The Almighty Martial Arts System - Chapter 247

Jiang Fei was increasingly convinced that the capital was a place of trouble, and he should leave as soon as possible to return to Jincheng.

He had just finished participating in the Chinese Medicine Association’s free clinic and was preparing for his upcoming duel with Liu Yunduo in two days. Unexpectedly, yet another complication had found its way to him.

To be honest, this wasn’t really a problem—in fact, it was something most ordinary people wouldn’t even have the chance to do. It was flashy, prestigious, and full of honor.

“Inviting me to give a public lecture at Capital University? Why?” Jiang Fei asked in confusion, eyeing the bespectacled, scholarly middle-aged man in front of him.

The man introduced himself as President Liu, one of the vice presidents of Capital University. And he didn’t seem to be a fraud—Jiang Fei had just received a call from Elder Cui, a renowned physician, confirming that this man was indeed the real deal.

“Here’s the situation,” President Liu explained politely. “Every semester, our university holds a public lecture series, inviting speakers whom our students admire and respect the most. The selection process involves a campus-wide vote, where students nominate outstanding figures from politics, business, entertainment, and other fields. We tally the votes and do our best to invite the top choice to speak.”

“So… I was chosen this time?” Jiang Fei asked, half-amused.

President Liu nodded. “Dr. Jiang, your talents are extraordinary. Not only is your medical skill unparalleled—demonstrated when you outperformed Western doctors at the Sino-Western Medical Exchange and even performed the legendary ‘scraping the bone to remove poison’—but you’re also a world-class pianist. Your piano performance video has gone viral not just domestically but also in the West, astonishing many musicians.”

“So, you may not realize it yet, but among university students who follow the news, your reputation is practically at its peak. Countless people idolize you. For example, in our university’s recent vote, you alone received 67% of the ballots! That’s the highest percentage in the five years we’ve held these lectures. The previous record was held by the Taiwanese singer Jay Chou, who only got 59%—nearly ten points lower than you.”

Jiang Fei was stunned.

After the Sino-Western Medical Exchange, media coverage had exploded, making him almost as visible as a celebrity.

But he wasn’t a star. Aside from the tabloid gossip about him and Qiao Yiyi, most serious news reports weren’t widely followed by young people. He didn’t feel like an idol—when he walked around outside, he wasn’t instantly recognized like Qiao Yiyi or Gao Qinyuan.

He still thought of himself as an ordinary person.

So how had he suddenly become the collective idol of university students?

Sixty-seven percent of the vote? Nearly ten points higher than Jay Chou?

That didn’t seem possible.

Had he unknowingly become some kind of superstar? Jiang Fei found it hard to believe.

Skeptical, he studied the bespectacled President Liu—who didn’t seem like a liar—and asked, “President Liu, you’re not fabricating these numbers just to convince me to agree to this lecture, are you?”

President Liu chuckled. “How could that be? As a vice president of Capital University, I wouldn’t lie about something like this. Many of our students genuinely look forward to your visit. They want to hear about your experiences, your insights into music and medicine, and the reasons behind your recent reforms in the Chinese Medicine Association.”

Jiang Fei thought about it.

Capital University was the country’s top institution, with extremely high standards.

Even A-list celebrities rarely got invited to speak there. If the university wanted, they could easily invite billionaires or high-ranking government officials—let alone entertainers.

After all, students were the future pillars of the nation, and Capital University’s students were the cream of those pillars.

Giving a speech to them was both an honor and a responsibility.

There was no reason for them to falsify data just to get him to agree. They didn’t need to—they could invite far bigger names without trouble.

Now Jiang Fei hesitated.

They were offering him a rare opportunity. Turning it down felt ungrateful—this was Capital University. Getting in as a student was harder than passing the imperial exams in ancient times, let alone being invited to teach there.

“But… I’ve never given a lecture before. I have no experience,” he said awkwardly.

President Liu smiled. “Lecturing isn’t that difficult. Even without experience, preparing in advance will suffice. Besides, this isn’t a traditional lecture. A significant portion will involve a host interviewing you, followed by Q&A with student representatives.”

“There’s a host?” Jiang Fei raised an eyebrow. “So it’s more like a talk show?”

“You’re absolutely right,” President Liu admitted. “Our public lectures are professionally filmed, edited, and later broadcast on Capital TV. The ratings are consistently high!”

After some thought, Jiang Fei made his decision. “When is this lecture?”

“Tomorrow morning at nine.”

“That soon? Don’t you usually schedule big-name guests weeks in advance? What if they’re busy?”

Fortunately, it was tomorrow and not the day after—otherwise, Jiang Fei would’ve had to decline. His duel with Liu Yunduo at the Central Martial Arts Hall was scheduled for then.

President Liu didn’t mind Jiang Fei referring to himself as a “big-name guest.” Given his reputation in both piano and medicine, he was a bigger deal than most celebrities.

“Is tomorrow inconvenient? If so, we can postpone it by a week,” President Liu offered graciously.

Jiang Fei shook his head. “No, tomorrow’s fine. I’ll do it.”

The sooner he wrapped things up in the capital, the sooner he could return to Jincheng. Delaying another week wasn’t necessary. As for the lecture itself, one day of preparation would be enough.

President Liu brightened. “Excellent! I’ll have tomorrow’s host contact you shortly to discuss the script and questions.”

The host, Zhang Liwei, wasn’t a stunning beauty but was youthful, elegant, and had a great figure. A broadcasting major, she was also an amateur pianist who had practiced since childhood.

After hearing Jiang Fei’s performance at Qiao Yiyi’s concert online, she became a devoted fan. During the university’s voting campaign, she not only voted for Jiang Fei herself but also rallied dozens of friends (and even her boyfriend’s friends) to support him.

When she learned Jiang Fei had accepted the invitation, she was ecstatic. She rushed to meet him immediately, eager to collaborate on the event.

Capital University Auditorium

Though the lecture wasn’t set to begin until 9:00 AM, by 8:30, the 600-seat auditorium was packed. More students kept streaming in, squeezing together wherever they could find space.

Many were from the medical and music departments, eager to see the legendary doctor and pianist in person. Others admired Jiang Fei for his achievements—single-handedly defending traditional Chinese medicine against Western critics, then reforming the Chinese Medicine Association for the public good.

To them, Jiang Fei wasn’t just an idol; he was a national hero.

In an era where China, despite its growing wealth, still faced condescension from the West, Jiang Fei had managed to earn respect in both medicine and music—a rare feat.

As the clock ticked closer to nine, the crowd grew restless.

Then, right on time, Jiang Fei appeared—wearing a traditional Chinese robe, smiling confidently.