Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3393: Betting On Herself

The clerk almost choked.

He looked from her to the bet slip, then back to her bulging arm muscles and tall frame. His expression became complicated. Clearly, he had expected a delicate looking beauty. Instead, he was faced with a terrifyingly strong woman whose physique could shame most body cultivators.

The murmurs around the room grew louder.

"That is her? The one he bet on?"

"She looks like she can kill an Immortal Twin horn Rhino with a flick of her finger."

"No wonder he bet the max."

"Wait. Why is she betting on herself too?"

"Madwoman. But a confident madwoman."

Meng Bai nudged Lin Mu and whispered softly, "Master, why are you not placing a bet?"

Lin Mu watched the clerk scribbling their wagers with shaking hands and replied very casually, "If I place a bet on her, the payout odds will plummet."

Meng Bai blinked. "Oh. That makes sense."

Lin Mu pointed toward the onlookers. "Watch. Now that they saw those two place such large wagers, everyone else will start betting on Cattaleya too."

Elyon understood the same too and decided against betting.

Sure enough, a man at the back stepped forward and asked nervously, "One hundred high grade stones on Cattaleya."

Another followed. "Fifty on Cattaleya."

A third. "Two hundred."

And then a fourth loudly declared, "Five hundred on the terrifying lady."

Cattaleya beamed proudly. Daoist Chu folded his arms as if he had single handedly predicted the future. Lin Mu simply turned and walked toward the exit.

The clerk’s voice called after them. "Bets confirmed. Winnings will be available after tournament conclusion."

Lin Mu waved a hand lightly. "We will be back."

Together the group exited the betting house, Cattaleya’s grin bright and excited, Daoist Chu looking smug, Meng Bai looking dazed, Elyon raising a brow, and Little Shrubby’s tail waving.

The stage was set. The crowd was whispering. The tournament grounds awaited.

Cattaleya’s first battle would begin soon.

The atmosphere inside the Martial Ring Compound was alive with excitement as the tournament finally began. The stands were shaped in a circular formation around twenty separate stages, each spaced far enough apart that the booming blows and shockwaves of one battle would not affect another.

Rows of flags flapped in the wind, carrying clan emblems, local symbols, and random scribbles from overenthusiastic fans.

Lin Mu, Meng Bai, Daoist Chu, and Elyon settled into seats at the mid upper area, where they had a better view of the entire compound. Little Shrubby took a seat on Lin Mu’s shoulder, while the twins peeked out from his sleeves like two kids ready to run off with snacks.

Cattaleya, meanwhile, headed to the competitors waiting area with her usual swagger, her footsteps heavy enough to resonate in the wooden flooring. Several competitors stared at her with wide eyes and quietly scooted away to create more distance. One even fainted when she cracked her neck a little too loudly.

Lin Mu and the others watched the early rounds unfold.

These matches featured mostly local cultivators. Most were at the first or second Tribulation Stage of the immortal realm and used either flashy qi techniques or unrefined physical brawling. Some cultivated fire, others used earth or metal, and one even fought with a polearm that looked more decorative than practical.

After a few fights, Meng Bai exhaled with slight disappointment. "I think I could beat them," he said with mild confusion, as if he was unsure whether that was normal.

Lin Mu nodded. "You probably could."

Daoist Chu sipped his tea. "I agree. Their techniques lack refinement and the timing of their movements is full of openings."

Even Elyon, who often tried to maintain a neutral and noncommittal expression, hummed with mild boredom. "The footwork is painful to watch."

In one fight, a participant tripped over his own shoes while trying to perform a mid air kick. The crowd burst into laughter. Meng Bai hid his face behind his sleeve. Lin Mu chuckled quietly.

The early matches ended one by one, and after nearly an hour, the announcer finally called out the next pairing.

"Next on Ring Three. Competitor number eighty four, Big Mao. And competitor number ninety nine, Cattaleya Duskthorn."

Hearing the name Big Mao, a large portion of the crowd erupted in cheers. Cattaleya had not even appeared yet and already people were shouting for the man.

Lin Mu glanced at the competitor stepping onto the stage.

Big Mao was indeed big. He was at least two heads taller than most contestants Lin Mu had seen so far and built like a fortress. His arms resembled stone pillars, his chest bulged like it was carved from marble, and he carried himself with the confidence of someone used to admiration.

His cultivation was at the Fourth Tribulation Stage, which made him the strongest fighter in the early rounds.

"That explains his popularity," Daoist Chu commented lightly.

"Oh, he is going to regret the next few minutes," Meng Bai muttered.

Elyon snorted quietly.

Big Mao walked in with enormous steps, waving grandly at the cheering fans. Some of them shouted praises. Others loudly declared their bets. A group of older aunties even waved handkerchiefs embroidered with his name.

Then the crowd suddenly shifted its attention when Cattaleya walked onto the stage.

There was silence at first, followed by a wave of mutters and murmurs. The people who had seen her at the betting house instantly started cheering, while those who saw her for the first time stared in disbelief.

One man in the front row shouted, "Is that a woman or a boulder with arms?"

"She’s even taller than Big Mao! How’s that possible? Is she even a woman?" A second man wondered.

Another man slapped him on the head and hissed, "She can hear you. Do you want to die?"

Cattaleya strode forward, rolling her shoulders with pure confidence. She had kept her aura suppressed until now, giving no hint about her true strength. Now she allowed a faint ripple of physical energy to spread through the arena, just enough to make the weaker contestants shiver.