The live stream was immediately flooded with vulgarities like 'garbage', and boos echoed from the audience!
Qin Yue's accumulated anger finally erupted amidst the incessant罵聲. Like a maddened bull, he charged towards Yang Lingxue, who had just stepped off the stage, grabbed her arm, his strength so immense it felt like he would crush her bones!
Just then, a chilling tone, enough to make one's blood run cold, emanated from the exit: "Brat, dare you touch her again?"
Silence fell over the entire venue. All eyes, sharp as ten thousand swords, pierced towards the newcomers at the exit. Ren Yuanhao and Shen Lan'ni strode into the martial arts hall with exceptional presence!
"What? Not letting go yet?"
Ren Yuanhao stopped abruptly, his eyes flashing with predatory ferocity. Qin Yue felt he had only seen such a gaze from his own group leader, Xiao Chong – the condescending gaze of a superior looking down on a subordinate, like a king surveying his subjects!
As Qin Yue froze, Chu Tianxiong suddenly leaped in front of him and slapped him.
"Beast, you've already won. How did I teach you? So disrespectful! Let go!"
Qin Yue's left cheek burned with pain. He couldn't understand why his coach was scolding him, and he felt no joy of victory.
"Coach, I won, I won! Listen to them, all these people. Am I wrong?"
Qin Yue's face turned ashen, his chest burning with lava-like rage. He tightened his grip on Yang Lingxue's arm even more.
Yang Lingxue had never been treated so rudely. Frowning, she was about to speak when a dark blur flashed past. Ren Yuanhao's large hand, with an incredible arc, slid along Yang Lingxue's arm. The moment it touched Qin Yue's palm, he felt an irresistible, savage force surge towards him like a tide. Not only did he release his grip, but his entire arm was bent by Ren Yuanhao to an impossible angle!
Overwhelmed by pain, Qin Yue proved to be a tough one, enduring the agony without a sound. Just as he was about to resist, Ren Yuanhao, without mercy, kicked his knee joint. With a twist of his wrist, immense force descended like a thousand-pound weight. Qin Yue involuntarily fell to one knee, unable to move!
"Chu Tianxiong, keep a good eye on your kid. If he dares to touch another hair on her, don't blame me, Ren Yuanhao, for being heavy-handed!"
Ren Yuanhao, one hand in his pocket, wore an arrogant expression. His sharp gaze was like a scimitar, making even Chu Tianxiong's heart tremble.
Ren Yuanhao's technique and footwork were nothing like Taekwondo or any ordinary grappling styles. His speed, strength, and skill were unlike anything Chu Tianxiong had ever witnessed!
What he didn't know was that this move was a variation of the Flying Dragon Searching for Clouds technique, which Ren Yuanhao himself hadn't realized he was using; it was an instinctive move that easily subdued his opponent.
The martial arts hall fell silent. The two sides glared at each other, the tension palpable. Under the live camera, Ren Yuanhao and Shen Lan'ni appeared like a perfect couple, their presence unmatched.
Under their imposing aura, Chu Tianxiong could only cup his hands slightly and say, "Gentlemen, my unworthy disciple has offended Miss Yang." As he spoke, he glared back at Qin Yue and sternly commanded, "Unworthy disciple, apologize to Miss Yang quickly!"
Qin Yue, held fast by Ren Yuanhao, couldn't even move, let alone resist. Hearing his master's gentle apology, he realized the situation had changed. His fierce aura slightly diminished, and he eased his tone, saying:
"I was wrong. Please, Miss Yang, be magnanimous."
Yang Lingxue twisted her arm, intending to unleash her full fury, but seeing Ren Yuanhao signal her, she merely snorted with a slight wrinkle of her nose, ignoring the rude young man. She walked directly towards the team area for Ai Shen City.
After this confrontation, the atmosphere became incredibly charged.
However, Ren Yuanhao and Shen Lan'ni's return gave the team great confidence.
"I've seen your match lists, boys. You reaching the finals has already made me proud. For the finals, just do your best and don't feel any pressure."
Although Shen Lan'ni was worried about Shen Yunshu and her father, as Ren Yuanhao had said, since Shen Yunshu had disappeared in such harsh weather, she must have been taken by the 'watcher' in the abandoned manor, possibly along with Zhang Liang.
The clues pointed directly to Lionheart Building. If Zhang Liang's words were true, then they might have to brave the Lionheart Building if the conditions allowed.
Shen Lan'ni's mind was in turmoil, but she concealed it exceptionally well. Meanwhile, Ren Yuanhao carefully used his internal energy to help Chen Hao stabilize his churning blood and qi, then returned to the group.
"The next three battles will be tough, and the attention will likely be immense. This is your excellent opportunity to showcase yourselves. The momentum is on your side. There's no need to say more; you all understand."
Ren Yuanhao gave a brief pep talk. The second match began a few minutes later.
Jiang Cheng strode confidently to the center of the stage. Qi Yunyi also stepped onto it, then habitually looked towards the spot where his grandfather usually stood, lost in thought.
"Kid, I've watched your fights. I admit you're strong, but the gap in strength between us is too great. Perhaps with more time, you could catch up to me, but today, I will win."
Jiang Cheng's voice was confident yet refined, a stark contrast to his muscular physique.
"Excuse me, but the word 'give up' is not in my dictionary. I still want to try."
Perhaps because Chu Tianxiong had spoken to his disciple, Jiang Cheng's attitude shifted slightly. They bowed to each other, and with the referee's signal, the match finally began.
Though their words were polite, their fighting was relentless. In their first exchange, they traded blows, battling for dozens of rounds in a flash.
The audience, watching the dazzling techniques, praised Jiang Cheng for his clean and efficient fighting style.
At the end of the first round, Jiang Cheng's face was not flushed, and he was not out of breath. In contrast, Qi Yunyi was panting like an ox.
"How was it?" Shen Lan'ni was the first to step onto the stage.
"It was alright. That guy is indeed very strong, and he was quite considerate. Otherwise, this disciple would have been eliminated in the first round."
Qi Yunyi was acutely aware of his situation. Any slight mistake in the second round would likely lead to his immediate defeat.
Just then, Shen Lan'ni, with a rare smile, said to him, "Kid, your understanding of Taekwondo is the strongest among my disciples. In fact, not just Taekwondo, the ultimate goal of all martial arts is to protect those you wish to protect. With this belief in your heart, you won't get lost and will become even stronger."