Everyone Is the Protagonist (Continued)

Si Ming stroked his chin and pondered, "Uh, that's certainly a possibility. Could it be that you came here, Hongdou, to increase suspense and help the fugitive not be captured so easily, like in many movies and TV dramas where there's a hindrance partner who makes the plot more dramatic?"

"No, that's not true!" Hongdou protested. "You two are going too far, ganging up on me!"

After some playful banter, the three entered the venue, but instead of going into the audience area, they received security badges and hung them on their shoulders. With these badges, they could move freely throughout the venue without attracting attention.

The audience poured into the venue like a school of fish. Martial arts competitions are always the most popular sport in the Sea Continent. It can be said that among the top ten most popular sports, the second to tenth combined cannot compare to martial arts competitions.

As the audience seats were about to fill up, Si Ming still hadn't found the wanted criminal Qi Yunfei, and there was no report of suspicious persons being spotted from the ticket gate. However, he wasn't annoyed by this, because it was to be expected.

The criminal is a top-tier expert whose strength is close to that of Spirit Transformation. Even if he doesn't master the art of disguise, it wouldn't be difficult for him to change his body shape by adjusting his bones. If he uses the Bone-Shrinking Art to disguise himself as an old man, even if his makeup skills are a bit poor, most people wouldn't associate him with a vicious criminal.

It's safe to say that even if Si Ming, Murong Qing, Hongdou, three Spirit Transformation level experts, were present, they might not be able to catch the criminal. After all, none of the three had fought the criminal before and were unaware of his aura. Finding the target in a sea of nearly 50,000 people would be a matter of luck, not to mention that the criminal would definitely conceal his aura.

This is the most troublesome aspect of the Eastern martial arts system; everyone is skilled in concealment techniques. Whether it's the Unity of Heaven and Man and man or blending in with the world, these are all extremely sophisticated stealth techniques.

Once they were found, things became simple; any one of the three could easily subdue the other. Therefore, the most difficult part of this mission was finding the culprit.

According to Murong Qing's plan, if the culprit is not found after the competition is halfway through, then a tactic of "stirring up the grass to alert the enemy" will be adopted. Specifically, this means suddenly releasing a hostile aura to envelop a section of the audience area. If the culprit is indeed hiding there, he will react the moment he is provoked, and then the person can be captured in one fell swoop.

However, doing so has several hidden dangers. First, it's too ostentatious and will definitely cause a huge uproar among the audience. Second, it could easily attract a group of shady characters, such as other fugitives who have only committed petty theft, and they would certainly react immediately, which could easily mislead the judgment. Third, it could easily involve innocent civilians. Once discovered, the first reaction of the perpetrators would likely be to take hostages, and there are plenty of hostages on the scene, so they could easily grab one.

Murong Qing couldn't handle the first and second points, but fortunately they weren't major issues. At most, the authorities would issue an apology and explain the situation afterward. However, the third point had to be taken seriously. Therefore, the three of them would work together to check each area. Hongdou would be responsible for releasing her aura to intimidate people, while Murong Qing and Si Ming would be ready to act at any time to ensure that the criminals were captured as soon as possible, without giving the other party a chance to make a move.

It was only because Murong Qing, a Nascent Spirit Transformation, vouched for them that the local Mohist Knight Guard agreed to such a risky operation. Without a Nascent Spirit Transformation present, they would rather release the prisoner than harm the innocent, since there were too many spectators present. A single powerful move could kill a large number of people, and no one could bear the responsibility.

Another half hour passed, and the Martial Arts School Tournament officially began. Si Ming and his team still hadn't found anything suspicious. At this moment, the two participating teams began to enter the arena, and the audience cheered, shouting the names of their favorite contestants.

Unlike the participants in the Youth Martial Dao League, the participants in the Martial Arts School Tournament are mostly between thirty and forty years old, because this is the prime of life, the peak period for most martial artists.

If we only consider physical fitness, people are probably at their strongest between the ages of twenty and thirty. Just like athletes on Earth, they generally show their best performances in this age group, after which their abilities in all aspects begin to decline.

However, there is also the existence of Internal Cultivation in this world, which can extend the peak period of the body. Considering that Internal Cultivation requires time to accumulate, a forty-year-old is definitely stronger than a thirty-year-old, and a thirty-year-old is definitely stronger than a twenty-year-old. Therefore, taking all factors into account, martial artists between the ages of thirty and forty are at the peak of their mental, physical, and spiritual cultivation.

Of course, this set of common sense cannot be applied to Spirit Transformation Grandmaster. They can extend their peak physical condition until after the age of one hundred before they begin to decline. However, Spirit Transformation Grandmaster will not participate in the competition. They already possess fame, status, and wealth the moment they advance to the Spirit Transformation. Participating in the competition would be more harmful than beneficial.

If you win, others will take it for granted and might even accuse you of bullying the weak. If you lose, you will lose all face and become a disgrace to the martial Spirit Transformation world, never to be seen again.

Don't think this is impossible. There are many geniuses in the world, and many martial artists who are not Spirit Transformation but have Spirit Transformation level combat power. It's a matter of probability to capsize in the gutter.

