The Black Mountain Demon Hu Sanniang's intention was clear: she wanted Duan Jingzhu to withdraw from the competition voluntarily, thus saving his energy to reunite with Tong Yuan. However, Duan Jingzhu, who usually held little status, seemed to be under some kind of spell this time, insisting on persisting. I also knew that Duan Jingzhu was the most dedicated participant in this competition; from the very first match, he had accumulated a great deal of experience, even secretly jotting it down in his notebook. So, although young Duan's martial arts skills weren't great, he was quite capable in a regulated match. His actions were simply a way for the youngest brother to gain the attention of his older brothers.
But how could Hu Sanniang understand Duan Jingzhu's sensitive heart, nurtured by the novel *Autumn in My Heart*? The moment she heard Duan Jingzhu disagree, she chased after him and started hitting him. Duan Jingzhu was no match for his third sister, and was chased around frantically, shouting, "I'm going to complain to the organizing committee about you! Say you harassed your opponent before the competition—"
As Hu Sanniang chased after him, she picked up whatever was at hand and threw it at Duan Jingzhu, yelling, "If you manage to walk out of this house alive today, I'll change my surname to yours, and I'll break your legs!"
Zhang Shun laughed, "Third Sister, if you follow Brother Duan, you'll have to change your nickname." Ruan Xiao'er chimed in, "Brother Duan is a Golden Retriever, so Third Sister will be called Hairless Dog from now on." Ruan Xiao'wu scoffed, "Are you cultured or not? Hairless Dog? You call someone without hair 'Hairless Dog'?" Everyone asked in unison, "Then what do you suggest?"
Ruan Xiaowu said smugly, "Call him Bald Dog..."
Everyone: "Tch!"
On TV, Du Qiu coldly said, "Takakura jumped, and Tangta jumped too, so why don't you jump then!" Duan Jingzhu thought someone was giving him advice, and ran while saying, "Nonsense, this is the third floor..."
I arrived just as things were getting chaotic, so I quickly stopped the two men and found out what had happened. Both were indignant. Hu Sanniang angrily said, "You try to run? Let's see if you'll still be running when you're on stage tomorrow!" Duan Jingzhu, across the coffee table, said, "I'd accept being beaten to death on stage!" Hu Sanniang took a step forward, saying, "Let me beat you to death right now..."
So no one gave in until the next day, and the game had to continue. Actually, I didn't want anyone to voluntarily withdraw from the competition. If someone withdrew just because they were on the same team, it would have a terrible impact. Besides, strong teams can't avoid these kinds of things. It's like in table tennis; if the Chinese team hadn't been fighting amongst themselves when advancing, the foreign players probably wouldn't have even gotten an iron medal.
The contestants were assigned to different arenas according to their numbers. Hu Sanniang looked around and suddenly noticed that Tong Yuan was on the arena next to her, standing right behind her. She nudged Tong Yuan's waist with her gloved hand: "Hey buddy."
Tong Yuan turned around and saw it was her, and smiled slightly.
Hu Sanniang: "Have you eaten?"
Tong Yuan: "..."
Hu Sanniang then asked, "Who is your opponent?"
Before Tong Yuan could answer, a cold voice said, "It's me." The man had a sallow complexion and pointed ears; it was Duan Tianlang. Upon hearing this, everyone around looked at Tong Yuan with pity, knowing that she wouldn't be able to continue this time.
Hu Sanniang glanced at Duan Tianlang and said dismissively, "What's so great about him? What a jerk!" She then patted Tong Yuan's shoulder hard and said, "Fight hard, take him down and we'll see each other in the finals." Tong Yuan was quite infected by her carefree attitude and nodded with a smile, saying, "You do your best too."
Hu Sanniang said shamelessly, "No need, my opponent was a piece of shit..." Duan Jingzhu was about to retort when the referee called out a number on the stage: "First match, contestant number 009..." Hu Sanniang immediately turned around and shouted, "It's me! It's me! Don't call my name!" The referee glanced at her name, smiled, and very kindly didn't read it aloud. Unexpectedly, a burly man in the audience stood up waving a large flag and shouted wildly, "Gongsun Zhishen, I support you—" He then explained to the person next to him, "See that bald girl? Her name is Gongsun Zhishen. We fought before. What, you're asking me? My name is Fang Xiaorou."
