THE GOD'S OF CHOSEN WARRIOR

Opening Tournament

The next morning, a soldier rushed to report to Cheng Hao about the presence of Li Jie and Mei Lian inside the noble’s residence.

"Excuse me, Sir. The young man we’ve been watching has been here since last night," he reported.

The soldier’s report immediately sparked Cheng Hao's curiosity. "How did he end up here? Who invited him?"

"We were the ones who invited them, Sir. Something happened that made us bring them here for the night."

"What happened? And who do you mean by ‘them’?" Cheng Hao grew even more confused.

"It turns out that the young man is with a girl, Sir. Whether she is his wife or his lover, I do not know."

The soldier then recounted everything that had happened the night before, starting from their suspicions to the outbreak of the fight at the inn.

"If he hadn’t saved us, we might have been dead last night. And what’s even more astonishing, Sir, is that he also managed to kill Hao Zun."

"Hao Zun, the leader of the Black Tiger Sect?"

"Yes, Sir. It turns out that the attackers who targeted the young man were from the Black Tiger Sect."

Cheng Hao shook his head in disbelief. He knew very well that Hao Zun was highly skilled, and only a few people in the capital could defeat him.

"A fascinating young man. I was completely wrong about him," Cheng Hao muttered to himself. A faint smile appeared on his lips, reflecting his growing admiration for Li Jie.

"Go and bring them here immediately!" Cheng Hao’s curiosity about Li Jie deepened. He wanted to understand the young man better.

"Yes, Sir." The soldier bowed before stepping out of the room.

Not long after, the soldier returned with Li Jie and Mei Lian.

"Sit down."

"Thank you, Sir," Li Jie replied.

The couple sat down in front of Cheng Hao, while the soldier who had fetched them promptly left the room.

"Li Jie, according to the soldier’s report, a group of people attacked you two last night. If I may ask, have you had any conflicts with anyone since arriving in the capital?" Cheng Hao asked, repeating the same question the soldier had asked the previous night.

"Sir, I have not had any problems with anyone since arriving in the capital," Li Jie answered.

"Try to recall, Li Jie. There is no smoke without fire. I’m sure you must have had an issue with someone before this."

Suddenly, Li Jie remembered an incident involving Prince Wang Wei before he arrived in the capital. He then explained it to Cheng Hao.

"I had a minor conflict in a village not far from the capital, Sir. If I remember correctly, the person’s name was Prince Wang Wei."

"Prince Wang Wei! Are you sure you have the right person?"

"I don't know, Sir. But the soldier escorting him said so," replied Li Jie.

"Then what is the problem between you and Prince Wang Wei?"

Li Jie then recounted everything that had happened in the village to Cheng Hao without hiding anything. He also explained the unwritten rule that forced him into a conflict with Prince Wang Wei.

"That could be the root of the problem. Here's the deal—both of you will stay in this house until the tournament is over. And based on what the soldier said earlier, there's a high chance you'll reach the finals."

Li Jie gave a faint smile to Cheng Hao.

"I don't expect much, Sir. There are still many who are more skilled than I am."

"You can say that, but maybe you don’t know—I have the list of participants. Out of the 64 people joining the tournament, only a few have a real chance of making it to the finals. One of them is Prince Wang Wei."

Li Jie smiled slightly upon hearing that Prince Wang Wei would be participating in the tournament. He hoped to meet him on the stage and teach him a lesson.

Meanwhile, the four bodyguards of Prince Wang Wei, who were inside a house, looked troubled as they struggled to solve the problem looming over them. If they couldn't capture Mei Lian within a day, their fate in the capital would be sealed. Especially since they had seen with their own eyes that the people they hired had all been killed.

"It looks like our time here is up. We should leave the capital before Prince Wang Wei executes us," said one of them.

The man had lost all motivation to carry out the order to abduct the girl, as commanded by Prince Wang Wei.

