As most people had anticipated, Ren Xuan lost. He was no match for Watanabe Ichiro.

But contrary to many people's expectations, Ren Xuan was incredibly stubborn, managing to get back on his feet time after time. Though he lost the match, his unyielding spirit earned everyone's respect.

The entire stadium fell into a heavy silence. No one cheered, no one spoke, no one exclaimed… The audience stared at the Combat Stage, all clenching their teeth and fists. Their eyes burned with a mixture of frustration and anger, wishing they could storm the stage and fight themselves. The frustration was for Ren Xuan, and the anger was for Watanabe Ichiro.

This man from Sakura Country was just too damn arrogant!

It wasn't until Ren Xuan lay in a pool of blood and was carried away on a stretcher by two medical staff that the referee began to announce the results. Only then did the audience start whispering among themselves.

"Damn it… That Sakura Country bastard has no respect!"

"Still, to give credit where it's due, this Watanabe Ichiro is indeed very strong. He hasn't moved his feet from start to finish, and Ren Xuan is already… sigh!"

"Strength is one thing, but it's clear he was deliberately humiliating Ren Xuan!"

"Fuck, it's infuriating just thinking about it!"

"Don't tell me our great Hua Country doesn't have anyone who can put that Sakura Country bastard in his place?"

"Don't worry, Luo Xiu is still here. Now we can only pin our hopes on him."

"But it's a bit of a long shot. With Watanabe Ichiro's strength, I'm afraid Luo Xiu won't be his match either."

…

「Provincial Capital Central Hospital.」

In a VIP ward, Zhang Yong, the Governor of the Provincial Capital, put down his phone with a troubled look on his face. "I really didn't expect the goodwill team sent by Sakura Country this time to include such a powerful character."

He Dang Gui, who was adjusting some medicinal ointment nearby, smiled and said, "I've had some free time, so I've watched a few matches. This Watanabe Ichiro certainly has some skill."

"If he dares to choose to fight alone, he must be very confident in his abilities."

Lying on the hospital bed, Zhang Yi looked worried. "Then if Doctor Luo encounters him, will he be in danger?" she asked, turning to her father. "Dad, I want to go to the venue tomorrow to watch Doctor Luo's match, too."

Zhang Yong became anxious. "That won't do, Xiao Yi! Your injuries are still…"

Zhang Yi quickly interrupted him. "Don't worry, Dad, I'm already much better, all thanks to Doctor Luo and Doctor He. I've been lying in bed for so long, I'm going to get sick just from lying here if I don't get out."

"Besides," she added, "Doctor Luo is my lifesaver, and I haven't even had the chance to thank him in person yet."

Zhang Yong was truly at a loss with his precious daughter, so he could only look to He Dang Gui with a questioning gaze.

He Dang Gui stroked his beard and said kindly, "It's alright, no harm done."

Zhang Yong had no choice but to compromise. "Then you may go."

…

「Feiyun Villa.」

At this moment, Luo Xiu was fishing, completely at ease.

Lin Xiyue walked up behind him with a tablet in her hand and said, puffing her cheeks, "You still have the nerve to be fishing right now?"

Luo Xiu turned his head and looked at her with an aggrieved expression. "What the hell did I do to piss you off this time?"

Lin Xiyue sighed softly, her tone becoming gentler. "I'm not angry at you. I'm angry at that Watanabe Ichiro."

"What did he do to you?" Luo Xiu asked.

"Didn't you watch today's match?"

"Not interested."

"Ren Xuan was beaten badly," Lin Xiyue said. "I heard he even ended up in the ICU. That Watanabe Ichiro was clearly humiliating him on purpose."

Luo Xiu just smiled calmly. "They brought that on themselves."

Lin Xiyue looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Luo Xiu shrugged. "Not my fucking problem."

Lin Xiyue pouted and handed the tablet to Luo Xiu. "Here, see for yourself. The internet is flooded with netizens demanding you teach that Watanabe Ichiro a lesson tomorrow."

Luo Xiu took the tablet and scrolled for a moment, seeing that the netizens were indeed in an uproar. Some were looking forward to the match between him and Watanabe Ichiro tomorrow. Others were analyzing and comparing their strengths, trying to predict the outcome.

Suddenly, Lin Xiyue said, "This is also an opportunity for us."

