Chapter 426 - 425: Victory
Hearing her father’s words, Wen Tao stepped forward to shake hands with Yiyi and said, "Please take care of me at that time."
Yiyi responded with a smile, "Of course, of course, but we both should keep it to a friendly exchange, just spar with each other."
Wen Tao also replied with a smile.
"Naturally."
After chatting a bit more, they each returned to their rooms.
Guo Ming looked at his little apprentice and said, "That Wen Tao doesn’t seem simple. You must not underestimate her." He worried that his young apprentice might not take a female opponent seriously.
Yiyi quickly replied, "Master, am I that careless? I treat all opponents equally."
"That’s good."
Guo Ming nodded in satisfaction, "Alright, we’ll go eat soon, then you should get a good rest. Starting tomorrow morning, you’ll be busy."
After finishing their conversation, the master and apprentice went to a nearby restaurant for a simple meal and then returned to the hotel. Yiyi went to bed early to replenish her energy for the competition the next day.
The following morning, Yiyi got up early and went to the competition venue with Guo Ming.
Unexpectedly, the Wen family arrived even earlier than they did.
Father Wen saw Yiyi and her master and immediately went over to greet them with a smile, "Master Guo, Yiyi, you’re here early."
Guo Ming responded with a smile, "Isn’t the Head of the Wen Family here even earlier than us?"
"I brought Little Tao to warm up, so we came early. I assume it’s the same for you. See you in the arena later."
Hearing this, Guo Ming cupped his hands and said, "Alright, see you in the arena later."
After some more small talk, both sides went their separate ways. Guo Ming also began warming up with Yiyi, while reminding her, "Though your skills are impressive, you must pay attention to your safety. Even though I want you to win, your life is the most important. Remember, safety first, competition second."
"Don’t worry, Master. I definitely prioritize my life." Yiyi nodded firmly, then started warming up.
Seeing his apprentice’s determined expression, Guo Ming didn’t say anything more. He knew that his apprentice was quite independent, hence she was well aware of her situation.
Once Yiyi was warmed up, others arrived one after another. She then sat with her master in the seats.
At exactly seven o’clock, the host arrived. He went directly on stage and concisely announced the start of the competition, immediately calling the two who drew number one to come forward.
The ones who drew number one were two young men. Watching the plump and thin duo, Yiyi softly said, "I think the thin one will win."
Guo Ming nodded in agreement and whispered, "I think so too."
The master and apprentice quietly watched the match.
Both competitors displayed excellent skills. Initially, they were evenly matched, but gradually, the plump competitor’s disadvantage emerged as his movements slowed, leading to the thin competitor’s victory.
"Yiyi, it seems like your observational skills have improved. Now, look at the two who just took the stage and guess who will win."
At this moment, the two competitors who drew number two had already taken the stage: a middle-aged woman and a young man. After a careful observation, Yiyi finally said, "I think the woman will win."
In the end, the woman did indeed win. However, Yiyi didn’t guess correctly for the next two matches. Through watching others, she learned a lot. Soon, it was her turn to take the stage.
"Yiyi, don’t be nervous, just perform as usual."
Yiyi turned to Guo Ming with a smile and said, "Master, rest assured, I’ll do my best."
By this time, Wen Tao had already stepped onto the stage. When she saw Yiyi, she smiled and cupped her hands, saying, "Please take care of me."
"Please guide me as well."
Yiyi returned the gesture with a smile.
Soon, both of their expressions changed. Wen Tao was the first to attack, launching straight at Yiyi.
Yiyi’s sharp gaze did not waver. Instead of dodging, she charged straight forward, delivering a powerful palm strike. Wen Tao was somewhat surprised by this. She had expected Yiyi to dodge, but even so, her attacks did not hesitate, and the two quickly clashed.
Taking advantage of Wen Tao’s momentary surprise, Yiyi delivered another palm strike.
This time, Wen Tao was genuinely startled. She hadn’t expected such a quick response and could only awkwardly roll to one side.
In the audience, Guo Ming was all smiles, satisfied with his apprentice’s performance.
Wen Hong’an’s expression wasn’t as pleasant. He had been confident in his daughter, but with this initial clash, she was being overpowered. Naturally, his face wasn’t looking good.
Xie Yongchao, sitting beside Wen Hong’an, seeing his friend’s expression, said bluntly, "You’d better mentally prepare yourself. From what I know, Master Guo’s apprentice is formidable, on par with Yuan Zhou."
"Really? Why didn’t you say so earlier?"
Wen Hong’an couldn’t help but glare at his friend.
Xie Yongchao refused to accept the blame, "I told you earlier to make sure Little Tao took it seriously, but you didn’t pay attention. Now you’re blaming me."
Hearing this, Wen Hong’an was momentarily speechless. He indeed remembered his friend mentioning this. However, his first impression of Yiyi was of a delicate girl, so despite knowing she was Guo Ming’s disciple, he hadn’t taken her seriously. The result was the current situation. Though, now he realized, even if they had taken her seriously, there was little they could change. His daughter’s Kung Fu wouldn’t improve drastically in just a few days.
With this thought, Wen Hong’an’s mood gradually calmed, and he continued to watch the match intently.
On the stage, Yiyi and Wen Tao had exchanged more than ten moves. Yiyi was impressed by Wen Tao’s skills; she hadn’t expected Wen Tao to be this capable. Even though she had already regarded her highly, it still surpassed her expectations. However, Yiyi’s expression didn’t change as she continued to strike swiftly.
Approaching Wen Tao, Yiyi even altered her attack direction, shifting from rear to front.
Wen Tao, unprepared, was struck by Yiyi’s palm.
She initially intended to get back up, but Yiyi had already moved in, pinning her down.
"I lost."
Wen Tao took a deep breath, her expression finally showing her defeat.
"Thank you for letting me win."
Yiyi withdrew her attack and stood aside.
"In this round, Ding Yiyi wins."
The host announced the result and called the next pair to step forward for the competition.