Martial Arts Master

Geezer Shi had just made his announcement when he felt Yan Zheke sitting straight all of a sudden beside him. Her eyes sparkled with bright light, and she seemed a little excited, moved and nervous.

If anyone wasn’t feeling well at the last moment, then she’d be able to enter the stage as the order dictated!

Seeing this, Lou Cheng said in half jest and puzzlement,

“Mas… Coach Shi, only my right arm is hurt, and I can still fight. It’s not a problem for me to bully an Amateur Pin fighter, not to mention that I could hold my own if I encountered a Professional Ninth Pin one too.”

Previously, he had put both his mind and body completely on the powerful enemy that was Fearless Squad and did not pay attention to the last two rounds of opponents. He thought that they wouldn’t be too weak no matter how weak they were, and they had to be at least a team of Amateur First Pin fighters. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be the same as asking to be humiliated by participating in the preliminaries?

Geezer Shi chuckled. “Our last two rounds of opponents are weaker, and they’re perfect for Sun Jian and Li Mao to fight and temper themselves. It doesn’t matter even if we lose anyway, we’re here to increase our actual combat experience and not gunning for advancement after all. You should give the others a chance to grow stronger, don’t you think? Plus, with your kind of temperament and lust for victory, can you really hold yourself back and not use your right arm if you went up the ring at a critical moment?”

His words pricked at Lou Cheng’s guilty conscience, and he could only reply with dry laughter.

Geezer Shi continued to speak sincerely and earnestly, “Plus, after going through two weeks and five rounds of actual high-level battle, you need some time to gravitate yourself, digest your learnings and avoid becoming fickle and impatient.”

“One other very important reason is that your martial arts style is still at a stage where it’s not defined. Every intense actual combat you go through will influence you significantly, causing you to nurture certain combat habits. To a fighter, the best habit is no habit at all, and to achieve this you need to gravitate your mind after accumulating a large amount of experience in a short time. You need to stay away from combat for a while and examine things from a different point of view. You need to analyze your problems, and overcome your habits.”

Geezer Shi used the word ‘gravitate’ twice, and his words made a lot of sense to Lou Cheng. He could not help but feel that a fighter with a good master could avoid walking a lot of crooked paths along their journey of growth.

These words made Yan Zheke and the others look pensive. They were all connecting his words to their own respective circumstances and getting some realization out of it.

It might not be a good thing to walk too hastily!

Geezer Shi smiled pleasingly on the inside as he watched everyone reflecting on his own teachings.

“Today’s the day I teach you what ‘an old dog still has a few tricks’ means, brat!”

“If I allow you all to take the field as you please, it’s not like it’s impossible for this team to advance to the next stage. What should I do if we qualified for a division and entered the second stage of the preliminaries during the latter half of the year? Isn’t it the same as beating my own face?”

There was a momentary silence inside the vehicle. Everyone recalled the earlier matches against as they saw Yimo’s bullet train station approaching closer and closer to view. It seriously was a difficult victory.

“We had to lose two of our leading players before we barely snatch victory from Yimo’s hands. What a desperate and difficult match.” Li Mao could not help but lament.

Guo Qing nodded in agreement. “I know, right? Lin Que and Cheng are both really awesome; they literally did the impossible! A-although it feels a little like we’re running away in the end there…”

“That’s not the right way of describing it!” Sun Jian immediately retorted and pretended that he was performing an opera. “This is what we call playing hero at Changban Hill, going through one million enemy troops seven times and withdrawing collectedly as planned!”

His words immediately caused the crowd to break out into laughter, and the atmosphere immediately turned cheerful and filled with the joy of victory.

…

Inside the television station live broadcast room, the local host’s face looked as gray as death. No matter how hard he tried he simply could not disguise his dismay and disappointment. He could only smile stiffly and say, “Xiaowei, can you explain to us the final tie?”

He Xiaowei said in great delight, “This is my battle to attain my formal title!”

“Didn’t someone spread rumors and say that I’m a Poison Milk? Look, did Fearless Squad not lose today? Earlier, I had even predicted that they had a 99% chance of losing! That’s why I say that feudalistic superstition is not good. Watch out for thunder strikes on your head if you dare spread anymore rumors, bastards!”

“Alright, let’s come back to the topic at hand. We’ll watch the slow motion of the final segment of the match. Doesn’t it look like both parties are very in sync with each other? They both ignored the consequences and used their injured arms and thus, gave way to an outcome where no one wins!”

“However, what I want to say is that there is some difference here even though their movements looked like the same. Qiu Yang had purposely created the chance to use his left hand, whereas Lou Cheng had adapted to the situation after a sudden flash of inspiration. This means that Qiu Yang had been laying down a careful trap with his injured arm from the very moment he set foot onto the arena, waiting for Lou Cheng to fall into it. However, hehe, it was exactly because he was too confident that he neglected that the possibility that his opponent would risk everything and fight him with all his might. As the saying goes, this is a case where a leaf before the eyes blots Mt. Tai from view, and to go for wool and come back shorn.”

