Cao Guang came to the match venue without much preparation, he knew the strength level of this group and knew exactly what he needed to do qualify.
Cao Guang would not be suprised if Zhao Jing had apparently opted for another method of qualifying after realising he was going to take part. With his family's resource it was possible.
The qualifying battles were always a group match of 4 v 4, Cao Guang would be randomly allocated three teammates for the tournament. However a team winning didn't mean that everyone would qualify for that there would be a secondary competition in Imperial Capital with winners from all over the country taking part in an individual competition.
The point of regional qualifiers was to only make sure these students could function as a group and not distinguish their individual prowess. Cao Guang didn't need to take part in that competition as winning this would give him an automatic spot on team but it was subject to a challenge round between him and a substitute.
Substitutes basically could not make it to the team and if they wanted they could challenge Cao Guang or anyone who had automatically qualified once and upon victory they could exchange places with them before the beginning of the training tour. It was to ensure that no one made it to the team by just buying votes. But it's functionality was questionable in Cao Guang's eyes.
Cao Guang was more interested to know who would be the chief advisor of the team, he knew atleast two people who were going to be there Dean Song He from Imperial College and Pang Lai from Royal Guards.
Their position made it a Mandatory duty, but they could also not be the chief advisor because of the same reason, for the sake of neutrality the chief advisor tended to be from the Enforcement Unions.
Cao Guang had also gotten a confirmation just before the team pairings began from Lin Feng. There was a pendant shaped like a loach on Mo Fan's neck.
Cao Guang could rest easy now that he was sure the timeline was intact atleast partially now that Mo Fan had transmigrated. Unfortunately their transmigrations differed in hiw they occured, Cao Guang also wanted to give the guy a push in his early years and would let he the guy come under Pang Lai's or Hua Zhanghong's wing pretty soon. He would let Lin Feng arrange that and some help for the guy.
A Stardust magic tool, some money for cultivation and a brief introduction to a national guardian was not a bad first investment on the guy.
Cao Guang wondered if he should take a trip there personally right now or whether he should wait for it.
The team's were announced the monitor after selection
Cao Guang
Lu Zhangtian
Nie Li
Chen Guang
Cao Guang was familiar with Lu Zhangtian as he was on the same team as him a few years ago. Nie Li was a Water Mage and Chen Guang was a Wind Mage, they made the teams while keeping balance in their minds.
Their first three matches were a group stage one with three other teams and the top team progressed to the knockouts and this went on until a single team won, but others still could qualify as long as individual performance was good afterall the final competition in Imperial Capital was going to be an individual one.
The group stage matches were easy for Cao Guang he simply used his Space and Fire elements to breeze past them. All of his teammates except Lu Zhangtian was happy, the problem with being paired up with someone too strong was that he couldn't show off his full capabilities, he could vaguely feel that Cao Guang was a bit too strong with his fourth tier spells.
As for why Cao Guang chose Fire and Space was because they were the only resource that could hide the fact that he was an Advanced mage, Afterall Fenrir was a Commander and Soul grade seeds needed a Advanced level cultivation usually.
And as Earth and Light they were a dead giveaway and unlike these guys who needed to show off to judges watching the matches Cao Guang only needed the win.
"Cao Guang, I have a request" Lu Zhangtian came up to him and dragged him away.
" I need you to go easier on the opposition and keep the game lively enough for me to able to show my prowess off, I know that we didn't get off on the right foot last time but I'll make it up to you".