“Thinking of the person you want to protect makes you stronger?”
Qi Yunyi’s eyes suddenly turned red, because the sentence was so similar to what his late grandfather had said, as if his grandfather had said it himself.
“Yes, in fact, the ultimate purpose of martial arts is to strengthen the body and protect others. Your concept is very correct. The more you carry it to the extreme, the greater the power you can unleash.”
Shen Lan Ni patted his shoulder, her gaze sharp, like sparse flowing clouds, bright yet undiminished in its keenness.
“Yes, I understand, Coach.”
Qi Yunyi composed himself, shook off his spirits, and as the bell rang, the second round of the duel officially began.
As soon as the two stepped onto the stage, there were no more probes. Side kicks, spinning kicks, straight punches, and ground sweeping kicks clashed like a tidal wave. For a moment, they fought fiercely. As they maneuvered to counter each other, Jiang Cheng said coldly, “Kid, why exactly did you choose Taekwondo?”
Qi Yunyi blocked the attack with a backhand, neutralizing his opponent’s internal force. They separated slightly, and he replied, “My goal is simply to protect the people I want to protect, so I strive to become stronger~”
“A joke. What era is this? No matter how good your fists and feet are, how can they contend with bullets and cannons!” Jiang Cheng seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world and couldn’t stop laughing.
“You are right, but in the violence that fills the world, does everyone hold a gun or cannon in their hands?”
Qi Yunyi’s voice was accompanied by a beautiful, accelerated, and joined-leg heavy kick, repeatedly forcing his opponent into a corner, achieving a half-move advantage in an instant.
However, Jiang Cheng’s eyes suddenly dimmed, and his entire demeanor changed drastically. His tone shifted abruptly, “You speak so righteously, I’m afraid when you encounter injustice, you can only cower in the dark. I’ve seen too many people like you who speak eloquently but lack practical action!”
As Jiang Cheng spoke, he threw a punch, forcefully repelling Qi Yunyi five or six steps. The originally gentle muscular man instantly transformed into a god of war, glaring with fury!
“I’m very sorry, there are indeed people like you,” Qi Yunyi shook the dust off his body, gritted his teeth, and stood upright. The hand that blocked the punch was still trembling slightly, “Unfortunately, that will never be me.”
“Nonsense, who can’t talk big?” Jiang Cheng suddenly became somewhat hysterical. “Have you ever felt your fists clenched, hiding in the dark corners and spying on a killer wielding a sharp blade, coercing unarmed people? Have you ever felt the dirty black market organ trades in foreign slums? You say you will step forward righteously, but if it really comes to that, you probably won’t even have the courage to step out!”
Jiang Cheng’s attack became more fierce, like a vicious dog released from its cage. His punches and kicks were seamless, leaving no room for breathing.
The audience, of course, didn’t know what the two on the stage were saying. They only thought that Jiang Cheng had finally stopped hiding his strength and started attacking fiercely.
Meanwhile, Yang Lingxue and Ye Lan had a lot of questions, but the battle was intensifying, and their gazes were completely fixed on the men on the stage.
“Yuan Hao, what do you think?” Shen Lan Ni flicked her fiery red hair, her eyes sharp.
“I’m just an accountant, I can’t figure out these things.” Ren Yuan Hao didn’t not want to answer, but his mind was in a mess, as if he had fallen into a huge vortex.
Not to mention one Jiang Cheng was already enough trouble for him. Once Mandara Gene appeared, due to his feud with Jiang Cheng, he would undoubtedly be in dire straits. Now, with the addition of the rather mysterious Lionheart Tower, even if their intentions were unclear, if Zhang Liang’s words were true, then the hidden dangers would slowly surface.
Coupled with the fact that the international assassination network organization would eventually have a reckoning with him, and the Southeast Asian witchcraft and black magic techniques were also hard to guard against, the days ahead would likely be exceptionally difficult.
—I need to improve my strength. If any masters appear, my meager skills might not even be enough to protect myself.
Ren Yuan Hao was lost in thought, his expression grave. Shen Lan Ni thought he was worried about Qi Yunyi on the stage and didn’t ask further.
The situation on the stage became extremely subtle.
Qi Yunyi was forced into a corner by his opponent after only a dozen rounds, with injuries all over his body. However, his mind was not entirely focused on the match, but rather on replaying Jiang Cheng’s words.
He asked himself, when encountering such situations, most martial artists would adopt an attitude of indifference. Everyone’s subconscious had a set of survival principles for seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster. Any situation that placed oneself in danger was naturally to be avoided if possible.
This was true even for martial artists, let alone ordinary people.
That was a kind of courage, and even more so, a kind of chivalry. Yet, chivalry had become a scarce spirit in this world—people didn’t even dare to help fallen elderly grandmothers, so what talk of self-sacrifice for rescue? What talk of chivalry?
With this thought, Qi Yunyi suddenly leaped backward, using his leg strength to create some distance. Then, he clenched his fists again—he was ready to use his fists to pull his opponent out of his narrow and biased negativity!
He leaped up, his footwork suddenly becoming much more sharp. He could completely understand a sense of weakness and deep-seated fear in Jiang Cheng’s words, and this weakness and fear clung to Jiang Cheng like maggots.
He had seen hell, so he had lost the courage to even extend his hand. Coincidentally, Qi Yunyi had also seen hell.
Qi Yunyi’s punches became faster and more elusive. If Jiang Cheng’s physical fitness wasn’t good, he would have already taken several hits.
He retreated slightly, preparing to counterattack, when he saw Qi Yunyi untie his white shirt. This situation was extremely rare in Taekwondo competitions, as Taekwondo was considered an elegant combat technique, and being shirtless was an unseemly act.
While the audience was in doubt, they saw Qi Yunyi stagger several steps, his eyes fixed on a “centipede-like” scar on Qi Yunyi’s abdomen, nearly ten centimeters long, and an ugly knife wound on his shoulder!
“You, why do you have so many, so many terrifying scars on your body!”
“I told you, I’m not the kind of guy who talks righteously. These scars were naturally earned in the pursuit of justice, at the risk of my life!”