and turned her head away, not bothering to pay him any more attention. In Jingdu City, the line of her pursuers could stretch for blocks; she had come to Zhongnan City purely to accompany her best friend and had zero interest in such small tricks.

In another relatively remote corner of the spectator stands, Ye Cheng, wearing a baseball cap, a mask, and a wig that almost completely covered his face, was sitting with his father, Ye Zhilin. Seeing Lin Muyang appear and hearing the "Level 56" introduction, Ye Cheng's face under the mask contorted, and his eyes shot out venomous light. It was this Lin Muyang who had caused him to make a fool of himself in public, with videos spreading all over the internet; now he didn't even dare to show his true face when going out!

"Damn it! He actually dares to participate in the competition? And Level 56?" Ye Cheng's teeth chattered as he whispered to his father, "Dad, look at how arrogant he is! So what if he levels up fast? In today's competition, experts are as numerous as clouds. I bet he'll have to get lost in the first round! As long as I can see those sluts he summoned get beaten to death, I'll consider it venting my anger!"

Ye Zhilin was much more sophisticated than his son. He narrowed his eyes, staring at the unruffled Lin Muyang on the field, his thoughts racing. "Level 56 in one month... this talent, the power behind it..." He whispered to his son, "Xiao Cheng, regarding the previous matter, perhaps we acted too ruthlessly. A person like this can only be a friend, not an enemy. After the competition ends, let's see if there's a chance. I'll go apologize to him and see if we can resolve this grudge."

"Dad! How can you..." Ye Cheng became anxious.

"Shut up! Listen to me!" Ye Zhilin barked in a low voice, his gaze stern. He knew very well that when facing a genius with such terrifying growth speed and a potentially unfathomable background, fighting to the end was the most foolish choice. Cutting losses and trying to ease the relationship was the way to survive. Unfortunately, even if they wanted to apologize to Lin Muyang, the other party had to be willing to see them.

Meanwhile, in the spectator area booked by the Tianqi Tower guild, the atmosphere was much more relaxed and lively. Shen Yanshan, Sun Wenyuan, and other guild backbones were sitting together with Shen Muyao. They had also just learned that Lin Muyang was already Level 56 and were all incredibly surprised.

"Good grief! Level 56 in one month! This kid is going to ascend to the heavens!" Sun Wenyuan stroked his scruffy chin, clicking his tongue in wonder.

"President, Eldest Miss, should we start preparing the wedding gift money in advance?" A young member joked with a grin. "A talented man and a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven!"

"Get lost! Don't talk nonsense!" Shen Muyao's face turned red as she glared at the man reproachfully. She subconsciously glanced at the calm Lin Muyang on the field, a ripple appearing in her heart, but it quickly calmed down as she said softly, "He has so many outstanding girls around him; how could he take an interest in me?"

"That's not right," Sun Wenyuan shook his head. "summons are subordinates, but a wife is a wife—two different things! Our Eldest Miss has the looks, the talent, and a good family background..."

"Alright, alright, you're getting more and more out of line." Shen Yanshan laughingly interrupted his subordinates' teasing, but his gaze toward his daughter also carried a trace of complexity. He knew better than anyone that with the terrifying potential Lin Muyang was showing now, his future achievements would likely reach a height they would need to look up to.

He vaguely knew his daughter's feelings, but some things couldn't be forced; it was best to let nature take its course. He thought of the ethereal white-clad girl Ao Qingyan he had caught a glimpse of on the beach that day and sighed inwardly.

Just then, a small episode occurred during the contestant entry phase. When the host called out a certain middle-aged Summoner's name, there was no response for a long time. After checking, the staff found that the Summoner and his two elf summons had disappeared after going to the restroom, and multiple searches had yielded no results. In the end, the competition organizers could only follow the rules and disqualify him for failing to arrive on time.

No one knew that the ill-intentioned middle-aged Summoner and his elves had already been completely erased from this world in a corner where no one noticed, leaving no trace behind.

About half an hour later, the long-winded contestant entry phase finally ended. A total of over four hundred Summoners and their competing summons were basically in their places in the contestant seats. Many summons appeared restless, growling lowly or fidgeting, while those who were quiet and well-behaved like the girls beside Lin Muyang were in the minority. Lin Muyang even leaned back in his chair, feeling a bit drowsy; this process was simply too sluggish.

