Chapter 66: Concede

After the match ended, Gao Wu remained on the stage for a full two minutes. He made heart gestures toward the audience on all sides, raised his arms, and led the crowd in singing. Song Mingyue watched from the side, thinking the scene resembled a concert more than a martial arts tournament—his display was certainly flamboyant.

The Youth Blood Squad lived up to its name; the boys and girls were brimming with overflowing energy, constantly interacting with Gao Wu, making the atmosphere even more electric. The referee tried several times to ask Gao Wu to leave the stage, but the director on site sternly forbade it. The online viewership was still climbing rapidly, proof that everyone enjoyed watching Gao Wu's spirited antics. The main audience seemed to be middle school students, and for a livestream, high viewership was all that mattered, regardless of who was watching.

When Bai Yushuang and her other opponent took the stage, the ratings dipped slightly. Even a top-tier beauty like Bai Yushuang couldn’t rival Gao Wu’s appeal among the students of Dongjiang.

Ordinary viewers were drawn to Gao Wu’s dramatic performance, while the experts focused on the fighter himself. Gao Wu’s swift victory over Wan Cangshan was owed entirely to his ability to withstand Wan’s punch and elbow—there was no luck involved.

Xu Sanhu, the top seed of the Xuetao Cup, had been watching Gao Wu closely. He noticed that Gao Wu’s face was nearly unscathed, and his neck showed no signs of injury. Throughout the match, Gao Wu moved with ease, and even his speech was unaffected. Such a powerful physique left Xu Sanhu deeply impressed. Wan Cangshan was a top martial artist, and if Xu himself had taken a punch and an elbow from Wan, even if he’d survived, he would have had no strength left to execute a throw.

"Eighteen years old—truly the vigor of youth!" Xu Sanhu was twenty-seven, ten years Gao Wu’s senior, in the prime of his life. Yet seeing Gao Wu, radiant as the rising sun, Xu couldn’t help but feel a twinge of age.

Xu Sanhu had entered the tournament mainly to hone his skills in battle and seek the path to becoming a true warrior. As long as Gao Wu could defeat Bai Yushuang, Xu would have his chance to face this formidable youth.

Bai Yushuang was strong as well, but her strength lay in technique, which was easy to understand. Gao Wu’s strength, however, was almost unreasonable—brutish and direct—and this only fueled Xu’s fighting spirit.

His phone buzzed. Xu Sanhu glanced at the screen, and his face darkened. The message was from an acquaintance, offering twenty million to throw his match against Gao Wu. His first reaction was outrage!

Although the Xuetao Cup was an amateur martial arts tournament, it bore the name of Martial King Song Xuetao, whose intention was to promote martial arts. How had it turned into a tool for someone’s personal gain?

Xu Sanhu quickly calmed himself. Fighting could be pure, training could be pure, but a warrior could not afford to be too simple-minded. The world was complicated.

The tournament had sixteen competitors, split into two groups. The first round took nearly two hours. In the second round, Bai Yushuang faced Gao Wu.

Bai Yushuang, the beautiful newcomer, had attracted much attention in the previous days and built up a large fan base. Now, paired against the crowd favorite, Gao Wu, the viewership soared before the bout even began. If you opened the livestream chat, the scrolling comments would flood the screen.

The most common message was: "Let youth have its wildness!"

There were also plenty of less savory comments: "Worship her legs!" "Worship her feet!"

The organizers were, of course, thrilled, and took the opportunity to squeeze in a few more ads. The live match was deliberately delayed, with the host expertly stoking the excitement.

Bai Yushuang, however, was impatient. Her gaze fixed on Gao Wu. Though his martial arts were nothing impressive, his body was formidable, and she wasn’t confident she could defeat him on the stage. If she had her sword, she could dispatch him in three moves—but unfortunately, that was not allowed.

Beside the stage, Bai Man noticed Bai Yushuang’s intense focus and quietly reminded her, “Relax, stick to the plan.”

Bai Man glanced at Gao Wu. The youth wore a bright red martial robe, but it didn’t look garish on him—rather, it made him seem even more vibrant and unforgettable.

Gao Wu noticed Bai Man’s gaze and grinned in response. Though she seemed haughty, with her nose in the air, she was still a mature, strikingly beautiful woman, exuding competence. Besides, she was a senior martial artist, far stronger than he was. Whatever her character, he had no right to look down on her.

In truth, there was little difference between Bai Yushuang and Bai Man—they were both equally arrogant. The difference lay in Bai Man’s arrogance being worn on her face, while Bai Yushuang’s was in her bones.

