The World's First Martial Arts Tournament (II)

The online solo kill of professional player Ye Yu Sheng Fan by Supreme Purity Sword Master was like a nuclear bomb dropped into deep water. Its shockwaves quickly swept through the entire Realms Expedition gaming community and spread across the broader internet.

Recordings of the official livestream, highlight reels made by various content creators, technical analysis posts... Everything related to this showdown shot to the top of the trending lists in an incredibly short time. The headlines grew more sensational by the minute:

<Breaking! Solo queue king "Supreme Purity Sword Master" crushes pro star "Ye Yu Sheng Fan"!>

<God or hacker? An in-depth analysis of "Supreme Purity Sword Master's" unbelievable predictions and plays!>

<The "Phantom Sword" falls, the "Sword Immortal" ascends! The dawn of a new era?>

On the forums, most of the voices that had previously shouted "hacks" and "cheating" fell silent as if someone had grabbed them by the throat. In their place came a flood of astonishment, admiration, and a fresh round of arguments.

"I was wrong! I'm on my knees before the Sword Immortal! Can a human really pull off plays like that?"

"Everyone who accused him of hacking, come out and show your faces! Does it hurt to be proven wrong?"

"To be fair, those reactions and predictions really are beyond comprehension... But the replay analysis showed no trace of cheating software. All I can say is, he's incredibly gifted."

"Did we really just witness the birth of a gaming god?"

"Don't get carried away. It was only one match. Maybe Ye Yu Sheng Fan wasn't in good form. There are plenty more experts to come!"

Public opinion had completely turned around. The name "Supreme Purity Sword Master" was no longer closely associated with "suspected hacker." Instead, he was being called "genius," "monster," and "uncharted territory"—titles filled with awe and curiosity. Quite a few people even started digging into Supreme Purity Sword Master's story, but found nothing, which only added to his mystique.

Inside the villa, however, the atmosphere was completely different from the excitement outside.

Master Tongtian remained seated in his Enlightenment Battle Chair, as though that earth-shattering victory had been nothing more than swatting a buzzing fly. After solo killing Ye Yu Sheng Fan, he'd even had time to pick up the chilled bottle of soda beside him and take a sip. His expression was so calm that Lin Fan wondered if he'd merely gone to use the bathroom.

"Master... You just solo killed a professional player!" Lin Fan couldn't help reminding him, his voice still tinged with excitement.

"Mm." Master Tongtian set down his cup and glanced at the victory banner on the screen and his skyrocketing qualification points. "His sword moves were passable, with a few feints and a hint of the Phantom Sword Path. Too bad he had the form but not the essence, and his openings were far too obvious. It was only natural that I won."

Lin Fan was speechless. Trying to discuss a mortal's gaming skills with this man was practically asking to be humiliated. In his eyes, every opponent's moves were probably riddled with openings.

Gong Gong righted the popcorn bucket that had tipped over and smacked his lips. "Tongtian, that dodge followed by a counterattack was pretty well timed. But compared to the time I tanked the Eastern Emperor Bell's shock waves during the War of the Witch and Demon and punched three of the Three Days Demon Saints to pieces, it still fell a little short."

Master Tongtian couldn't be bothered to answer.

Nüwa, holding her sketchbook, walked over to Master Tongtian and pointed at a sketch of Azure Lotus Sword Immortal unleashing his ultimate move in a graceful pose. "Fellow Daoist Tongtian, this pose contains a unique sense of rhythm and beauty. Might it be called 'the aesthetics of slaughter'? If I incorporated this pose into my new 'Immortal Slaughtering Sword Intent: Iridescent Eyeshadow Palette,' it would surely add a touch of fierceness."

Master Tongtian's eye twitched slightly, but in the end he kept silent. He had nothing to say to this creator who was so devoted to beauty.

Lao Tzu spoke slowly, still sounding detached from the world. "Win without pride, lose without despair. Fellow Daoist Tongtian, this mindset is the foundation of the Dao." He seemed rather impressed by Tongtian's composure.

Jumang promptly offered him a cup of tea brewed with Tranquility Grass. "Fellow Daoist Tongtian, drink this tea. It will calm your mind and help you adapt to any changes."

Master Tongtian accepted the cup and gave a slight nod of thanks. Compared with Nüwa's "eyeshadow palette" and Gong Gong's tale of past glory, Jumang's tea seemed much more normal.

After the brief interlude, the qualifiers continued. But after that match, all the ones that followed seemed to lose their suspense. Whether he faced wealthy players with overwhelmingly superior equipment, skilled solo queue experts, or tactical masters trying to stall the game with a cowardly strategy, none stood a chance against Master Tongtian's absolute strength.

