NOVEL WEB Chapter 125 - The Competition 28
Ye Zhengyan, unable to break through, quickly adapted his strategy and started a war of attrition against Mai Dongzi, only launching fierce attacks when he saw an opening.
However, regardless of whether Ye Zhengyan was attacking quickly or slowly, Mai Dongzi always matched his pace—when he sped up, she did too, and when he slowed down, she followed suit.
The longer he fought, the more alarmed he became, realizing that while others thought he was controlling the rhythm of the match, the real control lay not in his hands.
Even more terrifying was the fact that he had not sensed any use of her mental power; she had been relying solely on her martial skills to compete against him.
Her martial cultivation was a whole level lower than his, yet she could hold her own against him without showing any signs of decline.
Ye Zhengyan had been raised in the military, and when it came to combat skills, he was unbeatable among young fighters at level six.
While the two on stage exchanged blows, the audience remained silent, unable to determine who was stronger.
However, they weren’t foolish. Mai Dongzi had used martial skills the entire time, and after discussions on campus forums, most people realized she hadn’t unleashed her stronger techniques. Thus, the eventual outcome seemed obvious.
After battling for over half an hour, Mai Dongzi felt she had worn down Ye Zhengyan’s stamina enough, and the energy levels between them were almost equal. She decided it was time to change her tactics.
Ye Zhengyan was a great opponent, and while using the soft palm technique to wear him down was effective, it wasn’t satisfying. It was time to engage him in a more direct confrontation.
Suddenly, after dodging and countering Ye Zhengyan’s attacks, Mai Dongzi closed in, transforming her palm strike into a punch aimed at his shoulder.
Her attack was so sudden and angled so uniquely that Ye Zhengyan couldn’t block it in time. He managed to slightly shift his body, allowing her fist to hit the less vulnerable muscle of his arm instead.
However, he didn’t expect that along with the intense pain, a strong force pushed him back four or five steps before he stabilized himself.
Just as he regained his footing, Mai Dongzi’s punch was already upon him again.
This time, Ye Zhengyan was ready; he blocked her attack with his right hand and countered with a left punch.
Mai Dongzi thought to herself that Ye Zhengyan was not only powerful but also incredibly quick to react. She could only catch him off guard once; pursuing that advantage was impossible.
Moreover, when her punch struck his arm, she knew her own strength—while it might not have caused serious injury, it surely hurt. Yet, his expression didn’t change at all, and his attacks remained unaffected, showcasing his remarkable self-control.
Once Mai Dongzi shifted her tactics, the atmosphere in the arena changed from lukewarm to intense as they engaged in fierce back-and-forth exchanges.
The speed of their fighting was incredibly fast; only cultivators above level five could follow their movements. The audience could only hear the continuous sounds of “bangs” from their combat, stirring excitement among them.
While Mai Dongzi’s use of the soft palm technique surprised Ye Zhengyan, he was even more astonished when she transitioned from defense to offense, as he found himself becoming more passive. Out of six moves, at least four were initiated by her.
As time ticked away, they maintained their rapid combat style, unable to determine a clear victor.
Though most in the audience couldn’t see the details of their techniques, they could feel the intensity of the battle. Initially, Ye Zhengyan’s momentum was slightly stronger than Mai Dongzi’s, but as the match progressed—about an hour and a half in—Mai Dongzi’s presence began to surpass his.
At this point, their movements gradually slowed, allowing everyone to clearly see the actions of both fighters.
The situation in the arena had indeed turned; Mai Dongzi’s movements were faster, and Ye Zhengyan could only defend passively.
While everyone had a sense that Mai Dongzi was likely to win, the first-year students were hesitant to cheer, as if afraid that speaking out might reverse the outcome. They anxiously awaited the final result.
The fourth-year students remained silent, their expressions in stark contrast to the expectant looks of the first-years.
Finally, with just five minutes left until the two-hour mark, Mai Dongzi landed a punch on Ye Zhengyan, sending him crashing against the arena railing and concluding the match.
When the referee announced that Mai Dongzi was the champion of the school-level individual competition, the first-year students erupted into cheers, overjoyed.
What they had witnessed was a continuous battle that seemed not to inflict much damage, but once the match ended, they realized both fighters had sustained injuries.
Ye Zhengyan was clutching his arm, clearly in significant pain. The medical staff examined him and confirmed a hairline fracture.
The injury was exactly where Mai Dongzi had struck him when he transitioned from defense to offense. He must have sustained the fracture at that moment, yet he had endured in silence, fighting her for over an hour—truly impressive.
It was no wonder he was in such pain after the fight, beads of cold sweat appearing on his forehead.
“You have such great strength. Once we return to the training center, let’s have another match,” Ye Zhengyan said to Mai Dongzi.
Although he didn’t show any signs of distress, the pain from the hairline fracture in Ye Zhengyan’s arm definitely affected his performance. If it weren’t for the injury, he wouldn’t have fought so passively.
Ye Zhengyan lost the championship but didn’t seem discouraged; instead, he expressed interest in having another match with Mai Dongzi, who readily agreed.
In terms of martial skills, Ye Zhengyan was indeed a good opponent, and having a training partner during the three-and-a-half-month-long break would be beneficial.
Despite the fracture being in his arm, it was quite serious, so he was taken away for treatment.
Mai Dongzi, on the other hand, had only a bruise on her face with some blood at the corner of her mouth. While it looked unsightly, such minor injuries didn’t require a trip to the treatment room.
When Mai Dongzi returned to the lounge, Instructor Lan noticed her injury and suppressed her excitement to celebrate the victory. She took out a portable treatment device to help her.
Every instructor carried one of these lightweight treatment devices.
Mai Dongzi actually had a more advanced treatment device sent by Admiral Su in her storage, but she appreciated Lan’s kindness and sat obediently for her treatment.
Instructor Fang also came to watch the match today, but since Mai Dongzi was competing as an arts student, he didn’t enter the players’ lounge and watched from the arena instead.
However, after a while without seeing Lan and Mai Dongzi come out, he decided to check the player lounge.
Inside, Instructor Lan was using the treatment device on Mai Dongzi, her expression as gentle as a mother’s with her daughter.
Instructor Fang felt a lump in his throat and quietly stepped back outside.