Chapter 581

"It's not your fault. I can see that continuing the fight would be a losing proposition. Some things can't be judged by appearances alone. The fact that the opponent could stop both of you with just one person, and did so with such ease, speaks volumes. Even if I were to fight against this person, I might not have a chance of winning, not to mention there's another swordsman lurking in the rear."

Yue Xuan recalled the situation just now. The swordsman clearly had a great opportunity to attack, but he just stood there without moving. He obviously had complete confidence in his teammates. Moreover, he showed a disdainful attitude towards the battle from beginning to end. He was probably even stronger than his teammate who was wielding a knife. From this perspective, there was nothing wrong with Ye Zhaozhong and Deng Ming surrendering. Anyway, if someone else had gone up against him, the result would have been the same. Why make his fellow disciples fight until they were covered in wounds?

Ye Zhaozhong said gratefully, "Thank you for your understanding, Senior Brother. However, this means we've suffered two consecutive defeats. It seems that turning the tide will be difficult..."

He couldn't bring himself to say the rest. His martial arts school had worked hard for a year, even shouting slogans of revenge, but they hadn't even seen their enemy's face before being sent home in the first round. Not to mention the impact on their reputation, their own martial arts school members would suffer a huge blow and might even become a laughing stock. Moreover, Senior Brother Yue Xuan was already twenty-four this year, and by next year he would be over the age limit and would no longer be able to participate in the Martial Dao League.

Yue Xuan smiled and comforted him, "Don't look like that. It's not like I haven't had my glorious moments. Reaching the top sixteen in the country two years ago was the peak of my life. It's just that new talents emerge in every generation, and the new wave pushes the old one aside. Now that I think about it, after soaring to the sky, there's always the Proud Dragon Repents. It's only natural that after the peak comes the decline. We should have been prepared two years ago, but unfortunately, everyone got lost in the glory of the martial arts school's best results..."

Guan Li said indignantly, "Where did these people come from? Their strength is no weaker than the regular members of the Linked Mountains University martial arts team. Are the martial arts instructors at Linked Mountains University blind, or do they really have too many talented people? They actually threw such experts into the second team."

Yue Xuan said, "Perhaps there's more to the story than it seems, but whatever the reason, it has nothing to do with us. This time, we didn't lose because of carelessness, but because of the difference in strength. So there's nothing to complain about. At most, we can only blame our bad luck in encountering such a strong opponent in the first round."

Clinging to a sliver of hope, Deng Ming said, "Perhaps they've put all their best players in the first three matches, aiming for a quick victory. If we can get through the first three matches, the rest of the team might not be too difficult to deal with."

Yue Xuan shook his head and said, "You may not know them, but this second martial arts team isn't all newcomers. I know at least two of them: 'Crimson Refining Hand' Ke Chajing and 'Ghost Fox Saber' Hu Jixian. Last year, they were substitutes for the Linked Mountains University martial arts team, often participating in doubles matches as partners during rotations. In terms of strength, they are only slightly inferior to me. Considering their ages, after a year of growth, they are probably not much different from me."

The group exchanged bewildered glances. Their opponents actually had two more experts backing them up—how could they possibly win? Even if their Captain, Yue Xuan, fought in the third match and won one, what about the remaining opponent? Considering that Crimson Refining Hand and Ghost Fox Saber were partners, they would likely choose the fourth match, a two-on-one duel. Didn't that mean their defeat was inevitable?

Normally, the strongest member of the team would be in charge of the third battle, because the third battle is crucial whether the team is winning or losing. Therefore, Rivers and Mountains Martial Arts School sent Yue Xuan to the third battle.

At this point, Yue Xuan became more accepting of the situation. "Regardless of who the opponent sends to play in the fourth match, what we need to do right now is to play the third match well. Don't think about the future, just focus on the present. Even if we lose in the end, we can't afford to lose miserably. Three to one is better than three to zero."

At this moment, the referee came over to urge him on, so Yue Xuan took off his jacket and slowly stepped onto the ring. His opponent was not the acquaintances Ke Chajing and Hu Jixian, but a spirited young girl he didn't recognize.

