Chapter 32: Eminent Scholars Will Debate the Classics on Your Behalf

The first victory was secured, and not long after, Shen Han followed into the arena.

Shen Han and Gu Shuangshuang were both competing this time. However, the groups they were assigned to included experts of professional seventh-dan level or higher. Shen Han’s strength was roughly around the professional seventh-dan mark, just reaching the threshold of the elite tier. Gu Shuangshuang was of similar caliber.

Shen Han finished his bout quickly, defeating his opponent within five moves. He showed some restraint, unlike Zhang Ji, who ended his fights with a single blow the moment he stepped up. A short while later, Gu Shuangshuang also took the stage. She specialized in Crane Fist, her movements fluid and agile; her footwork was so nimble that several of her motions seemed to defy the laws of physics. The angles of her attacks were elusive and difficult to predict. She allowed her opponent to show their skills for a bit before eventually defeating them.

The remaining matches were mostly dead time. Strong fighters swiftly dispatched the weak, which was hardly worth watching, while the weak fought among themselves in a display of pure amateurism. On the first day of the draw, there was not a single instance of a professional fifth-dan fighting another professional fifth-dan. It was obvious that the Martial Arts Association had rigged the draw. Had they not engaged in such backroom dealings, the seeded players might have faced each other on the first day and been eliminated, which would have been a massive embarrassment for everyone involved.

After watching for a while, Zhang Ji left early. There was truly nothing worth seeing, and he felt it was better to return and practice. Zhang Ji’s early departure was clearly captured by the cameras, and the director even gave him a close-up. This instantly solidified his reputation as a man of talent but no character. The internet was abuzz with discussion; many condemned Zhang Ji for his lack of martial virtue, while others argued he was merely young and frivolous, possessing the strength to back up his arrogance. Zhang Ji, however, paid no mind to these thoughts; his heart was entirely set on his training. Back in his room, since the specialized training machine he ordered had not yet arrived, he had to rely on a mechanical hammer to pummel his body. All in all, the efficiency was not bad.

...

Time moved to October 3rd. Zhang Ji had just finished his morning practice, his body radiating heat—the result of sweat evaporating after intense exercise. He now possessed nine Iron Shirt crystals, equivalent to ninety percent of the power of the Iron Shirt technique. In his fully activated state, the metallic sheen on his skin became increasingly pronounced, taking on a luster similar to brass. Especially when he employed his breathing technique, there was a faint, flowing quality to the glow. Zhang Ji did not know what would happen next, as no one had ever pushed the Iron Shirt technique to such a level. However, he was looking forward to the Grandmaster Crystal that would be formed by synthesizing ten Iron Shirt crystals.

After breakfast, Zhang Ji and the rest of the Five Elements Sect headed to the venue. Along the way, many people were already waving fan placards for him. Over the three days of competition, every opponent Zhang Ji faced was defeated in a single strike. None had forced him to use a second move. His immense power had attracted a great number of fans who admired strength above all else. Today, Zhang Ji was set to face the last opponent of his group stage: the expert from the Lishan Sect, a professional fifth-dan fighter.

Once the preceding matches concluded, it was quickly Zhang Ji’s turn. As he stepped onto the stage, the host began to talk incessantly.

"The Lishan Sect’s Gao Congyu is a professional fifth-dan fighter. It is said that she practices the Lishan Sect’s 'Emerald Jade Art.' The internal energy cultivated by this martial art has distinct advantages in recovery and endurance, while also possessing considerable defensive capabilities... As for Zhang Ji’s strength, everyone has seen it with their own eyes. So far, he hasn't encountered a single opponent who could force him to use a second move. It remains to be seen if Gao Congyu can break this record..."

"Contestants, salute!"

Zhang Ji and Gao Congyu clasped their fists to each other. Shortly after, a faint cyan-green glow radiated from Gao Congyu. This was the color of the internal energy she practiced. Such a display required a certain level of cultivation. However, unleashing her energy so recklessly consumed a great deal; the opponent was clearly going all-out from the start, likely fearing she would be taken down in one hit by Zhang Ji.

Yet, unfortunately...

"Bang!"

Gao Congyu flew off the ring, only to be caught by a grandmaster from the Lishan Sect who had been waiting in readiness. She was spared the miserable fate of Zhang Ji’s previous opponents, retaining at least a shred of dignity.

"It seems there is still a considerable gap between Gao Congyu and Zhang Ji..."

The grandmaster looked at Zhang Ji with a hint of indignation, clearly displeased by his lack of respect. Zhang Ji, however, did not care at all. Once the host announced his victory, Zhang Ji turned and left with a calm expression. For a moment, many in the arena began to shout Zhang Ji’s name. This was the realistic side of this world. What "martial virtue"? What "etiquette"? As long as you have the strength, anything you do can be forgiven. As long as you are strong enough, you will have countless followers and admirers.

...

After the group stage, Zhang Ji successfully advanced to the round of thirty-two. Among these thirty-two people, not one was below the professional fifth-dan level. On the surface, the highest-ranked fighter was Wang Pinghong, a professional eighth-dan expert from the Northern Dao Sect. However, Zhang Ji was more interested in two experts from the Southern Dao Sect and the Seven Peaks Alliance.

