Embodying Myriad Traits, I Will Ultimately Become Immortal

"Could this be what they called a Martial Arts Obsessive?"

Ignoring him, Meng Chuan's attention was drawn to the lottery screen as the youth division began drawing lots.

Liu Ru stepped up first, clasping her hands devoutly before the draw machine.

"Give me someone weak, give me someone weak."

The machine kept spinning. There were sixteen contestants in total, and one after another, each was matched with an opponent.

At that moment, Liu Ru's heart clenched.

Youth Division No. 3, White Bird Martial Arts Academy—Xu Chengfei vs. No. 12, Infinite Martial Arts Academy—Liu Ru.

"Xu Chengfei."

Liu Ru's expression turned grave. This draw was far from ideal.

Xu Chengfei was also at the peak of Manifest Force in the Sixth Blood Qi Barrier. Yet as martial artists advanced through the Blood Qi Barriers, the gap in Blood Qi values between each stage grew increasingly vast.

A martial artist who had just entered the Sixth Blood Qi Barrier had only 32 points of Blood Qi, while one at the peak of the Sixth Barrier possessed nearly twice that amount.

Liu Ru pondered in silence.

"My Blood Qi value is 57.42. None of the contestants in the Sixth Blood Qi Barrier should be higher than me. I can't be that unlucky, right?"

With the youth division draw concluded, it was the minors' division's turn.

Meng Chuan was actually at a slight disadvantage because of his age. By next year, he would be eligible to compete in the youth division.

Yet all of this year's opponents were a year older than him, borderline adults.

"It's fine. We'll see the real deal when we cross hands."

So what if he was younger?

Those who practiced martial arts should fear nothing.

I, Qin Shi Huang, cast my vote!

Meng Chuan walked over to the draw machine.

"Whoever comes is all the same. My goal is first place. I'll have to fight through all of them anyway."

Minors' Division No. 1, Infinite Martial Arts Academy—Meng Chuan vs. No. 4, Azure Serpent Martial Arts Academy—Li Xiaoyue.

Upon hearing the result, several minors' division contestants beside Meng Chuan looked at him with sympathy.

Meng Chuan thought to himself, "Looks like this girl is strong. But I'm not weak either."

As the final matchup was decided, the entire drawing process came to an end.

Some could not help showing delight, having drawn weaker opponents.

Others wore bitter expressions after running into favorites to win the championship. They would most likely be eliminated in the first round.

When Chen Xuewu saw Meng Chuan's draw result, he recalled the intelligence report's assessment of Meng Chuan's personal strength:

Sixteen years old. Broke through three Blood Qi Barriers in around half a year. At most, he had only just entered the Fourth Barrier. Suspected to possess an acquired enlightenment trait.

In short: he might possess a trait, but he was still young, and his strength was not worth fearing.

His first-round opponent was Li Xiaoyue. Remembering his master's instructions, it seemed he would have no chance to face this person.

He looked at Meng Chuan with mournful eyes.

"Then there's no need to go say hello. I'd be better off practicing my fists some more."

After Chen Xuewu left, Liu Ru stood beside Meng Chuan and looked at his retreating figure in confusion.

"Little Meng, do you know him?"

Meng Chuan was also baffled. What was with that look...?

Night fell.

Meng Chuan had originally wanted to sleep early so he could face the next day's competition in peak condition.

But the moment he lay down and closed his eyes, all he could see were the three thousand seats in the stadium.

Though he was steady by nature, the thought of facing the gaze of several thousand spectators the next day still made him too nervous to sleep.

"The best way to break through nervousness is to act. Forget sleep—I'll practice my fists!"

It was late at night, and everyone in the house was asleep.

Meng Chuan changed clothes and quietly opened his door, but he still woke his uncle.

"Chuan'er, aren't you competing tomorrow? What are you going out for at this hour?"

"I can't sleep. I'm going to practice some fists on the rooftop."

Meng Yongzhi understood at once. The boy was a little nervous.

"Nervous, huh? That's several thousand people watching."

To cheer for Meng Chuan in person, the entire family had been scrambling for tickets that day.

Aside from those from the competing martial arts academies, who could watch from the nearby waiting area, everyone else—relatives and friends alike—had to buy tickets to enter. No exceptions.

Meng Chuan nodded.

