This is a perfectly true statement, but it sounds different to other people.
Let strength speak for itself? So you mean you think your strength is far greater than ours?
It's easy to fall into a misconception here.
Although everyone knows it's just a game, the way they project their own martial arts skills onto the game creates a misconception... if they're bad in the game, others will think their kung fu is bad!
You must understand how much martial artists value their reputation, especially the reputation of their sect. It's more important than life itself!
Nothing surpasses reputation.
Seeing Bajimen's attitude, An Yi initially tried to explain himself politely, but as Bajimen persisted, he became somewhat annoyed, and his tone gradually became less polite.
Chen Xu and the squad leader knew things were going to get bad from their conversation. The squad leader quickly went to persuade An Yi, while Chen Xu went to persuade the Bajiquan masters.
However, you should know that when anger flares up, it's not something an ordinary person can control. One's words then become unrestrained by reason.
The Bajiquan member said, "Damn it. Now that your Wing Chun is so powerful, you think you can trample on us? Fine, let's not talk this stupid game, let's have a real fight, and whoever loses will lose an arm!"
"Why do this? We're all on the same side!" Chen Xu pleaded earnestly, "Really, we're all on the same side, and now we have a foreign enemy at hand..."
"What 'one of us'?!" An Yi shouted. "Haven't you realized? He's just making excuses for himself! He can't beat those Korean bastards, so he's trying to pick a fight with me. Fine. I'll play along!"
Chen Xu was so angry he almost fainted! Why the hell are they all acting like they've taken a lot of gunpowder?
An Yi struck Chen Xu as a very warm and easy-going person with a good temper. He even liked to crack jokes. How could someone like that be so irrational?!
Chen Xu muttered complaints, wanting to calm things down a bit more, when Zhan Jing next to him said, "Look at the chat history. If this happened to you, it would be hard for you to stay rational."
Chen Xu was stunned. He followed Zhan Jing's slender white finger to look at the screen, and the chat records were shocking!
Just now, when Zhan Jing was explaining internet trolls to him, the chat room gradually became tense.
The whole thing started with Bajidi. This guy has a bad temper and kept cursing and saying he was going to find those Koreans to fight one-on-one. An Yi replied that if they dared to fight in real life, they wouldn't be making a fuss online. He suggested that the guy should save his energy and think about how to deal with those Koreans first.
There was nothing wrong with that statement in itself; given An Yi's tendency to speak without thinking, it's quite normal for her to say something like that.
But Bajiquan was displeased and said, "What do you mean? Are you implying that we can't beat him online?"
An Yi quickly replied, "No, no, no, Bajiquan has a long history and is a unique style. It generates power from all directions, and the whole body is like eyes and hands. Who would dare to look down on it?"
"Bullshit!" Bajiquan retorted, "Didn't you Wing Chun people say that? That our Bajiquan techniques are just children playing house, and that we can't achieve anything even if we practice them our whole lives, and that they can't compare to Wing Chun or Baguazhang? Is that what you really meant?"
Chen Xu also saw the post that Baji mentioned; it was posted by Yiwang Te.
The "sparring" in Bajiquan is a way of countering moves, where both sides exchange moves with each other, and it does follow a certain routine. Therefore, Bajiquan is often jokingly referred to as a martial arts performance, as it has no practical value in actual combat.
Of course, this is just nonsense, because Nangong Lan has already explained that the practice of many routines in martial arts is for the purpose of unleashing power in the final move. This is the fundamental point. Such a statement by internet trolls is simply misleading.
An Yi then offered a few explanations, saying that these words were clearly spoken by an outsider, so how could they be blamed on Wing Chun?
But Bajiquan persisted in its unreasonable demands, eventually irritating even the usually mild-mannered An Yi, who retorted, "Fine, so what are you going to do about it? We didn't want to hurt you before because of the martial arts community, but look how many points those Koreans have taken from you these past few days! You started a lot of things, didn't you? And you're still not convinced!"
