Across all of Huaxia, stubborn resistance flared.
Deeply mired in the enemy's artillery bombardment, the people of Huaxia felt their eyes brim with tears of emotion at that very moment.
The melodious, lyrical yet sonorous melody, combined with grand and catchy lyrics, naturally drowned out the thunder of the artillery shells.
Like an invisible yet mighty spiritual force, this song poured into the heart of every single person of Zhonghuajia.
Beneath the ruins, seeking shelter from the artillery fire alongside his family, a child held and protected in his parents' arms suddenly broke free from his family's embrace. Following the rhythm, he sang out loud: "Crossing mountains, crossing plains, vaulting over the surging Yellow and Yangtze rivers."
The elderly, the weak, women, and children hiding from the war together had nearly lost all hope due to years of endless conflict. Yet the singing of the child and the grand chorus echoing from the Celestial Screen encouraged them with every note, driving away the fear and sorrow dwelling in their hearts.
They joined in, following the child and the Celestial Screen in a unified chorus:
"This vast and beautiful land is our dear homeland."
"The heroic people have stood up; united in love and friendship, we are as strong as steel."
For the brave soldiers fighting desperately on the front lines, the appearance of this song uplifted hearts and inspired morale. Amidst the enemy's incredulous gazes, while locked in fierce combat, they sang out with soaring passion:
"We love peace, we love our homeland; whoever dares to invade us, we shall send them to their doom."
At this time, the Five-Star Red Flag had not yet appeared, but its prototype was already slowly taking shape within the hearts of every passionate son and daughter of Zhonghuajia.
The premature birth of "Ode to the Motherland" made the determination and conviction of the entire nation in resisting the Japs even more resolute. United as one, they were bound to sever the Japs' claws and drive them completely out of Zhonghuajia.
...
1938, Foshan.
Ip Man and Li Zhao had cleared up their past grievances, even adopting a master-disciple relationship. Together with all the martial artists and hot-blooded citizens of Foshan, they resolutely plunged into the war of resistance against the Japanese invasion to protect their homeland.
Ip Man even exhausted his family fortune, successfully purchasing a batch of firearms with the help of a friend to reinforce the weaponry and equipment of the 12th Group Army defending Guangzhou and Foshan. Together, the two sides weathered wave after wave of artillery bombardment from the Japs.
Late at night, the artillery fire of the Japs outside the city finally ceased.
Li Zhao approached Ip Man. "Master, the situation looks grim. Our firearms and ammunition are almost depleted. What should we do next?"
Ip Man frowned. "What about the 12th Group Army? What do they say?"
A bitter look crossed Li Zhao's face. "Most of their troops were transferred to support Wuhan a few days ago, and the Japs hold the advantage in both numbers and equipment. The conclusion they finally reached is..."
Guessing the truth, Ip Man said with a helpless sigh, "Are they planning to retreat and abandon this place?"
Li Zhao nodded silently. "Master, we must plan ahead. The 12th Group Army says... they will take us with them when they retreat."
Ip Man shot him a cold glare. "Just us? Then what about everyone else in Foshan? Are we supposed to leave them here waiting for the Japs to sweep through and raid the town?"
After a moment of silence, Li Zhao spoke in a low voice, "Master, I will stay. You leave with the troops."
Ip Man was stunned. "Do you know what you're saying?"
Li Zhao offered a carefree smile. "You are the hero of Foshan. It was you who used this pair of fists to awaken their unity to fight the war together. As long as Ip Man lives, the people of Foshan will have the faith to survive."
"Master, as long as you live, I too will have the courage to go on."
Ip Man lowered his head powerlessly, gazing at his scar-covered fists. Since the outbreak of the war, these hands had been clenched every day solely for the purpose of shooting devils, and he hadn't practiced Wing Chun in a long time.
He asked himself in his heart: Am I truly the hero of Foshan?
He couldn't help but raise his head to look at the dormant Celestial Screen in the sky.
"You shaped me into a hero in the hearts of the Foshan people; can you not grant me the ability to truly save all of Foshan?"
"I am merely a man of martial arts, yet the devils I've killed on the battlefield are fewer than those killed by any regular soldier."
"If you truly have a spirit in the heavens, I beg you to help me, to help the people suffering under the ravages of war. I'm begging you."
...
Nourished by the patriotism of the "Ode to the Motherland" video, Gu Xiaobai finally cast off his slump and pulled himself together. Returning to his computer, he wrung his brains dry and finally churned out a full 308 words.
