Wu Li had just stepped out of the dormitory building when a female reporter approached him with a microphone in hand.
"Excuse me, are you Wu Li, the student who single-handedly took down six thugs last night?"
"That's right, it was me."
"Hello, Wu Li. I'm a reporter from Chuhua Evening News."
"May I do a quick interview with you?"
"Thank you. I saw the video of the fight from last night. You charged at five people by yourself. What were you thinking at that time? Weren't you afraid?"
"They were six guys beating up two of our school's boys, and they were pretty arrogant about it. I couldn't stand by and watch, so I stepped in. And as for being afraid, it's they who should have been afraid."
The female reporter paused for a bit and then asked, "Why do you say that?"
"Because I've been practicing martial arts since I was a kid."
"Practicing since childhood? May I ask which martial art you practice?"
"I practice Traditional Martial Arts, Xingyi Fist. I started when I was six, and it's been fourteen years now."
"Who did you learn this Xingyi Fist from?"
"And your grandfather is?"
"He's a veteran who has seen battle and killed enemies. He's also a Martial Artist, and I learned my martial arts from him, so there's more focus on real combat."
"I see. I think many who saw your video from last night would first think: Why are you so strong? You mentioned that you studied Traditional Martial Arts from a young age, so that's why you're this strong. It reminds me of some masters who also practiced Traditional Martial Arts and claimed to be very powerful, but they were knocked down within a few moves when they got in the ring, which caused many to question the effectiveness of Traditional Martial Arts. What's your opinion on this?"
The female reporter smoothly turned the topic towards a controversial issue that had been much debated recently, but this suited Wu Li just fine. He replied without hesitation, "The poor reputation of Traditional Martial Arts today is because there are fake masters who are attention-seekers, using deceptive moves and exploiting the name of Traditional Martial Arts to gain attention."
The reporter's eyes lit up; as a journalist, she knew that controversy made for good topics—the more explosive, the better, because that's what viewers liked to see. She had been planning how to steer Wu Li into saying something sensational, but Wu Li had taken the initiative.
"So you mean to say, they don't represent Traditional Martial Arts?"
"Of course, those who practice health exercises should stick to that. If they can't fight, they shouldn't go around showing off and tarnishing the name of Traditional Martial Arts."
"So, can Traditional Martial Arts actually be used for fighting?"
"Haven't I already proven that with facts?" Wu Li asked with a smile.
"Wu Li, do you think you can represent Traditional Martial Arts?"
The female reporter was stunned. Wasn't the usual routine that Wu Li humbly claims he's not there yet? Are the youth of today this arrogant?
"Then, aren't you worried that by saying this, many people will not accept it?"
After a moment of silence, the female reporter asked, "Do you mean to say you welcome challengers?"
"Couldn't be happier."
"It seems you're quite confident, Wu Li."
"A person who practices martial arts should have at least that much confidence."
The female reporter nodded, feeling the interview was worthwhile. This interview, once broadcasted, would surely spark a huge debate.
"But if there are female challengers, I'd advise them not to come," Wu Li suddenly said.
"I don't mean to disrespect women, nor am I unwilling to fight women. I'm just worried that when they see my face, they'll hesitate, and then my victory wouldn't be honorable."
"..." The female reporter was taken aback, but after taking another careful look at Wu Li's face, she somehow thought he might have a point...
After the interview, Wu Li turned around and walked back to his dorm. He hadn't gone far when Wang Xuecheng, who had been watching his interview from the side, came over.
"King of Bravery, I bow to you!"
"I never realized you were such a pretender before," Chen Dong also teased with a laugh.
Feigning shyness, Wu Li said, "I'm just speaking the truth."
"Get lost!" Chen Dong and Wang Xuecheng both flipped him off in unison.
Ignoring them, Wu Li took out his phone to check out the video he had just uploaded.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Wu Li. I'm the one who single-handedly took down six thugs outside Beichuan University last night. I've been training in martial arts since I was a kid, practicing Xingyi Fist, which is what I used last night to defeat my opponents. Many people think Traditional Martial Arts can't be used in a fight. What do you think now?"
The video was short, lasting only six seconds. Wu Li simply spoke these words into the camera without any additional editing. His previous video 'Martial Arts Expert at the Campus' had already hit Mo Yin's trending list at third place, with over nine million views, so Wu Li believed his new video would quickly become popular.
Indeed, in less than ten minutes after uploading, Wu Li's video surpassed thirty thousand views, with ten thousand likes, and over a thousand comments—much more impressive than his first video.
"Maybe I can break ten thousand fan value with another live stream tonight?" Wu Li's lips curled up.
By eight o'clock that evening, Wu Li's second video had over a million likes. Over a hundred thousand people had started following his account, and concurrently, his video reached the number one spot on Mo Yin's trending list.
For a long time, Chinese people have held a special sentiment towards Traditional Martial Arts. Many boys grow up reading martial arts novels or watching TV dramas, fantasizing that one day they could be extraordinary martial artists, able to run along rooftops. Even if it's not feasible in real life, people still hold a sense of longing towards Traditional Martial Arts.
However, in recent years, the rise of various 'masters' had shattered this ideal, and although many Martial Artists still tried to promote Traditional Martial Arts, talking about various limitations, the difference between routines and real combat, the value of Traditional Martial Arts. Some Combat Skills athletes also claimed they came from a Traditional Martial Arts background, stating it as their foundation. But no one had ever stepped forward with pure Traditional Martial Arts combat—any examples of real combat were hardly known.
Whether it was a coincidence or the system working behind the scenes, Wu Li's video of fighting six with Traditional Martial Arts made many people take notice, and this was far more effective than a hundred masters explaining it in videos!
For many fans of Traditional Martial Arts or those who still harbored hope for it, Wu Li's video was like a long-awaited rain.
At nine-thirty that evening, Wu Li began his second-ever live stream.