MCMAU ended up winning four out of five battles.

　　Aside from Jin Lei’s loss, the other fights ended in victories. Predictably, Li Zhaoxu and Xu Yikai did not manage to score easy wins at the end.

　　As for ESNNU, only Chen Hongwei put up a decent fight.

　　Currently, it was impossible to tell if ESNNU had other gems who had not fought yet.

　　MCMAU did not care though. 10 people would represent the Eight School Alliance, and it was likely that only one ESNNU student would make the team.

　　If Chen Hongwei was not part of it, that meant ESNNU was keeping a stronger student hidden.

　　If he was, that meant ESNNU had nothing left to offer.

　　As Chen Hongwei had held back earlier, the probability of him entering the competition was high. Otherwise, there was no need to pull any punches. Some things could be deduced from just one fight.

　　…

　　During the friendlies, aside from Fu Changding, none of the other first-team members entered the fight.

　　Moreover, Fu Changding did not use his full strength, so there was no way MCMAU’s true power would be found out.

　　On January 3rd, MCMAU’s students did not battle.

　　On January 4th, it was Luo Yichuan’s turn to lead the team, and he brought them to South Sino University of Science and Technology.

　　Even this time, Chen Yunxi still did not go onstage.

　　Zhao Xuemei represented the main team for the battle at South Sino University of Science and Technology. Although it was just a warm-up battle, Zhao Xuemei had taken it very seriously. The new student from South Sino University of Science and Technology had almost gotten his throat crushed by kicks, frightening many of the normal students there and causing them to scream.

　　Chen Yunxi’s face was pale throughout the whole journey, and she had bitten her lip to the point of drawing blood!

　　Yang Xiaoman and Zhao Xuemei felt it was unjust on her behalf. Fang Ping could tell that the school was trying to provoke the young lady on purpose.

　　Chen Yunxi was strong. Even Zhao Xuemei and Tang Songting could not compare to her.

　　She was a twice-honed Peak Rank-1 martial artist. Although the progress of her combat techniques’ cultivation was unknown, judging by Bai Ruoxi’s calm demeanor, it was probably at a decent level.

　　Bai Ruoxi was Chen Yunxi’s instructor. If her own student was truly a weakling, she would not idly sit back and watch the school pressure her student to death.

　　The pressure piled on Chen Yunxi was a clear sign that her latent power was not trivial.

　　…

　　In South Sino University of Science and Technology, MCMAU won three out of five battles. Li Zhaoxu and Jin Lei had been defeated.

　　South Sino University of Science and Technology and East Sino Nation Normal University’s strength were similar. Fang Ping and the others were bystanders once again.

　　…

　　After the two warm-up battles, the school did not arrange anything else.

　　For the next few days, those who had to rest, rested; those who wanted to relax, relaxed.

　　After returning to his school, Fang Ping felt that he gained something after watching ten battles in the past few days.

　　The combatants’ may not have been a match for him, but Fang Ping was only a Rank-1 martial artist and was not very knowledgeable either. Looking at others’ battles still gave him some enlightenment.

　　Students who performed well at martial arts universities all had unique qualities.

　　The student who had defeated Li Zhaoxu at South Sino University of Science and Technology taught Fang Ping something.

　　The student was not very strong. He was not Peak Rank-1 at least.

　　However, he had defeated Li Zhaoxu fairly easily by accumulating his strength and applying the Blade-dragging Technique as he evaded Li Zhaoxu for ages until he had fully gathered his strength. His final attack made Li Zhaoxu fly backward, spitting fresh blood, in one strike.

　　Only 20cal of Vitality could have erupted from the move, but by accumulating his strength, he had done a Vitality outburst of at least 25cal.

　　Li Zhaoxu had not expected his opponent to suddenly make a move after dodging him for half a day and lost in one blow.

　　In the next two days, Fang Ping had consulted Lu Fengrou and seeked out a few instructors who were experts in Saber Techniques.

　　Despite them not being his own instructor or even Rank-6, Fang Ping still benefited a lot from them.

　　…

　　January 8th, the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month!

　　Fang Ping received a call from Fang Yuan.

　　“Fang Ping, my exams are over!”

　　“So fast?”

　　“What’s fast about it? It’s almost Chinese New Year, which is the day after tomorrow. Many people want to go watch, so of course they got the exams over with quickly.”

