I will eventually become a god through sheer hard work.

Time ticked by, and the start of the U19 finals drew ever closer.

Inside the athletes' lounge, Yin Muhu, dressed in training clothes, sat cross-legged on the floor, his hands, as large as casserole dishes, resting flat on his knees.

On his muscular, rugged face, one could vaguely discern feminine features; his waist-length hair hung straight down to the ground without any restraint.

At this moment, wisps of white steam rose from her body, causing the temperature in the entire players' lounge to rise continuously.

As time went by, and whether it was just my imagination or not, her once robust physique seemed to have shrunk slightly.

……

In a spacious gym backstage at the arena, Xue Jing held the Forgotten Greatsword in both hands, swinging it repeatedly to cultivate his compatibility with this heavyweight weapon.

Having reached Lv10 in [Soldier Strike], just like when he practiced the spear, his extremely strong swordsmanship skills radiated into the realm of the 'greatsword' at an exceptionally terrifying speed.

Every second, with each swing of his sword, his mastery and proficiency with the greatsword were rapidly increasing.

"call--"

The sheer size and weight of the sword caused terrifying air currents with every swing, creating a whirlwind throughout the gym.

Not far from Xue Jing, Ning Yuantai squatted on a barbell rack, idly scrolling through videos on his wristband.

Suddenly, Ning Yuantai raised an eyebrow:

"Oh? They've started playing the pre-match interviews."

He gestured a few times in the air, and a pale blue halo immediately emanated from the bracelet, forming a holographic video image in the air.

Ning Yuantai spread his arms to the sides, and the holographic video immediately expanded, becoming a large screen three meters long and two meters high.

Xue Jing merely glanced at it briefly, paying it no mind, and continued wielding his greatsword to warm up.

"Hello everyone, I am Wei Junwu, a participant in this U19 competition..."

As the interview video began playing, Ning Yuantai casually remarked:

"After this is over, it'll be the opening ceremony... Brother Xue, you were also there to record an interview, right?"

Without turning his head, Xue Jing said, "Yes."

Ning Yuantai's eyes lit up: "Did you say anything harsh? These kinds of interviews are more fun when you say something bold. It's a pity that most of the people from Zhuxia like to pretend to be humble in front of the camera, even though everyone usually acts all high and mighty like that..."

Xue Jing casually replied, "Threats? No, I don't think so."

The two chatted casually while the pre-match interview in the video continued to play.

Soon, after interviewing more than twenty contestants, a person appeared in the video that caught Xue Jing's attention.

"Hello, viewers from all over China. I am Otogi Suzuka, a contestant from the Far East..."

A gentle, androgynous voice rang out, and a huge roar of cheers erupted from the stands of the arena.

Ning Yuantai picked at his ear with his little finger and clicked his tongue, saying, "This Far Easterner is so popular... no wonder he's a world-class star martial artist."

Looking at Suzuka Otogi's stunning appearance during the interview, Ning Yuantai couldn't help but wonder:

"Speaking of which, is he really a man? He looks so outrageous."

Xue Jing stopped swinging his greatsword, rested the blade on the ground, caught his breath, and said:

"Yeah."

Ning Yuantai shook his head hesitantly: "I don't quite believe it. This face... unless this person grew up taking estrogen, but even taking estrogen wouldn't allow him to master the old martial arts to this extent."

"Those attention-seeking cross-dressers, even with makeup and beauty filters, still have obvious male characteristics that can be seen by people with good observation skills. But this Suzuka Otogi, without makeup or beauty filters, wearing men's clothing, still can't hide her overwhelming feminine beauty."

Ning Yuantai, with a serious expression as if conducting scientific research, stroked his chin and said, "I suspect he is a woman disguised as a man!"

Xue Jing smiled and said, "I think she's just good-looking."

While they were chatting, the interview video of Otogi Suzuka continued.

"So, among the contestants this time, are there any that you are particularly interested in?"

In the video, the interviewer asked a new question.

A smile appeared on Suzuka's lips, as if she were thinking of her lover. Her expression softened, and she spoke softly:

"Xue Jing... He is my favorite player in this competition and the opponent I most look forward to facing."

The interviewer exclaimed in surprise, "Eh... that's an unexpected answer. Your passion for martial arts is well-known, and in all your previous interviews, the contestant you were most looking forward to was undoubtedly the strongest one. Why did you give a different answer this time? Is it because you have a special connection with this contestant, Xue Jing?"

Iron-Blooded Jing Ning Yuantai cursed, "What the hell is this idiot talking about? What do you mean by a different answer? The strongest one is definitely Brother Xue! What trashy taste! Are you blind? If your eyes are useless, donate them to someone in need, damn it!"

