CHAPTER 68: CHAPTER 68 THE OFFICIAL COMPETITION BEGINS

Wang Lan was extremely grateful he had opted for anonymous competition; during a bathroom break, he mentally gave his cleverness a thumbs-up.

Just as he exited the bathroom, he saw Jiang Xinyu leaning against the wall outside, hugging her arms while gazing up at the sky.

At this sight, Wang Lan felt an impulsive urge to make a dashing turn and walk away.

"Stop right there!"

Halting in his tracks, Wang Lan smiled slightly. "I’m just going to dry my hands."

"Xinyu, you came out to use the bathroom too...?"

"Awkward small talk!" Jiang Xinyu rolled her eyes at Wang Lan.

"Are you looking for me?"

"When did you start practicing swordsmanship?"

"Huh?" Wang Lan’s face was a canvas of confusion.

"Don’t play dumb with me. I know it’s you!"

"No, I’m not!" Wang Lan denied with utmost seriousness.

"You..." Suddenly, Jiang Xinyu smiled sweetly, the metaphorical ice around her thawing. "Have you ever looked into who produces the Star Martial Competition?"

"No... It hasn’t been publicly announced, has it?"

"Although the Star Martial Competition production team hasn’t publicized it, it can still be found with a little effort. Jiangcheng Entertainment is a subsidiary of Jiang Technology. My family is one of the producers of the Star Martial Competition. So..."

"If you know, just keep it to yourself..." Wang Lan said, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

"You still haven’t answered me: when did you learn swordsmanship?"

"I learned it while practicing martial arts..."

"You only had Master Huang as a teacher, but Huang Feilong doesn’t know the first thing about swordsmanship. I started training in swordsmanship at the age of six and, over ten years, have studied under five sword masters, all of whom have passed on their true teachings. Yet, after watching your battle video against Lan Die, I believe your level of swordsmanship is above mine."

"You flatter me!"

"You know I don’t flatter. Your swordsmanship is stronger than mine, and that’s a fact. I just want to know who you trained with and how."

"Are you looking to become an apprentice?"

"If there is a worthy master, I should indeed seek their tutelage."

"Actually, I just downloaded some videos online and practiced by following along... You know, I learn things very quickly. Studying the sword is actually quite simple—just understand its attack methods, how to apply techniques, and then gain insight into counters through actual combat..."

I’m running out of lies, what do I do? Wang Lan’s voice grew quieter, his gaze becoming more evasive.

Jiang Xinyu sighed softly. "Never mind. If you don’t want to tell me, I won’t push. What are your thoughts?"

"About what?"

"About joining the Star Martial Competition. What made you do it?"

"To test what I’ve learned, and to spar with fellow martial artists!" Wang Lan said earnestly, as if reciting a line from a martial arts TV drama.

"Such a poser!" Stepping right in front of Wang Lan, Jiang Xinyu challenged, "Isn’t sparring with us good enough?"

"No!"

"Why not? Do you think I’m too weak to be a worthy opponent?" Jiang Xinyu’s stubborn streak flared up. A wrong answer here could be perilous.

"It’s not that!" Wang Lan quickly denied, lowering his head slightly and gazing deeply into Jiang Xinyu’s eyes. "With you, I can’t bring myself to be harsh, nor can I bring myself to strike!"

Survival instinct +100

That single sentence struck Jiang Xinyu’s heart like a heavy hammer, making it pound forcefully like a drum.

Jiang Xinyu, somewhat flustered, looked down. "I see. How do you usually train? Why are you so outstanding? Whether it’s studying or practicing, you’re... so outstanding it’s almost demoralizing."

"You’ve been watching me for over two years; how could you not know how I study? As for training... have you ever heard of mediation?"

"Mediation? The Idea Sword Flow?"

"Mhm! Master Huang asked me that too. I told him that when I train, I visualize an opponent in my mind. He’s there in my head and right before my eyes. We continuously spar, and my abilities naturally improve."

"I’ve heard of the Idea Sword Flow mediation technique, but my master forbade me from practicing it. This method is indeed effective, but it has a drawback: there’s a chance it can create a second persona. If that second persona is merely sword intent, it’s manageable. But if it’s an evil persona that tries to consume the dominant one, then it’s disastrous. You’re forbidden from using it from now on."

"Alright, alright..."

"Be serious. Promise me you won’t use it anymore. Also, go to the hospital this Sunday."

"What for?"

"To check if you’ve developed a second persona."

"I feel fine; I know my own condition," Wang Lan quickly shook his head. Are you kidding? My swordsmanship comes from allocating skill points, not some profound mediation. Without any actual mediation, there’s no way I’d develop a split personality!

"Everyone dragged to a psychiatric hospital insists they’re not sick. Don’t worry, you’ll go to my family’s medical center. I guarantee no one will find out, and it’s just a quick test. It won’t take much of your time."

Wang Lan wanted to argue, but under Jiang Xinyu’s unyielding gaze, he could only raise his hands in surrender. "Your humble servant obeys the decree!"

Logically, Wang Lan’s popularity should have started to wane after three days. However, there seemed to be an unseen force at play, causing the video of the pinnacle duel to gain even more traction online.

Even though Wang Lan had chosen to compete anonymously, if someone were truly determined to dig, they could still uncover his real identity. In fact, some bored, wealthy individuals online were offering a reward of a million to definitively identify Wang Lan.

However, thanks to further encryption personally overseen by Jiang Xinyu, Wang Lan’s registration information was now deeply buried. Unless Wang Lan revealed himself, not even the organizers’ database would contain his true details.

