Sharpening The Knife Doesn’t Delay The Cutting of Vegetables With The Bow[eSports]: Chapter 89

89. All Stars’ New Master

“Teacher…”

“Mmh?”

Lu Mingyu lifted his eyes and responded. Despite his flamboyant and rebellious blue hair, his gaze was calm and mature, somewhat contrasting with the punk style.

Meeting Lu Mingyu’s gaze, the boy across couldn’t help but shrink his head. “It’s nothing…”

Until now, Yun Yin still felt a bit dazed, as if everything that had happened was like a dream, making him temporarily unsure if he was in reality.

The teacher he had always revered at the Divine Blade Sect, the mysterious master with an extremely low-profile appearance but unfathomable swordsmanship, turned out to be Lu Mingyu, the famous figure from All Stars, one of the strongest swordsmen in the national server.

When he received the message from Lu Mingyu and saw him admit his identity, Yun Yin subconsciously thought that his account had been stolen. It was like a friend who always lay in the friend list suddenly claiming to be a celebrity seen only on TV news, creating a sense of unreality as if the dimensional barrier had ruptured.

When the protagonist of the posters in his room appeared before him, it was indeed difficult to remain calm.

Any player who liked to play in the sword practice rooms would inevitably regard Lu Mingyu as a benchmark or even an idol to some extent. His many glorious moments in matches, as well as his stunning performances that repeatedly amazed the audience on the stage, all contributed to Lu Mingyu’s shining halo, which many players worshipped as if he were a deity.

“Uhm… Teacher.”

Yun Yin’s mind was in turmoil, and after pondering for a while, he couldn’t help but ask, “Can I ask… why?”

“Why what?”

Lu Mingyu raised his head and asked in a flat tone.

“Just… Why did you…”

If the person sitting in front of him wasn’t the real Lu Mingyu, Yun Yin would have suspected that the person was teasing him. “Why did you want to find me, um… and recruit me into All Stars?”

On one hand, he was just an insignificant figure, at most having a bit of reputation in the sword practice rooms. On the other hand, even if he had some talent and his sword technique was decent, he had never signed up for All Stars’ youth training camp. With his abilities, was it really necessary to go to such lengths to have Lu Mingyu personally come and invite him?

It was Lu Mingyu, after all! If it were a manager or scout from any other team, he would have found it more reasonable.

“Oh, you mean that.”

Lu Mingyu nodded. “Because I think you’re suitable, so I invited you. Any questions?”

“No, no…”

Yun Yin dared not speak again. Lu Mingyu in front of him wasn’t much older than himself, but whenever he spoke, he carried a sense of seniority. Yun Yin was somewhat famous in the game, and he usually talked casually with his gaming friends. But in front of Lu Mingyu, he felt like he couldn’t even breathe freely.

Was this the pressure of the strongest sword player in the national server?

“Teacher, I have another question…”

“Speak.”

“Uhm…”

Yun Yin thought for a moment, carefully choosing his words. “There should be many people stronger than me, right? And does joining All Stars’ youth training camp always require the captain’s personal invitation?”

“Youth training camp?”

Lu Mingyu paused for a moment. “No… I invited you to join All Stars because I wanted you to join the first team. If possible, I’d like you to join one of the teams.”

“First team?”

Yun Yin was stunned. “How… how is that possible? I’ve never played in a match before, and I’m still a newbie…”

Lu Mingyu looked at him, suddenly smiling. “Remember when I taught you the Tang Sword’s stopping move? Do you recall?”

“I do…”

“How long did it take you to learn it back then?”

“It was… about three days?”

Yun Yin thought for a moment and said, “It was a difficult move to learn. After practicing for so long, I only grasped a little bit of it. Now, although I’m still a bit slow, I’ve become quite proficient. Even though it took me some time, I’ve been working hard to learn…”

“At that time…”

A hint of nostalgia appeared in Lu Mingyu’s eyes. “When I learned that move, it took me a week.”

“What?”

Yun Yin’s jaw dropped. “How is that possible?”

“The fact is just that.”

Lu Mingyu nodded and set down his cup. “Have you, perhaps, never paid attention to professional matches or other news, and only play in the sword practice rooms?”

Seeing Yun Yin nod, Lu Mingyu knew he was probably right.

