Chapter 403: Qiao Sang VS Zhang Xueming
Day Three of the Regional Tournament.
Haicheng Beast Battle Arena.
"Friends! Welcome back to the live broadcast of the National Campus Beast Mastering League Regionals !" Yi Ao floated midair with a microphone, enthusiastically engaging the audience.
"Did everyone sleep well last night?"
"Good!"
"Not good!"
The crowd responded with fervor.
In the competitors' area, Xu Yixuan, who had smoothly advanced to the points stage, was in a great mood.
She glanced at the packed stands and marveled, "This is insane. There were barely any people here the first two days, and now the place is full because of you."
This wasn't a small venue, it was a stadium that could hold 80,000 spectators.
"They're all here to see Lubao." Qiao Sang replied with a smile.
Xu Yixuan paused, as if something occurred to her, and asked, "Are we friends?"
"Of course we are." Qiao Sang replied, puzzled.
"Why?"
"Then I have a favor to ask."
Xu Yixuan leaned closer and whispered, "If we end up facing each other in the points round, can you not send out Ice Qiya?"
Qiao Sang: "...Fine."
In the Guwu region, 144 competitors qualified for the regional tournament.
After the elimination stage, 72 remained.
According to the rules of the points stage, the competitors are initially divided into eight groups, with nine people in each group.
At the end of this stage, the top player in each group will directly advance to the national tournament. Those in the bottom three of each group will be eliminated.
The remaining five players in each group will be re-shuffled into new groups, from which the top 32 scorers will be determined.
The eight competitors who directly advanced will later compete for the top eight spots in the regional tournament.
After two days of matches, the elimination rounds had concluded.
Though there were 72 matches, with three time slots: Morning, afternoon, and evening, two days were enough to complete them.
"Next up, the group list for the first round of the points stage!" Yi Ao announced excitedly.
"Everyone, look to the front!"
The large arena screen displayed holographic photos of all advancing players.
The competitors groaned quietly, covering their faces in embarrassment.
The photos quickly shuffled before freezing in place.
Qiao Sang scanned the list and soon spotted her name:
[Group B: Yuhua Region, Qiao Sang]
[Guwu Region, Chen Ye]
[Xilu Region, Guan Shuyi]
[Lianke Region, Li Hua]
[Xilu Region, Bai Binbin]
[...]
[Lianke Region, Xu Tong]
[Lianke Region, Zhang Xueming]
Bai Binbin, Zhang Xueming... Seeing these familiar names, Qiao Sang quickly pulled out her phone and opened her notes.
Bai Binbin (Xilu Region, E-rank Beastmaster):
High-level Beast: Evil Tail Scorpion
Dual Attribute: Dark/Poison
Aggressive temperament; its claws and tail can release deadly poison. Its claws are strong enough to crush cars. Even without poison, its sheer strength can overpower opponents.
Advanced Skills: Evil Pulse, Poison Bomb (both suspected to be at Small Mastery)
Traits:
Sniper: Deals increased damage when hitting critical points.
Poison Point: 30% chance to poison opponents using contact-based attacks.
Mid-level Beast: Scythe Mongoose
Agile and swift, its sharp claws are its deadliest weapons.
Trait: Toxic Boost: When poisoned, its attack power increases.
She scrolled further.
Zhang Xueming (Lianke Region, E-rank Beastmaster):
High-level Beast: Ice Sea Lion
Its thick fat not only resists cold but also rebounds attacks.
Advanced Skills: Blizzard, Heavy Slam
Trait: Oblivious: Immune to charm, taunt, and intimidation.
Mid-level Beast: Mimi Sprite (Fairy Attribute)
Fragile but skilled in charm-based abilities.
Trait: Super Luck: Higher chance of landing critical hits.
It seemed her greatest opponents in the group were Bai Binbin and Zhang Xueming. After carefully reviewing their details, Qiao Sang patiently read through the other six competitors' information.
While group assignments were randomized, the system ensured fairness by guaranteeing that each group contained two to three high-level beasts. This prevented groups with only mid-level beasts from advancing unfairly.
Xu Yixuan was placed in Group E. She scanned her group, focusing on those with only mid-level beasts.
Every group had high-level beastmasters, which ruled out a direct promotion to the nationals for most competitors. However, as long as she stayed in the top six, she still had a shot at the nationals.
The first round of the points stage officially began.
As matches progressed, the audience erupted into lively discussions.
"What's that beast called? It's so big, yet it moves so fast!"
"That's the Twin-Headed Grizzly. Despite its size, look at the muscles on its legs."
"This Zhang Chu player is interesting, winning matches with just two bug-type beasts."
"Don't underestimate bug types. There are no weak attributes, only weak beastmasters."
"Still, bug-type beasts grow fast early but lack potential later. They only shine at this stage."
"That beast looks just like a Void-Grass."
"It's the evolved form, Giant Truth-Grass."
"Impressive! Didn't expect a slacker like you to know evolution forms from other regions."
"Trust me, I wish I didn't. My ex rented a Giant Truth-Grass right before breaking up with me."
"...Yikes."
Ninety-five percent of the spectators were from the Guwu region. While most weren't diehard fans of the tournament, they found great interest in learning about beasts from other regions.
As time passed, Qiao Sang's match approached.
The arena's atmosphere reached its peak.
The epic BGM kicked in right on cue. Yi Ao's excited voice boomed as he introduced the next players. Blue and white spotlights simultaneously lit up the competitors' areas.
When the crowd saw who had appeared on the stage, the arena erupted with deafening cheers.
Unlike the first day, competitors and spectators from other regions were no longer clueless.
Ice Qiya had taken the Guwu region by storm. Its significance was so profound that every major headline covered it after the first day's matches.
"Ice Qiya! Ice Qiya!"
"I asked the fortune pig yesterday. It said Qiao Sang would summon Ice Qiya today!"
"That's a lock, brother!"
"Qiao Sang! I love you! Please let us see Ice Qiya!"
"Everyone, calm down! Qiao Sang's opponent today is Zhang Xueming, who has a high-level beast. What if Ice Qiya gets hurt?"
Amid the deafening shouts, Lubao and Mimi Sprite entered the arena.
This time, Qiao Sang wasn't swayed by the crowd's expectations. She had already gathered intelligence, Mimi Sprite was female.