Chapter 932: The legendary grandmaster!
Translator: Legge Editor: Legge
A deathmatch!
Nine minutes to go!
The National Martial Arts Conference venue at the top of the hill fell completely silent. No one dared to make a peep right now. Even if someone had an itchy throat and wanted to cough, they had to quickly cover their mouth to cough in the most silent way possible as they were afraid that they would cause a disturbance to the three grandmasters meditating in the ring.
The blowing of the wind was the only thing that could be heard on the hilltop.
As well as noises emitting from someone's cell phone. Di di, da da da. It sounded like someone was playing a game. Carefully listening to the game music, it was the latest mobile version of Plants vs. Zombies.
Who was it?
Fuck, who dared to play games at a time like this?
And why was the game’s volume so loud?
After looking around the crowd, everyone was shocked to realize that the sound originated from the fight ring itself. It turned out that "Chen Zhen" was actually playing the game on his cell phone, and as he was sitting quite close the microphone, the game sounds on his cell phone were amplified even louder!
Liu Yiquan: "…"
He Badao: "…"
Yan Hui: "…"
Chenchen: "…"
The Eight Trigrams School's disciples: "…"
Will this guy really be able fight the grandmasters?
This is a fucking deathmatch we're talking about! You, a non-affiliate whose kung fu is mediocre and is surrounded by three grandmasters, have only a few more minutes left until it begins! You don't even know if you will survive! So how can you still be in the mood to play games at such a time? Just how calm can you get!
Just what kind of a person are you!
Everyone was exasperated out of their minds by this behavior of his!
Only Zhang Ye himself knew that his motive was not to play the game, but in fact use it to hide what he was really doing. Otherwise, if the crowd saw him tapping at the air, it would surely arouse suspicion. By this point, he had opened up the game ring's merchant shop. He tapped on the Taiji Fist Skill Experience Book that he had received from the lottery draw a long time ago, though it looked to everyone else like he was tapping on his cell phone screen. Over the past two years or so, Zhang Ye had gradually bought over a hundred of these skill experience books. But to cope with today's situation, he was ready to push it to the limit. He had almost 1.9 billion Reputation Points remaining, and the cost of each Taiji Fist Skill Experience Book was 1 million Reputation Points!
Buy!
Buy!
Buy!
He tapped on the buy button like crazy!
Afterwards, he flipped them open one by one and the Taiji Fist Skill Experience Books dissolved into many glowing particles of light. The contents surged straight into his mind, becoming a part of him. If anyone could see what Zhang Ye saw, they would certainly be shocked into dropping their jaw. With the countless glowing particles of light surging into his mind, image after image of the Taiji Fist's moves flashed through Zhang Ye's mind. He could feel his strength burgeoning without end!
100 books!
200 books!
300 books!
With his actions getting faster, the tapping on his cell phone also grew louder.
The people outside the ring were looking at him at their wits' end.
Some of the large sects' disciples were gnashing their teeth in hate and nearly insulted someone's mother!
Eventually, Zhou Tianpeng, who was meditating with his eyes closed, could no longer bear with this disturbance. The corners of his eyes twitched several times and he opened them, fed up. "Do you have a screw loose?"
Zhang Ye subconsciously responded the moment he looked up at him, "Do you have a screwdriver?"
Zhou Tianpeng: "…"
Everyone: "…"
Chen Xi, too, could no longer pretend to not have heard and opened his eyes in frustration. With the game's noisy sound effects and background music, how could he possibly still meditate in peace? So he walked over to Zhou Tianpeng and discussed in low whispers their strategy for the battle. In this deathmatch, they had to terminate all of Rao Aimin's kung fu and were not allowed to make any mistakes. Otherwise, there would never be a day of peace after today!
Chen Xi asked softly, "Who will you take?"
"Let me handle Rao Aimin," Zhou Tianpeng replied.
Chen Xi made a noise of understanding. "Then I will take care of that non-affiliate."
Zhou Tianpeng asked, "Who on earth is that person anyway?"
Chen Xi pondered for a moment before saying, "I don't know and can't judge either. But I have some memory of him from last night. During his duel with a Kunlun Sect disciple, his skills were quite average as well as scummy. From the way that he is still playing games before the start of a deathmatch, he must definitely be just an amateur, so there's nothing to fear about him."
Zhou Tianpeng nodded. "I'll test Rao Aimin's skill first."
Chen Xi said, "Alright, I'll back you up whenever. Just be careful of Rao Aimin's Swimming Body form."
