"Good!"
"Spectacular!"
"Mr. Lin is impressive!"
Cheers echoed from all around.
Jia Yanrong lay on the ground, hunched over, cold sweat streaming down his face, feeling rather embarrassed.
He had actually lost.
Lost to a storyteller scholar.
"Sorry, I didn't control my strength well just now."
Lin Zheyu helped Jia Yanrong up from the ground, speaking with a hint of apology.
"Your strength is formidable. If it weren't for your eye injury affecting your ability, perhaps it would have been me who lost."
Lin Zheyu said loudly, giving Jia Yanrong some face.
Since they would be colleagues from now on, they would see each other often. Maintaining a good relationship was best.
"I lost this time."
"When my eyes recover, let's fight again next time!"
Jia Yanrong said solemnly.
Losing is losing, and since they agreed to write off their grievances, he wouldn't hold a grudge.
At most, he would challenge him again later to regain his dignity.
"Alright." Lin Zheyu nodded.
"Mr. Lin is impressive!"
"I didn't expect Mr. Lin not only to excel in literary talent but also to possess such formidable martial arts. I'm impressed," Xu Jingwu said with a smile.
"Mr. Xu, you flatter me. It's just some basic skills for self-defense."
"Being alone without a family background, it's easy to be bullied, so I had no choice but to learn some martial arts for self-defense."
Lin Zheyu humbly said, looking at Xu Jingwu: "I wonder if my martial skills are to Mr. Xu's liking."
"Of course."
"Mr. Lin's martial skills are quite outstanding within the Feihong Gang."
"Though I noticed Mr. Lin seemed to have some strength left, would you be interested in sparring with some others?" Xu Jingwu suggested.
"Then I would appreciate your guidance."
Lin Zheyu humbly cupped his hands towards the Feihong Gang members.
He also wanted to know where his strength stood within the Feihong Gang, and even in Songyi City.
"Xie Jiang, go and spar a few moves with Mr. Lin," Xu Jingwu said.
"Yes, Gang Leader."
Xie Jiang responded and stepped forward.
He was an ordinary-looking man, with a build similar to Lin Zheyu's, not as robust as Jia Yanrong.
"I am Xie Jiang, please enlighten me."
Xie Jiang cupped his hands towards Lin Zheyu, seemingly having read some books, unlike the rough Jia Yanrong.
"Lin Zheyu, please go easy on me."
Lin Zheyu returned the gesture with clasped fists.
"This guy is strong!"
This was Lin Zheyu's impression of Xie Jiang.
Xie Jiang's strength was comparable to Jia Yanrong, with each having their victories and losses in duels.
While Lin Zheyu could easily defeat Jia Yanrong, he certainly wouldn't be an easy opponent.
"Hah!"
Xie Jiang shouted loudly, taking the initiative to attack.
He exhibited a unique footwork, which looked graceful, charging towards Lin Zheyu.
Lin Zheyu watched Xie Jiang with a gleam of fighting spirit in his eyes.
He hadn't had much experience facing off directly against other martial artists.
When sparring with Mr. Liang, he was always on the receiving end, feeling quite stifled.
Xie Jiang was fast, highly skilled in body technique.
Lin Zheyu dodged Xie Jiang's palm, punching back, while Xie Jiang used his agility to evade quickly.
"Interesting."
Lin Zheyu grinned.
He too had learned body techniques, though he hadn't mastered them yet. This was a chance to hone himself against Xie Jiang.
"Oh!"
Seeing Lin Zheyu also using a special body technique, Xie Jiang was surprised.
But he quickly calmed down.
Lin Zheyu's body technique was poor, just a bit better than the brute Jia Yanrong.
The two quickly moved around the ground, exchanging over a dozen moves, attacking and defending efficiently.
"So strong!"
"He was holding back earlier."
Jia Yanrong squinted at the two fighting, secretly shocked.
"Is he using me to hone his body technique?"
After exchanging more than a dozen moves, Xie Jiang's eyes sharpened.
