Villains: Starting with the Landlady

The two wandered around aimlessly, and Lingyun got to experience the local customs and culture. Although it was a bit backward, it was still quite nice overall.

As dusk fell and they were preparing to find a place to eat, they heard a group of women cheering in the distance.

"Is he a celebrity? Why are they making such a big fuss!"

Ji Wei complained and was about to pull Ling Yun away when she heard a voice from the other side saying "Jae-seok oppa!"

"Lee Jae-suk? What's he doing here?" Ji Wei felt a bit disgusted after hearing his name and quickened her pace to leave.

However, Lee Jae-suk clearly saw her and walked over with a smile, with fans along the way making way for him.

“Miss Ji!” Lee Jae-suk spoke excellent Korean, and he smiled brightly. “Long time no see. How has your grandfather been lately?”

Ling Yun used his X-ray vision to take a look at him and, as expected, discovered that he had insufficient kidney essence and his steps were unsteady—although it was common knowledge that his Taekwondo training made him unstable in his lower body.

Lee Jae-suk also saw Ling Yun. With the blessing of "handsome and dashing", everyone felt that the originally "amazing" Lee Jae-suk was instantly overshadowed when he stood next to this handsome stranger!

Wow, who is this handsome guy?

"I don't know, but the one next to him is Ji Wei!"

"Ji Wei, which Ji Wei?"

"The granddaughter of the former president of the National Martial Arts Association? You didn't know that?"

Listening to his fans' words and seeing Ji Wei's cold and silent expression across from him, Lee Jae-suk's face gradually turned ugly.

“Hello, Lee Jae-seok, my name is Ling Yun.” Ling Yun extended his hand, and Lee Jae-seok’s pupils contracted upon hearing his name, and he immediately grasped his hand.

"So you are the famous Ling Yun. What a coincidence! See you on the field."

"Okay, see you on the field."

Ling Yun smiled slightly, and after realizing that Lee Jae-seok was using a little force to try to hurt him, he also increased the force.

Lee Jae-seok instantly transformed into a mask of pain, and Ling Yun released his grip at the opportune moment, watching his hasty departure.

Chapter 156 The game begins

After Lee Jae-seok left, Ling Yun and Ji Wei got into the car.

"Xiaowei, do you know that Lee Jae-suk?"

“Of course I know him!” Ji Wei pouted. “This guy came to spar with our K City Association with the Korean martial arts team before. Then, the young and arrogant Lee Jae-seok, who had just reached the late stage of Dan Jin, didn’t know his own limitations and wanted to challenge my grandfather.”

"Although my grandfather is also at the late stage of Dan Jin, he is still the president of the association. Logically speaking, this is a leapfrog."

“But Lee Jae-suk used the excuse that avoiding a fight was a sign of fear to get my grandfather’s school of martial arts to publicly admit that it was inferior to Taekwondo, and then he stopped being so aggressive.”

"Later, my grandfather got angry. Although he was exhausted and old, he had more combat experience than the entire opposing team combined. He beat Lee Jae-seok, who was also at the late stage of Dan Jin, into a pulp and eventually passed out."

"After that, Lee Jae-seok hated my grandfather. When he returned, he used some special method to forcibly break through the Gang Jin realm. But Uncle Ouyang said that his foundation was not solid to begin with, and coupled with his excessive indulgence and the other method he used to forcibly break through, he had no hope of advancing any further in this lifetime."

Ling Yun nodded, understanding the cause and effect. However, after Li Zaixi's breakthrough, he could no longer issue a challenge to Ji Guorong, because it was a universally acknowledged principle of the International Martial Arts Association that a higher realm could not issue a challenge to a lower realm, unless the lower realm was willing to commit suicide by signing a life-or-death agreement and voluntarily requesting the fight.

As for having Lee Jae-suk suppress his cultivation level to fight Ji Guorong, he didn't dare, after all, he knew his own limitations.

"It's nothing. He's just at the mid-stage of the Gang Jin realm. Watch me beat him to a pulp when I meet him."

