"When will this hall end?"

Zhao Luo questioned Si Chen as they had been walking in this tight hall for the past few minutes.

The hall was built circularly, its exit was on the opposite side of the colosseum entry but it gave Zhao Luo the feeling that he had been walking in the right direction since the start.

"We will reach the registration desk soon."

Si Chen told Zhao Luo, while not answering his question in a definite way.

"Okay."

Zhao Luo nodded and kept quiet.

'They did come to take me after Big Bean's fight. Hmmm, Big Bean must have been among the first outer disciples to fight in the second part of the tournament.'

Zhao Luo speculated in his mind and then turned to look at Si Chen again.

"Why didn't you come to me before the tournament had started?"

Zhao Luo asked both of them.

They would be making a close call if they reached the registration desk in time.

'So why take such a risk?'

Zhao Luo wondered as he waited for their answer.

"It's because Senior Cutie had told us."

"His exact words were..."He must have his own reasons to not tell us what kind of secrets he has, but we should let him train till the last moment.""

Si Chen answered Zhao Luo and Feng Ma added Senior Cutie's words in the end while imitating Senior Cutie's weird way of speaking.

"I think you should start getting drunk."

Zhao Luo couldn't help but tremble slightly after seeing Feng Ma's talent.

"Hahaha-"

"Brother that's the registration desk. Right next to it is the entrance that will take us to the stage."

Feng Ma replied with a smile on his face.

Zhao Luo looked ahead and just a few steps away was a desk behind which an elder was sitting.

As the three reached the desk they found an old man who was snoozing off without a care in the world.

'Are all the elders like this?'

Zhao Luo couldn't help but remember the junior elder.

"Thud!"

While Zhao Luo was remembering the junior elder, Si Chen and Feng Ma smacked the table right when they had reached the desk.

"Elder, please register us for the third part of the tournament, The Open Battle!"

Si Chen urged the elder who was slowly opening his eyes.

"Haww~"

The elder yawned and raised his face.

'His looks are the same as the junior elder too.'

Zhao Luo found the elder even more similar to the junior elder that he had met in the library, just that the elder in front of them had a shorter beard.

"Even my wife doesn't wake me up in such a ferocious way."

The elder let out a humorous line as he opened his eyes but couldn't even laugh at his own joke.

Since the two of the three faces in front of him looked like they would strangle him if he didn't register them.

"Tsk, youngsters these days."

"What are your names? And levels?"

The elder asked the three disciples while putting his hand in his robe as he clicked his tongue in disappointment.

'He can just look at our badges...'

Zhao Luo thought as the elder was busy with something.

"Zhao Luo, Level Eight 'VIII' disciple."

"Hm, so you are Zhao Luo?"

"Yes."

Zhao Luo replied calmly and found the elder staring at him for a few seconds before turning his gaze over to Feng Ma.

"Feng Ma, Level Seven 'VII' disciple."

"Hm."

"Si Chen, Level Seven 'VII' disciple."

"Hm, okay you three have been registered but let me tell you something."

The elder raised his hand and pointed a finger at Zhao Luo.

"Except you, Zhao Luo, your friends don't have a chance."

The elder glanced at Feng Ma and Si Chen and commented with a serious tone while still searching for something.

"Why would you say that?"

Zhao Luo questioned as he felt worried for some reason.

'Is this old man trying to demotivate them by aiming at their confidence?'

Zhao Luo thought as he waited for the elder's answer.

Before the elder answered him, he took out three tokens from his robe and pushed his palm on each of these tokens.

"These are your tokens."

He then threw each of the tokens perfectly in Zhao Luo's, Si Chen's, and Feng Ma's direction.

"3069."

Zhao Luo checked the number on his token and looked around.

Feng Ma had 3070 and Si Chen's token had 3068. Both of them were next to each other.

"These numbers represent two things."

The elder suddenly said while Zhao Luo was looking at their tokens.

"I can guess one of them, hehe."

Feng Ma looked at Zhao Luo's token and gave a sneaky laugh.

"This fool."

Zhao Luo shook his head but he couldn't hide the awkward smile that was creeping u on his face.

'Ahem~'

The elder made a noise and the three looked at him.

"First, it will be your identity in the open battle and the second thing is how many outer disciples are participating in the Open Battle. Since you three are the last ones to register, that means there are already more than 3000 disciples waiting for you inside."

The elder told them while inspecting Zhao Luo's attitude.

"So what? Even if we were the first to registers, we would still have to face all of them."

Zhao Luo said as their current situation didn't matter.

"Not truly."

The elder replied while shaking his head.

"How SO?"

Zhao Luo couldn't follow along with what the elder was trying to tell him.

"The highest level outer disciples participating in this "Open Battle" are on level eight 'VIII' just like you."

"Each of them has hundreds of followers. Not only that but they are also acquainted with each other to such an extent where a disciple like you who is new will be outcasted and focused by everyone. But since you are also at their level, you 'may be' able to handle them but what about your friends?"

The elder explained the situation to Zhao Luo leaving a new impression on him.