“I dare say Fearless Squad must have severely underestimated Songcheng University Martial Arts Club when they first encountered their challenge. They must have thought: “We have a bonafide Eighth Pin Dan stage and two great Professional Ninth Pin experts right here. How could we possibly be scared of a bunch of kids who are still wet behind their ears? It’s nothing even if we do not have Qiu Yang!”

“The result is as you’ve all seen. Even with Qiu Yang’s addition, they still lost to Songcheng University Martial Arts Club and were thoroughly discredited. Of course, we can’t fully blame them. Who would have thought that Songcheng’s Lou Cheng would have such an abnormal level of stamina? With him around, it’s like having two, three, four, five Professional Ninth Pin fighters or even more! At the very least, I’ve never seen the limits of his stamina.”

“His presence transformed Songcheng University Martial Arts Club into an inferior version of Azure Dragon Squad. They’re a strong contender and have a strong chance to advance in this group. It’s not all that impossible for them to take down Fearless Squad who had underestimated them after a grueling round before this one.”

He Xiaowei was absolutely enjoying his moment, when suddenly he noticed that the host was looking at him with strange eyes. The director, cameramen and lighting technicians in front of him were looking at him with strange eyes too. They were the eyes that were speaking of a strong intent to whip and kick his ass…

This is the Yimo TV Station’s office building. Almost everyone here supports Fearless Squad. The folkway here is intrepid, and a random passerby might have the martial arts level of an Amateur Pin…

Holy sh*t, even if I possess the Thirteen Royal Defenders Broad Training I may not be able to walk out of this building if I keep talking like this. A wise man submits to the circumstances!

He put on a bashful smile and forcefully steered the direction of his speech around.

“This is not the end of the world for Fearless Squad, and it’s better to suffer setbacks earlier than late. Suffering a setback during a group competition is better than at the knockout stage. As long as they learn their lessons and stop underestimating their opponents, with their strength and foundation Fearless Squad is still the hot team to advance in this division!”

He Xiaowei finished saying this in one go, and he let out a sigh of relief on the inside when he saw the light nods and easing gazes of the director and host.

Thank goodness I’m resourceful. Thank goodness I’m a veteran!

The gamblers before the television had all become paralyzed on the spot as they muttered words like “to the rooftop”, “Sha County Grand Hotel” and so on.

…

Meanwhile, Lou Cheng’s fans had gone crazy inside his private forum. Excited, they began thread chatting instead of replying inside a thread.

“Hahahahahaha, I only need to maintain my smiling expression now!” “Eternal Nightfall” Yan Xiaoling the moderator started the ill-advised trend.

Nie Qiqi followed right behind her: “You know just how excited I’m listening to my barbell-like laughter! A story of defeating the strong and creating miracles is always so exciting!”

The Brahman’s words permeated even greater joy:

“That’ll show you to be shameless! That’ll show you for looking down on my idol! Mad Dog you say? I think Husky is a better name!”

“I’m a little shocked we actually won. It’s only been more than a month, and my idol can solo three fighters already…”

The Unparalleled Dragon King did his best to maintain his rationality and analyzed seriously amidst the crazed atmosphere, saying: “This doesn’t mean that Lou Cheng is the king of Professional Ninth Pin fighters. While he is good at judging, grasping opportunities, has brief flashes of inspiration at times and a seriously amazing combat talent, the most fundamental reason of his victories is that he is at the stage where his growth advances by leaps and bounds, and he is a newbie to martial arts. There’re many aspects of his skills that aren’t fully formed yet, and he’d show us new things and new changes almost every match. Therefore, his competitors are unable to predict his level of skill through previous videos and data. It’s reasonable to think that this factor plus his ridiculously abnormal stamina could give those experienced experts a hell of a time.”

Since they were thread chatting, his analysis was separated into several threads so they could be displayed properly at the title.

“We’re not listening to the analysis today, we only want to celebrate! Let’s drive! Let’s drive! All old hands who wish to drive earlier, stand up!” Yan Xiaoling said rowdily.

The Okamoto’s Fan said with a mischievous laughter, “We’ll be on the road ASAP. Please avoid this forum if you’re an underage girl. It’s better if you preserve your pretty and cute image!”

“Hmph! Who in this internet world could always be pretty and cute where old hands are everywhere? Why don’t we tear off our fake masks and face each other naked, no, frankly at the worthy, celebratory moment where Lou Cheng defeats a strong opponent?” Yan Xiaoling answered with the great spirit of self-deprecation.

“Alright, I’m posting ASAP then!” The Okamoto’s Fan immediately promised.

A short while later, he posted a thread: “An old hand is on the road, presenting his beautiful young wives and harem!”