The young man sitting across from him was truly a raw gemstone, unpolished and untouched.

The potential and value contained within this gemstone, even Yun Yin himself wasn’t aware of.

In a way, it was cruel to say, but talent was far more important than hard work for professional players. Who among those who made it to the professional arena wasn’t working hard? Lu Mingyu considered himself quite diligent, but there were still many others on the national server who worked harder than him. However, at a certain point, talent determined their limits, and this reality was both pragmatic and harsh.

Awareness, strategic thinking, obedience, focusing fire, these were all indispensable qualities for professional players. But through training, many people could reach the professional threshold. Only talent was innate, and no matter how much training one underwent, some things were simply unattainable.

Yun Yin’s talent was enviable even to Lu Mingyu.

His terrifying learning ability allowed him to grasp many things almost instantly, sometimes without needing anyone’s instruction. Lu Mingyu had studied Chen Xingran’s Sudden Thrust several times through videos, even consulting Chen Xingran himself, but without years of basic marksmanship, it was almost impossible to learn. Yet Yun Yin could learn it.

In such a short time, he had mastered such advanced marksmanship to about eighty or ninety percent. What did this imply? Lu Mingyu knew very well.

Lu Mingyu had considered inviting Yun Yin to join All Stars long before. However, at that time, Yun Yin had no intention of playing professionally, and although Lu Mingyu felt regretful, he didn’t push. But after seeing Yun Yin’s battle with the Snake King last time, he messaged him. This time, Yun Yin’s mindset had changed, telling him that he wanted to play professionally and challenge more skilled players on the professional stage.

It was only after Yun Yin expressed this sentiment that Lu Mingyu revealed his identity and extended an olive branch to the young man.

“We still have some time before the competition. If possible, I hope you can join a team for training.”

Lu Mingyu said, “I am confident that, with professional training, you will quickly adapt to the rhythm of the competition arena. Perhaps you can surprise everyone. But…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but Yun Yin understood what he meant.

As for the All Stars team, Lu Mingyu’s word alone wouldn’t suffice. The shareholders on the board wouldn’t agree to let Yun Yin, a complete novice, join a team. Yun Yin was different from Chen Xingran; he wasn’t even a streamer, lacking Chen Xingran’s inherent popularity and the visually stunning swordsmanship as a traffic tool.

“So, I hope you can join the second team first. Once you have achieved some results, I will convince the board to let you join the first team.” Lu Mingyu sighed, concluding his statement.

“Teacher, what do you think about Ye Shao?”

Yun Yin fell silent for a moment before asking, “Do you think I can defeat him?”

“Ye Shao? You mean Chen Xingran?”

Lu Mingyu was briefly taken aback. He looked at Yun Yin’s serious expression and, after a moment of thought, said, “Chen Xingran’s swordsmanship is the strongest I’ve seen so far. The only thing he lacks is a bit of understanding of professional gaming. But in terms of swordsmanship alone, whether it’s me or Li Haoyuan, we’re not as good as him.”

In top-level swordsmanship confrontations, victory or defeat is often determined by many factors. It’s not just about who has stronger swordsmanship; factors such as terrain, equipment, timing, weather conditions, and even the player’s mentality, performance, and error rate all play a role. But disregarding these external factors and focusing solely on swordsmanship, Lu Mingyu would find it difficult to gain any advantage against Chen Xingran, and his chances of winning weren’t high.

Coming from Lu Mingyu’s mouth, these words would sound unbelievable to anyone. But Yun Yin had fought against Chen Xingran before, so he understood what Lu Mingyu meant.

After Yun Yin sparred with Chen Xingran in the Divine Sword Sect’s assessment room, they became friends, occasionally practicing together. Chen Xingran was generous with his guidance, accurately pointing out Yun Yin’s mistakes each time. Yun Yin’s rapid progress was not only due to his talent but also owed a great deal to Chen Xingran’s help.

In a way, Chen Xingran was more like his teacher than Lu Mingyu.

The more Yun Yin fought against Chen Xingran, the more he felt the vastness of the latter’s martial arts prowess, almost despair-inducing in its strength.

