Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3419: The First Day Of The Tournament

Two quiet days passed in the Great Fist City, though quiet was a relative term.

The entire city vibrated with rising tension, chatter, immortal Qi, Immortal Essence, Vitality and the heavy scent of anticipation. Every plaza, street, and courtyard seemed infused with suppressed excitement. It was like the city itself was holding its breath.

By the dawn of the first tournament day, the atmosphere had transformed completely.

DHAM DHAM DHAM

Drums boomed from the central fist shaped mountain. Immortal Qi flared in swirling waves overhead. The Martial Fist King Sect activated enormous formations that painted the skies with bright streaks of light. Tens of thousands of spectators were already gathering, taking up seats, filling the temporary stands, and crowding around projection arrays.

The Great Martial Fist King Tournament had officially begun!

Lin Mu and the others arrived with the Dongxu Clan, all wearing the fist shaped tokens that granted them participant access. Even though the clan brought one hundred members, they still seemed like a small force among the titanic number of clans and sects that had converged on the city.

Once inside the competitors section, each participant met with their individual schedule and instructions.

Lin Mu examined his, and his brows rose slightly as he read through the rules and structure. This was unlike any tournament he had joined before.

The match format was unique.

Patriarch Wang approached, having noticed Lin Mu’s expression. "Surprising, is it not?"

Lin Mu nodded. "The continuous match option. That is unusual."

Meng Bai peered at the board as well. "Master, this is the first time I have seen a tournament not use simple elimination other than the Xian Sword Sect."

Patriarch Wang explained:

"In this tournament, after two fighters battle, the winner may choose to remain in the ring and immediately face the next challenger. They are not obligated to do so. One victory is enough to progress. However, by staying and defeating more opponents, they gain points while those that lose are removed."

Lin Mu understood why this would tempt so many.

Points meant rewards.

And the rewards were not small side prizes but genuine treasures provided by the Martial Fist King Sect, local sects, sponsored clans, and even the Eastern immortal court. People could exchange points midway through the tournament whenever they wished.

In many cases, these rewards were more valuable than what an average participant could ever hope for even if they reached the finals.

Patriarch Wang continued.

"There are many fighters who know they will not reach the top ten or even the top hundred. They are here to gain as many points as they can early on and exchange them for treasures before they are eliminated."

Elyon, who had silently appeared beside them at some point, added,

"Especially since the early rounds contain weaker fighters. Everyone tries to win a few consecutive battles here and rake in points. Later rounds have far stronger opponents, so the risk becomes too high."

Lin Mu nodded. "And the elites will likely only fight once."

"Yes," Patriarch Wang said. "Elites, sect geniuses, hidden masters, and clan prodigies do not need points. They have resources. They rarely show more strength than necessary."

Lin Mu tapped his chin thoughtfully. "But this format means the duration can vary greatly."

"It can," the patriarch said. "There have been tournaments completed within a month. A few powerful individuals wiped out entire brackets by fighting nonstop and defeating hundreds if not thousands of opponents every day. And since five stadiums run simultaneously, the process can move quickly."

"What about the longest?" Meng Bai asked.

"A little over one year."

Meng Bai gulped. "Let us hope that does not happen this time."

Cattaleya, who had been vibrating with excitement, laughed heartily. "If Lin Mu decides to clear one stadium on his own, it might end in a week."

Lin Mu shook his head. "I am not doing that."

Cattaleya raised a brow. "Not even a little?"

Lin Mu did not respond, which only made her grin wider.

Daoist Chu stepped forward and said in a calm voice, "Let us focus on the rules for now. The reward exchange system is the most interesting part."

Lin Mu agreed.

During the past two days, he had studied the catalog thoroughly and marked several items of interest. The Martial Fist King Sect had not held back. Even the lesser prizes were tempting.

There were defensive materials, Qi refining treasures, physique enhancing herbs, cultivation and skill jade slips, and rare immortal metals.

But what caught Lin Mu’s interest most were the elemental materials.

There were several water based treasures that resonated with his water core. His water core was already at 97 percent. He had been waiting for an opportunity to push it over the final threshold.

Lin Mu whispered to himself, "I might complete my water core here."

Even though he would not be using his Qi skills in the fights themselves, nothing stopped him from gaining rewards through points and using them between matches.

He also noted the body cultivation resources.

Even if his physique was already monstrous, the extra Immortal Essence from such treasures was always useful. Some of the listed resources increased one’s foundational strength or improved the growth rate of bodily cultivation. Lin Mu saw no reason not to stockpile them.

Finally, he examined the grand prizes.

The top ten received unique rewards tailored to their type of cultivation. But the first prize was unmistakably the most coveted among body cultivators.

The Martial King Ascension Pill.

A pill only produced by the Martial Fist King Sect themselves. A pill considered priceless outside their control. A pill rumored to elevate a body cultivator by an entire stage at minimum. Some said even two stages were possible depending on the cultivator’s physique.

Lin Mu’s eyes lingered on its description longer than on anything else.

Cattaleya followed his gaze and grinned. "You should get that pill. I want to see what happens when someone like you swallows that thing. Though that is if you win against me, haha!"