"Okay, I'll definitely record the whole thing and watch it repeatedly when I get back!" Ji Wei patted the steering wheel happily, making the horn go off once.

This startled Ling Yun, who pressed her head down to make her drive properly, while Ji Wei stuck out her tongue, knowing she had made a mistake.

The next day, Ling Yun didn't go anywhere. Except for eating and going to the toilet, he stayed in the room to rest and recuperate, reviewing the information of the top 64 contestants and preparing for tomorrow's competition.

The first day of the competition was divided into four venues, all held in the largest stadium in K City, and broadcast live throughout. Each venue had its own judges and commentators.

The first day was to select 32 out of 64, the second day was to select 16, the third day was the quarterfinals, the fourth day was the semifinals, and on the morning of the last day, the third place was selected from the two eliminated contestants in the quarterfinals, and the final was held in the evening.

Only the top three finishers in this competition will receive prizes. However, on the third day, the four arenas will be combined into one, giving the contestants a sufficiently spacious area to compete and preventing situations where opponents are forced out of the arena due to limited space.

If an opponent can still knock a ball out of bounds on a field of tens of thousands of square meters, it can only mean that the gap between them is quite large.

Even though the competition was divided into four venues in the past two days, each venue was over a thousand square meters. This competition emphasizes skill above all else; any behavior that exploits the rules will be condemned. Everyone is here to make a name for themselves; if you win using dirty tricks, you'll only be ridiculed by netizens.

The two sides in the battle are drawn electronically from "1" to "32". There are two tickets for each number. The two sides that draw the same number will compete together.

Ling Yun glanced at the final list. In addition to the original few Dan Jin masters and Gang Jin masters from China, there were several more foreign masters.

Tom from America, a master of the Gang Jin style (mid-stage?), is incredibly strong. His fighting style is unknown, but he is ruthless, suggesting he may have learned it in the military.

The reason for the question mark after "mid-term" is that he claimed to be of mid-term strength, but Ouyang Bao believed that this person was stronger than him and was very likely a hidden late-stage master, as well as the strongest among the 64 contestants.

Another person Ling Yun should pay attention to is Kenjiro Hikawa from the Sakura Kingdom, whose strength is at the mid-stage of the Gang Jin realm, which is genuine.

Thinking of what Ji Wei said, the United States and Japan in this world are in cahoots, and these two seem to have come with some kind of mission. They only touch the players from other countries, but they beat the players from China to death, claiming that they "respect their opponents".

He felt no sense of belonging to this world, but he wanted to teach a lesson to the inexplicably appearing United States and the cherry blossom country that had caused trouble many times in his main world.

The Cherry Blossom Country of this world ultimately discharged sewage. Their martial arts troupe dared not speak in the Cherry Blossom language after arriving in the Dragon Country, for fear of being beaten.

After glancing at the rising moon outside, Ling Yun put the documents on the table, lay down on the bed, and fell asleep.

The following morning, the martial arts competition that had garnered worldwide attention officially began!

Lingyun drew number 7, but he didn't know who he would face before going on stage. Each contestant was in their own private rest room, and there were armed guards at each door to prevent any unexpected situations. Contestants were searched when they entered or left the room.

The second round of competition is on the 7th, in venue number 3. Each match is limited to half an hour. The judges will determine the winner based on the overall situation, whether the player surrenders voluntarily, is knocked unconscious, or the match ends on the 7th.

The first round of the competition was uneventful and quickly concluded. Among the top 64, only a few possessed the strength of Gang Jin, with most being at the late Dan Jin stage, and a few at the mid-Dan Jin stage due to exceptional combat skills or good luck.

When it was Lingyun's turn to play, his opponent was a player at the mid-stage of Dan Jin.

The other person's face was ashen, knowing that his luck had run out, after all, the other person was a master of internal energy!

"Please." Ling Yun smiled slightly. This was a contestant from China, so it wouldn't hurt to offer some pointers.

"Please, Mr. Ling, show mercy!" The other party clasped his hands in a salute and rushed over after the match began.

