Sha Zhu's Rebirth in the Courtyard: Starting with Hitting Someone in the Head

Chapter 429 The Second National Martial Arts Competition

In August, the sky over Beijing was a blindingly blue. In the distance, the steel structure of the Bird's Nest lay silently in the sunlight, its gray and white skeleton intertwined and overlapping, like a slumbering behemoth waiting to be illuminated once again by the eyes of the world.

He Yuzhu stood at the entrance of the Bird's Nest, gazing up at the familiar building for a while. A year ago, on the opening night of the Olympics, the stadium was packed, fireworks lit up the night sky, and the whole country was in a frenzy.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and saw it was a message from Li Xian: "Mr. He, the Bird's Nest venue has been finalized. The Wushu Association has signed the contract. The opening ceremony will be held on August 20th, and the main competition will be held at the National Indoor Stadium. Air conditioning, rest rooms, medical facilities, and security are all in place. Everything is in order."

He Yuzhu simply replied "Received," put away his phone, and stepped into the passageway.

He stopped at the edge of the stands. The August sun shone down, and the semi-transparent membrane covering the steel frame of the Bird's Nest turned the glaring sunlight into a white, bright light that filled the stands.

With over 8 seats, more than double the number at the Fengtai Sports Center three years ago, these seats will be filled on August 20th by martial arts school owners, boxers, martial arts enthusiasts, reporters, and camera crews from live streaming platforms, all from across the country.

The success of the first edition has already transformed the National Martial Arts Championship into a "national sporting event".

He turned and walked down from the stands, out of the Bird's Nest, and walked for a few minutes along the square before entering the National Stadium next door.

The indoor venue has 20,000 seats and is fully equipped. It features constant temperature air conditioning, separate rest rooms for athletes, professional medical support, and is an Olympic-standard venue that is clean and spacious. A large open area in the center of the venue is large enough to build four rings to support the intensity of the competition.

He inspected the entire area, making sure he had seen everything, and then returned to the martial arts base.

At the entrance of the base, He Tie stood straight and waited, his posture upright, no longer showing any trace of his youthful immaturity.

Seeing He Yuzhu get out of the car, he immediately stepped forward and called out in a deep voice, "Grandpa."

"Don't worry, everything's settled." He Yuzhu nodded with a smile. "Have you notified everyone at the base?"

"Everyone has been notified. Everyone is gathered in the training room. Uncle He Yang and Brother Jing An just arrived and are chatting with Teacher Zhou about their martial arts experiences in the library."

The grandfather and grandson walked into the base side by side, and He Tie immediately rejoined the team.

Inside the training room, the ranks were neat and the room was completely silent. The men's team consisted of ten rows of five people each, while the women on the west side numbered eleven, led by He Mei and He Lan.

In the front row, He Jingyuan, Jingnian, and Jingning stood upright.

The sixty-four members of the He family stood tall and straight, their breath steady, all possessing a strong foundation in internal energy, and each with clear, bright eyes.

He Yuzhu walked to the front of the line and stood still. His eyes swept across the entire area, and his voice, though not loud, was clear and distinct.

"The 2nd Huaxia National Martial Arts Championship will open on August 20 and close on August 25. The opening ceremony will be held at the Bird's Nest, and the official competitions will take place at the National Stadium."

"The rules remain unchanged. All members of the He family with the Ming Jin (明劲) skill will register. He Yang and He Jing'an will register for the An Jin (暗劲) group."

As he finished speaking, a light shone in He Tie's eyes, and his chest rose and fell slightly. Three years ago, in the first competition, he stopped at sixteenth place in the Mingjin group.

I was so envious when I saw Jing'an standing on the champion's podium.

After three years of arduous training, he honed his skills from Ming Jin to half-step An Jin, and now it was his turn to represent the He family and win the championship.

He Shi, standing beside him, looked solemn. In the previous competition, he placed forty-eighth, and his shortcomings in technique and mentality were exposed on the field.

For the past three years, he has focused on his weaknesses and worked tirelessly to fill in the gaps in his skills, so as to leave no regrets in this competition.

He Lin, standing beside him, tightened his jaw, his breathing extremely steady. He Mu, on the far side, was breathing slightly more rapidly, his eyes revealing anticipation.

All four of them held their breath for three whole years.

He Yang and He Jing'an stood at the back of the line, having just come from the library. When he heard his father mention the "Dark Strength Group," He Yang's right hand clenched tightly.

He broke through to the advanced level of Dark Force at the end of June, a month later than expected. It was because of this that He Yuzhu postponed the competition to August, giving him enough time to consolidate his realm.

