Inside the door of the Tide Battle Office, twenty-eight small float-commune flags filled An Youyu's field of vision first.
The service counters were arranged behind them, with flags filling half of the wall from left to right, and a wooden tag with constantly changing numbers hanging beneath each flag.
Six long counters stretched across the front of the wall, where the staff behind them took shell-coins and issued wager slips, too busy to even raise their heads.
"Two more strings on Unicorn Float-Commune for the top mast!"
"Can I still buy the mast-occupying wager for Double Pillars Float-Commune?"
"You can, but even if you hit at this price, you won't win more than a few coins. Do you really want it?"
People coming to handle maritime affairs lined up into the inner hall from the left, while those placing wagers crowded the right, both crowds packed into a single hall without getting in each other's way.
Xu Jian threaded through the gaps in the crowd holding his document box, leading An Youyu to the battle registration counter on the left first.
An Youyu handed in his temporary transit pass along with his supplementary nomination document.
The Tide Battle notary responsible for verifying force checked off each item, had Lu Guizhou act as guarantor beside the re-verification column, and then pushed over a wooden tag marked 【2】.
"Go wait in the verification queue. There's still Number 1 ahead of you."
...
The verification queue was right on the left side of the outer hall, separated from the long counters on the right by only an aisle.
As An Youyu walked over, he took another look at those wooden tags on the wall with constantly changing numbers; the place handling the Tide Battle actually sold betting options on the Tide Battle as well.
Xu Jian followed his gaze and explained, "This is the 【Tide Battle Public Book】 sanctioned by the Anchorage Association."
"Each of the twenty-eight communes has a mast-occupying wager, plus there are wagers for top mast, first-round eliminations, and various side bets. The bookmakers handle payouts and losses, while the Anchorage Association takes a cut from every bet."
The Tide Battle only took place once every three years, so the Anchorage Association naturally wouldn't let this business pass by. It was just that the seven mast-occupying communes hadn't changed for ten consecutive editions, so there was little suspense about who could enter the Seven Seats. The only thing left that people could still argue over was the top mast.
In recent editions, the top mast had been rotating between 【Unicorn Commune】, 【Double Pillars Commune】, and 【Three Peaks Commune】.
Beside the odds tags hung a Public Verification Board.
Recorded on the board were the results verified on the spot when contestants registered. At a single glance, An Youyu spotted the top three lines.
【Unicorn · Huo Zhaohai ｜ First-Transformation · Dragon Gallop ｜ Registration Verified Force: Six Hundred Pressure】
【Three Peaks · Shen Tieyi ｜ First-Transformation · Turtle Bearer ｜ Registration Verified Force: Five Hundred Forty Pressure】
【Double Pillars · Wan Chaosheng ｜ First-Transformation · Sky Ray ｜ Registration Verified Force: Five Hundred Twenty Pressure】
In front of the counter, a tall, thin man pushed three strings of shell-coins under the 【Double Pillars】 flag. "I'm still putting my money on Wan Chaosheng. In the water, as long as he builds up his momentum, who can stop him?"
Someone beside him immediately countered, "What's the point of speed? As long as Shen Tieyi plants himself on the mast platform, could Wan Chaosheng even budge him?"
A third person slammed their shell-coins heavily under the 【Unicorn】 flag. "One bets on waves, one bets on a shell—both are risking their lives on flashy tricks. I only acknowledge Huo Zhaohai at Six Hundred Pressure."
"Unicorn Float-Commune's payout is still high right now. If you don't buy now, once the bookmakers lower the odds, even if you win you'll barely gain a few shell-coins."
Suddenly, a string of shell-coins reached over from behind the crowd, landing with a slap under the 【Wooden Comb Float-Commune】 flag. "Wooden Comb for top mast. Issue me an early ticket."
The space in front of the counter fell quiet for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Wooden Comb Float-Commune?"
"Wooden Comb's Su Jianwei was only at Three Hundred Sixty Pressure when registering. You're betting on her for top mast?"
"If you want to back a dark horse, pick a decent one at least."
The bettor didn't pull back his shell-coins. "Latest news: Su Jianwei completed Second-Transformation a few days ago."
"The only Second-Transformation contestant this edition."
"A bright moon has already risen, yet you're still holding up three little stars, arguing over who shines brighter?"
The laughter stopped abruptly.
An Youyu's gaze traveled down the Public Verification Board and quickly found Wooden Comb Float-Commune's line.
【Wooden Comb · Su Jianwei ｜ First-Transformation · Shark Maiden ｜ Registration Verified Force: Three Hundred Sixty Pressure】
Among the Eight King Paths, 【Shark Maiden】, 【Dragon Gallop】, 【Sky Ray】, 【Gluttonous Whale】, and 【Turtle Bearer】 had the widest heritage and the most practitioners, and were traditionally viewed as the five mainstream King Paths.
Each of the five mainstream King Paths suited different constitutions, and their current-forming thresholds varied greatly.
Among these five paths, 【Dragon Gallop】 had the highest average current-forming threshold, while 【Shark Maiden】 had the lowest.
The current-forming threshold referred to how many Pressure of fish-swimming force one had to accumulate before it would connect into a continuous stream, not the time required for cultivation.
Some accumulated force quickly and might Form a Current sooner even if their threshold was higher; others accumulated force slowly and might take longer even with a lower threshold.
Even within First-Transformation, Dragon Gallop usually required a higher pressure rating to Form a Current, which generally left behind a thicker Current Base, making its head-on combat lethality universally acknowledged as the strongest.
