Chapter 77 - 76: True Strength, Fist to Flesh

"This student is very strong." These six short words from Shang Jibei utterly shocked the audience in the live stream. It was worth noting that throughout his commentary so far, Shang Jibei had only acknowledged two individuals as truly strong: Zhu Qingyun. Wu Zhiming. And now, this long-haired young man had also earned such an evaluation. Which academy’s freshman is this? So fierce! The power of the netizens was immense. In just a few seconds, live comments began to flood the stream with information about Jiang Shu: A native of Ji City. Admitted directly to Jiangnan Academy. Filmed a Martial Arts promotional video with Ye Zhenzhen. Currently ranked nineteenth on the Rookie List. "Only nineteenth and he gets such high praise from Shang Jibei? Looks like he’s a real dark horse." "I thought nineteenth was already very strong. Now it seems he has what it takes to be in the top ten!" "Have you all forgotten? This is Arena Three. No matter how strong this young man is, he’ll still have to face Wu Zhiming in the final match." "If he can’t beat him, he can just wait for the revival round. This Genius Competition is quite fair. In the revival round, contestants can challenge any arena champion. Wu Zhiming might be unbeatable, but if the other champions are only average, they might not be a match for Jiang Shu." "I don’t get Shang Jibei’s perspective. From what I saw, Jiang Shu just pushed someone back. How is that ’very strong’?" "That’s the difference between us amateurs and an expert. If we could all understand it, we’d be the ones on stage. All we can see is who’s left standing at the end." The live comments section was bustling. Shang Jibei, however, offered no further explanation. He returned to his spot and continued his standing stance practice. Others might have only seen Jiang Shu make a simple move. But he saw Jiang Shu’s relaxed form; he was astoundingly attempting to achieve internal tension with external relaxation, reaching the stage of comprehending the interplay of hardness and softness, movement and stillness. This point alone was enough to prove that Jiang Shu’s strength could definitely allow him to reach the top ten! As for his exact rank, that would depend on whether the other contestants had any hidden trump cards. As number one on the Rookie List, he wasn’t afraid of being surpassed. He even hoped that individuals like Zhu Qingyun, Wu Zhiming, and Jiang Shu would grow stronger and stronger. Because only if they became stronger could he truly build an invincible aura after defeating them! If this Genius Competition truly had contestants who could pressure him... Dark Force. It should be soon! Shang Jibei was filled with anticipation. Meanwhile, Jiang Shu had instantly become famous due to Shang Jibei’s single comment. The number of viewers for Arena Three spiked by about a million. "Hurry up with the fights on stage! Just fast-forward to Jiang Shu versus Wu Zhiming!" "By the way, aren’t you guys curious why Jiang Shu has long hair? I thought it was a wig in the Martial Arts promo video, but now it looks like it might be real." "Isn’t it normal for Martial Artists to have a few odd quirks?" "Exactly! I’m a normal person, and I like sniffing car exhaust!" "So there are others like me who enjoy peculiar smells! I finally don’t feel so self-conscious. Placing an order today!" "Wait, ordering what? Dude, clarify what you mean!" Unnoticed, the number of contestants on Arena Three dwindled. Finally, an hour later, scrolling text appeared on the large screen behind the arena: [Jiangnan Academy’s Jiang Shu vs. Tianshu Academy’s Wu Zhiming] "Go, Brother Wu!" Behind Wu Zhiming, many freshmen from Tianshu Academy were cheering him on. In the live stream, numerous fans were rapidly posting comments. As third on the Rookie List, his popularity was much higher than Jiang Shu’s. Even though Shang Jibei had praised Jiang Shu, none of the opponents Jiang Shu had faced so far were geniuses from the Rookie List! Jiang Shu still lacked a truly impressive combat record! Wu Zhiming stepped onto the arena. Finally, it’s the last battle of the arena stage. He unconsciously glanced towards Arena One. Shang Jibei, having already defeated all the genius contestants there, stood with resolute steps. In his eyes, among his peers, only Shang Jibei mattered. Even against Zhu Qingyun, who was ranked higher, he felt confident he could win! He was born in Tianshu; three generations