36: Chapter 36 System Mission: "Real-world Testing, Doubling Popularity"

Section 1: The Challenge Letter in the Pop-up

The morning mist at the Public Welfare Foundation hadn't yet dispersed. Chen Wu had just corrected Lin Mo's Horse Stance posture when the System's mechanical voice suddenly rang in his mind, carrying more metallic vibration than usual:

[Special Mission Triggered: Combat Test]

[Mission Requirements: Complete three public combat duels within 72 hours; livestream popularity must Breakthrough 50 million]

[Mission Reward: Unlock the ability to transform the state of "Qi" (can transform "Qi" into solid, liquid, and gaseous states)]

[Failure Penalty: Permanent ban of the "Baji Fist" skill]

Chen Wu's movements froze mid-air, and the Qi in his palm almost spiraled out of control. Solid, liquid, gaseous? This meant that Qi could not only be used for attack and defense, but could also flow like water, be as hard as ice, and be as pervasive as the wind—this was a Realm not even recorded in the "General Outline of Martial Arts."

But the failure penalty alarmed him even more. Banning Baji Fist? That would be equivalent to crippling half of his skills.

"Brother Wu, what's wrong?" Lin Mo rubbed his sore foot. He hadn't yet mastered the "Earth Dragon Twist" he learned yesterday, and the bruise on his knee looked like a purple flower. "Why is your face so pale?"

Chen Wu didn't speak; he just opened the livestream console. The current number of online viewers was stable at 23 million, still more than half away from 50 million. Three duels in 72 hours, and he had to double the popularity? This wasn't just a combat test; it was forcing him to gamble with his life for hype.

"Another mission?" Lin Xue walked in holding a folder. The words "Investigation Report on the Remnants of the Gray Shadow Organization" on the folder were startling. "I just received news that there's movement at the Genetic Warrior base in Southeast Asia. Their leader says he wants to personally experience your Baji Fist."

Chen Wu's fingertips sparked on the console: "Perfect, we have an opponent for the first match."

[System Notification: Grade-A threat detected — Genetic Warrior leader "Scorpion." Defeat him to gain a 10-million popularity bonus.]

Scorpion's profile suddenly popped up on the screen: Two meters tall, spine replaced with a carbon fiber skeleton, arms capable of ejecting eight-centimeter-long bone blades, and his entire body covered in scale-like skin that was difficult for blades or bullets to penetrate. Most terrifying was his toxin modification—he could secrete neurotoxins from his fingernails that caused paralysis upon contact.

"This guy just tore apart a martial arts hall in Bangkok last month and twisted the hall master's arm into a pretzel," Lin Xue's voice carried a chill. "The Bureau of Abnormal Incident Management suggests you don't accept; even anti-venom serums are ineffective against his toxins."

Chen Wu, however, clicked on the challenge video sent by the Southeast Asian Martial Arts Alliance. In the footage, Scorpion was using his bone blades to cut through steel plates, the cuts as neat as if made by a laser. He licked his nails at the camera: "Chen Wu, do you dare to come to the Mekong Delta? I'll let you know how much stronger genetic evolution is compared to your ancient martial arts."

The bullet chat in the livestream room exploded instantly:

 "Scorpion! That maniac isn't dead yet?"

 "Brother Wu, don't go! His poison can make you bleed from all seven orifices!"

 "25 million online! If they fight, it'll definitely be the show of the year."

 "I bet five packs of spicy strips Brother Wu won't dare to accept!"

Chen Wu's fingertip hovered over the "Accept Challenge" button for three seconds, suddenly thinking of the Qi state transformation reward from the System. If he could transform Qi into a liquid state, could it neutralize toxins like an antidote?

"Reply to them. Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, see you at the Mekong Delta."

Section 2: Bone Blades on the Mekong River

The morning mist on the Mekong River carried a fishy smell. Chen Wu stood on the deck of a freighter, the steel plates beneath his feet shimmering with a faint gold as they were permeated by Qi. In the abandoned factory on the opposite bank, Scorpion's figure was looming behind the shipping containers, the cold light reflected from his bone blades like shattered glass on the water's surface.

Livestream drones circled overhead, and the number of online viewers had already surged to 32 million. Lin Xue had the special operations team from the Bureau of Abnormal Incident Management lying in ambush nearby, sniper scopes aimed at every corner of the factory.

"Chen Wu, you actually dared to come." Scorpion stepped out from behind a container, his scale-like skin glinting greenish-black in the sun. His bone blades ejected with a crisp "clack." "It seems the global livestream has made you arrogant, thinking you're immortal?"