The Southern Dao Sect had a Taoist named Su Yu, whose pure, Yang-aligned internal energy was terrifying. In his match, he displayed only a fraction of his power, and the moment his palm touched his opponent, the man was sent flying. Zhang Ji guessed that this guy practiced the "Nine Yang True Technique." The Seven Peaks Alliance had a man named Hu Chang, whose palm power was immense; so far, no one had been able to take three of his strikes.

Come to think of it, Zhang Ji had never heard of the Seven Peaks Alliance. In the version he played, among the great powers of the Eastern Polar Kingdom, there was no such organization formed by the union of seven mountain sects. The Seven Peaks Alliance was composed of the Gao, Liu, Jing, Wang, Huang, Chi, and Luo sects. These seven mountains were close to one another, all located in the Tanyang Province of the Eastern Polar Kingdom. It could be said that they were the hegemons of that province. The seven sects stood together, and the position of alliance leader was rotated, with each sect taking a two-year turn instead of holding elections. Each of these seven sects possessed grandmaster-level experts, and their status in the martial arts world was not low.

However, in the eyes of the truly established great sects with centuries of heritage, the Seven Peaks Alliance was looked down upon. After all, the total time the alliance had existed was less than fifty years, and they had never produced a "Land Immortal" level figure. Tracing their history back, they were quite superficial.

On October 5th, Zhang Ji fought in the round of thirty-two. His opponent was a core disciple of the Seven Peaks Alliance, a professional sixth-dan expert. Yet, facing Zhang Ji, he was still defeated in a single blow. Zhang Ji’s myth continued to grow. Many were already anticipating Zhang Ji defeating everyone with a single hit and lifting the championship trophy of the tournament. Zhang Ji entered the round of sixteen, but Shen Han and Gu Shuangshuang were eliminated. Shen Han encountered an expert from the Lishan Sect and, after hundreds of rounds, lost due to exhaustion. Gu Shuangshuang was struck by Hu Chang of the Seven Peaks Alliance and knocked off the ring.

Now, Zhang Ji was the only one left on the stage representing the Five Elements Sect. The Xian Mountain Sect still had two people remaining. Zhang Ji would face one of them in the next round.

October 6th. In the round of sixteen, Zhang Ji stood on the stage against his opponent from the Xian Mountain Sect.

"Xian Mountain Sect, Guo Rui!"

Guo Rui smiled and bowed to Zhang Ji. Zhang Ji, however, ignored him, merely offering a symbolic gesture. His persona had been established as such, so his rudeness did not cause any misunderstandings. Among the spectators below, the sect leader of the Xian Mountain Sect, Xiong Mingxu, was present. He had a strong impression of Zhang Ji. In his memory, Zhang Ji was roughly at the professional seventh-dan level. Yet, his own true disciple, Guo Rui, was a bona fide professional eighth-dan expert. Before the match, he had instructed Guo Rui not to end the fight too quickly; he wanted him to teach Zhang Ji a painful lesson and avenge the previously defeated disciples. Li Long had also given Zhang Ji instructions before the match, though he had told him to hold back and not actually kill anyone.

"Zhang Ji maintains his usual nonchalance. It seems that even Guo Rui is not worth much attention in his eyes. It is just unclear whether he has the strength to match such arrogance. According to records, Guo Rui passed the professional eighth-dan assessment over a year ago. His fighting style is known for being as swift as the wind and as violent as thunder. He also achieved a spot in the final eight in the last tournament and is revered by fans as 'God Guo'..."

As the host finished his warm-up introduction, the match officially began. Then, Zhang Ji moved.

"Hum! Boom!"

A sound like vibrating metal rang out. The ground beneath Zhang Ji’s feet cracked, and a depression appeared where he had stood. The next instant, he was already close to Guo Rui, throwing a punch. He had been building up power even before the fight began. He kept his muscles taut, accumulating force until the match started, then released it in a single explosive burst. This strike was something even the Water Monster, a professional ninth-dan with a geographic advantage, could not withstand—let alone Guo Rui.

Facing this attack, Guo Rui could not even dodge. He had no choice but to take it head-on. He poured all his internal energy into his body, his arms glowing with a faint red light, desperately trying to block Zhang Ji’s incoming punch.

"Pfft! Crack! Bang! Boom!"

Guo Rui’s internal energy barrier was shattered instantly. Both his arms snapped, and Zhang Ji’s fist continued on, crushing his sternum. Guo Rui flew directly off the ring and slammed into the wall beneath the distant spectator stands. He slid down the wall, twitching slightly, and as he opened his mouth, blood poured out. Had Zhang Ji aimed for his head, he would be dead. As it was, the result was not much better; both arms were shattered, his sternum was broken, and his internal organs were severely damaged. A full recovery would not be easy, and it was likely he would be left with permanent injuries. It was also uncertain whether the Xian Mountain Sect would pay the heavy price required for his treatment. Such injuries required significant resources to heal completely.

"It’s over..."

The host stood stunned, and the entire venue fell into a momentary silence before the chaos resumed. Cheers erupted, and medical personnel rushed to the scene. On the side of the Xian Mountain Sect, Xiong Mingxu’s face was livid; he clenched his fists several times before finally letting them go, forced to swallow his pride. In this place, he had no room to lash out.

"Zhang Ji has continued his legend! Even against a professional eighth-dan opponent, one strike was all it took. His strength is truly worthy of his arrogance!!!"

At this moment, even the host had become biased. When you possess enough strength, there will always be great scholars to justify your actions.