"What opportunity?" Luo Xiu asked.

With a smile, Lin Xiyue explained, "If you win against Watanabe Ichiro tomorrow, your popularity will skyrocket. You'll become a national heartthrob, which would directly lead to explosive revenue growth for Shen Luo Company."

Luo Xiu handed the tablet back to her and chuckled. "I originally only did this for the Scorching Sun Profound Purity Fruit. I never expected all these maneuvers to lead to such an unexpected windfall."

Lin Xiyue rolled her eyes. "That's what I'm saying. When an opportunity like this comes along, there's no stopping it. In the future, we can endorse our company's products ourselves. We won't need to spend money hiring celebrities."

"You go on and fish," she said, turning to leave. "I'm stepping out for a bit."

Luo Xiu asked, "Where are you going now?"

A mysterious look appeared on Lin Xiyue's face. "I'm going to find the organizers. Those capitalists only see profits, and they'll definitely use you for major hype, so you can't let yourself get taken for a ride. You can't just be a tool for them to make money. If they want to profit from your fame, you should get a share. We absolutely can't be on the losing end."

Luo Xiu watched her with a gentle gaze. "With you around, it'd be hard for me to lose out on anything."

…

「Meanwhile.」

In a five-star hotel, Duan Feibai looked at the lengthy posts by netizens online, a complex smile on his face.

After a moment, he turned to the man disguised as Watanabe Ichiro and asked, "Master Zhou, don't you think you're being a bit too high-profile?"

The man, Zhou Jingong, was completely unconcerned. "That young punk Ren Xuan didn't know what was good for him, insisting on pestering me. I had no choice but to trample him, to destroy his dignity and backbone, and to teach him a lesson he won't forget. Besides, it was Watanabe Ichiro who did all this, not me."

Duan Feibai asked, "Tomorrow, you will face Luo Xiu on the Combat Stage. He will most likely choose to fight alone as well. Are you confident?"

Zhou Jingong scoffed. "You shouldn't even have to ask that question."

Duan Feibai chuckled. "Indeed. It seems my question was redundant. I will take my leave now. I look forward to your performance tomorrow, Elder Zhou."

…

「The next day.」

Shenma International Sports Stadium.

Because today's match was the most anticipated one of the entire martial arts tournament, the number of spectators on-site was double the usual amount. Just as Lin Xiyue had predicted, the organizers naturally didn't miss this opportunity for "economic growth."

They had not only added many seats overnight but also shrunk the rest area to create more space for spectators. They even changed the ticketing to include both seated and standing-room-only options. But regardless of the type, tickets were nearly impossible to get. The official ticketing website had crashed several times last night, its servers on the brink of collapse. Many people had even lined up from the previous night until this morning just for a chance to buy a ticket.

Luo Xiu finally managed to escape the throngs of enthusiastic fans and enter the rest area, only to be immediately surrounded by a group of media reporters.

Lin Xiyue instantly transformed into Luo Xiu's manager, leading the teammates from the Provincial Capital Martial Association to block the reporters. "I'm sorry. Luo Xiu needs to rest now so he can be in his best condition for today's match. We hope our friends in the media can understand. As for interviews, they can wait until after the competition."

At Lin Xiyue's words, the reporters finally dispersed.

In the rest area, just as Luo Xiu sat down, planning to play on his phone to pass the time, a fragrant breeze wafted over. A beautiful woman who looked to be in her twenties walked up to him. She didn't speak, simply staring at him with her large, beautiful eyes, which were watery and stunning to behold.

Luo Xiu looked her over, feeling that she seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place her.

The woman wore a ripped denim mini skirt that revealed a pair of fair, slender legs, which were clad in glossy white thigh-high stockings, giving her an air that was both sexy and pure. While her figure wasn't voluptuous, her proportions were perfect. Her slightly curly, pale cyan hair cascaded down to her waist. Her delicate features, combined with a sweet and innocent disposition, made her difficult to look away from.

Luo Xiu assumed she was one of his fans. On second thought, having a fan like this didn't seem too bad.

"May I ask who you are?"

"Guess," the beauty said, her eyes narrowing as cute dimples appeared on her cheeks. She looked at Luo Xiu with a mysterious air. "I bet you can't guess who I am."

…

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