CHAPTER 517: CHAPTER 437 JUST THIS? (6,000 WORDS)_3

Between the two of them, only one can be chosen. Any demon gambling on the fights is not allowed to participate in the tournament, and their relatives and friends are also prohibited from betting, to fully prevent match-fixing.

If caught violating the rules, the three Kings will personally intervene and execute them on the spot!

The Pig Demon immediately showed dissatisfaction, shouting, "What kind of talk is this from the Queen? Go and ask around in the Abyssal Source, who doesn’t know that old Pig here is the most honest demon in the whole Abyss? How can you accuse me of harboring bad intentions?"

If not for the lustful look it gave the Enchanting Demon Queen, Li Zheng might have actually... still not believed it.

What is a demon?

It’s the antonym of everything beautiful!

The Enchanting Demon Queen might be the most reasonable one in the entire Abyss, but even so, she doesn’t care about Li Zheng’s life, does she? When poisoning him, she didn’t hesitate to increase the dosage.

Is this Pig Demon an honest guy?

Ha!

Even the Tathagata himself couldn’t turn it into an honest person!

The Enchanting Demon Queen ignored it and continued, "The rules for this Star Shining Level tournament are different from usual. It will be a series of one-on-one matches, with the loser eliminated and an odd one given a bye."

One-on-one matchups.

Li Zheng pondered in his heart. Starting with eleven people, ten will battle while one gets a bye.

Counting on his fingers, going back and forth, it adds up to exactly ten matches!

"So, if I’m lucky, I might only need to fight two matches to pass this instance?"

Although the opponents are of a higher tier, more like boss-level presences in other instances, calculating in and out like this actually saves me some trouble?

Li Zheng stared hard at the Enchanting Demon Queen, using his eyes to hint for some manipulation to at least get a bye in the first round.

The Enchanting Demon Queen seemed oblivious, raising her delicate hand to produce a perfectly square opaque box in her palm.

"The bye for each round will be decided by a draw from the King of Destruction and the King of Flame Demons, to avoid any suspicion of a fix!"

Hearing this, Li Zheng suddenly felt deflated, realizing he had been looking forward for nothing.

With his luck.

A bye?

Keep dreaming!

As expected, the Enchanting Demon Queen held the box out to the King of Flame Demons beside her.

After a while, the King of Flame Demons drew a stone stick from it.

The Enchanting Demon Queen took the stone stick and announced, "In the first round, the one with a bye is—the Black Elf, Kurse!"

Li Zheng noticed that when the Enchanting Demon Queen announced the name, the King of Flame Demons appeared somewhat frustrated, glancing twice at a Flame Demon below the platform.

He immediately understood; this Star Shining Level Flame Demon that entered the tournament should have been instructed to join by the King of Flame Demons.

The initial aim, of course, wasn’t for the Enchanting Demon, but for the profits from gambling on the fights.

"Interesting." Li Zheng’s lips curled up, "The three Kings controlling the rules are secretly engaging in shady dealings. Truly befitting the Demon Race, not even adhering to their own rules."

In truth, Li Zheng misunderstood.

Besides the Enchanting Demon Queen, the hosts of each tournament are not fixed. Anyone among the Abyss Kings with interest can participate.

However, one thing is certain, which is that the three Kings act as bookmakers together, profiting from the tournament gambling.

The King of Flame Demons arranged for his kin to participate just to stabilize the odds and increase the profits somewhat.

Not only the King of Flame Demons, but even the Enchanting Demon Queen and the King of Destruction also placed their own people in the Extraordinary Level and King Level tournaments, respectively.

It’s just that the other two did it more cleverly, without dispatching demons from their own race.

After announcing the individual with the bye, the Enchanting Demon Queen continued, "Now announcing the matchups and opponents for the other ten contestants!"

With a wave of her hand, a projection appeared in the air, displaying the names of the ten contestants.

In the next second, the names were scrambled and drawn one by one at random.

"In the first match, the Lamp Holder versus the Flame Demon—Lorfa!"

After announcing, the Enchanting Demon Queen returned to her seat.

From the stands, a Goat Demon flew out and landed on the platform, loudly introducing, "The Flame Demon Lorfa, from the Abyssal Source’s middle layer, possesses Star Shining Middle Tier strength.

Lorfa has participated in thirty-two tournaments, twelve at the Extraordinary Level, and won three of them. In twenty Star Shining Level tournaments, he won five final victories!

Throughout this thirty-two-tournament career, Lorfa has killed fifty-eight opponents right on the platform, incredibly fierce!"

Following the introduction, the Flame Demon Lorfa stood up from a stone stool and slowly flew to the platform, occupying a corner.

Lorfa’s popularity is very high; as soon as he entered, the stands erupted with a thunderous cheer.

The spectators gambling on the fights loudly chanted his name, with an enthusiastic response.

The Goat Demon turned in the opposite direction, shouting at the top of its voice, "Next to enter is Lorfa’s opponent in this match, the Lamp Holder!!

This contestant is a newcomer, appearing in the tournament arena for the first time, with around Extraordinary Level Middle Tier strength!

But everyone should not let the strength tier limit their thinking, as there have been instances in tournament history where a few prodigies managed to defeat higher-tier opponents!

Our great King of Destruction is the best example, having once defeated a Star Shining Level opponent with the strength of a newcomer to the Extraordinary Level, gaining widespread fame!"

The Goat Demon’s voice halted, beckoning in Li Zheng’s direction, gesturing for him to take the stage.

Li Zheng slowly stood up, not directly flying up, but instead walking to the edge of the platform, then flipping onto it, standing opposite Lorfa.