"Okay, I agree, but if you lose, I hope you will keep your promise!" Wang Xiaoqiang said.

"Don't worry about that. With so many people as witnesses, I have to consider my own reputation!" Giant Bear Lin said.

As he spoke, Giant Bear Lin walked up to Wang Xiaoqiang, his whole aura released, making him seem like a giant brown bear that captivates and devours.

Seeing that Wang Xiaoqiang was about to duel, the workers were not in a hurry to go home for dinner. Instead, they watched with keen interest, discussing the matter endlessly. Everyone naturally hoped that their boss would win. However, the idea of Wang Xiaoqiang defeating Giant Bear Lin seemed very uncertain.

Giant Bear Lin's imposing figure stood there like a small mountain, and his whole body emitted a wild beast-like aura, intimidating to all.

Wang Xiaoqiang confronted him without any change of expression, looking like an unguarded child.

"Make your move, I'll let you strike three times first!" Giant Bear Lin said, seeing Wang Xiaoqiang acting unconcernedly, thinking that Wang Xiaoqiang must either be naturally fearless or recklessly brave. However, he believed it was more likely the latter.

Of course, letting the opponent strike first has its disadvantages as well as benefits. The disadvantage is that striking first can be stronger, but the advantage is that it allows one to gauge the opponent's strength and weakness through their moves.

After competing with Wang Xiaoqiang and ending up in the hospital, Giant Bear Lin's ego was deeply bruised in his circle of friends. Out of annoyance, he had to be wary of Wang Xiaoqiang.

"Let's have a fair duel then. I want you to be thoroughly convinced of your loss," Wang Xiaoqiang said, "Let's start."

Seeing Wang Xiaoqiang's bold remarks, Giant Bear Lin was infuriated, and he threw a direct punch towards Wang Xiaoqiang's face.

Although Wang Xiaoqiang had no experience in combat, seeing the punch coming straight for his face, he instinctively swung his hand to block.

The Five Elements Spirit Spring dormant in his lower abdomen quickly surged to his right hand.

Bang!

When their hands struck, it emitted a sound like a clash of metals.

Giant Bear Lin's forceful punch was shaken off by Wang Xiaoqiang's hand, more accurately, it was shaken off by the Metal Element Spiritual Energy. At that moment, his entire hand felt as if it had been electrocuted, experiencing a painful, numb, and swollen sensation.

However, Giant Bear Lin's ability to take a strike was particularly strong. This hit wouldn't cause his right hand to lose its combat effectiveness. He shook his right hand and sneered, muttering, "Not bad!"

Saying this, he executed a sweeping kick towards Wang Xiaoqiang's temple. The previous clash revealed to him that Wang Xiaoqiang's hands were very powerful, capable of releasing incredible force with just a gentle swing, likely a result of practicing Hard Qigong.

However, though Wang Xiaoqiang's Kung Fu was strong, he was quite unfamiliar with combat skills or rather, he had never come into contact with combat techniques.

Thus, his kick targeted Wang Xiaoqiang's vital areas. He knew that even someone who practiced Qigong couldn't direct the energy to such critical spots, like the temples, the groin, the eyes, or the heart...

The temple is one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body. Giant Bear Lin was taller than Wang Xiaoqiang, and a slight lift of his leg could reach this spot. However, he somewhat regretted kicking out because if this strike landed successfully, it would either kill or knock the person unconscious.

So midway through the kick, he intentionally reduced some strength, for they were in a lawful society where killing someone could warrant a death sentence. Although his status was not ordinary, ultimately he couldn't escape legal punishment.

In fact, he didn't need to reduce the strength for Wang Xiaoqiang's sake; it was actually beneficial for himself because the stronger the kick, the greater the counterblast from the Metal Element Spiritual Energy inside Wang Xiaoqiang.

Bang!

Giant Bear Lin's foot landed solidly on Wang Xiaoqiang's temple, making a metal-like clang sound as his foot met Wang Xiaoqiang's forehead. Then, the Aura of Geng Metal erupted from the Spiritual Spring at Wang Xiaoqiang's forehead, shaking off Giant Bear Lin's foot.

Despite the huge impact, Wang Xiaoqiang also staggered, almost falling.

Giant Bear Lin looked worse. The leg that was shaken numb couldn't support his body upon landing, feeling like a wooden stick. He could only hobble on his left leg in an extremely embarrassed manner.

The crowd of workers gasped in unison. Giant Bear Lin's whip kick was too ruthless; it could have killed someone if it had been anyone else. Of course, what shocked them was not Giant Bear Lin's ruthlessness but Wang Xiaoqiang's resistance. The temple, being the most vulnerable part of the human body, yet Wang Xiaoqiang managed to withstand Giant Bear Lin's most ruthless kick with it.

Seeing Giant Bear Lin's pitiful state, the workers felt their blood surge to their heads, these simple mountain dwellers feeling what it meant to have their blood boil for the first time.

"This is even more thrilling than watching a martial arts movie!"

After steadying himself, Wang Xiaoqiang walked toward Lin Juxiong, whose eyes showed a look of shock but he refused to admit defeat. Wang Xiaoqiang lightly kicked out, aiming at his abdomen. At the same time, the Aura of Geng Metal burst forth, Lin Juxiong crossed his arms in an attempt to catch Wang Xiaoqiang's leg and topple him.

However, the moment his hands touched Wang Xiaoqiang's foot, they were immediately repelled. Wang Xiaoqiang's kick, like bamboo snapping, broke through Lin Juxiong's guard and struck him in the abdomen as the Aura of Geng Metal exploded.

