Realm-Hopping Martial Master

"Mom... Jiang Shu, he..."

Jiang Yanyue, who had been watching the battle on the ring with unbearable tension, suddenly stammered.

After Jiang Shu had stepped onto the stage, she and her parents had been worried the whole time.

*You had to understand, in Wu Zhiming's hands, even the martial arts geniuses ranked in the twenties on the Newcomer Leaderboard had been pummeled off the stage with just a few punches.*

*Her own brother was only nineteenth on the Newcomer Leaderboard.*

*Compared to the top three, who knew how big the gap was.*

She had even stopped eating her snacks, just sitting in the stands, praying that Jiang Shu would not get hurt, hoping he'd fight again in tomorrow's resurrection round and score a top ten finish.

But now, those two figures up on the stage—the one stepping back—was actually Wu Zhiming?

*Could her brother... really be this terrifying now?!!!*

Official livestream room.

"Did the camera just shake, or did I hallucinate from pulling too many all-nighters? Did Wu Zhiming actually take half a step back? No way, I'm gonna go bust one out to calm myself down."

"???"

"Holy shit, who made this Newcomer Leaderboard? Nineteenth wailing on third? This is the goddamn number nineteen?"

"Relax, he just took half a step back; it's not like he got knocked off the stage. The match ain't over yet."

The chat went wild. Tons of viewers from other livestream rooms got pulled in, and the viewership hit an insane eight million.

"Whew..."

On the stage.

Both Jiang Shu and Wu Zhiming paused their clash in an instant.

Wu Zhiming hid the shock in his eyes, exhaling deeply as he adjusted his state.

He rubbed the few swollen red patches on his arm again and again.

It hurt like hell.

It was sore as hell.

It was swollen as hell.

*But... this was what a fight between men was all about!*

*This was the genius tournament he had dreamed of!*

Wu Zhiming clenched his fists, the will to fight in his eyes raging, surging like a tidal wave!

*Heroes across the land were really as many as fish in the river!*

*Jiang Shu...*

*He really was strong...*

*But he still had cards up his sleeve!*

"Watch yourself,"

he said, caution in his voice. Wu Zhiming spread his legs shoulder-width apart, both fists at his waist, palms up. He twisted his waist, shouldered forward, arms rotating inward, fist wind howling!

This was the bow-stance punching!

The upgraded military boxing was unleashed by Wu Zhiming in that moment!

Throat-piercing kick!

Step-in elbow smash!

Every move was sharp and ruthless!

It was as if, for this moment, the person in front of him was no longer a genius contestant on the ring, but a ferocious criminal!

Jiang Shu's eyes remained steady.

*With his Snake Step at Great Success, he could have used the wide stage to keep dodging and weaving.*

*But then, what fun was that?*

Tiger Form Three Styles!

Pounce!

Lift!

Slice!

"Nice!"

Jiang Shu planted his feet, not the slightest intention to dodge. He let out a long roar, fiercer than a tiger, aura fierce, his fists stirring the air, long hair whipping up!

"Bang."

"Bang."

"Bang!"

The two figures clashed at lightning speed, the ferocity and power leaving the crowd dumbfounded.

Their clothes, under the erupting force and wind from their punches, were left in tatters.

Shreds flying everywhere!

Wu Zhiming's muscles were fully exposed, veins bulging, his bronze skin making his every move seem even more powerful and wild!

*Even if Zhu Qingyun was here.*

*He still had the confidence to blast him aside!*

Wu Zhiming's eyes shone with unshakable confidence. Every muscle, every bone strained to the max; his power crackling with each blow.

As for Jiang Shu, ever since he had broken his limit with Hungry Tiger Sits in the Cave stance and the Hungry Tiger Breathing Technique, all the exotic beast meat he ate would be digested in no time. His muscles might not be as buff as Wu Zhiming's, but his bones and tendons were tough as hell.

The simple Tiger Form Three Styles, in his hands, roared like a rainstorm, thunder blasting with every strike!

He was a tiger out of its den, a tiger descending the mountain.

