Chapter 229: Chapter 115: I’ve Advanced to Grandmaster

Shen Xinzhu and Luo Min, now changed into hotel work uniforms, gracefully made their way to the room where Zhao Rui and his group were staying.

“It’s okay now. Everyone get some rest. The Court will probably send a rescue team soon.”

Zhao Rui looked at the two women and smiled faintly.

In truth, he was not in a good mood. It wasn’t that he was some paragon of virtue, but in a situation like this, one couldn’t help but feel a sense of shared sorrow, like a fox mourning a dead hare.

In the end, humanity has struggled against the heavens and the earth—against nature itself—since the dawn of time, whether through technology or through martial arts and cultivation.

All in an attempt to change the predetermined fate of this small, insignificant race.

But now, facing the monstrous waves, Zhao Rui’s proud Grandmaster Realm strength seemed so pale and powerless.

This couldn’t help but leave him feeling somewhat dejected.

“Okay. Thank you, Zhao Rui. When we get back to school, I’ll treat you to dinner,” Shen Xinzhu said with a smile.

“It’s nothing. Go on back and get some rest.”

Zhao Rui smiled, not thinking much of it.

After the two women left, Wang Dalong looked at Zhao Rui and said in a complicated tone, “I never really respected you before, but now… you’re a real man.”

“So, you’re saying you still don’t think my martial arts are better than yours?” Zhao Rui laughed.

“Of course not. Once I reach the Grandmaster Realm, I’ll definitely challenge you to a match.”

A smirk played on Wang Dalong’s lips.

“Alright. I’ll be waiting.”

Zhao Rui nodded, accepting the challenge.

「Three hours later」

The waves that had repeatedly crashed ashore, sweeping away large amounts of debris and leaving behind a total mess, finally receded.

Zhao Rui and the others were finally greeted by the sight of the Patrol’s rescue team.

Wang Zhanshan was in one of the vehicles.

With him were Qin Rui and other members of the team.

After confirming their safety, he didn’t lead the group away. Instead, he had everyone join the rescue team and begin the search-and-rescue operation.

At a time like this, the strength of a Martial Artist could often play a crucial role.

And so, under the night sky, amidst the salty, fishy air, they trudged through the mud-caked roadsides and began the arduous task of rescue work in the devastated coastal area.

The members of the Eastern Martial Body team were doing the same.

They had originally planned to have an exchange and spar a bit, taking a short vacation on the side. In the end, they didn’t get to compete, nor did they get any rest.

Everyone was kept busy for three whole days.

Only when the situation was mostly stable did they drag their exhausted bodies onto a bus back to Jeju.

“Brother Rui, I have a favor to ask, though it might be a bit much!”

On the bus, Cai Zhengyang looked back at Zhao Rui and said, at a loss for words.

“If it’s a favor you’re embarrassed to ask, then don’t ask it,” Zhao Rui retorted.

Miao Miaomiao and Qin Rui, who were sitting next to him, couldn’t help but cover their mouths and giggle.

Behind the two of them sat Luo Min and Shen Xinzhu.

Which meant Zhao Rui was completely surrounded by four women.

“But I just have to get it off my chest.”

Cai Zhengyang chuckled. After working together so closely on the rescue for the past few days, their relationships had actually grown much closer.

Zhao Rui had led from the front during the disaster, earning him a newfound respect from everyone as their captain.

“Then spit it out!”

“So, uh, can I switch seats with you?” Cai Zhengyang said, wiggling his eyebrows.

“You just try it!”

Before Zhao Rui could even speak, the four women beside him glared at Cai Zhengyang in unison, united against a common foe.

“I think you’re just itching for a beating,” Zhao Rui laughed. “I can’t wait to get out of this spot, and you actually want to trade?”

“You can’t spoil men. We’re being so nice to you, and you’re actually complaining about us!”

Qin Rui snorted and snatched the bread out of Zhao Rui’s hands.

