Chapter 3

"Who did I offend?" Xu Jingming asked.

Fang Xinglong looked at Xu Jingming and said a name: "Cheng Zihao."

Xu Jingming fully understood and asked calmly, "Senior, did he find you?"

"Yeah." Fang Xinglong nodded.

Xu Jingming nodded and said, "I do have a conflict with him."

"You are a professional martial arts athlete, selected for the provincial team in high school, and later joined the national team. You've been in the professional martial arts circle for so many years. How could you have a conflict with Cheng Zihao?" Fang Xinglong couldn't understand; they weren't even in the same circle.

Xu Jingming smiled and said, "Life is full of endless possibilities."

"Stop being so casual about it." Fang Xinglong was somewhat anxious and worried, "Can't you resolve your conflict with him?"

"It can't be resolved." Xu Jingming shook his head.

Fang Xinglong stubbed out the cigarette in his hand and looked at his junior, "Jingming, that's Cheng Zihao! If you offend him, you'll be blacklisted online!"

"I know, the Cheng family!" Xu Jingming sighed, "The Cheng family controls the Tiger Shark Group, a company with a market value of over 5 trillion, ranking third in the internet industry. It's indeed terrifying."

The Cheng family ranks in the top ten on the list of the richest families in Xia, with a family wealth exceeding 500 billion. The current top live streaming platform in Xia, 'Tiger Shark,' was founded by the legendary figure Cheng Yunxiu over sixty years ago. Over sixty years, the Tiger Shark Group has not only survived but grown even stronger. It now forms a giant internet conglomerate centered around the Tiger Shark platform, extending to e-commerce, music, games, and other industries. The Tiger Shark Group has a market value of over 5 trillion, and the Cheng family, as the founding family, holds 8.2% of the shares, with voting rights consistently exceeding 50%, firmly controlling the Tiger Shark Group.

For thirty years, the Tiger Shark Group has been completely controlled by its founder, Cheng Yunxiu. After his death, it has been managed by his only son, Cheng Liwei, to this day.

Cheng Zihao is Cheng Liwei's son, aged thirty-two this year.

"Online, the Tiger Shark Group is one of the top three giant conglomerates. It ranks first in live streaming platforms. You, a martial arts athlete, don't understand how terrifying its influence is." Fang Xinglong looked at his junior, somewhat anxious.

"Of course, I understand." Xu Jingming smiled, "If I'm blacklisted, I won't have any commercial activities, and there will be no publicity online. My fame will quickly disappear."

For a martial arts athlete, fame is very important.

The greater the fame, the higher the income.

In terms of martial arts competition results, although Xu Jingming is quite strong, he can only be considered a third-tier athlete among the top martial arts athletes in Xia's history. Only those with legendary achievements like his master Liu Hai, who consistently placed in the top three in five consecutive competitions and even won the world championship, can be considered first-tier.

First-tier athletes are all legends, and their appearance fees for peak matches are over 100 million, with their career earnings being even more terrifying.

Second-tier athletes are those who have placed in the top three in the world or won the world championship once and then retired. They are often mentioned, and their appearance fees for peak matches are generally over 10 million.

Xu Jingming has twice entered the World Martial Arts Competition, once reaching the round of 16 and once the quarterfinals. His highest appearance fee was only 1.5 million, and his highest single income was the prize money for the quarterfinals of the World Martial Arts Competition. After years of hard work, his total earnings are only a few hundred million, which reflects his status and strength.

In terms of results, he is a third-tier athlete in Xia's history. In terms of fame? If he is blacklisted online, his fame will quickly disappear.

"Martial arts athletes need to eat too. Sometimes, taking a step back can lead to a broader horizon." Fang Xinglong advised.

"Senior." Xu Jingming said seriously, "You know, some things can't be backed down from."

Fang Xinglong was taken aback, nodded slightly, and said worriedly, "Just being blacklisted is a minor issue, but I'm afraid Cheng Zihao will continue to cause you trouble."

Xu Jingming smiled, "At worst, I'll return to my hometown, Mingyue City. In Mingyue City, I have over a thousand disciples in the Bajiquan and Chuo Jiao martial arts schools. I'll see how he can cause me trouble. Besides, in modern society, there are cameras everywhere. What can he do?"

"Then what do you plan to do in Mingyue City?" Fang Xinglong asked.

"Open a martial arts school, do some high-end private coaching, and I can still make a living." Xu Jingming said, "I'm at least a Gun Devil, making a living by my skills. I can eat anywhere."

Fang Xinglong shook his head slightly, "In a second-tier city like Mingyue City, you'd be lucky to earn a million a year after hard work."