Xue Jing didn't care about the interviewer's 'underestimation' of his statement. In the eyes of outsiders, Zhou Yinglin, as the disciple of the Gun Saint and with countless honors in the past, was undoubtedly the strongest in this competition. This perception could not be broken before he defeated Zhou Yinglin.

Xue Jing was only concerned about Otogi Suzuka's somewhat excessive attention and affection for him, which made his lips twitch and his scalp tingle.

He's really not interested, buddy. It's not about how good-looking he is, it's about whether he even has that thing...

"There is some history between us... To be honest, I have already played against Xue Jing before."

Otogi Suzuka covered her cheek with one hand, a look of blissful reminiscence on her face: "Ah~ Xue Jing's fist...it felt so good."

"..." Xue Jing's lips twitched.

The interviewer seemed a little embarrassed: "Uh... I see."

Otogi Suzuka quickly withdrew her unseemly expression, her demeanor returning to its usual gentle and amiable state: "Also, you misunderstood something."

The interviewer was taken aback: "What?"

"Nothing is different... The player I look forward to the most has always been the strongest one."

Otogi Suzuka stood up, turned to look at her side, and said with a happy expression, "Oh? It seems he's here."

Without waiting for the interview to end, he got up and left.

This concludes the interview video with Suzuka Otogi.

After reading it, Ning Yuantai nodded with satisfaction:

"This person has a good eye; I'm increasingly convinced he's a woman disguised as a man..."

Xue Jing sighed and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Liking Brother Xue to this extent makes it hard not to doubt his gender... Ah, I'm different, my feelings for you are pure admiration."

Ning Yuantai waved his hands repeatedly.

After resting for a while, Xue Jing continued to wield his greatsword, the blade whipping up a howling wind.

The video then moved on to the next contestant's interview... Xue Jing.

Perhaps it was in the order of filming, or perhaps it was intentionally to contrast with Otogi Suzuka's earlier remarks, but when Xue Jing appeared on screen and began to introduce himself, a considerable commotion erupted from the audience.

Ning Yuantai's eyes lit up: "So handsome, Brother Xue!"

Xue Jing, however, paid no attention to his own interview, instead wielding a giant sword with his back to the camera.

Although he himself didn't care, as the interview video played, his arrogant remarks did not calm the uproar in the audience. Instead, the noise grew louder and louder with each word he spoke.

"None of them require special attention; they all seem pretty much the same."

Who is Zhou Yinglin?

"..."

Ning Yuantai, standing next to him, happily gave him a thumbs up repeatedly: "Brother Xue, that's right, just what I wanted to see, you truly live up to your reputation!"

Xue Jing did not reply.

There is an old Egyptian saying: "Only two kinds of animals can reach the top of the pyramids: the eagle and the snail."

"Don't be discouraged, you have a chance to catch up with me, keep going."

As Xue Jing in the video spoke his last words and walked out, the noise at the scene suddenly fell silent for a moment.

Then, a massive wave of sound, almost enough to overturn the entire arena, suddenly radiated outwards.

Xue Jing and Ning Yuantai, who were in the gym, both felt a slight vibration under their feet.

"Holy crap."

Ning Yuantai was somewhat dumbfounded.

"Brother Xue... why don't you start a class on how to show off? I'll be the first to sign up."

"I also want to install a big one."

Xue Jing didn't even turn his head: "You can't learn this; it's a natural expression."

Ning Yuantai scratched his head: "Huh? A natural-born guy?"

……

At the same time, many people witnessed this scene.

In the player lounge.

"Junior Brother Song, this is the person!"

"Damn it, how dare he say such a thing? He's so arrogant and ignorant!"

The young man named Xiong Ge was wrapped in bandages, his left hand in a cast hanging limply across his chest, and his right hand pointing at Xue Jing in the video while cursing.

"Shut up." Next to him, a boy with his legs crossed and hands clasped together frowned and spoke calmly.

His voice wasn't loud, but Xiong Ge immediately fell silent, like a child being scolded by his parents. He shrank back, a look of fear on his face.

Looking into Xue Jing's eyes, the young man murmured to himself, "This isn't a bluff; he's speaking from the heart... a true master."

"interesting."

In the office of the head of U19, Zhou Yinglin sat upright in the seat of the head of the group, Li Ziyuan, while Li Ziyuan, the owner of the seat, stood respectfully to the side.

He stared at Xue Jing in the video, his sharp, hawk-like eyes like those of someone who had found prey, ready to swoop down and kill him.

Qingcheng, at Xue Jing's home.

Xue Wan and Zong Shichan excitedly shook hands as they watched Xue Jing on television.

"So handsome, so handsome, Master! I can't take it anymore!"

"As expected of my little brother, this child has been able to talk since he was a baby!"