Border Town Wanderer ignored the crowd with grim expressions, laughed heartily, then returned to the cabin and shouted, "Set sail!"

The crowd watched as Sword Gate University's team of five departed.

Bai Pu squinted his eyes in thought.

Unable to detect information might have multiple possibilities, the most likely being that he possesses the skill to block detection, and at a very high priority.

However, this guy named Border Town Wanderer could actually sense how many people were spying on him!

This shows his perception is extremely keen, much like Dongbo Cheng in the Heart Demon: Oath world, who could sense external probing! Bai Pu couldn't help but think, could it be that these talents stuck at Level 6 in the Hero profession are continually honing their perception?

...

That evening, the draw results were out.

Eight top seeds were placed into eight groups. This allocation is not unfair; it merely disperses the eight top seeds.

Western Capital University was in the first group, Qianyuan University was in the second group.

Xili Institute of Technology unexpectedly got placed in the third group, with no clue what the organizers are thinking…

The remaining 24 teams were allocated into eight groups through drawing lots, avoiding teams from the same region as per the two rules.

During the draw, Bai Pu saw the "Jiangnan University" team banner and under it, saw Longxiang and others.

He thought he would spot Crazy Zen among the substitutes, but after scanning around, found Crazy Zen missing, though he did make eye contact with Longxiang.

Longxiang intentionally said hello with a smile, with Dark Blade, Fengxiang, and others from behind waving at Bai Pu.

But the next moment, Longxiang couldn't smile anymore.

As the second seed, Jiangnan University was assigned to the first group—alongside Western Capital University!

Among the 32 teams participating in the national competition, ranking them would lead top talents to be indignant. Yet, all media ratings without exception listed Western Capital University as predicted first.

Last year, Western Capital University clinched the championship, and terrifyingly, their three main players from last year hadn't graduated yet, honing their skills for another year.

Considering each group has only one team advancing, Jiangnan University virtually had no chance to make it into the top eight.

Longxiang sighed and hung the team flag below Western Capital University's flag in the first group.

He approached Bai Pu afterward, casually grousing, "Actually, it's fine. A 1% chance to advance in another group, a 0% chance in the first group, makes little difference anyway."

"Make way."

Before Bai Pu could respond, a team squeezed through between him and Longxiang.

This team's banner was distinctly "Xiliang University."

The leader, short and burly with wide shoulders, like a square iron block, glanced at Bai Pu, squinted slightly, then headed upstage with the team flag without looking back.

The team flag was promptly hung in the third group, under "Xicheng University of Technology's" flag!

"Xiliang Region's second seed." Longxiang gestured with his mouth, "That short and stocky guy is 'Railway Track,' an MT with a very long blood bar, excellent at tormenting opponents using various abnormal states."

Bai Pu recalled the information Teacher Cai Cai had given, indeed mentioning this guy named Railway Track, also the lead player in the Xiliang Region last year, promoted to captain this year.

"Why does it feel like teams from the Xiliang Region are so arrogant." A regular-faced guy behind Bai Pu, attending the national competition for the first time, was somewhat dissatisfied, "Sword Gate University, seems to be Xiliang Region's top seed, right?"

"It's actually not arrogance, just that they don't regard us." Senior Xuan Pin was quite calm—a fact that Jiangnan Region's historical match record was indeed embarrassingly poor.

"This isn't a bad thing," Bai Pu remarked.

Swiftly, all 24 teams were allocated.

Next was drawing the match schedule. Each team would play a match against the other three teams in the group, and advancement to the top eight would be determined based on points and match results.

A loss, earns no points.

A win, earns two points.

A draw, earns one point.

If a group's matches end with two teams having the same points, their match result would determine who proceeds to the top eight. In an extreme scenario, if tied in points and their match is a draw, a tiebreaker will be held.

Generally, draws are rare and tiebreakers even rarer.

Bai Pu was particularly interested in the schedule.

He looked over it; Xili Institute of Technology's schedule wasn't tight, they play the first match tomorrow, then another match after a day's gap, completing the group stage within a week.

He then consulted the organizers about using the Boundary Land on Pengliu Island for skills cultivation during other teams' matches.

Organizers had encountered similar situations before, with precedents that permitted it as long as one was two kilometers away from the match site. This reassured Bai Pu since the Pengliu Island area was vast; he only needed to avoid the competition islands.

...

Day of the match, first day.

Bai Pu did not go to Pengliu Island for training because the third match in the morning was Xili Institute of Technology versus Xiliang University.

The opening match was Western Capital University against Jiangnan University. Bai Pu followed the team to the stadium's grandstand to watch the match via a suspended large screen's live broadcast.

The scene had a good atmosphere, with the screen displaying multiple angles clearly, and replays professionally done—great viewing experience.

If Sword Gate University's team wasn't seated beside them, the experience would be better.

The slightly sneering smile of Border Town Wanderer always gave a mocking impression. The ordinary-faced guys of Xili Institute Technology were quite displeased, eager to beat him up. Of course, given the disparity in strength, the thought was impractical.

Bai Pu focused on the match.

Despite knowing Jiangnan University would lose, none including Bai Pu expected such a resounding defeat.

The teams never reached the group fight!

The solo match decided the victory, with Western Capital University winning four consecutive matches, scoring 56:0, securing the match entirely.

The first match was Western Capital University's tank, Wan Ren, against Jiangnan University's captain, tank Longxiang.

As the battle began, Wan Ren simply stomped, causing the island's soil and stones to automatically climb onto his body, rapidly wrapping him with a heavy layer of Rock Armor!

The rock seemed an extension of his arms, greatly enhancing his attack range.

Each strike from Wan Ren made Longxiang's form shake, clearly showing Wan Ren's high attack power. The rock arms seemed to amplify his attack power.

Although Longxiang used Dragon Qi Impact, it only barely slowed Wan Ren's advance, merely delaying defeat. After exhausting his Professional Energy, Longxiang could only be pushed back step by step, until squeezed to the edge of the field.

Behind was the sea, so Longxiang had no choice but to admit defeat.

Bai Pu thought about going to Pengliu Island on-site, maybe detecting the origin of Wan Ren's skill.

The skill's duration was extraordinarily long, and its consumption seemed minimal, as Wan Ren didn't show much change upon shedding the Rock Armor.

"Judging by your expression, you seem unaware of Mystical Arts."

Nearby, Border Town Wanderer chuckled and said, "No wonder, your Jiangnan Region is notorious as the Fish Belly Division, has never produced a talent grasping Mystical Arts at Mid-level Awakened stage."

At Mid-level Awakened stage… grasping Mystical Arts?!

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