Ning Zhiyuan smoothed things over for Tantai Qin, and then he and Cheng Qingqing ascended the high platform side by side.
At this moment, the mentors from various universities all went up to the platform, leaving only the more than 200,000 students participating in the competition on the square.
Suddenly, hundreds of cameras of varying lengths and focal lengths emerged from the void in mid-air and were aimed at the square below.
Upon seeing the broadcast cameras appear, the crowd in the square realized that the battle of the Nine Heavens was about to begin, and they all quieted down and stood up straight.
Faced with the Nine Heavens Tournament, which garners far more attention than the Freshman Cup, countless Chinese people are glued to their televisions and online at this moment.
The mist in mid-air dissipated, and then three figures standing side by side appeared in everyone's sight.
At this moment, not only in the square, but also in front of the television, many people subconsciously clapped and cheered.
This is because these three individuals are all very influential figures who frequently appear in the media.
Wu Wei, the martial arts minister, is in the center, while Ma Gongzuo, the education minister, is on the right. Many people may not be familiar with the dark-skinned man on the left, but he is easily recognizable to the students of the military academy.
The elder statesman of the military, Marquis Wuding.
Although they didn't recognize him, the fact that he was dressed in military uniform and exuded the aura of a super strong person made many people guess his identity immediately.
Among the nine departments of Huaxia, the Martial Arts Department and the Martial Arts Department are undoubtedly the strongest in terms of strength. However, the remaining seven departments are generally headed by princes or nobles, except for Ma Gongzuo, who is rumored to be slightly weaker.
In response to everyone's greetings, Wu Wei raised his hands and pressed them down, and soon the square returned to silence.
"Dear students, welcome to the main arena of 'Stepping into the Nine Heavens' and participate in this unprecedented grand event, the first of its kind since the New Era... The Battle of the Nine Heavens!"
Another round of enthusiastic applause erupted, and Wu Wei waited a moment before continuing to smile.
"I don't plan to give any long opening remarks. As for the scale of this event, there was already a lot of publicity when it was launched half a year ago, and I believe everyone already knows what it is."
"The only thing I want to say to everyone is..."
Wu Wei's expression turned serious, and he slowly said in the midst of the silence, "No matter how much you have overestimated the importance of this Nine Heavens Competition, please elevate it to another level, because for most of you, it is likely a top-tier opportunity that you will only encounter once in your lifetime. Be sure to seize it!"
After Wu Wei finished speaking, he took a step back and nodded to Ma Gongzuo.
Ma Gongzuo stepped forward and took over the conversation. He first introduced the list of people attending the ceremony today. Sure enough, there were more than a thousand powerful experts from the Mountain and Sea Realms on the high platform, as well as more than forty kings and marquises.
The general public may have been in an uproar, but the students at the scene were relatively calm, as they had been mentally prepared beforehand.
Moreover, upon closer examination, it is likely that many people present had some kind of direct or indirect connection with the king or nobles.
After listening to the list of kings and marquises, Shen Qian recognized that the Earl of Pingyang and the Earl of Luoshen were present, as well as the Duke of Tianning, whom he had never met but with whom he had a history of enmity.
Duke Yanshan didn't come, but it's unknown whether he's keeping an eye on this competition in other ways.
After a while, Ma Gongzuo finished speaking in official jargon and thanked Jiutian Group, the biggest sponsor for the venue construction, before finally getting to the topic that the participating geniuses cared about most.
"Regarding the competition format..."
Upon hearing these four words, many people who had been daydreaming instantly snapped to attention and began to listen intently.
The format of the Jiutian Cup has been the subject of much speculation over the past six months. Only after the principal of Jiangzhong Military Academy, Pingyangbo, personally inquired about it did he obtain some information. Even so, it remains unclear, which shows how high the level of competition is.
But it was only at this moment that its mysterious veil was finally lifted.
"This Nine Heavens Competition, as the name suggests, is divided into nine heavens... Hmm, it's somewhat similar to the Nine Heavens Golden List that appeared some time ago. From the first heaven to the ninth heaven, each heaven can be regarded as an independent unit!"
"And the ultimate goal of each of you is the same: to ascend to the heavens!"
"And the entrance to the Nine Kings' Secret Realm is hidden high in the heavens. Hehe, as for what's inside the Nine Kings' Secret Realm, I probably don't need to say more..."
Wow!
Since Ma Gongzuo spoke, the square, which had gathered hundreds of thousands of people, has seen its first huge uproar.
What else could be in the Nine Kings' Secret Realm?
Of course, it's the treasure left behind by the Ninth Prince!
There really is a Nine Kings' Treasure...
In fact, before today, although there were rumors online, many people still didn't dare to believe it. It wasn't until Ma Gongzuo personally confirmed it that many people were filled with anticipation and excitement.
"May I ask, Minister Ma?"
At this moment, a figure suddenly stepped out from the crowd, hovering slightly, and asked in a loud voice: "I wonder which first king's treasure is hidden in the Nine Kings Secret Realm?"
"It is Sabi."
Shen Qian and Qu Bai both recognized the person immediately.
The room fell silent. Although most people felt no difference, they were nonetheless filled with curiosity.
Ma Gongzuo hesitated slightly, as if unsure whether to answer, when a soft laugh rang out from a higher vantage point.
"I can answer your question."
As the clouds parted, a figure standing with his hands behind his back at the highest point was revealed to everyone.
Only those at the scene could see the figure, while the public watching the live broadcast could only hear it, as no camera dared to point at the person, seemingly out of some kind of concern.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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