This is it, the relationship has completely broken down. Bajiquan was already furious and embarrassed, so he simply called for a real-life fight. Chen Xu went to persuade An Yi, and An Yi also said, "You saw it yourself, I didn't start this. They deliberately tried to downplay the issue. I don't know what kind of temper you have, but I absolutely cannot tolerate this! If he wants to fight, I'll fight him!"
Chen Xu also felt that Baji was being unfair, clearly taking his anger out on others! He didn't know if it was Baji's idea or his father's, but it was indeed infuriating.
Normally, Chen Xu wouldn't even bother with such matters; after all, it's just a matter of江湖恩怨 (jianghu grudges), nothing serious. But now, with a formidable enemy at hand, and internal strife erupting within his own ranks, the consequences would be dire, and the mere prospect of it getting out would be utterly shameful!
But An Yi was clearly also angry, so he threw a line at Chen Xu: "To fight external enemies, we must first pacify internal ones!"
Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, the squad leader suddenly said, "Fine, you can fight if you want. Stop with the nonsense about a real battle. If you're going to fight, fight online. Don't forget, we're facing provocation from those Korean bastards online right now. What's the point of you fighting tooth and nail in private?"
Chen Xu was immediately stunned to see the squad leader say such things. At this moment, the squad leader privately messaged him, saying, "Let them fight online, it won't cause much of a problem. But if it's an offline battle, then it'll be a big mess. The two factions might even become mortal enemies because of it!"
Chen Xu thought that what they said made sense; it was better to have a short, sharp pain than a long, drawn-out one. So he sighed and agreed. He'd wait until the group calmed down before making any further decisions.
At this moment, Zhan Jing, who had been watching Chen Xu's screen, slowly said, "This is still useless. Right now, none of these people are willing to submit to anyone else. Unless someone appears who can completely subdue them, this conflict will only escalate until it becomes uncontrollable."
"Stun them?"
Zhan Jing nodded slowly, her bright eyes sparkling: "Unless it's like when SMMH appeared last time, where one person single-handedly defeats all the heroes, making everyone look up to them in awe, then they might listen to you."
Upon hearing this, Chen Xu suddenly realized something and quickly typed on the keyboard: "Stop fighting, all of you. If you want to fight, fight me!"
Chapter 156 Chen Xu unleashes his power, using their own methods against them!
Back then, when we were studying "The Legend of Jin Yong: The Return of the Condor Heroes" together, we specifically studied one particular plot point.
It's a scene from "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils". On that day at Shaolin Temple, Xiao Feng and his son cornered Murong Bo and his son in the Sutra Pavilion, and at this moment, Kumārajīva also appeared, clearly stating that he would help Murong Bo and his son.
Dear reader, after analysis, this battle suggests that Xiao Feng and his son are destined for defeat. While Xiao Feng is undoubtedly the most heroic and charismatic figure in Jin Yong's novels, his strength is at most only slightly superior to that of the Great Wheel King, Kumārajīva. Xiao Yuanshan and Murong Bo have fought several times, all ending in draws, indicating their strength is roughly equal. Therefore, if Xiao Feng and his son were to face the combination of Murong Bo and Kumārajīva, their chances of victory would be over 80%. However, with the addition of the treacherous and ruthless Murong Fu, defeat is inevitable!
Of course, Mr. Jin could not let Xiao Daxia and his son die here, so someone had to step in and smooth things over.
Of the five people present, excluding Murong Fu, all were top-tier masters of their time. Who was qualified to mediate the conflict between these four top masters? An ordinary person certainly couldn't. It's like if the Eastern Heretic, Western Poison, Southern Emperor, and Northern Beggar had a conflict and were about to fight to the death; even if the Central Divine, Wang Chongyang, came, he couldn't suppress them… because Wang Chongyang's skill was only slightly superior to the other four; he didn't have an absolute, overwhelming advantage.
So at this point, Mr. Jin Yong introduced the most powerful and mysterious character in his fourteen novels... the Sweeper Monk.
With overwhelming superior strength, they instantly "annihilated" Murong Bo and Xiao Yuanshan, resolving the conflict.