His Azure Lotus Sword Immortal was like an unsolvable nightmare, rampaging across the battlefield. His skill interruptions were accurate down to the millisecond, his support arrived out of nowhere at just the right moment, and his control over health, skill cooldowns, and map resources was almost absurd. His opponents were left in utter despair. Often, only a few minutes into a match, the omnipresent pressure had already shattered their composure completely.

Supreme Purity Sword Master's path through the qualifiers became a one-sided series of crushing victories. Countless players watched his match recordings over and over, studying them and analyzing every micro-move frame by frame in an attempt to uncover the secret behind his strength. A "Supreme Purity Sword Master Gameplay Class" even appeared on the forums. Most were just gimmicks, but they showed just how much influence he had.

When the official commentators broadcast his matches, their tone had shifted from initial shock and doubt to admiration and praise.

"Supreme Purity Sword Master is up again! Let's see what kind of spectacular performance he has in store this time!"

"That footwork! He's practically dancing on the edge of a blade! And yet every time, he dodges the killing blow by the narrowest margin!"

"Terrifying calculations! It's as if he always knows what his opponent will do next!"

"The match is over! A victory without the slightest suspense! Supreme Purity Sword Master has once again shown us what absolute strength looks like!"

With victory after victory, Supreme Purity Sword Master's ranking shot up like a rocket. He finished with a perfect record and indisputably claimed first place in his region, earning a spot in the offline finals of the World's First Martial Arts Tournament!

When the final list of qualifiers was announced and Supreme Purity Sword Master's name appeared at the very top, the entire gaming community was rocked once again.

The offline finals! That meant the mysterious Supreme Purity Sword Master would finally step into the spotlight and show off his skills before countless cameras and spectators! All doubts would be settled once and for all on the offline stage, where the competition would be real!

The organizers officially announced that the offline finals would take place at East Sea City's largest esports center, the Wind and Cloud Esports Arena, one week later. Sixteen top players who had risen above the competition in their respective regions would gather there to compete for the highest honor of "Number One Under Heaven" and a million-yuan prize. The entire tournament would be broadcast live online and on television.

As soon as the announcement went out, tickets for the Wind and Cloud Esports Arena sold out instantly. Scalpers drove resale prices through the roof. Major media outlets prepared to cover the event from every angle. Everyone's attention was fixed on the sixteen players, and the most eagerly anticipated was undoubtedly the mysterious Supreme Purity Sword Master, who had risen like a comet!

Back at the villa, Lin Fan read the official announcement with mixed feelings. He was happy for Master Tongtian, but also deeply worried.

The offline tournament! That meant Master Tongtian would have to leave the villa and appear in public! With his impossibly handsome face, his aura as sharp as an unsheathed ancient sword, his constant "insignificant insects" and "this seat," not to mention his gaming skills that defied all common sense... Lin Fan couldn't even imagine the uproar it would cause if his identity was exposed!

"Master... About this offline tournament..." Lin Fan held his phone and cautiously approached Master Tongtian.

Master Tongtian was studying information about the opponents he might face in the finals. He didn't even look up. "Mm, I know. You'll come with me."

"No, Master, what I mean is... Offline tournaments aren't like online ones! There'll be lots of cameras, lots of spectators, and lots of reporters!" Lin Fan tried to make him understand how serious this was. "You... You'll have to be careful about how you act. You can't be too... well, you know."

"Too what?" Master Tongtian finally looked up, one sword-like brow slightly raised. "Why should I care what mortal commoners think?"

Lin Fan was nearly in tears. "But, Master, we have to keep a low profile! Have you forgotten how Gong Gong almost went to tear down a dam? If your identity gets exposed and attracts the attention of this world's Heavenly Dao Rules, our peaceful days will be over!"

At the mention of the Heavenly Dao Rules and peaceful days, Master Tongtian grew a little more serious. He pondered for a moment before asking, "In your opinion, what should I do?"

Seeing that he was open to reason, Lin Fan hurriedly said, "First, you have to change the way you refer to yourself. You can't keep saying 'this seat'; you have to say 'I.' Second, you need to tone down your aura. Don't be so... sharp and imposing. Just look like an ordinary... Uh, a slightly handsome gaming expert. Lastly, if a reporter asks how you got so good, you absolutely can't say anything about 'the first realm of swordsmanship' or 'a saint's divine sense.' Just say... just say you're naturally talented and practice hard!"

