Chapter 49

At six o'clock in the morning, while it was still dark, the newspaper kiosks scattered throughout São Paulo opened their doors. The owners were busy receiving bundles of newspapers from the delivery people, then unpacking them and arranging them according to different categories.

Yesterday was the match day of the Rio-São Paulo Championship, and the next day, the news about football was what everyone was most concerned about.

Therefore, newspapers related to football and sports had to be placed in the most prominent positions, making it convenient for the hurried office workers to see and buy them.

Professional sports newspapers like *Lance* and *Placar* were thus displayed in the best positions.

Owners who were considerate would even flip to the most concerning news and place it on top.

The São Paulo-Santos derby was what everyone was most concerned about, as it determined which of the two teams would advance to the final four and participate in the semi-finals.

Previously, São Paulo was in fourth place, and Santos was in fifth.

After this match, either both teams would be eliminated, or one team would successfully advance while the other would be eliminated.

The *Lance* newspaper featured a photo of Rongguang celebrating his goal and roaring to the sky.

The headline read: "The Key Player of São Paulo!"

Next to *Lance* was its competitor, *Placar*.

*Placar* also covered the match, using a photo of the entire São Paulo team celebrating their victory.

The headline was: "The Defending Champions Advance to the Semi-Finals."

Unlike *Lance*, which focused on Rongguang, *Placar* focused on the entire team.

The attitudes and positions of the two media outlets were clear.

The open rivalry between the two media outlets never ceased...

***

When the newspapers were just on the market, Rongguang was already on the lakeside park's tree-lined avenue.

He was fully equipped, still wearing the silly helmet, and had a soccer ball tied to his feet, moving through the misty morning light.

Now, he no longer fell several times after running just ten meters as he did at the beginning; he was much more skilled.

However, he still couldn't think about other things while running, or he would fall quickly.

He still had to focus on the soccer ball, mobilizing all his cells to enhance the feeling of dribbling at high speed.

Although Rongguang knew he should do this, he occasionally couldn't help but get distracted.

Especially after such a match.

He only played for fifteen minutes but dominated the game.

Thinking about how he sprinted back to intercept the ball from Robinho, then dribbled past several opponents and finally shot the ball into the goal... he couldn't help but be emotionally stirred.

After all, he was just a sixteen-year-old kid and couldn't perfectly control his emotions.

As soon as he thought about it, he lost control of the ball and fell to the ground.

But he sat on the ground, grinning foolishly, still immersed in the beautiful memory.

"Seems like you haven't improved much even after so long," a cold snort came from beside him as he was grinning foolishly.

This voice was so familiar that Rongguang quickly rolled over and got up!

Sure enough, when he got up, he saw the old man with white hair and a youthful face standing beside him in a white robe!

"Old Immortal!" he exclaimed in surprise.

Since the Old Immortal taught him the special training method, he hadn't seen him again.

He had always been looking forward to seeing the Old Immortal again to express his gratitude.

So, upon seeing the Old Immortal, he immediately bowed deeply!

The Old Immortal didn't stop him, and after accepting his bow, he asked, "Seems like you've made some progress?"

"Great progress, Old Immortal!" Rongguang quickly excitedly told the Old Immortal about yesterday's match, especially the part where he dribbled the ball in front, and Robinho couldn't catch up, which he embellished and described in great detail.

However, after hearing Rongguang's words, the Old Immortal wasn't as happy as Rongguang. Instead, he scolded, "Idiot, you only succeeded once, and if you put it bluntly, it was just luck! What's there to be happy about?"

Rongguang, scolded by the Old Immortal, also realized—right, he only succeeded once yesterday, and others saying it was luck wasn't wrong...

Seeing Rongguang fall silent, the Old Immortal continued, "You're still far from being ready. This special training can't stop for a single day!"

"Uh, Old Immortal, how will I know when I'm ready?"

"When you can think about other things during training without falling, and when the net is shorter, you'll be ready."

Rongguang quickly agreed to follow the instructions.

Seeing Rongguang's positive attitude, the Old Immortal finally nodded in satisfaction. "I see you're sincere and practice diligently. I've decided to teach you a mantra that will greatly enhance your skills!"

Rongguang's eyes lit up at these words!

A mantra? Greatly enhance skills?

The Old Immortal was finally going to reveal his secret techniques!

Grandpa was right... immortals like diligent and hardworking people. It must be my effort that moved him!

Despite his inner joy, Rongguang tried to keep his face calm and bowed respectfully to the Old Immortal, "Thank you, Old Immortal!"

"I'll recite it."

"You recite it."

"You listen."

"I listen."

After saying this, the Old Immortal stroked his beard and began teaching the mantra.

"Through two points, there is exactly one straight line."

