Chapter 17: Passing the Test, Rewarded with Tiger Blood Pill (Please Read On)
The guards keenly sensed that neither Pang Long nor Luo Tongyun had any confidence in Li Xian. Immediately, they began to discuss the matter.
"It seems that Li Xian is going to have a tough time getting past this hurdle."
"Hey, if they can't even pass the new recruit assessment, wouldn't it be a disgrace to us to keep them as guards?"
"Yes, if they're really that bad, they might as well go back to where they came from."
...
Luo Tongyun was a third-class guard. His daily duties were neither too many nor too few. However, he was worried that Li Xian would need to expend effort to appease him when she asked him for martial arts advice.
It's better to avoid seeing it than to be bothered by it.
During this period, he deliberately recruited more workers than usual, as if he were so busy that he couldn't catch his breath.
This was to avoid asking Li Xian for advice, and also because he was certain that Li Xian wouldn't be able to figure it out.
After Li Xian joined the guards, she was not exactly aloof, but she rarely interacted with others.
When practicing boxing, he always likes to find a secluded and quiet place, where he can practice alone, burying his head in his own world.
Very few people pay attention to him, and no one knows the true extent of his skill in boxing. People simply parrot what others say, assuming that his skill level is probably far below expectations.
"Brother Luo, please enlighten me." Li Xian stepped forward with his hands clasped and said calmly.
"I was ruthless; please forgive me if I have been injured."
Luo Tongyun gave a perfunctory bow, put his left hand behind his back, and said again, "I will fight you with one hand. If you can withstand more than a hundred moves from me, then you can be considered to have entered the gate."
He immediately turned to Pang Long, seeking his opinion: "Commander Pang, do you think this is feasible?"
Pang Long nodded. "Whatever. Martial arts are something that can't be faked. You'll know the truth as soon as you fight."
"good!"
Without wasting words, Li Xian assumed a fighting stance and stared directly at Luo Tongyun.
"Come on." Luo Tong raised his head and puffed out his chest, confident and composed, and beckoned to Li Xian.
Seeing this, Li Xian took two steps forward and threw a straight punch at the opponent's face. The punch was unremarkable, straightforward, and showed no trace of any real martial arts technique.
"As expected, I didn't learn anything." Luo Tongyun chuckled to himself, gently stroking with his right hand, intending to effortlessly deflect the attack and demonstrate his own strength.
Just as the fist and palm were about to collide, Li Xian twisted his toes, causing his body to rotate slightly. This slight change in posture caused the fist to suddenly deviate. What was originally a head-on strike became a diagonal strike towards his lower abdomen.
This is a move from the Four Directions Fist style, known as "pointing east to strike west." Fist techniques are very straightforward, and feints and real moves are easily distinguishable.
Especially the basic boxing techniques. There are only a few moves in the boxing routine, which are either feints or real attacks, and it's not difficult to get started.
Once a punch is thrown, the power is concentrated at the fist's edge. Then one must go all the way down that path. Only extremely skilled martial arts masters can achieve "free rein and release," and temporarily stop the punch and change moves.
The essence of Sifangquan (Four Directions Fist) lies in its cunning; its punches follow a straight path. However, by twisting the body, the punches can be redirected, achieving the goal of "hitting the west while pointing east."
For novice martial artists, this move is surprisingly easy to execute in a direct confrontation, yet extremely effective.
Moreover, Li Xian had the upper hand, not only by attacking in one direction but also by feigning weakness. This tactic always worked for him.
Luo Tongyun, well-versed in the principles and techniques of Sifangquan, felt a chill run down his spine in an instant. This simple punch not only demonstrated that Li Xian had already grasped the basics of the fist technique.
This further demonstrates that...his expertise in this area is approaching his level!
He quickly used his other hand to block, but because he had been too overconfident at the beginning, it was already too late.
With a loud "bang," Luo Tongyun felt his palm go numb and swollen. He cursed inwardly, "This kid really doesn't hold back; he's using his full strength!"
He was forced to retreat three or five steps after being hit.
His face turned a mixture of red and blue, clearly embarrassed. Just moments ago, he had stood with his hands behind his back, exuding elegance and appearing every inch the expert.
He looked utterly disheveled, his expression out of control.
He took a deep breath and, feigning generosity, praised, "Excellent punch! My teachings have not been in vain! This move, pointing east while striking west, you've already grasped the basics..."
The word "road" in "path" has not yet been uttered.
Li Xian sneered, and taking advantage of the pause in Luo Tongyun's speech, he got up and followed, throwing three punches at Luo Tongyun's abdomen.