But Yun Yin was someone who had fought his way up from the sword practice rooms. He had encountered opponents whose skills far surpassed his own, but as time went on, those once formidable opponents had all fallen to him. He used to be confident in his swordsmanship, but facing Chen Xingran, that confidence seemed to vanish.

Lu Mingyu noticed Yun Yin’s despondency. After some thought, he said, “Have you ever defeated him in the practice rooms?”

Yun Yin shook his head. “No, not even once.”

Lu Mingyu smiled. “Do you want to win?”

Yun Yin’s expression was serious. “Of course.”

Even if it was just one match.

Lu Mingyu looked at Yun Yin’s expression, feeling somewhat relieved. “Well, at least now, you already have the demeanor of a professional player.”

For competitors, the only goal is to win. Regardless of who the opponent is, even if they are truly godlike, one must have the courage to challenge them. Otherwise, what’s the point of being a professional player? Might as well go home and raise pigs.

“Then work hard.”

Lu Mingyu continued, “Maintain this fighting spirit when you step onto the competition stage. Li Haoyuan, Chen Xingran, and I are all looking forward to seeing a new opponent emerge.”

“Huh?”

Yun Yin was stunned. “Me? Can I?”

He could hardly believe his ears. Even though Lu Mingyu personally invited him to join All Stars, he never imagined that one day, his name would be mentioned alongside the three top swordsmen in the national server.

That was a realm he dared not even imagine right now.

“Hmm.”

Lu Mingyu nodded. “I think you can. Because… I see something in you.”

That something was called sword intent.

Although Yun Yin seemed somewhat immature and lacked confidence at the moment, Lu Mingyu trusted his judgment. Unlike the members of the board of directors, he dared to take risks and make bold decisions. It was this kind of courage that allowed him to make decisions on the professional stage that others found unbelievable, and the final results always proved Lu Mingyu’s choices to be the most correct.

If Chen Xingran was already a sharp blade with an exposed edge, then Yun Yin was like a sword embryo that had yet to fully form. With just a little polishing, he would become a peerless sword that everyone would avoid facing head-on.

“Oh, it’s Captain Lu.”

As the two talked, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind them.

Lu Mingyu instinctively turned to look and saw Chen Xingran and Yang Yunche standing together.

“How come you’re here?”

“If you have the leisure to come out for coffee, why can’t we be here too?”

Yang Yunche plopped down beside Lu Mingyu nonchalantly.

“Captain Lu.”

Chen Xingran nodded politely to Lu Mingyu.

“Who’s this?” Yang Yunche turned his gaze to Yun Yin.

Yun Yin didn’t respond to Yang Yunche’s question. Instead, he looked at Chen Xingran eagerly. “Ye Shao!”

“Do you know me?” Chen Xingran was surprised.

Yun Yin exclaimed excitedly, “I’m Yun Yin ah!”

“Oh, it’s you ah.” Chen Xingran was somewhat taken aback and smiled at Yun Yin. “You look so young.”

“You two look about the same age,” Yang Yunche chuckled. “Why do you always act like such an old-fashioned stick-in-the-mud? Do you really think of yourself as an old man?”

While Yang Yunche and Lu Mingyu usually acted like they were at odds, in reality, they were quite familiar with each other. It had been a long time since Yang Yunche had seen Lu Mingyu, so instead of teasing him, he sat down beside him and started chatting.

“The situation at All Stars doesn’t seem too optimistic lately,” Yang Yunche said, looking at Lu Mingyu. “Still haven’t found a new striker?”

“Isn’t he here?” Lu Mingyu shrugged.

“You’re still thinking about our Xingran, huh?” Yang Yunche raised an eyebrow. “Let me tell you, stop dreaming, the contract’s already signed.”

“Not him,” Lu Mingyu shook his head.

Both Chen Xingran and Yang Yunche were taken aback and turned their gaze to Yun Yin.

Yun Yin smiled shyly at them.

Chen Xingran had initially thought Yun Yin would be quite rebellious, but he hadn’t expected him to look quite shy in reality.

“…You really are a risk-taker,” Yang Yunche sighed.

“Aren’t you?” Lu Mingyu chuckled. Just like when Yang Yunche recruited Chen Xingran into the team, he had taken a huge risk and faced tremendous pressure.

“Will the board of directors at All Stars agree?” 

