"Win? That's a win?"

"How can there be two Primordial Ancestors? I don't understand at all. Can someone explain?"

"You didn't understand? The Primordial Ancestor used a clone from the beginning. His true body has been lurking around, waiting for the right moment to strike. This move is really cunning. I've been thinking about how he would deal with the Hole Crossing Pawn's ability to see through things. I never expected him to create a clone."

"It's a bit of a cheat, but the Hole Crossing Pawn also used a corresponding item to counter the Primordial Ancestor. Everyone, it's a fair match. No complaints if you lose."

"Less than a minute... Although it's short, it's so exciting. The Primordial Ancestor is still the same as before, he likes to plan, likes to calculate. He's not the type who enjoys a straightforward battle."

"The Hole Crossing Pawn is not bad either. His strategy is sound, seizing the opportunity to get close and end the battle quickly. He can't drag it out, dragging it out means losing. But it seems like the Primordial Ancestor anticipated this, sigh, just a minute, but it contains a lot of unseen competition."

Compared to the thunderous applause at the end of Jiang Jingwei and Zhao Chenghuang's battle, the audience at the volcano crater was much calmer at this moment, without the roaring cheers.

But the discussion was very lively, just like the fans after watching a game competition, spitting out discussions about the tactics of both sides, criticizing who was lacking, where the countermeasures went wrong, and which team fight was too impulsive.

It was a lively discussion.

As for Zhao Chenghuang and Jiang Jingwei's battle, they could only say one thing: "Wow!"

At most, they would add, "Impressive," but there was no discussion and participation like the Primordial Ancestor and the Hole Crossing Pawn's match. They could understand it and even express their opinions. The medical staff rushed into the lava, carrying away the Hole Crossing Pawn who was bleeding profusely.

Although the blow didn't hit a vital spot, if the bleeding wasn't stopped soon, the contestant's life would be in danger.

Zhang Yuanqing enjoyed the cheers from the audience outside the arena, listening to their noisy and endless discussions, and was about to leave the lava pool.

But as he took a step with his left foot, his right leg moved uncontrollably, causing a conflict between his brain's command and his body's execution. He stumbled and almost fell.

Damn, the price of the Mirror Flower Water Moon... Zhang Yuanqing froze in place, afraid to move again.

The red-haired elder stood at the edge of the volcano, looking at the Primordial Ancestor, who was enjoying the adoration of the crowd in the arena, and impatiently said, "Aren't you coming up? Do you want to continue the fight?"

Zhang Yuanqing turned to look and earnestly said, "Elder, I have a problem with my body and can't move. Can you help me?" The red-haired young elder's face darkened and said, "It's no problem to help you, but can you stop talking to me with your back turned? It's basic respect."

"Oh, sorry!" Zhang Yuanqing quickly turned around.

The red-haired young elder's forehead veins bulged, "Is it respectful to face me sideways?"

With a cold snort, the red-haired young elder flicked a whip made of flames, hooked around the Primordial Ancestor's waist, and threw him onto the shore like a dead fish.

Sun Miaomiao squatted beside Zhao Chenghuang and said with a smile, "How about that? Do you still think the Primordial Ancestor is nothing special?"

As a seed player of the Taiyi Sect, the elders of the sect had called a meeting with the seed players before the top 16 began, to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the top ten players and formulate targeted tactics.

At that time, Zhao Chenghuang's evaluation of the Primordial Ancestor was that he would most likely be eliminated in the top 16, with the extreme being the top eight, and no hope for the top four. Zhao Chenghuang looked at the other party's big, round eyes and pondered for a moment before saying, "He is someone who is very good at using tools and the environment. The more chaotic and complex the scene, the stronger his abilities. If the venue for the quarterfinals is a high-difficulty dungeon type, he might become our strong opponent."

Sun Miaomiao nodded slightly.

On the other side, in an inconspicuous position, Annie chuckled and said, "Interesting. The Primordial Ancestor's fighting style is somewhat similar to the Demon Lord's, but more restrained. Of course, the other players are also very restrained."

She was very satisfied with the Primordial Ancestor's performance. Every time the Primordial Ancestor won a match, her evaluation of him would increase. Mr. Bill asked, "Restrained?"

Annie nodded, "The Demon Lord's fighting style is meticulous and wild. He likes to insult the women of the enemy's family before the battle, to provoke the enemy. For this, he has even developed a set of verbal taunts. The little guys from the Five Elements Alliance are all well-behaved before the battle, which is not good."

