Li, without any hesitation or visible reaction, stood in the place the young master pointed to and waited for a punch. At this point it was unknown what Li was thinking.
Seeing this scene, the three young masters were somewhat disappointed. They expected a little more resistance from Li. Well, in the end it didn't matter. After getting hit over and over again, he would plead for mercy.
It didn't matter that they were weaker than him. At some point he would suffer injuries and submit, and that was the exact scene the three young masters wanted to witness.
The boxing trainer, obviously paid off, but at the same time also not really minding the situation, walked up in boxing gloves and decided to start off the training. He quickly explained the technique for a straight and executed it.
*Boom* The glove hit Li in his stomach area, and Li's stomach lightly moved a little back from the impact of the punch. He didn't show any pain, but all four of them were sure he was pretending to look strong while suffering.
"Now, young masters, please try one after another," the boxing instructor said.
First off was Weiyang, who was very happy to repay his injuries and lost face to the bodyguard. He could have saved him and decided to not do it. In his eyes, even though they initiated the conflict, Li was responsible for his injuries and humiliation.
He tried to execute the technique to the best of his abilities while hitting Li in the same spot as the instructor did to inflict the most pain.
Pow The punch rang out with a lot less power than the instructor, and Li didn't react at all. He didn't even move back or anything; he just stood there as if nothing had happened. Instead, now Weiyang felt a numb pain in his fist even through the boxing gloves.
"Don't forget to use your whole body to punch," the boxing instructor reminded while showing himself turning his hip while punching the air to demonstrate. "Try again."
Weiyang, even though his fist hurt a little from the first punch, punched once more. "Ouch," he said after the impact while shaking his fist. "Is it supposed to hurt when you punch?" This punch had hurt him even more. The pain in his fist had doubled.
"Well, of course your fist will hurt when you punch someone. The boxing gloves take some of that away, but you will still feel something." The boxing instructor shook his head. How could his fist hurt after just two punches? These rich kids were way too soft. "Again!"
Weiyang wanted to protest, but after looking at the disapproving looks of his two friends behind him, he punched again, and on impact felt something akin to the worst pain he had experienced yet.
"AAAAH!! It hurts!!" He screamed and tumbled and fell on his back. The scream was heard throughout the gym, and many people who purposefully ignored them until now were talking and whispering about the scene.
"Did you see? He punched three times and had to stop because it hurt."
"How weak is that guy?"
"These three are using a bodyguard as a punching bag, and they are losing."
"The guy could probably slap them silly if he wanted to."
Ling Qidong and his friends heard the surrounding conversations and felt like they lost face again. "Weiyang, step back. It's my turn now," Ling Qidong said. How could his friend be so weak and embarrass all three of them?
He looked at Li, who looked like he was a statue, not moving at all, before swinging his right fist with all of his might.
*Bam* The sound of the impact was heard throughout the gym, as most of the exercises had stopped, and the people were focused on the scene of Li Qidong and his bodyguard.
But once more, instead of Li suffering, Li Qidong's face was full of pain. He didn't squeal like Weiyang, but everyone could see who was on the losing end of the exchange.
Li Qidong, full of pain and shock, couldn't accept the result and punched again using everything he had. Yet on impact it wasn't just pain; something broke. He couldn't keep thinking straight and screamed before falling to the floor.
His hand was broken, and he didn't know how while the people continued to make fun of this cowardly trio. And while Ma was about to just take his loss and head back home, Li Qidong had other ideas.
"You," he pointed at the boxing instructor. "Hit him until he can't get up."
The boxing instructor, somewhat disappointed by these weaklings, still remembered the payment he got and started hitting Li with his best punches to take him down quickly, ending the embarrassing scene as fast as possible.
But the more he hit him, the more he panicked. Why isn't he reacting? His fists didn't hurt like the young masters did, but Li didn't move at all. Once more standing like a statue. As the boxing coach continued, it got more and more ridiculous.
Each punch hit Li, yet nothing indicated that he even felt them, and the crowd started to turn even against the instructor and owner of the place.
"He owner can't take down the punching bag?"
"Are the two of them making a play?"
"Maybe the instructor is just too weak."
The instructor, more and more furious, was getting desperate. Who would come back into my gym if I can't even take down someone who isn't even trying to block my punches or moving to dodge at all?
Meanwhile, through all of this, Li finally opened his mouth and looked at Ling Qidong. "Why don't you try to hit me again?" he said and closed his mouth and eyes, while the boxing trainer suddenly felt increasing pain in his fists punching Li, before his hand broke, and even he cried out in pain and had to stop looking at Li with fear in his eyes.
What kind of monster did I make an enemy with?
Li Qidong, shocked by the scene, wanted to retort to the challenge and accept, but his broken hand held him back. Instead, while thinking of ways to turn the situation around, he realized something.
He can control the amount of pain one feels while hitting him, right? No, no, no, that is impossible. In the end he wasn't unsure, but he definitely didn't want to find out once again.
He could only take his friends and head out through the mocking crowd that cheered for Li while looking at the young masters and the boxing trainer in contempt.
Li Qidong had once again lost his face, but he would not yield. The humiliation had to be paid back tenfold, even though he had no idea how yet.