Chapter Twenty: Unrivaled Under Heaven
Hu Sanniang and Duan Jingzhu had barely stepped onto the stage and were still getting into position when Tong Yuan and Duan Tianlang were already ready. They were also the first to compete. Thus, this half of the arena featured two beauties and a top-tier fighter, dominating the audience's attention with an absolute advantage. The other two groups of competitors in the other half could only compete alone and dejectedly under the spotlight.
The two arenas were not far apart. Hu Sanniang and Tong Yuan stood back to back. Suddenly, she turned her head and said, "Sister, how about we switch?" This made the people around them laugh and cry. The referee coughed awkwardly and said, "Contestant number 009, please concentrate on the competition."
Tong Yuan's expression was grave; in everyone's eyes, defeat was inevitable. In this martial arts tournament, she led Xinyue to first win the exhibition match, then advanced to the top 16 in the team competition, and two of her individual competitors ranked among the top 32. Such achievements were undoubtedly a huge success; many of their equals or even slightly stronger competitors had been eliminated long ago. To this day, these beautiful girls have left a deep impression, adding a vibrant touch to the tournament. But this is ultimately a martial arts tournament, and as the competition grows increasingly brutal, it's time for the girls to leave. Especially after facing Duan Tianlang, no one believes the competition will remain suspenseful; they're treating it more as a performance.
After a few days of getting to know Tong Yuan, I've come to understand her quite well. When she's deep in thought, it means she's actually plotting something. Right now, she should be relaxed, smiling, and pretending to spar with Duan Tianlang, taking the opportunity to show off her beautiful figure. I think Duan Tianlang would be happy to play along. He's in a precarious position right now, and if he wants to go all the way, he needs to conserve as much energy as possible. There's no need for him to kill an innocent young beauty.
Just a second before the official start of the match, after the referee introduced the contestants, Tong Yuan's brow suddenly relaxed. She then smiled brightly at Duan Tianlang, a smile as gentle as a spring breeze, the meaning of which clear: "This humble woman understands her place; please, sir, show mercy." It seemed the match would ultimately unfold as expected.
Duan Tianlang was also momentarily stunned by the smile, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips. He nodded almost imperceptibly to Tong Yuan, showing his tolerance and acceptance of the pretty young woman's compromise. Just as the referee's hand swung down, I saw Tong Yuan narrow her eyes.
Then, with a series of "bangs," Tong Yuan's fists mercilessly slammed into Duan Tianlang's head, followed by a mid-air kick to his chest. Caught off guard, Duan Tianlang was forced back several steps, his body reaching the edge of the ring.
Tong Yuan narrowed her eyes, and I knew something was wrong. Sure enough, Duan Tianlang, caught in her honey trap, immediately suffered a great loss. The audience, who had been preparing to enjoy the fashion show, were also stunned. When they saw the situation on the stage, cheers, laughter, whistles, and jeers immediately filled the stands. Once Tong Yuan launched her attack, she didn't hesitate. She lunged forward, her fists and feet flying, trying to knock Duan Tianlang off the stage. The peerless master, somewhat confused by the situation, was genuinely flustered by the rounds of attacks. But Duan Tianlang was Duan Tianlang after all. With a swift movement, he parried Tong Yuan's attack, then turned and was back in the center of the stage. His initial shock and anger quickly subsided, and his gaze towards Tong Yuan now held a hint of contempt and murderous intent. Seeing this, Wu Yong said regretfully, "The beauty trap was good, but it was used too early." Lin Chong looked at Duan Tianlang and nodded, "His martial arts skills are secondary; what truly makes him worthy of the title of master is his ability to calm his emotions so quickly."
Duan Tianlang scrutinized Tong Yuan, his eyes filled with a mixture of admiration and murderous intent. He had already lost 3 points at the very beginning of the match; in a competition between two evenly matched players, a 3-point gap was truly difficult to overcome. However, Duan Tianlang wasn't worried at all. He had suffered from carelessness, and now that he was on high alert, it seemed that Tong Yuan was destined to lose.
On another stage, Hu Sanniang was completely focused on the match, merely parrying Duan Jingzhu's attacks without paying any attention. Seeing Tong Yuan gain a significant advantage, Hu Sanniang excitedly grabbed the golden retriever and began to pummel it. Duan Jingzhu, dizzy and disoriented, said, "Third Sister, did you take aphrodisiacs?" The referee raised his hand at Duan Jingzhu: "Contestant 012 is verbally abusive; one point deducted for each warning!" Hu Sanniang retorted, "It's none of your business what we brothers are saying!" The referee raised his hand: "Contestant 009 is disrespectful to the referee; two points deducted for each warning!"
