World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament

Birds of a feather flock together, and people naturally form groups. Even in the martial arts world, there were distinctions between high and low, strong and weak.

It was a harsh reality. Between people and between schools, they might band together over shared martial arts ideals, or be invisibly divided into different tiers based on their strength.

Absolute equality did not exist. The stronger a school was, the more it emphasized displays of etiquette—but that etiquette was built upon strength.

When strength was unequal, the courtesy offered might only be symbolic or polite. Only when both sides were evenly matched would they truly show one another sufficient respect.

For example, the organizers would arrange for disciples to welcome seeded contestants from past tournaments and disciples from major schools well in advance. That was strength speaking for itself!

Only ordinary schools that received little attention had to climb the mountain on their own.

"The most famous schools in the martial arts world today include the Kame Style, Crane Style, Dolin Temple, Maple Leaf Style, Qianhe Style, Cross Fist, Monster Group... as well as the legendary guardians of the Holy Land."

Xis knew these schools like the back of his hand. He then shook his head at Mu Yang. "But in recent years, the Kame Style and Crane Style have basically vanished from public view. It is said that the guardian lineage also has clan rules and rarely leaves Karin's Holy Land."

"So over the past few decades, Dolin Temple, the Maple Leaf Style, the Qianhe Style, and the like have been the schools with the strongest presence in the martial arts world."

When Xis spoke of the current state of the martial arts world, Mu Yang could hear a hint of melancholy in his voice.

That was not to say that masters from prestigious schools were necessarily stronger than those from other schools. Small schools could produce great masters too. Mu Yang's teacher, Aisafu, was undoubtedly a powerful expert, but the Tianxin Style was only ranked as a middle-tier school because of its limited overall scale.

The major schools had more disciples, and their overall quality naturally appeared stronger than that of other schools.

Besides these masters, Earth also had a rather special group of experts: monsters capable of speaking human language. They generally had the appearance of beasts, but since they possessed intelligence, it did not seem quite right to classify them as mere animals...

Maple Leaf Island was an island that rose in the middle and sloped downward around its edges.

Like many islands, Maple Leaf Island had an exceptionally pleasant climate. Even when the southern regions were in the depths of winter, the island was brushed by warm, gentle breezes.

At the center of the island stood its main peak, Maple Leaf Peak. Halfway up the mountain was a grand Martial Arts Hall. It belonged to the Maple Leaf Style, and this year's World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament was being held there.

The winding path leading to the foothills passed through verdant woods and elegant trees, with birdsong echoing through the quiet mountains. Dense foliage lined both sides of the bluestone path. Looking out through the mountain pass halfway up the slope, one could see the clear blue sea shimmering in the distance. When the breeze blew, the scent of seawater drifted through the air.

Once they entered the Martial Arts Hall, more and more martial artists gathered around them.

Mu Yang swept his gaze around and saw many people in Maple Leaf Style uniforms leading groups around on tours. He guessed they were disciples from the major schools.

"Mu Yang, come over here." Xis called from nearby. Mu Yang hurried over and wrote down his name at the registration desk.

"Tianxin Style, Mu Yang!"

The staff member read it aloud, then handed him a number tag after confirming that everything was correct.

"This is your number. There will be a draw later, and you will compete according to your number."

"Thank you."

Mu Yang thanked him politely, glanced at the number "241" on the tag, and carefully put it away.

Since the martial arts tournament at this time was not yet an entertainment-oriented competition for spectators, its rules differed somewhat from those of later generations.

There were no preliminary rounds intended to improve the spectacle. Every match was held directly before experts from the various major schools.

For one thing, the contestants were of a vastly different caliber from those of later generations, so there was no need for selection rounds. For another, professional spectators had sharper eyes. Competing before them revealed more strengths and weaknesses, making every match a trial for each contestant!

Of course, such a format also multiplied the pressure. It could be said that every contestant had to give their all in every match, lest they bring shame upon their school.

After registering, Mu Yang toured the Martial Arts Hall under the guidance of a Maple Leaf Style disciple. Then he sat beneath the shade of a tree not far from the registration point, quietly watching the contestants who came to register.

By then, the setting sun hung low in the sky, while seagulls cried in the distance. After checking the time, the staff in charge of registration began packing up. Mu Yang and Xis did not linger either and returned to the inn where they were staying.

Three days passed in a flash. By the registration deadline, Mu Yang learned from the tournament office that a total of 315 contestants had signed up for this year's competition.

That number was considerably higher than the number of participants in the twenty-first World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament from the original story, showing that martial arts cultivation was still flourishing at this time.

However, in the later period, as technology rose and martial arts tournaments became increasingly entertainment-focused, many schools chose to withdraw from the world, and the number of professional contestants gradually declined. It was a historical trend, and there was nothing to be done about it.

That morning, the World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament finally opened!

The Maple Leaf Style Martial Arts Hall surged with people.

"Ah, look over there! That's Master Xiulin of Dolin Temple! The one beside him must be his disciple, right?"

A cry of amazement rang out nearby, and the entire Martial Arts Hall immediately erupted.

Mu Yang turned around and saw an elderly monk in yellow robes entering the Martial Arts Hall under the escort of Maple Leaf Style disciples. A handsome young monk followed at his side.

"Dolin Temple... wasn't that where Krillin stayed before becoming Master Roshi's disciple?" Mu Yang narrowed his eyes. From the old monk, he could sense a vast and imposing aura.

He quietly took out his Energy Detector and scanned him. The result was actually 105!

A Battle Power of 105 was already exceptionally formidable among Earthlings.

One had to know that even Master Roshi during the Dragon Ball Z era only had a Battle Power of 139.

Although this Master Xiulin was inferior to the "God of Martial Arts," he was still one of the towering figures of the martial arts world.

"As expected of a school with such a long heritage. Its foundations are truly deep." Xis looked toward the Dolin Temple contestants, and it was hard to tell whether he was envious or admiring.

"Uncle Xis, I won't lose to them either." Mu Yang's gaze fell upon the young monks beside Master Xiulin.

"Then you had better work hard." Xis smiled and gave Mu Yang an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

For him, he would already be very satisfied if Mu Yang could make it into the top eight of the tournament.

As for competing with renowned schools like Dolin Temple, it was better not to think about it.

Seeing that Xis had not taken his words seriously, Mu Yang grinned and said nothing more.

This Uncle Xis clearly had less confidence in him than Aisafu did, though that was not surprising. The Tianxin Style had been weak for a long time. Compared with those illustrious schools, it was only natural that they were not favored. He wondered what expression Xis would wear when he revealed his strength.

In the martial arts tournaments of this era, the older generation of martial artists mostly watched from the sidelines. The younger generation remained the backbone.

Mu Yang knew he was no match for Master Xiulin, but as for everyone else... he felt the urge to test himself against them.