Chapter 22

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nTranslator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

nLing Fei didn’t quite understand. She did hear about the Nine-tiered System of Cultivators from Lin Sheng yesterday, though. Each faction used to have their very own systems. Back then, they were not yet standardized across the board.

nHowever, before anyone realized, the Nine-tiered System of Cultivators replaced the existing system to become the cultivating standard acknowledged by all.

nNonetheless, she knew nothing about the Awakened.

n“Haven’t you noticed the barrage of articles online? Where many proclaimed that they had obtained special powers overnight, or that they experienced some sort of drastic change?” Lu Xuan asked as he looked at the middle of the fighting box.

nLing Fei immediately recalled the news that she saw online. As with most people, she simply brushed it off as someone pulling a prank.

nTo become jaw-droppingly powerful through the practice of martial arts was something she could grasp and comprehend. However, what the Awakened claimed to experience—turning into a tree-man or becoming all-powerful, able to fly and burrow at wish—had far surpassed the boundaries of science.

nEven the boldest of internet novels wouldn’t dare to write a story like that.

n“Those are the Awakened. However, most of the Awakened awaken differently. Other than all sorts of superhuman powers or some kind of physical mutation, there are also people like him, who simply had their physical strength boosted.” Lu Xuan then continued, “If my eyes don’t fail me, Park Ji Hyun should have undergone awakening only in his leg muscles, making his legs formidably powerful. Otherwise, even if their cultivation level were about the same, he would have been on the losing end when clashing directly with Zhang Gang. One should know that the entire essence of an external martial art like the Eagle’s Claw lies in the practitioner’s pair of hands. When practiced to the highest degree possible, one could even fight cold weapons bare-handed!”

nThat was also the advantage of the Awakened. There were cases of people becoming as powerful as a Level three Anjin Master the moment they awakened. Lu Xuan had even heard of an Awakened who immediately received strength equivalent to Level five Baodan Grandmaster.

nOrdinary, unawakened warriors might never compare to their starting lines, even if they trained for all their lives.

nLing Fei was awed. The number of intricacies regarding this matter was a surprise. It reminded her of the cultivation system that Lu Xuan once mentioned. Lu Xuan called himself a cultivator, not a warrior.

nWhich was all the more intriguing. If the so-called cultivators were distinct from warriors and the Awakened, she wondered how exactly they would be like.

nOne could hear the muffled thuds from the battle ring, and those were the sounds that exploded whenever they exchanged blows. As both of them could be considered slightly accomplished experts, their fight had long exceeded what normal humans could do.

nThey fought fiercely at warp speeds, which ignited the hot-bloodedness of their many spectators.

nBam!

nTime passed for goodness know how long, but with a clean-cut roundhouse kick, Park Ji Hyun sent Zhang Fei flying.

nSeemingly unresponsive, he had kicked Zhang Gang across the room like it was nothing.

nWhen everyone looked at Zhang Gang, who was now lying on the floor, they quickly realized why he seemed unresponsive just now.

nBoth of his hands were trembling. A deep crack ran from the part between his thumb and his index finger to his palm, and blood gushed out from his wounds.

nMany then understood that it wasn’t that he was unresponsive. It was that Zhang Gang’s hands were unable to react.

nAfter a series of clashes and collisions, Park Ji Hyun’s attacks were so hard-hitting that they had numbed his hands, cracking his palms. He could not even lift his arms an inch.

nZhang Gang’s eyes widened as if he was unable to digest what had just happened. A practitioner of the Eagle’s Claw had their hands hammered numb during a face-off, and their palms cracked, unable to withstand the blows.

nIf he hadn’t experienced it himself, Zhang Gang would never believe something as absurd as this.

nPark Ji Hyun walked up to Zhang Gang and mocked, “How’s that? I’ll let you off if you admit that TaeKwonDo is the strongest and that Chinese martial arts are pathetically weak. If you say that, I won’t pursue your sin of offending me!”

n“My foot! Even if I lost, that doesn’t mean that Chinese martial arts are unworthy. There are many more who are much stronger than me!” Zhang Gang spat at Park Ji Hyun’s words, and fury burned in his chest.

nIt was okay that he lost. However, if he had said those words, he would have humiliated his sect!

n“As the Chinese would put it, you refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. I will submit a proposal to the campus directors stating that there is no need for your Martial Arts Gym to exist. If anyone wishes to learn martial arts, they should learn from the strongest! And TaeKwonDo is the strongest!”

nPark Ji Hyun said haughtily.

n“He’s too arrogant!”

n“Damn it! If not for my lack of power, I would have shown him some colors!”

n“Could it be that Chinese martial arts are truly inferior to TaeKwonDo?”

nMany students of the Martial Arts Gym were shaken. At the same time, they also felt worried about the future of Chinese martial arts.

n“TaeKwonDo’s the strongest! It’s not too late to join the TaeKwonDo club!”

nMeanwhile, the most excited bunch would, of course, be the members of the TaeKwonDo club, as well as the fangirls of Park Ji Hyun.

nWitnessing Park Ji Hyun’s prowess with their own two eyes sent their excitement through the roof.

n“Drunk on success, a petty man!”

nSix words fell from Ling Fei’s lips as some disgust shone from her beautiful eyes.

nSuddenly, Park Ji Hyun saw Ling Fei, who was standing on the sideline. His eyes brightened as he walked over.

n“Beautiful lady, are you interested in learning martial arts? If you are keen to learn the martial way, we, the TaekwonDo club, are your first choice! I can teach you personally!” Park Ji Hyun forcibly suppressed the fervor in his eyes and tried to play it cool.

nUpon seeing how their oppa was so gentle toward Ling Fei, those fangirls immediately shot death glares in their direction.

nHowever, before Park Ji Hyun could continue, a man cut between them.

n“I’m sorry, but you are not allowed to go over!”

nLu Xuan folded his arms across his chest as he stood in front of Park Ji Hyun, blocking his way.

n“Why? And who are you!” Park Ji Hyun frowned as a smear of lethality flashed past his eyes.

n“Can’t you tell? I’m her bodyguard. It’s my responsibility to stop any ugly men from approaching her!” Lu Xuan put on an expression that looked like he was both smiling and not.

n“Ugly men? Me?” Park Ji Hyun blanked out for a second before flying into a rage.

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n“Was your cosmetic surgery that long ago that you’ve forgotten how you initially looked? Your nose, mouth, the corner of your eyes… Tell me, which parts of your face have not gone under the knife?”

nLu Xuan’s words caused an uproar among the crowd. Especially those fangirls, whose gazes changed instantly.

n“Did he say that oppa’s face is a product of cosmetic surgery? That’s impossible! I don’t believe it!”

n“But that man is so good-looking! Especially those eyes, I’ve never seen a pair of eyes that pretty!”

n“You’re right! Handsome men don’t lie!”

n“Only ugly trash lie!”

n“Could it be that oppa did undergo cosmetic surgery?”

nPark Ji Hyun could hear the chatters of his fangirls, which shamed and angered him.

n“You’re asking for a beating!”

nPark Ji Hyun could not contain his anger as he turned, speedily sending a kick toward Lu Xuan’s head.

nThud!

nEveryone heard a massive explosion. Lu Xuan had caught his leg like a piece of cake.

n“Uh?” Before Park Ji Hyun could react, a forceful palm stuck him in his chest.

nHe had sent Park Ji Hyun flying across the room at once.

nBam! Park Ji Hyun landed brutally on the ground.

nIt was the same as how he easily defeated Li Fei moments ago.

nPark Ji Hyun sprang back on his feet once he touched the ground, and with a twirl, pounced at Lu Xuan.

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