Chapter 10 Champion
"Yang Tong wins!"...
"Yang Tong wins!"...
"Yang Tong wins! With five wins and zero losses, Yang Tong becomes the group winner." The teacher in charge of recording the scores announced.
Because the skill levels were uneven, the group matches ended quickly. They only lasted an afternoon, though a small number of groups had not yet finished their matches.
"That is all for today. The elimination tournament will be held tomorrow," the referee and the recording teacher said before leaving.
Yang Tong went home after school. Before long, Feng Xiaobo caught up to him and asked, "Boss, what kind of fist technique is that? It looks slow, but its power is not small."
"Tai Chi Fist," he replied. He knew that the appearance of this fist technique would inevitably attract some attention. However, in this high-martial arts world, there were countless types of martial arts, and one more Tai Chi Fist was nothing extraordinary.
"Tai Chi?" Feng Xiaobo nodded and did not ask any more questions. However, he was extremely fond of this fist technique in his heart, mainly because it looked so good and felt so fresh when used to hit people.
At the school, the teachers in charge of the exams gathered together and exchanged information. The teacher in charge of Yang Tong's group was specially called over by Principal Long and asked a few questions.
The two teachers explained the matter in detail and specifically pointed out the peculiar aspects of Yang Tong's fist technique.
Principal Long pondered for a moment after listening and said, "According to what you said, this student named Yang Tong is indeed a budding talent, and that fist technique can be considered top-grade. After you go back, just keep an eye on him; don't go around spreading this matter."
"Yes, Principal," the two teachers responded respectfully.
Yang Tong returned home.
"How did you do on the exam?" his mother asked nervously.
"I can definitely graduate," he replied.
"What about the martial arts competition?" his father asked again.
"I have already won first place in my group and will participate in the elimination tournament tomorrow. This time, the top ten will all receive good rewards, and I can also enter school without paying tuition. I will strive for it," he replied with a smile.
"Just do your best. Don't force yourself too much." His father was quite open-minded and did not demand that his son achieve a specific ranking.
"I know," he replied, then went to take a shower.
"Son, go take a shower quickly. Mom will make you something delicious tonight."
After eating, he went to the courtyard to practice his fist techniques. He practiced the Wind Wolf Fist a hundred times and gained some insights. Then he practiced the Tai Chi Fist a hundred times, contemplated it for a while, and went back to his room to sleep. Tomorrow would be the beginning of the real test.
In fact, after the group matches were completed, those whose scores allowed them to graduate could graduate; whether or not they participated in the subsequent matches didn't matter.
Early the next morning, he arrived at school early. The school playground was still crowded with people, even more than yesterday. Not only did the sixth-grade elementary candidates come, but students from other grades also came to join in the fun.
The school did not prohibit students from other grades from entering like it did yesterday, because the matches starting from today would not affect the candidates' grades.
He came to the side of the arena where he was tested yesterday. Feng Xiaobo and Gelu came over and said with a smile, "Yang Tong, today is the elimination tournament. Come on, don't embarrass our class five or our group."
Gelu also said in a muffled voice, "Yang Tong, you need to work hard for my share as well. After you finish the competition, let's have another match." Gelu was indeed a bit confused about his loss.
The subsequent exam was purely a martial arts competition. All the remaining elites were divided into sixteen groups, with eight people in each group, to compete in group elimination. The winner of each group would then participate in the final elimination tournament. The schedule was very simple.
The previous small arenas were removed and replaced with two large arenas. Added to the original large arena, this group had three large arenas, so three elimination matches could be held simultaneously. The number of referees for this elimination tournament was relatively large: four total, one main and three assistants and there were two more recording teachers.
After drawing lots, he drew number six, and he would have an elimination match against contestant number five.
"Now, contestants number one and two, three and four, five and six, and so on, will go on stage respectively," the chief referee announced.
He and a thin, small teenager jumped onto the arena at the same time.
"This is my opponent today?" He looked at the teenager in front of him, who appeared even thinner and weaker than him. His physique among his many classmates could only be considered medium to low; Gelu was the one who was sturdy.
"Put on your armor. The rules have not changed. You cannot hit the head or the groin. Pay attention to moderation; you are not enemies," the referee reminded him. The school advocated actual combat, but that did not mean they advocated violence.
"Yang Tong, please," he said, setting up an opening stance.
"Li Chuan," the thin, small teenager replied. After speaking, he greeted him but did not attack immediately. Instead, he ran around Yang Tong at a very fast speed, seemingly looking for weaknesses.
He just quietly held his opening stance and ignored Li Chuan's actions.
"Impossible!" Li Chuan was shocked, because Yang Tong's whole body was full of weaknesses. How could this be possible? Even the lowest-level martial artist could not have weaknesses all over their body.
The opening stance of Tai Chi, seemingly simple, contained supreme mystery. In this state, it seemed that the whole body was full of weaknesses, but in fact, they were all traps. If the enemy attacked these weaknesses, they would inevitably be countered and suffer consecutive strikes.
Li Chuan gritted his teeth. From Yang Tong's side and back, his speed suddenly increased by thirty percent, and he attacked with a side kick.
Yang Tong, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, dodged the kick by moving to the side. Immediately, he used "Grasp the Sparrow's Tail" to entangle Li Chuan, followed by "Single Whip," kicking his ribs and breaking his root of power. He then raised his hand into a posture, pulled back Li Chuan who was about to fly out, and used another "Single Whip," kicking him in the stomach and sending him three meters away.
Li Chuan fell to the ground in pain, unable to get up for a long time. He could not figure out why Yang Tong's strength was so great, and why he was knocked to the ground without even fully exerting his own strength.
His moves were all very simple and not fast. Everyone below the stage, as well as the referee on the stage, saw it clearly. This fist technique was really too strange. The referee on the stage, who saw it most clearly, felt it the most. Li Chuan's offense had no major flaws, but it felt like hitting a ball of cotton no force at all and instead, he was stunned by his opponent's series of strikes.
"Yang Tong wins!" the referee announced.
Immediately, he eliminated the second and third opponents with the same efficiency and became the group's arena champion, eligible to participate in the final tournament.
Although his efficiency was very high, his group was not the first to finish. It was only halfway through the morning.