Five seconds later, the other person slowly woke up. Seeing the medical staff walking over from both sides, he realized that Ling Yun had held back. That's why he went up and got into a fighting stance, and then he fainted. The difference in strength was too great!

After Ling Yun saw that he was awake, he nodded and turned to leave the arena.

"Lingyun has won this match!"

The spectators on both sides immediately erupted in enthusiastic cheers. Although Ling Yun's moves were quick and didn't give them enough time to enjoy, his outstanding appearance and formidable strength impressed everyone and made him a favorite to win the national martial arts competition. His popularity directly overshadowed that of Tom, Lee Jae-suk, and other masters of the Gang Jin style!

As Ling Yun walked to the front of the lounge, preparing to pack his things and leave, he saw Ji Wei, who was beaming with excitement.

"Wow, Brother Lingyun, you're amazing! You're sooooo awesome!"

"Alright, alright, I'm too lazy to listen to your bragging. Let's go eat."

"Okay, wait a minute, I'll go tell Grandpa!"

After Ji Wei left, just as Ouyang Jie finished her match, Ling Yun pulled her aside and, in a quiet corner, spoke to her in a somewhat serious tone.

"If you encounter Tom and are no match for him, surrender, understand?"

Although Ouyang Jie was already his woman, she still had a strong sense of self-will regarding this matter: "Surrender is fine, I will fight to the last second! We can't be wiped out... Ugh, be gentle!"

Ling Yun pinched her cheek hard and repeated, "This person is dangerous. This time, you have to listen to me no matter what, understand?"

Seeing his seriousness, Ouyang Jie, though inwardly resentful, still said softly, "I understand, but I don't want to ruin my father's reputation..."

"The future is long, there's no need to rush." ​​Ling Yun released the woman when he saw Ji Wei had returned and was looking for him.

Chapter 157 One Palm Strike Destroys

The competition ended in the evening, and among the top 32 finalists, apart from those who were lucky, most of them were quite strong players.

Lee Jae-suk's legwork, Tom's ruthlessness, and Kenjiro Hikawa's powerful hand strikes were all compiled into a highlight reel, garnering massive online attention. However, compared to these three men, Ouyang Jie, though slightly less skilled, was still a force to be reckoned with and was selected as the new generation's goddess of Chinese martial arts.

As for Ling Yun, since he hardly showed his true abilities, it's hard for people to give a proper evaluation; they just gave him the title of "most handsome male god."

When Lingyun arrived at the Ji family home that evening, he saw a man and a woman he didn't recognize, who appeared to be around 40 years old. From their somewhat familiar faces, Lingyun guessed that they were Ji Wei's parents, and sure enough, after talking to them, he confirmed that this was indeed the case.

"Ling Yun, congratulations on making it into the top 32!"

Ji's father worked at the National Martial Arts Association in the neighboring city, which is how Ji Wei's mother met him. He didn't want to rely on his father's prestige, but instead started from the bottom of the National Martial Arts Association in the neighboring city and climbed step by step to his current position, which was well-liked by the old man.

"Thank you, Uncle Ji."

Ling Yun clinked glasses with him, and after they finished their drinks, they chatted and laughed about other things.

Ji's mother saw through her daughter's thoughts. Ji Wei, who usually liked to gossip on her phone, was still staring at Ling Yun after finishing her meal today. It would be impossible for her not to be interested in Ling Yun.

“Lingyun, both Tom and Little Baka are problematic. If you encounter them... if you can defeat them, then don’t hold back.”

"What did they say?" Ling Yun asked, somewhat intrigued.

"That's not quite right... They've been incredibly ruthless with the Chinese players; almost everyone who's faced them has suffered serious injuries. But we can't really say anything since we're not as skilled as them. We just hope you can help us, as fellow Chinese, stand up for us players."

"Okay, I will."

Ling Yun smiled slightly. Seeing that it was almost time, the other members of the Ji family stopped talking to Ling Yun and told him to go back and get some rest to prepare for tomorrow's competition.

Ling Yun sat cross-legged on the bed for a while, adjusting his breathing. As he felt the increasing power of the "Qi Cultivation Technique," his doubts about the "protagonist's" identity deepened.

