Martial Arts Master

So it was that bewilderingly strong woman?

Lou Cheng wasn’t moved in the slightest, and he even wanted to smile. To be destined to fight a well-known Professional Ninth Pin, and who had gone as far as the Danqi Realm at that! Under the circumstances of the drawing, it was simply a matter of probability, so going against Ye Youting didn’t impact his morale even a little bit.

“I’m going up against that bewilderingly strong woman that I mentioned earlier.” Snickering, he casually sent a message to Yan Zheke.

Having just gone through the fight with Zhou Yuanning, his understanding about his own current level was incredibly clear and precise. His pure physical strength was about that of a Second or Third Pin, but when you brought the Danqi into the picture, there were a lot of advantages. It had transformed his physical strength so that if he was able to fully show what he was capable of and was free from any restraint, his fighting ability was that of an Amateur First Pin. Under these circumstances, his mind, physical condition, and willpower were all steadily rising in every respect. There had been a hope when he’d challenged a Professional Ninth Pin with obvious flaws such as Zhou Yuanning, but that was his current limit. He didn’t have any alike of going all out against an even stronger opponent.

In the journey of martial arts, confidence was very important, but knowing oneself was also important!

Lou Cheng had the right outlook. He understood that even though he had progressed so much in four months, he still had some weaknesses that were just as obvious. A few days of actual combat wouldn’t be enough to make up for those deficiencies. He had to think about the big picture!

Yan Zheke replied quickly with a giggling and clapping monkey emoji, “Not bad! Before you were studying her when she won the second round, and tomorrow you’ve got to right back. Before you were just a like carefree Buddha roaming around without a care in the world. That’s all in the past now. Now, this girl, Ye what’s-her-name, she’s skilled in Tiger Style and Leopard Style, and has fast speed, nimbleness, and also a bewildering strength. How terrifying, so terrifying that it’s hard to handle…”

“There’s no need to speak in riddles, are you saying that I’m afraid that I’ll lose so easily just like that? I’d still like to leave this little Warrior Sage Challenge Tournament with a little dignity.” Lou Cheng purposely used an emoji with an expression of being wronged.

Yan Zheke replied with an emoji of a singer smoking “You said it, not me. To put it simply, enjoy the fight, and enjoy the martial arts.”

She was teasing him again.

“Haha, well first off I don’t want to think about this tournament until tomorrow afternoon. Tonight I’m going to relax and take it easy.” Lou Cheng declared cheerfully, not wanting to spend the night once again pouring over and analyzing videos of the fights.

As for the Top 16 Athletes Competition, there were 4 rounds in the morning and 4 rounds in the afternoon. In the afternoon the important matches would be broadcasted by the Yanling television station. Although there wouldn’t be a massive amount of people watching, it would still be an average amount.

However, it was hard for martial arts fights to last for three hours in the four rounds. As a result, in between they would surely put on some song and dances, Chinese Boxing and other performances as well as other activities that would interact with the crowd. Since this was the first year, all tickets for the Phoenix Cup Warrior Sage Candidate Challenge Tournament were free to attract as many eyes as possible and bring in as many people into the arenas as possible for the experience.

…

“Lou Cheng?” Ye Youting stared at the fight roster dumbfounded. She gnashed her teeth in anger for quite a while, “All of my money!”

Beside her, Jiang Lan chuckled, “I didn’t expect you two to bump into each other. In that case, I can bet for you to win tomorrow.”

“I’ll make him see what happens when he makes me lose money!” Ye Youting deliberately allowed herself to smile villainously.

After the 16 athletes had gathered in the conference room and signed the contract about maintaining their integrity, they each were due to receive a 5000 yuan bonus.

When Lou Cheng had walked in, everyone’s eyes focused on him. They were full of curiosity and sizing him up, but there was also a sense of appreciation there as well. Compared to last time when he had silently slipped into the corner, now it seemed like he had become the focal point of the group.

This was inevitable. Since it was a fighter of No Rank going against a Professional Ninth Pin Fighter, no matter where you went it was worth following!

Li Xiaoyuan waved Lou Cheng over, beckoning him to come and sit down. Lou Cheng obviously wanted to be together with people that he knew, so he turned in a semi-circle and headed towards the corner. Ye Youting glared as he passed by her.

