Chapter 110: Striking First to Gain the Advantage

Beizhou University Martial Arts Arena.

Today is Saturday, the day of the Kylin Cup semi-finals. The arena, which seats fifty thousand, is already packed to capacity. The Kylin Cup is the oldest and most popular tournament in the league, commanding the highest level of attention. Every parent hopes to see their child stand on this stage, and every teenager dreams of becoming a hero in the eyes of the masses here. From the elderly to children, from men to women, the Kylin Cup has universal appeal.

Bai Yucheng sits in the front row with several members of the Bai family. This position is very close to the ring, allowing for a clear view of the combat details. As a high-level warrior, Bai Yucheng has little interest in the Kylin Cup; in his eyes, it is merely a children’s game. He spent a fortune on these front-row seats simply to support Bai Yushuang and Bai Dishan, and to let the younger members of the Bai family gain some experience.

The semi-finals feature two rings, dividing the sixteen teams into two brackets. Only when the tournament reaches the final four will it switch to a single ring. The ring in front of him is the lower bracket, where Bai Yushuang is competing. Opposite is the upper bracket, where Bai Dishan’s Anjing High School is located, along with that very interesting kid, Gao Wu. If Gao Wu can lead his team to the final four, he will face Bai Dishan. And if Gao Wu can defeat Bai Dishan, he should meet Bai Yushuang in the finals.

Bai Yucheng feels that Bai Yushuang is spoiled; while she may have a fierce streak, she lacks perseverance. She is formidable when things go her way, but falters when facing adversity. Bai Dishan, on the other hand, is somewhat deep, but overly cautious and stoic to the point of being dull. Dull people lack creativity and imagination, making it difficult for them to push past the limits of martial arts.

Bai Yucheng actually thinks quite highly of Gao Wu. If this young man can open his acupoints before the age of twenty, he might achieve something great in the future. While he is naturally inclined toward his own kin, he truly admires Gao Wu—the vibrant vitality, the independence, and the unconventional thinking the boy possesses. The world is full of mediocrity, and it needs people like Gao Wu to make it colorful.

Bai Yucheng turns his gaze toward the staff area opposite and spots Gao Wu, along with a mature, beautiful woman who seems to be his coach. Beside them are two other beauties with distinct styles, holding phones and filming; one is gentle and elegant, the other charming and alluring. They are the same women who were with Gao Wu yesterday.

"Shang Qingjun," Bai Yucheng murmurs, feeling a spark of interest in her. With his resources, investigating Gao Wu is effortless. A quick check revealed Gao Wu’s social connections, including Shang Qingjun’s name.

"Yucheng." Wang Zhe appears from behind and taps him on the shoulder.

Bai Yucheng looks at him, surprised. "What are you doing here?" As the president of the Qinglong Branch Martial Arts Student Union, Wang Zhe holds a status comparable to his own. The two compete fiercely in private, though they maintain a cordial facade in public. Competition is competition, but there is no need to make enemies of one another.

"Just here to watch the matches," Wang Zhe replies casually, adding with a touch of envy, "You have a great seat."

"I bought the ticket in advance," Bai Yucheng says offhandedly. "If you don't mind, you can sit with me."

"I wouldn't want to intrude," Wang Zhe says, yet he remains standing. Bai Yucheng understands immediately. He turns to a young man beside him and says, "Get up and give Chairman Wang your seat."

Though the boy is reluctant, he dare not show it and obediently gives up his spot. Wang Zhe sits down next to Bai Yucheng and gives his own ticket to the boy.

"You aren't at school teaching, yet you're here watching the Kylin Cup. What’s the occasion?" Bai Yucheng asks, curious about why Wang Zhe would choose to sit with him despite their distant relationship.

Wang Zhe smiles. "I heard the Bai family has two geniuses leading their teams this year. Winning the championship is a sure thing."

"We’ve been lucky this year to have two young warriors," Bai Yucheng says nonchalantly. While the Kylin Cup is a great honor, it carries less weight for members of top-tier families. With Bai Yushuang and Bai Dishan both competing and having reached the rank of warrior, they indeed have a strong chance of winning.

"The Wang family also has a genius young warrior, and we have a chance at the title, too," Bai Yucheng adds politely. In truth, he dislikes that boy, Wang Zixuan, who is arrogant and conceited despite his lack of real ability. Yuan Qiansheng and Bai Yushuang suffer from the same flaw. Among them all, only Bai Dishan is composed and capable. Then there is Gao Wu—a pity he isn't a warrior; he has no chance in this tournament.

Wang Zhe shakes his head. "Wang Zixuan became a warrior by luck and has become insufferably arrogant. He is too shallow to achieve anything great." He shifts his tone. "I’m here to watch that kid, Gao Wu. I placed a bet of one hundred thousand on him."

"Hm? You know Gao Wu?" Bai Yucheng looks at him, puzzled. "Why would you bet on him?"

"Haha, I like his prospects!" Wang Zhe purposefully sits next to Bai Yucheng to see the Bai family make a fool of themselves. He has no intention of explaining the real reason. Many saw Gao Wu’s test scores last night, but none of them were from the Bai family. The freshmen were innocent and didn't think much of it, and he had specifically told everyone to keep quiet. By the time the news reached Bai Yucheng, the tournament would be over. Wang Zhe, however, had realized the situation immediately and placed his bet. The odds for the champion were sixteen to one—not astronomical, but certainly substantial.

Bai Yucheng remains unconvinced. He looks at Gao Wu in the distance again, failing to notice anything unusual. He had observed the boy carefully yesterday and detected no trace of Origin Power. The Xue Tao Cup championship has some merit, but it cannot compare to the Kylin Cup. With four young warriors in the tournament, Gao Wu will have to face at least three of them; there is no room for luck.

