Judging by Appearances

Ke Chajing glanced triumphantly at Hu Jixian and laughed, "That's right, we can't underestimate our opponents, but we also need to trust our teammates. We not only want to win, but we want to win decisively."

Hu Jixian was speechless. Since the parties involved had taken the initiative to petition, he naturally couldn't diminish his own prestige.

Murong Qing immediately replied, "However, I don't object to acting cautiously. The priority is to win, and only then can we strive to win beautifully. This time, it was because Si Ming took the initiative and dealt a heavy blow to the opponent's momentum that we were able to press our advantage. But in the finals, we should prioritize stability."

Ke Chajing did not object, tacitly agreeing to hand over the command of the final to Hu Jixian, considering it a concession for this victory.

Murong Qing turned to the other team members and asked, "Who will join me in the second battle?"

Jiang Tingting, Tai Gu, and others were somewhat tempted. Playing in the semifinals would be a great opportunity to make a name for themselves, and every game they missed was one less. However, the prerequisite was that they could win and not drag their teammates down. If the difference in strength between them and their teammates was too great, and the audience could see it at a glance, they would easily be judged as sucking up to their teammates. Besides, they had never worked with Murong Qing before and had no chemistry whatsoever.

"I'll do it," said Liu Qingqing. "I've participated in doubles matches in the last few rounds, and my fighting style is also well-suited for teamwork."

Seeing this, the others refrained from scrambling, and even those who were itching to join in calmed down. Liu Qingqing didn't have a strong presence in the team, which is why everyone was happy to cooperate with her. After all, once they won the doubles battle, the audience would focus their attention on them. Liu Qingqing, however, kept her achievements hidden, which is why she was so popular.

Murong Qing nodded and smiled, "It's a pleasure doing business with you."

A moment later, the contestants from both sides took to the stage. The one sent by the International Union Academy was Fang Hong, who had caused a disturbance on the train, along with the girl who was with him.

Seeing Murong Qing enter the stage, Tao Chengsi frowned and said, "This is troublesome. We can only hope that Fang Hong can remain rational; otherwise, we might still have a 30% chance of winning."

Chapter 786 Judging by Appearance

When Murong Qing appeared, cheers erupted from the audience, from both men and women.

"Look! The Cold Moon Sword Immortal has appeared!"

"She is the youngest Spirit Transformation in history, truly possessing an imposing aura, and proving that women are no less capable than men."

"Just as rumored, she's dashing and beautiful, a true celestial being, stunningly gorgeous. This trip was worthwhile! I wonder if her strength is as formidable as the rumors suggest. The upcoming battle against two opponents will surely reveal the answer."

Compared to the stunned silence that followed Si Ming's entrance, Murong Qing's appearance drew countless gasps and cheers. Her fan base was undoubtedly much larger, which was the advantage of being a beautiful woman. Moreover, her remarkable performance in the previous battle against the Kunlun Martial Alliance had already attracted public attention, and many news media outlets had reported on her background.

Having lost his mother at a young age and his father in his youth, he left his hometown and raised his younger brother alone. His arduous life finally came to an end when he became an apprentice of Ling Huanxi, the Divine Spear of Ice and Snow Ling Huanxi Master. In the eyes of his friends and classmates, Murong Qing was a diligent cultivator, an excellent student, helpful, upright, and selfless...

The more readers learn about it, the more they feel like they are reading the protagonist of a novel, and not just any protagonist, but the kind of perfect, idealized protagonist found in traditional novels. There are some who question it, but there are many more who admire it. After all, official media still have considerable credibility these days, especially newspapers under the Mohist School family, which have told the truth for decades, making their credibility far stronger than that of government media in other countries.

Of course, the key point is still the identity of "the youngest Spirit Transformation in history". Advancing to the Nascent Spirit Transformation at the age of twenty and breaking the record is the biggest gimmick. Everything else is just icing on the cake.

In addition, women with some looks who perform well in Martial Dao League are often sought after. Even strong women like Ke Chajing have many martial arts fans—although most of them are women. Others like Si Shuiyun, Jiang Tingting, and Nie Wanzhi also have their own fans. Liu Qingqing originally had some, but they often left after a short time, and their loyalty was very poor.

