Chapter 473: In the Name of Martial Arts

"Hao Ge, what exactly happened? Are you alright?" Wuzang asked, still worried.

Li Hao smiled and patted Zuo Xiaotang. "Your luck is pretty good. I just checked, and that irritable personality of yours should quiet down for a while. Anlita is your lucky star; you two are fated, so you must get along well with her."

Eradicating a personality is very difficult, or nearly impossible; one can only achieve unity within the body and gradually absorb it. The time it takes is unknown. If Zuo Xiaotang's power had never grown, it would be fine, but having grown to this extent, with his soul origin awakened, he still must learn to control it, otherwise, a rampage would make him a chaotic demon king...

... a chaotic spider-man demon.

He really hadn't misjudged Anlita; she was truly formidable. The problem was that the antidote was in the opponent's hands, which was a bit troublesome.

Zuo Xiaotang scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. He had impressions of everything that just happened; he and Anlita had joined forces to hammer that irritable version of himself... it was... a bit like a perfect match.

Zuo Xiaotang's problem could be set aside for now. In the end, they had still lost. Anlita was simply too terrifying; her Zone realm was on the same level as Chao Qinglong and Maxis. Hailong also had Li Xiangshan, Davalish, and Xilian. Everyone looked at Li Hao.

"Third match, Wuzang, enjoy the battle. This match belongs to you," Li Hao said.

Wuzang nodded. The nervousness and pressure were gone. After Li Hao's tossing and turning, for some reason, his mood had opened up. The foundation of Ancient Martial Arts and the experience he had gained along the way allowed Wuzang to completely break his shackles. He wanted to show the power of Ancient Martial Arts to the whole world.

In the name of martial arts!

In the Hailong operations room, there wasn't much excitement. Winning was a matter of course, and the turn of events was within expectations. Li Mo was also a sly old fox; no trick of his was surprising. What they cared about was Zuo Xiaotang's situation.

Anlita felt like she had eaten a bee; it wasn't exactly disgusting, but it was extremely awkward. There was nothing to be happy about. What exactly had that ghost-like bastard Li Hao arranged? Why did it feel like they were stepping into a trap step by step?

"Anlita, what happened?" Xilian asked.

"Zuo Xiaotang has split personality disorder. The personality hidden inside him is a combat type. I don't know if Zuo Xiaotang can't control it or if Li Mo deliberately misled us. Li Mo had sealed that personality, but I didn't expect it to suddenly erupt during the battle. It's a Deep Space Soul Absorption Spider, my natural enemy," Anlita said.

Klein and the others were also indignant. It was supposed to be a battle in the bag, but complications kept arising. They had long felt that Zuo Xiaotang was problematic and had studied him for over half a year, yet they still almost suffered a loss in the most important final. Fortunately, it was Anlita!

Xilian knew it wasn't that simple, but now was not the time to delve into it. He waved his hand. "Winning is enough. Old Li, you take the next match. Fight without restraint and leave no regrets."

Li Xiangshan stood up. "Yes, Team Leader... thank you." Xilian smiled slightly.

He wanted a comeback, and there weren't many choices left for him. If he had to force it, Maxis or Fan Liweite could also be options, but how could he just sponge off a championship lineup? He definitely had to start his own stove. After disappearing for several years, not many people openly refused to acknowledge him, but behind his back, there was all sorts of whispering. Only Li Xiangshan had sincerely expressed his welcome.

This was also his reward to Li Xiangshan.

A final stage, a battle without resentment or regret—this was the best destination for a warrior about to graduate, plus an S-Tournament championship. Li Xiangshan took the stage!

"For the third match, the contestant for Tianjing Mecha is... Wuzang!" the host announced loudly. "The contestant for Hailong Team is Li Xiangshan."

The whole arena erupted. Li Xiangshan, the pride of the Moon People, hailed by countless girls as the manliest of men, a veteran of four S-Tournaments. In this S-Tournament, he had also shown a low-key yet stable output. The matches he appeared in were all won with crushing force; he was the pillar of Hailong Team. The final was the critical moment to realize his dream.

Wuzang, an S-Tournament newcomer, displayed a composure and sophistication completely different from a rookie. In this aspect, he was somewhat like Li Xiangshan—one focused on Ancient Martial Arts, the other on Mecha, single-minded, and at the same time willing to make sacrifices for his teammates. They possessed a passion beyond the ordinary.

The camera cut to the two of them. Li Xiangshan.

Composed and calm, Wuzang firm and focused. They were only one step away from the championship trophy. Combat environment—City Battle, standard G.

Wuzang, Black Night Saber.

The Black Night Mecha had become Wuzang's Faith, and also the faith of many Ancient Martial Arts disciples on Earth. Thanks to the great Master Jiabo for leaving them this masterpiece.

Black Night Saber, Super Type, medium-sized mecha.

90-ton weight, Dual Core Fission Engine, K23 "Blood Moon", K23 "Fury".

Li Xiangshan, his final S-Tournament, his final. Death Penalty Mecha—this was a death sentence declaration for Wuzang! Death Penalty Mecha (TAS).

Configuration: Heavy Armor 100 tons.

Dual Core Fission Engine, Fire Snake Laser Cannon, K23 Sin Battle Axe, K23 Titanium Shield.

The two Mobile Suits entered the preparation state. Black Night was a medium-sized mecha leaning towards heavy, while Death Penalty was a heavy mecha leaning towards medium. Both Mobile Suits had fierce attacks, but at such a critical moment, Li Xiangshan choosing the Death Penalty Mecha instead of the Tianfa Eanus must mean he was prepared.

