The martial arts hall erupted in thunderous applause.
The two on the stage abandoned their probing and exchanged blows, the score now tied at three all, neither able to gain any advantage from the other's strikes.
Ren Yuanhao, anxious, waited for the start of the third round and finally couldn't sit still, preparing to leave his seat, only to be pressed back down by Yang Lingxue.
"Ren Yuanhao, I know you're worried about Sister Lan Ni. Why don't Ye Lan and I go look for her? This place needs you." Yang Lingxue was also extremely anxious, but the current situation was unclear. The representative team of Ai Shen City, already having lost their ace and their backbone, was in a precarious state.
If Ren Yuanhao were to leave now, it would only add insult to injury.
"No, neither of you have any martial arts foundation. What if..."
Before Ren Yuanhao could finish, Yang Lingxue interrupted, "Where are there so many 'what ifs'? Besides, hasn't that little girl Ye Lan unblocked the Ren and Du meridians? She should be able to protect herself."
"Do you think you two can do anything when someone like Shen Lan Ni has gone missing? Won't you just give the other side more leverage and cause trouble?"
Seeing that they couldn't hold Ren Yuanhao back, the two women exchanged a glance. Ye Lan then said with a furrowed brow, "Alright, we'll handle things here for now, but you have to promise not to act rashly, and bring her back safely, okay?"
"Okay, I'll leave these youngsters to you."
Ren Yuanhao moved like the wind, quickly approaching Gao Chenfei and Chen Hao. His expression was solemn, and he didn't intend to hide anything from them. He said slowly, "Little ones, your coach has encountered some trouble, and I must go find her. If you have any problems, you must consult Yang and Ye. From now on, they are your coaches."
"What happened to Coach?" Gao Chenfei and the others regarded Shen Lan Ni as an idol. Upon hearing that their coach was in trouble, their faces instantly turned pale, and their chests felt tight.
"You don't need to worry. I'm here. Little ones, although I won't be here, I hope that after finding Shen Lan Ni, I'll also hear about your victorious reports. And I guess, given Peng Lin's temperament, he will definitely return before the fourth match. When that time comes, let your captain lead you into the finals!"
Ren Yuanhao's voice carried a magical power that calmed people. Both of them had witnessed his abilities, and with him taking charge, the coach would likely be out of any real danger.
They both nodded in unison. Ren Yuanhao also patted their shoulders. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly paused, immediately took a pill from his pocket, and handed it to Gao Chenfei.
"This pill was left by Shen Lan Ni's master, Yun Qinghe. It can completely suppress bodily injuries and will not recur for 12 hours. If, during the finals, it is necessary, you may consider using it. It will be of great help to the injured."
After speaking, Ren Yuanhao hurried away.
Gao Chenfei carefully put away the pill, only to hear Chen Hao mutter beside him, "Why do I feel like we're cheating?"
"..."
At this moment, Leng Ziyu, located in the Yufang City sector, saw Ren Yuanhao leave in a hurry, leaving only two women behind. A wave of inexplicable anger surged within her.
"This Shen Lan Ni looks down on me too much! She deliberately left a snack-eating glutton and a guy who only plays on his phone to face me. Fine, very good!"
Leng Ziyu suddenly walked to the edge of the stage. Mo Cong, who was in a fierce exchange with Qi Yunyi, felt a chilling glint of light and his whole body trembled. As if recalling something terrible, his attacks became extremely sharp, each move aimed at vital points!
Qi Yunyi retreated repeatedly. When he had nowhere to evade, his mind raced. With an incredibly agile sidestep and spin, he dodged the opponent's offensive with near-perfect form.
And at that very moment, a conversation with his grandfather suddenly echoed in his mind.
"Good grandson, do you know why Grandpa likes practicing calligraphy?"
"No, I just know I like the smell of ink in Grandpa's study."
"Then, good grandson, what do you like to do?"
"Me? When I grow up, I want to be a great hero, punish evil and eliminate wickedness, and act with chivalry. In short, I want to be the greatest hero in the world."
"But, won't someone be here to uphold justice?"
"Then I have to train myself in good martial arts to protect Grandpa and Mom and Dad!"
"Good, very good. Don't be fierce, don't fight fiercely. My good grandson, Grandpa supports you."
Qi Yunyi, after an astonishing sidestep that drew everyone's attention, followed with a backward leap, creating a distance of several meters between him and Mo Cong.
At this moment, his state of mind was more peaceful than ever. For him, the man who had introduced him to Taekwondo was gone, but his vow remained. His goal was not to defeat anyone, but to protect those he wished to protect, nothing more.
He slowly lowered his clenched fists and closed his eyes, breathing in a remarkably comfortable manner, as if this wasn't a stage, but his grandfather's study, filled with the scent of ink, his grandfather wielding his brush with the fluidity of martial arts.
"Damn it, you dare to underestimate me, take this!"
Although Mo Cong was still a slight distance from a black belt, he was considered a standout among his peers due to his strong physique. Seeing his opponent seemingly meditating like a Zen monk, anger rushed to his head. With a swift step, his leg techniques swept forward like the wind, instantly kicking up a cloud of dust.
This move was fierce and overbearing. The referee retreated several steps before stopping.
However, Qi Yunyi not only showed no intention of dodging but didn't even open his eyes!
"Alright, you keep pretending. I'll send you flying off the stage!"
Mo Cong gritted his teeth. When he was only three or four steps away, he suddenly leaped high, performing a spinning high kick that only black belt practitioners could execute!
"It's over, it's over. What's wrong with that kid? It's like he suddenly crashed!"
"He must have expended too much energy while sparring and countering. He wanted to use this opportunity to create distance and catch his breath."
"But at this point, why is he still catching his breath!"
The audience's exclamations were like waves, but in Qi Yunyi's ears, only his grandfather's words resonated. He could already feel the force of the kick on his face!
"It's over, he'll probably get kicked off the stage again. How embarrassing!"
"Exactly, I really don't know what this kid is thinking!"
But in the blink of an eye, Qi Yunyi's eyes suddenly snapped open, like a volcano churning with hot lava. His body inexplicably sank, and he executed another indescribable spinning side-step!
Everyone held their breath for him. Just as they were about to breathe a sigh of relief, they saw that Qi Yunyi's move wasn't finished. He suddenly flipped his right leg, performing a leg-raising movement!
"Oh no, could this be Shen Lan Ni's signature move, the sidestep spinning kick!"