Martial Arts Master

April 6th, Huahai. In the New Millenium Martial Arts Stadium, the opening match of Inter-University Martial Arts Club Nationals had officially begun. The defending champions, Songcheng University Martial Arts Club was going to take on the challenge of battling the Guoyang University Martial Arts Club.

In the first round, the taciturn Wei Buping was so infuriated during talk-time with Cai Zongming that he completely lost his cool. After an early rush of offense proved fruitless, he ended up in the passive position, his anxiety growing as he fought. The commentator, Liu Chang, sighed. With a smile, he then said, “This contestant from Songcheng University is quite a character…”

His present partner was He Xiaowei, an Internet celebrity with the nickname of “Poison Milk Hierarch”. Stroking his own beard, He Xiaowei said, “This young man has immense potential. He should come and be my understudy.”

“Now that you mention it, it does seem like he would do well as a martial arts commentator!” agreed Liu Chang jovially. “Xiao Wei, which team do you think is going to go home champion?”

“I would shave all my beard if it’s not Team Shanbei” was what He Xiaowei wanted to say on reflex, but when he saw Lou Cheng standing by the arena with his arm crossed from the corner of his eye, he thought better of it. Mincing his words, he said,

“Let me put it this way. The Nationals this time is practically three adults playing among a group of kids. The other teams can fight for a place in the Top 4, or endeavor for a decent ranking at the end to spite their rivals, but that’s about it.”

“Indeed! The Inhumans have widened the strength gap by a huge margin! For the other martial arts clubs that don’t even have anyone at the Sixth Pin Dan Stage, even if they come in a formation, Peng Leyun, Ren Li and Lou Cheng can take them down single-handedly. How could they possibly win?” Liu Chang threw a glance over the screen, then began to commentate on the tides of the match. “… Wei Buping is actually a cut above Cai Zongming, but with where this is heading, it’s only a matter of minutes before he falls. Heh-heh. Team Guoyang isn’t planning on winning this match either. They have put their best fighter as rearguard for the other members to gain more match experience…”

“He who can read the situation is a wise man,” He Xiaowei concluded with the sardonic use of an adage.

Liu Chang then returned to his muttons.

“Team Huahai’s strongest fighter is Pu Yuan, a top-tier seventh Pin. Xing Jingjing has attained the Dan Stage and brushed up on her supernatural abilities— her standard is likely to be at the level of a quasi-Seventh pin, same goes for Zhang Dongliang. From what I heard, Li Xiaoyuan of Team Guangnan is already at the level of a low-tier Sixth Pin, but has yet to attend the Ranking event. Xi Meng, in his senior year, received a Seventh Pin certification at the end of last October. Xu Jialan is talented, but he has yet to comprehend the concept of ‘withdrawing’ since he only recently enrolled. These two teams are evenly matched. But, as you said, the best result they can hope for is third runner-up,” he said, before adding,

“Coincidentally, they are in the same group. Whoever wins will advance to the next phase without having to encounter Team Shanbei, Didu or Songcheng in the Top 8.”

“Right,” He Xiaowei nodded. “And among the three best teams, Songcheng has the weakest lineup— overall a tier below the other two. I wouldn’t place my bet on seeing them in the finals. Unless they draw Huahai or Guangnan by sheer dumb luck.”

“Very true. If Lin Que had not dropped out, with his current top-tier Sixth Pin standard, Team Songcheng had a good chance of clinching the championship…” said Liu Chang woefully. “Sadly, there are no ifs or buts. Team Songcheng’s members all seem to shine in their own way and have decent potential, but they are simply not quite there yet— not even a Dan Stage. It wouldn’t change a thing even if Lou Cheng takes a pyrrhic victory off Peng Leyun or Ren Li.”

“But what can he do? Over at Team Shanbei, we have Fang Zhirong, a low-tier sixth Pin. And for Bernhard, if we take into account his supernatural ability Air Explosion, he’s at the level of a quasi-Eighth Pin. Jiang Kongchan of Team Didu had improved rapidly, and is now of low-tier Seventh Pin standard. Jiang Jingfeng, whose graduation was delayed due to insufficient credits, is doubtlessly at the level of top-tier Eighth Pin. What can Team Songcheng possibly do to change the inevitable? We are believers of human agency, but can we really turn our eyes away from the objective reality?” He Xiaowei’s commentaries were always full of zeal and vigor— to the extent where many people wanted to sock him.

“Heh. Do you think Jiang Jingfeng deliberately delayed his graduation? For the sake of realizing his champion dream?” Right as Liu Chang finished his sentence, the results on the arena were apparent. Cai Zongming had seized a speedy win, claiming the first round of victory in this time’s Nationals for Songcheng University.

He Xiaowei snickered. “Who knows? Even if it was deliberate, the chances of them clinching champions are derisory. Peng Leyun has always been slightly stronger than Ren Li, and Fang Zhirong can crush Jiang Kongchan and Jiang Jingfeng on his own. Not to mention there’s that explosive maniac Bernhard.

