Lin Feng stepped into the alley, each footfall purposefully loud on the cobblestones. The three disciples turned as one, their faces shifting from predatory focus to amused disbelief.
"Walk away, commoner," the tallest one warned. "This doesn't concern you."
Lin Feng recognized him. Li Wei, a mid-tier disciple who followed Kai like a loyal dog. The other two were just muscle, barely worth remembering.
"I think it does," Lin Feng replied, keeping his voice steady. He gestured toward Mei Ling. "She clearly doesn't want to talk to you."
Mei's emerald eyes widened in shock. She shook her head slightly, a clear warning to leave.
Li Wei stepped forward, smirking. "Do you know who we are, trash? We're disciples of the Azure Sky Sect."
Lin Feng counted his meridians, still only three functioning pathways, against opponents with likely dozens each. The lingering ache of his recently repaired body reminded him of his limitations. But limitations meant opportunity.
"I know exactly who you are," Lin Feng said. "Bullies who can't fight their own battles."
Li Wei's face darkened. "You'll regret those words."
The disciple moved with practiced speed, launching a palm strike charged with azure qi. Lin Feng sidestepped, feeling the energy brush past his face. He'd seen this technique a hundred times during training. The Azure Palm Strike, basic but effective.
Lin Feng countered with a simple punch to Li Wei's sternum. The blow landed, but barely rocked the larger boy.
"Pathetic," Li Wei laughed, grabbing Lin Feng's wrist. "You hit like a child."
The other two disciples circled behind, cutting off any escape. Mei Ling pressed against the wall, her hand sliding toward a hidden pocket in her robe.
"Run when you can," Lin Feng told her quietly.
Li Wei twisted Lin Feng's arm painfully. "Playing hero for a pretty face? Typical trash."
"No," Lin Feng replied calmly. "Just evening the odds."
He broke free with a quick rotation and launched a flurry of strikes, each deliberately imperfect. His attacks connected but lacked power, exactly as planned. The System would register each failure, accumulating toward a reward.
Li Wei blocked the final punch and countered with a qi-enhanced kick that caught Lin Feng in the ribs. Pain exploded through his chest as he staggered back.
"Your form is terrible," Li Wei taunted. "Who taught you to fight, your grandmother?"
Lin Feng spat blood onto the stones. "Something like that."
The other disciples moved to restrain him, but Lin Feng slipped between them using Shadow Step, reappearing beside Mei Ling.
"When I create an opening, run," he whispered.
"You'll die," she hissed back.
"That's the plan," Lin Feng replied with a cold smile.
He lunged at Li Wei, deliberately leaving his guard open on the right side. The disciple took the bait, channeling qi into his fist and driving it toward Lin Feng's exposed shoulder.
Lin Feng twisted at the last moment, not to avoid the blow, but to make it worse. The strike connected with devastating force, tearing through muscle and cracking bone. Lin Feng crashed against the wall, his right arm hanging useless.
"Lin Feng?" Mei gasped, finally recognizing him through the dirt and blood.
Li Wei froze. "What did you say? This can't be Lin Feng. He's crippled."
The familiar crimson screen flashed before Lin Feng's eyes:
[Critical Failure Detected: Combat Defense]
[Analyzing Defeat Parameters...]
[Reward Generated: Durability Multiplier (x3)]
[Activating Reward...]
A surge of energy flowed through Lin Feng's body, focusing on his shattered shoulder. The pain vanished instantly, replaced by a strange pressure as tissues knitted and bones fused. His skin hardened, taking on a subtle metallic sheen that faded almost immediately.
Li Wei stepped back, confusion replacing his triumph. "What just happened?"
Lin Feng rolled his shoulder, testing the repair. Not only had the damage healed, but the entire joint felt stronger, more resilient. The system had tripled his physical durability, turning his broken body into something closer to iron.
"Thank you for the failure," Lin Feng said, his voice cold.
Li Wei backed away. "Your meridians were crushed. How are you—"
Lin Feng didn't let him finish. He lunged forward with his new strength, grabbing Li Wei by the front of his robe. The disciple struck Lin Feng's chest with a panic-fueled palm strike, but the blow barely registered against his enhanced durability.
Lin Feng lifted Li Wei off his feet and hurled him into the opposite wall. The disciple crashed against the stone with a sickening crack, sliding down in a stunned heap.
The other two disciples stared in shock.
"Anyone else?" Lin Feng asked quietly.
They turned and ran, leaving their leader groaning on the ground.
Lin Feng grabbed Mei Ling's wrist. "Time to go."
"But how did you—"
"Later," he cut her off, pulling her deeper into the alley network.
They ran through the maze of back streets, Lin Feng leading them away from the market district toward the abandoned storage houses near the river. When they finally stopped, Mei was breathing hard, but Lin Feng felt surprisingly fresh despite his injuries.
"We should be safe here," he said, peering out a cracked window at the empty street.
"You're bleeding," Mei pointed at the gash across his forehead.
"It's nothing."
"Don't be stubborn." She rummaged through a small pouch at her waist, producing two vials. One crystal blue, one murky brown.
"This one's a premium healing salve," she said, holding up the blue vial. "And this..." she frowned at the brown vial, "is expired. I meant to dispose of it. Use the blue one."
Lin Feng studied both vials, then reached for the brown one.
"Not that one!" Mei protested. "It's gone bad. It could poison you instead of healing."
"Perfect," Lin Feng said, uncorking the vial.
"Have you lost your mind?" Mei tried to snatch it back. "That stuff could kill you!"
Lin Feng applied the foul-smelling paste to his wounds. The skin around the cuts immediately turned an angry red, tiny blisters forming along the edges. The burning sensation confirmed what Mei had said, the medicine had definitely gone bad.
[Recovery Failure Detected: Toxic Reaction]
[Analyzing Defeat Parameters...]
[Reward Generated: Poison Resistance (Basic)]
[Activating Reward...]
The burning sensation vanished. Lin Feng felt a cool wave spread through his bloodstream as the System neutralized the toxins and enhanced his body's resistance.
"Why would you do that?" Mei asked, her voice somewhere between concern and exasperation.
"Because failure has its rewards," Lin Feng replied cryptically. He wiped away the paste, revealing completely healed skin beneath.
Mei stared at him, mouth agape. "That's impossible. The medicine was spoiled."
"You're right," Lin Feng agreed. "It was."
"Who are you really?" she whispered, backing away slightly. "The Lin Feng I heard about was crippled by Kai. They said you couldn't even channel qi anymore."
"They weren't wrong." Lin Feng smiled thinly. "I just found a different path."
Mei looked at him like he'd grown a second head. "You're insane."
"Maybe." Lin Feng shrugged. "Or maybe I've discovered something everyone else has missed."
Mei shook her head, bewilderment clear on her face. "What exactly did you discover?"
"That sometimes," Lin Feng said, watching the System's notifications fade, "the only way to win is to lose spectacularly."