“I’m trying my best,” Lu Mingyu sighed. “But there may be changes in the club recently, and I can’t be sure.”

“Is it the Yun Tai Group?” 

Yang Yunche asked, “Yun Tai wants to acquire All Stars?”

“You know about it?” Lu Mingyu was surprised.

“Just guessing,” Yang Yunche said. “Yun Tai has also contacted ZMD, but they couldn’t reach an agreement. With their financial resources, it’s unlikely they’d be interested in other top-tier teams. It’s normal for them to turn to All Stars.”

Both of them were captains of top-tier domestic teams, so even though this kind of internal news was confidential, they were all insiders, and there was nothing they couldn’t say.

“Judging by your expression, is All Stars preparing to change its new home?”

“Eight or nine out of ten. For Kou Xing and the group of shareholders, Snake King’s situation was a failed investment. They don’t think the next season’s performance will be any better. Selling All Stars for a good price at this time, Kou Xing probably won’t refuse.”

“Kou Xing is a thorough businessman with a diverse portfolio. The All Stars Club is just one product in his business empire,” Lu Mingyu said.

This kind of situation wasn’t surprising to Lu Mingyu. He was like an employee of the company, not very concerned about changes in the leadership. The only thing he needed to care about was whether, after All Stars got a new owner, they would prioritize profits like the previous board of directors.

“Don’t be so pessimistic, think positively.”

The fleeting worry in Lu Mingyu’s eyes didn’t escape Yang Yunche’s notice. He thought for a moment and said reassuringly, “People from Yun Tai aren’t familiar with professional esports teams. You’re the captain of All Stars, a veteran. They should still listen to your opinion in this regard. Maybe when Yun Tai comes, they’ll directly hand over the authority for personnel changes in the All Stars team to you. Wouldn’t that be a win-win situation?”

Lu Mingyu’s strength and leadership abilities had been tested countless times. Even though Yang Yunche was his opponent, he had to admit that Lu Mingyu only lacked a stage to fully demonstrate his talents. In the restrictive environment before, Lu Mingyu had led All Stars to countless good results. Once those restrictions were removed, All Stars would become a terrifying opponent.

“Perhaps,” Lu Mingyu shook his head, not looking very optimistic. “If it were really like that, it would be great.”

“Yun Yin, why not consider joining ZMD?” Yang Yunche tried to poach him.

“I, I… no thanks…” Yun Yin was somewhat overwhelmed by the attention.

“Finished your drink? Finish it and then get lost,” Lu Mingyu said to Yang Yunche impatiently.

If Yang Yunche had managed to preempt Chen Xingran’s recruitment, that would have been fine, but now that they had finally found a talented youngster, Yang Yunche was still trying to interfere. It was really annoying.

“Just kidding, why so serious,” Yang Yunche raised an eyebrow. “Comrade Xiao Chen is here, and you dare to speak so loudly. Haven’t you experienced the power of his sandbag-sized fist? Come on, Comrade Xiao Chen, show us.”

Chen Xingran glanced at him and didn’t bother to respond.

Watching Lu Mingyu’s troubled expression, Chen Xingran thought for a moment and said, “I think the captain makes a certain amount of sense. Right now, it mainly depends on Yun Tai’s attitude. If they don’t interfere and instead delegate authority to you, things will still move in a positive direction. I also hope to have a hearty exchange with All Stars on the battlefield, seeing them unrestrained and giving their all.”

From the perspective of the team, they were opponents on the battlefield. But from Chen Xingran’s personal perspective, Lu Mingyu was a respected adversary.

“Um…”

Yun Yin, who had been silent all along, spoke up, “Yun Tai won’t interfere.”

“What does a kid like you know?” Yang Yunche couldn’t help but laugh at Yun Yin’s serious expression, finding it amusing. “Get a caramel latte for you and one for Xingran. You two can sit and enjoy it slowly. In the business world, nothing is certain.”

Chen Xingran ignored his teasing and turned to ask Yun Yin, “Why do you say that?”

“Because… because…” Yun Yin glanced at the three of them and said hesitantly, “The chairman of Yun Tai Group is my dad. He told me…”

Yang Yunche: “…”

Chen Xingran: “…”

Lu Mingyu: “…”

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