Losing control of his wild emotions, he raised his voice.

“Tell me! How could Tean Didu possibly win? How?”

“You know what, if they win, I’ll shave my beard— scrape that— I’ll shave my entire head!”

“What’s your grudge with Team Shanbei…?” Liu Chang couldn’t stop laughing.

Do you have to jinx them like that?

He Xiaowei quickly clarified. “I may be called the ‘Poison Milk Hierarch”, but that only applies sometimes. What, do you think the Sun will explode in a bang if I were to say it rises from the East? Same goes to Team Shanbei clinching champions. It’s already set in stone, no doubts!”

“Okay, okay,” said Liu Chang disarmingly. He then began commenting on the matchup of the second round. At the end of it, he said, emotionally, “The strength gap between the Nationals this time is manifestly huge. It’s definitely the most exciting competition to watch and remember. Three Inhuman university students in the same competition! It has never happened in the course of history and is highly unlikely to happen in the future. With them graduating and prematurely leaving campus, today’s glory may never be replicated again!”

In the following match, Xiao Ming came close to winning two matches in a row, but the resilient Zhu Ning didn’t give him the chance to win. Afterwards, Deng Yang made quick work of his weakened opponent, then went up against Team Guoyang’s strongest member— top-tier Eighth Pin Chen Mo—and suffered defeat after a tedious battle.

With Lou Cheng’s arrival, the opening match ended without a hitch. In the days that followed, Didu, Huahai, Guangnan and Shanbei took the stage successively and claimed victories— without the need for Peng Leyun or Ren Li to even go in the arena!

The groups went on peacefully— the three teams led by Inhumans advanced triumphantly. The other martial arts clubs were just fighting among each other for better rankings. The only worthy match was the one between Huahai and Guangnan, which was brutally intense and had everyone’s eyes glued.

In the end, with Xing Jingjing’s outstanding handling of supernatural abilities, Huahai won Guangnan by a slight margin, taking first place in their group. The latter ended up drawing into Shanbei for the Top 8.

In the match between Shanbei and Guangnan, Peng Leyun finally drafted himself into the roster as the rearguard.

In the first round, Fang Zhirong fought a tough battle against Li Xiaoyuan, barely taking him down after many turns of the table. By then he was at his limits, and couldn’t do much to exhaust Xi Meng, who then went on to destroy Bernhard.

Peng Leyun went on stage for the first time since his last recorded battle in late August the year before. He took down Xi Meng and Xu Jialan without breaking a sweat or revealing much of his power.

When Songcheng, Didu and Huahai had beaten their respective enemies and advanced to the Top 4, the elderly and renowned Fang Jinyu was invited to the center of the arena once more to conduct the final lot drawing.

“Shanbei University Martial Arts Club,” he said mirthfully, displaying the round ball he drew to the crowd.”

Immediately after that, everyone held their breath as he produced the ball that was going to determine Shanbei’s opponent.

Deng Yang, Cai Zongming and He Zi propped their chins on crossed fingers, chanting quietly,

“Didu, Didu, Didu…”

If Shanbei draws into Didu, then we’ll be up against Huahai and have a very probable chance of entering finals again!

“Ha…” Old Man Fang Jinyu glimpsed at the round ball, then shook his head and chuckled. Gathering his Qi to his Dantian, he announced in a booming voice,

“Songcheng University Martial Arts Club!”

The Champion and first runner-up from the year before meets at an earlier turn!

Whew… Lou Cheng heard a chorus of consternation around him, but he himself was not a bit disappointed. His goal was to not let his martial arts club hit the skids under his watch, and entering the Top 4 this year was good enough.

Subconsciously, he turned towards the other side and saw Peng Leyun looking at him too. His brisk demeanor and spruced up face didn’t show any signs of daydreaming.

They locked eyes. The light in Peng Leyun’s eyes concentrated, like a terrifying silver bolt of lightning striking in the middle of the night. Lou Cheng’s vision was clouded by the white glow. But he wasn’t planning on backing down. A wild blizzard nestled in his eyes, one that was cold and powerful to the extreme. His opponent shuddered.

They both smiled, then turned back in satisfaction, looking forward to the competition in two days.

It was their third duel!

Bzzzzzz! Lou Cheng’s phone vibrated incessantly as messages came flooding in.

“Go, Pikachu! Defeat him. Surpass him! [brandishes fists encouragingly]” texted “Yan Zheke”.

“Beat him!” A terse message from Hipster.

“Teach him a lesson!” A goading message from the troublemaker Ren Li.

Right as Lou Cheng was about to keep his phone after replying to all of them, a message came from a familiar number.

“You can do it,” from his cousin-in-law.

Damn it, I almost thought you gave me a phantom number… Lou Cheng laughed and replied with a fistbump emoji. Old Man Fang Jinyu’s voice rang at his ears.

“The match-up for semi-finals is—Shanbei versus Songcheng, and Didu versus Huahai!”