"I've earned a lot over the years, and the interest and dividends are not insignificant." Xu Jingming said, "Senior, don't worry about me."

Xu Jingming was prepared for the conflict with Cheng Zihao.

He would just earn less.

Influenced by his father from a young age, he became a disciple of the two major traditional martial arts schools in Mingyue City, Bajiquan and Chuo Jiao. Since the World Martial Arts Competition became the world's largest combat sports event, traditional martial arts schools in the country have once again shone, with various weapon combat techniques being rediscovered.

In modern society, it doesn't matter how many schools a disciple joins.

Xu Jingming's father was a martial arts blogger in his youth, traveling around the world to explore various combat styles. He joined over a dozen martial arts schools in the country and received the true teachings of Bajiquan. After settling in Mingyue City, he also founded the Bajiquan school there. In modern society, there are many martial arts schools across the country, and the Bajiquan school, with its orderly lineage, has hundreds of branches nationwide.

Xu Jingming is the successor of the Bajiquan school in Mingyue City and the main disciple of the Chuo Jiao school! Opening a martial arts school and taking on high-end private coaching can provide a living.

"Perhaps, focusing on my gun skills at home would be more suitable for me. If I can reach a higher realm, I can return to challenge for the world championship." Xu Jingming thought.

He never gave up on his dream of becoming the world champion. His master Liu Hai, at the age of forty, consistently entered the World Martial Arts Competition for five consecutive years and eventually won the world championship.

He is only twenty-nine this year; how could he give up?

If he wins the world championship, the prize money is 500 million, and he will gain global attention. Official media will widely publicize it, which is something Cheng Zihao can't suppress.

As for now? As a retired professional athlete without significant achievements, being blacklisted is inevitable.

"Senior, what did Cheng Zihao say to you?" Xu Jingming looked at Fang Xinglong.

"Cheng Zihao sent someone to tell me to fire you." Fang Xinglong said guiltily, "Jingming, you know, I sell wine, and part of my sales channels are through the Tiger Shark Group's live streaming and e-commerce platforms. Many promotions also need to go through the Tiger Shark Group. Although I feel very frustrated, I can't afford to offend Cheng Zihao, as the company isn't just mine."

"Senior, I understand your difficulties." Xu Jingming nodded.

He makes a living by his skills, and with nearly thirty years of being among the top ten in the world in gun skills, he isn't afraid of not having a job. It's just a matter of earning more or less.

But Senior Fang Xinglong is a businessman, and the wine company is the foundation of his career. In front of the Tiger Shark Group, he is more constrained.

"After this provincial team training ends, I'll leave." Xu Jingming said.

Fang Xinglong looked somewhat tired, "Can you tell me what conflict you have with Cheng Zihao?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Xu Jingming shook his head, "I can only say he's a lunatic!"

"A lunatic?"

Fang Xinglong thought for a moment and nodded slightly, "Alright, I won't ask more. This time, I've wronged you."

"It's not your fault, Senior. Instead, I've dragged you into this." Xu Jingming knew Fang Xinglong's character well—outgoing, sincere, and of impeccable character. Otherwise, he wouldn't have accepted his invitation to be the head of this martial arts school.

"Senior, I still need to go have dinner with Coach Liu. I'll leave first. We can talk on the phone if there's anything." Xu Jingming smiled and left.

Fang Xinglong stood there, watching Xu Jingming leave.

"Cheng Zihao."

Fang Xinglong muttered softly. He had built a fortune of several billion by his early forties, and he was proud at heart. He was passionate about martial arts and weapons, and he spent a fortune to build the Starry Sky Martial Arts School. This time, however, he had to obediently fire his junior at Cheng Zihao's word. How could he not feel frustrated?

"He's too powerful." Fang Xinglong muttered. No matter how frustrated he felt, he knew he had to bow when necessary, a lesson he had learned from years in the business world. But at his current status, such humiliating situations were rare.

"Cheng Zihao, who doesn't follow the rules and plays dirty, will eventually fall." Fang Xinglong thought.

Fang Xinglong was also thinking about how he could help his junior.

He had fewer than ten close friends, and Xu Jingming was one of them. He naturally didn't want to see his junior suffer such a loss.

******

The night was hazy. In a townhouse in the eastern suburbs of Binhai City, Xu Jingming pushed the door open and entered.

In the bedroom, a slender woman in a nightgown was half-lying, leaning against the backrest, wearing a large pair of glasses and holding a controller in each hand.

"Jingming, wait for me to finish this game." The woman in the nightgown had bright eyes, and the glasses were virtual reality glasses with immersive and reality modes.

In reality mode, the game scene is partially transparent, allowing her to see the outside world.

"Liaoliao, you should exercise more. Lying around all the time is bad for your health."