"Yamcha!" Worry was written all over Bulma's and their companions' faces. Son Goku rushed toward the ring like a bolt of lightning, anxiously checking Yamcha's injuries.
Tears welled in Puar's eyes as he flew into the ring, crying, his voice choked with sobs. "Master Yamcha... I'll take you to the hospital right away."
Then he transformed into a flying carpet, flew beside Yamcha, and said to Son Goku, "Goku, quick, help him onto me."
"Of course!"
"Krillin, come give me a hand!"
Son Goku called loudly for Krillin. Together, they helped Yamcha onto the flying carpet. Puar immediately flew toward the hospital, with Bulma and Launch following close behind.
Son Goku glared at Tien Shinhan. "You went too far!" he demanded angrily. "Yamcha was already unconscious. You knew that perfectly well, but you deliberately attacked him anyway."
Tien Shinhan stood there with his arms crossed and an arrogant smile on his face. "Heh heh heh... He's already lucky I didn't kill him outright. Doesn't that make me pretty compassionate?" With that, he turned and left the ring.
"Damn it!" Son Goku and Krillin stared at Tien Shinhan's retreating back, their eyes filled with resentment and their fists clenched.
"Yamcha, I'll settle this score with him in the tournament." Son Goku gritted his teeth, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Ha ha ha... Keep dreaming. You won't even make it to the championship match." Tien Shinhan gave a contemptuous laugh, stopped, and looked back disdainfully at Son Goku.
In the spectator stands, Master Shen watched Tien Shinhan's victory, brimming with smug satisfaction, his laughter full of pride. "Well done! Now they'll finally realize just how powerful our Crane School is. I simply can't wait to see Master Roshi's livid face. Besides... Tien Shinhan is still far from showing his full strength! Hee hee hee..."
The day's matches had concluded successfully. The second round of the quarterfinals would not continue until the following morning.
Tien Shinhan met Chiaotzu as soon as he entered the lounge.
Chiaotzu congratulated him, his face full of delight. "You won!"
"That was inevitable, but that Turtle School bunch is stronger than I expected. You'd better be careful," Tien Shinhan told Chiaotzu seriously.
"Yeah!"
"From what I can see, that opponent named Yamcha just now was probably the strongest of Master Roshi's disciples. In that case... the championship is mine, and you're destined to be the runner-up." Brimming with confidence, Tien Shinhan stroked his chin and gave Chiaotzu a victorious smile. "The outcome is already clear."
When Son Goku saw Master Roshi, he knew tomorrow would be his turn to fight, so he encouraged him. "Tomorrow, huh? Good luck, Grandpa!"
"Mm! But you did well just now. You held back your impulses and didn't rush out to interfere with the match. You've matured quite a bit," Master Roshi said, full of gratification.
Planet Yardrat.
On Planet Yardrat, far from Earth, Wumu and Ganazi completed their training.
This planet brimmed with the unknown and the mysterious. Its sky was a distinctive violet, and its stars twinkled in a way utterly unlike those on Earth, as though each star were telling ancient secrets.
The ground was covered in strange fluorescent plants that glowed at night, draping the entire planet in a mysterious veil.
Wumu and Ganazi's training site lay within an ancient forest. The trees here towered into the clouds, their trunks so broad that more than a dozen people would have to join hands to encircle one, and their leaves gave off a faint blue glow.
In this forest, time seemed to slow, and the air was filled with a fragrance that brought peace to the mind.
Wumu had spent the past few days cultivating the power of his mind. He had a feeling this power would be the key to his breakthrough into breaking the void and see the indestructible god, so he had immersed himself in cultivating his mind throughout this time, until today, when his mind finally matched the ki within his body.
He had already attained great mastery in Bajiquan and become proficient in Tai Chi. Wumu no longer intended to practice other martial arts; cultivating just these two was enough for him to grow stronger.
Ganazi, meanwhile, had attained inner peace and learned to control and sense ki.
Wumu and Ganazi sat side by side on a glowing patch of grass. Above them, the starry sky glittered with stars unlike Earth's, while the blue-glowing leaves around them swayed gently in the breeze, giving off a tranquil light.
Wumu drew a deep breath, a gleam flashing in his eyes. "Ganazi, after all this training, I feel completely changed. The power of the mind is much stronger than I imagined."
Ganazi nodded calmly, his gaze deep. "Yes, me too. I always used to think strength was just physical power. Only now do I understand that inner peace and control over ki are true strength."
After their training ended, they headed to Elder Pybara's residence.
Elder Pybara lived in a magnificent crystal palace built atop an enormous crystal mountain. Seen from afar, it resembled a giant gemstone set into the planet.
The palace's interior was dazzling, with crystals of various colors interwoven, casting dreamlike patterns of light and shadow.
Wumu and Ganazi stood before Elder Pybara, their eyes shining with curiosity and a desire to learn unfamiliar skills.
"Elder Pybara, we've finished our training. May we learn your planet's skills?" Ganazi's voice was full of anticipation, while Wumu stood quietly beside him, his gaze firm.
Wumu and Ganazi expressed their request to Elder Pybara.
Elder Pybara's voice echoed slowly through the crystal palace, as though coming from another, distant world. "How fast. You've finished your training so quickly.
"Then I'll teach you the Mind-Reading Technique, Forced Spirit Fission, Telepathy, and the Healing Technique."
"The Mind-Reading Technique? Does that mean we'll be able to hear the voices in other people's minds?" Wumu couldn't help asking, a flicker of excitement in his eyes.
Many characters in the original work knew the Mind-Reading Technique, and Wumu had coveted it for a long time. He hadn't expected to be able to learn it here on Planet Yardrat.
Elder Pybara smiled faintly. "Not only that, you'll also be able to sense their emotions and understand their true thoughts. But remember, you must use this skill carefully. Don't invade other people's privacy."
Ganazi nodded. "What about Forced Spirit Fission? It sounds pretty powerful."
"Forced Spirit Fission can temporarily separate a person's consciousness from their body, which is very useful in battle. But it also carries risks. One careless mistake could harm your own soul. It can also separate people who have fused." Elder Pybara's tone was solemn.
"We'll be careful, Elder," Wumu and Ganazi answered in unison.
"Lastly, there's the Healing Technique. This is an extremely valuable skill that can help you heal yourselves and those around you." Elder Pybara's voice was full of warmth.
The two exchanged a smile.
"Thank you, Elder Pybara. We'll study hard and won't let you down," Ganazi said sincerely.
Elder Pybara nodded. "All right, let's begin."