CHAPTER 377: CHAPTER 168: BREAKING FREE FROM THE PAST SHACKLES, ONLY TODAY DO I REALIZE THAT I AM ME_4

"Could it be that I’ve hit a sore spot? Haha, why so anxious?"

Internet users are fierce combatants. With just a few words, they left this group from the martial arts community speechless. It infuriated them, but they were helpless. After all, the incident was indeed just as the netizens described—purely something Chen Rourou had released for fun. It was their reactions that had been over the top!

Yanjing/Song Kai, "Damn it, is this matter just going to be left like this?"

Xiguang Province/Kuang Qiu, "What else can we do? If you continue talking, it’ll only make you lose more face. There’s no other point to it. Fuck! I just hate not being savvy with the internet. Had I known its influence could be so great, I definitely would have gotten involved!"

Nanyun Province/Liao Zhihong, "I can’t stand it! I really can’t! We can’t just let this go. Since we can’t find a way to deal with Zhang Beixing and his ilk online, then we’ll have to find one in reality."

Jinmen/Qi Tongming, "That’s right! We can’t let them belittle us like this!"

"..."

The Martial Artists were discussing ardently in the group chat, feeling extremely indignant.

「Elsewhere.」

In the meeting room of the Yanjing Martial Arts Association, silence prevailed. The pale light shining on the attendees’ faces made their already serious expressions look even graver. The air conditioner blasted cold air frantically, yet it couldn’t mask the irritation in everyone’s hearts.

SQUEAK—

With a light sound, the door to the meeting room was pushed open. The president of the Beihu Province Martial Arts Association and Master Qingwei from Wudang Mountain arrived and took their seats.

The president of the Yanjing Martial Arts Association glanced at everyone present. He noted that, aside from Northern River Province, the presidents from all other provinces’ Martial Arts Associations had arrived.

As the host, he stood up and was the first to break the silence. "Now that everyone has arrived, let’s begin our meeting."

"Let’s start by discussing recent events. What are your views on this Zhang Beixing?" the president of the Yanjing Martial Arts Association asked, looking at everyone present.

As soon as he finished speaking, Ma Yuankai, the representative of Xishan Province’s Martial Artists, snorted coldly. "Views? What views could we possibly have? That Zhang Beixing is outrageous! He disregards the established rules of our Martial Arts community, recklessly challenges dojos, and without any real understanding, makes baseless judgments online. He slanders us Great Xia Martial Artists and is destroying our livelihood! His crimes are unforgivable."

Hearing this, Tian Fenglin, the representative from Nanhe Province and also a Grandmaster, who was sitting opposite, chimed in, "I second that. Although Grandmaster Zhang reached the Grandmaster Realm at a young age with exceptional talent, his character and disposition are truly disappointing. Relying on his youth and strength, he acts without restraint, bullying us older and weaker folk. He even attempts to steal techniques by fighting his way across the country, aiming to use us as stepping stones in his pursuit of the Great Grandmaster Realm! It’s pure delusion!"

Wan Mingde, the representative from Xijiang Province, nodded in agreement. Recalling his own misfortune, he said with an indignant expression, "This man’s methods are despicable; he’s the kind who will do anything to achieve his goals! Just because I slighted him once, he started a live stream to ruin my reputation and make me infamous. I’m ashamed to be associated with such a toxic blight on the Martial Arts community!"

"Unworthy of his position! Arrogant and disrespectful! Thinks too highly of himself!" Master Qingwei, who always enjoyed posturing, used three consecutive phrases to express his dissatisfaction with Zhang Beixing.

With these four leading the charge, the others followed suit, all denouncing Zhang Beixing’s actions. Terms like "tyrannical," "autocratic," and "arrogant" were thrown around. Every misdeed they could conjure was now pinned on Zhang Beixing.

Only a few people in the room, those who had minor conflicts with Zhang Beixing or held a relatively better opinion of him, frowned slightly upon seeing such strong opposition. One of them spoke up, "Everyone, isn’t this going a bit too far? Grandmaster Zhang might indeed be arrogant, but he doesn’t seem as terrible as you’re making him out to be. Besides, isn’t he doing all this to break through to the Great Grandmaster Realm? Pursuing a higher realm... surely that shouldn’t be condemned so harshly!"

Hearing this, Master Qingwei sneered. "Great Grandmaster? A brat who popped out of nowhere? Reaching the Grandmaster Realm is already a stroke of luck for him. And yet he brazenly dreams of challenging the supreme realm of Martial Arts? Is he even worthy?"

Ma Yuankai chimed in, "Exactly! Not to mention what Master Qingwei said earlier about him being unworthy of his position. Just look at his behavior! Tell me, what makes him deserving of becoming a Great Grandmaster? The Great Grandmaster Realm requires one to be a Master of All and to create their own Ultimate Skill. Don’t tell me you think he can achieve that just by fighting his way across the country? Ridiculous! If Great Grandmasters were so easy to come by, we would have become them long ago. How could it possibly be his turn?"

Tian Fenglin concluded, "Trying to learn the Ultimate Skills of every school through combat, to become a Master of All—that’s undoubtedly a fool’s dream! This person will definitely not be able to break through to such a realm!"

"This..."

Seeing that these individuals didn’t believe Zhang Beixing could break through to the Great Grandmaster Realm, the person who had spoken up for him earlier fell silent.

As the atmosphere threatened to grow cold, the president of the Yanjing Martial Arts Association, seated at the head of the table, clapped his hands to change the subject. "Alright, that’s enough. Such speculation is pure fantasy; let’s end this discussion here. There’s no need to delve any deeper. Let’s return to the main topic. Since you all have strong opinions on Zhang Beixing’s recent actions, what do you propose we do about this matter?"