Li Junior Brother Has Gone Mad!

Martial Arts Tournament.

This was now the hottest competition on all of Blue Star.

Far surpassing the football matches that had once swept through the entire Old Era.

On Blue Star today, from eighty-year-old grannies to three- or four-year-old children, there was no one who did not enjoy watching martial arts matches.

As long as a Blue Star resident had arms and legs that could move and was capable of exercising, they would learn at least the most rudimentary martial arts training.

The Youth Cup was a citywide carnival.

Compared with the fully formalized and far more serious Provincial Competition, intercontinental competitions, and even national competitions.

The Youth Cup still carried a greater element of entertainment.

And the qualifiers were one such part.

The Youth Cup was divided into Group A and Group B.

Group A was the main event. All contestants were registered Martial Artists, with quotas assigned according to their affiliated martial halls or academies.

In Rong City, Chengtian Martial Arts School, Jixing Martial Hall, and the Rong City branch of Qingzhou Psionic University were the main participants in the main event.

The main participants in Group B, meanwhile, were more often martial arts enthusiasts from Rong City, as well as Martial Artists who had not joined martial halls or academies, and even some from other provinces.

Accordingly, only the strongest in Group B could enter the main event and compete for one of the Youth Cup's top thirty-two spots.

Group B's qualifiers were more for enlivening the atmosphere and increasing public participation.

Competition registration desk.

The staff member handling the registration pushed up his glasses and looked at Li Changqing before him.

"From Chengtian Martial Arts School? You're in the professional division, so why are you entering the qualifiers? Does your martial hall not have enough slots?"

"Not quite enough." Li Changqing tucked his ID away.

"Our coach told me to come broaden my horizons."

"You're young too. Strive for a good result." The staff member quickly completed the procedures and took out a number tag.

"Number 037. Once you're inside, follow the signs and you'll find your ring."

Li Changqing passed through the competition corridor and entered the interior of the stadium.

The Group A and Group B matches were held separately. The former took place in Rong City's largest martial arts venue.

Group B, meanwhile, could only set up several rings at once inside Rong City First Stadium, where matches were held simultaneously.

Li Changqing took out his phone and glanced at it. Old Man Chen Danqing had said he would not watch the qualifiers; he would come when Li Changqing had earned a ranking.

"Coach Kang hasn't forgotten about my match, has he?"

Li Changqing scratched his head as he looked at the location message he had sent Kang Tianchen, which had sunk like a stone into the sea.

He felt somewhat dejected. Today, he had wanted to put on a big show for Coach Kang and get him fired up.

"Could Coach have been hit too hard a few days ago? Does he not even want to watch my match because he's afraid of feeling upset?"

Li Changqing sat in the waiting room, sweeping his surroundings from the corner of his eye.

Many competitors were already gathered here, but there were very few formal Martial Artists. Most were trainees in the Transformation Stage.

Even the amateur contestants had several people beside them who looked like coaches, discussing tactics.

Only he was all alone.

With half an hour left until the match, Li Changqing simply closed his eyes and rested.

He examined himself inwardly.

Vitality Concentration: 49%

Tai Chi (Unity of Heaven and Man): 25

Tai Chi Fist (Thunder Division): 100%

Universe Breathing Technique: 100%

Over the past few days of cultivation, Li Changqing had pushed his vitality to the brink of a breakthrough. The Thunder Division of Tai Chi Fist and the breathing technique had both been fully mastered.

He had also crossed one quarter of the way through the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man.

At this moment, he was considerably stronger than when he had last fought Sun Sheng.

Thinking of last time, he had carried the badly injured Sun Sheng back to the venue. With wounds that severe, he wondered whether Psionic Energy medical treatment was really so miraculous.

The only person in this competition who could pique his interest was Sun Sheng.

After waking from his coma, the guy had told him that he would train at headquarters until the competition began.

Li Changqing sincerely hoped Sun Sheng would bring out something new during that time.

Otherwise, this competition would be far too dull.

"Changqing!"

With ten minutes remaining before the match, hurried footsteps came from the other end of the corridor.

"Junior Brother, you came pretty early."

Li Changqing opened his eyes and was startled to see Kang Tianchen and Huang Xuan running over with backpacks on their backs.

"Coach..." Before he could finish, the stern-faced Kang Tianchen pressed him down into his chair.

"Time is tight. There's no time for much talk. Don't speak. Listen to me."

As he spoke, Kang Tianchen took off his backpack and handed the opened tablet to Huang Xuan.

"Hold this."

"Oh." Huang Xuan accepted the tablet and became a human stand.

"Your opponent this time is called Zhang Wei. He's twenty-eight and counts as half a registered Martial Artist. I just used the martial hall's internal network to look up information on him."

On the tablet, Kang Tianchen enlarged a photograph.

The background showed a medium-sized martial hall, with a sturdy-looking young man standing in front of it.

"Six years ago, Zhang Wei was a trainee at an ordinary martial hall in Rong City. He had just graduated from university back then. Though his aptitude was decent, judging by his training records, he was very lazy and often fished for three days and dried nets for two."

"It took him until three years later to break through the limits of the human body and enter the Transformation Stage."

"But when he entered the Transformation Stage, that guy actually spent all day going to nightclubs and drinking himself senseless day and night. It depleted his vitality, and not only did his physique fail to transform, his realm even fell."

At that point, Kang Tianchen shot Huang Xuan a fierce glare. The latter shrank his neck and did not dare lift his eyelids.

Looking at the tablet before him, Li Changqing now understood why Kang Tianchen had not replied to his messages earlier.

So after receiving his match number, he had immediately gone to gather information about his opponent.