"Hmph!"
He snorted coldly, looking at Lin Zheyu and saying, "Mr. Lin, aren't you going to go all out? Do you want to keep dragging it out?"
"Sorry, I was just impressed by Mr. Xie's body technique and got carried away."
Lin Zheyu said, starting to get serious.
Bam—
Xie Jiang, adept at body technique, relied on his speed advantage, maneuvering around Lin Zheyu, constantly attacking with his palm.
Lin Zheyu blocked with his fists, effortlessly defending against Xie Jiang's attacks.
He seized the opportunity, stepping forward with his right foot, swiftly closing the distance.
"Not good!"
Xie Jiang thought, but it was too late.
Lin Zheyu's left hand quickly and accurately grasped his wrist, his right fist punched out.
Executing a Wild Bull Horn, his right fist struck Xie Jiang's chest at an awkward angle, making him stumble back several steps.
"Thank you for the match."
"Mr. Lin's strength is impressive, I am in awe," Xie Jiang said, getting up while rubbing his aching chest.
A clamor erupted among the members of the Feihong Gang all around.
If Jia Yanrong's defeat was attributed to his impaired vision, affecting his strength,
then Xie Jiang's loss now was entirely due to Lin Zheyu's raw power winning the fight.
"Ning Hui, are you interested in going up for a match too?" Xu Jingwu asked with a smile.
Through the previous two battles, he had completely gauged Lin Zheyu's strength.
Early Stage of Bone Forging, good combat sense, structured techniques and tactics, indicative of an experienced master's guidance.
"Later, have Jia Yanrong investigate whom he learned martial arts from."
"If he truly went from nothing to mastering the Wild Bull Fist at this level within two months, then this kid's talent is worth nurturing."
Xu Jingwu thought, intrigued.
For a family to grow stronger, relying solely on its members wasn't enough.
Many strong martial artists of the Xu Family were outsiders integrated into the family through marriage.
This Lin Zheyu, now alone, with decent talent and aptitude, alongside remarkable character and looks, was a good candidate.
"No, no, they both lost. I surely can't win either," Ning Hui waved his hand.
"Haha."
"Mr. Lin is indeed formidable, our Feihong Gang has gained another brave warrior."
"Now that it's late, Mr. Lin can report to Feihong Tower at No.28 Tongquan Street tomorrow morning. I'll have someone arrange a position for you," Xu Jingwu said with a hearty laugh.
After exchanging some courteous words, he left.
"Mr. Lin, you are indeed formidable. I, Jia Yanrong, am convinced."
"Let's wipe the slate clean of the past issues. From now on, you're part of our Feihong Gang, and we're all brothers."
Jia Yanrong came over and said.
"No need to keep addressing me as Mr. Lin, just call me Lin Zheyu."
Lin Zheyu said with a smile, looking at Jia Yanrong with a hint of apology: "Sorry for the chili powder incident earlier."
"You looked so fierce and threatening at the time, I had no choice but to fight back."
Jia Yanrong squinted at Lin Zheyu, feeling a bit speechless: "With your strength, even if we fought for real, I couldn't beat you. Was it necessary to use such a sneaky method?"
"Uh..."
"Haha, it's just to save some energy, why exert more effort than needed."
"Tonight I'll treat everyone to drinks, and also apologize to Mr. Jia," Lin Zheyu said heartily.
In the future, he'd rely on these brothers to promote the novel stories' copyrights.
"Let's go, if I don't make you treat me lavishly tonight, I won't be satisfied," Jia Yanrong said with swollen eyes, gritting his teeth.
He looked at Xie Jiang, a bit smug: "You lost to Mr. Lin too, have nothing to say now, do you?"
"And you, you didn't even face him. Got nothing to say now?" he said, looking at Xie Jiang with a disdainful expression.
Earlier, the few people reached the tavern, drinking freely without barriers.
Lin Zheyu and Jia Yanrong became friends after fighting, competing in drinking, and laughing off their grudges.
...