Chapter 146: Zhao Manying's Inner Demon

Chapter 146: Zhao Manying's Inner Demon

"You won't be able to find me," said Ji Xinghuo calmly, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

He had intended to tell her his identity, thinking it didn't matter as they were just becoming friends, and he wasn't some mysterious big shot. However, teasing her a little seemed more fun.

"What if I do?" Zhao Manying found the idea of guessing his identity intriguing, treating it like a game.

"If you do, then we can be friends," Ji Xinghuo replied with a smile.

"So we're not friends now?" Zhao Manying's voice suddenly changed. Ji Xinghuo instantly recognized it as her real voice, distinct and captivating, though her tone was completely different from her usual self, alluring with a hint of seduction, as if she was deliberately huskier than normal.

"Don't force it," Ji Xinghuo said, almost laughing. "Of course not. We're just online acquaintances."

"Hahaha..." Zhao Manying couldn't help but laugh as well, reverting to her normal voice. "Are you one of the extraordinary ones on the Tower?"

"Does being strong necessarily mean I'm on the Tower?" Ji Xinghuo deliberately misled her.

There were ten thousand people on the Tower, including himself and Zhao Manying. This year, there were only about thirty people of their age, 24 years old, and every single one of them was an exceptional genius.

If she confirmed that he was on the Tower, the search range would immediately narrow down to just a few dozen people. Then, with a gender filter, and knowing that he had mentioned living in Chang'an, she would be very close to the truth.

Moreover, he was the last one on the Tower.

Sometimes, this ranking was quite noticeable. A simple check of news records would lead to his identity.

"That's true..." Zhao Manying, unaware of Ji Xinghuo's thoughts, nodded. "I've met some very strong extraordinary individuals who, for various reasons, are not listed on the Tower."

"Stronger than you?" Ji Xinghuo asked curiously.

"How is that possible!" Zhao Manying scoffed, her confidence of being unmatched evident. "I earned my place as the first on the Tower. Under the legends, no one in the world can beat me." She looked at Ji Xinghuo, "including you."

Ji Xinghuo smiled noncommittally but didn't refute her claim.

It was clear that her defeat in martial arts earlier had not affected her confidence at all. Either she hadn't used her full strength, or she felt that martial arts was just a part of her abilities.

"Another round?"

Ji Xinghuo directly challenged her, knowing that victory was the best counterargument.

Moreover, an opponent like Zhao Manying was rare, and the gains from a single bout with her could surpass a hundred matches with others.

"Sure!"

Zhao Manying readily agreed.

She shared Ji Xinghuo's sentiment and wanted to defeat him to prove herself.

Ji Xinghuo exited the arena and created a private room. The setting was no longer the arena but an ancient and elegant martial arts field, located atop a peak, surrounded by breathtaking views of towering mountains and rolling clouds.

Such spaces, dedicated to private sparring and practice, were known as "Martial Arts Rooms," where wins and losses would not affect ranking points.

Additionally, there was no limit to the number of people who could join. One could invite all their friends.

Ji Xinghuo invited Zhao Manying.

Upon entering the Martial Arts Room, Zhao Manying glanced around and said, "Let's begin."

The two immediately engaged in intense combat, their skills evenly matched. As they fought, time slipped by unnoticed.

In the blink of an eye, a whole night passed.

Ji Xinghuo's sword cleaved through Zhao Manying's longsword, and his left fist, like lightning, struck her throat. With the burst of true energy, the match ended with a clear victor.

White light flashed, and their states returned to normal.

Zhao Manying's face was expressionless as she stood still, eyes closed, pondering the gains and losses of the previous match. A few minutes later, she opened her eyes and said, "Again."

"Let's call it a day here," Ji Xinghuo shook his head. "I need to start my cultivation for today."

"Running away after winning?"

Zhao Manying was eager for more, and her true emotions finally surfaced—disappointment and unwillingness to accept defeat. She had fought Ji Xinghuo dozens of times and lost every single match! She had thought they were evenly matched, but it turned out to be a one-sided affair.