Miao Miaomiao was a little slower to react, but she played along and took his drink.

“You guys too…”

Zhao Rui looked down at his empty hands and sighed, speechless.

Seeing this, the women couldn’t help but burst into giggles.

By the time the bus arrived in Jeju, it was already past five in the afternoon.

Everyone got off the bus, and Wang Zhanshan, without much further ado, just told them all to go home and get some proper rest.

With that, the team members scattered.

Li Xinran had heard they were returning and wanted to organize a get-together to soothe everyone’s tired bodies and minds.

But Zhao Rui turned her down.

After saying his goodbyes, he went up the mountain alone, taking the meditation cushion from the Wall-Facing Chamber outside.

He sat down cross-legged, gazing silently at the distant lake and the Cicada Courtyard.

…

In the news that followed, the official explanation from the Court for the sudden tsunami was that it had been caused by the movement of tectonic plates on the seafloor.

A whole host of experts also analyzed the situation.

Zhao Rui couldn’t be bothered to watch or listen.

The incident passed just like that. And though Zhao Rui and his friends hadn’t gotten their beach vacation, it wasn’t a total loss.

Because their rescue efforts were honorably featured on the Court’s television news.

The university also gave their rescue operation high praise, even holding a special commendation ceremony.

Everyone was called upon to learn from the example of the Martial Arts Team.

Once everything was over, the Martial Arts Team threw themselves back into intense training.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, June arrived.

The National University Martial Dao Tournament was now less than three days away.

“Zhao Rui, I broke through to Level 9!”

Outside the Wall-Facing Chamber, Miao Miaomiao’s happy voice drifted over long before she herself appeared.

“Congratulations!”

Zhao Rui rose to his feet, pushed open the door, and smiled at the sight of the young woman flying toward him like a beautiful butterfly among the flowers—his little kitten.

“Thank you, Zhao Rui!”

Once she was near, Miao Miaomiao stopped, rising slightly onto her tiptoes to look up at Zhao Rui, her star-like eyes twinkling with joy.

“What’s with the formality? We’re not strangers.”

“Mhm, mhm!”

Miao Miaomiao nodded, thoroughly agreeing with her “Senior Brother.”

’Thank goodness “Senior Brother” came when he did and taught me the authentic Charm Immortal Technique. Otherwise, I might have been stuck at Level 8 for the rest of my life, unable to advance.’

’I would have had to endure the lonely suffering of no one daring to come near me.’

’But now, after several months of cultivation, she had finally, just a few days ago, completely mastered Zhao Rui’s version of the Six Yi Charm Immortal Technique.’

’With the divine skill newly accomplished, she had drawn upon her recent accumulation and the profound foundation of the complete cultivation technique to advance directly to Level 9 of the Truth Storage Realm.’

’From now on, there would be no more shackles on her cultivation.’

’And it was all thanks to her Senior Brother.’

“Senior Brother, you’re the best!”

“Er, you being this polite is a little unsettling. I think I preferred you when you were cold, proud, and untamable!”

“Senior Brother, I didn’t know you had such a strange quirk!”

“What strange quirk?”

“You like the queenly type, don’t you?”

“…”

A dark look crossed Zhao Rui’s face. He shot her a glare and said angrily, “From now on, you’re forbidden from being alone with Li Xinran.”

“Ha, so I was right! Senior Brother… you’re such a pervert!”

Zhao Rui couldn’t be bothered to deal with her and started walking down the mountain.

“Senior Brother, where are you going?”

“To settle a score with Li Xinran!”

’If this keeps up,’ he thought, ’will I have any pure, innocent, sweet-and-naive girls left around me?!’

With Miao Miaomiao’s advancement, every freshman on the competition team, with the sole exception of Zheng Minghao, had now reached the Yunzhen Realm.

This level of strength and depth was finally starting to look worthy of the top university in Dongqi Province.

Wang Zhanshan was extremely satisfied.

The day of the competition arrived quickly.

