Chapter 3420: Waiting For The Turn

Hearing Catt, Lin Mu simply replied, "It will be useful."

Daoist Chu sighed. "Useful? That pill could cause even a sect Patriarch to go mad with greed."

Meng Bai leaned over Lin Mu’s shoulder. "Master, are you aiming for first place?"

Lin Mu answered honestly. "I am going to test my body cultivation. Whether I finish in the finals or not is secondary. But if the path places the pill before me, I will take it."

Cattaleya patted his back hard enough to make several nearby juniors flinch. "That is more than enough. I won’t be letting you have an easy time."

Just then, the massive gongs rang across all five stadiums, signaling the beginning of the first round of the Great Martial Fist King Tournament.

The crowd roared like an ocean.

Patriarch Wang gestured toward the largest stadium on the middle knuckle where Lin Mu’s first match category would take place.

"Let us go. Even if you are not fighting yet, you will want to observe the format and rhythm of the fights."

Cattaleya cracked her knuckles. "And I want to see who looks fun to fight."

Elyon quietly took out his betting notes.

Meng Bai tightened the straps on his spear.

Daoist Chu whispered a prayer asking the heavens that Mistress Tender Flower was nowhere in this city. Over the last few days, he had re-learned what had happened and definitely did not want to see the old woman again.

Lin Mu took a breath, feeling the pulse of martial intent radiating from the stadium.

"Let us begin."

And with that, they stepped into the roaring world of the Great Martial Fist King Tournament.

The Great Martial Fist King Tournament officially entered full swing as the first stadium gongs thundered like falling mountains. The Middle Knuckle Stadium, the largest of the five arenas, was overflowing with spectators.

Colorful Immortal Qi screens hovered overhead projecting enlarged images of the battlefield and warriors. The atmosphere was electric, brimming with excitement, bloodlust, curiosity, and anticipation.

Lin Mu and Cattaleya both belonged to the Middle Knuckle bracket, which saved the group from having to sprint between stadiums. It also meant they could observe each other’s fights easily. Meng Bai, Dongxu Ning, Elyon, Daoist Chu, and several Dongxu clan juniors all chose to sit together in the prime seating area secured by the clan’s VIP status.

The first matches proceeded at a rapid pace.

Dozens of early contestants fought with minimal flare, most choosing to stop after one victory. These were the cautious type, strategic and pragmatic. They wished to observe the overall strength of this year’s competition before risking more points or revealing more techniques than they had to.

Lin Mu watched quietly as the first fifty matches concluded in less than an hour.

Most contestants chose not to chain fights. A few made only two or three attempts before retreating. These early matches revealed almost nothing, which was precisely why the elite observers in the stands watched them only halfheartedly.

Daoist Chu commented, "They are playing it safe. Standard behavior for the early rounds."

Elyon nodded while scribbling notes. "But the points are too tempting. Someone reckless will eventually take advantage of it."

And indeed, by match seventy three, the first ambitious contestant appeared.

A tall, bare chested hammer wielding cultivator strode into the arena with wild confidence. His Immortal Essence flared brightly in bright red hues. Many spectators recognized him. He was a ranker from a smaller body cultivation sect.

He defeated his first opponent in three blows, accepted the consecutive battle option, then steamrolled the next eleven fighters with growing aggression.

His movements became wild from fatigue and overexcitement, but he endured until his body began trembling from exhaustion. Finally, he collapsed to one knee and surrendered. The crowd cheered the display of endurance.

Cattaleya snorted. "Amateur. He should have been able to take ten more."

Lin Mu replied calmly, "He let his emotions move ahead of his technique."

More chain fighters appeared over the next few hours. Some managed two victories, some five, and a rare few scraped past eight or nine. The crowd enjoyed the spectacle, and the atmosphere swelled with excitement as people shouted predictions and placed spontaneous bets.

But Cattaleya grew increasingly impatient.

By the fourth hour, she was tapping her foot against the stone floor. By the fifth hour she was squeezing the edge of the bench hard enough to crack it. And by the sixth hour she was muttering about storming the organizers chamber to demand her turn.

Meng Bai leaned closer and whispered to Dongxu Ning, "Senior Catt is restless."

Ning offered him another Tanghulu from the paper bag and replied, "She wants to break something. Or someone. It is normal."

Meng Bai accepted the sweet and sour fruit candy and nodded in agreement.

Finally, after almost six full hours of waiting, the announcer’s voice echoed across the stadium.

"Contestant Number Three Hundred Forty Seven. Cattaleya Duskthorn."

Cattaleya did not bother with stairs or decorum.

WHOOSH

She stood up, stretched, and jumped straight from the stands. Her body cut through the air like a falling star.

THUD

She landed in the center of the ring with a thunderous boom that made the arena tremble.

The crowd erupted instantly.

"The One Flick Woman!"

"She is here!"

"Over two thousand consecutive flick victories across five cities!"

"This is going to be glorious!"

Cheering rolled across the stadium like waves.

Lin Mu remained composed, though he could not deny the amusement tugging at the corner of his lips.

Meanwhile, Dongxu Ning gave Meng Bai an amused glance while holding a tanghulu stick for him. "If anyone challenges her willingly, they are either brave or foolish."

Meng Bai took another bite of Tanghulu from the stick before speaking. "Or both."

Daoist Chu folded his arms and observed the field. "At least her match will not be boring."

Patriarch Wang was secretly delighted. He had already heard the clan juniors whispering about trying to get an autograph or a sparring lesson from her.

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