"It's fine, Uncle. Go back to sleep. I'll practice for a while, then go to bed."

It was Meng Chuan's first time going up to the rooftop at night to practice his fists. Looking up at the stars filling the sky, he felt an unprecedented tranquility.

Since ancient times, there had been a saying: "With Tai Chi, scholars pacify the realm; with Eight Extremities, warriors stabilize heaven and earth."

Luo Family Eight Extremities emphasized the flexible use of eight body parts: the head, shoulders, elbows, tailbone, hips, hands, knees, and feet. Its close-range strikes had to be swift, while its long-range punches likewise demanded nimble transformations, with feints and substance arranged in proper sequence.

Against the night, his figure appeared all the more grim and fierce. Recalling his master's teachings, Meng Chuan gradually felt an unprecedented clarity rise within his mind.

Eight Extremities struck with the fists, force battling in all directions!

If not now, then when?

Meng Chuan began practicing. His muscles and bones crackled throughout his body. His front foot stomped heavily as his elbow drove down in a hammering strike, then his waist twisted as he swept out with a heavy punch. Every move was delivered with utter exhilaration.

His proficiency kept rising. By the time he finished a set of forms, Luo Family Eight Extremities had completely fused into his body. Every stance and technique was engraved in his mind, never to be forgotten.

Luo Family Eight Extremities: Beginner (96%) → Proficient (2%), awaiting limit-break

Limit-Breaking Trait: Chaotic Heaven (Intermediate)

In a wondrous state of Sudden Enlightenment, Meng Chuan's proficiency in Luo Family Eight Extremities surged by a great margin, successfully breaking past Beginner and entering Proficient.

Feeling Blood Qi surge from the mysterious acupoints within his body, Meng Chuan skillfully took out the Medicated Diet Paste from his pocket. Only after eating several sticks and sensing his body gradually settle did he stop.

After Luo Family Eight Extremities broke through to Proficient, Meng Chuan practiced again. Sure enough, there was no longer any sense of lag between the transitions of the moves. Every technique flowed with extreme smoothness and naturalness.

Meng Chuan was quite pleased with this.

"Though it still hasn't reached the level where my fists move with my heart, that's something only attainable after Great Mastery. I'll keep going for a while longer."

Before he knew it, two hours had passed.

Meng Chuan grew more and more immersed in his practice. This wondrous feeling of Sudden Enlightenment made his mind increasingly sharp, and every round of practice brought him more insight than usual.

It was already the early hours of the morning. As the feeling of Sudden Enlightenment faded, Meng Chuan stopped practicing and focused his mind on the Martial Arts Limit-Breaking Panel.

Luo Family Eight Extremities: Proficient (14%), awaiting limit-break

Inch Step: Perfected (20%), awaiting limit-break

Inch Step had also advanced a major stage toward its limit-break. Meng Chuan had gained some new ideas for breaking its limit: one was to further strengthen Inch Step's explosive power, while the other was to increase its endurance.

Once Inch Step broke its limit, with both explosive force and endurance further enhanced, Meng Chuan believed it would not be inferior to an ordinary second-rate movement technique.

By then, Meng Chuan no longer felt nervous or anxious about the next day's competition.

"So what if there are many spectators? I'll simply practice my own fists!"

He still had a competition the next day, so Meng Chuan reluctantly went downstairs and returned to his room to sleep.

The next day.

At seven thirty in the morning, inside the North Forest District Stadium.

The reason the first round's matchups had been drawn a day early was because time was tight.

The minors' and youth divisions had to be squeezed into a single day, leaving sufficient time for the academy master-level competition the following day.

The minors' division would compete in the morning, and the youth division in the afternoon.

Luo Guanyun wore a handsome formal black suit that day and came with Meng Chuan's martial aunt, Ren Ping, to watch his match.

The academy members entered the contestants' waiting area with Meng Chuan. Since Meng Chuan's match was in the morning while Liu Ru's was in the afternoon, everyone encouraged him.

"Go, Senior Brother! Sweep away everything in your path!"

Meng Chuan smiled and cupped his fists in reply to each of them. His state of mind was relaxed and natural.

The spectator stands gradually filled. Meng Yongzhi and Xue Na had brought Meng Yiyi as well, and Meng Yiyi's boyfriend was there too.