Chapter 124: Comeback
The Resurrection Challenge was dubbed Hell Mode by netizens.
The Resurrection Challenge took place in the two weeks between the end of the preliminary selection and the start of the finals. To qualify for the finals through the Resurrection Challenge, participants had to earn one gold, three silver, and ten bronze badges within fourteen days.
Bronze badges were awarded by challenging contestants who advanced to the finals from the preliminaries. Silver badges were earned by challenging seeded contestants ranked between 10th and 50th. To earn a gold badge, challengers must defeat one of the top ten seeded contestants.
Every year, countless participants in the Resurrection Challenge fell short at the gold badge threshold. The top ten seeded contestants were not just ordinary competitors—they represented the elite of their generation in terms of talent, strength, and often family background.
In particular, contestants aged 18 to 23 in the "Rookie Group" symbolized extraordinary talent and family heritage. The top ten seeded contestants in the National Ancient Martial Arts Exchange Conference's Rookie Group would almost certainly become Earth-tier Martial Artists in the future, barring unforeseen circumstances.
Take, for instance, the exceptionally talented top-seeded contestant from the past two tournaments, Junlin, who had already advanced to the Heaven-tier low-rank. This demonstrates the formidable strength of the top ten seeded contestants.
Another example was Lu Heng. Despite submitting the mutated snake which was one of the most powerful mutated creatures at Yellow-tier, he only secured the 11th seed position because the top ten seeded contestants submitted prey who were Black-tier mutated creatures. This year's number one seeded contestant, who was from the Gu family's new generation, even submitted a mid-level Black-tier mutated creature.
The Resurrection Challenge demanded that contestants win a gold badge from one of these prodigies, a feat that was incredibly difficult. Although losing to a challenger in the Resurrection Challenge didn't significantly impact the seeded contestant's ranking or qualification for the finals, it was a different story in terms of pride. For these young prodigies who were being trained by their families with the highest expectations, losing in the Resurrection Challenge and having to hand over a gold badge was far more humiliating than losing in the finals.
Moreover, the audience is always the most ruthless. If such a face losing counterattack happens, the seeded contestant's popularity is bound to take a nosedive.
A drop in popularity meant that the source of thought energy had been significantly reduced, and in the subsequent fiercely competitive finals, their chances of winning the championship were practically zero. Therefore, seeded contestants went all-out in the Resurrection Challenge and never took it lightly.
This extreme difficulty had resulted in only one Martial Artist securing a finals spot through the Resurrection Challenge in the past ten tournaments: Junlin.
Junlin was known as the most unconventional contestant in the history of the National Ancient Martial Arts Exchange Conference. At 18, he won the Rookie Group championship, then returned three years later to compete again. According to tournament rules, second-time participants—even if still within the 18-23 age range—were no longer eligible for the Rookie Group.
He was placed in the Earth-tier Group based on his strength. While 21-year-old Earth-tier Martial Artists were rare, they weren't unheard of. Junlin's rise to fame, however, came when he chose to start directly from the Resurrection Challenge and defeated the then top-seeded Earth-tier contestant in the Challenge, earning widespread fame as one of the most notable Martial Artists in China.
After learning more about the Resurrection Challenge, Lu Heng immediately understood the Zhou family's intentions: they hoped to replicate Junlin's path to fame.
Speaking of which, Lu Heng wondered how Zhou Yishu had managed to win the Rookie King at the time. He had exceptional talent but a bad character, and the Zhou family didn't have the deep legacy of the ancient, powerful families with centuries of tradition.
It seemed the key lay in the "Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart," which must have something unique. However, the original owner hadn't received formal Martial Arts training, and this knowledge was likely to be relatively secretive in the Martial Arts circle. Despite Lu Heng's extensive research, he couldn't uncover any secrets about the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart.
But hey, doesn't he have Gu Lingjun, with his rich family heritage in Martial Arts, right by his side? No sooner had he thought of this than Gu Lingjun delivered himself right to his door!
"Come over, let's eat."
"Sure."
After replying on WeChat, Lu Heng got up and headed next door.
After returning from T Country, Gu Lingjun had suddenly become addicted to cooking for Lu Heng. So, the two of them began dining together daily, switching the venue from restaurants to Gu Lingjun's home.