“What’s she glaring at me for? I haven’t done anything to provoke her have I?” Lou Cheng was baffled. He had no idea why, and didn’t feel like going over to ask. Anyway, after tomorrow they could go their separate ways and never have an opportunity to run into each other again.

“Do you owe Ye Youting money?” Li Xiaoyuan said, making fun.

Lou Cheng shook his head in bewilderment. “I don’t know her at all.”

“It could be possible that she has a crush on you and suspects that we’re in an adulterous relationship.” Li Xiaoyuan laughed softly and put on a serious face.

A grin appeared at the corner of Lou Cheng’s mouth, and he shot him a glance. “My friend…watch yourself, you don’t want to start using these kinds of hardcore jokes. You’re a nice and proper artistic young man!”

This easygoing guy’s outward appearance really had the air of being a bully!

“Ah, life’s so short, isn’t it fine to joke around a little bit? Also, Ye Youting and me don’t get along very well. So if she sees someone that looks like me, of course, she’ll hate them.” Li Xiaoyuan spread out his hands.

With all of the people here in Yanling, and all the local young people’s most esteemed fighters, how could it not be possible for you and Ye Youting to cross paths?”

Hearing this gossip, Lou Cheng asked with interest. “How did you rub her the wrong way?” “Or is it that she rubbed you the wrong way?”

Li Xiaoyuan lowered his voice, “It’s mainly that I think she looks weird, and she heard about that from other people.”

Lou Cheng subconsciously looked towards Ye Youting. Her eyebrows were thick, her nose straight, and although her eyes weren’t really big they had a spark to them. She seemed quite smart and pretty. Although she certainly wasn’t as stunningly beautiful as Yan Zheke, she was far from being odd looking.

“You really think that she looks strange?” Lou Cheng asked, also lowering his voice.

Li Xiaoyuan nodded seriously, “Yes, really!”

Lou Cheng thought for a moment, and patted Li Xiaoyuan’s shoulder. “My friend, my honest advice is that you need to get your eyes checked.”

When he was done speaking, he added one more sentence, “Why is it that I still think you’re joking?”

With a relaxed look on his face, Ye Youting said, “Since I was a kid until now, my tastes have always been attacked by other people, and you’re no exception.”

While they’d only met each other twice, they genuinely got along with each other. Lou Cheng was waiting to say something when the man in charge of the competition had already come up. Behind him, a bodyguard carried a black suitcase. He opened it, just like in the movies, and inside there were bright red 100 yuan bills. Another bodyguard held a machine used to count bills and detect counterfeit money.

“Originally we wanted to give everyone a card each with its own unique password, but for 5000 yuan it seems like this won’t be necessary. We can just directly give you cash.” At the same time, the man in charge took a wad of cash and fed it through the counting machine, which happened to come to 5000 yuan exactly. It was obvious that they had prepared earlier.

After testing every pile, the bodyguards gave out the money according to the order of seating. A feeling of deep satisfaction came upon Lou Cheng as the thick and sturdy wad of bills landed in his hand.

Money had a real power to it!

If he didn’t have this money, he’d have had to sleep outside in the street that evening. If he hadn’t used a private room or gotten money from a refund on his ticket, he’d have had to go hungry tomorrow!

If he didn’t have it, he wouldn’t have been able to enjoy some good food, and would have had to nibble on some snacks as he’d done before!

If he didn’t have it, he wouldn’t have been able to make ends meet and take Yan Zheke out on a date at the beginning of next semester!

Also, this was the first time in his life that he’d earned money on his own without depending on anyone else. He no longer was a little kid that had to depend on his Mom and Dad!

…

On the bus, Lou Cheng carried his luggage. He’d changed into some regular clothes and casually looked down at the GPS. He still had two stops to go until he arrived at the Mr. Zhang’s Tanling Lamb and Noodle Soup shop that Yan Zheke had mentioned before.

He’d found a nearby bank before and put a majority of the money he’d been given into his account. He only kept 1500 yuan on him for the hotel room and daily living expenses and necessities. He felt that this budget was more than sufficient.