To rise to fame by stepping on the corpses of predecessors is the dream of all talented martial artists. When they face Spirit Transformation Grandmaster, they will inevitably exert all their strength, and even dare to risk their lives. The older generation is most afraid of encountering such a newborn calf, so Spirit Transformation Grandmaster will not ask for trouble.

When the local martial arts team came on stage, each time a name was called out over the loudspeaker, it would elicit cheers from the audience. The higher the popularity, the louder the cheers, creating an overwhelming atmosphere that truly showcased the home team's strength.

Momentum plays a crucial role in martial arts combat. Even if an outsider has exceptional mental fortitude and remains unaffected, it cannot prevent the home team's fighters from benefiting from the momentum and performing beyond their usual limits. Therefore, it is a common phenomenon in Martial Arts School Tournament where the home team is dominant and the away team is subservient, rather than an isolated case.

Just as Si Ming was pondering these things, he suddenly heard a familiar name on the radio.

"Next up, let's welcome the rising star of the Tange Martial Arts Hall Alliance, the future Grandmaster of the sword world, Ghost-Eyed Mad Blade Ying Zhou!"

What the hell!

Si Ming quickly looked towards the venue and indeed saw Ying Zhou. His youthful appearance stood out among a group of martial artists in their thirties.

"When did he join the Tange Martial Arts Hall Alliance?"

Murong Qing said, "He joined a year ago. The person who invited him was our alumnus, Xiong Aixin, whose family owns a martial arts school. He didn't agree at first, but Xiong Aixin finally convinced him by bringing up their experience of fighting alongside you back then."

Hongdou chuckled and said, "Xiao Ming, you've been away from home for a long time, so you don't know. Ying Zhou is already a local celebrity martial artist. He's young, highly skilled in martial arts, and has a cold demeanor. These three factors combined make him very popular with girls. Moreover, after going to the Northern Continent with you, his strength has greatly increased. Now he has transformed from a regular member of the team into an ace, and his popularity is even more incredible. That's why he doesn't usually live in the orphanage, so as not to disturb us."

"Is this real? Am I dreaming...?"

After his initial surprise, Si Ming thought about it and realized it was quite normal. Ying Zhou was not only talented but also had cultivated the corresponding divine skills. His inner conflict was resolved after his battle with his father, and he had been repeatedly tempered in the war between humans and demons with him. His shortcomings in mental strength and combat experience were made up for, and his strength had improved by leaps and bounds. He was completely different from half a year ago.

Ying Zhou is now at the top level below the Spirit Transformation. He is capable of being an ace in any prestigious martial arts school, let alone a small team like the Tange Martial Arts Hall Alliance. Apart from his age, which is a point of contention, there is nothing wrong with him.

"This kid, instead of being a proper music star, he went and became a martial arts star."

Looking at Si Ming in the center of the hall, coldly accepting the Ying Zhou of thousands, Si Ming simply couldn't reconcile this image with the delinquent boy he remembered—his impolite behavior had elicited screams from countless girls.

The boy who abused cats back then has now become a big star, which makes Si Ming feel a sense of loss and change. At the same time, he realizes that not only he is changing, but everyone around him is changing. Perhaps he is the protagonist of one novel, but that does not prevent Ying Zhou from becoming the protagonist of another novel.

Perhaps, everyone can be the protagonist of their own life.

Murong Qing continued, "He's still making music. Half a year ago, he even released a solo album under Auntie Liu's company. However, his role has changed from a music idol who knows martial arts to a martial arts master who can play drums and make music. He has completed a transformation and his popularity is now comparable to that of a second-tier superstar."

In the Su State, celebrities in the entertainment industry are always regarded as actors with low status. Pure musicians have a better status, but they cannot compare with martial artists who are worshipped by thousands. Ying Zhou switched from the music industry to the martial arts industry, which means he has two groups of fans at the same time. Moreover, his unique experience allows his music fans to proudly acknowledge him without fear of discrimination.

How did he get his nickname "Ghost-Eyed Mad Blade"?

Hongdou said, "Mad Blade describes his swordsmanship as wild, fierce, and domineering. Ghost Eyes refers to the fact that his eyes often turn blood red during battle, making him look very ferocious, but he hasn't been seen much lately."

Undoubtedly, the reddening of his eyes is the result of activating his Asura Bloodline. As for why it has rarely appeared recently, it is because his strength has increased. He no longer needs to activate his bloodline to deal with enemies; he can defeat them with his martial arts skills alone.

Si Ming suddenly felt a subtle sense of déjà vu about Ying Zhou's character: fierce-looking, mad, ruthless, a martial artist who loved music...

"Where did you come from, Iori Yagami?!"

Unable to resist making a complaint, he was overheard by Ying Zhou. The boy turned his head and glanced at him, first startled, then, as if to hide the embarrassment welling up inside him, he deliberately snorted and turned back.

"Oh—did you see that? Young Hero Ying glanced at me just now."

"Don't flatter yourself, you bitch! He's clearly looking at me!"

"His actions just now were both cold and childlike; I really wanted to hug him!"

"Young Master Ying, sleep with me, I want to have your child!"

A group of girls screamed in pink, which made Si Ming jealous. He had been a master of martial arts and had saved world-class disasters many times, but he was still unknown. This kid, on the other hand, made a high-profile debut and did not achieve any remarkable feats, but he became a heartthrob.