Although Shark Maiden's average current-forming threshold was low, it wasn't a path just anyone could follow. It cultivated purification and healing, and a woman's constitution was more easily aligned with its methods, so nine out of ten Shark Maiden practitioners were women.
Although 【Salamander Swim】 was listed among the Eight King Paths and low-tier fish registers weren't hard to find, it remained disliked by practitioners.
In its early stages, it prioritized survival while its head-on offensive capability was weak. Every regeneration consumed Salamander Force and flesh food, causing its pressure rating to drop, which then had to be laboriously cultivated back bit by bit.
For the exact same amount of fish material expended, practitioners naturally preferred King Paths with stronger offensive power and higher returns.
Worse still, Salamander Swim was a dead end.
In all existing records, no one had ever walked it to the end. The subsequent fish recipes and fish-swimming methods were severely missing, making it a severed King Path. Because of this, Salamander Swim had never been able to squeeze into the five mainstream King Paths.
If the scope of comparison was expanded back to all Eight King Paths, 【Salamander Swim】's average current-forming threshold was even lower than 【Shark Maiden】's, usually forming a current around two hundred fifty Pressure.
Practitioners of other paths used this number to mock them, and over time, they didn't even bother calling the path "Salamander Swim," opting instead to call them "Two-Fifty."
However, if one could accumulate Salamander Force all the way to three hundred fifty Pressure before Forming a Current, they were no longer a mocked "Two-Fifty," but a rare 【Rare Salamander】.
Being "mainstream" only indicated that its heritage was wide enough and enough people walked it; if one truly wanted to evaluate talent, a single ruler could not be applied across all Eight King Paths.
What people at sea called 【Rare One】 talent depended on the 【Current Base】 left behind at the exact moment of Forming a Current, and it could only be compared against others on the same path.
For 【Shark Maiden】, one needed to Form a Current at six hundred Pressure at least to qualify as a Rare One.
When it came to 【Dragon Gallop】, that threshold rose above a thousand Pressure.
The same pressure rating carried entirely different weight on different King Paths.
Registration did not strictly require having Formed a Current, but with twenty-eight communes each allowed only one applicant, those selected were usually the strongest young fish-transformed of their commune.
Except for An Youyu, who was an anomaly at one hundred Pressure without having Formed a Current, all other contestants in this edition had already Formed a Current.
The three hundred sixty Pressure Su Jianwei verified at registration was her First-Transformation Current Base.
On the Shark Maiden path, such talent was hardly outstanding, but now she had actually stepped into Second-Transformation.
Wooden Comb Float-Commune was likewise ranked among the lower reaches of the twenty-eight communes. If such a small commune truly raised an eighteen-year-old Second-Transformation cultivator, it could be considered a grand fish leaping out from shallow waters.
Across the crowd in front of the counter, Lu Guizhou read the line for Wooden Comb once more, feeling somewhat puzzled in his heart that he hadn't heard the slightest whisper of such a major development beforehand.
"Did that girl from Wooden Comb really reach Second-Transformation?"
"I'm not sure either." Xu Jian glanced toward the inner hall. "The resident station hasn't received a new bulletin yet, but market rumors from the odds counter are sometimes faster than the Maritime Affairs Office."
While they were still without an answer, a scoff erupted from the public market counter on the right across the aisle.
"Stop spreading wild rumors! If Su Jianwei really reached Second-Transformation, would Wooden Comb's top mast odds still be listed at this payout?"
A man clutching an early ticket for 【Double Pillars】 slapped the counter. "On the first day of opening, I bought Wan Chaosheng at five-to-one. Now you're hyping Wooden Comb's Su Jianwei—are you trying to scare me into buying another ticket for Wooden Comb, splitting one stake of shell-coins into two?"
"Over the last few days, Unicorn, Three Peaks, and Double Pillars have taken too many bets. The bookmakers are scared of a market imbalance, so they hired shills to hype a dark horse and drive stray bets toward Wooden Comb, right?"
A so-called market imbalance meant all shell-coins were wagered on only a few flags; if one of those truly seized the top mast, the bookmakers would have to pay out a massive sum.
The person issuing tickets behind the counter immediately looked displeased.
"The public book only recognizes certification from the Maritime Affairs Office. Since Su Jianwei's Second-Transformation hasn't been entered into the registry, Wooden Comb stays listed at the old price. Whether you believe wild rumors is your own business—stop pinning the label of hiring shills on the bookmaker."
The person who broke the news first pinched his newly issued early ticket for Wooden Comb between his fingers, waving it at the others.
"Fine, keep cursing. Once the Maritime Affairs Office recognizes Su Jianwei's Second-Transformation, Wooden Comb's payout will drop immediately. If you buy then, even if you win, you won't make more than a few shell-coins."
"Anyway, I've got my early ticket in hand. It won't be me regretting it later."
Some cursed him for hyping the odds to lure bets, while others joined in the verbal abuse but quietly pushed shell-coins toward the 【Wooden Comb】 flag with their hands.
An Youyu did not join the argument. His gaze traveled all the way down the wall of flags, finally stopping at the tattered smiling face at the very end.
【Clown: Vacant Slot.】
Beneath the wooden tag, it was completely empty, without a single wager slip.
Before the debate could settle down, someone at the outer hall entrance suddenly called out, "Su Jianwei?"
...
Rate on N.U.