No blood, no retreat!

"Boom!"

All within just a few dozen seconds.

Though Wu Zhiming had made all the preparations he could, showed all his cards—

he was blown back by one punch from Jiang Shu!

One foot missed the edge, half his body was almost off the ring!

His body had nowhere to unload the impact and had to bear the brunt of Jiang Shu's punch.

He could taste a sweet flavor rising in his throat.

He forced it down, trying to lift his arms to keep fighting.

But his arms, worn out by the onslaught just now, would not move. All his boiling blood, used up by that raging exchange mere moments ago, was gone.

*If stepping back half a step earlier did not count as losing,*

*what about now?*

He pulled his foot back, lips pressed tight as if making some huge decision. He kept his head down; a few seconds later, he finally lifted that once-proud head, staring at Jiang Shu as if trying to remember his face forever.

"I lost."

The three words were soft,

but in front of so many people, they boomed like a thunderclap.

All the new students of Tian Shu Academy who had cheered loudly for Wu Zhiming instantly fell silent.

*They knew better than anyone the real terror of Wu Zhiming's strength, being from the same school.*

*Before the college Martial Arts Genius Tournament began, they even imagined that Wu Zhiming would shine like a fixed star in the sky, knocking Shang Jibei out of the limelight.*

Winning it all.

But right now, the dream was shattered.

*They never could have imagined that Jiang Shu, smack in the middle of the Newcomer Leaderboard, could use just a few dozen seconds and his fists to blow up everything they had believed!*

*Genius tournament...*

*They were just Martial Artists lucky enough to qualify...*

*The real prodigies were the ones standing on the stage now.*

Wu Zhiming was already strong.

*But he ran into someone even stronger—Jiang Shu.*

The new students of Jiangnan Academy trembled. In just one morning, their emotions had run the gamut.

*Honestly, Jiangnan Academy was already in a total disadvantage among the Four Great Universities.*

*Within the academy, their top student was Jiang Shu.*

*But he was only ranked nineteenth on the Newcomer Leaderboard.*

*These new students had already braced themselves for their academy to embarrass itself big time this year.*

*Not a single top-ten genius from Jiangnan Academy.*

*So every single one of them was fighting their heart out.*

*Everyone wanted to win Jiangnan Academy just a shred of dignity.*

*They thought, since they didn't have even one in the top ten—*

*if at least they could hold the bottom line, not finish dead last, maybe it'd still be okay.*

*They fought, draining every last drop of strength.*

*Their power exploding, their blood and stamina running dry.*

*But how many students from Shengjing, East Sea, or Tian Shu Academy were pushovers?*

*Even the ones ranked managed to get knocked down in round four or five.*

*They felt defeated.*

*They felt insecure.*

*They felt regret.*

And right then, Jiang Shu stepped up.

A raging tiger's roar! Bursting onto the scene!

Not a word of trash talk.

He just used his fists, carving a brilliant path for Jiangnan Academy, which was about to become the laughingstock of the universities!

Livestream room.

Right then, who knew how many Jiangnan Academy students, watching the tournament, were so moved they had tears in their eyes?

No matter how many "holy shit" comments popped up from the others, nothing could stop their feelings.

The comments flew, repeating over and over.

"Jiangnan Academy, Class of 2022 grad, checking in."

"Class of 2026. It was class time, but now the teacher canceled class to watch Jiang Shu's genius match with us!"

"Class of 2025. Our whole dorm's freaking out, I even smashed my keyboard by accident. I'm so pumped! I wanna see who still dares say the times have changed and Jiangnan Academy is finished!"

"Damn, I thought I broke the keyboard myself from being too hyped! Fuck! Why the hell did you bust my keyboard when you got excited? You asshole, go to hell!"

"Class of 2020. Graduated already, was supposed to work overtime today. Hahaha, fuck that, I'm taking the day off and drinking, hahaha!"

"Damn it, why the hell did the asshole officials turn off the gift and reward function? Who do you think you are? I wanna send gifts!"