Each time she felt she had a chance to win, she fell just short. In martial arts, a slight gap in skill might seem insignificant, but it was like an insurmountable chasm. If one consistently fell short by a single move, it indicated a difference in rank.

She was a Martial Arts Master, and the only higher rank was the honorary Martial Arts Saint.

Furthermore, the title of Martial Arts Saint was more of a recognition of one's achievements in the martial path, and not every Martial Arts Saint could overpower a Martial Arts Master.

Zhao Manying couldn't fathom that there was a 24-year-old Martial Arts Saint on Earth!

Her unwavering confidence of being invincible was shaken.

However, the progress she made that night was tangible and exhilarating, surpassing her progress in the past six months. She wanted to continue fighting.

"I'm not running away, but it's already seven in the morning," Ji Xinghuo said helplessly.

"So soon?"

Zhao Manying, immersed in the battles, hadn't noticed the passing of time and felt a bit embarrassed. "Then go ahead. I have some things to take care of today as well. I have two interviews. How about we meet tonight?"

"What time?" Ji Xinghuo asked.

"I'll try to be online before eight," Zhao Manying suddenly laughed, "Or you can give me a contact method. It will be easier for me to notify you if there are any changes."

"Farewell."

Ji Xinghuo left the practice room with those two words and immediately logged off.

As he exited the virtual login cabin, he exhaled lightly. After an entire night of intense battles with Zhao Manying, he was feeling a bit exhausted.

The mental pressure had taken a toll on his spiritual energy.

After each fight, he would immediately shut down his microscopic perception to reduce star power consumption and wait a few minutes before reactivating it.

However, it was all worth it.

Martial arts was like playing chess; sparring with high-ranking opponents accelerated one's improvement. If one played with poor players frequently, they would adopt their inferior strategies and even blend into their tier.

After the night's battles, Ji Xinghuo felt that even without the Myriad Phenomenon Star Pupil or the activation of microscopic perception, he had reached the ninth rank in martial arts.

A wave of fatigue washed over him.

Ji Xinghuo climbed into bed and fell asleep, sleeping through lunchtime.

After waking up, he freshened up, had a meal, and went to the exercise room to cultivate for the entire afternoon. In the evening, he returned home and logged on to the martial arts platform, only to immediately receive an invitation from Zhao Manying, pulling him into the Martial Arts Room.

"I logged on before six," Zhao Manying pouted. "My interview ended earlier today, so I logged on early."

Ji Xinghuo spread his hands helplessly. "I had no way of knowing that."

"Alright then."

She didn't ask for his contact information again, and after a brief chat, they began their match.

A few minutes later, Ji Xinghuo had secured another victory.

"How come I still can't win?" Zhao Manying sighed in frustration, looking at Ji Xinghuo, who seemed so relaxed. Suddenly, she proposed, "What if we don't debrief or review our matches after each bout? Maybe we'd improve faster if we discussed and analyzed each match together afterward?"

Ji Xinghuo considered this for a moment. "Sure, we can do that."

The Martial Arts Rooms had a video playback function that recorded every battle from different angles and then played it back in slow motion, allowing them to see all the details of their fights. This was one of the reasons why people loved sparring on the virtual platform.

A large screen appeared in front of them, playing back the match they had just finished.

The two of them stood in front of the screen, carefully observing their moves. They would pause and zoom in on particular moments, pointing out issues and discussing alternative strategies. They openly shared their thoughts and were honest with each other about their mistakes.

It took them almost half an hour to review the few minutes of combat.

After their analysis, they faced off again.

Ji Xinghuo immediately noticed the subtle improvements in Zhao Manying's technique. They were minor adjustments, but in martial arts, progress came from accumulating these small improvements through relentless training.

This both motivated and pressured him.

Before long, dawn broke.

That night, they only fought about a dozen matches, but their progress was greater than it had been on the first night. Ji Xinghuo didn't need to frequently activate his microscopic perception, and he was able to keep up without much difficulty.

