The Peerless Tang Sect: Possessing Huo Yuhao at the Start

Chapter 102 Quarterfinals

With the conclusion of the final round of the round-robin tournament and the emergence of the top eight, the Continental Elite Youth Soul Master Tournament has entered its final stage.

Among the teams that advanced, the four teams that ranked first in their groups were Shrek Academy, Snow Demon Sect, Holy Spirit Sect, and Proud Sword Sect. Among the eight teams that ranked second in their groups were Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy, Star Luo National Academy, Mingdu Soul Master Academy, and Heavenly Dragon Gate.

The top eight have been determined, and the quarterfinals will officially begin in two days. The quarterfinals will conclude in just one day, followed by a two-day break for the semifinals. After the semifinals, another two-day break will follow, and then the final will take place. At that point, the entire tournament will be over.

Early in the morning, all eight teams that made it to the finals got up early. Before the competition started, they had to hold a draw ceremony at the Mingyue Hotel. All eight teams that made it to the finals had arrived in the hotel's grand banquet hall.

The eight teams stood in eight rows, and Huo Zhanji was at the very front of Shrek Academy.

On the podium, referee Zheng Zhan, who had officiated for various teams many times, and several officials specially sent by the Sun Moon Empire to organize this competition, spoke a series of platitudes for a full quarter of an hour before getting to the point.

"Next, we will be holding the draw for the quarterfinals. This draw will not only determine your opponents in the next match, but also the range of matches you will face in the future. This will surely be helpful for your preparation. The rules are as follows."

"We will first invite the four top teams from each group to come up to the stage and draw lots to divide them into upper and lower brackets. Then, each top team from one group will draw one second-place team from their respective group. The only rule is that teams that were previously in the same group in the round-robin stage will not be drawn. The teams drawn will be the opponents in the quarterfinals. After the group stage, the two winning teams from the upper and lower brackets in the quarterfinals will compete in the semifinals. The winners will then compete in the final."

The four top-ranked teams from each group quickly sent their representatives to the stage. For Shrek Academy, Huo Zhanji unsurprisingly took the stage. For the Holy Spirit Sect, it was Tang Ya. For the Snow Demon Sect, it was Mu Xue. These were all familiar faces. The last team, the Proud Sword Sect, sent a young man. All the teams couldn't help but feel tense; the draw would determine their next opponent, and apart from Shrek Academy, no team wanted to be drawn against the Holy Spirit Sect!

Shrek Academy was the first to draw lots. Huo Zhanji remained calm, as it was just a matter of putting in a little effort. He drew a spot in the upper half of the draw.

The second team to draw lots was the Holy Spirit Sect team. Tang Ya was still wearing a black robe today, and her pretty face was covered by a veil, but how could her identity be hidden from Huo Zhanji?

Bei Bei stood behind Huo Zhanji. Before the competition, Huo Zhanji had told Bei Bei about Tang Ya's identity, so Bei Bei was undoubtedly very nervous.

Tang Ya completed the draw without hesitation: "Holy Spirit Sect, Upper Half."

Next up for the draw was the Snow Demon Sect team, which included Vina and Mu Xue. Mu Xue, who was in charge of drawing the cards, hesitated slightly before reaching into the draw box. When she pulled out her card, her face immediately turned grim. She had been drawn into the same half of the bracket as Shrek Academy and Holy Spirit Sect. No wonder Mu Xue looked so distressed.

The last young man from the Proud Sword Sect to draw lots.

"Proud Sword Sect, Upper Half".

Undoubtedly, the remaining teams are all in the lower bracket, but the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy won't be so easy to deal with. The teams assigned to the lower bracket won't have an easy time either.

"The draw for the quarterfinals will now take place. Shrek Academy will draw first."

Huo Zhanji raised his hand and slapped.

"Shrek Academy drew the Holy Spirit Sect."

On Shrek Academy's side, everyone's expression froze, and they looked at Huo Zhanji on the stage with wry smiles. "One-third of the chance, and you've drawn the most difficult one to deal with."

"The Sword Sect versus the Snow Demon Sect"

"Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy vs. Ming Capital Soul Master Academy"

"Tianlong Gate vs. Xingluo Royal Academy"

As the competition progressed, the number of teams inside the Mingyue Hotel dwindled. Most of the teams that had finished their matches chose to leave, while a few chose to stay and continue watching the competition.

The two-day rest period gave the eight teams a chance to catch their breath. Every team took the opportunity to rest, and the entire capital city was bustling with activity early in the morning. Before dawn, large numbers of people had already poured out of the city gates, all in an effort to secure a good spot to watch the matches. In one day, all eight teams had completed their matches.

"The first match of the quarterfinals: Shrek Academy versus Holy Spirit Sect."

"Grand Preceptor, what do you think are the chances of the Holy Spirit Sect team winning against the Shrek Academy team?" Crown Prince Xu Tianran asked the mysterious Grand Preceptor beside him.

The Imperial Advisor said in a low voice, "Forty percent."

"Oh?"

The Grand Preceptor said calmly, "Shrek's tactics are incredibly varied. With Huo Zhanji at their core, their teamwork in team battles is unmatched by any other team. The Holy Spirit Sect is the same. As long as the match proceeds normally, they have no chance. The gap in strength is still obvious."

On the competition stage, Zheng Zhan announced loudly: "The two participating teams are the Holy Spirit Sect Team and the Shrek Team. Team members, please proceed to the waiting area."

Upon hearing his voice, Shrek's group stood up simultaneously.

On the other side, the Holy Spirit Sect members remained silent. Led by Tang Ya, the seven of them stood up and walked towards the waiting area. Soon, both sides were in position within the waiting area.

Huo Zhanji turned his gaze to Bei Bei and nodded slightly to him, "If we want to bring Xiao Ya back safely, I have to go in that match, otherwise there will be no chance. Brother Bei Bei, you can only play two matches at most before you have to step down."

"Individual elimination round, first match, both teams take the stage."

On the Holy Spirit Sect's side, a short young man quickly stood up and flashed onto the competition stage, as light as a leaf.

On Shrek's side, Bei Bei proudly stood up, tiptoed onto the competition stage, and his appearance clearly surprised the Holy Spirit Sect. No one expected that he would be the first to appear in the individual elimination round.

.........

(End of this chapter)