of his family had served in the military. Despite his young age, he had received rigorous military-style training. Climbing snow-capped mountains. Traversing grasslands. His willpower had been forged to be far beyond that of ordinary people. After taking up Martial Arts, his progress was swift. His fist techniques were expansive and powerful; within his Realm, he rarely met an equal. "Wu Zhiming." "Jiang Shu." The two cupped their fists and faced each other. Without any unnecessary words, they clashed in an instant! Wu Zhiming’s stance was solid, one arm lashing out like a spear straight at Jiang Shu. To have made it this far proves Jiang Shu is no ordinary opponent. My full strength can finally be displayed a little! "Damn! No wonder Shang Jibei said Wu Zhiming’s fist techniques are grand and sweeping! I was wondering how he could tell when his previous punches seemed so soft." "I feel for Jiang Shu. He’s strong, but he’s met someone even stronger." "No big deal, he can just wait for the revival round tomorrow." At this moment, the live stream viewership peaked. The live comments were scrolling faster than a Martial Artist’s punches! Within three seconds of Wu Zhiming’s attack, the entire arena thundered with a series of explosive cracks! Manifested Force exploded in the air. His fist style was extremely hard, embodying the valor of a fight to the death! Anyone else facing such an offensive would surely retreat and evade, looking for an opening. But Jiang Shu’s eyes lit up. He crouched like a tiger, power erupting from his spine and coursing through his limbs. His qi and blood surged, and force thundered from his fists. What could be more romantic than the thunder of fists clashing! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Both fighters maintained stable lower stances, while their arms continuously bombarded each other! Jiang Shu breathed like a tiger! His skin and membranes felt as tough as stone! This is the most exhilarating battle I’ve had since joining the Genius Competition! Wu Zhiming, ranked third, can trade blows with me like this. What kind of surprise will the number one, Shang Jibei, bring? I have traversed Two Realms, slain stone-skinned Martial Artists while at a lower cultivation stage! I have torn tigers and leopards apart with my bare hands in the great mountains! I have snatched python flesh from under the noses of a pack of Mutant Beasts! My experiences far surpass those of my peers! My nineteenth rank on the Rookie List is just a facade! My true strength has never been fully revealed! Jiang Shu grew more ferocious as he fought. At this moment, it was as if he and Wu Zhiming had reached an unspoken understanding. Neither moved their feet. Their fists rained down like an unceasing tide. Only absolute power could achieve final victory! Famished Tiger Roar Mountain Strength, Tiger’s Fatal Claw, Three Forms of the Tiger Style—none of it mattered! All that existed was the raw impact of fist on flesh! BANG! BANG! BANG! The flood of live comments dwindled. Near Arena Three, many contestants had gathered unknowingly. Unlike the live stream audience, as Manifested Force Martial Artists themselves, they understood even better just how ferocious each and every one of those strikes was! Each of those hammering blows seemed capable of shattering stone monuments! How many could we withstand? We are all geniuses. We are in the same Realm. Is the difference truly this vast? Wu Zhiming’s punching speed gradually slowed. His fists and arms were red and swollen! He had no idea how Jiang Shu trained! How could his arms and fists be as hard as stone?! The more he fought, the more fatigued his muscles and bones became. Jiang Shu, however, was approaching a state of external tension and internal relaxation, channeling the impact force into the ground through the vibrations of his muscles and bones. Wu Zhiming, third on the Rookie List, is indeed very strong. But I am stronger! Jiang Shu fought with increasing ferocity. He had a feeling that ever since consuming the Mutant Beast python flesh, his vital organs had undergone a minor enhancement. His power might be comparable to other Martial Artists, but his endurance definitely far surpassed others in the same Realm! BANG! BANG! BANG! Finally, after a quarter of an hour of continuous bombardment, Wu Zhiming’s strength waned, and he couldn’t help but retreat half a step. He raised his head to look at Jiang Shu, his eyes filled with utter horror.