Chapter 2686: Chapter 2686: Wyatt Barnes!
The Rufu County Governor is well aware:
If it weren’t for Hazel Truman’s mercy, Eli Baker wouldn’t have been injured so lightly.
With Eli Baker’s current injuries, as long as he takes a healing Immortal Pill, recovers for a moment, he can smoothly return to his peak state and continue participating in the Sixteen Counties Martial Arts Tournament.
Although Eli Baker lost the initial battle, he still has a chance to challenge those ranked fourth to tenth in the tournament.
Moreover, as long as he replaces one of those seven, he will still have a chance to challenge those temporarily ranked top three in the tournament.
"Uncle Lian, you’re too kind."
Being the daughter of the Windbreak County Governor, Hazel Truman has previously interacted with the Rufu County Governor. Seeing him express gratitude, she immediately smiled in response, and then returned to her place, standing alongside those ranked second to ninth in the tournament.
"Next."
The host of the Sixteen Counties Martial Arts Tournament spoke in a detached tone.
"Departfall County, Andi Moore... challenges Marley County ’Copper Yuan’!"
Following the host’s announcement, a robust young man stepped into the arena and directly challenged the person currently ranked second in the tournament:
Marley County, Copper Yuan!
Copper Yuan is a middle-aged man standing at two meters tall, extremely muscular, with skin the color of copper.
Once challenged, he solemnly stood out, his expression calm, neither happy nor sad, as he faced off against Departfall County’s trump card, ’Andi Moore’.
In a moment, the two simultaneously attacked.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
...
Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!
...
About thirty breaths later, a massive figure flew backward and conceded defeat, "I’m not your match, I admit defeat!"
The one admitting defeat was Marley County’s ’Copper Yuan’.
Of the thirteen trump cards from the thirteen counties, two have appeared on stage so far.
Aside from Rufu County’s ’Eli Baker’ being defeated, Departfall County’s ’Andi Moore’ successfully challenged Copper Yuan, replacing him and temporarily ranking second in the tournament.
As for Copper Yuan, he drops one place, to third.
Those originally ranked third to ninth also drop one place, with the original tenth being pushed out of the top ten entirely.
"You’ve been pushed out of the top ten and have one chance to challenge one of those currently ranked in the top ten. If you defeat one, you can replace them and return to temporarily rank in the top ten."
The host turned to the young man pushed out of the top ten, saying, "If you give up this opportunity... you’ll have no chance with the tournament’s top ten. I’ll give you ten breaths to think it over and respond."
"I give up."
Within about two breaths, the young man pushed out of the top ten chose to give up.
If he hadn’t previously been no match for the other nine, he wouldn’t have temporarily ranked tenth.
Now, with ’Andi Moore’ who is stronger than Copper Yuan entering the top ten, he knows he is far from being a match, so he chooses to forgo a challenge, knowing that even if he tried, he’d be no match for Andi Moore.
As for the other nine, he has previously faced them and was not their match.
"Next."
...
"Next."
...
As the host repeatedly called, the other trump cards from thirteen counties appeared on stage one by one.
Fierce battles raged intensely.
During this process, more of those originally temporarily ranked top ten were pushed out, either failing to challenge again or not daring to and losing the chance to rank among the tournament’s final top ten.
In this process, the most dazzling performances undoubtedly came from County Peace’s trump card ’Julian Yorke’ and Windbreak County’s trump card ’Kaison Truman’.
Kaison Truman is the elder brother of previously first-ranked Hazel Truman, son of the Windbreak County Governor.
Now, after round after round of intense competition, the Sixteen Counties Martial Arts Tournament is gradually approaching its ’conclusion’.
Originally first-ranked Hazel Truman, through one battle after another, not only dropped from first but was also pushed out of the top three, temporarily ranking sixth in the tournament.
Without any surprise, this rank won’t undergo much change.
At most, it will drop one rank, and this would happen only if Nine Nether County’s trump card ’Wyatt Barnes’ appears, assuming Wyatt’s strength exceeds hers.
Indeed, Wyatt Barnes’s strength being beyond hers is beyond doubt.
Thus, if Wyatt appears, she will drop another rank; if Wyatt doesn’t appear, she will maintain her current rank, temporarily ranking sixth in the tournament.
Currently, those temporarily ranked in the top ten are:
First, County Peace’s ’Julian Yorke’.
Second, Windbreak County’s ’Kaison Truman’.
Third, from County Peace, ’Allan Chapman’.
Fourth, from Red Cloud County, ’Isaias Tasker’.
Fifth, from Plum Blossom County, ’Davian Graham’.
Sixth, from Windbreak County, ’Hazel Truman’.
Seventh, from Departfall County, ’Andi Moore’.
Eighth, from Marley County, ’Copper Dollar’.
Ninth, from United Heart County, ’Tiger Hemsworth’.
Tenth, from Rufu County, ’Eli Baker’.