“Di, sawatdee ka!” This Poor Monk Names Himself Randomly took the first post.

“Heya, student card!” Yan Xiaoling also appeared in here.

Many introductory replies later, the Unparalleled Dragon King popped up:

“Go to hell! It’s the first episode of Calabash Brothers!”

Yan Xiaoling quickly replied, “Go away! You’re not a true driver!”

A long while later, the Brahman sought out Yan Xiaoling amidst the reverberations of celebration and sent the message: “Little Changye, I think we should watch out for people from Yimo bombing our forum with trash post. They all look so agitated… in the past, the Longhu Club’s and Shangqing Sect’s fans had often bombed each other’s forums.”

Yan Xiaoling replied ‘maturely’:

“Let them. It’s not like our forum has many users anyway, so it’s not a problem if we’re affected for a day or less.”

If it happens, then I could just find software and delete the whole lot of them!

That’s what I thought, but hell I’m still much angry. When our Lou Cheng gets better bit by bit, climbs higher and higher up the ranks and earns more and more fans, we’ll see if anyone dares to bully our forum anymore! They ‘ll have to consider the price they have to pay if they wish to bomb our forum!

…

Inside the home team locker room of Yimo martial arts arena, the atmosphere was terrifyingly oppressive. No one dared to speak in fear of triggering the wrath of Mad Dog.

Qiu Yang’s expression was dark. Gone was the usual refreshing and clean look in his eyes, and replaced with danger and irritation instead. He looked like he could not wait to fight someone and vent his anger. Meanwhile, Wei Shengtian sat quietly on the long bench looking like a volcano that was about to erupt.

A few minutes later, Wei Shengtian abruptly stood up and let out a sigh.

“Today’s loss is on me. I’ve underestimated our enemy; underestimated Songcheng University’s Lou Cheng and Lin Que. It would’ve been fine if I had arranged Brother Dong to start the match.”

“Let’s head out, comfort the audiences and receive our interviews. If a single defeat is enough to break us, then why the hell are we even practicing martial arts and participating in the preliminaries? We may as well head home and sell sweet potatoes instead!”

“Brother Dong is still treating his wounds in the emergency ward. Don’t disappoint him.”

Once he said this, Wei Shengtian strode towards the locker room’s exit and faced his failure straight on.

Qiu Yang exhaled and followed after him. The reason he admired Wei Shengtian wasn’t that he was stronger than him. Despite being the arrogant wildman he was, he wasn’t one to dismiss his responsibility at all!

…

Inside Songcheng University’s cafeteria.

Lou Cheng put down the tray holding ointments and bandages and looked at his bulging, bandaged right arm. He made a joke to Yan Zheke.

“I can’t quite feel settled. I’ve always thought that a bunch of vets staffs the school hospital…”

Yan Zheke was sitting at the opposite side and holding her chin with one hand. She broke into a laugh and said,

“You’ve scolded yourself too, you know?”

“Oh, you’re right.” Lou Cheng grabbed the diced chicken meat before him with his left hand and served it into his mouth, boasting. “My right hand may not be able to do some delicate work now, but my left hand is not unskilled.”

With the minute control he had over his body muscles, it was not a problem for him to forcefully use his left hand to maintain his daily life.

Yan Zheke did not change her posture as she pursed her lips and smiled with a twinkle in her eyes.

“Here I was thinking that I can force myself to help you serve you meals or feed you rice if it’s inconvenient to use your left hand. But since you’re this good already…”

“Ugh…” Lou Cheng immediately had the impulse to ram his head against a wall. “Why am I so stupid!”

He swept a glance across the plate and purposely used his chopsticks to hold the shelled peanuts inside the Kung Pao Chicken. The shell peanuts fell off his chopsticks after the first attempt, and the same thing happened when he tried a second time.

“Look, I can only hold something that’s slightly easier to hold.” He stared expectantly at Yan Zheke.

Yan Zheke rolled her eyes cutely at him and looked towards the cafeteria ceiling. She restrained her urge to laugh and said ‘cruelly’, “Grab the food that you can hold with chopsticks then, or should I pass you a spoon to use?”

“…” Lou Cheng was actually speechless for a moment.

Dimples appeared on Yan Zheke’s cheeks when she saw his stunned expression. She grabbed a shelled peanut with her chopsticks and held it beside his mouth. She did not dare to match eyes with him and simply stared at the chopsticks.

Lou Cheng’s joy surfaced as he opened his mouth and ate the food. After biting carefully and swallowing it he praised. “It’s one hundred times tastier than usual!”

This was the taste of happiness!

“Your reaction is way too exaggerated!” Yan Zheke half laughed and abused. Then, with a slight blush on her face she let out a smiling sigh. “In the past, I’d always like those people who posted that they’re most fed up with couples feeding each other inside a cafeteria while I was going through weibo and forums.”

“I never thought that I’d have such a day myself…”