Boom!

Lin Juxiong's massive body was sent flying by Wang Xiaoqiang's stomp, gliding backwards for five meters before crashing to the ground.

Luckily, Wang Xiaoqiang had not used his full strength in that kick; otherwise, with the immense Spiritual Energy now within him, that kick could have ended Lin Juxiong's life.

Lin Juxiong's body thunderously fell to the ground and struggled a few times without being able to get up.

After a moment of silence, the scene erupted in lively applause. Except for Xia Sanwa, nobody at the site had anticipated Wang Xiaoqiang to possess such ability and to win so beautifully. Overwhelmed with excitement, they immediately began clapping and cheering for their boss.

Walking over amid the sound of clapping, Wang Xiaoqiang approached Lin Juxiong and extended his hand to pull him up.

Lin Juxiong's face was ashen, but as Wang Xiaoqiang helped him up, Lin Juxiong's eyes suddenly brightened, and then he gave a fist-palm salute to Wang Xiaoqiang, "Brother Qiang, I lost, and I am thoroughly convinced. You are incredible."

Lin Juxiong could not deny his defeat even if he wanted to. He could tell that although Wang Xiaoqiang had no combat experience, his Hard Qigong was extraordinary, like the Internal Power and Martial Techniques described in online fantasy novels. Although Wang Xiaoqiang lacked martial techniques, his internal power was profound. Compared to Wang Xiaoqiang, he was not on the same level at all.

Seeing Lin Juxiong admit defeat, Wang Xiaoqiang also felt a surge of pride, but at that moment, he thought it quite commendable that Lin Juxiong could recognize his own strength. He then patted Lin Juxiong's still numb leg and infused some Wood Element Spiritual Qi into his injured leg, "If it weren't for me last time, you probably wouldn't have made it to the hospital alive."

Lin Juxiong felt a flow of energy entering his numb leg, immediately relieving the pain and numbness. Combining this with what the doctor in the emergency room had told him upon waking up last time, he was deeply moved and bowed earnestly to Wang Xiaoqiang, "Brother Qiang, thank you for saving my life. I will remember this kindness for the rest of my life."

Last time, Lin Juxiong and Wang Xiaoqiang were drinking until the emergency services had to take him to the hospital, where they faced a traffic delay of half an hour before he could be admitted for stomach pumping. The doctor had said after reviving him, "You are very lucky; with such a high alcohol level and that delay on the road, it's a miracle you survived."

Now it seemed, Wang Xiaoqiang had saved him.

"It's nothing, I just used my Qigong to help you out with some of the effects of the alcohol," Wang Xiaoqiang said quietly, lowering his voice.

"Ah, Brother Qiang, can you really cultivate Inner Strength?" Lin Juxiong, being enthusiastic about martial arts, was naturally familiar with Qigong. However, he knew that not all those who practiced Qigong were powerful, only those who had achieved a certain level of control, those who could harness Inner Strength, were the true masters of Qigong, grandmaster-level individuals.

Such individuals could heal injuries and illnesses. Lin Juxiong had also practiced Hard Qigong for two years, but sadly he had started too late in life, past the prime age for Qi Cultivation, and after he had lost his virginity—a so-called "leakage of vitality"—no amount of hard training could achieve great proficiency, which he considered the biggest regret of his life.

He had only managed to learn some superficial skills, yet unexpectedly, today he had encountered a grandmaster of Qigong.

In fact, Wang Xiaoqiang had no idea how to practice Qigong; Qigong was just an excuse to cover up the Superpower within his body.

"Absolutely," Wang Xiaoqiang said.

"Brother Qiang, you really are amazing!" In the entire country, grandmasters of Qigong could be counted on the fingers of one hand, elusive as dragons. Lin Juxiong would never have expected to meet one, but his father, Lin Zhenlong, had once encountered a grandmaster, and whenever he spoke of him, his tone was filled with admiration.

Yet according to his father's description, that esteemed Qigong grandmaster was not as formidable as the not yet twenty-year-old Wang Xiaoqiang in front of him.

"Well, Giant Bear, these are just minor skills, nothing special. Since you call me 'brother,' from now on, I'll consider you a friend..." Wang Xiaoqiang hadn't finished speaking.

Lin Juxiong, already trembling with excitement, interjected: "Brother Qiang, how about we become sworn brothers! From now on, we'll share weal and woe together."

Wang Xiaoqiang did not expect Lin Juxiong to come out with such a proposal. Wang Xiaoqiang and the local entrepreneur Zheng Dana had become sworn brothers, albeit without a formal ceremony. Now Lin Juxiong wanted to forge such a bond, which was somewhat surprising to him.

In fact, Lin Juxiong, as a military man, wasn't too keen on such formal brotherly bonds, but his father often taught them that when mingling in society and encountering a superior or elder, one should never provoke or offend but rather be humble and respectful. Of course, forming a closer relationship would be ideal.

Although it was no longer the age of warriors, an individual with enough capability could still demonstrate astonishing abilities.

Lin Juxiong could see that Wang Xiaoqiang was the kind of superior his father spoke of. Although the idea of becoming sworn brothers might seem a bit clichéd, Lin Juxiong couldn't think of a better way to deepen their relationship.

Seeing Wang Xiaoqiang's hesitation, Lin Juxiong added, "Brother Qiang, although I am older than you, I admire your abilities and am willing to be the younger brother... what do you think..." (To be continued. If you like this book, feel free to vote or recommend it on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)

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