Chapter 42: Chapter 42: An Obsession with Victory and Defeat
"I lost..."
The burly Hu Quan struggled to his feet.
He walked up to Lin Yi and spoke, his voice laced with unwillingness.
Lin Yi just smiled. "It was a good match!"
Inwardly, however, he was a little surprised.
’When I exerted my strength just now, a scene from my training with the Star River Qi Transformation Technique flashed through my mind.’
’In that instant, it felt as if I was standing amidst the starry sky.’
’Then, my fist was enveloped by the Power of the Stars.’
’The moment our fists met, Hu Quan’s "Iron Armor" was shattered instantly.’
’He was sent flying with a single punch.’
His massive body hit the ground like a burst sandbag.
Just as Lin Yi rushed forward to land another blow, the scene from a moment ago unfolded.
Below the ring, Yang Yong had watched the entire process.
He was particularly astonished by the power of Lin Yi’s punch.
A blue, stellar light had enveloped Lin Yi’s entire arm.
Even his eyes seemed to reflect the cosmic expanse, a profoundly shocking sight.
"What was that fist technique Lin Yi just used? How come I’ve never seen it before?" Zhou Qi said in surprise.
Obviously, he had seen it too.
Yang Yong shook his head. "I don’t know. Didn’t the light wrapping his arm look like the cosmos, like stars?"
"Exactly. I felt that too, like being pulled into the vast universe, even if only for the span of a single breath..."
Their gazes, when they fell on Lin Yi again, were filled with growing curiosity.
Extreme talent, rich combat experience, and especially that strange punch.
At that moment, in Yang Yong’s mind, it seemed this high school student was hiding quite a few secrets.
"All right, that’s enough training for now!"
"Lin Yi, you come take a break too!"
Yang Yong broke the silence that had fallen over the training ground.
Waving his hand, he called out to Lin Yi on the ring.
At this point, he too felt genuinely tired.
That last punch especially felt as if it had drained all the strength from his body.
He really needed to rest and recover.
Coming down from the ring, Lin Yi walked up to Yang Yong. "Coach Yang..."
The look in Yang Yong’s eyes now was completely different from his attitude when they had first met.
Now, his gaze held a trace of curiosity and admiration.
Even at the top-ranked New Star Martial Arts Hall in Xinghai City,
a student with Lin Yi’s level of talent was exceedingly rare.
People like Sun Tao, Hu Quan, and Li Xuewen were already considered rare Martial Arts geniuses.
To be able to raise their Martial Arts cultivation to the 4th Rank while still in high school was truly uncommon.
With their cultivation level, they just needed to improve a little more.
Reaching 1-star before the Martial Arts university entrance exam would be no problem at all.
But Lin Yi already had the Martial Arts cultivation of a 1-star...
He arrived at the rest area.
Lin Yi had just sat down when Zhou Qi walked over carrying two drinks.
"This is a multi-functional sports drink. It can help you recover your stamina quickly. It’s pretty good!"
"Thanks..."
Lin Yi thanked him and took the drink.
Zhou Qi took the opportunity to sit down across from him.
He smiled and said, "Hello, my name is Zhou Qi. I guess you could say I’m the oldest student here."
"Oh, you’re a senior here. Call me Lin Yi!"
He quickly introduced himself as well.
"Hahaha... Your performance in the ring just now was outstanding. You even managed to beat those guys into submission!" Zhou Qi laughed heartily.
He didn’t have the slightest air of a senior student at all.
Moreover, Lin Yi had already learned about Zhou Qi’s talent through the entries.
1-star Martial Artist certification, two purple entries, two blue entries.
He had noticed this senior student ever since he arrived.
His Martial Arts cultivation was the highest in the entire training ground, aside from Coach Yang.
In fact, most of the people in this training ground were high school students.
They had all chosen to come here to cram and improve their Qi and Blood cultivation for the Martial Arts exam.
People of Zhou Qi’s age were truly few and far between.
The Martial Arts Hall was expensive; a single class cost over a thousand.
No one would be willing to spend that kind of money on something unnecessary.
Those high school students only chose to come here because they wanted to take the Martial Arts exam.
They all had their own goals.
’What’s Zhou Qi’s goal? At his age, he’s already missed the window for the Martial Arts exam.’
’Or maybe he’s already taken it. If so, why is he still at a Martial Arts Hall instead of a Martial Arts University?’
Lin Yi was full of questions.
But he didn’t voice them...
In response to Zhou Qi’s words, Lin Yi just smiled without denying anything.
He certainly wasn’t going to say something modest like "You went easy on me."
In Lin Yi’s eyes, whether it was Sun Tao, Li Xuewen, or the recent Hu Quan...
...they were all just opponents he had defeated.
Besides, they hadn’t held back at all at the start. They had fought with the clear intention of crippling him.
Therefore, Lin Yi naturally wasn’t going to be humble and say something he didn’t mean.
Zhou Qi glanced at him, then continued, "Do you have a master?"
"A master? Does the Martial Arts instructor at school count?" Lin Yi asked in return.
Zhou Qi shook his head. "No, I mean someone who has formally taken you as their disciple."
"Then no, I don’t!" Lin Yi shook his head.
"In that case, your Martial Arts talent is truly exceptional. Reaching 1-star Martial Arts cultivation as a high school senior isn’t that amazing on its own. But to reach 1-star relying only on your own talent, with no master and no Martial Arts Hall... now that is rare!" Zhou Qi said with praise.
Lin Yi smiled. "Thanks for the compliment, senior."
"It’s not a compliment... it’s the truth. With your current talent, you’ll definitely be able to pass the Martial Arts exam and get an invitation from a Martial Arts University!" Zhou Qi said with a serious expression.
Then he put down his drink. "Rested up? Let’s have a match. I’ll go on ahead and wait for you."
After saying this, Zhou Qi stood up.
As he walked past Lin Yi, he gently patted his shoulder.
In that brief moment, Lin Yi saw a flash of desire in Zhou Qi’s eyes.
It was an obsessive desire for victory.
It wasn’t so much that Zhou Qi wanted to spar with Lin Yi.
Rather, Lin Yi’s recent performance had ignited Zhou Qi’s competitive spirit.
He was challenging Lin Yi...
Lin Yi turned and glanced at Zhou Qi’s retreating back.
He was already on the ring, his calm gaze fixed on Lin Yi.
Just waiting for him to step into the ring and fight.
Lin Yi turned back, ignoring Zhou Qi’s challenging gaze.
He shook his head with a slight laugh and muttered, "What a fucking lunatic. Everyone here is a little nuts..."
From Sun Tao to Li Xuewen, and from Hu Quan to Zhou Qi.
They all shared a common sickness: an obsession with winning and losing.
’How is this sparring?’
’Once you step into the ring, it becomes a battlefield to decide not just victory, but life and death.’