Three years ago, in the inaugural competition, he was a newcomer and finished eighth in the Dark Force group. This result wasn't bad, but it became a regret in his heart. Now, having reached a high level of skill and peak performance, he wants to reach the top and win the championship.

He Jing'an, standing to the side, remained calm and composed, not revealing his true strength. He only sought to proceed cautiously, aiming to break into the top three of the Dark Force group this time.

Looking at the expressions on the two children's faces, He Yuzhu understood and announced the new prize money rules for this year's competition.

"The prize money for this tournament has been increased across the board."

"Mingjin Group: Champion 8 million, runner-up 4 million, third place 3 million. 4th-8th place 500,000, 9th-16th place 150,000."

His gaze swept over all the teenagers, and his tone became more serious.

"You can keep the prize money as you see fit. You can send it back to your hometown village or donate it to a welfare institution. You practice martial arts to strengthen your bodies, not just to win or lose, but also to have the ability to help and guide others."

These words stirred the children's passion.

These sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen-year-old boys are not afraid of hardship when practicing martial arts, but when they hear that they can earn money with their own skills, help the weak, and help the poor, they are full of energy.

Time flies, and on August 20th, the competition officially opened.

At 7 p.m. that evening, the Bird's Nest stadium was packed with 80,000 seats, and no more seats were added. The stadium was brightly lit and filled with the roar of the crowd, with everyone focused on this second top-level national martial arts event.

Li Xian and Chairman Zheng delivered speeches in turn, creating a solemn and grand atmosphere.

He Yuzhu didn't want to go on stage anymore and sat in the VIP audience. He was accompanied by Lou Xiao'e and two others, along with several younger members of the family, including Jing Heng, Jing Song, Jing Yi, Jing Zhao, and Jing Chuan.

Beside them were Xu Damao and his wife, Ma Hua and Ma Qiang, a couple of four, quietly watching the excitement and the grand event.

In the players' area of ​​the competition venue, the He family team stood out.

Led by He Yang and He Jing'an, sixty-six members of the He family sat down neatly, all wearing dark-colored training uniforms printed with the logo of Da Mao Supermarket.

For this year's event, Xu Jiahui spent 8.8 million yuan to secure the chief sponsorship, demonstrating his generosity.

During the opening ceremony rehearsal, masters from various schools took to the stage to demonstrate their combat techniques. Their punches were fierce and their moves were powerful, each move showcasing genuine skill.

The audience was thrilled, with waves of applause igniting the atmosphere of the match.

After the ceremony concluded, the drawing of lots for each group officially began. Contestants from various schools and martial arts academies across the country lined up to draw their first-round opponents.

The most shocking part of the entire event was still the Ho family camp.

Other martial arts schools and prestigious sects are already considered to have a deep foundation if they can field more than a dozen people in the battle.

Only the He family, with its sixty-six members standing in neat rows, stood tall and disciplined, waiting patiently for the draw, exuding an aura of authority.

Many veteran martial arts masters in the stands sighed in hushed tones.

"After three years, the He family has actually raised such a group of promising talents."

"The two leaders are even more formidable. He Yang was eighth in the previous Dark Force group. Judging from his spirit and posture, he's definitely a master of Dark Force. He Jing'an was already a half-step Dark Force three years ago. After these three years of honing his skills, his strength is absolutely not weak."

"This is going to be interesting in the Dark Force group. With veteran masters facing off against these two young men from the He family, the top three positions are really in jeopardy."

Despite the constant praise around them, none of the young members of the He family became complacent or agitated; they remained calm, composed, and dignified.

Soon it was the He family's turn to draw lots. Jingyuan, Jingnian, and Jingning stepped forward one by one, and in an orderly manner, successfully determined their first-round opponents.

Especially He Jingning, the young girl stood upright and had a firm look in her eyes among a group of male contestants of varying heights. The confidence she gained from years of martial arts training made her completely at ease, calm and composed, and no less than any of the men.

Finally, He Yang and his nephew went forward to draw lots.

He Yang raised his hand and drew out the slip of paper. His gaze swept over the opponent's information, his expression calm and composed, without the slightest ripple.

He knew in his heart that the Dark Force Group was a gathering place for top masters from three generations across the country, a place teeming with hidden talents. To reach the top of the championship, every match would be a tough battle.

He trained day and night for the past three years, all for the sake of turning the tide and winning the championship this time.

After drawing his lot, He Jing'an remained as composed as ever.

His mid-level internal strength isn't top-tier in the arena. But his greatest advantage lies in his composure; regardless of the opponent's strength, he carefully finishes every match.

The Bird's Nest stadium was brightly lit and bustling with activity. The 2nd National Martial Arts Championship had officially begun.