"I will," Zhou Tianpeng responded.
The two of them saw only Rao Aimin as a threat and did not take "Chen Zhen" seriously. In the Chinese martial arts world, there were only a handful of experts. Which of those people did they not know about? Would there be anyone they couldn't identify? But they had never even heard of this non-affiliate called "Chen Zhen" before, so there was really no point in taking him too seriously. For someone who would resort to using a brick in a duel and being such a young non-affiliate martial artist, even if he did start practicing martial arts when he was in his mother's womb, he could never get three attacks in against Chen Xi. Moreover, this would be without Chen Xi using his concealed power.
Everyone saw this deathmatch as a two-on-one match in practice. Rao Aimin would be taking on the duo of Zhou Tianpeng and Chen Xi. No one included "Chen Zhen" as part of the battle.
Zhang Ye was still furiously "eating" the skill experience books!
His hand was constantly purchasing the item!
1,000 books!
1,500 books!
1,700 books!
Finally, almost all 1.9 billion Reputation Points were spent. Zhang Ye did not bother spending whatever leftover points there were. At this moment, including the 100-odd Taiji Fist Skill Experience Books that Zhang Ye had eaten in the past, the total experience that he had summed to a terrifying 2,000-odd experience books! Zhang Ye's mind was brimming with images of Taiji fish motifs 1 , a series of Taiji moves, and the breathing techniques for the moves. With his mind overflowing with information, he exited the game on his cell phone and closed his eyes as he hurriedly tried to organize his thoughts and take in all of the knowledge that he had gained from eating these skill experience books!
The experience was too great!
The amount of knowledge that he now had was shocking!
With every bit absorbed, Zhang Ye's comprehension of Taiji reached a higher plane. While there were no changes to his physical fitness, which remained the same as after he had "eaten" those 1,000 Fruits of each stat category, his martial arts skill kept soaring! One level, two levels, three levels. This feeling was so great and wonderful that there were no words to describe it!
There was still a minute to go before the start of the deathmatch!
At last, Zhang Ye opened his eyes. Even he did not know what plane his martial arts had reached by now. But as far as everyone else could see, there were no visible changes to Zhang Ye.
Zhou Tianpeng and Chen Xi had gotten ready and each stood in a corner of the fight ring.
Rao Aimin had also prepared herself to her best condition. She looked at Zhang Ye. "Can you?"
Zhang Ye looked back at her. "Probably."
Rao Aimin said quietly, "When the fighting starts, I won't be able look after you."
"That's not necessary." Zhang Ye said, "Just concentrate on taking on Zhou Tianpeng. How many attacks do you need me to hold Chen Xi off for?"
Rao Aimin glanced at Zhou Tianpeng and said, "Thirty."
Zhang Ye fell silent for a moment then said, "Alright."
They took their positions.
The four of them had chosen their spots to begin from!
The Eight Trigrams School's Xu Fan said anxiously, "Fifth Senior Sis, will that Chen Zhen really be of any help?"
"Who knows!" Song Jiao exclaimed. "Why was he playing games before the start of the match? He must have a really bad gaming addiction! If I'd known that, I would've gone in his place instead!"
Zhao Yunlong looked at Lu Yuhu. "Isn't that person too unreliable?"
It was time!
Suddenly, one of the National Martial Arts Association's referees announced, "The deathmatch will now officially begin!"
The entire venue immediately erupted!
The large sects started a rabid commotion!
"Come on, Master!"
"Grandmaster Zhou, you can do it!"
"Do your best!"
"Martial Uncle is almighty!"
"The Zhou Family Style shall prevail!"
"Grandmaster Zhou shall be victorious!"
Several hundred voices rang out across the venue!
When the Eight Trigrams School's disciples saw this, they started shouting too!
"Eldest Senior Sis, you can do it!"
"Don't hold back, Eldest Senior Sis!"
"Beat him up!"
"Be careful, Eldest Senior Sis!"
Meanwhile, Zhang Ye, who was also in the fight ring with them, seemed to have been forgotten.
Zhang Ye did not mind. He just walked quietly to the southwest corner of the fight ring with his hands behind his back and did not say anything.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
The cheering below the ring grew louder and louder, but it fell silent up in the ring. The opponents looked at each other, but no one made the first move!
Suddenly, Zhou Tianpeng was the first to break the deadlock. Kicking off the ground, his entire person shot forth like a cannonball. With a shout, he smashed toward Rao Aimin with a punch that seemingly carried a ton of weight behind it!