「Friday, eight o’clock at night.」

Wang Lan, wearing a mask, walked through the doors of the Suzhou City Satellite TV studio.

Here, the official recording of the Star Martial Competition would take place. How it was recorded and how the entertainment value was enhanced were the organizers’ concerns. For Wang Lan, it was simply about winning his matches and advancing to the next round.

By the time Wang Lan arrived, Hu Qing was already there. Wang Lan noticed that the other contestants were looking at him strangely today, their eyes holding a subtle, almost imperceptible hostility.

"What’s going on? Am I being targeted?" Wang Lan quietly asked Hu Qing.

"Have you any idea how popular your fight video has become? You’re a big star now..."

"It’s a bit popular, so what? Even if most of them are here for fame, they can’t just turn hostile out of jealousy, can they? Do Star Martial Warriors have so little magnanimity?"

"Of course, if it were just jealousy, it wouldn’t be this bad. But right now, in their eyes, you’re a golden stepping stone, a chance to soar to fame in a single bound. If anyone manages to defeat you in a match, they’ll use you to achieve instant success. So be careful. The opponents you face will likely come at you with everything they’ve got from the start. Even though many are here for fame, quite a few of them actually have some decent skills."

"They want to use me as a stepping stone? Perfect!" Wang Lan’s voice instantly dropped, becoming much deeper.

The competition soon began.

Wang Lan was third in the lineup, and Hu Qing was seventh.

While the two of them chatted quietly, the first match had already started. The two contestants on stage had very distinct characteristics: both were tank-type Star Martial Warriors. One was 1.98 meters tall, the other 2 meters tall.

Both of their Star Martial Skills were of the Body Mutation Type, a common category for Star Martial Warriors who typically served as a team’s initiator, tank, or assaulter.

Once their Star Martial Skills were activated, their bodies swelled, and their strength, speed, and defense increased significantly. It was similar to Wu Changfeng’s Steel Body, which was also a Body Mutation Type Star Martial Skill, though Wu Changfeng’s was far more advanced than what these two possessed.

The visceral thrill of flesh meeting flesh sent adrenaline surging through the audience. The two on stage resembled ancient behemoths locked in a life-or-death struggle.

Their moves weren’t flashy, and their Star Martial Skills lacked dazzling light and shadow effects. What mattered was the explosive sense of reality. A punch to the ground left a huge crater in the stage; a heavy blow made the ground shake violently.

When the two had nearly demolished the entire stage, one of them suddenly underwent a secondary transformation, growing another two sizes larger, and then proceeded to crush his opponent with absolute strength.

Finally, he grabbed his opponent’s ankle and slammed him repeatedly from side to side, splattering blood and sending dust billowing into the air.

The scene incited the live audience to scream incessantly; even the judges on the stage lost their composure, shouting wildly.

"Stop! Stop! Contestant Number One wins! Number One wins!"

The first match lasted a full twenty minutes. By that calculation, ten matches would take over two hundred minutes. An episode was at most an hour and a half long... I wonder how much will be cut.

"For the third match, contestants Number Five and Number Six, please take your places—"

When the announcement sounded, Wang Lan, who was backstage, stood up. His opponent was a lean young man with a very non-mainstream look: his hair was spiked, his face bore camouflage paint, and he wore a nose ring.

"Contestant Number Five, Gan Lie, hails from Liaoning Province. He is in the late Star Shine Stage and previously served in the Northwest War Zone. After his discharge, he joined the largest Pioneer Legion in the northwest. Gan Lie is known as the ’Wind Chaser’ for his wind-like speed and punches that can break the sound barrier. His Wolf Tooth Steel Fist, capable of delivering seven punches per second, often defeats opponents before they even have time to react. According to those familiar with Gan Lie, his strongest Star Martial Skill isn’t his fists. What could it be? Let’s wait and see!

"As for Contestant Number Six, Wolf—let me correct something. Many online videos claim that Contestant Number Six’s name is XX. We cannot ascertain his real name. As he is competing anonymously, the organizers are obligated to protect Contestant Wolf’s privacy. He registered for our Star Martial Competition under the name Wolf. While the organizers cannot reveal Wolf’s past, his strength is evident to all. In the preliminaries, the ’Butterfly Dance’ Star Martial Skill that Wolf used at the end undoubtedly left a deep impression on everyone.

"Now, let’s welcome both contestants to the stage!"

Explosive music erupted, accompanied by cheers from the audience.

Heh... I feel like I’m at a boxing match, Wang Lan mused.

"Mr. Xiaobao, what are your thoughts on this match?" the host asked, turning to the judges’ table.

The three Star Martial Art judges at the table looked serious. Bao Longqing, who had been addressed, leaned forward slightly. "Both contestants are very strong. Honestly, without seeing them fight, I can’t make a judgment. Wolf’s strength is plain to see, and Gan Lie’s record is also very impressive. Looking at their Star Martial Stages, Wolf seems to be at a slight disadvantage, but his Star Martial Skill is very powerful."

"I don’t quite agree with Mr. Xiaobao’s view," another middle-aged judge with a mustache, sitting next to Mr. Xiaobao, suddenly interjected.

A disagreement between two judges—this was a highlight for the show. Of course, it might have been deliberately arranged.

"Mr. Qin, what are your insights?"

"We need to analyze this objectively. Wolf’s strength is indeed formidable, as we saw in his preliminary match. But what was the real reason that match became so explosive? Was it purely his strength? If so, could he be stronger than a Star Cloud Stage Star Martial Warrior? There are many videos online of Star Cloud and Galaxy Stage Star Martial Warriors fighting. Why haven’t they gone viral, while the fight between two Star Shine Stage Star Martial Warriors did?"