Chen Wu didn't waste words; he assumed the opening stance of Baji Fist, and the deck beneath his feet suddenly sank three centimeters—this was a sign of Qi connecting with the ship's hull, capable of neutralizing the opponent's impact force.

"Seeking death!" Scorpion's speed was like a black shadow, his bone blades lunging straight for Chen Wu's throat, the venom in his fingernails glistening like oil in the sunlight.

Chen Wu dodged to the side, simultaneously throwing a "Sky-Shattering Cannon Strike." The wind from his fist collided with the bone blades, producing a metallic screech. He could "listen" to the vibration of the carbon fiber skeleton in Scorpion's arm, like a steel cable about to snap.

"Your bones aren't as hard as steel plates." Chen Wu's fist speed grew faster and faster as he executed the "Eight Great Openings" of Baji Fist in rapid succession, forcing Scorpion to retreat repeatedly. The livestream camera captured an amazing scene: every time Chen Wu's fist contacted Scorpion's scales, a golden film of Qi would ripple, blocking the venom on the outside.

"What is this?" Scorpion's pupils shrank. His toxins could corrode steel, yet they couldn't penetrate that thin layer of golden light.

"The thing that's sending you on your way." Chen Wu suddenly changed his Move, turning his left hand into a palm. Qi condensed in his palm into a liquid state, like a drop of golden quicksilver. This was the usage he had researched last night—liquid Qi could stick to objects like glue, specifically countering the opponent's bone blades.

As soon as Scorpion's bone blades touched the liquid Qi, they were stuck as if by a magnet, unable to Move. He roared and exerted force, his carbon fiber skeleton emitting a groan of being overtaxed, yet he couldn't pull his arm back no matter what.

"It's over." Chen Wu's right fist carried the weight of solid Qi, smashing into Scorpion's chest like a meteorite.

*Crack!*

The sound of bones fracturing was clearly audible in the livestream room. Scorpion flew out like a broken kite, crashing into a container and sliding down, green blood seeping from under his scale-like skin. He looked at his deformed arm and suddenly let out a desperate howl—the arm that had ejected the bone blades had golden ice crystals condensed at the joints, frostbite caused by the solid Qi.

[System Notification: Grade-A target defeated. Popularity +12 million. Current total popularity: 35 million.]

Chen Wu withdrew his fist as the liquid Qi evaporated into a white mist in his palm. In the livestream footage, he stood in the morning mist of the Mekong River, golden Qi surrounding his body like a light veil, leaving the global audience dumbfounded:

 "What was that golden liquid just now? Special effects?"

 "It's the state transformation from the System reward! Brother Wu is awesome!"

 "38 million online! Not far from the goal!"

When Lin Xue's special operations team rushed up to arrest Scorpion, the guy was still muttering to himself: "Impossible... how could genetic evolution lose to something ancient..."

Chen Wu watched his retreating figure as he was led away, then suddenly spoke to the camera: "Next match, who's coming?"

Section 3: The Bronze Man Array of Shaolin Temple

The response came faster than expected. The Shaolin Abbot personally sent a challenge, inviting Chen Wu to Mount Song for a sparring match against the temple's Bronze Man Array, which hadn't been moved in a century.

"The Bronze Man Array? Isn't that just a legend?" Lin Mo held a tablet. On the screen, the bronze men were three meters tall, cast entirely from bronze, with Move diagrams of Shaolin's Seventy-Two Ultimate Skills carved into their joints. "The Abbot said these bronze men were passed down from the Ming Dynasty, with internal mechanisms that can simulate the fist techniques of past eminent monks."

[System Notification: S-Grade challenge target detected — Shaolin Bronze Man Array. Clearing it will grant a 15-million popularity bonus.]

Chen Wu's fingertip slid across the 3D model of the Bronze Man Array. Eighteen Bronze Men formed a Bagua formation, each corresponding to a different Shaolin ultimate skill. Some were experts in "Iron Head Skill," some specialized in "Flower Picking Finger," and the central bronze man was even inscribed with the general outline of the Muscle Tendon Change Classic.

"This isn't a sparring match; they're asking you to dismantle cultural relics." Lin Xue flipped through the Shaolin archives. "During the Republican era, a martial arts fanatic forced his way in and had seven ribs broken by the bronze men. Since then, no one has dared to try."

The livestream's online audience had already reached 40 million, with the bullet chat half filled with anticipation and half with worry:

 "The Bronze Man Array! This is a living fossil-level duel!"

