Chapter 78: The Two Strongest Decided

Chapter 78: The Two Strongest Decided (Monthly-Ticket Loan 1)

Feeling her chair vibrate beneath her, Le Muran didn’t blame anyone—Zhang Yu’s sudden breakthrough had stunned her just as much.

“Breaking through in martial arts mid-battle? That’s incredible,” she murmured. “No wonder Lian Tianji lost.”

“But even this… the gap with Song Hailong is still too wide.”

The 5th-level Infinite Cloud Hands alone couldn’t bridge their disparity, and events on the arena confirmed Le Muran’s prediction.

The newly enhanced Infinite Cloud Hands startled Song Hailong briefly, but as he unleashed his Back Dragon Flip Hand, his superior strength and physique overwhelmed Zhang Yu, slamming him to the ground.

“It’s over.”

Le Muran knew that against someone like Song Hailong, being thrown and grappled left no hope. But the next moment, she gaped in shock—Zhang Yu was countering with the Back Dragon Flip Hand?

——

On the arena

Watching Song Hailong fluidly execute the Back Dragon Flip Hand, Zhang Yu stared at the technique materializing on his Feather Book. His only chance to win was mastering this martial art now.

Off the arena

“Is he insane?” Le Muran thought. “Trying to learn grappling mid-fight? Has he lost his mind?”

Yet within moments, she sensed Zhang Yu’s clumsy, distorted attempts at grappling weren’t just delaying defeat—they were disrupting Song Hailong’s rhythm. Combined with Infinite Cloud Hands, Zhang Yu redirected force against force, resisting fiercely.

“A true martial prodigy,” she admitted. “He’s grasping the core principles instantly, adapting them to his style.”

“But still… only delaying the inevitable.”

Zhang Yu seemed to dance on a blade’s edge. Ground grappling was brutal—once Song Hailong locked joints or pressure points, it meant shattered bones, paralysis. One moment alive, the next… crushed to pulp.

Suddenly, Zhang Yu’s technique shifted. Clumsy became seasoned, chaotic became precise. He was matching Song Hailong’s Back Dragon Flip Hand.

“Learned it? No… Mastered it?”

Lian Tianji shot upright, stunned. “Mastering an opponent’s martial art mid-battle? This talent… terrifying.”

His face twisted between awe and fear. Such genius hadn’t been seen in years—and certainly not someone reckless enough to use it.

“He’s not afraid of bankruptcy? This is outright piracy!”

Bai Zhenzhen grabbed Zhang Yu’s phone. “Know the password?” Lei Jun asked, half-panicked, half-excited.

“I’ve borrowed money for him before,” she replied, typing furiously.

“Search ‘Back Dragon Flip Hand’—”

The screen dimmed. “40,000 credits! His balance is insufficient!”

Then—a transfer chime.

40,000 credits from Zhang Pianpian.

As the electronic manual and license transferred to Zhang Yu’s account, Bai Zhenzhen exhaled.

Back on the arena, the two men resembled dragons entwined. Though Song Hailong dominated, Zhang Yu’s resistance grew sharper.

Song Hailong’s eyes widened. “His Back Dragon Flip Hand… surpassed mine?!”

In pure strength, Zhang Yu couldn’t match him. But on the ground, even Song Hailong’s physique couldn’t withstand being locked down. Especially with Zhang Yu’s 5th-level Formless Cloud Qi surging through his arms, every grappling attempt was deflected, countered, reversed.

“I’ll just outlast him! My stamina will break him!”

But as they rolled, Zhang Yu’s strength waned—then, suddenly, Song Hailong felt his footing vanish.

Distracted by the fight, he hadn’t noticed nearing the arena’s edge. With a final twist, Zhang Yu hurled him outside.

Thud!

Song Hailong stared blankly at the ground beneath his feet.

“I… lost?”

Fury surged. Muscles bulged as he prepared to charge back—until three referees blocked his path.

After a long silence, he exhaled. “You won.”

The referees stepped aside as Song Hailong stalked back to Bailong High’s bench, icy-faced.

On the arena, a referee approached Zhang Yu. “Do you have the license for Back Dragon Flip Hand?”

Bai Zhenzhen thrust the phone forward. “He bought it! Here’s the order!” She flashed the Talisman Codex’s Inspection Division stamp.

The referee nodded, issuing a warning before departing.

Bai Zhenzhen sighed. “What were you thinking? Pirating martial arts mid-fight? You could’ve been sued into bankruptcy!”

Zhang Yu scratched his head. “Got carried away. Knew you’d cover me, though.”

“Four thousand credits! Lose the next match, and you’ll be working it off for years!”

She softened. “Injured?”

He shook his head. Minor bruises, nothing more. But his mind throbbed—hours in Total Concentration State, dodging bankruptcy, pushing his limits…

“Zhen… help me back. Head’s spinning.”

She scoffed, then swept him into her arms. “Our investment’s huge. Beat Le Muran next.”

He hummed weakly as she whispered, “I’ll tell you her weakness…”

——

Back at Bailong High, the mood was grim.

“Their stats are low, but Zhang Yu’s talent is real,” their coach admitted. “He adapts mid-battle—unpredictable.”

“Still, Hai Long’s stronger. Without arena rules, Zhang Yu wouldn’t last.”

Two excuses for losing: blame carelessness or praise the opponent. The coach used both.

Other students nodded.

“He stole the Back Dragon Flip Hand!”

“Did he even have the license?”

“Checked. Clean.”

Mixed feelings lingered. Zhang Yu’s stats didn’t surpass Song Hailong’s, yet he’d done the impossible.

On a stretcher, Chu Qiuhai feigned unconsciousness, grinning inwardly.

“Keep praising him. The stronger he seems, the more normal my loss looks.”

——

Thank you for your support! Our first chapter’s monthly ticket sales broke 30,000—a humbling honor. Today, I repay one “Monthly-Ticket Loan.” More repayments will follow as quality permits. Please keep voting—Monthly Ticket! Monthly Ticket! Monthly Ticket!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end