"Through two points, there is exactly one straight line!"

"The shortest distance between two points is a straight line."

"The shortest distance between two points is a straight line!"

"Supplementary angles of the same angle or equal angles are equal. Complementary angles of the same angle or equal angles are equal."

"Supplementary angles of the same angle or equal angles are equal. Complementary angles of the same angle or equal angles are equal!"

Rongguang was reciting loudly when he suddenly felt something was off...

"Old Immortal, what kind of mantra is this..."

He felt it was strange and a bit hard to pronounce.

"Why ask so many questions? Just remember what I recite!" The Old Immortal glared, looking quite authoritative.

Rongguang thought that since it was a mantra, it should be something hard to understand and pronounce... so he stopped asking and focused on reciting the mantra the Old Immortal taught.

"Two triangles are congruent if two sides and the included angle of one are equal to two sides and the included angle of the other. Two triangles are congruent if two sides and the included angle of one are equal to two sides and the included angle of the other. Two triangles are congruent if two angles and the included side of one are equal to two angles and the included side of the other. Two triangles are congruent if three sides of one are equal to three sides of the other. Two right triangles are congruent if the hypotenuse and one leg of one are equal to the hypotenuse and one leg of the other."

After Rongguang recited this sentence, the Old Immortal didn't recite any more mantras.

"You must recite these mantras while practicing. When you can recite them smoothly without falling, you'll be much closer to being ready." He then handed Rongguang a large piece of paper, densely covered with the mantras he had just taught him.

Rongguang received it with both hands, bowed to the Old Immortal again.

"Thank you, Old Immortal!"

The Old Immortal waved his hand, his sleeve fluttering, creating a breeze: "Go practice, boy!"

Rongguang glanced at the complex and incomprehensible mantras on the paper, then started dribbling while reciting.

"Through two points, there is exactly one straight line. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line." The first two sentences were easy to understand and recite, but the next ones were not so easy. "Supplementary angles of the same angle or equal angles are equal. Supplementary angles of the same angle or... uh... supplementary angles of the same angle or... uh... oh!"

A stutter caused his rhythm to be disrupted, and he was tripped by the ball bouncing back and fell to the ground.

Before the Old Immortal arrived, he had only fallen three times today, and a few times he almost fell but managed to maintain his balance.

After the Old Immortal taught him the mantras, Rongguang fell after running just ten meters.

Adding the mantras indeed increased the difficulty!

Rongguang didn't feel discouraged or angry because of the difficulty or failure; on the contrary, he was very happy.

Because this proved that the Old Immortal was right. If he continued to practice, when he could recite the mantras smoothly while controlling the ball, he was sure his dribbling skills would improve significantly!

So, he immediately got up and continued to recite the mantras while dribbling forward.

Although he kept falling, he didn't get discouraged or complain.

These failures didn't dampen his high spirits.

The Old Immortal watched Rongguang run and fall, stroking his beard with a smile.

***

The day after the match, São Paulo didn't schedule any training, and all the players were given rest time.

But not everyone would rest.

Rongguang was training on the tree-lined avenue of the lakeside park.

Kaká also got up early and went jogging on the road near his house.

After jogging, he was drenched in sweat. After a shower, he sat at the dining table to have breakfast.

His mother was preparing breakfast in the kitchen, and his younger brother Diguinho, still half-asleep, had just come out of his room.

"Good morning, brother," he yawned and greeted Kaká.

"Good morning, Diguinho."

His father had already finished breakfast and was reading the newspaper.

He was reading *Lance*.

The front page of *Lance* facing Kaká featured a photo of Rongguang celebrating his goal and roaring to the sky.

Seeing this photo, Kaká thought about his confusion in the locker room yesterday.

He still felt that his behavior at the time was impolite and lacked grace, contrary to his usual upbringing.

Why was this?

What was wrong with him?

Kaká's mind was full of questions.

Looking at his father, who was sitting opposite him and reading the newspaper intently, Kaká suddenly said, "Dad, someone always performs very well and gets recognition and praise from others. I didn't do that. Am I being petty?"

Hearing his question, his mother, who was busy in the kitchen, also looked up, looking at her son with some surprise.

Kaká's father put down the newspaper and took off his glasses.

Although Kaká spoke vaguely, how could a father not know what his son was troubled about?

Yesterday, the team won the match and secured a spot in the semi-finals, and Kaká had a goal and an assist in the match.

Logically, his performance was very good.

But when Kaká came home, he was very quiet and seemed preoccupied.

Considering the news he had seen in the newspaper about someone challenging Kaká...

The father, an engineer, understood everything.

He said to Kaká, "I prefer to call this competitiveness."

Kaká looked at his father in surprise.

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