The more Master Tongtian listened to Lin Fan's demands, the more deeply his brow furrowed. Pretending to be an "ordinary" mortal gaming expert? That was almost more unbearable than breaking through the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation all over again!

But he also knew Lin Fan's concerns weren't baseless. The rules of this world were strange, and as "undocumented arrivals," they really shouldn't draw too much attention.

"...Fine." After a long while, Master Tongtian finally spoke, somewhat reluctantly. "I'll do as you say. When the time comes, this seat... I'll mind my manners."

Lin Fan finally breathed a sigh of relief. He knew it would be incredibly difficult to get this man to "mind his manners," but at least he'd agreed. That was a good start.

"Also," Lin Fan added, "the tournament equipment will be provided by the organizers, so it may be different from the phone you use. You'll have to get used to it. There may also be all kinds of distractions at the venue, like the audience cheering, your opponents staring at you, and the cameras focusing on you. You should be mentally prepared."

Master Tongtian snorted. "How could mere external things disturb my Dao heart? As for the equipment... Hmph. Even if it's mortal iron, in my hands it can unleash the power of a divine weapon!"

Lin Fan was speechless. All right, forget I said anything.

Over the next few days, Master Tongtian remained immersed in his preparations for the tournament, though Lin Fan occasionally dragged him into "training." Mostly, he practiced how to speak like a "mortal" in interviews and how to control his expression, so he wouldn't keep giving people that "you are all insignificant insects" look.

Gong Gong's comment was, "All this sneaking around is no fun at all! If you ask me, just reveal your ten-thousand-foot ancestral shaman true form and see who dares complain!" Lin Fan and Lao Tzu joined forces to suppress him.

Nüwa began designing a competition outfit for Master Tongtian, hoping to show off as much of his "saintly bearing" as possible while keeping it "low-key." Master Tongtian flatly refused.

Lao Tzu remained as composed as ever. Once, while Tongtian was practicing for an interview, he simply said, "The more you say, the more mistakes you make."

Jumang quietly prepared some stronger incense for calming the mind and spirit, just in case.

Amid this tense, expectant, and faintly absurd atmosphere, the days passed one by one.

At last, the day of the World's First Martial Arts Tournament's offline finals arrived.

Early that morning, the area outside the Wind and Cloud Esports Arena in East Sea City was already packed with people. A gigantic poster hung on the outside wall of the venue, bearing the official portraits of the sixteen qualifiers. Supreme Purity Sword Master was represented by a mysterious black silhouette, adding to the intrigue. Fans held up signs, cosplayers dressed as characters from the game, and reporters stood ready with their cameras and microphones. The atmosphere was as lively as a festival.

An ordinary rideshare car pulled up quietly at the entrance to a relatively secluded passageway.

The door opened, and Lin Fan climbed out first. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart, which was pounding like a drum. He'd made a point of dressing more formally that day, making himself look like an assistant.

Then Master Tongtian slowly stepped out of the car.

He'd followed Lin Fan's advice and hadn't worn some ancient-style robe. Instead, he'd changed into a relatively casual modern outfit that Lin Fan had prepared: a simple black T-shirt and a pair of fitted pants. Yet even the most ordinary clothes seemed to take on an extraordinary elegance when he wore them. His peerlessly handsome face, eyes deep as the starry sky, and aura sharp as an unsheathed sword despite his deliberate restraint left the staff at the passageway entrance and the few reporters lying in wait there stunned.

Th-this was the mysterious Supreme Purity Sword Master?

He was... way too handsome! And that presence... He didn't look like he'd come to play a game at all. He looked more like an overbearing CEO who'd come to buy an esports club, or a top-tier actor who'd just stepped out of a historical drama set!

After a brief silence came an even more frenzied burst of camera flashes and cries of surprise.

"It's Supreme Purity Sword Master! He's here!"

"Oh my god! He's even more handsome in person!"

"That aura... Incredible!"

Lin Fan hurried forward to block some of the cameras and whispered, "Master... No, Supreme Purity Sword Master, let's get inside! We shouldn't linger out here!"

Master Tongtian's gaze swept calmly across the excited fans and glaring camera flashes. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but in the end he said nothing. He merely gave a slight nod and followed the staff down the passageway.

His steps were steady, his back straight, as if he were walking through his own domain.

Lin Fan followed close behind. Watching that figure, which seemed able to shut out all the noise around it, he silently prayed:

"Gods and Buddhas above, all the big shots out there, please let everything go smoothly today. Please, don't let anything go wrong..."

The final chapter of the World's First Martial Arts Tournament officially began amid the rapt attention of the crowd and Lin Fan's anxious apprehension.