Although Zhao Rui was still ineligible to participate this time, that didn’t stop him from following the team for the entire event.

For one, he could cheer on his teammates and help them shore up any weaknesses. For another, he could also see what the matches between Grandmaster Realm Martial Artists were like.

The National University Martial Dao Tournament was divided into two categories: the Martial Artist Realm and the Grandmaster Realm.

The Martial Artist Realm competition was what people typically referred to as the Martial Dao Tournament.

This competition was no different from other conventional sporting events. It involved advancing from regional qualifiers to provincial qualifiers, and from there to the national tournament to compete for the championship.

The entire process was long, with a great number of matches.

As for the Grandmaster Realm competition, it followed a different format entirely.

Every Martial Artist who advanced to the Grandmaster Realm was a true prodigy, a favored child of the heavens. Forget a small county; even a proper prefecture-level city wouldn’t have many.

For most ordinary people, Level 9 and Level 10 were the highest level of Martial Artist they would ever encounter.

Therefore, the Grandmaster Realm competition was more of a showcase of skills; it wasn’t about life-or-death battles to determine a clear winner.

This was also for safety reasons.

This level of competition existed more for the purpose of participating in international exchanges.

This was especially true for the university tournament, where actual Grandmasters were few and far between. The vast majority of regular universities, and even some top-tier ones, didn’t have a single one.

Ordinary universities rarely even had students at Level 8 or Level 9.

Therefore, anyone who reached the Grandmaster Realm was basically guaranteed a spot in the top fifty.

The reason one could see so many Level 8 and Level 9 members at Dongqi University was because of its high standing.

This was also why Zhao Rui had been willing to switch his major just to get into Dongqi University.

This time, the provincial qualifiers were held in the large Martial Arts Arena at the provincial Martial Arts Training Base.

Martial arts contestants from nearly one hundred colleges and universities across the province gathered to compete for the ten qualifying spots in the provincial tournament.

Among these nearly one hundred institutions, over sixty were four-year universities, while the rest were vocational colleges.

Although these vocational colleges didn’t have strong teaching staff, they would often produce some surprisingly talented individuals.

A few years ago, a Martial Arts Student from a vocational college had shot into the top ten, advanced to the national tournament, and even placed in the top fifty nationally.

Dark horses like that were rare, but they certainly existed.

Therefore, no opponent could be underestimated.

But I digress.

Since they were at the training base, how could they not go see some old friends?

After settling into their accommodations, Zhao Rui dragged Wang Dalong and Cai Zhengyang along to find the guys from the Youth Training Team.

The Youth Training Team members didn’t participate in the university competition, but because the tournament was being held at the base, they had been temporarily moved to a different training ground.

When Zhao Rui found them, the group was in the middle of intense training.

“Holy crap, Zhao Rui! You actually dare to show your face here!”

The moment Sun Hao saw him, he jumped up and pointed, shouting.

His voice instantly drew the attention of several Youth Training Team members who had suffered under Zhao Rui’s “sparring” before. They all surged forward, surrounding him.

They proceeded to give him a good-natured “beating.”

Seeing such a large group rush over, Wang Dalong and Cai Zhengyang were so startled they almost reflexively unleashed Sword Pointing and the Dragon Subduing Palm.

Fortunately, it was all just in good fun.

“Zhao Rui, you guys are here for the tournament, right? How’s the preparation going?” After a bit of roughhousing, Sun Hao asked. “With your strength, making the top twenty should be no problem. You could even fight for a spot in the top ten.”

“I won’t be making the top twenty. The top ten is even more of a pipe dream,” Zhao Rui said, shaking his head.

“How’s that possible? Is this year’s competition that fierce?”

Sun Hao and the others were stunned. They knew just how strong Zhao Rui was.

Even many members of their Youth Training Team were no match for him, so how could he possibly not even make the top twenty?

“I’ve advanced to the Grandmaster Realm.”

“…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep