The Almighty Martial Arts System - Chapter 155

The concert of Qiao Yiyi boasted quite a few surprise guests. The first to make a grand appearance was the Malaysian-Chinese “Queen of Ballads,” Fish Leong, who took the stage unexpectedly. She and Qiao Yiyi performed the timeless classic Courage together, sending waves of excitement through the audience. The two then interacted with fans, singing snippets of each other’s songs, which only amplified the crowd’s cheers.

Though Qiao Yiyi’s fanbase skews younger, many still adore Fish Leong, given her extensive catalog of enduring hits. Her surprise appearance was a thrilling moment—even Jiang Fei, watching backstage, was caught off guard.

After Fish Leong left the stage, another guest act soon followed—this time, a five-member South Korean boy band called Big Bang, one of the most popular groups in Asia, often hailed as the “Kings of Asian Pop.”

Since they share the same agency as Qiao Yiyi, they’re considered her senior colleagues.

Jiang Fei, however, had no idea who they were. Their flashy outfits, elaborate choreography, and music—completely foreign to him—left him unimpressed. He couldn’t care less about their fame.

But while Jiang Fei remained indifferent, the stadium of 40,000 fans erupted into even wilder cheers than they had for Fish Leong.

“Guess these guys really are a big deal,” Jiang Fei mused to himself. “The Korean wave’s still going strong in China. Guess young people love these flamboyantly dressed performers.”

To him, their rapid-fire lyrics sounded like gibberish, and he couldn’t fathom why the crowd was so hyped.

After a high-energy performance, Qiao Yiyi returned to the stage, and the audience—now practically buzzing with adrenaline—started chanting in unison:

“Yi-Ran together! Yi-Ran together!”

Jiang Fei blinked, baffled. “Yi-Ran together? What does that even mean?”

Before he could ask the crew around him, Qiao Yiyi laughed into the mic. “Thank you so much to my five seniors for joining me tonight!”

The crowd roared back: “Get together! Get together!”

Qiao Yiyi could only smile helplessly.

Standing beside her was Kwon Youngran, Big Bang’s leader—a man with a chiseled physique, his unbuttoned vest revealing well-defined abs glistening with sweat. Known as Asia’s top rapper and a triple threat in singing, dancing, and acting, he was the epitome of an idol.

The chant “Yi-Ran together” was a play on their names: “Yi” from Qiao Yiyi and “Ran” from Kwon Youngran.

For over a year, rumors had swirled about the two being a couple—the most persistent and widely believed of Qiao Yiyi’s supposed romances. Many fans, especially those who adored both stars, fervently shipped them.

LED signs in the crowd even lit up with “Yi-Ran ♡”—proof of their dedication.

But this ship had long since sunk. Qiao Yiyi had publicly clarified that they were nothing more than labelmates.

Kwon Youngran, however, seemed unfazed. With a charming grin, he attempted to take Qiao Yiyi’s hand—only for her to subtly dodge it.

“You guys love stirring things up,” Qiao Yiyi teased the audience. “Every time I have a male guest, this happens. At this rate, no one will dare to perform with me!”

Her lighthearted tone kept the mood playful, and the crowd only cheered louder.

“Honestly, if I believed the tabloids, I’d have had so many boyfriends this past year that I’ve lost count,” she continued, feigning exasperation. “Sometimes I read these stories and think—wait, did I really do that? Did I somehow forget?”

Backstage, Jiang Fei chuckled at her playful sarcasm. It was rare to see her so cheeky onstage.

The audience, sensing she was addressing that morning’s scandalous headlines, quieted down, eager for her explanation. Most hoped—no, prayed—that the reports were false. The idea of their idol dating some nepo baby was downright unacceptable.

“Since you’ve all seen the news, I won’t waste time explaining,” Qiao Yiyi said sweetly, emphasizing the words “newspaper” and “boyfriend” with clear irony. “But since the man in question will be joining me onstage later… well, you’ll see for yourselves.”

The crowd exploded.

Was this a denial—or a confirmation?!

Were they about to witness a public declaration of love?!

Why else would Jiang Fei, a guy with zero performing skills, take the stage? If he were just a spectator, he’d be sitting quietly in the VIP section. This had to mean something more!

The thought of their goddess with some talentless rich kid was unbearable.

Even Kwon Youngran’s smile stiffened at the announcement. But with their segment over, Big Bang soon exited the stage—leaving Qiao Yiyi to drop her bombshell and casually transition into her next song, “Love You Forever.”

Backstage, Jiang Fei sighed. The fans’ reaction was even fiercer than he’d expected.

Some “Yi-Ran” shippers looked ready to riot upon hearing he’d be appearing. Thankfully, security kept things under control.

Just as he was pondering how to make a grand entrance, an angry voice barked behind him:

“@#$%&*!”

Jiang Fei turned to find Kwon Youngran glaring at him, eyes full of disdain.

“You talking to me?” Jiang Fei asked.

Another rapid-fire Korean sentence followed. The translator hurriedly relayed: “He’s asking if you’re the next guest and what your relationship with Qiao Yiyi is.”

Jiang Fei nodded.

Then—

“Tell him it’s none of his damn business.”

If this guy thought he could act high-and-mighty after trying to hold Qiao Yiyi’s hand onstage, he had another thing coming.