Gao Wu insists on cultivating immortality.

Chapter 65 Example
January 15th, Dongjiang Martial Arts Hall.

The morning session featured the round of 16 matches. The huge martial arts arena had a single ring set up, with rows of seats placed ten meters away from the ring, allowing the audience inside to watch the matches up close.

The martial arts arena was packed to capacity this time, with over 30,000 spectators in attendance. A third of them were middle school students.

That's right, middle school students have considerable spending power.

Parents are very willing to invest a lot of resources in their children's education. Watching the Xuetao Cup live is obviously more meaningful than going to a concert or something similar.

Even if they all came for the sake of high martial arts, it still makes sense.

Middle-aged people generally dislike internet celebrities and all sorts of nonsensical self-media on the internet. But they all think Gao Wu is a pretty good internet celebrity.

Firstly, Gao Wu comes from a humble background and his personal character is impeccable. More importantly, this young man is positive, accomplished in martial arts, and always radiates positive energy, making him very inspiring.

He is an excellent role model for young people!
Adults have many thoughts, but teenagers' thoughts are much simpler. They just want to come and see the excitement, to see Gao Wu, the leader of the passionate youth group, and they hope to see Gao Wu reach the top with their own eyes.

If that's the case, Gao Wu will be the first middle school student to win the Xuetao Cup in fifty years! This would be of extraordinary significance to these young people!
This viewpoint was raised by someone on the Dongjiang Middle School Students' Forum and immediately received responses from countless middle school students.

To celebrate this glorious moment, even middle school students who weren't fans of the martial arts school made various support flags and light boards. To show their identity as a passionate youth group, they agreed to tie red ribbons on their heads or wear red headbands.

A large group of teenagers gathered together, mostly dressed in red clothes and wearing red headbands, holding bright red flags and light boards, occupying a large space inside the martial arts hall.

Their uniform attire created a massive presence among the teenagers. Although they only made up a third of the group, their sheer numbers completely dominated the martial arts hall, making the other 20,000-plus people seem almost insignificant in comparison.

Shen Yue looked excitedly at the red banners that covered the martial arts hall. He whispered furtively in Gao Wu's ear, "I was the one who started the initiative on the forums and video comment sections. I even spent money to get some support flags. Sure enough, kids are so easy to fool, hehe..."

Yesterday's youthful passion group deeply inspired him, but it also sparked his creativity. Gao Wu was already very popular, and by portraying him as a representative of the youth of Dongjiang, he could further garner recognition from all middle school students.

Dongjiang has a million middle school students; if even one percent of them were to take action, it would be a tremendous force.

This guidance and manipulation ignited the teenagers' enthusiasm, resulting in the spectacular scene we see today.

"Well done!" Gao Wu patted Shen Yue on the shoulder and praised him loudly. Deep down, he didn't like vanity. However, the presence of so many supporters made the fight feel more meaningful.

Even if it's just for the sake of his peers, he has to win this championship!

Not everyone likes fast-paced entertainment; many people at the event were unfamiliar with Gao Wu. Seeing banners and signs proclaiming "Gao Sheng is the best in the world," they were quite bewildered.

Which martial artist is so powerful that they dare to claim to be the best in the world?!
The Dongjiang River freezes for half the year, and most people here share a common trait: they are warm, cheerful, and love to chat. Only with such a personality can they maintain their vitality during the long, frozen season.

No matter what questions you have, just ask and many people will be happy to answer. People who didn't know about Gao Wu before quickly figured it out.

“Gao Wu, let me see…” A middle-aged man curiously took out his phone, opened a mini-program, and saw that Gao Wu’s odds of winning the championship were 30 to 1.

He was somewhat surprised; in the round of 16, each contestant's chance of winning was supposed to be 1 in 16. Of course, each martial artist's skill level was different, so the odds of winning would fluctuate accordingly.

Just like the two most popular contenders for the championship: Xu Sanhu and Tie Biao. Their odds are less than 2.

The odds for most other contestants were around 10 to 1, while the odds for an 18-year-old female warrior from outside the region were 12 to 1.