That being said, Bai Yushuang was truly beautiful.

She stood at one meter eighty-five, her long legs shapely and powerful, arms slender, with square shoulders, sword-like brows, and star-bright eyes radiating heroic spirit. Yet she wasn’t androgynous—her beauty was fiercely feminine. Her white martial robe had a jade-like luster, accentuating her soft, delicate skin. At that moment, standing tall and composed, she exuded the poise of a true martial artist.

Gao Wu had once admired Bai Yushuang’s beauty, but things had changed. She had flirted shamelessly with his best friend. He wasn’t petty, and wouldn’t hold a grudge for being snubbed, but for his friend’s sake, he was determined to teach her a lesson.

After the host’s lengthy introduction, the match finally began.

“Number one under heaven—go easy on me,” Bai Yushuang teased softly.

“In battle, one must give their all to defeat the opponent. That is the true respect for martial arts—and for your adversary,” Gao Wu replied, grave and earnest. “Stranger, I’m afraid I can’t hold back against you.”

Bai Yushuang smiled. This boy was so petty—just because she hadn’t paid him any mind the first time! If he got angry, he’d lose his head in battle, which was good for her.

Gao Wu ignored her thoughts and charged forward, unleashing a powerful chain of punches. Though his style lacked finesse, his strength and force more than made up for it. He knew she feared his physical prowess, so he attacked without restraint.

Normally in combat, both sides would be cautious—not so aggressive, since the harder one struck, the easier it was to reveal openings. But Gao Wu had no such concerns; every punch was delivered at full force, each blow packing two thousand kilos.

On the other end, Bai Yushuang felt the force of a hurricane—his fierce, relentless punches left her breathless.

Without being able to channel her inner energy, a martial artist could only rely on muscles and bones; there was no way to harm an opponent at a distance. But with Gao Wu’s full power, plus his height and reach, his frontal assault made him appear to grow larger until he filled her entire vision, exerting immense psychological pressure.

By habit, Bai Yushuang would have met the attack head-on, exploiting gaps in his punches. But after witnessing Wan Cangshan’s fate, she dared not take the risk. Unless she used her secret techniques, she had no confidence she could bring him down—and there was no time for that.

She could only retreat, but Gao Wu closed in swiftly, raining blows as she backed away.

In this critical moment, Bai Yushuang displayed the agility and finesse of White Ape Fist, dodging left and right under his fists, evading dozens of punches. Her movements were graceful, never looking desperate despite constant retreat.

But the ring was small, and soon she was forced back against the glass wall. She bent her knees, lowered her stance, and crossed her arms to block his right punch.

Not only was the punch powerful, but Gao Wu’s fist felt like steel, making her arms go numb.

“What a formidable body!”

Though she was prepared, Bai Yushuang was still amazed—his body was as hard as iron, and with his strength, the destructive force multiplied.

Knowing she couldn’t withstand him, she used his force to spring off the wall, spinning away.

Gao Wu followed up with a kick that whistled past her waist and struck the glass wall with a thunderous crash.

Bai Yushuang thought she saw an opening, but as she turned, Gao Wu was already upon her. She was even more startled—he’d just landed a heavy kick on the wall and was still unscathed?

Desperate, she darted under his arm with the agility of a flying ape—her angle and speed were exquisite, and Gao Wu could only watch her blur past, unable to stop her.

He turned and smiled, “Stranger, your monkey-style is impressive—worthy of your heritage.”

The words were a bit pointed, but Bai Yushuang remained calm and unmoved.

From the corner, Bai Man reminded her, “Avoid his edge, strike when he’s spent. The harder he goes, the more he exhausts himself—just hold on.”

She wasn’t worried if Gao Wu overheard—it was an open strategy. If he stopped his onslaught, it would only help Bai Yushuang.

“Auntie, you know military strategy? That’s impressive,” Gao Wu replied earnestly.

Bai Man shot him a cold look. In another setting, she’d teach this kid a lesson and show him the White family’s authority was not to be challenged.

Gao Wu turned back to Bai Yushuang. “I have great stamina—you’ll never outlast me!”

Before she could respond, he charged once more. After a brief adjustment, he was back at full strength.

Hearing the whistling surge of power, Bai Yushuang was amazed—after that assault, how could he still be at his peak?