At this moment, Yue Xuan completely relaxed. If he had previously held onto a sliver of hope that if one of Ke Chajing and Hu Jixian participated in the third match and the other in the fourth, Rivers and Mountains Martial Arts School might still have a chance of winning, as long as Deng Ming's guess was correct, the rest would be weak opponents... Now, even that possibility was gone.

Since the martial arts school is destined to be eliminated, the only thing I can do is win this battle, preserve the last bit of dignity for the school, and prevent it from being completely wiped out.

At this moment, Yue Xuan was exceptionally calm. Since the outcome was already irreversible, all he had to do was fully enjoy the battle. He put aside his master's expectations, the responsibility of the martial arts school, and the admiration of his fellow disciples. He was instantly free of all thoughts, his mind was open, and he felt completely relaxed. He felt as if he had become the center of the world, with the heavens and earth above and below, and the ceaseless flow of time throughout history, all extending outward from him. His martial arts realm had actually broken through!

"Your mind has calmed down. Even after encountering a series of unexpected events, you were able to eliminate distractions and focus on the battle. This shows you are a true martial artist." Murong Qing flicked his spear and solemnly said, "In that case, I must also show the same attitude and go all out, so as not to let you down."

As soon as she finished speaking, Murong Qing's aura began to rise. Her hair moved without wind, fluttering gently. Her calm True Qi surged forth, and with her special breathing technique, it was like a rushing river or a roaring tide, moving faster and faster. An invisible chill surged out, causing the nearby ground to frost over. At this moment, even an ordinary person who did not know martial arts could see how powerful she was.

Another formidable expert! Are you really the second tier of Linked Mountains University? Does Linked Mountains University intend to compete with Heavenly Black Imperial Yellow for the martial arts championship this year?

Realizing that his opponent's cultivation level was likely higher than his own, and that his previous guess was completely wrong, Yue Xuan gave a bitter smile to himself. He quickly composed himself, drew his sword to his chest, exhaled, and focused intently, saying, "As the Captain of Rivers and Mountains Martial Arts School, I hope to encounter opponents as weak as possible. However, as a martial artist who has not yet given up on his ideals, I yearn to fight against strong foes. As the ancients said, 'A true man is born into this world; how can he die old in bed?' I do not seek to compromise my principles, but only to live a glorious and unforgettable life!"

Just then, as if deliberately cooperating with him, the referee struck the gong.

"Whirlwind and Torrential Rain!"

Yue Xuan let out a long roar, leaping off the ground and becoming one with his sword. With a fierce and powerful aura, he attacked Murong Qing with lightning speed, his first move being his ultimate move.

This One Sword strike was incredibly domineering. Even before the sword arrived, its invisible aura enveloped Murong Qing's entire body, and the Sword Intent pressed down on her mind, making her feel as if she were surrounded by a thousand troops all alone.

If it were any other martial artist who had experienced life-or-death battles, they would probably be shaken by this One Sword strike. But Murong Qing had rich combat experience and had even witnessed the power of Spirit Transformation expert. How could she be shaken by this One Sword strike? Her heart was as calm as an iceberg that had stood for ten thousand years.

"Swift Surge and Chilling Waves!"

Attack against attack, guns and swords clashed wildly, leaving many afterimages that obscured the figures of the two fighters. In an instant, the most intense battle erupted, captivating the onlookers, who cheered loudly and stared intently at the arena, afraid of missing the most exciting moment.

Only Si Ming glanced at it before looking away, because he knew the outcome was already decided. No matter who he sent out, they might lose, even if Hongdou was present. After all, although Hongdou's cultivation was high, her combat awareness was too poor, and unexpected variables might occur during the battle. But Murong Qing, because she was a very serious person.

Being conscientious means making fewer mistakes, and fewer mistakes mean fewer variables. Therefore, the battle is a contest of individual strength, and Murong Qing's strength is undoubtedly superior to her opponent's. She is faster, more skilled, has stronger Internal Cultivation, and is more experienced than her opponent. Even her strength is not much inferior. Under these circumstances, Si Ming really cannot think of any reason why she would lose.

Of course, to avoid the possibility of tainted milk, he kept it to himself and didn't say it aloud.

As he had predicted, the ensuing battle unfolded as expected. Despite the Rivers and Mountains Martial Arts School Captain's strong will to win and his performance exceeding his usual level, he was unable to change the course of the battle under comprehensive suppression, and there was no hope of a comeback from beginning to end.