The middle-aged man was somewhat puzzled. He glanced at Gao Wu's group, Group Two, and realized he needed to defeat three outstanding martial artists: Wan Cangshan, Bai Yushuang, and Xu Sanhu. Xu Sanhu, in particular, was the number one seed for the championship.

Therefore, Gao Wu's chances of winning the championship are indeed very small. The middle-aged man glanced at the crimson flags waving all over the field, and he found the momentum quite interesting. After thinking for a moment, he still placed a bet of one thousand yuan on Gao Wu.

If you lose, just treat it as a game; if you win, you'll be happy for a whole month!

Gambling is illegal under the state's regulations. However, online gambling is considered a gray area.

Most gamblers enjoy excitement, and high odds greatly increase their betting enthusiasm. Gao Wu had previously performed exceptionally well, and the discovery of his high odds attracted many people to place bets on him.

Song Mingyue also saw Gao Wu's high odds on her phone. At this point, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that Gao Wu was already a top-level martial artist, and with his enhanced steel body, he had a huge advantage on the arena.

Giving Gao Wu such high odds is clearly abnormal. They're really planning to cause trouble with Gao Wu.

Song Mingyue glanced at Gao Wu, who was about to go on stage, but didn't say anything to him. The top two would be decided in the morning, and the final would be at nine o'clock in the evening.

There's still plenty of time, so there's no need to be too anxious.

Gao Wu noticed Song Mingyue's gaze, and he casually made a salute by tracing two fingers across his eyebrows.

Shen Yue couldn't help but complain from the side: "This guy must think he's very handsome and cool."

"He really is handsome," Song Mingyue said softly. She meant it sincerely, not just joking with Shen Yue.

As Gao Wu's best friend, she also felt it was necessary to prove Gao Wu's innocence.

"Ha..." Shen Yue chuckled dryly.

He was surprised, embarrassed, and shy when Song Mingyue spoke to him, and his face turned red.

Fortunately, even though his face was a bit dark, his ears were bright red, his forehead was sweating, and he looked extremely embarrassed, no one paid any attention to him...

The boys and girls in the surrounding stands clearly shared Song Mingyue's opinion; they let out excited, high-pitched screams and waved their flags even more vigorously. The martial arts hall instantly erupted in chaos.

Hearing the cheers from the stands and the waving crimson flags, Gao Wu was also filled with excitement. Unconsciously, he had already gained so many supporters!
He stood straight and saluted the banner of the passionate youth group in the stands. Song Mingyue was his best friend, so he could joke around, but he had to show enough respect to the enthusiastic fans, just as they respected him!
To match the theme of the hot-blooded youth group, Gao Wu specially brought two sets of crimson martial arts uniforms.

Martial arts uniforms can be ordered from the Tianwu Association's official website; it's all about the price. Middle school students also receive a discount.

The crimson martial arts uniform has a very intense color, but fortunately the design is decent, with a gold embroidered dragon pattern on the chest and the two large characters "Iron Dragon" on the back.

Although Tie Dalong was imprisoned, Gao Wu remembered his favor. It had been agreed beforehand that the competition would naturally include a promotion for Tie Long Martial Arts School.

He wasn't after the small bonus promised by Tielong; rather, he believed in keeping one's word.

The cameras on site were all pointed at Gao Wu, who was tall and imposing. Wearing a bright red martial arts uniform, he had a fiery and flamboyant air about him.

"Ah ah ah..."

"Gao Sheng is the best in the world!" The screams of the young men and women in the audience rose and fell, their voices growing louder and louder.

Most of the other spectators were also applauding and cheering. Gao Wu was facing Wan Cangshan, an outsider, so they naturally wanted to support Gao Wu, who came from Dongjiang.

Another crucial point is that Gao Wu is a born star; he shines with an unrestrained and dazzling light on the stage, attracting everyone's attention and winning their favor. Song Mingyue felt this even more deeply; even though Gao Wu's mental strength was average, he possessed a unique and powerful aura that could easily influence others.

In layman's terms, Gao Wu was incredibly charismatic. Song Mingyue, however, knew it was Gao Wu's talent, an extremely powerful force that allowed him to fight against the alien spirits.