 "Brother Wu's Baji Fist is fierce and powerful, a perfect counter to Shaolin's Hard Qigong."

 "42 million online! I bet Brother Wu can make it to the fifth stage!"

Before the mountain gate of Shaolin Temple on Mount Song, the Eighteen Bronze Men had already lined up in formation. The sunlight shone on their bronze armor, reflecting a cold, hard light. The Abbot, wearing a red cassock, turned the prayer beads in his hand rapidly: "Benefactor Chen, stop at the point of contact; do not hurt the Bronze Men."

As soon as Chen Wu stepped into the formation, the Bronze Man on the far left suddenly moved. Its fist struck with the powerful wind of the "Iron Sand Palm," and the smell of oxidized bronze rust could be detected in the palm's wind.

"Good timing!" Chen Wu neither dodged nor avoided, meeting it with the "Elbow Strike" of Baji Fist. The "Qi" in his elbow instantly transformed into a solid state, as if wrapped in a layer of steel plate.

"Clang!"

The sound of the collision shook the ancient cypresses before the mountain gate, causing blossoms to fall in profusion. The Bronze Man retreated three steps, a shallow dent appearing on its palm; Chen Wu remained motionless, though the golden light on his elbow dimmed slightly.

"Second stage!" the Abbot shouted loudly.

Four Bronze Men surrounded him simultaneously, using "Mantis Fist," "Snake Fist," "Tiger Fist," and "Crane Fist." Their Moves were so agile they didn't seem like mechanisms but rather four living martial monks. Chen Wu's "Qi" rapidly switched between solid and liquid states—using the solid state to block the Tiger Fist's fierce strike and the liquid state to stick to the Snake Fist's entanglement, his body weaving through the Bronze Men like a swimming fish.

The number of online viewers in the livestream room broke 45 million, and slow-motion shots clearly displayed the morphological changes of the "Qi":

"Holy crap! What was with those golden ice cubes just now?"

"And that glue-like stuff! It really can change forms!"

"47 million online! The Bronze Man Formation is about to break!"

When Chen Wu reached the final stage, the Bronze Man in the middle suddenly opened its eyes—they were two pigeon-blood rubies, flashing with a sinister light. It slowly raised its hand, the Sanskrit for "Muscle Tendon Change Classic" engraved on its palm. A gentle yet heavy "Qi" rushed toward him, unexpectedly resonating with the Baji Fist "Qi" of Chen Wu.

"This is..." Chen Wu's pupils constricted. The trajectory of the "Qi" in the Bronze Man's palm was surprisingly similar to the "Sinking Qi to Dantian" of Baji Fist!

"Clang!"

The Bronze Man's fist collided with Chen Wu's fist. There was no earth-shattering roar, only the two streams of "Qi" blending and colliding, forming a golden vortex. Chen Wu suddenly understood—Shaolin secret techniques and Baji Fist shared the same origin; both emphasized the combination of hardness and softness in "Qi."

He no longer resisted forcefully but instead transformed his "Qi" into a gaseous state, flowing along the path of the Bronze Man's fist like wind passing through a canyon. The Bronze Man's Moves gradually became sluggish, and the mechanisms at its joints made a "creaking" sound—the gaseous "Qi" had seeped into the gaps, obstructing its operation.

For the final Move, Chen Wu's "Qi" displayed all three forms simultaneously: solid state to block the Bronze Man's fist, liquid state to stick to its joints, and gaseous state to circle behind for a gentle push.

"Boom!"

The Bronze Man's massive body tilted backward but was caught by Chen Wu's "Qi" before hitting the ground and steadily placed back in its original position. The Eighteen Bronze Men lit up with red light simultaneously and then bowed in sequence, as if paying tribute to the victor.

[System Prompt: Cleared S-rank challenge, popularity +18 million, current total popularity 53 million.]

The Abbot pressed his palms together: "Benefactor Chen, this old monk has lost. It turns out the true essence of the Martial Dao lies not in the School, but in flexibility."

Chen Wu bowed to the Bronze Man Formation: "They made me realize that while the forms of 'Qi' are ever-changing, the steadfastness of the human heart is the foundation."

The bullet chat in the livestream room was covered in gold, as 53 million viewers sent simultaneously: "Martial Dao knows no borders!"

Section 4: Showdown at the Lunar Base

With twelve hours left until the end of the mission, the popularity goal had been exceeded, but there was one last duel on the System's mission list.