He had actually met with all the contestants privately, and even if they hadn't greeted each other, he had checked their information and found out who the "protagonist" was.

This is really strange. The main mission is to win the top three, but there's no "protagonist" in the competition?

These sub-worlds definitely have chosen ones, but they haven't been discovered yet... So when he finishes the competition, won't it be even more like looking for a needle in a haystack?

Filled with doubt, Ling Yun fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, he and his father arrived at the venue together in a car driven by Ji's father.

"Go, Brother Ling!"

As Ling Yun prepared to enter the players' rest room, Ji Wei raised her little fist at him as he was leaving.

"Don't worry, I will do my best."

After receiving Ling Yun's reply, Ji Wei happily walked towards the judges' table—her actual job was to be Ji Guorong's secretary, serving tea and water at his table.

"Welcome everyone to the venue of the 3rd Global Martial Arts Competition. I am your host, Lei Hong!"

The crowd erupted in cheers. Although there were four matches being held simultaneously today, only the matches of a few seeded players were the focus of everyone's attention.

"Now, let's begin the exciting draw!" Lei Hong stood in the center of the field, looking around at everyone, and he was also very excited. "The draw for this competition is completely random. There are possibilities of strong teams facing strong teams, weak teams facing weak teams, and strong teams facing weak teams. It will definitely be very exciting!"

"Now, the draw will begin!"

The large screens surrounding the stadium began scrolling rapidly, and amidst the crowd's collective shouts of "Oh!", the teams for all 16 matches were selected. This real-time draw also has the advantage of preventing pre-opening of betting odds and eliminating the possibility of illicit profiteering.

"Wow!"

When the two sides of the first match were seen, everyone cheered, because most of the other strong players had drawn opponents of slightly lower level, and only two seeds had met!

Ling Yun VS Lee Jae-suk!

The duel between the two male gods was so thrilling that not only the female audience but also a group of men cheered.

Ji Wei's hands were trembling as she held the teacup. If she hadn't needed to maintain the image of the competition organizers, she might have joined in the shouting.

"Heh, I didn't expect Brother Ling to be going up against Lee Jae-suk so quickly. Elder Ji, who do you think is stronger between these two?"

As the current president of the K City Martial Arts Association, Ouyang Bao was naturally one of the judges. They were on the main judging panel, and besides Ji Guorong, there were top masters from other countries.

"Is there even a question? It's definitely Brother Ling!"

"Haha, my daughter also raves about him, saying he's one of a kind in the world. I'm going to see what he's really like today!"

As the contestants from both sides entered the arena, the contestants from the other three arenas seemed to have been abandoned, with only their respective referees and judges watching them, while everyone else's eyes were focused on arena number one.

"Mr. Ling, I didn't expect to run into you so soon." Lee Jae-seok crossed his arms and smiled, revealing his white teeth.

"Hmm, that's quite a coincidence." Ling Yun nodded seriously.

"All players, please get ready!" Lei Hong announced to the players who had taken their positions. "3-2-1, the match begins!"

Unlike other matches where intense sparks fly right from the start, Ling Yun and Lee Jae-seok didn't act immediately. Instead, Lee Jae-seok smiled and punched Ling Yun.

In general fighting competitions, there is an unspoken custom that the two fighters touch fists before starting to fight. Ling Yun also walked over to interact with him in a friendly manner, but the audience who were familiar with Lee Jae-seok's tricks held their breath, because this was his dirty trick!

Just as Ling Yun's fist was about to touch Lee Jae-seok, the other party suddenly kicked out and aimed at Ling Yun's thigh!

Lee Jae-seok, who was only at the Dan Jin level in the previous competition a few years ago, also did this, successfully defeating an opponent of similar level and causing an upset. However, his reputation also plummeted.

Fans say that winning requires any means necessary, but most people still believe that this is an act of smearing South Korea, even though they are already quite wicked.

I thought he had already advanced to the Grandmaster of Qi and wouldn't resort to such underhanded methods anymore, but I didn't expect him to come back!