Amidst the fanatical cheers of the audience, the two Mobile Suits descended onto the city battlefield. Clang...

Blood Moon was unsheathed. Wuzang's expression was grave. This was different from the pre-match preparations. He had even considered that Li Xiangshan would use Thunder Fire, but he hadn't expected the Death Penalty Mecha from TAS. Was he trying to counter his movement?

Bang... tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap...

The Black Night Mecha charged. He was looking forward to how Li Xiangshan would counter his Black Night Saber. A gale rose, and the Black Night Mecha moved with the wind. Blood Moon struck toward the Death Penalty Mecha. Li Xiangshan's Death Penalty Mecha lowered its center of gravity, and the Sin Battle Axe swung.

Clang, clang, clang, clang...

Blood Moon hacked at the Death Penalty Mecha, but the titanium Arm Shield blocked it precisely. At the same time, the mecha retreated continuously, not letting the Black Night Mecha's attack momentum build up. In the Heavenly Heart Style, Li Xiangshan's technique was also top-tier. The Black Night Mecha kept charging at Li Xiangshan's defense; conventional attacks simply couldn't break through. And the Sin Battle Axe, which hadn't moved much, was a deterrent, constantly reminding Wuzang that as long as there was one loophole, a death sentence awaited him.

A heavy blow landed, and Wuzang clearly felt the force was off. Dodging the sweep of the Sin Battle Axe, the Black Night Mecha shifted sideways, light and flames burst forth, and the gale suddenly swirled.

Wu Family—Gale Swirl Slash!

A modified version of the Wild Wind Matrix. The Black Night Mecha accelerated its lateral movement within the hurricane formation, circling the Death Penalty Mecha for high-speed strikes. The hurricane enveloped both Mobile Suits. Inside the hurricane, the Black Night Mecha's attack speed suddenly increased, frantically attacking the Death Penalty Mecha along the trajectory of the gale. But Li Xiangshan's composure was displayed to the extreme. Facing the high-speed strikes, the Death Penalty Mecha was as steady as Mount Tai. The Hook Sickle Battle Axe and the Titanium Shield formed an airtight defense, swift and with tricky angles. This defensive skill was truly masterful.

"Wuzang's growth is truly terrifying. At the beginning of the year, I was still beating him up," Luo Bi couldn't help but sigh. When he first came into contact with Tianjing Mecha, he was still their idol. "Wuzang looked like a little fanboy when he saw me back then."

"The new generation replaces the old; there isn't much time left for you," Perkins laughed.

"Oh, stop it, as if you could beat him," Luo Bi naturally didn't let him off.

Both sides of the battle had entered Heart Flow, extremely natural and proficient. This foundation and control were pure talent.

"Wuzang's gale strikes are swift and fast, yet lingering, containing the essence of the continuous Ancient Martial Arts. It's not a one-wave burst; this can be considered unique," Aofei couldn't help but praise. She had also helped Tianjing Mecha quite a bit; she could only say that Wuzang was an unpolished gem, but not every unpolished gem could shine.

"Li Xiangshan has also reached his peak. Xilian's arrival with the Shadow Scout has also raised his level. I'm envious," Laika laughed.

Once upon a time, Li Xiangshan, who was at the bottom of New Beidou, had reached this point. When Xilian made his comeback, they were a bit disdainful. Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix; at the same time, they didn't quite trust Xilian, thinking he just wanted to throw money to pick up a bargain and make up for the five years he disappeared.

Little did they know that these people had underestimated Xilian, while Li Xiangshan had seen things more clearly.

Li Xiangshan knew very well that without Xilian, he could continue to be the boss at Hailong, muddle through the last year, and then graduate with a senior title. Looking back, he would have solid honors but nothing else, and his personal strength would have stagnated. Such a Hailong probably wouldn't even make it into the top eight.

Only by letting go of vanity can one summon the courage.

Having discarded face and those unrealistic things that troubled him, he could go all out in his final year. How he loved mecha!

Inside the hurricane, the Black Night Mecha had already unleashed over two hundred slashes. The two Mobile Suits moved continuously, passing through three city blocks. The Death Penalty Mecha had a different kind of composure in Li Xiangshan's hands. Every attack looked lethal and fast, but Li Xiangshan's delicate local defensive maneuvering was always in place just in time. Generally, if a fierce attack is ineffective, the momentum inevitably wanes, or the attack rhythm becomes chaotic. Yet Wuzang was like he was at the beginning, with a different rhythm within his blade technique.

"Brother Shan's defense is truly impregnable," Kuangwu Daren praised sincerely. "Wuzang's Gale Ability has already had a qualitative breakthrough. Everyone, pay attention: every one of his slashes is coherent, soaring by borrowing the Wind Force, and chaining moves by following the wind's power. That's why he can reach such a continuous level. This is the essence of the Entanglement Technique of Ancient Martial Arts!"

At this moment, in the Wujia Dayuan, ninety-year-old Wu Xun sat quietly, watching the battle before him. At this moment, he was not the Ancient Martial Arts grandmaster who once dominated the world, but an old man. Step by step, bit by bit, he saw Wuzang's growth. In this era of rapid change where Ancient Martial Arts were constantly declining, Wuzang had also been confused and hesitant. Now, he had found his own path.

A breath of energy ran through his whole body, leaving Wuzang's attacks without any flaws. The Wind Whirl Blade was continuous. His Golden Zone was not used for ability blasts or mental control, but integrated into his operation, still based on martial arts, forming a perfect whole.

(Dear family, it's the end of the month,)