https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-354-Seven-Arrows-to-Strike-Down-a-Tyrant/12551260/
Chapter 353: A Grand Entrance
Chapter 353: A Grand Entrance
At exactly 7 o'clock in the evening, the lights in the Tian Qin National Stadium dimmed.
After a few seconds, a spotlight illuminated the center stage, revealing a group of dancers dressed in extravagant costumes.
The opening act was a dance performance.
The dancers were all Extras, capable of moves that ordinary people could only dream of. They leaped, spun, and even took flight, their graceful yet powerful routines enhanced by a combination of backdrop and projection effects, creating a stunning audiovisual feast for the audience.
And this was just the beginning. With a combined audience of over 1.5 billion through online live streams and virtual platforms, the dancers exited the stage, and thunderous music filled the stadium as a male and female host took center stage.
Both were top-notch emcees renowned worldwide.
In their introduction, two teams comprised of celebrities, notable figures, and retired competing Extras were presented.
A total of sixteen participants, including handsome young men, beautiful women, and Extras, each one a household name, were introduced to enthusiastic cheers from their respective fans, creating a lively atmosphere.
These individuals had been handpicked by Li Xuan.
Rumor had it that numerous celebrities were vying for a spot, going as far as leveraging connections, tapping into their networks, and even engaging in bidding wars.
Ultimately, Li Xuan made the final decision, selecting these sixteen individuals and dividing them into two teams.
Each team had five starters and three substitutes, complete with team names, temporary clubs, custom uniforms, and slogans. They had even hired coaching staffs from the Super League, commencing tactical training a month in advance with a level of professionalism on par with the professional leagues.
Their training sessions were live-streamed and turned into a reality show, which enjoyed high ratings.
Fans of the team members bickered, praised, and insulted each other online, creating a dramatic and captivating sideshow.
Today was the day they would settle the score.
The first team to win three out of five matches would be declared the winner.
As soon as the two teams were introduced, the first match began.
The players from both teams walked to opposite ends of the stadium, where soundproof glass enclosures allowed the audience to observe their actions.
Every step of the process adhered to the standards of the Super League.
A five-minute countdown timer appeared, and the players gathered around their respective coaches, their faces serious as they received last-minute tactical instructions and mental preparation.
Anyone who regularly watched the competitions would be familiar with this scene.
On the live broadcast, guest commentators provided insightful analysis of both teams, ensuring that the audience remained engaged during the wait.
In a private box...
Zhao Manying, the top-ranked active competing Extra, smiled softly as she watched the proceedings. "Quite a professional setup."
Being the star of her home stadium, she had competed in hundreds of matches here, yet today was her first time experiencing it from a spectator's perspective, which felt novel.
"It's all arranged by Li Xuan's team," Ji Xinghuo nodded, "This is his forte."
Li Xuan's rise to the status of a Heavenly King was attributed not only to his exceptional cultivation talent but also to his top-notch marketing skills, which some might argue were even more impressive.
Wang Yindong chimed in, "If the Thousand Illusion Swordmaster devoted himself to business, he could definitely build a massive commercial empire."
"I wonder how much money he could make?" Liang Qiufeiyan couldn't help but wonder.
Ye Dongyun, who had some insight into this area, offered, "Forget about becoming the world's richest person, but he'd easily surpass a trillion. He'd rank among the top few on the nation's rich list."
The expressions of those in the box varied.
Some looked on with admiration, others were stunned, while a few remained unaffected, their composure unwavering.
An Yitian sighed, "If I had to choose between a trillion-dollar empire and becoming a Heavenly King, I'd pick the latter without hesitation."
"Me too," Su Ziyu agreed.
Intrigued, the others voiced their choices for this hypothetical scenario.
The vast majority opted for becoming a Heavenly King, which was unsurprising. There were over a hundred individuals and families in the world with trillion-dollar fortunes, but only 49 Heavenly Kings. Furthermore, several Heavenly Kings simultaneously possessed assets worth well over a trillion.
Strength and wealth were not mutually exclusive.
In fact, they often went hand in hand. When an Extra attained immense power, wealth inevitably followed.
"It's starting."
The five starters from each team lay down in their projection cabins and entered the Spirit Realm.
A massive projection appeared in the center of the stadium, displaying the scene from within the Spirit Realm in three-dimensional glory, allowing the audience to witness the action as if they were there themselves. The feed was also broadcast worldwide via the internet.
The first match was a thrilling affair.
With evenly matched teams and players of exceptional skill, the tactical maneuvers kept the audience on the edge of their seats until the very end when a winner finally emerged.
Ji Xinghuo watched with rapt attention, and the audience was equally enthralled.
Between each match, there were intermission performances.
A veteran diva, a longtime favorite, took the stage to enthusiastic applause. Ji Xinghuo herself was a fan and often listened to her songs. The singer performed three consecutive numbers, turning the competition stage into her personal concert.
Then, the second match commenced.
This pattern continued.
Whether it was due to a well-written script or clever tactical maneuvers, the teams alternated victories. If one team lost, the other would immediately strike back in the next match.
After four matches, the score was tied.
Not only were there performances between each match, but each match was a nail-biter that went down to the wire, ensuring a high level of excitement throughout.
The audience was enthralled, and the players were equally immersed in the competition, relishing the intense stimulation.
The online buzz had reached a fever pitch.
Media outlets from every country were providing live coverage, and social media platforms were ablaze with related topics.
By the time the fifth and final match began, the number of live viewers had surpassed 4 billion.
"Li Xuan is a damn genius."