“It feels like I’ve become a millionaire.” Lou Cheng snickered as he sent the message to Yan Zheke

Yan Zheke sent him an emoji with its hands covering its mouth and said, “It’s true! You’re really awesome Cheng. Other people on work study programs don’t make even close to that much money in a month!”

“You’re too much… ” Lou Cheng said, using a Dodge emoji.

Yan Zheke replied with a laughing monkey emoji. “I learned from you!”

As they cracked jokes between each other, Lou Cheng got off the bus. He looked at the map for directions and turned down a small alley. At a nondescript residence that was at least 20 years old, he found Mr. Zhang’s Tanling Lamb and Noodle Soup shop nearby. It wasn’t even 5:30, and already people had started lining up next door. The inside was packed to the brim. It was obvious that business was booming at this spot.

After waiting for a half hour, it was finally Lou Cheng’s turn. He was led to the smallest kind of table there was, which was for four people.

“It feels weird sitting at a table for four all by myself… ” Lou Cheng said and sent a blankly staring emoji to Yan Zheke.

Yan Zheke used an emoji of an onion pushing up its glasses, “So you’re experiencing the misery of being single? That’s why I never go out to eat alone.”

“How about I put my phone across from me and pretend that you’re here?” Lou Cheng said with a wicked grin.

Yan Zheke sent a scolding emoji, “So I can see but not eat, do you want to not be friends anymore?”

Time passed quickly as they spoke, and the food that Lou Cheng had ordered arrived quickly; a creamy, milky-white lamb and fish soup, some sliced lamb meat, and some white flatbread that was a recommendation of the shop owners.

Lou Cheng first drank a spoonful of soup and after pondering over the flavor for some time, he was unable to help himself and took a few more mouthfuls. It was so good that he would give 128 thumbs-up.

It was said that for this restaurant’s lamb and fish soup, they first boiled some Crucian Carp and then added some previously sauteed lamb meat while it was stewing. Then they put in some secret seasonings, continuously cooking until the broth became milky white, had a full, robust flavor and didn’t contain a lot of greases.

The white flatbread was produced in a way similar to the puffy buns in the Northeast. Using your hands, you broke it into several pieces and put them into the soup where it would absorb all of the beautiful flavors of the juices. Biting down on it, the tastiness of the soup and the freshness of the wheat bread all came together. It was enough to make a man drool.

On the other hand, the slice lamb meat appeared to be quite average, although it indeed wasn’t bad.

Lou Cheng took a picture while he talked and ate and sent it to Yan Zheke, who glared at him fiercely as she was reminded. He’d soon already cleared his plate, even though the portions at this restaurant were not small at all. One helping here was the same as three or four in Jiangnan Province.

Patting his stomach, Lou Cheng felt warm from head to toe. In the cold wind he didn’t need to zip up his down jacket. Ever since winter had arrived, he hadn’t had to wear any kind of wool sweaters or jackets. With his blood and Qi pumping after physical training, a simple pair of long johns and a down jacket was more than sufficient.

…

Although the room at the new hotel wasn’t as quite as good as the picture Lou Cheng had seen at the front desk, it wasn’t bad. There was a lot of room, it was arranged nicely, the facilities were new, and the carpet was thick. More importantly, the internet was high-speed!

Lying down on the bed, Lou Cheng felt a wonderful kind of relaxation, as if every single cell in his body was yelling out in song.

He took out his phone and skimmed through the forums as he spoke with Yan Zheke. Just after entering the live stream, he saw the young girl “Brahman” say to Unparalleled Dragon, Invincible Punch, Pig-Riding Knight, A Plumber Eating Mushrooms and others.

“All of the bullies have suddenly come out to pick on me because I’m so young!” All of this talk about how my new idol is only like an Amateur Second or Third Pin and how he’s surely no match for the Uncle Ring Master, and all of this talk about how my new idol is not even close to being the same as a Professional Ninth Pin. It actually made me skeptical and did not support his victory!” Boys can handle this kind of thing, but girls can’t. You all have to show me some sympathy!”

In contrast to the tone of her questions, she used a laughing emoji with its hands on its waist, so it was obvious that she was just showing off and being cocky for her new idol Lou Cheng!