This was what it was like to be in a battle of grandmasters. Either they did not make a move, or, if they did, they would attack to kill!
But no one expected that Rao Aimin would not move. She did not even blink or even put up a defense!
The Eight Trigrams School's disciples watched in fright!
"Senior Sis!"
"Eldest Senior Sis!"
It wasn't until the incoming punch was an arm's length away that Rao Aimin moved. Floating into Eight Trigrams footwork, she transferred into the kun stance 2 . Not only was she able to avoid Zhou Tianpeng's punch, she even stuck fast to Zhou Tianpeng and threw a palm strike at him!
Zhou Tianpeng blocked with his elbow and counterattacked with a kick!
Rao Aimin seamlessly executed another Eight Trigrams footwork step to easily shift herself slightly behind Zhou Tianpeng before striking with her palm again!
In a matter of seconds, the two of them had exchanged several blows!
This was what it was like to be in a battle between grandmasters! It was spectacular!
Many people in the audience forgot to breathe. They held their breaths as they fully concentrated on the fight in the ring!
Chen Xi did not move.
Neither did Zhang Ye.
In fact, Chen Xi had been facing Rao Aimin all this while. Wherever Rao Aimin moved to, his feet would adjust in that direction in anticipation. He seemed ready to rush forward to help at any moment, but there was no reason to do so at this time. For now, he just wanted to see if Zhou Tianpeng could handle Rao Aimin with his greatly improved kung fu. If he could, then Chen Xi had no need to take action and aid him. That would save them some face. After all, a two-on-one match was not really something to be proud of!
After three attacks, the two grandmasters were evenly matched.
The disciples from the Zhou Family Style were getting excited.
"Good!"
"Master is awesome!"
"Go, Master, go!"
"Kill that Treacherous Rao!"
The Zhou Family Style disciples and others from the large sects also gained a confidence boost from watching this!
However, the fight was evenly matched after the first three moves. When Rao Aimin executed her fourth attack, all the large sect disciples who had just been cheering suddenly went quiet!
Rao Aimin swivel stepped and immediately attacked with a barrage of Eight Trigrams Linking Palms!
Zhou Tianpeng wanted to dodge this but could not, so he had no choice but to grit his teeth and take her head-on for three of the strikes. But by Rao Aimin's third strike, Zhou Tianpeng was unable to hold off her attacks any longer. He yelled, having already shown his full strength, and mustered his concealed power into his right fist. This could burst apart Rao Aimin's attack, so he repulsed her Linking Palms, which were also struck with her concealed power!
Eight footprints could be seen clearly on the wooden floor of the fight ring. Two of them belonged to Zhou Tianpeng, who had made them while taking the hard blows from the attacks. The remaining footprints in the thick wooden floor belonged to Rao Aimin!
If it were an attack directed purely at the wooden floor, a lot of the people present today could also leave their imprints. It was nothing less than needing enough strength to do so. But what had happened in the ring was entirely different. Zhou Tianpeng and Rao Aimin had not channeled any force into their feet and were just attacking each other. When their concealed power was transmitted into their opponents, there would naturally be a shockwave sent through the body of the person taking the attack. This was an astonishing sight for many of those who had not seen a battle between grandmasters before!
Song Jiao shouted, "Eldest Senior Sis, follow up your advantage!"
Xu Fan said excitedly, "Old Crook Zhou is no match for you!"
Chenchen cried out, "Auntie, you can do it!"
The non-affiliates said in astonishment:
"Is this what it means to be a grandmaster?"
"This…"
"This is too scary!"
"Heavens!"
Meanwhile, the real martial arts experts looked apprehensive!
The Huashan Sect's Fan Wen gasped, "Grandmaster Zhou is not her equal!"
The Iron Palm's Master Sun was also getting anxious. "Grandmaster Zhou can't go it alone!"
"Rao Aimin's skill is too great!" the Kunlun Sect's leader exclaimed with a sunken expression. He had not expected that Zhou Tianpeng still could not compare to her after all these years!
Zhou Tianpeng did not look too good!
Even though Zhou Tianpeng was not exactly losing yet, after only a few attacks, many of the experts present could see that Zhou Tianpeng was not a match for Rao Aimin whether at moves or skill level!
Rao Aimin was indeed still that past Rao Aimin!
Even after disappearing for many years, she was still that legendary figure in the Chinese martial arts world. In a one-on-one fight, nobody was a match for her!
Watching from his side, Zhang Ye could feel a tingle run down his spine!
So Old Rao was actually this amazing?