How similar the situation was then to the present!
Although Bajiquan suffered consecutive defeats against the Koreans, this doesn't mean they are weak. Rather, it's because Bajiquan was facing JION, the top Korean fighter in this competition!
To be honest, Bajiquan's strength isn't bad even online, and even An Yi might not dare to say he could defeat them... Actually, there was something fishy about the arrangement of the match against the Korean masters that day. It was basically a case of using the "Tian Ji's horse racing" strategy, making Bajiquan cannon fodder, so it's no wonder they were so depressed.
Currently, various martial arts schools are experiencing numerous conflicts, large and small, due to this martial arts game, although these conflicts have been somewhat mitigated by the Korean challenge. However, they cannot be ignored. The Chinese tendency towards internal strife—well, how to put it—has existed throughout history. In times of crisis, it can unite people as one. But once the external enemy is gone, internal conflicts arise as no one submits to anyone else.
These thoughts flashed through Chen Xu's mind in an instant. Though he seemed to have said a great deal, it only took a few seconds. He instantly understood that to quell the conflict now, a truly decisive and undisputed strongman had to step forward and take the lead!
And this person can only be him, or rather, SMMH!
Upon seeing Chen Xu's message, Gao Xiaojie got so excited that she accidentally knocked over the water glass next to her. She then unconsciously slapped him and said, "Are you crazy?! Don't you think things are chaotic enough already?!"
Chen Xu ignored her and continued typing: "Since we're going to fight, let's all come at it. Anyway, none of you are convinced of anyone else's superiority right now, don't deny it, none of you have any influence right now, so let's choose one. In this game, whoever is the strongest will lead the charge for the foreseeable future! Are you in?!"
A simple question, "Dare you?", ignited a firestorm among members of several martial arts schools in the chat room. However, some remained rational. The team leader quickly posted, "Electing a martial arts leader? I'm in favor! If this continues, not only our school will be disgraced, but the entire martial arts world will be ruined!"
An Yi replied, "I agree. How should we fight? When should we fight? Bajiquan, do you dare?"
Baji couldn't stand this provocation and retorted, "What's there to be afraid of?!"
The other schools of thought hesitated for a moment, but then agreed.
Chen Xu replied, "Alright, let's set it for tomorrow noon. Tell the Koreans it's postponed by a day, and we'll have our final battle with them a day later!"
After typing this line, Chen Xu let out a long sigh and looked at Zhan Jing, who was also looking at him.
"Are you confident?" A hint of worry appeared on Zhan Jing's usually calm face. "If you can't defeat them all, then this battle for the alliance leader is a joke. Are you sure you can do it?"
Chen Xu thought for a moment, then clenched his fist: "It will definitely work! Because I have no other choice, it has to work!"
When he said this, Chen Xu's face was filled with determination and resolve.
Zhan Jing stared at his serious expression, momentarily lost in thought, because she could keenly sense that there was an indescribable feeling in Chen Xu's eyes.
Is it a sense of responsibility, and a hint of guilt?
Zhan Jing couldn't understand the meaning behind that look, but it was the first time she had seen Chen Xu, this big boy, show such a serious and determined expression. Chen Xu had always been a very sunny and cheerful young man. You could say he was lazy, though.
This guy is so lazy he's not even interested in making money!
But when it really comes down to this critical moment, he still shows a lot of responsibility!
As for what methods Chen Xu would use, Zhan Jing, this intelligent and reserved woman, would never ask... because deep down, she was a hacker and knew that there were many things she was unwilling to share with others, and even she herself had many things she didn't want others to know.
Zhan Jing nodded, pulled Gao Xiaojie out, leaving Chen Xu alone in the room. Gao Xiaojie looked puzzled as she left, saying, "Jingjing, what are you doing? I still have something to say! Hey Chen Xu, hurry up and think of a solution..."
Zhan Jing's voice disappeared at the door: "Let him have some peace and quiet."
What method should we consider?