Warriors fight and kill each other.
The worst thing you can do is lose heart!
Shouting out the name of a move can boost your momentum and improve your luck. However, if you say something unimportant, your momentum will inevitably dissipate.
That would be dangerous.
Luo Tongyun was far too arrogant, putting himself on a pedestal and believing he was "instructing" Li Xian.
He wanted to offer some criticism to save face. Little did he know, while Li Xian wasn't exactly vengeful, he was certainly persistent in pursuing his debts.
I really want to take this opportunity to beat him up. I won't let any opportunity slip by!
Every punch he threw was delivered with all his might, aimed straight for vital points. Luo Tongyun realized something was wrong and retreated repeatedly, his expression extremely grim.
At this point, he no longer wanted to give in, but he had already lost the initiative. Finding an opening to counterattack amidst the opponent's fierce attack was not easy.
Surprisingly, this kid, despite his skinny build, is surprisingly strong.
"Martial arts combat, life or death, victory or defeat."
"Martial arts proficiency is only one of the deciding factors. For a martial artist like me, what truly determines victory or defeat is on-the-spot adaptability, as well as seizing the initiative and maintaining rhythm."
Li Xian maximized his initial advantage. At the height of his momentum, he unleashed a powerful punch that shook the four directions.
This punch was a risky move, even more insidious than striking east while hitting west.
This move even fooled martial arts practitioners.
This move, "Fist Shakes the Four Directions," may have the word "fist" in its name, but it is actually a leg attack!
A leg move is incorporated into a fist technique. Those who do not grasp the essence will treat it as a fist technique and will not be able to unleash its power.
The kick caught Luo Tongyun completely off guard. He was struck in the chest, his chest jolted, and he coughed up blood.
He was kicked three zhang away.
He lost his balance and fell to the ground with a thud, rolling three times.
Everyone was speechless...
What's going on? Wasn't it supposed to be the master instructing the apprentice? How did it turn out like this?
"good!"
A loud voice of praise rang out.
It was Pang Long who spoke. He stood up, his expression excited: "Very good, your skill in boxing has exceeded my expectations!"
The moment Pang Long saw Li Xian unleash his kick, he completely favored Li Xian.
Because "Four Directions Fist" was created by Madam Zhuang in her spare time. At that time, she suddenly had a brilliant idea to incorporate leg techniques into the fist technique in order to achieve an unexpected effect.
This secret was known only to Pang Long. He didn't mention it when he taught the Four Directions Fist to the guards.
To date, only Li Xian has executed this leg move. This alone is enough to make Pang Long take notice.
"Very good, Li Xian, you have passed the test!"
Pang Long strode over, laughed heartily, and patted Li Xian on the shoulder heavily.
Li Xian smiled but didn't say anything.
"How did you know that the punch that shook the four directions was actually a leg attack?" Pang Long asked.
"It's just that as I practiced, I naturally felt that kicking was more suitable than punching," Li Xian said casually.
"Hahaha. Excellent, excellent, you have great talent." Pang Long said, "This is a 'Tiger Blood Pill,' take it and consume it. From now on, you will be a formal guard."
"Starting tomorrow, in addition to your martial arts training, you will also need to participate in the affairs of guarding the academy. Work hard and don't slack off in your martial arts."
"Definitely." Li Xian nodded emphatically.
With the assessment concluded, Luo Tongyun wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, walked up to Li Xian, and seemed about to say something, his expression shifting repeatedly—anger, confusion, surprise, embarrassment…
He seemed to want to save face, but ultimately he couldn't contain his anger.
Finally, he narrowed his eyes, decided to drop the pretense, gave a cold look, and left with a heavy "humph".
...
"Fourth brother, congratulations!"
Zhao Han and the others came over, also happy for Li Xian.
"Fourth brother, you've really made something of yourself. Do you know that Commander Pang has taken a liking to you?" Wang Chun said.
"Oh?" Li Xian asked, "What do you mean?"
"Tiger Blood Pill...this is a Tiger Blood Pill!" Zhuo Yilie said, "When we passed the new recruit assessment, Commander Pang only rewarded us with Deer Blood Pills. The difference between them and Tiger Blood Pills is not small."
"Fourth brother," Zhao Han said solemnly, "you'd better eat this Tiger Blood Pill quickly, or it will definitely attract unwanted attention."
The words had barely left his mouth.
A figure stood blocking the way not far ahead.
It was Jiang Yun, the Class B nurse I had met a few days ago.
"So you are Li Xian?" Jiang Yun quickly approached and said calmly, "Will you sell this Tiger Blood Pill?"
(End of this chapter)
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