"Coach, didn't you say this was just to let me broaden my horizons? Why..."

"Rubbish. Broadening your horizons doesn't mean letting you lose face. If we can win, why shouldn't we?"

"You think I can win?"

"Of course not." Kang Tianchen's certain tone made Li Changqing's thoughts stutter.

"Don't interrupt. Look." Kang Tianchen grabbed Li Changqing by the ear.

"Zhang Wei did indeed fall out of the Transformation Stage three years ago, but he did break through the limit once before. I just pulled up his recent cultivation records from public appearances, and I can say for certain—"

"Although he has returned to the Transformation Stage and transformed successfully, his body was left riddled with holes after that previous mishap. His vitality is unstable, and he simply does not meet the minimum standard for a Martial Artist. Otherwise, he would definitely have registered as one."

"Listen carefully, Changqing." Kang Tianchen pressed both hands onto Li Changqing's shoulders, his gaze incomparably serious.

"The advancement rules for the qualifiers differ from those of the main event. This uses a points system. Besides victory and defeat, the match duration is also one of the evaluation criteria. Winning is impossible for you."

"But you can drag it out! Zhang Wei's strength won't crush you outright, and he has barely undergone any actual combat training. He has nothing but brute force, yet he can't bring all of it into a real fight."

"In a word: when the enemy advances, I retreat; when the enemy pursues, I flee. Never mind whether it looks good. Get more points for yourself and let Zhang Wei get fewer, then your chances of entering the next round will be much greater."

Li Changqing rubbed his nose.

"What if I beat him?"

"Beat him? If you beat him, I'll treat you to a feast today." Kang Tianchen rolled his eyes and repeatedly waved at Li Changqing.

"Though I said Zhang Wei doesn't meet the standards of a Martial Artist at all, his body is still not something you can compare to. Remember, listen to me. Don't force yourself. Use hit-and-run tactics. He lacks combat experience, so it won't be that easy for him to catch you."

Ten minutes was not long, and Kang Tianchen could not analyze things in too much detail.

No matter how he put it, he emphasized one word: dodge!

Very soon, the announcement sounded.

It was Li Changqing's turn to enter the ring.

"Go, Li Junior Brother! Try to drag it out as long as you can."

Huang Xuan pulled Kang Tianchen toward the spectator stands. Even as he left, the latter did not forget to keep waving and shouting.

"Remember, hit-and-run tactics!"

On the green field, there were not even partitions between the rings, allowing spectators to watch several matches at once.

The stadium roof had already closed. The interior was dark, and dazzling spotlights made the thrilling atmosphere burn even hotter.

A ring of rails had been set up outside the rings, with twelve high-speed cameras responsible for capturing the action at all times.

"Contestant Number 037, please proceed to Ring Number 3."

Following the broadcast's instructions, Li Changqing stepped onto the ring before him. A young man who looked several years older than in his photograph was already in place.

Though this was only a qualifier, the referee was still a professional Mid-Rank Martial Artist.

Ring Number 3 was located in the middle of the field. The moment Li Changqing stepped onto it—

With a swish.

All the spotlights shone over.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention to Ring Number 3. Now entering is one of the most popular competitors in this Group B qualifier, a true Mr. Martial Artist, Zhang Wei—"

Thunderous cheers erupted from the surrounding stands.

In Group B, where enthusiasts and trainees were everywhere, true Martial Artists were a rare sight.

Only several seconds later did the commentator turn his attention to Li Changqing.

"His opponent is a twenty-two-year-old rising star from Chengtian Martial Arts School—"

The commentator deliberately drew out his tone. Chengtian Martial Arts School was one of Rong City's top two martial halls, and only when cheers rose from the audience did he continue.

"Apprentice, Li Changqing!"

The word "apprentice" instantly dragged down the atmosphere in the arena.

"What does that mean? Is he looking down on our Li Junior Brother?" Huang Xuan's eyebrows shot up in anger at the commentator's stunt.

"Stop talking. Watch the match." Kang Tianchen's gaze was more serious than ever.

He no longer held any illusions for Chengtian Martial Arts School's Group A matches.

Keeping their place in the top eight would count as success.

In contrast, he would rather see how far this youngest student of his could go.

The referee signaled for the two to step forward.

"Do either of you require weapons?"

"No." Both shook their heads at the same time.

The referee retreated ten meters and raised his right hand high.

On the giant screen, bright red numbers began a ten-second countdown.

Li Changqing stood calmly on the ring, catching sight from the corner of his eye of Kang Tianchen in the stands, his face full of seriousness and anticipation.

A points match, huh? That meant he needed to win as quickly as possible?

Li Changqing's chest rose and fell. Universe Breathing Technique!

Hoo—

Zhang Wei stood on the ring without looking at Li Changqing. He was just an apprentice; what was there to look at?

He was scanning the surroundings, waving to the audience.

He loved this feeling of being the center of everyone's attention.

Just then, wind gusted across the ground. Zhang Wei froze for a moment, then turned around.

Hm?

The wind had risen?

Right then, the ten-second countdown ended.

"Match, begin!"

The whistle sounded.

Li Changqing did not follow Kang Tianchen's arrangement. He charged straight at Zhang Wei.

"Oh no, Li Junior Brother has gone mad! He's going to clash head-on with Zhang Wei!"

Huang Xuan's mouth fell wide open. How had he never noticed that his junior brother was a little madman?

Kang Tianchen's pupils trembled, disbelief flickering in his eyes.

Seeing that Li Changqing truly had no intention whatsoever of fighting while moving, he was both anxious and furious. With one punch, he smashed apart the armrest of Huang Xuan's chair.

"This little bastard!"