Unconvinced, she used the Yin-Yang Circling Hands, a secret White Ape Fist technique: one arm soft and yielding, the other hard and forceful, dissolving the enemy’s attack and countering in a flash. The changes in force were subtle and profound.

But the moment they clashed, Gao Wu’s brute force shattered her technique—her soft hand’s deflecting energy was crushed, and her hard hand’s rebound was overwhelmed.

Helpless, she sprang away, her footwork rapid and light, retreating two meters in a blink.

Gao Wu had also refined his footwork through practicing the Swimming Dragon Sword to mastery, which had elevated his Swimming Dragon Palm to the same level. Still, compared to Bai Yushuang, he was no match—he could not glide like a dragon.

But his overwhelming strength and relentless pursuit allowed him to keep pressing her.

After suffering twice, Bai Yushuang refused to clash with him head-on, choosing instead to fight while retreating, wearing him down. Gao Wu, however, maintained his furious assault for three full minutes.

At the end of the first round, Bai Yushuang’s forehead was slick with sweat. To her disappointment, Gao Wu’s breathing was steady, his eyes clear—he showed no sign of fatigue.

Bai Man was also surprised—his stamina was extraordinary. She suspected he’d used some kind of drug. People from small places, she thought, would risk their very life force for a single match.

In the second round, Gao Wu kept up his barrage, forcing Bai Yushuang back again and again. Her footwork was quick and fluid, but he found no chance to finish the fight.

By the third round, Bai Yushuang was visibly exhausted. With her status, she would never use stimulants just for one match. Gao Wu, on the other hand, relied on his Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra to restore himself easily to peak condition. To keep things from looking too unbelievable, he held back a little, using only ninety percent of his strength.

Against his onslaught, Bai Yushuang’s evasion slowed just a touch, and Gao Wu’s sweeping kick struck her supporting leg.

The crowd gasped as Bai Yushuang spun away with a single hand on the ground, a move from the Flying Ape Through the Woods—swift, elusive, and breathtakingly beautiful.

But Gao Wu followed with a spinning kick, his long leg catching her midair, bending her backward with crushing force.

Though Bai Yushuang’s body was tough from years of training, she couldn’t withstand such a savage blow. Her spine nearly snapped, and when she hit the ground, she had no strength left to get up.

Seeing danger, Bai Man threw in the white towel, conceding the match.

The audience erupted in astonishment. The bout had been thrilling, Bai Yushuang’s acrobatic evasion dazzling, but they never expected Gao Wu to end it so swiftly with a single kick.

The referee stepped in, and Gao Wu spread his arms to show he had no intention of pressing the attack. Concerned, he asked, “Stranger, I went a bit hard—are you hurt?”

Bai Yushuang slowly stood, supporting her waist, her braid coming loose, star-bright eyes now bloodshot from the impact, her sun-kissed skin drained of color—she looked quite disheveled.

Suppressing her deep frustration and disappointment, she managed a calm salute. “Impressive indeed. I’ve lost.”

Gao Wu returned the salute. “Thank you for the match.” Then, sincerely, he added, “A word of advice—if this is all you’ve got, stick to training and stop flirting with girls everywhere.”

Bai Yushuang shot him a long look, determined to remember this infuriating boy. But she said nothing—a loser’s words would only invite ridicule.

As Gao Wu celebrated his victory, the Youth Blood Squad burst once more into their anthem, filling the venue and the livestream with excitement.

When the next contestants took the stage, the arena immediately quieted down.

The second round lasted an hour, leaving four finalists. Gao Wu was set to face the top seed, Xu Sanhu.

But as the referee announced the start, news broke—Xu Sanhu had forfeited. Gao Wu advanced without a fight.

Standing on stage, Gao Wu was baffled. He looked to where Xu Sanhu had been, but the seat was empty. Song Mingyue gave no reaction either.

The Youth Blood Squad didn’t care; they roared with excitement, their chant of “Saint Gao, number one under heaven!” echoing through the martial arts hall.

In the Jinsheng Hotel, Lü Hongsheng laughed triumphantly. “Xu Sanhu is really sensible.”

He told his assistant, “Send him the rest of the money right now.”

Huang Hai frowned. “Xu Sanhu agreed so easily? Could there be a problem?”

“What could go wrong?” Lü Hongsheng was unconcerned. “It’s just business. No matter what Xu Sanhu thinks, he can’t touch us.”

When Tie Biao finally scraped out a win to enter the finals, Lü Hongsheng was even more delighted. “Now everyone expects Gao Wu to win the championship—it’s our chance to cash in!”