[Recomndation Rating: Two and a half stars]
This was the highest recomndation rating Zhang Beixing had given to a martial art since he started this Grandmaster Inventory column. It was a whole star higher than Shaolin.
But Tian Fenglin couldn’t feel happy at the mont.
On one hand, it was because he was being compared to people who either lacked martial ethics or were frauds and impostors. Being ranked alongside these people made it seem as if he was one of them. On the other hand, it was Zhang Beixing’s critique.
As a Grandmaster, Tian Fenglin also had his pride. He prided himself on his mastery of Taizu Long Fist, considering himself unparalleled in all of Great Xia. And now, Zhang Beixing had pointed out so many flaws. It really annoyed him.
Yes! You, Zhang Beixing, indeed beat , but winning doesn’t an you have the right to criticize! Do you understand Taizu Long Fist? Do you know how this martial art is practiced? You, who primarily practice Yue Family’s Continuous Fist, what right do you have to pontificate to ? Tian Fenglin thought, feeling quite upset.
At the sa ti, like the other martial artists, he noticed sothing fishy about the whole affair. It all started with Ma Yuankai. Zhang Beixing, up to now, had challenged so many people. This was no longer just about revenge!
It seed more like... "Challenging dojos?" Tian Fenglin murmured.
This wasn’t wild speculation. He had reasons for thinking this!
Ever since Zhang Beixing had co out of nowhere that day, seeking a battle with him, Tian Fenglin had felt that sothing was amiss. Previously, he had no clue and, despite feeling sothing was off, hadn’t thought much of it. Now, considering what Zhang Beixing had done during this period, only one possibility remained for this situation!
Other martial artists also ca to this realization, especially when they saw the Great Xia Grandmaster Ranking that Zhang Beixing had created. At first, they didn’t understand why Zhang Beixing went out of his way to create such a thing. It now seed this guy had been laying the groundwork for that day’s actions since then!
When the president of the Yanjing Martial Arts Association saw the Grandmaster ranking list released by Zhang Beixing, he noted that Zhang Beixing’s victory over Tian Fenglin had moved him from seventh to sixth place. The president couldn’t help but exclaim, "Could it be that he intends to defeat everyone on the ranking list who is above him?" Then he developed a headache.
Initially, when they saw the Grandmaster ranking list Zhang Beixing had made, they thought it was just a whimsical venture on his part. Indeed, its content seed substantial, as the strength of those listed matched their rankings, so they had shared and updated it. Who would have thought this list was actually a foreshadowing Zhang Beixing had planted for his challenge across the country? This was an incredibly problematic situation. Now they were caught between a rock and a hard place.
Updating the list would amount to recognizing Zhang Beixing’s prowess and admitting other Grandmasters were inferior to him. This would surely invite the resentnt of those Grandmasters Zhang Beixing had defeated, and their own province’s Grandmasters being surpassed wasn’t exactly a matter of pride. But if they didn’t update it—especially since they had updated it the previous few tis—netizens would surely sense sothing was amiss. The Martial Arts Association’s reputation would truly be at stake.
The troubled president of the Yanjing Martial Arts Association chose to pass the buck and question Liu Yi. "Liu Yi! Look at what your disciple has done!"
Liu Yi didn’t care one bit. He sat with his legs crossed in his chair, picking his nose with his little finger. After hearing the president’s words, he rolled the booger into a ball and flicked it forcefully at the Yanjing Martial Arts Association president, hitting him on the head. "Watch your words," Liu Yi said. "I am a Grandmaster; address as Grandmaster Liu!
"As for what my disciple has done, you said it yourself—his deeds are good. So, do you have a problem with good deeds?
"If you’re happy to update, then update. If you’re not, then don’t.
"To use your own words from back then, one more or one less of you makes no difference. Understand?"
Liu Yi’s attitude was extrely firm. After speaking, he stood up and left, not caring about the Yanjing Martial Arts Association president’s reaction. Halfway out, he suddenly stopped. "Oh, and one more thing," he added. "I’m declining your invitation to join, and I won’t agree to it in the future either. I’m already a mber of the Northern River Province Martial Arts Association. You Yanjing Martial Arts Association people, stay away from . I don’t want them getting the wrong idea!"
"Liu Yi!!!"
Following a roar from behind, Liu Yi strode away.
anwhile, online, other Martial Arts Associations, after seeing Zhang Beixing’s update, had also clearly realized his malicious intent, and not one had dared to utter a word for fear of provoking others. But while they remained silent, others were not inclined to keep quiet. The Northern River Province Martial Arts Association didn’t care about all that. What they wanted to see was a river of blood. Therefore, as soon as Zhang Beixing updated the martial arts rankings, they imdiately stepped up to respond and share.
[Great Xia Grandmaster Rankings]
First: Daoist Qingwei of Wudang Mountain, sixty-three years old.
Second: Daoist Ding Shen of Dragon Tiger Mountain, eighty-three years old.
Third: Wan Mingde of Original Style Tai Chi, sixty-seven years old.
Fourth: Zhang Beixing of Yue Family’s Continuous Fist, twenty-one years old!
...
Eighth: Wu Yougui of Black Dragon Eighteen Palms, fifty-eight years old.
Ninth: Liu Yi of Yue Family’s Continuous Fist, fifty years old.
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