"So many people... What is this place? Where in the world has Your Majesty ended up?"
The Green Emperor widened its eyes and rapidly scanned its surroundings. Seeing the continuous influx of humans, even its mouth gaped in disbelief. It had no idea what was going on—why were so many people suddenly appearing?
"As expected, with the fusion of the myriad worlds, the Eternal Continent is gathering countless prodigies. However, it seems like those from the Immortal Mountains and Sects haven't shown up yet. Or if they have, their cultivation clearly isn't high—most are only at the Divine Sea Realm. Could this be some kind of martial arts gathering among the mortal factions of the human race on the Eternal Continent?"
Not only were the top-tier powerhouses missing, but it was also possible that they hadn't yet completed their breakthroughs. Perhaps they were still being suppressed. Some might even be in the process of transforming their cultivation systems to align with that of the Eternal Continent.
After all, the cultivation systems across many worlds vary. But now, the most orthodox method is to open up the Divine Sea.
Of course, for the powerful cultivators of other worlds, this transformation isn't particularly difficult. With the fusion of the myriad worlds and the evolution of the Heavenly Dao, all cultivators—no matter how powerful—are granted a chance to reform their cultivation. It's like the experts from the martial world whose inner qi gets condensed into a Core of True Essence. With immense energy and their previous realms to rely on, rebuilding their foundations would be nothing short of astonishing.
The sealing of the Immortal Sects might actually be a blessing in disguise for them.
Also, due to the Access Token requirement, nearly everyone who arrived seems to be from the secular side of the Eternal Continent.
"All of them are humans... Could it be that this martial arts tournament restricts participation based on race or identity?"
Yi Tianxing also noticed that only human figures had appeared. There were no other races in sight, which struck him as odd.
Humans are far from being the sole dominant race on the Eternal Continent. Nor are they inherently superior. It's impossible that only humans could obtain the Access Token—other races surely had the opportunity too.
There are countless races in the Eternal Continent.
But the deeper mystery behind this gathering was clearly something Yi Tianxing couldn't uncover right now.
With a slight frown, he chose to set it aside for now. If the opportunity came, he would naturally find the answer in the future.
"There are Westerners."
Suddenly, Yi Tianxing's eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed at another area across the void.
In that space, lights flashed and figures appeared one after another.
Sure enough, there were blonde-haired, blue-eyed men clad in armor wielding greatswords, as well as robed men and women holding staves, radiating mysterious auras. They emanated unusual energies.
Their appearances were drastically different from the black-haired, black-eyed crowd—clear evidence of racial distinction.
At a glance, it was obvious they were foreigners. To the Chinese eye, they were the wild, uncivilized tribes—alien peoples.
Until now, there had been no word of Westerners. Seeing them here confirmed Yi Tianxing's suspicion: with the myriad worlds fusing, it would be impossible to exclude them. They must have been isolated before due to some natural barrier created by Heaven and Earth itself.
In fact, Yi Tianxing suspected that the East and West existed in separate regions, possibly even entirely distinct zones.
But here and now, the distinction was stark—Westerners had arrived.
Different hair, skin, and eye colors. Distinct facial features. The differences were striking.
Yet clearly, Westerners also counted as human.
Looking closer, Yi Tianxing sensed cultivator auras from them as well. However, their cultivation methods differed. Though they also practiced Divine Sea-opening, the energy stored within their seas wasn't true qi—it was something else.
"Interesting... It seems close to spiritual energy. And those warriors—there's a wildness to their inner power. Far more aggressive than true qi."
Yi Tianxing furrowed his brow slightly, quietly sensing their energies, thoughtful.
The Western cultivators had clearly noticed the Eastern contingent as well. Their expressions shifted to surprise, quickly replaced by wary alertness. Clearly, the two sides were naturally divided. Seeing a large group of Eastern cultivators, the Westerners clustering together made perfect sense.
Time passed quietly.
Few people spoke. Most simply observed, remaining alert to changes around them.
Before they realized it, a vast number of cultivators had gathered in the sky.
"There—who is that?"