The atmosphere was extremely heated, but Wan Cangshan, Gao Wu's opponent, remained remarkably calm. He was thirty-three years old and had fought against strange beasts head-on, as well as countless others he had secretly killed.

For him, everything outside the arena was irrelevant to the fight and therefore meaningless. The only thing he truly cared about was his opponent, Gao Wu.

This eighteen-year-old boy was tall and slender, yet possessed extraordinary physical strength. This could be seen by comparing him to Mad Dog, whose physical strength, even after undergoing biochemical modifications, was still inferior to Gao Wu's.

Another point is that this person is also very strong, and his martial arts skills are quite proficient. He needs to be careful when dealing with him.

His participation in the Xuetao Cup was also an attempt by his family to enter Dongjiang. Behind him, many members of the Wan family were watching him.

Wan Cangshan coldly said to Gao Wu, "Little friend, this is a fighting arena, not a place for you to play around. If I accidentally kill you, don't blame me."

Gao Wu chuckled and shook his finger: "Uncle, don't be too confident!"

Wan Cangshan's face was gloomy. He despised this frivolity and his heart was filled with murderous intent. If he had the chance, he would definitely kill this kid without the slightest hesitation!
At the referee's signal, Gao Wu and Wan Cangshan quickly moved closer to each other. Gao Wu threw the first punch, and Wan Cangshan parried with a horizontal punch. He immediately noticed that Gao Wu's strength had loosened.

Having mastered martial arts to this level, he could sense the changes in his opponent's muscle strength through physical contact.

"Gao Wu is trying to pull some tricks!" Wan Cangshan was a man of great combat experience. Without hesitation, he pushed Gao Wu's fist aside and strode straight into Gao Wu's center. His right fist struck Gao Wu's face like a cannonball.

Having practiced the Bull Demon Fist for nearly thirty years, at this moment he gathered the power of his tendons, bones, and muscles into his fist, making the air seem to explode.

Such momentum was clearly transmitted to all the audience members through the sound system. The whistling wind from the punches made everyone's hearts sink.

Bai Yushuang watched the battle intently. In her opinion, Wan Cangshan's power was even greater than that of a high-level martial artist, and his Bull Demon Fist tempered his body to be exceptionally strong, no less so than a high-level martial artist. Moreover, he had twenty years of combat experience.

In every respect, she surpasses Gao Wu. Gao Wu probably won't be able to get past this hurdle. She also felt a little regretful; if Gao Wu had won, she could have faced him in the next round and taught this arrogant young man a lesson!
Bai Yushuang wasn't the only one who thought this way; other experts from various factions shared the same view. Gao Wu's fighting style was well-suited to Wan Cangshan's style. Given Wan Cangshan's experience, they wouldn't give Gao Wu any opportunities.

Facing Wan Cangshan's fierce, cannon-like straight punch, Gao Wu advanced instead of retreating. Instead of blocking Wan Cangshan's punch with his left hand, he reached out and grabbed Wan Cangshan's collar while turning his head to avoid it.

In reality, Wan Cangshan's fist was faster, striking Gao Wu's exposed chin first. With just one punch, Gao Wu's head jolted violently, and his fine, flowing black hair flew up.

Having taken a punch, Gao Wu also grabbed Wan Cangshan by the collar. Wan Cangshan noticed Gao Wu's bright eyes; he was somewhat surprised that such a heavy blow had failed to cause any real damage to Gao Wu.

But his reaction was incredibly fast; he seized the opportunity to bend his elbow and strike Gao Wu's neck.

He channeled all his strength through his spine to his elbow, and the force of his elbow strike was like a heavy hammer, causing Gao Wu's neck to twist and deform.

Despite his successful series of attacks, Wan Cangshan's heart sank. With his strength, he could easily break Gao Wu's neck, or at least knock Gao Wu unconscious. However, the force returning from his elbow was hard and tough, and his elbow's power clearly failed to penetrate.

"This kid's body is freakish! Not only did he survive two heavy blows, but his core strength is also so stable..." Wan Cangshan realized something was wrong, but it was too late.

Just then, Gao Wu lifted Wan Cangshan up with a single effort. His arm had the strength of two thousand kilograms, so lifting Wan Cangshan, who weighed only a little over one hundred kilograms, was very easy for him.

