Zhang Lie smiled at Fang Yi's words. "Indeed, there's no need to show off. We just have to make it into the top hundred!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

By the time they finished planning, there were already quite a number of teams crowded into the arena, each of which received a hearty round of applause as they walked across the stage.

"What's Zhang Lie and the others doing? Why aren't they in yet?" Su Feng and Yan Long were both glancing worriedly at the remaining competitors.

A few thousand parties had already gathered in each of the four arenas, and although the arenas were rather large, the first teams inside could develop their strategy in advance, knowing the locale better. 

"Next up, competitors from the winged clan, led by their team leader, Phoenix!"

The entire crowd erupted into cheers. The appearance of the winged clan caused them to collectively suck in a breath—the leader of the winged competitors was a once-in-a-century genius, Phoenix!

He had managed to defeat a superior-grade lifeform as a child, and he had long since capped out his superior gene capacity. Phoenix had never been defeated in an official match, and most of the crowd knew his name.

As Phoenix walked across the stage, he smiled at the crowd, flaring his wings wide open to the sound of cheers and screams.

"Highness, we're as popular as ever, so the Void Throne—" Hong Yu began, but Phoenix interrupted her. "Without a doubt, the Void Throne belongs to the winged clan!"

"Look at how much the crowds love us! It looks like victory is already in our grasp," Raphael, a competitor of the winged clan, murmured as he gazed at the stage. Of course, most of the cheers were for Phoenix, but as one of his fellow competitors, it was natural that he would feel proud.

"Alright, it's about time we head inside!" Phoenix made a quelling motion with his hands, trying to get the crowd to calm down, but they didn't get any quieter. 

He touched his ears, frowning, then walked off the stage quickly. When the gathered parties saw the winged entering the arena, they began to move aside in a hurry. Phoenix ignored them all. What he cared most about was Zhang Lie, from Earth!

These past two days, Phoenix had been paying attention to Zhang Lie's actions. He had publicly rejected the winged clan's invitation, then accepted the night spirits', and there had even been reports of him being sighted with a member of the nightdemons.

Honestly, what infuriated him most was that Zhang Lie had rejected his invitation. Did he really think that he, nothing more than an Earthling ant, had any right to refuse Phoenix, prince of the winged clan?!

Zhang Lie! Team Zenith!

I wonder, do you regret not accepting my invitation after hearing how much these crowds are cheering for me? Phoenix's lips curled up into a smile. None of the cheers, even combined, could eclipse the roars that the winged clan's appearance had caused.

"Next, competitors from Earth, led by Zhang Lie!"

Zhang Lie and the others appeared on stage right as the winged were about to leave.

"Ah, he's finally here! This damn brat, always giving me a headache!" Yan Long shouted.

There weren't many teams left by the stage, but Zhang Lie's sudden appearance caused the crowd to perk up. The media had been very interested in this puny human who had made such a name for himself, and even if most of the articles about him were in the tabloids, he had still gained a measure of fame—or infamy—among the crowd.

Phoenix narrowed his eyes.

"Everyone, let's give them a show!" Zhang Lie called out. On his signal, his teammates released their auras.

"Team Zenith, chasing the zenith!" a hunter from Earth suddenly called out, causing those around him to take up the chant as well.

"Team Zenith, chasing the zenith!"

"Team Zenith, chasing the zenith!"

The audience's frenzied roars shook the stage, even more loudly than when Phoenix entered with the winged. Some female lifeforms were so excited by the Earthlings that they even fainted.

"Ridiculous! Highness, let's eliminate them in the first round!" Ali murmured, hearing the cheers from the crowd. He hadn't expected that Zhang Lie would be so popular; the winged were elated at their own popularity, but they had quickly been outshone by puny humans!

"Damn it, this Zhang Lie fellow's aiming for me, isn't he?!" Phoenix barely curtailed the fluctuations of genetic energy from his body.

"Please, Highness, calm down! If we fight with Zhang Lie now, we'll only cause his popularity to soar!" Hong Yu persuaded him.

They could do whatever they wanted to Team Zenith during the actual tournament, but before it, and directly on stage...? Quite a few third- and even fourth-realm hunters were present, and the hosts of the galactic stage were monarch-level authorities from the world federation.

The moment Phoenix did something rash, his qualifications as a competitor would be revoked, and if it were particularly serious, even his life would be in danger.

Although Hong Yu was also quite annoyed at Zhang Lie, it wasn't in their best interests to attack the other party until the tournament began.

"If we meet them in the arena, don't give them the opportunity to surrender—kill them immediately! Let these ants know our strength!" Phoenix shouted angrily.