Duan Jingzhu laughed, "Third Sister, you're definitely going to lose this time, you'll lose one more point than me." The referee immediately raised his hand: "Contestant 012 was penalized one point for verbally harassing her opponent during the match." Duan Jingzhu eagerly awaited Hu Sanniang's next outburst at the referee, but Hu Sanniang cleverly kept quiet and took advantage of a moment to move to the side of the ring, watching Tong Yuan's match while she fought.
Duan Tianlang finally launched a counterattack. Everyone had expected Tong Yuan to be completely overwhelmed, but to everyone's surprise, despite being in a rather passive position, Tong Yuan managed to launch an attack every seven or eight moves, with a disciplined and clear approach. At first, I couldn't understand how the little white rabbit could withstand the bites of the big bad wolf, but gradually I began to see the clues. Tong Yuan's hands were like windshield wipers, brushing away Duan Tianlang's fists, and even using his force to deflect and neutralize his attacks, creating small arcs within small arcs.
I turned my head to look at the platform, where the old Taoist priest was staring at us, nodding and swaying his head. It seemed that Tong Yuan was indeed practicing the legendary Tai Chi.
I had long suspected that someone who could break five bricks in one go couldn't just be good at breaking bricks; otherwise, they wouldn't have partnered with the chicken farm—who would they give all those broken bricks to? I just didn't expect Tong Yuan, at such a young age, to be such a Tai Chi master. It seems this match was all part of her plan: feign weakness to gain a points advantage, then drag it out with her opponent. Duan Tianlang appeared domineering and fierce, like a swooping eagle hunting its prey, while Tong Yuan was like a seasoned and clever mountain antelope, using everything to conceal her attacks and calmly responding, always yielding but never suffering a major loss. Sometimes, she could even capitalize on her opponent's mistakes due to their frenzy and deliver a decisive blow. Although she didn't gain the upper hand, she relieved a lot of pressure. Whenever this happened, it was also the time for Hu Sanniang to beat Duan Jingzhu. Duan Jingzhu quickly realized his treatment was linked to the situation on another stage and immediately devised a countermeasure. Whenever he saw Tong Yuan on the defensive, he would immediately unleash a barrage of dog-paddle punches on Hu Sanniang, and if Tong Yuan retaliated, she would desperately protect her head and face.
At this moment, the entire audience was watching Duan Tianlang chase and beat Tong Yuan. Tactically speaking, this was called roaming, and the 3-point difference was still there, indicating that Tong Yuan hadn't suffered any real damage. But the average audience didn't understand this; they only saw Duan Tianlang, a grown man, relentlessly chasing and beating a young girl, which greatly aroused their feelings of chivalry and their desire to be a hero. Many men who had initially mocked Tong Yuan were now red-faced and pounding their chests, shouting, "Duan, do you dare fight me?" Duan Tianlang's apprentice glared angrily, "I'll fight you!" The man immediately shouted again, "Duan, do you dare hit me?" Someone else shouted, "A real man shouldn't hit a woman!" The junior apprentice next to him whispered, "Senior brother, didn't you also fight against the Crescent Moon people?" The senior brother was taken aback and said, "Yes—I also let this kid experience what it's like to fight a woman."
Then everyone cheered loudly, creating a deafening roar. Some chanted, "Hey Duan, if you've got the guts, fight me!" Others shouted, "If you're a man, don't hit a woman!" Some yelled, "Old Duan's hands are really ruthless!" Still others said, "That son of a bitch calls himself a pro, can't even handle a woman!"... Later, a group of professional fans drowned out everyone else with their synchronized and well-trained shouts: "Eat cucumbers raw, split toads alive, from the youngest to the ninety-nine, invincible under heaven—"
This sentence seemed to strike a nerve with Duan Tianlang. His face grew increasingly pale, eventually turning a deep purple. With less than 10 seconds left in the first round, he suddenly shouted, his toes barely touching the ground as he launched himself headfirst towards Tong Yuan. Everyone recognized this move, and the entire arena held their breath. Tong Yuan, seeing Duan Tianlang unleash his ultimate attack so quickly, hesitated for a moment before immediately raising her hands in front of her, one in front of the other. Duan Tianlang swung his right fist, deftly deflecting one of Tong Yuan's hands, exposing an opening in her chest. Then, with a twist of his waist, he slammed his foot into Tong Yuan's collarbone, followed by a kick to her chest. Tong Yuan was sent staggering back towards the edge of the table. Duan Tianlang took a few steps as soon as his foot touched the ground, launching himself into the air again, this time headfirst. Everyone knew this kick was the fatal one, and many closed their eyes, unable to bear the sight. The girls from the Crescent Moon team screamed in terror.