"Next, we will proceed with the drawing of lots for the first round of the melee!" The host's voice spread throughout the arena via the amplification formation, making the somewhat dull atmosphere lively again.

The drawing method was very direct. Floating about three hundred meters in the air directly above the arena was a transparent crystal ball over five meters in diameter. Inside the crystal ball, countless magic slips shimmering with faint light drifted slowly like swimming fish, each slip inscribed with a number representing a different group.

All participating Summoners needed to fly into the sky, penetrate a powerful "Deceleration Barrier" pre-arranged by the organizers that covered the entire drawing area, and then touch the crystal ball and input a trace of mana. A magic slip belonging to them would then be automatically drawn out. The order of drawing was naturally determined by whoever touched the crystal ball first.

This phase appeared to be drawing lots, but it was actually a small display of strength and a warm-up before the start of the competition. The "Deceleration Barrier" was of high intensity and would greatly affect flight speed. Whoever could withstand the barrier and reach the crystal ball first would undoubtedly seize the initiative and showcase their superior speed and power.

"Xiao Wan, you go draw the lot," Lin Muyang said to Gui Wanwan beside him. Although Feng Ling was well-behaved, she was young and still a bit nervous facing the gaze of tens of thousands of people. Only Gui Wanwan, with her rich experience and lively personality, was most suited for this kind of occasion.

"Alright~" Gui Wanwan responded lazily. She stood up from her seat and stretched, her graceful curves fully revealed, which again drew a flurry of gazes from nearby.

At this time, hundreds of people throughout the arena who were about to participate in the drawing were already poised for action, staring intently at the crystal ball high in the sky, eager to try. The audience also held their breath, looking forward to the first small climax of the opening—would Long Aotian's swift Frost Warrior be faster? Or would Senior Li Yun's explosive Centaur be more powerful? Or would it be another dark horse?

"Drawing of lots—begin!"

Following the host's command, the already prepared summons soared into the sky like arrows released from a bow from various positions in the contestant seats! The Frost Warrior condensed ice stairs beneath its feet, the Centaur stepped through the air as if on flat ground, the Magic Eagle flapped its wings, and the Specter drifted... various methods, all sorts of ways, all rushed toward the area covered by the Deceleration Barrier high in the sky.

However, just as this spectacular scene of a hundred boats competing and a multitude of "arrows" being fired together began to unfold—

A blurred, pale gray figure, with a speed that surpassed the limits of visual capture, arrived first by starting later!

As if teleporting, that petite figure ignored the powerful Deceleration Barrier that was enough to cause other summons' speeds to plummet by seventy or eighty percent. Before anyone could see what had happened, she had already appeared like a ghost directly in front of the giant crystal ball three hundred meters in the air!

It was Gui Wanwan!

She even had time to tidy her silver short hair that had been ruffled by the wind before unhurriedly extending a fair and slender finger, lightly tapping on the transparent wall of the crystal ball.

Hum~!

The crystal ball flashed with light, and a magic slip with a number on it automatically flew out, falling into her palm.

Only then did the first batch of summons that had soared into the sky reach a maximum height of just over a hundred meters, struggling against the Deceleration Barrier, their speed visibly slowing down.

Meanwhile, Gui Wanwan had already finished drawing the lot and began to drift back down leisurely and at her own pace.

Silence.

The entire arena was deathly silent.

Tens of thousands of gazes, from the contestant seats to the spectator stands, were all frozen on the short-haired girl in the sky who looked as if she had just gone for a stroll to easily retrieve a slip of paper.

Her speed... what was going on with that?

Was that terrifying Deceleration Barrier ineffective against her?

How was this possible?!

In the next moment, like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, deafening gasps, screams, and clamor erupted, sweeping through the entire martial arts hall!

"My god! What did I just see?!"

"Teleportation? Is it a spatial skill?!"

"No! She passed through the Deceleration Barrier! The barrier had no effect on her?!"

"That's... Lin Muyang's summon?! One of the girls who entered with him!"

"This is too ridiculous, isn't it?! This speed, this ability to ignore the barrier..."

"Lin Muyang... what kind of monster did he summon?!"

Right at the start of the lot-drawing phase, the atmosphere of the entire arena was completely ignited by Gui Wanwan's unbelievable performance, pushing it toward the first true climax!