　　“When will your results be released?”

　　“It’s still too soon, Fang Ping. You aren’t really going to wait till my results are released before letting me go to Magic City, are you? That would be when the cows come home!”

　　Fang Ping felt his head ache a little. “Mom and Dad aren’t coming. How can you come alone? Also, I’ll be worried…”

　　“Tch, I knew you would say this!”

　　Fang Yuan snorted with contempt before smiling widely. “Uncle Tan said he’s going too, so it’s fine if you let me go with him.”

　　“Director Tan?”

　　“Uh-huh. Mom and Dad have agreed too. With Uncle Tan, I’m not afraid of any bad people!”

　　Clearly, the girl had ample trust in Tan Zhenping.

　　After all, he was a veteran martial artist, and he was Sun City’s Department of Education’s deputy director.

　　Fang Ping pursed his lips. Although he did not want to belittle Tan Zhenping, Old Tan was merely a Vitality martial artist and was probably only able to take on regular thieves.

　　Still, Tan Zhenping had an official status, and the government was the Sino Nation’s largest martial arts organization.

　　With his lofty status, it was indeed safer.

　　“Is Director Tan going to drive or take the train?”

　　“Take the train. There are even more people going this time. That’s right, a few of your classmates are going too…”

　　“They’re on vacation now?”

　　“Didn’t you know? They’ve been back for days already.”

　　Fang Ping rubbed his forehead. He had been too busy these few days and did not check his messages. His friends had probably said it in the group.

　　MCMAU was still not yet on vacation. Their vacations were either naturally later or had been delayed due to the championship.

　　MCMAU did not have many students, so perhaps withholding their holidays was an innocent attempt to make the school livelier and seem more populated.

　　Alternatively, MCMAU was just coldhearted!

　　Almost all the senior-year students were not at school, at least half of the juniors were not there either, and plenty of sophomores were missing too…

　　Tallying the numbers, the school had about 3000 people.

　　MCMAU was too big!

　　It was so big that if the 3000 people were split evenly across the school grounds, sometimes not even a shadow could be seen after walking around for a few minutes. Cowards did not dare to walk at night.

　　“The cultural studies exam hasn’t happened yet this year…”

　　Fang Ping recalled something else. They had not carried out the exam yet. He did not know if it would be delayed.

　　“Then when are you arriving?”

　　The girl had already said she was coming with Tan Zhenping. Fang Ping could not stop her and did not attempt to dissuade her again.

　　“I’ll be leaving tomorrow. Fang Ping, remember to come pick me up!”

　　“Nonsense. If I don’t pick you up, you wouldn’t even know the way home if you get lost!”

　　After chatting with Fang Yuan for a while, Fang Ping spoke to his parents. Fang Mingrong and his wife were not very worried.

　　Their daughter would be going with the Deputy Director of the Department of Education, and their son would be picking her up at Magic City. If these circumstances could not assure them, then the entire world would be too dangerous.

　　…

　　January 9th.

　　Sun City.

　　Fang Yuan’s group was seated in an exclusive carriage thanks to Tan Zhenping’s status. Tan Zhenping was a small area’s deputy director, so he did not have particularly much influence.

　　However, he was representing Sun City’s government this time, purportedly to discuss issues at Magic City.

　　Although Sun City was not a big city, it was still a county-level city. After conveying this to the train station staff, they were assigned an empty carriage.

　　Currently, the high-speed rail from Sun City to Magic City was not open yet, so they were taking the train.

　　In the carriage.

　　Fang Yuan had a playful look on her face. She tugged at her friend’s hand and giggled. “When we reach Magic City, my brother will come to pick us up.

　　“I haven’t seen him in so long. He only came back for National Day last time.

　　“My brother has tickets. Xiaoling, don’t worry, I’ll give it to you for free this time, no charge!”

　　Fang Yuan’s friend was about her age. Hearing this, she smiled brightly but asked uncertainly all the same, “You really won’t charge me?”

　　“What do you take me for!”

　　Fang Yuan huffed unhappily. “We’re good friends, and you’re the vice president of the Yuan Ping Club. At most, the next time we make a profit, you’ll get a smaller cut…”

　　“Yuanyuan!”

　　Xiaoling rebuked her before laughing, clearly not minding what she got.