Just then, a huge figure flew onto the arena like a nimble cat, grabbed Duan Tianlang's ankle at the last second, lifted him into the air, and said coldly, "Is it necessary to be so ruthless to a girl?" It was Xiang Yu.
At this moment, Tong Yuan had already fallen off the ring, and the Crescent Moon team quickly caught her. Duan Tianlang's two kicks had already caused her considerable injury, and Tong Yuan was coughing repeatedly. The referee signaled the end of the match. Hu Sanniang took off her boxing gloves and threw them into the referee's arms: "I'm not fighting anymore." Saying this, she jumped off the ring to help Tong Yuan.
Meanwhile, Duan Tianlang was still being held in Xiang Yu's arms on the arena. This peerless master was thin, and Xiang Yu held him more than an arm's length away. Duan Tianlang struggled desperately, kicking and thrashing, but he couldn't touch Xiang Yu at all.
The arena, filled with tens of thousands of people, was completely silent. Even the competitors in the other half of the arena stopped and looked in their direction. Xiang Yu stared at Duan Tianlang, who was swinging in the air like a dried-up chicken, with utter contempt. Finally, the referee was the first to recover and said to Xiang Yu in a conciliatory tone, "Um... you can put him down. He's the champion of this round."
Xiang Yu smiled and lifted Duan Tianlang high into the air, shouting to the surroundings, "He has won!" With that, he tossed the man aside and jumped off the stage amidst a chorus of laughter.
Chapter Twenty-One: Five Thousand Years of Chinese History
The tide of battle turned unexpectedly. After Xiang Yu released Duan Tianlang, his disciples, who had just recovered from their shock, erupted in chaos. Some jumped onto the stage to help Duan Tianlang, while many more angrily charged at Xiang Yu. The girls from the Crescent Moon team quickly surrounded Xiang Yu, bracing themselves for a fight. Just as a massive brawl seemed imminent, 300 warriors who had been watching and maintaining order nearby swiftly intervened, like a sharp blade cutting between the two groups. In the ensuing chaos, many exchanged blows, but were quickly pushed back by the arriving warriors. Seeing the overwhelming numbers and agility of the 300 warriors, Duan Tianlang's disciples knew the fight was over and began hurling insults at Xiang Yu and the Crescent Moon team. The girls, not to be outdone, returned the insults in kind, creating a lively and chaotic scene. The heroes were eager to help Xiang Yu, but seeing that the situation was already under control, and considering their past ties with the 300, they regretfully retreated.
The audience went wild, waving their fists and shirts, shouting wildly. Many had veins bulging on their foreheads, displaying extreme excitement. Some front-row spectators, including some eliminated players, tried to climb over the barriers to reach the scene, but were blocked by the remaining 300, causing a minor commotion. The vast majority of those present were thrilled and felt the trip was worthwhile. It's like watching a football match; a shot on goal is exciting, but seeing a streaking female fan is the real treat, a delightful surprise.
Duan Tianlang slowly stood up. He forcefully pushed away his two disciples who tried to support him, pointed to the chaotic scene below the stage, and said in a deep voice, "Tell them all to get back here." The two disciples hurriedly went to persuade their team members to return. Duan Tianlang looked around blankly, as if he didn't know where he was. After a long while, he finally saw the referee on the stage and asked empty-headedly, "I won?" The referee nodded cautiously.
"Can we go now?"
"...Just sign your name."
Duan Tianlang took the referee's pen and paper, signed his name, and looked around. Everyone fell silent, watching him intently. No one knew what he would do next; clearly, he had been greatly provoked. For such a proud and skilled fighter to have suffered such a humiliation in front of so many people expected him to do something rash. Even Zhang Qing held a pebble in his hand, ready to pounce.
After signing his name, Duan Tianlang clasped his hands in a fist salute to everyone present, then clasped his hands again to Tong Yuan below the stage. He then beckoned to his disciples and calmly made his exit. However, everyone could see that his steps were somewhat unsteady, and a huge turmoil must have been brewing in his heart.
I don't think Xiang Yu went too far. If that kick had landed, the victim would have taken anywhere from ten days to two weeks to a year and a half to recover. It was just a game; why resort to such a vicious attack?