After the selection through the formation challenges, only fifty youths passed the second round.
The next day, on the vast square in front of the City Lord's Mansion.
A tall platform stood erected.
Mu Chen, along with Hua Xu and others, was seated on the main stage.
Today was a test of the practical abilities of these young disciples.
It was also Mu Chen's chosen method, the most direct and simple selection, to find a satisfactory son-in-law for himself.
The fifty young people who passed the previous round were paired up by drawing lots to determine their opponents.
Finally, the top ten would be chosen as candidates for the fourth round.
Mu Chen had originally intended to select the top twenty.
However, the performance of everyone in the formation aspect of the second round was too poor.
With no other choice, Mu Chen temporarily changed the rules.
Ultimately, only one person would become the son-in-law of the City Lord's Mansion of the City of Tree Eyes; the others were merely foils.
There was not much difference between the top twenty and the top ten.
As for Zhang Ergou and the others, they knew that today's round was a test of their strength against each other.
Their reactions varied.
Zhang Ergou maintained his usual calm demeanor. Among those present, he truly didn't regard anyone highly.
It wasn't arrogance, but Zhang Ergou had already broken through the Nascent Soul stage.
Competing against those in the Golden Core stage was like an adult fighting a child, on entirely different levels.
Even though he couldn't fully discern Jiang Yu's strength, Zhang Ergou felt that the other party definitely hadn't broken through the Nascent Soul stage.
However, even if he were in the Nascent Soul stage, Zhang Ergou was not afraid.
He had even dared to confront Li Kongcai, who was in the late Nascent Soul stage.
Jiang Yu was of no concern to him.
Zhang Ergou's composure naturally drew attention.
Mu Chen and Hua Xu, having learned later that Bai Youran had personally intervened in the formation round and heard of Zhang Ergou's outstanding performance, had been keeping a close watch on him.
Seeing Zhang Ergou's calm demeanor, both important figures silently praised him.
Not arrogant, not impatient, he was a sprout destined for great things.
However, Zhang Ergou's appearance, in the eyes of Jiang Xu and other talented youths who had passed the second round, seemed rather pretentious.
"Putting on airs."
Jiang Xu couldn't stand Zhang Ergou's calm look.
He didn't deliberately lower his voice, and his words naturally reached Zhang Ergou and Li Zhan beside him.
"Whether you have real skill or not, we'll know once we compete on the stage."
Before Zhang Ergou could speak, Li Zhan couldn't stand Jiang Xu and immediately provoked him.
"Li Zhan, you better pray you don't encounter me."
Jiang Xu pointed at Li Zhan with a ferocious expression.
"A mere defeated opponent, hardly worth mentioning."
Li Zhan paid no attention to Jiang Xu's provocation and instead reopened an old wound.
"You!" Jiang Xu's face turned red, pointing at Li Zhan.
Seeing how easily Li Zhan had angered him in a few words, Zhang Ergou shook his head.
As expected, all Jiang family members were the same.
However, Jiang Yu today was exceptionally low-key. Even though his own brother was furious, he did not intervene in their dispute.
It seemed he was plotting something.
The other young talents also looked at Zhang Ergou with ill intent.
In their minds, Zhang Ergou had already become their greatest rival.
Zhang Ergou had no time to bother with their thoughts.
He was currently thinking about ending this farce as soon as possible and obtaining the legendary Wood Spirit.
His cultivation technique, Shen Mu Yao, was an upgradable magical skill.
If he could obtain the Wood Spirit, Shen Mu Yao would surely advance, giving Zhang Ergou another means of self-preservation.
As his cultivation increased, the offensive and healing effects of Shen Mu Yao no longer matched his level.
Zhang Ergou desperately needed to upgrade Shen Mu Yao.
Through random drawing, the fifty people were divided into twenty-five groups.
They would compete on the stage in pairs.
The first to ascend the stage were the two who drew number one.
Zhang Ergou didn't know either of them, and Li Zhan didn't seem to have heard of them either.
Therefore, after they stepped onto the stage, Li Zhan simply stood beside Zhang Ergou and watched.
The cultivation of the two on the stage was similar, both appearing to be in the late Golden Core stage.
Initially, they fought evenly, exchanging hundreds of blows without any sign of a winner.
However, ultimately, due to the disparity in their spiritual energy.
The young man wielding a sword managed to secure a victory by chance.
Zhang Ergou watched, feeling drowsy. He even felt that the combat between the two wasn't up to the standard of the Golden Core stage.
The powerful figures on the main stage had a similar impression.
Although both were in the late Golden Core stage, their moves had too many flaws.
They seemed more like Golden Core cultivators whose cultivation had been artificially boosted by pills from wealthy families.
Mu Chen looked at the two on the stage and shook his head.
Clearly, even the victor had not caught his eye.
Then followed a few more matches.
Compared to the first match, the subsequent bouts were considered more exciting.
Li Zhan drew number eight.
His opponent was a chubby young man wielding a giant axe. Su Dan Novel Network.
To Zhang Ergou's surprise, Li Zhan knocked his opponent off the stage in a short while.
This created a climax.
"Brother Ergou, how was my performance?"
Li Zhan jumped off the stage and went to Zhang Ergou's side, acting a little smug.
"Good, very good. Much better than that little fatty."
Zhang Ergou was naturally not stingy with his praise.
Li Zhan was initially delighted, but when he realized Zhang Ergou was comparing him to his opponent,
Li Zhan's face darkened.
Was this the same honest Zhang Ergou he knew?
Liu Yaxuan, standing nearby, was already holding back laughter, her face flushed.
"Sister Yaxuan, if you really can't hold it in, just laugh."
Li Zhan, having been tricked by Zhang Ergou and now being laughed at by Liu Yaxuan, had completely lost his earlier smugness.
"Haha, Brother Li, don't worry about the details."
Zhang Ergou patted Li Zhan's shoulder.
He then stood up, preparing to walk towards the stage.
While they were jesting, another pair of youths had concluded their battle.
Next up was Zhang Ergou's match.
He had drawn number ten.
He wondered who his opponent would be.
Zhang Ergou casually glanced at the crowd of people who hadn't yet ascended the stage.
Then he strode towards the platform.
"Haha, I didn't expect to run into this arrogant brat."
A loud laugh rang out from behind Zhang Ergou.
It was Jiang Xu.
Seeing how young Zhang Ergou was, Jiang Xu had never taken him seriously.
He had always assumed Zhang Ergou was associating with Li Zhan because Li Zhan was leading him.
As for Zhang Ergou's previous outstanding performance, he had automatically dismissed it as luck.
Upon seeing Zhang Ergou heading towards the stage, a sinister expression appeared on Jiang Xu's face.
All members of the Jiang family were well aware of how Zhang Ergou had bullied Jiang Tian and Jiang Hao in the sect.
The Jiang family always held a grudge against those who bullied their own people and sought revenge.