Mr. Bill had asked casually, but now he was interested, "The verbal taunts developed by the Demon Lord? If it's not confidential, I'd like to hear it."

Annie shrugged, "Some vulgar language, nothing special. Well, there are some that are not vulgar, but we don't understand them." She recalled and said, "I and your father are of the same path, and I have a close relationship with your mother."

Mr. Bill repeated the sentence in a low voice, shaking his head helplessly, "I don't understand what it means. Can this provoke someone?" Annie laughed, "You can shout it out and try."

... Mr. Bill was silent for a few seconds and then shook his head slowly, "Forget it, I don't want to return to the Spirit Realm so soon." On the other side, there was another beautiful woman who was extremely satisfied with the Primordial Ancestor, just like the enchanting Annie.

Zhu Rong squinted her beautiful eyes, staring at the blurry figure of the Primordial Ancestor in the distance, her smile was beautiful and dangerous, "What an exciting toy."

The next few battles proceeded in an orderly manner, and by dusk, the top eight list was announced.

Zhao Chenghuang, Tudi Gong, Sun Miaomiao, Yinchixi, Primordial Ancestor, Qing Songzi, Yuan Ting, and Baihu Wansui. The red-haired young elder in charge of the competition announced loudly, "The match is over!"

Zhang Yuanqing returned to his small nest, the window was open, and the evening wind blew in, lifting a corner of the curtain.

Explore the extended edition on pawread.com.

Outside the room, there was the clattering sound of his grandmother cooking, and people with their backpacks were coming and going in the neighborhood, walking on the streets after work.The crowd hurried home with weary bodies, just in time for dinner. After eating, it was time to rest in preparation for the commute the next day.

The evening in Songhai was lively and bustling, but lacked a certain liveliness, unless it was in the old residential areas where the locals gathered to play chess and relax under the trees.

"Grandma, is dinner ready? I'm hungry," Zhang Yuanqing opened the door and shouted, poking his head out. "When did you come back?" Grandma's voice came from the kitchen. "Wait another half an hour."

"Oh!"

Zhang Yuanqing retracted his head, picked up his phone, and sent a triumphant message to Xiao Yuan as usual. "Not bad!" Xiao Yuan replied.

A few seconds later, another message came: "Don't come to see me these days, I might be being followed." Being followed... Zhang Yuanqing's heart skipped a beat, and he sent a message: "Is it someone from the official organization?"

Xiao Yuan: "I don't know, the other party is very cautious, and their level should not be low. They haven't made any extreme moves yet. I plan to lure them out a little longer."

If I remember correctly, Xiao Yuan is a witch doctor at the level of a saint. Even if she faces the official organization, she still has the ability to protect herself... Zhang Yuanqing sent a message: "If you have any needs, just ask."

Although when it really comes down to it, the level of Transcendent Zhang Yuanqing is a bit lacking, but if the other party is from the official organization, then the identity of Transcendent Zhang Yuanqing will be useful. Besides, with Master Wuheng covering Xiao Yuan, it's difficult for any ordinary force to threaten her.

So Zhang Yuanqing wasn't too worried. Xiao Yuan: "Okay."

Zhang Yuanqing didn't say anything more, but a few minutes later, Aunt Xiao Yuan sent a smiling emoji. Zhang Yuanqing replied with a question mark, but she didn't respond.

What does that mean? He was puzzled.

At this time, Zhang Yuanqing saw someone @ him in the White Tiger Guard group, so he clicked to see:

[Phoenix: @Transcendent Zhang Yuanqing, the clone you used today is the "Mirror Flower Water Moon" in our faction's warehouse, using interference methods to affect the insight of the scout is very clever. You are a player who is good at using props.]

[Phoenix: I will list the strengths and weaknesses of the top eight players for you, as well as what props to use to counter them. Except for the top three, you can find suitable props in the White Tiger Guard's faction warehouse. But for Zhao Chenghuang, Sun Miaomiao, and Tudi Gong, there are no corresponding props in the faction warehouse, unless it's at the saint level, but I don't recommend you use them.]

The use of saint-level props is a bit blurry in terms of what is considered a violation and what is not.

So far, no one has used saint-level props. Zhang Yuanqing's scarecrow has reached this level, but it is an auxiliary type.

[Little Brain Axe: It's easy to be judged as a violation, and it will be criticized. I think it's unsportsmanlike for someone of your reputation.]