To a beginner, the fight between the two was incredibly exciting, with guns and swords clashing, showcasing a variety of amazing moves in a grand and imposing manner. If this were an action movie, it would be a non-stop thrill ride, leaving the audience breathless and dazzled.

But to the experts, this was a battle with no suspense. Fenghou from the beginning, Murong Qing continued to accumulate advantages and played steadily, giving his opponent no chance to turn the tide. In the end, he turned his advantage into a victory and won with his ultimate move.

"Wow, so strong!" Nie Wanzhi exclaimed. "I didn't know Murong was this strong. I actually thought about challenging her. How ridiculous..."

Suddenly, she frowned, realizing the logical fallacy. "That's not right. A year and a half ago, although Murong Qing was very skilled and qualified to win the national championship, she wasn't this strong."

Then she thought about her progress over the past two months. Not to mention the Whirlwind Leg and other martial arts training, the transformation of her Internal Cultivation alone had greatly increased her strength, enough to easily surpass her own strength two months ago. If Murong Qing had been making rapid progress at this speed all along, then it would not be surprising that she had her current strength. A year and a half is enough time for a person to undergo a complete transformation.

Ke Chajing, standing nearby, shared the same sentiment. She turned to Si Ming, "You two have been hiding your strength quite well! Although I had a feeling that you and Murong Qing were both very strong and had been concealing a lot of your abilities, I didn't expect you to have hidden this much. With this level of skill, you would be qualified to compete for a top-four spot in the individual competition."

Actually, Murong Qing's best weapon is the sword, not the gun. Si Ming thought about it and decided not to bring it up, to give Murong Qing another chance to show off, rather than letting him do it all at once.

"I didn't intentionally hide it, it's just that I don't usually have the opportunity to show it off, and I have the personality of Stronger Against the Strong, so I don't have any intention of showing off to ordinary people."

"Just like your method of winning without fighting? Because the opponent was too weak, you even won in such a low-key manner?"

Compared to Murong Qing's spectacular battle, Si Ming's victory was indeed much more low-key, leaving people puzzled. No one knew why the two from Rivers and Mountains Martial Arts School surrendered. If Rivers and Mountains Martial Arts School hadn't just declared that it would take revenge on Glacier Martial Arts School and suffer even greater losses after its defeat, everyone would probably suspect that there was some shady deal involved.

In fact, Si Ming's winning technique was more sophisticated, but unfortunately, it was too sophisticated for ordinary people to understand. In contrast, Murong Qing's victory was much more normal, and even laymen could see the trick.

At this moment, Ke Chajing glanced at Hu Jixian beside her and asked, "Why aren't you surprised at all?"

Actually, with Hu Jixian's squinty eyes, it was impossible to tell whether he was surprised or not unless he suddenly widened his eyes.

"Hehe, I noticed their uniqueness back in high school, but they were too young then. Even with their talent, they didn't have enough time to develop it. Now that it's finally blossoming, it's to be expected. Otherwise, why do you think I would have agreed to create Second Martial Arts Club?"

"That's right. You're the kind of guy who won't do anything without a reason. If you didn't think the Second Martial Arts Club was worthwhile, you would definitely have stopped me. I found it strange that when I was arguing with that bitch Chu the other day, you not only didn't try to stop me, but you even sided with me and fueled the flames. You definitely had ulterior motives!"

Although she shouted that she would beat the Martial Arts Club and make Chu Jianren admit her mistake, Ke Chajing didn't really have much confidence. She was just relying on her recklessness, thinking that even if she lost the battle, she wouldn't lose face. Since she had already taken the first step, she might as well bite the bullet and continue. Now she finally saw the hope of her dream coming true. With Si Ming and Murong Qing as her two strengths, as long as the tactics were arranged properly, defeating the Martial Arts Club was no longer a fantasy.

"Hehe, this is getting interesting. I'm getting more and more excited for the day I run into the Martial Arts Club in the competition."

The thought of crushing Chu Gengyin filled Ke Chajing with energy, "As seniors, we can't lose to the juniors. It's our turn to shine!"

"What are you doing? It's best of five, the match is already over," Hu Jixian reminded him.