Yi Tianxing's eyes suddenly flickered toward a flash of light. A figure stood suspended in the air, wearing a vivid red robe—an eye-catching sight, yet it couldn't hide her graceful curves. Her posture was elegant, her chest full, radiating a mysterious allure. A closer look revealed a face of astounding beauty and cold charm, with a red mark between her brows, adding to her majestic presence.
Her arrival was like a spotlight—none of the other geniuses present could outshine her.
"A red robe… That enchanting face… Could it be… her?"
A figure surfaced in Yi Tianxing's mind, and he couldn't help the odd look on his face.
Was it a man or a woman? Male or female? Even he couldn't tell.
Baby can't figure it out either.
No one knew how long had passed, but the sky was now filled with countless cultivators.
Possibly tens of thousands.
Whoosh!
The divine lights above ceased—they had completely stopped. No more new arrivals.
On the massive floating platform in the sky, light flickered, and a giant banner fluttered in the wind, engraved with bold words:
Number One Under Heaven Martial Arts Tournament!!
At the same time, two figures appeared silently on the platform.
Upon closer inspection… they were two enormous eggs. Yes—eggs with legs, arms, and faces. Their limbs were disproportionately tiny compared to their bodies, giving them a comical appearance. Each egg had eyes, eyebrows, and even mouths. Odd-looking—but not terrifying. In fact, oddly endearing.
The dark-colored egg, nearly black-blue, wore a black top hat and cloak, projecting a cool and suave vibe.
The white egg, on the other hand, was simply… adorable.
The moment the eggs appeared, all the cultivators in the void gave them strange looks. Their eyes converged on the bizarre duo.
Yi Tianxing almost spat out blood.
Those two?!
Weren't they cartoon characters?! How were they here on the platform?
"Brothers and sisters—"
The white egg suddenly pulled out a microphone and began to speak.
"No, you got it wrong. You should say fellow cultivators." The black egg smacked the white one on the head, scolding.
"Black Handsome, don't hit my head! Or I'll draw a curse circle on you," the white egg protested.
"Fellow cultivators, I am your most lovable host—Brother Swag! Cheer for Brother Swag's arrival!"
"I am your ultimate object of envy, the devastatingly handsome—Black Handsome! If you're jealous of me, send your boos!"
"Brother Swag? Black Handsome? What the hell are these two eggs…"
The cultivators around them wore baffled expressions.
If they hadn't endured all sorts of monsters and horrors, they'd probably have attacked these two on sight.
Many cultivators twitched at the corners of their mouths but said nothing. After all, they couldn't reach the platform anyway.
"We're sure you'll never forget us after this."
Brother Swag beamed. "We've been assigned to host the very first Number One Under Heaven Martial Arts Tournament! Black Handsome and I will be your hosts throughout the event!"
"This competition has no insurance, no rules, and no prizes. A true triple-zero tournament!" Black Handsome declared, tossing his head.
"Of course, that's impossible. We have insurance, rules, and prizes—a proper, legitimate, totally formal tournament!" Brother Swag corrected with a grin. "In battle, if you die, you'll be sent out of the secret realm the moment before death. However, death still comes with a price. What that price is... depends on your luck!"
"This is the first Number One Under Heaven Martial Arts Tournament," Black Handsome said coolly.
"And the theme of this event is... RUNNING!" Brother Swag shouted.
"Yes, this event is a race. A no-rules race! All participants must have a mount. No mount—no entry!" Black Handsome added coldly.
"Don't worry. We know not everyone has one. That's why we're giving you all a special bonus—this is a secret realm filled with ferocious beasts and spirit beasts. Everyone gets a Pet Contract—go out, find a beast you like, and form a bond. Once you have a mount, you can join the tournament. This is a one-time opportunity. Miss it, and it's gone for good."
"A good mount will boost your strength and give you an edge in the race," Black Handsome added.
"The tournament includes the top-tier treasures of the Eternal Continent. With skill—and a little luck—you can take them home! These are prizes worthy of the Number One Under Heaven Martial Arts Tournament!" Brother Swag said, tossing his head in dramatic flair.