In fact, the Second Martial Arts Club is very popular among the public because women make up a large proportion of their team, almost half of them, second only to the Dark Maiden Martial Arts School, which is composed entirely of women. Moreover, unlike other teams where women usually play a decorative or substitute role, many women in the Second Martial Arts Club are the main force, with Ke Chajing even serving as the Captain.

However, there was ultimately a lack of a decisive figure until Murong Qing appeared.

His character, appearance, knowledge, and moral conduct are all impeccable, making him a well-rounded student excelling in all aspects of morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor.

"She's so popular, she's a total heartthrob."

The one who spoke up was Fang Hong. Although he would transform into a ferocious, muscular gorilla after activating his Bloodline Ability, he usually appeared rather dull.

"So what if you're popular? So what if you're pretty? Martial arts competitions aren't decided by fame and looks."

Teammate Guan Shengnan pursed her lips and deliberately spoke loudly.

Murong Qing had indeed heard it, and agreed without changing her expression, "You're right. A sage is nameless; great fame is a burden. To blindly follow others is to lack one's own judgment, and to judge a book by its cover is even more superficial."

Guan Shengnan was speechless for a moment. "I said this on purpose to provoke you," she thought. "Are you genuinely misunderstanding or just pretending?" She couldn't help but ask, "Are you being sarcastic?"

Murong Qing retorted, "What you said is quite right, why would I be sarcastic towards you?"

Fang Hong said, "Because you're prettier and more popular than her, whatever you say will sound sarcastic to her."

Guan Shengnan snapped, "Shut up! Whose side are you on anyway?"

Fang Hong shrank back and said, "Of course I'm from International Union University."

"Bullshit! I think you're a spy sent by the enemy, with a treacherous bone in your head. I saw through you a long time ago!"

"If I were both a spy and a traitor, wouldn't that be a case of two negatives making a positive?"

"Shut up! Who's talking to you about logic!"

While exchanging Guan Shengnan with her teammates, Guan Shengnan didn't forget to keep an eye on her opponents. She noticed Murong Qing observing her and sighed, seemingly disappointed. This only fueled her anger. "What do you mean by that? Just because you're pretty doesn't mean you can look down on people!"

In fact, Guan Shengnan's appearance is not bad. However, by male standards, she has thick eyebrows, a big nose, and a square face with strong features. If Ke Chajing's appearance is androgynous, Guan Shengnan undoubtedly belongs to masculine beauty, that is, a woman with masculine features. If she used makeup to cover it up, she might be able to create the image of a beautiful woman dressed as a man. However, she is stubborn and unwilling to wear makeup. She greets people with a bare face, which makes her look even more rugged.

Murong Qing, "Although you vehemently criticize others for judging people by their appearance, you actually do the same, only your views are the opposite. You have prejudices against those who are handsome. You say that looks are useless, but deep down you care a lot about them. The most pathetic thing is that you despise yourself."

Guan Shengnan was taken aback, then her face flushed red, and she said indignantly, "What do you know? You have such a self-righteous face! A peerless genius like you, who can advance to the Spirit Transformation stage so easily, is favored by the heavens and would never understand the despair of the mediocre! If I had your talent and opportunities, why would I be someone's guinea pig? Do you think I don't know the dangers of activating superpowers? It's just that I had no choice; this was the only path before me."

Murong Qing shook her head and said, "If you think that talented people don't need to work hard, then I need to correct your view. Perhaps in your opinion, many people's efforts are just futile struggles, but in reality, it's just because everyone's pace is different."

She paused, as if recalling something, and sighed, "There are always people more capable than you. You think I'm a peerless genius, but in reality, I also have goals that I've tried desperately to achieve but still can't reach. And you are also a genius in the eyes of others. Otherwise, why is it you, and not someone else, standing on this stage?"

Are you pitying me?

I'm just telling the truth.

Seeing that the emotions and eyes of her opponent were genuine, Guan Shengnan felt a slight stirring in her heart, but then shook her head and said, "Words are useless. Now that we're on the stage, let's see who's the best."

Teammate Fang Hong said, "It should have been done a long time ago. I was just about to ask you if you were still going to play, because I was about to fall asleep if you didn't."

"Stop nagging!" Guan Shengnan cursed, then urged Murong Qing, "Hurry up and get your teammates on the field. I don't want to be laughed at for outnumbering you."

"I'm on the field," Liu Qingqing said abruptly.

"What a brilliant technique for concealing one's presence!"