At first, Lu Heng was a bit puzzled. Then, one day when he came over for dinner, Gu Lingjun was busy in the kitchen, and the laptop on the coffee table in the living room was still open. Lu Heng inadvertently glanced at the page displayed on the screen.
"SovereignGu personally prepared a whole table of dishes, and EternalMoon was delighted beyond words. After they ate and drank to their hearts' content, EternalMoon happily nestled into SovereignGu's embrace and said: 'Gu, you're the best…'"
Lu Heng was floored—what kind of heresy was this? He looked more closely at the URL at the top of the screen and realized it was actually a fanfic starring him on a sub-forum on the OhMyMy livestream platform's website, the very sub-forum that had stripped his vest, exposing "EternalMoon" and "Idol" as the same person.
After that incident, Lu Heng hadn't bothered to look at those messy forums again. But now it seemed that Gu Lingjun had become completely absorbed in them!
After returning home that day, Lu Heng browsed that sub-forum and finally understood what had been causing Gu Lingjun's recent odd behavior.
The inspiration for that bizarre business with OhMyMy platform shares? Gu Lingjun must have gotten it from the fanfic titled "The Domineering CEO's Tsundere Little Sweetheart."
The training trip to the Land of Extreme Evil that popped out of nowhere? That had probably been inspired from the post titled "Idol rejected company as gift. Unhappy. What should I do?"
As for Gu Lingjun cooking for him every day, that inspiration seemed to have come from a fanfic titled "SovereignGu's Slow-Burn Husband Chasing Journey."
Lu Heng was a bit amused, but even more, he was deeply moved by the warmth of being cared for so attentively.
He was by Lu Heng's side on every mission, and even if Lu Heng encountered sickening mission targets like the Zhous, Lu Heng would not be fed up with his work.
As soon as he stepped into Gu Lingjun's house, Lu Heng saw the table filled with a variety of washed mushrooms, vegetables, and an assortment of mutton rolls, beef meatballs, etc. The "Mandarin Ducks" pot[1] on the induction stove was already bubbling happily, calling for the mutton rolls and beef meatballs to quickly fall into its arms.
The room was filled with such enticing aromas that Lu Heng's mouth started watering. He didn't stand on ceremony with Gu Lingjun; he sat down at the table without hesitation.
"The finals are coming up, so you should avoid impurities in your diet. The ingredients outside aren't the best quality," Gu Lingjun explained briefly.
A few days earlier, Lu Heng had casually mentioned that he was craving hot pot, and now here it was—Gu Lingjun had remembered.
They chatted as they ate.
Over dinner, Lu Heng brought up the topic of the Resurrection Challenge.
"I didn't expect Zhou Yishu to have such confidence in his own strength," Lu Heng remarked.
Seeing Gu Lingjun's mildly puzzled look, Lu Heng continued, "Isn't the Resurrection Challenge called Hell Mode? In all these years, you're the only one who's ever made it to the finals through this challenge."
"It's not that difficult." Gu Lingjun told the truth.
"Huh?" Lu Heng was surprised. "Then why did you enter the challenge? I thought you were the type who enjoyed taking on tough challenges."
Gu Lingjun placed the freshly cooked meat into Lu Hengs bowl and casually replied, "At the time, I just wanted to spar with the number one seed. He said he was too busy with the competition to be distracted, so I signed up for the challenge."
What a reason. Lu Heng lit a bunch of candles for that number one seed in his heart. If he knew Gu Lingjun's motive, he would definitely regret not agreeing to a private sparring match with Gu Lingjun. After all, that poor sod's popularity had plummeted after Gu Lingjun defeated him in the challenge, and it took him a long time to recover.
Lu Heng: "I see, but your strength isn't exactly typical. What I wonder is why Zhou Yishu has such blind confidence that he'll make a comeback through the challenge."
The rescue method chosen by the Zhou family this time was like walking a tightrope over a precipice.
If he succeeded, Zhou Yishu could indeed wash away the stain on his reputation. After all, netizens are always the most forgetful. Under the dazzling crown, the few stains on a royal robe would be easily covered up. Over time, they would naturally be forgotten by everyone.
But if he failed, he wouldn't just carry the stain of vanity and hypocrisy—Zhou Yishu would also be branded as delusional and overconfident, making it nearly impossible for him to turn things around.
"Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart," Gu Lingjun explained. "The most precious and special thing about it is that it absorbs thought energy seven times faster than an ordinary martial artist's heart."
With just that, Lu Heng understood. The Resurrection Challenge garnered as much attention as the final match itself. In the previous incident, the Zhou family had paid off a Yellow-tier Martial Artist to take the fall, reducing the blemish on Zhou Yishu's reputation to mere vanity and failing to clarify the developments behind the video.
But this could be smoothed over by playing the "youth and ignorant" card—always a convenient excuse for mistakes. As long as Zhou Yishu managed to shine in the first challenge match, the innate skill of his Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart would let him soar to the top.
After all, people who paid attention to these events on the official website in the early stage were mostly addicted to the Internet or die-hard fans who paid close attention to the Martial Arts circle. But from the Resurrection Challenge onward, in addition to the Internet, the matches would be aired around the clock across various platforms, becoming a national spectacle. The thought energy he'd gather from this level of attention would be many times greater than in the early stage.
With these added boosts, the gap between Zhou Yishu and the tenth seeded contestant in the rookie group wouldn't be so insurmountable. The Zhou family's strategy actually had a decent chance of success.
Interestingly, this trajectory was exactly what Lu Heng wanted. After all, a slap in the face is best witnessed by as many people as possible—it's louder that way. And the original owner's commission included one specific condition: he did not want his gift to be used for martial arts by someone like Zhou Yishu.
Swapping hearts again was impossible, but Lu Heng could do the next best thing: utterly destroy Zhou Yishu's Martial Arts Path.
"Well, knowing this, I feel a whole lot better," Lu Heng said, setting down his chopsticks and leaning back in his chair with satisfaction.
"Huh?" Gu Lingjun was puzzled.
"That moron from the Earth-tier Martial Artist livestreaming team seriously pissed me off when he leaked Zhou Yishu's video," Lu Heng said. "It completely threw off my plan—I had intended to give my dear little brother a big surprise during the finals."
"Moron" Gu Lingjun blinked guiltily.
"Good thing the Zhou family isn't entirely useless. They’ve managed to prop Zhou Yishu back up again, and it looks like he'll climb even higher than before." Lu Heng stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well, that puts my mind at ease. I really should thank our dear father for this."
After dinner, Gu Lingjun began cleaning up the mess in the kitchen. Lu Heng wanted to help but was gently yet firmly pushed out into the living room.
He found himself settled on the sofa with a plate of freshly cut fruit in his hands, while the TV showed the Resurrection Challenge of the National Martial Arts Exchange Conference. Today was the first day of the tournament.
Lu Heng got a little interested. He was curious to see what kind of new look Zhou Yishu would show after Father Zhou's "loving" nurturing. However, Zhou Yishu's match wasn't up yet; the current competitor was a mediocre fighter, leaving Lu Heng a bit bored.
Ding—
A WeChat notification rang. Thinking it was his phone, Lu Heng instinctively glanced at the coffee table, but it was actually Gu Lingjun's phone screen lighting up. Martial Artists have excellent eyesight, and Lu Heng read the message in that brief glance.
Cui Zihang: Little Uncle Gu, I've already fired those two troublemaker livestream team members, and I've also asked them to post the full video. I hope this meets with your satisfaction?
…, So the moron who nearly ruined his plan was right by his side. Lu Heng sighed helplessly in his heart. No wonder Gu Lingjun's mood was a bit wrong when he brought up the topic earlier!
After a while, Gu Lingjun finished tidying up and sat down beside Lu Heng.
"Your WeChat," Lu Heng said, raising his chin toward the phone.
Gu Lingjun picked it up, glanced at the message, but did not reply. As he set the phone back down, he froze for an instant, then asked, "You saw it?"
"Mm." Lu Heng nodded.
"I…" Gu Lingjun seemed hesitant.
Seeing his conflicted expression, Lu Heng couldn't help but laugh out loud. "I'm not mad, so don't go buying another company to apologize."
"..." Actually, in retrospect, Gu Lingjun also thought that had been a pretty silly move. Still, if bringing it up made Lu Heng laugh like this, he supposed it wasn't all bad.
Lu Heng asked, "But can you tell me why you posted Zhou Yishu's video?"