　　Wu Zhihao and the others were laughing like maniacs at the side. Tan Zhenping laughed too and said, “Little Yuan, even I know about your Yuan Ping Club now. If your brother finds out, he’ll beat you up!”

　　“No, he won’t. He’s known about it a long ago…”

　　Fang Yuan had phrased it nicely, but still felt a little guilty. Fang Ping did not know she had started to collect membership fees.

　　‘It’s not that I wanted to collect them, they pushed it on me!’

　　Yuan Ping Club had started with ten or so girls who played well from Serenity Experimental High School, and it had now expanded to all of Sun City’s junior high schools!

　　Fang Yuan’s head ached a little. Should she tell Fang Ping that her Yuan Ping Club had 300 members already?

　　“Forget it, I won’t tell him…”

　　The girl muttered guiltily under her breath. If Fang Ping knew she was the big sister of 300 people, he would beat her to death!

　　Everybody laughed yet again. Tan Zhenping did not tease her again. A kid playing house was no big deal.

　　If Fang Yuan had gathered 300 martial artists instead, that would be a phenomenon all of Nanjiang would pay attention to!

　　But 300 junior high students…

　　A Rank-1 combat martial artist could slice them like a melon.

　　“Zhihao, you’re almost a martial artist, right?”

　　Tan Zhenping turned his attention away from Fang Yuan and inquired Wu Zhihao.

　　Wu Zhihao smiled bitterly. “It’s still too soon. My Vitality has reached 145cal, but I don’t have any medicinal pills for a breakthrough, and Fang Ping recommended we wait till we’re twice-honed to breakthrough.

　　“Even if we can’t twice-hone, the higher our Vitality, the better.

　　“When the next semester ends, it’ll depend on my luck if I can become a martial artist or not.”

　　“Brother Zhihao, you’re not a martial artist yet?”

　　Fang Yuan asked, surprised. Wu Zhihao’s expression was bitter. Children were childlike and honest to a fault. What did that brat know!

　　How could becoming a martial artist be that simple!

　　‘Just because your brother has become a martial artist, you think anyone who enters a martial arts university can become one?’

　　Yang Jian said curiously, “Fang Ping has probably completely honed a limb by now, right?”

　　“I don’t know, but it’s possible since MCMAU has more resources than we do.”

　　“That’s true. Ah, we’re still worrying about our Vitality reaching our limits, and he’s already honed a limb. The gap is becoming wider and wider!”

　　Everybody sighed. On the other hand, Tan Zhenping wondered, ‘Did Fang Ping really only hone one limb?’

　　The kid returned in October saying that he had killed two Peak Rank-1 martial artists.

　　If it was true, he was probably an outstanding student at MCMAU. He might have honed a limb ages ago.

　　As everybody chatted on, talking turned toward the championship.

　　“In the National Championship this year, there’s a chance Martial Arts University Alliance would win. Our instructors said that if they won, we’d be eating and drinking well next year.

　　“If they lose, we’ll have to keep working hard as usual.

　　“Ah, I really hope they can win!”

　　Tan Zhenping was a little bemused and asked, “Is there anybody from Nanjiang Martial Arts University entering the competition this year?”

　　“I don’t know.” Wu Zhihao smiled wryly and shook his head. “I really don’t know. The list of participants is kept secret for now.

　　“Still, I heard MCMAU and CCMAU have been confirmed. Previously, the Big Two sent out teams to enter some warm-up battles at other schools.

　　“I heard our instructors mention that the Big Two’s teams are all Peak Rank-1 martial artists!”

　　Yang Jian was envious. “Peak Rank-1. I can’t be jealous enough. When we reach Peak Rank-1, that’ll be no sooner than our junior or senior year, right?”

　　Even if they became martial artists in the next semester of freshman year, if they wanted to hone more than 62 bones, they would have to earn money by doing small missions to compensate for the lack of resources.

　　MCMAU students could hone one bone in 3 days, but they had to spend ten days or even longer!

　　After honing was complete, two years would have passed.

　　“Peak Rank-1…”

　　Tan Zhenping sighed a little. After so many years, he was only Peak Rank-1.

　　Some of these youngsters were younger than his sons.

　　But they were already catching up to him.