[Ling Jun: From the current situation, it seems a bit difficult for Transcendent Zhang Yuanqing to enter the top three. I thought you could enter the top three, but after watching the competition for so many days, the strength of the top three players has exceeded my imagination. I feel that even if you use that item, it will be difficult to win.] He was referring to the Red Dancing Shoes.

[Seven Lang: If Transcendent Zhang Yuanqing has bad luck and is matched with the top three tomorrow, then he will be stopped at the top eight. Boss, what do you think? @Fu Qingyang]

[Fu Qingyang: The rules of tomorrow's competition may change. I just got the news from the elders. It seems that the headquarters wants to throw the top eight players into a high-difficulty instance to determine the top three in a nurturing mode. It is currently being discussed in a meeting.]

The more active people in the group were suddenly shocked.

[Seven Lang: Doesn't that mean the exhibition match for the Transcendent level today will end?]

[Phoenix: Heh, based on my understanding of the headquarters, the meeting will last at least three days, and there will be no arena matches tomorrow, it will be a rest day instead.]

[Little Brain Axe: I think this is good. Large-scale slaughter instances are nurturing mode, and the headquarters probably wants to make this competition more like a slaughter instance, allowing the top eight players to adapt as soon as possible. It can be seen that the headquarters intends to focus on nurturing the top eight players.]

[Fu Qingyang: Let's wait for the headquarters to give the results. If they throw them into the instance, Transcendent Zhang Yuanqing might be able to compete for the championship. However, Zhao Chenghuang's performance today, you also saw it, just that move, your chances of winning against him will drop to less than thirty percent. @Transcendent Zhang Yuanqing] [Transcendent Zhang Yuanqing: Hmm!]

If it's changed to an instance, external factors will be enhanced, and it can indeed increase my chances of winning. But a master like Zhao Chenghuang is not a novice in the instance, and both he and I are Night Wanderers. Factors that are unfavorable to him will definitely be unfavorable to me as well, it's still difficult to deal with...

But for the Earth Boots, I can't give up.

Zhang Yuanqing didn't want to talk about these unpleasant things, so he privately chatted with Ling Jun:

"I have a question, there's an aunt who suddenly stopped talking to me, you have experience dealing with women, analyze it for me." Ling Jun: "???"

Ling Jun: "Xing, your taste is quite heavy." Zhang Yuanqing: "But that aunt has a good figure and a pretty face." Ling Jun: "You're doing well, you have potential."

Transcendent Zhang Yuanqing: "It's like this, she recently encountered a little danger, it should be a small danger, and she deliberately told me about it. I just realized it now. With her personality, if it's a real danger, she would directly ask for help, but if it's a small matter, she wouldn't bother. So she should have deliberately told me."

Ling Jun: "So how did you respond to her?"

Transcendent Zhang Yuanqing: "If you have any needs, just ask. Then she sent a smiling emoji and ignored me." Ling Jun: "Tell me about her personality, and I'll analyze it for you."

Zhang Yuanqing then described Xiao Yuan's personality in great detail to Ling Jun.

After listening, Ling Jun suddenly felt like a top-tier player watching a bronze rookie make a mistake, and sent a string of "sweat" emojis."This kind of woman has a strong psychological defense, indifferent to everyone, but in fact, she craves warmth, so she values her companions greatly. As for suitors, she subconsciously rejects and distances herself from them, indiscriminately knocking them down without distinguishing good from bad, eliminating all possibilities."

"To deal with this kind of woman, you must persistently pester her, but be mindful of the extent, making her feel helpless but not disgusted. Then, you need to understand her, observe her, find the soft spot in her heart, and strike quickly and decisively, just like how you dealt with the pawn crossing the river today."

Primordial Sovereign: "Your analogy makes me feel a bit odd. And then?"

Ling Jun: "Then she will start to have a good impression of you, observe you, test you, and subtly probe you with little things, but she will never say it outright. She's quite pretentious. At this point, if you do something wrong or respond incorrectly, she will quickly retreat."

Zhang Yuanqing suddenly realized and hurriedly sent a message: "How can I remedy this?"

Ling Jun: "Didn't she tell you not to look for her? Do the opposite. It's best to go quietly, showing respect for her choice on one hand, and on the other hand, showing how much you care about her. You must always remember, this kind of woman is pretentious, yet craves warmth and care, so 'persistently pestering' definitely works on them. If you say 'don't', and you really think 'don't', then you're a fool."

"That makes sense."

