Chapter 88: My House is Quite Big

First, they were taken to a luxurious hotel to stay in. It had a unique design, with half of the building extending over the sea. Every room had glass walls that allowed guests to look out at the ocean, creating the illusion of being able to embrace the sea.

Tomorrow would be the opening ceremony of the Tianhai Alliance Grand Competition, as well as the draw for matchups, followed by the competitions themselves.

Gu You pondered. His participation in the blacksmithing competition would be on behalf of the Eastsea Blacksmiths' Association. This was unavoidable because the Tianhai Grand Competition had specific restrictions in place for certain events, making it difficult to participate as an independent competitor.

He had researched the competition beforehand. Different age groups had different categories, and given his age, he could only compete in the junior division for blacksmithing.

The first round was called the Screening Test, where competitors had to perform Hundred Refinements. The specific rare metal to be used was a secret and kept strictly confidential. After this round, the top 64 competitors would advance to the second stage.

The second round was a free-style test. Each contestant would receive the same type of metal, and their performance would be scored based on how well they could refine it.

The third round required competitors to use the metal they refined in the second round to craft a designated item.

Though it sounded simple, achieving a high ranking would require extraordinary skill.

The Grand Competition was about to begin. Early in the morning, representatives from various cities and academies were already assembled in the stadium, waiting in formation.

The opening ceremony was held in the Tianhai Sports Stadium, an enormous venue capable of holding 80,000 people—the largest in the entire Tianhai Alliance.

For the Eastsea Economic Zone, the Tianhai Alliance Grand Competition was the most significant annual event, drawing attention from across the Federation. Every year, talented individuals would emerge from the competition.

In fact, the original purpose of the Tianhai Grand Competition was to select and cultivate outstanding talents for the Tianhai Alliance, ensuring they became pillars of the region.

Within the Federation, numerous political factions vied for power. The Tianhai Alliance was one of the most economically powerful forces, ranking among the top provincial alliances.

However, one of its greatest weaknesses was its lack of talent. Unlike the inland provinces, which had ancient noble families that had accumulated thousands or even tens of thousands of years of experience in cultivating talent, the Tianhai region had only begun developing relatively late.

While economic growth was fast, building a solid foundation of skilled individuals took time. As a result, the Tianhai Alliance was often undervalued by the Federation's central government.

Many high-ranking officials viewed the Tianhai Alliance only as an economic powerhouse, dismissing it as insignificant in other aspects. This perception kept the alliance from rising above a mid-tier position within the Federation's hierarchy.

Refusing to accept this status quo, the leaders of the Tianhai Alliance established the Grand Competition approximately 200 years ago to discover and nurture talented individuals. They provided generous rewards and special prizes to help winners advance in their respective fields, ultimately strengthening the foundation of the alliance.

Inside the massive stadium, a sea of people filled the stands, creating a dense and overwhelming spectacle.

Even though Gu You had seen his fair share of grand events, witnessing such an ocean of spectators left him in awe.

Next came the drawing of matchups, sorted by competition category.

However, this was the teachers' responsibility. There would also be a grand opening performance, but Gu You had no interest in that.

Just as Gu You was deep in thought, a voice suddenly rang out nearby.

"I'm so hungry! Does anyone have any food?"

Turning his head, Gu You saw a chubby boy darting around the crowd, eagerly asking random people for something to eat.

"Hah! Another foodie." Gu Yue also noticed him and casually remarked to Gu You.

"Why are you looking at me? He's fat, but I'm not. Different people have different metabolisms. I actually need nutrition, but him? That's just pure natural physique!" Gu You rolled his eyes, unwilling to explain further.

"Hey, little fatty, take this." Gu You called out to the boy and retrieved a high-calorie energy bar from his storage soul tool, handing it over.

"Thanks, thanks!" The chubby boy's eyes lit up the moment he saw the energy bar. He grabbed it without hesitation, took a big bite, and started chewing with an expression of utter bliss.

"Wow, this is delicious! We don't have energy bars this tasty back home. Thank you, big bro!" The boy spoke with surprising politeness.

Gu You was pleased with being called "big bro." "What's your name?"

"I'm Xu Lizhi, and my hobby is eating all kinds of delicious food!"

"You already called me big bro, so if you love food, how about this—after the match, I'll take you to eat as much as you want? Come to my hotel. It's quite big, and I just stocked up on a bunch of seafood snacks yesterday." Gu You grinned.

Xu Lizhi's eyes sparkled, and he swallowed hungrily. "Really?! That sounds amazing! Can you take me there after the competition? I can't wait!"

"Of course. Give me your soul communicator number." Gu You nodded.

As they were exchanging contact info, a crisp yet slightly cold voice interrupted them.

"Little glutton, what are you doing here? All you ever think about is food! We're up next."

Gu Yue frowned upon hearing the voice, clearly not fond of the speaker's tone. She looked up with an indifferent gaze.

Huh?

Gu You turned to see a young girl standing behind them.

She looked to be around the same age as Xu Lizhi, wearing a green tracksuit identical to his. However, while the outfit made Xu Lizhi look bulky, it fit her perfectly, highlighting her slender and well-proportioned figure.

Her golden ponytail was neatly tied back, and her bright blue eyes were strikingly beautiful. Her long eyelashes and fair, delicate skin had a radiant, almost jelly-like texture under the sunlight.

Upon seeing her, Xu Lizhi instantly froze, looking like a mouse caught by a cat. He jumped up and obediently replied, "Sis, I'm sorry! But I was just really hungry! If I don't eat, I won't have energy, right?"

"Let's go." The girl gestured for him to follow, but when her gaze landed on Gu You, she frowned and spoke with distaste.

"Don't just eat food from random people. You know there are lots of bad guys in the world, right?"

Gu You twitched at her words.

Did she just imply he was a bad guy?!

He had merely invited this little chubby kid to his place for some food, that's all!

However, he also knew Ye Xinglan's personality—she was spoiled from childhood and needed to be properly put in her place!

Gu You suddenly raised his voice and said, "Watch your attitude, little girl! Do you even know who I am? Do you even know what your status is compared to mine?!"

Xu Lizhi's cheeks twitched, Gu Yue's expression froze, and the other students nearby—who were still some distance away—fortunately didn't hear the outburst.

Otherwise, Gu You would have been laughed at to death.

And as for Ye Xinglan…

Well, her reaction would be something to look forward to.

(End of Chapter)