Guess what? The new work "Marvel: The Infinity Crown" is out! Better add it to your library before it gets jealous!
*****
{Chapter: 128 Close combat with Chi Qian 2!}
Facing Lin Yuan's fierce offensive, Chi Qian remained completely composed, her expression calm and confident.
She smiled, her tone light yet laced with sharpness, as she remarked, "Make a sound in the east but strike in the west? A good strategy, but your intent is far too obvious." (T/N: One of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, a tactic designed to mislead an opponent by creating an illusion and then winning by surprise.)
Her voice carried a natural elegance, as if she were merely correcting a student's flawed technique rather than dealing with an actual sparring partner.
With the fluid grace of someone well-versed in combat, Chi Qian raised her slender arm and effortlessly deflected Lin Yuan's incoming fist. The motion was smooth, precise, and without any wasted effort. At the same time, she shifted her knee, skillfully sidestepping Lin Yuan's kick with minimal movement, avoiding it as if she had anticipated it before he even launched the attack.
But Chi Qian didn't stop at simply dodging.
She countered.
With a swift and practiced motion, she maneuvered around Lin Yuan, locking onto his arm with perfect technique before executing a clean throw.
In the blink of an eye—
Bang!
Lin Yuan found himself slammed onto the ground.
The impact wasn't particularly painful, as Chi Qian had controlled her strength well, but the sheer fact that he had been thrown so effortlessly was something that struck a deep chord in his mind.
This was the first time in his entire life that he had ever been thrown like this.
And worse—
It was by a woman.
The moment Lin Yuan's body hit the ground, the spectators standing around the training hall burst into silent applause. Though they didn't clap openly, their expressions betrayed their feelings.
A few of the onlookers had initially felt an unbearable sense of jealousy when they saw Lin Yuan getting close to Chi Qian—after all, she was an unrivaled beauty, a goddess in their eyes. Seeing him engage in a fight with her, exchanging blows and close-contact maneuvers, had stirred their envy to an unbearable degree.
But now, seeing Lin Yuan getting decisively thrown to the ground, their frustrations eased significantly.
They didn't dare openly celebrate his defeat, but they definitely felt a sense of satisfaction deep inside.
As for Lin Yuan, he quickly picked himself up, dusting off his clothes. Though his body remained unscathed, his pride took a hit.
Lin Yuan, who was just thrown to the ground, was fine, and Chi Qian didn't exert too much effort.
But he was still upset.
Especially when his gaze met Chi Qian's.
She was smiling.
But it wasn't a normal smile—it was that same teasing, devilish smile, one filled with amusement, as if she were enjoying the sight of him being taken down again and again.
Without hesitation, he activated his system, silently consuming his accumulated counterattack points to upgrade his fighting skills to the intermediate level.
As soon as the upgrade completed, Lin Yuan clenched his fists, feeling a noticeable change in his body. His understanding of combat deepened, his reactions sharpened, and his movements became more refined. It was as if years of intense training had been condensed into mere seconds.
"Continue!" Lin Yuan shouted, his tone unwavering.
Chi Qian's smile widened slightly at his stubbornness. She raised a single, delicate finger and beckoned him forward with a teasing hook of her hand.
This time, Lin Yuan lasted longer.
Instead of being immediately overwhelmed, he managed to hold his ground, exchanging a few more moves with Chi Qian. His increased proficiency allowed him to evade some of her attacks and even attempt a counter of his own.
But—
Five seconds later.
Bang!
Lin Yuan was once again on the ground.
Still defeated.
Chi Qian, standing over him, remained unshaken. Her breathing was steady, her movements unfazed.
"It's impressive how quickly you're improving," she commented, still smiling as she extended a hand to help him up.
Lin Yuan grabbed her hand and pulled himself to his feet. He didn't respond immediately, his mind still analyzing the gap between them.
Testing the difference between each fighting level had been his goal, and now he had a clearer understanding.
Even with intermediate-level skills, he was nowhere near her level.
But he wasn't ready to give up.
Instead of immediately jumping to divine-level, he took a more gradual approach.
He upgraded his fighting skill to the advanced level.
The moment the upgrade was completed, a surge of knowledge rushed into his mind. His body adjusted once more—his reflexes, movements, and execution became significantly smoother. He could feel a deeper connection to the flow of combat, almost as if he had been training under an expert for years.
A sense of confidence welled up inside him.
"Again!" Lin Yuan shouted.
Chi Qian, far from being annoyed, was actually enjoying this even more.
This man, who had captured her attention in so many ways—through his flawless piano skills, his captivating singing, his elite status as the young master of the Lin Family—was now standing before her, refusing to back down despite being repeatedly thrown.
It was amusing.
And also, strangely enough, satisfying.
She had never met a man quite like him.
The man who has played her heartstrings for the first time, with perfect piano skills, perfect singing skills, and superior family background as the Young Master of the Lin Family, was knocked down by her again and again.
It's pretty cool!
The frustration of being teased before has been vented greatly.
Still, despite his improvements, Lin Yuan was thrown again.
But this time, something changed.
Chi Qian wiped a small bead of sweat from her forehead.
It wasn't as easy as before.
She could feel the difference.
His speed, his reaction time, and his ability to anticipate movements had increased drastically.
"The rate at which you're improving is truly frightening, Master Lin," she admitted as she reached down to help him up once more.
Lin Yuan, breathing heavily, gave a half-smile. "And yet, I was still thrown by Miss Chi Qian."
Chi Qian chuckled softly. "No, you're genuinely improving at an astonishing pace. You might have a natural talent for fighting."
She paused for a moment, then added with a sly glint in her eyes, "At this rate, in two or three years, you might actually surpass me."
Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes.
He knew exactly what she meant.
For at least two to three years, she could still throw him down with ease.
That wasn't acceptable.
Without hesitation, he upgraded his fighting skills to the master level.
The system notification flashed in his mind.
1,000 counterattack points consumed.
All counterattack points depleted.
But the transformation was immediate.
Lin Yuan felt his mastery double.
His understanding of movement sequences became absolute. His reflexes, precision, and execution reached an entirely new realm.
This was master-level combat.
He wasn't sure if it would be enough to beat Chi Qian yet.
But now, at the very least, he was truly at her level.
Or so he hoped.
Glancing at Chi Qian, he noticed the light sheen of sweat on her forehead. She wasn't exhausted, but she was no longer effortlessly toying with him either.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan spoke, "Let's move to a private training room. Too many people are watching."
Chi Qian considered his words for a moment before nodding.
She assumed Lin Yuan suggested this because he had been thrown around too many times and wanted to save face.
Either way, she had no reason to refuse.
Lin Yuan swiped his diamond membership card, and the two of them entered a private room, closing the door behind them.
Outside, the men watching could only sigh in despair.
A beautiful goddess and a rich, handsome young master—alone in a room.
They knew it was just a fight, but still—
They couldn't stop their imaginations from running wild.
Somewhere in the background, an envious groan echoed through the training hall as the men furiously punched the sandbags to vent their frustration.
After all, a man and a woman are confined inside a room.
The more they think about it, the more sour they become.
'Ahhhh!'
They could only exercise vigorously to release their bitterness.
The men were envious of Lin Yuan.
While those beautiful women who are also present were envious of Chi Qian.
*****
Guess what? The new work "Marvel: The Infinity Crown" is out! Better add it to your library before it gets jealous!