Zhang Yuanqing sent a string of "I worship the master" emojis. He then sent another message asking:

"I've been stuck with a sister for a long time. She tolerates me a lot and is very close, but I always feel like there's one step missing, more than friends but less than lovers."

Ling Jun: "You're talking about Guan Ya, right?"

Zhang Yuanqing sent the "I worship the master" emoji again, hiding his inner embarrassment.

Ling Jun: "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. When I was young, I longed to have two close female friends, one named Lin Meimei and one named Bao Jiejie, with someone like Qingwen to warm my bed, and best to have a young woman named Qin Keqing to teach me how to grow up. Young boys always have these thoughts. Any twenty-something young man who says he doesn't admire them is bluffing."

In Ling Jun's view, Primordial Sovereign is the typical straight man who likes many beautiful older sisters but has never actually had a girlfriend.

Although Primordial Sovereign is very sociable and good at socializing, interpersonal relationships and having a girlfriend are not the same thing; the latter requires experience, and without experience, there is none.

Being socially adept and a veteran in the field of love are two different concepts.

Ling Jun: "But to be honest, I don't recommend you pursue Guan Ya. She's a scout, and if you change your heart or cheat, you can't hide it from her penetrating eyes. The key is, you can't beat her. When the relationship breaks down, you'll be the one abused."

Primordial Sovereign: "......."

Ling Jun: "But since you asked, I must teach you. Guan Ya comes from a spiritual family with high standards, and ordinary men won't catch her eye. You don't have a problem in this regard; the reputation of Primordial Sovereign is enough."

"Her personality is a bit strange. When it comes to risqué jokes, even I blush and can't stand it, but you won't have a problem. This is an important factor in gaining her favor. Based on my analysis, there are three reasons why your relationship with her has hit a bottleneck."

"First, you haven't known each other for long, and a woman of her background won't confirm a romantic relationship with a man in a short time."

"Second, because of her family background, although she's rebellious, she knows her status. When it comes to choosing a husband, her family will definitely intervene. She might feel that you're not yet suitable to meet her parents, so she keeps her distance from you."

"Third, you lack a catalyst, such as a romantic confession, a life-and-death crisis, or a reckless indulgence after drinking."

"Got it, got it..." Zhang Yuanqing was stunned. Ling Jun: "Anything else? If not, I'm going to eat."

There's still the matter of the Stop-Killing Palace Master... Primordial Sovereign: "That's all, thanks, master." Zhang Yuanqing clicked on Ling Jun's avatar and changed his note to: Life Coach!

Fu Family Bay Villa.

In the dining room, Fu Qingyang held a knife and fork, enjoying a sumptuous dinner, his gaze turning to Ling Jun across the table, who was holding his phone with a smile on his face.

He frowned slightly and said indifferently:

"Got a new girlfriend? No, your expression is too complex, filled with satisfaction, pride, and a hint of dark glee. A girlfriend wouldn't make your face so complicated."

Ling Jun put down his phone and said, "Of course I'm proud and satisfied to spread my philosophy and scholarship." He chewed on a piece of roasted meat and continued, "It's Primordial Sovereign asking me for some advice."

Fu Qingyang's expression was calm: "Asking you how to pick up girls?"

"No!" Ling Jun's expression turned serious: "He's asking me how to become your cousin-in-law."

After dinner, Zhang Yuanqing lay on his bed, browsing the official forum posts, chatting with Guan Ya in a half-hearted manner. He occasionally responded to Xie Lingxi and the Queen.

What he pondered over was Fu Qingyang's words before dinner.

If headquarters really adjusted the competition mode, it wouldn't just be about martial strength anymore; environmental factors and the personalities of the competitors would also need to be considered.

His next goal was clear: to collect the personalities and information of the top eight competitors and profile their behavioral logic. "Guan Ya and the Chief are scouts; I'll ask them for help tomorrow to summarize a personality analysis of the top eight competitors."

After making up his mind, he turned off his phone and snuggled into the air-conditioned blanket. The shrill ringtone of his phone sounded.

The caller was Fu Qingyang.

"Hello, Centurion?" Zhang Yuanqing answered the call.

"Come to Fu Family Bay, Elder Dog wants to see you," Fu Qingyang's voice was as cold as the frost of December. "Elder Dog wants to see me?" Zhang Yuanqing was puzzled: "What for?"

With the status of an elder, it was unusual to meet someone. Besides, if there was something important, why not mention it during the daytime arena match? "To introduce you to the Demon Eye King!" Fu Qingyang said.

PS: Will correct typos later.