　　Fang Ping was not here at the moment, and he did not know his thoughts either. Otherwise, he would definitely feel more attacked.

　　The Peak Rank-1 students of schools like MCMAU were not people Tan Zhenping could compete with.

　　If not their combat techniques, then their Vitalities.

　　In MCMAU’s current 10-people team, even the weakest Li Zhaoxu who had not reached Peak Rank-1, had a Vitality of 250cal.

　　As for the ones who had reached Peak Rank-1, Zhao Xuemei’s was considered low, and she had around 280cal.

　　Others like Fu Changding and the others were racing toward 300cal.

　　And there was Fang Ping!

　　The group chatted endlessly. By the time Fang Yuan woke up, the train had reached the station!

　　…

　　Train station.

　　Fu Changding sneezed, bored. “They haven’t arrived yet?”

　　Zhao Xuemei asked curiously, “Fang Ping, you must have quite a few relatives if you need three cars to pick them up.”

　　“What relatives?” Fang Ping was speechless. “My family doesn’t know that I’m entering the competition. It’s just that my little sister wants to see the festivities. The others are my old high school classmates and friends.”

　　“Your family doesn’t know?”

　　Fu Changding was shocked. “Then if you’re killed by someone…”

　　“F*ck off!”

　　“Ahem ahem ahem, what I mean is you didn’t let your family know about such a big deal?”

　　“My parents are regular people. How could they accept this stuff so easily? If they knew I was going on stage for martial arts battles, they would be shocked.

　　“I’m not like you guys. You have martial artist elders who are used to this…”

　　Hearing him say this, Fu Changding suddenly said solemnly, “If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have known. I kept feeling like I was the poor loser, and you had a Rank-6 martial artist for a dad! Now that I think about it, I think it’s my grandfather who’s Rank-6. Did we mix something up?”

　　Fang Ping chuckled. “You’re just stupid. There’s no other reason.”

　　“Go to hell. I did find it funny, though. Where did you get all that money? Don’t tell me you stole it?”

　　Fang Ping sure had a lot of money. At least, Fu Changding never saw him worry over medicinal pills. On the contrary, he had sold many.

　　Fang Ping understood this plot hole in his background, but he had severely lacked money in the early stage. Having no choice, he now said mysteriously, “Don’t tell others, but actually, a Rank-9 Grandmaster took a liking to me since I was little!

　　“He said my skeleton was astonishing, and I would definitely be able to save the world when I grow up, so…”

　　“Really?”

　　Fang Ping had just been shooting his mouth, but Fu Changding’s face was serious, and he spoke softly, “Was it really a Rank-9 Grandmaster?”

　　Zhao Xuemei had not taken it seriously earlier, but Fu Changding’s earnest tone made her unable to resist saying, “There really are Rank-9 powerhouses hiding out in Sun City? Was Wang Jinyang also…”

　　Fang Ping was dumbfounded. What was this situation? They would believe this?

　　‘Did I act too well or are you two idiots!’

　　They could not be blamed for believing this. Sun City was such a small place, yet two young martial arts prodigies came out from there in one go.

　　Fang Ping might have low strength now, but this poor kid from a normal familial background could defeat all of MCMAU’s new students!

　　From this, his wild story suddenly became believable.

　　Perhaps Rank-9 was just an exaggeration, but it would not be surprising if a Rank-7 Grandmaster had felt Fang Ping was a diamond in the rough and groomed him.

　　Fang Ping did not know how to continue this lie.

　　‘I was just talking crap!’

　　However, seeing their serious attitudes, Fang Ping could only laugh drily and say, “I can’t talk about the details. You guys just pretend you didn’t hear anything.”

　　“Alright then, we won’t ask. This is still beyond us.”

　　The two of them would not pursue matters dealing with Grandmaster powerhouses, but they were all much more comforted by this fact. ‘I was always disbelieving how Fang Ping got to be so strong, and it turns out a Grandmaster is grooming him. Guess that means we’re not bad after all!’

　　The three of them casually talked about other topics until Fang Ping’s eyes brightened. He smiled. “They’re here!”

　　In front, Tan Zhenping and the others came out of the station. Fang Yuan’s eyes were sharp, and she shouted happily from afar, “Fang Ping, I’m over here!”

　　Fang Ping’s jaw dropped. It seemed… It seemed she had gotten thinner!