"Agreed. I’m also leaving the capital. That young man is too strong for us to face. If he could kill Hao Zun, then defeating the four of us would be even easier," his companion replied.

After deliberating, the four finally made the same decision—to leave the capital that night. They were not willing to throw away their lives, so escaping was the best choice.

The absence of his four bodyguards a day before the tournament made Prince Wang Wei furious. He immediately ordered eight soldiers to search for them until they were found. But even after waiting until nightfall, the eight soldiers had not returned. This only fueled Prince Wang Wei's anger. His hope of enjoying Mei Lian's body was now completely shattered.

The next morning, four large stages—constructed in just one night—stood firmly in place. Chairs for officials and participants were neatly arranged around the stages. By noon, more than a thousand residents of the capital had gathered around the four grand stages, eager to witness the great event that was about to unfold.

Merchants looking to profit from the grand occasion were also seen around the city's main square, selling their goods.

Meanwhile, at Cheng Hao's residence, Li Jie was preparing to head to the tournament stage, which was not far from the house. Before leaving, he went to see Mei Lian, who was in her room, to say goodbye.

"Stay inside the house until I return. I don't want you to get hurt out there. If I make it to the finals, then you can come and watch me fight."

Mei Lian smiled, touched by Li Jie's concern for her. She nodded and hugged him tightly.

"I will always pray for your safety and victory."

Li Jie kissed her forehead for the second time before departing for the tournament arena.

Deliberately, Li Jie found a spot near Stage 4, choosing not to sit with the other participants who had already taken their seats. Besides the fact that his first match was scheduled there, he also did not want to be seen by Prince Wang Wei.

Before long, Prince Wang Wei arrived, heading toward the seats reserved for participants. As one of the strongest contenders in the tournament, he walked with his head held high, exuding arrogance. He was confident that no one could stop him from becoming the next Grand Commander.

A man responsible for hosting the event stepped onto the arena stage, holding a rolled-up cloth. Moments later, he began announcing the names of the eight participants who would compete on the four stages.

Before stepping down, the announcer read out the tournament rules. A participant would be declared the winner if their opponent surrendered, fell off the stage, or could no longer continue the fight. Participants were allowed to injure each other, but killing or crippling an opponent's abilities was strictly prohibited. Any participant caught violating the rules would be disqualified.

When the gong sounded, the first round of the tournament officially began. The matches on all four stages immediately turned intense, with the participants showcasing their best skills. They were eager to prove that they were worthy of becoming the next Grand Commander.

The crowd erupted in cheers, passionately supporting their favorites. The excitement was palpable—this was the biggest entertainment they had seen in a long time, especially in the capital.

Many participants from martial sects had brought their fellow disciples to cheer them on. Some even carried banners representing their sects, waving them proudly around the tournament arena.

Seated in the section reserved for palace officials, Cheng Hao scanned the participants’ seats with a puzzled expression. He couldn’t spot Li Jie among the dozens of participants who were watching the matches unfold.

He stood up and walked toward one of his personal guards.

"Go check if Li Jie is still at the house or if he has already left for the arena," Cheng Hao whispered.

"Yes, Sir," the soldier replied.

Cheng Hao returned to his seat as the guard left to look for Li Jie.

Unconsciously, Cheng Hao had become invested in Li Jie's success in the tournament. Even though he had never seen Li Jie's abilities firsthand, the reports from his soldiers convinced him that Li Jie was a formidable fighter.

Meanwhile, the participants who had not yet competed were busy analyzing the skills of those currently fighting on stage. This was a natural strategy, as those on stage could very well become their opponents in the next round.

Their eyes shifted from one stage to another, keenly observing each match. Whenever a participant demonstrated dominance, the spectators would focus their attention on that particular fight.

The first round of matches did not last too long. Two participants from martial sects displayed overwhelming strength against their civilian opponents. At the same time, two princes from smaller dynasti under Shang's rule had already overpowered their respective adversaries.

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