After hearing Otis Hum’s words, everyone in the venue simultaneously turned their attention to the VIP area. The vast majority of people there wore expressions of excitement and admiration.


    Urban Woolery, the Prime Minister, held a revered position in the hearts of millions of vale citizens. In the past few decades, as vale rose against the declining trend of the country, this elderly man yed an integral role in the nation’s recovery.


    “Hahaha…”


    Urban stood up and walked out of the VIP area, his heartyughter spreading across every corner of the arena.


    “Dear talents, vale’s future rests on your shoulders. I believe that with your presence, vale will soon regain its glorious state as the leading nation among all nations!”


    After saying this, he bowed deeply to the tens of thousands of spectators. Thunderous apuse echoed through the venue,sting for a considerable time.


    “Now, let me briefly exin the rules of thispetition,” Otis continued as the apuse subsided. “Considering therge number of participants, the early rounds of thispetition will follow the elimination format…”


    Otis spent several minutes describing the rules of thepetition.


    “In addition, let me highlight three!” Otis paused for a moment before continuing.


    “First, the purpose of thispetition is to foster friendships through martial arts. Therefore, unless both parties willingly sign a life-and-death contract, no one is allowed to kill on the stage. Vitors will be executed!”


    “Second, participants can use cold weapons, including concealed weapons, but poison is prohibited. Vitors will be executed!”? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    “Third, except in matches where a life-and-death contract is signed, forbidden techniques and secret arts are not allowed. Vitors will be executed!”


    “All right, that’s all I have to say. Now, please have the participants who have signed up for thepetition take their seats in the rest area. There will be staff guiding you through the drawing process.”


    After finishing his speech, the tform slowly descended.


    “Forbidding the use of poison, isn’t that bullying?” Stoutined in the rest area.


    “Not using poison, are you afraid to step onto the stage?” Ivy red at him.


    “There are over two hundred thousand spectators here. If the use of poison is allowed, who can guarantee the safety of so many people?”


    “Fine!” Stout shrugged. After a short pause, he looked at Billy. “Boss, it’s understandable that they don’t allow the use of poison, but why don’t they allow the use of forbidden techniques and secret arts?”


    “Stout, this is also easy to understand!” Casey chuckled.


    “In the vast martial world, there are all kinds of strange and peculiar techniques. Some people possess forbidden techniques with tremendous destructive power. If unleashed without restrictions, it would be challenging to ensure the safety of the audience.”


    “Moreover, most people’s forbidden techniquese at the cost of burning their own essence and blood. After using such techniques, many be useless. If such people break into the top one hundred after using forbidden techniques, would their ranking be acknowledged or not?”


    “Well, that makes sense.” Stout pursed his lips and looked at Billy again.


    “Boss, no forbidden techniques are allowed in thepetition. If that deputy young master from the Saint Sky Sword Pavilion breaks through to the War Emperor realm, won’t that be troublesome for you?”


    “Take care of yourself!” Ivy red at him again. A few days ago, she had witnessed Billy unleashing the Domineering de Art. The power of that strike was extremely shocking even now. She could feel that although it might not fullypare to the Five Elements Secret Art, it wasn’t far behind.


    If Billy used his full strength, even if he faced a Sovereign-Realm expert, there was still a possibility of a fight.


    Half an hourter, under the guidance of the staff, the participantspleted the drawing for the first round of the elimination match. Billy and his group drew lots that were scattered, spread across several arenas. Billy, along with Frostde and Stout, drew the lot for Arena 2.


    The rules stated that each tform would amodate one thousand participants, and those with the same number would face off against each other. The winner would advance, while the loser would be eliminated. This would eliminate half of the participants in the first round.


    Thepetition officially began at 10 a. m.


    On tform 2, after the referee’smand, two participants assumed their stances and attacked each other. Both were at the War Grandmaster realm, and the battle continued for about ten minutes as they evenly matched each other. Eventually, the taller of the two seized an opportunity, shed to the right side of his opponent, and delivered a sweeping kick, knocking his opponent off the tform.


    In the following matches, many were decided in just one move as the strength disparity between the contestants was significant. Some participants, after learning about their opponent’s strength, didn’t even step onto the tform and chose to forfeit directly.


    Time passed quickly, and it was around 11 a. m.


    “Now, please wee the participants with the numbers 2-092 to the stage!” the referee’s voice came from the tform.


    ording to thepetition rules, participants were only identified by numbers, not by their identities. This was to prevent potential retaliation after thepetition.


    “Frostde, it’s your turn!” Stout looked at Frostde beside him and grinned. “ording to the rules, you can’t kill on the stage. You have to spare your opponents’ lives!”


    “Stout, am I that brutal?” Frostde rolled her eyes and stood up, walking towards the tform.


    “Boss, Frostde still doesn’t understand herself well!” Stout turned his head and looked at Billy, shaking his head.


    “You’re not much better than her!” Billy responded casually.


    “Uh…” Stout twitched his lips.


    While they were talking, Frostde had already ascended to the tform.


    “Haha, I, ck Roffe, am quite lucky to draw such a beautifuldy as my opponent!” On the tform, a burly, dark-skinned man looked at Frostde and spoke with a trace of amazement in his eyes.


    “Wow, is that ck Roffe? I didn’t expect him to participate in the Dragon and Phoenix Rankingpetition.” A man in the audience eximed in surprise.


    “Who’s ck Roffe? Is he powerful?” Hispanion asked.


    “You haven’t heard of him? In the past two or three years, his reputation in the martial arts world has been quite high. It is said that since he emerged, he rarely encountered a suitable opponent. He acts ording to his own interests, both righteous and wicked.”


    “I heard that he broke through to the War Emperor realm about a year ago. He should be at least at the mid-stage of the War Emperor realm now!”


    “So strong?” Hispanion showed a trace of fear.


    “…”


    “Are you ck Roffe?” On the stage, Frostde nced coldly at the man.


    “Did you hear my name, pretty?” his gaze swept over Frostde’s figure as he said, “Well, this is even better. You should just surrender. You are not my opponent. Let’s be friends. I’ll treat you to lunch at noon. How about that?”