Chen Xu was left alone in the room. He felt guilty because he was the one who brought this game into the world, causing the current consequences. It wasn't just because of the provocation from the Koreans, but also because of the various problems arising from the game: so-called violence, so-called internet trolls, so-called discord…
Thinking about all the bad things that had happened because of the game "Martial Arts Master," Chen Xu felt a deep sense of helplessness. He took out his watch and said, "Xiao Min, help me..."
The Chinese players' "no-fight" sign, displayed for only one day, immediately caused a huge uproar in the industry. Countless accusations, fueled by malicious individuals, became increasingly unacceptable.
Several major South Korean websites have already begun to proclaim their victory in a boastful tone. Taekwondo completely overwhelms Chinese martial arts, ah, what an exciting thing... even if it's just a game.
This is a nation with an inferiority complex; this nation has no history, nothing. From ancient times to the present, they have lived in the shadow of China; even their national flag was designed with the help of the Chinese.
They are insecure, pathetic, and desperately want to escape the shadow of China over them. So they relentlessly portray China as backward, ignorant, and impoverished in television dramas and films. They desperately play the fool on the international stage, rewriting history, claiming famous Chinese figures as their own, and attributing Chinese inventions to themselves.
Now they've won an inglorious victory. The country immediately perked up, with some South Korean experts even claiming that South Korea has completely surpassed China…
A bunch of clowns, overestimating themselves. If we're being honest, even Ding Chunqiu from "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" is much stronger than them, after all, Ding Chunqiu has the terrifying "Dissolving Power Technique".
Meanwhile, Chinese martial arts masters engaged in a fierce tournament.
To qualify for this tournament, you must complete the default game single-handedly without any losses; this is the most basic requirement... because this game, like other esports games, also has a computer-controlled system. Games like StarCraft and Red Alert also have computer-controlled systems.
The computer opponents in games are generally quite stupid. But when you first start playing this game, being able to challenge the computer is a remarkable achievement. It's like when everyone played Red Alert back in the day; a way to measure a skilled player was whether they could take on several computer opponents single-handedly.
The computer sparring partners in martial arts are not easy to find, and the game is only at a beginner level. This requirement alone excludes the vast majority of people. The game's combat rules are the same as the channel-based score-grabbing competition, where everyone will be challenged by others, so it is very fair.
The battle had been going on for an hour, and An Yi was indeed currently ranked highest, with the squad leader close behind. Baji had challenged An Yi right from the start, but lost two out of three rounds and had to resort to scoring points from other players. Because of his already considerable strength and his fierce determination, he was still ranked third.
The top three scores were very close, and such rankings meant nothing to Chen Xu and Zhan Jing. Because they couldn't gain an absolute advantage, to overwhelm their opponents with unparalleled strength like a hidden master, they couldn't earn genuine respect!
Continuing like this is just a futile waste of time.
However, Chen Xu did not appear at this time.
Where is Chen Xu? This was a question the squad leader and An Yi were also wondering about. Since Chen Xu initiated this challenge, he shouldn't be absent. However, the deadline was 5 PM, with only two hours left. If Chen Xu didn't show up soon, they wouldn't even have a chance to score points.
Both An Yi and the squad leader desperately want the position of martial arts alliance leader. To put it selflessly, it's about bringing together China's top martial arts masters; to put it selfishly... who doesn't want fame?
Who wouldn't want to stand on high and shout, and have a hundred people respond to their call?!
Everyone wants to be a hero. Of course, to become a hero, one must also shoulder greater responsibilities.
Baji was also troubled at this time, because he knew that his strength was not as good as An Yi and the squad leader above him, so he could only desperately defeat those low-level accounts to score points. However, in the game, you can only use one or two out of ten points of your skill at most.
Just then, a person with the ID ICE challenged him to a duel.
ICE, isn't that Chen Xu from Baguazhang? Why is he only arriving now?
Baji glanced at the ICE score, which was only three points, meaning he had just won a game. He sneered and accepted the challenge.
Chen Xu's words yesterday infuriated him, so this was the perfect opportunity to teach him a lesson!
The two entered the arena, assumed their stances, and the system's countdown began: 3, 2, 1!