Chi Zhonglin checked the live broadcast data and couldn't help but marvel, and the others in the box nodded in agreement.
Ji Xinghuo had to admire Li Xuan's marketing prowess.
If it weren't for the existence of Extras and a world where strength overshadowed capital and power, a person like Li Xuan would undoubtedly become a formidable figure who calls the shots, instead of just being an internet celebrity king.
Amid deafening shouts, the two star teams emerged victorious, exiting their projection cabins to accept the cheers of the audience and their fans.
By then, it had been two hours since the show started.
This was followed by a singing and dancing performance by the competing celebrities, pushing the atmosphere in the stadium to a fever pitch.
After the performance, the celebrities exited the stage.
The entire Tian Qin Stadium fell silent, with hundreds of thousands of spectators in attendance holding their breath in anticipation.
Bang, bang.
Two spotlights shone down, illuminating two VIP boxes located on opposite sides of the stadium. On the giant screen in between, two figures appeared—the protagonists of the night, Ji Xinghuo and Li Xuan.
Ji Xinghuo chose to maintain his privacy, and his face on the live broadcast was replaced by a default male "average face" with no distinctive features.
However, this face synchronized perfectly with his expressions, not missing a single detail.
Ji Xinghuo stood up and raised his right hand to acknowledge the audience.
In contrast, Li Xuan held nothing back. His handsome features were on full display for the global audience. Garbed in an ancient-style robe, he descended gracefully, maintaining a brilliant smile and waving frequently to the audience and cameras, leaving a favorable impression.
In terms of their entrance, Ji Xinghuo was clearly at a disadvantage.
But he didn't mind.
The emcee announced in a booming voice, "Dear viewers, the moment you've all been waiting for has arrived! It's time for our two heavyweight figures to take the stage. First, we have the rising star who reached the top of the Heaven's Ladder in just three years and recently turned 25 years old—the peerless genius and our generation's most dazzling star—Ji Xinghuo!"
The giant projection screen split into two halves.
One side of the screen played clips of Ji Xinghuo's past achievements.
There he was, in this very stadium last year, delivering a sword strike that shattered legends, breaching the air defense system of the Hindi Kingdom, and running a globe-spanning marathon, traversing mountains and valleys, only to cross the finish line backward in front of the Sun King to claim victory.
The other half of the screen showed the live feed of Ji Xinghuo, who was about to take the stage when Zhao Manying pulled him back by the hand.
In the spotlight, Zhao Manying planted a light kiss on his lips.
"Damn it!"
"Holy sht..."
Countless viewers burned with jealousy as they witnessed the kiss between the stunningly beautiful woman and the man on their screens, and both the virtual platforms and live stream chat rooms were inundated with a torrent of comments.
"Ji Xinghuo, take your damn hands off her!"
"I was just here to watch the competition, why are you force-feeding me dog food? Fck, I wish the Thousand Illusion Swordmaster would chop him into pieces for me!"
Ji Xinghuo didn't care what others thought; he was just happy, lightly embracing Zhao Manying's waist and relishing this moment in the limelight.
The kiss lasted for a few seconds.
"Good luck," Zhao Manying whispered encouragingly after they parted.
All the men couldn't help but envy him for having a girlfriend who was not only globally renowned for her talent, strength, and fame but also possessed breathtaking beauty. It was something they could only dream of.
Ji Xinghuo nodded at her, picked up the Black Eternal Crystal Battle Bow and Electric Potential Battle Blade that were placed beside him, and turned to fly out of the box.
Whoosh...
With a soft whooshing sound, Ji Xinghuo descended to the center of the arena.
The emcee continued with enthusiasm, "And now, let's welcome the youngest King among us, the founder of 'Xuan Yi' Studio, holder of multiple cultivation records, and a member of the ten-billion fan club..."
The introduction for Li Xuan was significantly longer, listing his various titles and honors, and his personal video was also more extensive.
"... Ranked 45th on the King's List, the 'Thousand Illusion Swordmaster,' Li Xuan!"
Music filled with ethereal charm and accompanied by visual effects began to play.
Li Xuan flew out from the opposite box, intentionally slowing down his descent to create a celestial-like entrance, stepping down from the sky to the ground in perfect sync with the music.
When he landed in front of Ji Xinghuo, the music reached its climax.
Ji Xinghuo's entrance, in comparison, was much simpler. If it weren't for Zhao Manying's kiss, his aura would have been completely overshadowed by Li Xuan's. From their entrances to their appearances and popularity, Ji Xinghuo lagged behind Li Xuan by more than just a notch, making them seem like opponents of different calibers.
Li Xuan wore a pleased expression.
All of this was according to his plan, and now, all he needed was a perfect victory, which he was confident he could achieve.
"Please enter the Spirit Realm," the emcee said.
The two shook hands and wasted no time with further words. They each flew to their respective ends of the arena and stepped into the soundproof enclosures on the platforms, lying down in their projection cabins with their weapons and equipment.
The final battle was also a best-of-five format.
There was a five-minute break between each round, but no performances were held during the breaks.
A countdown timer appeared before their eyes.
When it reached zero, Ji Xinghuo's vision changed abruptly, and he found himself amidst a continuous stretch of mountains.
At the same time, a three-dimensional projection appeared in the Tian Qin Stadium, synchronizing the scenery from within the Spirit Realm in real-time. Maps, data, and multiple-angle shots were displayed, providing a comprehensive view of the two competitors' locations and situations.
With bated breath, billions of viewers watched the two figures on the screen, their hearts pounding with anticipation.
"It's finally about to begin!"
(End of Chapter)
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