Wang Zhe smiles but offers no explanation; he simply wants to watch the Bai family’s drama unfold.

Across the way, Gao Wu notices Bai Yucheng and Wang Zhe. His mental strength is now far superior to theirs, and he can clearly feel their gazes. He no longer considers these two high-level warriors a threat. Even if his Origin Power test results were exposed, it wouldn't matter. The ring is a place for strength; knowing how strong he is won't change the outcome.

He turns his gaze toward the podium. Representatives from major universities like Song Yunzhen, An Ziru, and He Yuanfang are all there, but Shen An is missing. Perhaps Shen An was only responsible for the preliminaries' security. Gao Wu thinks well of Shen An, who had treated him with kindness. An Ziru is also impressive, though her cold and stern nature creates a strong sense of distance, making her difficult to approach—even after she taught him "Hidden Dragon, Do Not Act."

He glances at his opponents, Dongling No. 1 High School. The team’s strength is balanced, roughly on par with Han Yang's level. Their captain is likely a top-tier martial artist. They wouldn't have placed sixteenth in the preliminaries without talent, but they aren't strong enough to have ranked any higher. The boys from Dongling are full of fighting spirit, convinced that Dongjiang lacks any warriors and that their first-place finish in the preliminaries was merely a stroke of luck. They believe that if they take down Dongjiang No. 1, they will reach the final eight—a feat worth boasting about back home.

The Dongling team is focused entirely on Gao Wu, ignoring Shang Qingjun and Zhou Hongying as they film. Clad in simple white shirts and casual trousers with ID badges pinned to their chests, they look like staff members. Yet, their beauty far exceeds that of ordinary staff. Zhou Hongying, in particular, looks alluring in the simple attire, drawing many eyes. Only the boys solely focused on victory ignore such scenery.

Zhou Hongying is here because she is close to Shang Qingjun and finds Gao Wu interesting. She doesn't see much future in Sunshine Media. Short-form video is a trend, but traffic is tightly controlled by capital firms. No matter how popular a streamer becomes, there is a ceiling. However, Gao Wu has a foundation of fans; if he wins the Kylin Cup, his following could increase tenfold. The exposure of the Kylin Cup is immense. If he seizes this, Gao Wu could become a major influencer, representing tens of millions in value.

Zhou Hongying regrets not having recorded Gao Wu summoning lightning and leaping into the Bailong River to fight the current yesterday. If she had, he would have exploded in popularity.

"You're about to go on stage. Any thoughts to share with everyone?" Zhou Hongying asks, playing the role of a host filming behind-the-scenes footage.

Gao Wu grins. "As the representative of the millions of high school students in Dongjiang, I will do my best to win the championship!"

Battles have already started on the ring, with Song Minglin, Yu Rulong, Yang Ru, and Han Yang having taken their turns. There is a clear gap in strength; Han Yang had to give his all to barely defeat Dongling’s third fighter. When their captain arrived, Han Yang retired under his coach’s instruction.

Gao Wu walks onto the stage in his fiery red martial arts uniform. The referee checks his gear and confirms everything is in order. The captain of Dongling No. 1 is a tall, broad-shouldered boy who looks like a solid block of stone. He is clearly excited, eager to see what the Xue Tao Cup champion is truly capable of.

After the referee signals the start, the tall boy shouts, "Let me see the true value of a Xue Tao Cup champion!"

"As you wish," Gao Wu says, stepping forward with a punch—the "Assault Spear."

His fist, carrying twenty-five hundred kilograms of force, explodes forward like a lit firecracker, tearing through the air. Before the fist even lands, the shockwave leaves the tall boy gasping for air, his perfectly styled bangs blown back to reveal a wide forehead.

The boy’s face pales as he realizes the sheer power of the blow. Too late to retreat, he crosses his arms to block, but Gao Wu’s brutal punch shatters his guard, stopping just inches from his nose. The terrifying wind pressure caused by the fist deforms the boy’s facial muscles and forces his eyes shut, blowing his hair into a tangled mess.

The punch never lands, but everyone watching knows the consequences would have been catastrophic. A gasp ripples through the crowd.

Bai Yushuang, Bai Dishan, Wang Zixuan, and Yuan Qiansheng watch the fight closely. Seeing this, their expressions turn grave. The sheer power of that punch is terrifying, especially since Gao Wu didn't use any Origin Power, relying entirely on raw physical strength. How can a martial artist possess such overwhelming power?

The referee, sensing the danger, steps in to separate them. Though the boy is uninjured, his confidence and nerve have been shattered by that single punch; he stands there, stunned and pale. The Dongling captain’s face is just as grim as he looks to his coach for help. The coach can only shake his head helplessly; Gao Wu’s strength is too great to counter.

In the stands, Bai Yucheng’s expression deepens. Gao Wu in this state is comparable to a primary-level warrior—far stronger than he had anticipated. Bai Yushuang and Bai Dishan, having only just become warriors with shallow Origin Power, might not necessarily win against him.

Wang Zhe, however, is all smiles. Gao Wu is already this formidable without using Origin Power; once he unleashes it, he will surely sweep through the competition. His bet is looking like a winner.

In the official live stream, the brief fight is already being replayed. The guest commentator sighs in amazement: "Using raw physical strength alone, that punch must have been twenty-five hundred kilograms. Truly impressive..."

The screen is flooded with comments of "Incredible!"

Countless viewers have now etched the name Gao Wu into their memories.