Chapter 420 - 204: Mach 5, Peak Competition Qualifiers
Chapter 420: Chapter 204: Mach 5, Peak Competition Qualifiers
Qin Yue’s words served to confirm the earlier analysis by Dongfang Zhen and Zhang Daoxuan.
The higher-ups from the Xinhuo and Kunlun Martial Halls had taken a fancy to this rift, so they acquired it from Dongfang Hao to use as the venue for the qualifiers.
Qin Yue turned to the side, gesturing toward the Xinhuo members disembarking from the transport ship behind him.
"This time, pretty much every member from our entire Ninghai Branch who is under forty and eligible for the youth division is here! They will all be your allies!"
Lin Ye followed his gesture and saw many faces, some young and others mature, curiously sizing him up.
A few of them didn’t look young at all, with weathered lines etched at the corners of their eyes. They were clearly not "youths" in the traditional sense of the word.
Lin Ye nodded, tapped "confirm" on his personal terminal, and accepted the B-rank mission.
The smile on Qin Yue’s face grew wider. Seeing Lin Ye accept, he began to explain the mission’s details.
"Our two Martial Halls have already coordinated with the military. The total number of people entering the rift is capped at one hundred. Once that number is reached, the area will be sealed off under martial law."
"It’s up to us and Kunlun to compete for who can secure more of those spots."
"As for all those unaffiliated fighters and prominent families who caught wind of this and showed up..."
Qin Yue jutted his chin toward the disorderly cluster of tents in the distance. "The military will handle them and make sure they don’t get inside and cause trouble."
At this, his gaze shifted to Dongfang Zhen as he added another sentence.
"The direct descendants of the Dongfang Family are an exception, of course."
After all, the rift was originally the Dongfang Family’s territory. Even though ownership had been transferred, both the military and the two major Martial Halls had to show them that much respect.
Qin Yue continued, "The format for this year’s qualifiers is a new rule set after discussions between our headquarters and the Kunlun higher-ups. Settling things with one-on-one matches in an arena like in previous years is just too dull."
"Qualifiers in an arena, and the main competition in an arena, too. It’s so repetitive."
"So this year, we’re moving the qualifiers for the youth division straight into a real Celestial Abyss Rift! We’ll have a proper, no-holds-barred free-for-all to see who can claim the most valuable treasures!"
"To ensure your safety, both Xinhuo and Kunlun will dispatch powerhouses at the Divine Realm or higher to enter the rift with you as referees."
"They’re not just referees; they’re your safety net. If you run into any danger you can’t handle, call for help immediately. It doesn’t matter if it’s a referee from Xinhuo or Kunlun—they will intervene."
"They’ll all be equipped with real-time recording devices, and the competition will be broadcast at various intervals."
"Inside the rift, I don’t advise you to start conflicts with the Kunlun members. But I estimate that if you cross paths, a fight will be inevitable."
"Just remember one thing: try to avoid any casualties. After all, when we’re facing the Celestial Abyss Race, we are ultimately on the same side."
With that, Qin Yue beckoned with his hand.
A scruffy, unkempt, middle-aged man with a stubbly beard walked over from the Xinhuo ranks. He wore a disarmingly familiar smile and proactively extended a hand to Lin Ye.
"You must be Lin Ye, right? I’m Hu Dahai. You can consider me the captain for this mission."
"I’m actually thirty-nine this year, right on the cutoff, so I still count for the youth division. Heh!"
His hand was broad and strong, his palm covered in thick calluses.
Lin Ye shook his hand.
Hu Dahai grinned, then pointed to a few people behind him, introducing them to Lin Ye in turn.
"Including you, the five of us are the elite members of this operation. The rest are basically rookies tagging along to gain experience."
Lin Ye was taken aback.
’Me... an elite member?’
He was just a rookie who had recently joined the Martial Hall.
Qin Yue saw his confusion and explained with a smile, "Don’t doubt yourself. Your current strength is on par with, if not stronger than, many Martial Artists at the Late Stage of Condensing Gang Realm."
"This mission may be in a real rift, but you’ll have our people providing protection, so it’s not overly complex. That’s why the higher-ups evaluated your case and assigned you directly to the elite members."