CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 55: NIGHTTIME EPIPHANY

Meng Chuan walked to the lottery machine.

"It doesn’t matter who comes; they’re all the same. My goal is to be first, so ultimately, I have to fight them all."

Youth Group [No. 1 Infinite Martial Arts Dojo·Meng Chuan—No. 4 Green Snake Martial Arts Dojo·Li Xiaoyue].

Upon hearing this, a few fellow youth group contestants beside Meng Chuan looked at him with sympathetic expressions.

Meng Chuan thought to himself.

"It seems this girl is quite strong, but I’m not bad either."

With the final matchup drawn, the entire drawing session concluded.

Some people couldn’t help but show joy on their faces, having drawn weaker opponents.

While some looked bitter, having drawn tournament favorites, most likely facing an early elimination.

Chen Xuewu, seeing Meng Chuan’s draw result, recalled the information describing Meng Chuan’s personal strength:

[Age sixteen, broke through three Qi and Blood Gates in about half a year, strength reaching at most entry-level four gates, suspected to have acquired innate enlightenment traits.]

In summary: Possibly possesses special traits, but still too young to pose a threat.

His first-round opponent is Li Xiaoyue, remembering his master’s advice, it seemed there would be no opportunity to face him.

He looked at Meng Chuan with a sorrowful gaze.

"Then there’s no need to greet him; with this time, better to practice my fists more."

After Chen Xuewu left, Liu Ru stood beside Meng Chuan, looking at his back with confusion.

"Xiaomeng, do you know him?"

Meng Chuan was also puzzled, what’s with that look from him...

Nighttime.

Meng Chuan originally wanted to sleep early to meet tomorrow’s match in the best mental state.

But as soon as he closed his eyes in bed, his mind was filled with the three thousand seats in the stadium.

Although he was usually steady-minded, thinking about facing the gaze of thousands of spectators tomorrow made him too nervous to fall asleep.

"The best way to overcome nervousness is through action, no more trying to sleep, practice boxing!"

It was already late, and the family had all fallen asleep.

Meng Chuan changed his clothes, quietly opened the door, but unexpectedly still alerted his uncle.

"Chuan’er, aren’t you competing tomorrow? What are you doing going out now?"

"Can’t sleep, going to the rooftop to practice a bit of boxing."

Meng Yongzhi immediately understood that the child was a bit nervous.

"Feeling nervous, huh? Well, it is several thousand people watching."

The entire family had been scrambling for tickets today to cheer for Meng Chuan on site.

Other than those within the martial arts dojo who could watch the match in the nearby waiting area, everyone else, be it relatives or friends, had to buy tickets to enter, no exceptions.

Meng Chuan nodded in response:

"It’s okay, uncle. You sleep first. I’ll go to bed after some boxing."

It was the first time Meng Chuan practiced boxing on the rooftop at night. Looking up at the starry sky, he felt an unprecedented tranquility.

Since ancient times, there’s been a saying: "Literary peace under Tai Chi, Martial stability under Eight Extremes."

The concepts of Luo’s Eight Extremes emphasize the flexible use of eight body parts: head, shoulders, elbows, tail, hips, hands, knees, and feet, ensuring that even short strikes are fast and the long fist is equally agile and tactically coordinated.

His silhouette appeared even more fierce against the night, recalling his master’s teachings, and unconsciously, he felt a clarity in his mind unlike ever before.

Punching the Eight Extremes, fighting in all directions!

If not strike now, when?

Meng Chuan began practicing fists, the bones in his body crackled, his front foot stomped heavily and elbow punched downwards, followed by a waist twist backward punch, each move executed with great intensity.

The proficiency continuously rose, and after completing a set of punches, he had fully integrated Luo’s Eight Extremes into himself, with each move etched in his mind never to be forgotten.

[Luo’s Eight Extremes: Entry (96%) → Proficient (2%) Awaiting Limit Breaking]

[Limit Breaking Trait: Chaotic Heaven (Intermediate)]

In a certain wonderful state of sudden realization, Meng Chuan’s proficiency in Luo’s Eight Extremes significantly leaped forward, successfully breaking through from entry-level to proficient.

Feeling the surge of Qi and Blood from the mysterious acupoints within him, Meng Chuan smoothly took out the medicinal paste from his pocket, eating several pieces until he sensed his body gradually calming down and then stopped.

After Luo’s Eight Extremes broke through to proficiency, Meng Chuan practiced again, finding indeed that the transitions between moves were fluid without any sense of block, each move executed naturally.

Meng Chuan was quite satisfied with this.

"Although it’s not yet at the level where fists move as the mind desires, that’s a level reached after reaching mastery, better practice some more."

Unconsciously, two hours passed.

Meng Chuan’s practice became increasingly feeling intuitive, this wonderful sense of sudden realization made his thoughts sharper, gaining more insights with each round practiced than usual.

By this time, it was already early morning. With the disappearance of the sense of realization, Meng Chuan concluded his practice and focused on the Martial Arts Limit Breaking panel.

[Luo’s Eight Extremes: Proficient (14%) Awaiting Limit Breaking]

[Inch Step: Perfection (20%) Awaiting Limit Breaking]

Inch Step had also progressed significantly towards limit breaking. Meng Chuan now had some new ideas regarding its limit breaking, on one hand, further enhancing Inch Step’s burst power, and on the other, increasing its endurance.

Once Inch Step breaks its limit, with its burst power and endurance further enhanced, Meng Chuan believed it would not be weaker than the usual second-tier body technique.

By this time, Meng Chuan no longer felt the nervous anxiety for tomorrow’s match.

"What does it matter if there are many spectators, I’ll just practice my boxing!"

With tomorrow’s match still ahead, Meng Chuan reluctantly went downstairs to bed.

...

The next day.

At seven-thirty in the morning, inside Beilin District Gymnasium.

The first set of matchups needed to be drawn a day early due to time constraints.

They needed to compress the youth group and young adult group match times into one day, to leave enough time for tomorrow’s dojo master-level matches.

The morning was for the youth group matches, and the afternoon for the young adult group.

Today, Luo Guanyun wore a dashing black suit, watching Meng Chuan’s match with his wife Ren Ping.

The dojo members entered the waiting area with Meng Chuan, because Meng Chuan’s match was in the morning, while Liu Ru’s match was in the afternoon, everyone cheered encouragingly for Meng Chuan.

"Master Brother, go for it! Sweep everything."

Meng Chuan smiled and cupped his fists in reply to each of them, feeling very relaxed and natural at the moment.

The audience seats gradually filled up, Meng Yongzhi and Xue Na, with Meng Yiyi, had also arrived; Meng Yiyi’s boyfriend was there too.

They were all looking onto the field, searching for a glimpse of Meng Chuan.

Xue Na wanted to greet Meng Chuan.

"Yiyi, why can’t I see your brother, where did he go?"

"He’s in the waiting area, I’ll call him."

The call connected.

Xue Na excitedly grabbed the phone:

[Chuan’er, good luck, your aunt is proud of you!]

[Little brother, good luck!]

Meng Yongzhi took the phone and said:

[Remember, safety first, competition second, protect yourself, we’ve got a long way ahead! If you face someone unbeatable, just admit defeat, it’s fine.]

Meng Chuan smiled and replied:

[I understand, everyone just watch my performance!]

Meng Yongzhi and Xue Na offered reminders repeatedly, as Meng Chuan was preparing to change into the Infinite Martial Arts Dojo training uniform, reluctantly hanging up the phone.

Looking at the three thousand spectators, Meng Yongzhi couldn’t help but worry for his nephew.

[Alright, I’m hanging up, don’t be nervous, show your best self!]