Now, apart from the first-ranked Julian Yorke from Flat Mountain County and second-ranked Kaison Truman from Windbreak County yet to face each other, all other contestants have already competed against one another, and results have been determined.
This means that the ’first’ in the Sixteen County Martial Competition will be decided between Julian Yorke and Kaison Truman.
"As long as Wyatt Barnes doesn’t appear... today, the final ’first’ of the Sixteen County Martial Competition will be decided between Julian Yorke and Kaison Truman."
"Yes. As long as Wyatt Barnes doesn’t come... the current top ten rankings of the Sixteen County Martial Competition are settled, with only the top two positions subject to change."
"If Wyatt Barnes shows up, the ’first’ of the Sixteen County Martial Competition will surely be his... unless his reputation is all flash and no substance."
"If Wyatt Barnes arrives, Eli Baker of Rufu County will be knocked out of the top ten!"
...
As the Sixteen County Martial Competition approached its ’end’, the stands around the duel platform grew increasingly lively, with most people discussing Nine Nether County’s trump card, ’Wyatt Barnes’.
Until now, Wyatt Barnes had yet to make an appearance.
"Relax... at this point, it seems unlikely that he will come."
The governor of Rufu County noticed Eli Baker’s nervousness and timely offered him words of comfort.
Eli Baker nodded, but couldn’t help feeling a bit anxious, as if Wyatt Barnes appeared, he would be pushed out of the ’top ten’ of the final Sixteen County Martial Competition, and he would also drag down Rufu County, leading to unavoidable punishment from King Cooper’s manor.
Now, out of the thirteen counties with ’trump cards’, only nine counties had their trump cards temporarily holding positions in the ’top ten’ of the Sixteen County Martial Competition.
For the other four counties, apart from Nine Nether County’s ’trump card’ still yet to appear, the trump cards of the other three counties had successively been pushed out of the ’top ten’ of the Sixteen County Martial Competition, and they must accept the punishment from King Cooper’s manor.
Therefore, the faces of the governors of those three counties were not pleasant to look at.
Although the punishment from King Cooper’s manor to their three counties, involving handing over more Immortal Stones, wouldn’t cripple them, it still hurt them financially.
In the VIP seating area.
Covered head-to-toe in the Heavens Mark robe, ’Wyatt Barnes’ remained calm and composed, quietly watching Julian Yorke and Kaison Truman confront each other above the duel platform.
Julian Yorke was the trump card of ’Flat Mountain County’, recognized as the strongest among the younger generation under one hundred in Flat Mountain County, a medium-built young man wearing a blue robe, with an ordinary appearance that would disappear easily in a crowd.
Kaison Truman was the trump card of ’Windbreak County’ and the son of Windbreak County’s governor, previously unknown before the news of King Cooper’s Sixteen County Martial Competition spread.
At that time, his sister ’Hazel Truman’ was acknowledged as the strongest of Windbreak County’s younger generation under one hundred.
But in this Sixteen County Martial Competition, he displayed strength far surpassing his sister, becoming the most dazzling ’Dark Horse’, advancing to second place, and was about to compete with Julian Yorke for the ’first’ in the Sixteen County Martial Competition.
Behind the VIP seating area, a vast space was covered with curtains.
Nine magnificent white horses rested on one side, while a group of people stood like sentinels there.
In front of the nine horses and this group of people, three luxurious seats housed three persons, including King Cooper, the Third Prince from King Cooper’s manor, and their newly acknowledged brother ’Ares Cooper’.
Currently, Ares Cooper’s gaze was focused on Julian Yorke and Kaison Truman above the duel platform, wondering who would take the ’first’ in the Sixteen County Martial Competition.
"I wonder if Wyatt Barnes will come... If he comes, this Sixteen County Martial Competition ’first’ will definitely belong to him."
"If he doesn’t come... the final ’first’ in the Sixteen County Martial Competition will be decided in this battle."
"I hope that even if Wyatt Barnes doesn’t come, it isn’t because something happened to him... I hope he’s safe and sound."
Ares Cooper silently wished.
Unlike Ares Cooper.
King Cooper and the Third Prince’s gaze, although occasionally sweeping over Julian Yorke and Kaison Truman above the duel platform, mostly focused on the spectator area where the Flat Mountain County entourage was seated.
To be precise, their gazes rested on the ’gray-robed person’ beside the governor of Flat Mountain County.
"Elder brother... this core elder of the Merciful Voyage Immortal Sect, hasn’t moved yet. Could it be that the person she came to kill by the order of the Merciful Voyage Immortal Sect Leader has yet to show up?"
The Third Prince asked King Cooper, somewhat puzzled.
"Likely so."
King Cooper nodded, and then continued, "However... so far, all those meant to appear in the Sixteen County Martial Competition seemingly have... except for..."
At this point, King Cooper paused and exchanged a look with the Third Prince.
The next moment.
"Wyatt Barnes!"
King Cooper and the Third Prince, almost in unison, spoke this name.
