First Performance!

"Sigh, the Kame Style disciples didn't participate this time either." As he passed the main stage, Mu Yang heard this lament.

"There's no helping it. They say Master Mutian hasn't taken any disciples for many years," another person said.

Mu Yang sidestepped past them, ears perked up, thinking to himself: "It's still fifty years before the plot starts. By now, Master Roshi should have already taken Gohan as his disciple. Not letting Gohan join the World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament probably means he doesn't see the point."

Gohan was Master Roshi's most outstanding disciple, and his final achievements even surpassed Master Roshi's.

Right now, fifty years before the plot, Gohan in his prime was in a golden period of rapid growth. He was likely not far from standing head and shoulders above the rest. Participating in the tournament meant nothing to him.

"Mu Yang, the match is about to start. Go all out and don't underestimate any opponent," Xis reminded him. Since Mu Yang had only ever fought beasts in the Primeval Mountains and had no experience fighting people, Xis patiently gave him advice, afraid he might not adapt at once.

"Don't worry, Uncle Xis."

Mu Yang nodded seriously and solemnly, then tightened the belt around his waist, looking fully prepared.

On the main stage, the head of the Maple Leaf Style began explaining the competition rules. Thunderous applause erupted from below, and after it died down, a deafening gong sounded, officially starting the tournament.

Mu Yang stood below, continuously scanning the seniors on stage with his Energy Detector.

105, 110, 98, 103, 118...

These were all formidable figures!

Aside from those old-timers, the younger generation was much weaker. Mu Yang didn't bother measuring them, but the best among them probably only had a Battle Power of sixty or seventy—a clear gap from him.

Soon, the matches began.

According to the draw order, disciples from various schools were divided into eight competition zones for the knockout rounds. Each zone would produce one strongest fighter to enter the top eight.

There was no preliminary power test, no so-called resurrection mechanism—it was all pure, hard strength competition! Except for last year's top eight being seeded into the eight zones, everything was that simple and brutal!

Mu Yang's blood boiled. This was the kind of match he wanted!

Standing in the waiting area, he could already feel the excitement stirring inside him. This feeling was comparable to when he took the college entrance exams back in the day.

On the arena, the first bouts in different zones had already begun. Disciples from various schools fought fiercely, and some unlucky contestants had already been eliminated after drawing opponents far above their level, leaving them sighing in frustration.

This outcome drew sighs from the audience below, but luck was also part of strength. Everyone present was a martial artist of some standing. After a brief moment of regret for those decent fighters, their attention quickly shifted to the next match.

Mu Yang was also watching the matches on stage. Though the movements of these martial artists were fast and fierce, to his eyes, they seemed like slow-motion footage—every move not only sluggish but riddled with openings.

And these people were participating in the World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament?

Mu Yang felt that if it were him, he could knock them off the stage with a casual swing of his fist. The gap was that obvious.

At that moment, Mu Yang was certain that with this tournament, he would definitely achieve good results.

"Contestant number 241, please report to ring 13!" the staff member shouted at the top of his lungs.

"It's my turn."

Mu Yang nodded lightly, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes. Then he walked toward the target ring, lightly leaped, and landed on the platform with effortless grace.

Xis shouted from below, "Mu Yang, stay calm. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"I know." Throwing a confident smile at Xis, Mu Yang turned to face his opponent.

Across from him stood a young man of average build, wearing a blue martial arts uniform. Seeing him, Mu Yang smiled. "First match and I'm up against a Maple Leaf Style disciple. Hah, let me see just how strong a disciple from a major school really is!"

Mu Yang got serious. He didn't use the Energy Detector to probe but relied on his own senses. He was doing this to train his ability to perceive ki.

"Maple Leaf Style, Kane!" The Maple Leaf disciple across from him pressed his palms together and bowed politely.

Mu Yang returned the gesture. "Tianxin Style, Mu Yang!"

Then the two assumed their stances. After briefly gauging each other's strength, it was the Maple Leaf disciple named Kane who launched the first attack.

Mu Yang's eyes shifted slightly, and his entire aura changed. His pupils tracked the opponent's movements continuously. Since this was his first official match, Mu Yang had no intention of holding back from the start. Just as Kane's fists and feet were about to make contact, Mu Yang silently called out, feinted with his body, and as he swayed, he somehow ended up behind Kane.

It turned out that the gap between this contestant named Kane and Mu Yang was enormous. Shifting his footwork, Mu Yang had already found his opening.

"So fast... when did he get behind me?"

Faced with Mu Yang's sudden appearance, Kane broke out in a cold sweat. But as a disciple of a major school, Kane clearly had solid fundamentals. He ducked low while crossing his arms, barely managing to dodge by the skin of his teeth.

After several exchanges back and forth, Mu Yang had roughly figured out his opponent's level.

Time to speed things up and end this match. So Mu Yang grinned, made up his mind, and instantly increased the speed of his strikes.

Kane hadn't expected Mu Yang's movements to be so swift. His body instinctively lagged, and the simple attacks already put him at a disadvantage. He had no choice but to avoid the edge and sidestep away.

Bam! Mu Yang's fist slammed heavily into the ground, producing a dull thud. The stone slabs of the arena loosened slightly, cracking into several fissures.

Seeing the power Mu Yang had suddenly unleashed, Kane was stunned and kept retreating, overwhelmed by an unstoppable pressure.

Whoosh! A blurry black shadow suddenly flashed before Kane's eyes. This time, Kane really couldn't dodge anymore. He could only cross his arms to block.

Thud! An immense force landed on him. Kane's body swayed, sliding back seven or eight meters.

His arms went numb. Kane gave a bitter smile and made a decision in his heart.

"Wait. I concede this match." Just as Mu Yang's next attack was about to land, Kane quickly called out. After speaking, he stepped off the arena with a look of regret.

"This match, contestant number 241, Mu Yang, wins!"

Seeing that one contestant had voluntarily conceded and left the arena, the staff member on site immediately raised a flag and announced loudly.

Still standing on the arena, Mu Yang had naturally secured the victory.