"I hate Zhou Yishu. If it weren't for him, your videos wouldn't have to be posted online," Gu Lingjun answered bluntly.
Though his expression remained calm, Lu Heng could almost feel a dark aura radiating from him. He reached out to pat him reassuringly. "Alright, alright. Once these disgusting things are over, you can film whatever you want."
As they spoke, Zhou Yishu's match began.
In the arena, Zhou Yishu appeared pale and noticeably thinner, but his strikes were as sharp as ever. In fact, there was now an air of fierce determination in his every move, as if he were fighting with nothing left to lose. He swiftly backed his opponent into a corner, forcing them to retreat again and again.
Finally, Zhou Yishu delivered a final strike, knocking his opponent out of the ring. He then put away his spear and extended a hand, helping his defeated opponent to their feet in a friendly manner. After the referee announced his victory, Zhou Yishu gave a slight bow and said to his opponent, "Thank you for the guidance."
A few minutes later, the screen cut to the post-match interview area. Zhou Yishu appeared on camera, and despite the intensity of the battle, his breathing was steady, and not a drop of sweat on his brow—a clear indication of his easy victory.
The interviewer asked him, as they did all winners, to share his thoughts on the match.
Zhou Yishu gave a shy smile and replied, "I'm sorry, but I don't feel I'm qualified to be interviewed just yet. When I earn my gold badge, I'll stand here with a clear conscience and properly thank everyone and offer my apologies."
With another small bow, he quickly exited the frame.
It was a nice character setting—a lost little sheep who got back on the right path. Lu Heng admitted that Zhou Yishu played this repentant character to perfection. In the coming days, Zhou Yishu's image should improve a lot.
Sure enough, things progressed exactly as Lu Heng had guessed. After his first match, Zhou Yishu's modest, unassuming demeanor helped him regain some popularity. In the subsequent matches, he was unstoppable and charged forward triumphantly.
In his final match against the tenth-seed competitor, Zhou Yishu clung to a never-give-up spirit, turning the match into a grueling battle of endurance. With his Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart, he could absorb and recover thought power much faster. In the end, both he and his opponent, injured and exhausted, collapsed to the ground at the same time.
Zhou Yishu was the first to stand up. Leaning heavily on his spear for support, he bit his lip tightly and staggered upright—a dramatic moment that quickly became iconic, winning him a huge wave of fans. His impressive performance in the Resurrection Challenge turned things around for him entirely, and his popularity soared higher than ever.
After all, nothing tugs at the audience's heartstrings quite like the "prodigal son mends his ways" routine.
Lu Heng couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. If Zhou Yishu had been ruined at a stroke, it would have left him at a loss for how to deal with the Zhou family next.
At last, it was time for the finals of the National Ancient Martial Arts Exchange Conference to begin.
During this period, Gu Lingjun suddenly became unusually busy. Not only did he skip their daily lunch meet-ups, but even their dinners had reverted to eating out.
But, as a member of the judges' panel, it was only natural that he had a ton of things to do before the finals.
After returning home from dinner that evening, Lu Heng suddenly recalled something about the upcoming finals: the group arrangements. If he ended up in the same group as Zhou Yishu, they'd face each other before even reaching the quarterfinals.
Since the finals were elimination-based, defeating Zhou Yishu too early wouldn't have the impact Lu Heng had in mind. Luckily, this was something Gu Lingjun could arrange under the radar—putting them in different groups wasn't exactly cheating, after all.
Lu Heng brought it up casually, fully expecting Gu Lingjun to agree without a second thought. But to his surprise, Gu Lingjun stayed silent, looking oddly pensive.
Huh? In this world, is this guy the strictly impartial and incorruptible type when it comes to work? Lu Heng wondered. If that was the case, he'd just have to rely on the luck of the draw.
All of a sudden, Gu Lingjun blurted out an absurd line: "If I agree to your request, what are you willing to give in return? After all, there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world."
"..." Lu Heng was stunned by the question at first, wondering if Gu Lingjun had been possessed by some foreign spirit. Then the words started sounding oddly familiar. A moment's reflection reminded him: wasn't that a line from "The Domineering CEOs Tsundere Little Sweetheart?"
So, Gu Lingjun was inspired by that crap again!
[1] Hot pot with a divider, containing spicy soup on one side, mild soup on the other.
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