[Ultimate Challenge: Lunar Base, opponent 'Higher-dimensional Projection']

[Mission Reward: System core permissions unlocked by 10%]

Chen Wu looked at the lunar hologram on the screen. The base was located in a crater on the far side of the moon, the final stronghold of the Gray Shadow Organization and the hidden location of the Higher-dimensional Civilization's energy core.

"They want to use higher-dimensional technology to fight you?" Lin Xue's voice carried disbelief. "There's no atmosphere on the moon; the operation of 'Qi' will be affected!"

Chen Wu, however, thought of the form transformation rewarded by the System. Could gaseous "Qi" propagate in a vacuum? Could liquid "Qi" resist the moon's low gravity? This might be the best opportunity to verify the true potential of "Qi."

Inside the lunar module, the livestream signal was transmitted to Earth via satellite. Global viewers waited before their screens, watching Chen Wu, dressed in a special spacesuit, step onto the lunar soil. The number of online viewers froze at 60 million, setting a new record in the history of human livestreaming.

In the center of the crater, the Higher-dimensional Projection had been waiting for a long time. Its form was like a mass of flowing quicksilver, capable of mimicking all of Chen Wu's Moves and even replicating the morphological changes of his "Qi."

"You are very strong." The projection's voice echoed directly in Chen Wu's mind. "But higher-dimensional technology can calculate all your Moves, including the three forms of 'Qi'."

Chen Wu did not speak; he simply transformed his "Qi" into three forms simultaneously: a solid-state gauntlet, a liquid-state heart-protecting mirror, and a gaseous-state cloak. In the moon's low-gravity environment, the flow of "Qi" became slower yet more stable, like stretched golden silk.

For the first Move, the projection replicated the "Elbow Strike" of Baji Fist. The shockwave from the collision of solid-state "Qi" sent dust flying in the crater. Chen Wu could "see" the opponent's energy flow—it was indeed consistent with the frequency of the System core, only lacking human on-the-spot flexibility.

"You only know how to mimic, not create." Chen Wu suddenly changed his Move, splashing the liquid "Qi" toward the projection while the gaseous "Qi" circled behind to form a vacuum barrier. Surprisingly, the liquid "Qi" did not evaporate in the vacuum; instead, it stuck to the projection's energy flow like glue.

The projection's form began to disorder, ripples appearing on its quicksilver-like body: "Impossible! My calculations show this Move is ineffective!"

"Because you cannot calculate the human heart." Chen Wu's solid-state "Qi" condensed into a spear, accurately piercing the core of the projection—where the frequency fluctuations were most intense. "Martial Dao is not data; it is courage and conviction."

"Pfft!"

The moment the solid-state "Qi" spear pierced the projection, the Lunar Base shook violently. The hidden higher-dimensional energy core was exposed, emitting a blinding blue light. Chen Wu's "Listening Energy" resonated through the livestream signal with the System core on Earth, the two streams of energy spinning and merging like a Yin-Yang fish.

[System Prompt: Ultimate target defeated, mission complete!]

[Reward Issued: 'Qi' form transformation ability unlocked]

[System core permissions 10% opened, detecting Higher-dimensional Civilization information database...]

In the livestream footage, Chen Wu stood in the crater, the three forms of "Qi" flowing around him like a golden cocoon. The screens showed a split view of Earth and the moon—on one side, the cheers of 60 million viewers; on the other, the vast starry sky of the Universe.

"Seventy-two hours, three duels." Chen Wu took off his helmet for the camera, lunar dust shimmering in his hair. "What I proved was not how strong Baji Fist is, but that humanity's pursuit of the Martial Dao is endless."

[System Prompt: Global Martial Dao enlightenment progress detected at 200%, opening new mission line—Interstellar Martial Dao Propagation.]

Chen Wu smiled and turned toward the energy core. He knew this was not the end but a new beginning. When "Qi" could flow through the Universe and the Martial Dao could span interstellar space, those past challenges and punishments became medals of growth.

The final frame of the livestream room was a Taiji diagram synthesized from Earth and the moon on the screen, with the golden bullet chat of 60 million viewers forming the eyes of the Yin-Yang fish:

"Proving the Dao through martial arts, carrying all things through the Dao."

The hatch of the lunar module slowly closed, carrying Chen Wu toward the sea of stars. In his palm, the three forms of "Qi" were blending, like a tiny Universe containing infinite possibilities. And the mechanical voice of the System, for the first time, carried a hint of warmth:

[With you, exploring the ultimate Martial Dao.]