"Phew, I've unleashed my primordial strength."
So next, he could scroll through videos on the toilet while pondering how to pad out the next 4,000 words of filler.
"Let's check today's trending searches first. What's even on here?"
"Oh ho, this video is not bad. I'll save it."
...
In the Ip Man Plane, the 12th Group Army defending Guangzhou was short on manpower and struggled to withstand the numerically and technologically superior Japs, leaving them with no choice but to retreat and abandon Guangzhou.
The news of the Group Army's withdrawal only further inflated the arrogance of the Japs.
"Kill the chickens! Na na ba xi nei! Hey ruo hai ga man zai!"
"Yosh! Once we enter the county town, we'll eat well and drink fine wine, and there are plenty of pretty girls to go around."
"O ho ho ho... the troops of Zhonghuajia are simply vulnerable to a single blow. In less than three months, we'll completely trample and destroy Zhonghuajia."
"Keep firing, keep firing! The Group Army has retreated, and now all that's left in the county town are local armed militias. They won't last long—open fire!"
Li Zhao, the few remaining martial artists, and a group of loyal soldiers were putting up a desperate last stand. After a barrage of artillery fire, the firearms and ammunition in their hands had dwindled to fewer than ten rounds.
Many martial artists had already discarded their guns, picking up the blades and weapons of their martial arts schools once more.
Ip Man handed a pair of eight-cutting swords to Li Zhao beside him while gripping his own wooden staff tightly.
With powerful enemies confronting them, he chose not to retreat with the 12th Group Army. Since there was no path left for retreat, they would fight to the death.
Just at that moment, the bright light of the Celestial Screen pierced through the rolling smoke across the battlefields of Huaxia, shining upon every single person of Chinese descent.
"It has appeared! The Celestial Screen is back! Dear Heavens, I beg you to display your divine might!"
"We're saved! We're saved! Oh Heavens, please unleash your divine might and slaughter those damned dogs to avenge my family!"
"Why didn't you come sooner? My entire family is dead before you finally show up! Damn Japs, you will all pay with your lives!"
This time, the Celestial Screen covered the entire world, and everyone on Earth could witness its existence.
Faced with this heavenly anomaly, the Japs invading the Huaxia region were choked as if grabbed by the throat of fate, unable to utter a single sound.
[Ip Man 7: Immortals Descend and I Become the Boss in the Mortal Realm.]
[Fat Bo: "Master Ip, you can certainly fight, but you aren't an immortal. You cannot change this world."]
[The next instant, a circular disc materialized out of thin air behind Ip Man, and the objects around him warped and distorted under his sheer will. The goldfish bowl and glass on the table shattered into fragments without causing the slightest harm to anyone; the steam in the kettle evaporated, and the wooden dummy split apart from an internal force...]
[East Heavenly Gate, inside the guard station, Ip Man practiced on the wooden dummy while monologuing internally: "A month ago, I was still stationed at the East Heavenly Gate managing the coming and going of immortals... docked my pay for dereliction of duty... went to Chang'e to vent my frustrations... and the Jade Emperor banished me in a fit of anger to the mortal realm to endure the eighty-one trials... but they forgot to confiscate my magic. I'm sure I'll be able to return to the Heavenly Court soon..."]
An aggrieved Li Zhao asked, "Master, why didn't you mention earlier that you were an immortal? You could fool others, but I am your only disciple!"
Ip Man: "..."
You think I didn't want to say anything?
I had no damn idea I'd ever served a stint at the Heavenly Court's East Heavenly Gate either.
Unable to bear the intensely adoring and pious gazes surrounding him, Ip Man averted his gaze with a trace of embarrassment and continued watching the celestial version of himself playing out on the screen...
[During the showdown with Miura, Ip Man teleported directly onto the ring. A disc flashed behind his back, allowing him to anticipate moves and snatch the pistol from Fujita's waist, while multiplying into hundreds and thousands of clones. Utilizing a technique called 'Heavenly Soldiers Descend,' he didn't even need to strike—just burying Miura under the weight of his clones was enough to crush him to death.]
Without a doubt, as the Japs watched their own commander being subjected to a physical 'sea of people' on the screen, the arrogance on their faces was quickly replaced by shock and terror.
Major Miura himself suffered a heavy psychological blow: "..Wadashi.. Fair competition, desu ne.. Immortals, please stay away!!"
Fujita cried out in terror: "Na na na, since you took my gun, you won't be taking my life, right?"