With no leverage in mid-air, Wan Cangshan's strength was no match for Gao Wu's. Anticipating Gao Wu's next move, he quickly curled up.

Just as Wan Cangshan had predicted, Gao Wu used an over-the-shoulder throw technique to violently flip him over. Gao Wu then followed up by adjusting his body and calmly gathering his strength. With a powerful "dragon tail swing" technique, the power of his muscles and bones flowed through his joints to the instep, and he delivered a powerful kick to Wan Cangshan, who was about to land.

Wan Cangshan, who was upside down, suddenly felt a blur before his eyes. He knew something was wrong and quickly covered his head with his arms, shrank his chest and pulled in his stomach.

Gao Wu charged up his kick, piercing through Wan Cangshan's protective arms, and slammed into his opponent's chest.

More than 2,500 kilograms of force were transmitted to Wan Cangshan through the instep. The terrifying force caused Wan Cangshan's sternum to collapse deeply, and his heart and lungs were subjected to violent compression and impact, causing him to spit blood from all seven orifices at the same time.

What makes this kick so terrifying is its ability to unleash power instantly over an extremely short distance, giving Wan Cangshan no chance to use it.

Wan Cangshan fell from the sky, and his entire body immediately went limp and he couldn't muster any strength.

Gao Wu did not press his advantage; he simply made a feint with his palm at Wan Cangshan, saying, "If I strike you with this palm, you really will die, Uncle."

The referee rushed over and stopped Gao Wu, signaling the end of the match.

Several young men who were guarding a corner of the arena rushed onto the stage. Two of them went to help Wan Cangshan up, while another young man with a long scar on his face pointed at Gao Wu and cursed, "You little brat, you're asking for death!"

The referee couldn't stand it anymore, so he waved his hand, signaling the young man to shut up and leave the stage immediately.

The young men didn't dare to be too presumptuous in the end, only muttering harsh words like "Gao Wu, just wait and see"... Gao Wu ignored them. These kids were no match for Wan Cangshan. If they really fought, he could teach them a lesson with just two punches.

The battle ended in a single exchange, and to the average viewer, it was another complete victory for Gao Wu.

The banners of the passionate youth group fluttered in the wind, and the resounding song "Youths have their own wildness" rang out once again.

Standing in the center of the arena, Gao Wu glanced at Wan Cangshan. Wan Cangshan was pale but conscious and seemed to be alright, though he must have broken a few ribs.

Once he was certain that Wan Cangshan was alright, Gao Wu raised his hand in salute towards the main force of the Hot-Blooded Youth Group.

He then made a heart shape with his hands over his heart, indicating that it was for the passionate youth group.

No one has ever made this gesture before, but its meaning is very simple and clear, and everyone can understand it at a glance.

The boys and girls were extremely excited and shouted.

The real masters, however, were all watching the replay of the fight. Seeing Gao Wu's hair slightly disheveled after being punched and elbowed, with not even a bruise or scratch, the masters all frowned…

Lu Hongsheng of Jinsheng Hotel laughed heartily: "What a genius! This kid really has a chance to make it to the finals."

He muttered to himself, "Twenty million should be enough to deal with Xu Sanhu, right?"

Xu Sanhu is the number one seed in the Xuetao Cup and is widely considered the favorite to win. If Xu Sanhu can be forced to cooperate with Gao Wu to lose the match, it will wipe out all the casual gamblers.

Once Gao Wu reaches the finals, we'll use him to wipe out a bunch of opponents. This Xue Tao Cup should bring in at least several hundred million!
Huang Hai shook his head slightly: "Xu Sanhu is from the Aurora Legion, and Song Chunqiu is here, so it won't be easy to deal with him."

"We have to give it a try." Lü Hongsheng didn't care. "The championship prize is only two million yuan, which is meaningless except for the empty title. If Xu Sanhu is sensible, we can even recruit him..."

(Thank you all for your enthusiastic support~ Bowing in gratitude~ Thank you to the Alliance Leader Romantic Fish in the Rain~ Bonus chapter for the three Alliance Leaders today, five chapters to go~)

(End of this chapter)