They logged off promptly at 8 a.m.

"See you tonight," Zhao Manying said.

"See you later, same time," Ji Xinghuo replied.

After agreeing on the time, Ji Xinghuo exited the virtual login cabin, feeling less tired than the previous night. He took a two-hour break before heading to the exercise room to cultivate.

From mid-January to the end of February, Ji Xinghuo's days followed this routine.

He would sleep from 8 a.m. to noon, then cultivate in the exercise room until evening. After dinner, he would return home and log onto the martial arts platform at 8 p.m.

Zhao Manying was always online by eight.

No matter what she had been busy with during the day—interviews, team training, or personal matters—and even though she sometimes participated in club-organized live streams, she would always log on promptly at eight in the evening.

Then, they would fight through the night, a full twelve hours.

Although Zhao Manying still didn't know Ji Xinghuo's true identity, over the course of more than a month, they had become increasingly familiar with each other. She would occasionally share some aspects of her life, her views on current events, and they would exchange ideas and discuss various topics, sometimes even arguing passionately. However, they always managed to find common ground and understand each other's perspectives.

It was a strange feeling.

During the day, Ji Xinghuo would often see Zhao Manying in other places or search for her on social media, watching as countless netizens and fans adored her. She always appeared aloof and distant to the public, smiling yet somehow separate, as if she were a far-off figure.

But then, at night, he would be able to interact with her directly.

The combination of these two contrasting images—the familiar and the distant—made her feel like the most familiar stranger.

On the last day of February, Ji Xinghuo logged on at eight as usual and entered the Martial Arts Room to find Zhao Manying waiting for him, as always. After a brief chat, they began their nightly ritual.

An hour or so later, Ji Xinghuo had won three consecutive matches.

He was about to suggest reviewing the matches when Zhao Manying suddenly said, "It's been five hundred matches."

"What?" Ji Xinghuo was confused.

"I've lost to you five hundred times in a row, without a single win," Zhao Manying said, her gaze fixed on Ji Xinghuo. "In my life, I've never lost so many times to the same person. Over this past month, I feel like my martial arts skills have improved, but you've been progressing even faster and further. It's becoming harder and harder for me to beat you."

Ji Xinghuo smiled. "That's to be expected; I'm naturally stronger than you."

"No," Zhao Manying shook her head. "You're only stronger than me in martial arts." She had accepted this fact but not the entirety of it.

Ji Xinghuo chose not to argue.

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking," Zhao Manying continued, having come to understand him quite well. "Hmph... If I lose to you five hundred times in a row without a single win, it'll become my inner demon."

'Inner demon' was a term often used in the league.

It referred to a psychological barrier that a competitor might develop after repeatedly losing to the same opponent, creating an unconscious fear that could affect their confidence and performance.

The more they lost, the more they feared, and the more they feared, the weaker they became.

The only way to overcome an inner demon was to defeat that particular opponent.

"I'm not a competitor, so you won't meet me in the league. I can't be your inner demon," Ji Xinghuo said. He had never thought about this before, and if he had known, he might have let her win a few times.

However, with her intelligence, she would probably have realized that he was letting her win, which might have upset her even more.

Deliberately losing wouldn't help her overcome her inner demon.

"It has nothing to do with the league," Zhao Manying said seriously. "This is about my martial arts and my path to evolution. You are my inner demon."

"Isn't that a bit dramatic?" Ji Xinghuo asked, unsure if she was joking.

"No, it's not," Zhao Manying nodded.

"What should we do, then?" Ji Xinghuo now considered Zhao Manying a friend, and since he was the cause of her concern, he was willing to help her find a solution.

"The new season is about to start," Zhao Manying said. "I need to overcome this inner demon before the season begins. In terms of martial arts, I know I can't beat you anytime soon, but a competitor's strength isn't solely based on that. It also includes star power, abilities, physique, and how they perform in actual combat, none of which can be fully demonstrated on this virtual martial arts platform. So..."

She looked directly at Ji Xinghuo and said, "I want to challenge you offline."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end