After registering for the Azure Mist Pavilion's expedition, Linfei decided to visit the famous Pavilion Duel Arena, a place revered by young cultivators seeking fame — and fortune. The wide, circular arena was bustling with life, filled with spectators shouting bets, vendors selling elixirs, and clinking silver coins exchanging hands.
The atmosphere was heavy with spirit energy and greed. Men roared wagers as shimmering aura shields flashed in duels below. Some fought for glory, others for coin, but all fought for pride.
Linfei paid the small entrance fee, stepping past the engraved gate pillars that hummed faintly with restraining formations. As he entered, the crowd's cheers hit him like thunder. Above the betting tables, boards displayed ongoing match pairings and odds for each fighter.
He found a spot among the onlookers and soon became absorbed by the duel before him.
On the sandy stage below, two cultivators clashed furiously.
One, a tall man with heavily muscled arms, fought using brute power; his punches cracked the air, leaving shockwaves in their wake. His veins bulged as Qi condensed around his fists like visible armor. The other, lean and quick, moved like wind through water — every strike he dodged with barely a brush of contact, his movements elegant yet precise.
"Ten silvers on Iron Arm Chu!" someone near Linfei shouted.
"Ha! You'll lose your money. Gale Wei's footwork can't be caught!" another argued, slamming down his wager.
Linfei watched intently as muscle met motion, power met precision. The heavy-hitter drove Qi into the earth, shaking the ground, while his opponent danced back gracefully, appearing a step ahead every time. The match was fierce, the crowd divided between cheers and curses as silver flowed across the betting tables.
Linfei's hands clenched unconsciously. Watching them fight, he recognized the strengths and flaws of both styles — the brute's raw stamina and the runner's refined agility. Something stirred in him, a quiet determination. He had mastered the Swift Serpent Steps, a balance of agility and speed... but he needed to bridge that with the ferocity of his Iron Fist.