Moreover, Yang Kai's current disheveled appearance clearly indicated the hardships he had endured, leaving him seemingly drained of any fighting strength. His thin, malnourished frame easily invited contempt from others.
Almost everyone believed that Yang Kai was doomed today, including Xia Ning Chang, who stood atop a nearby tree. As a disciple of the Dark Hall, she had come uninvited again to record Yang Kai's performance.
"This is not right. How can I allow my junior to let me win?" Yang Kai hesitated.
"There's nothing wrong with it," Zhao Hu insisted. "As your junior, it's only proper to give you three moves! Haha!"
"Alright then," Yang Kai seemed reluctant, "since Junior Brother Zhao insists, I won't be polite."
"Come at me!" Zhao Hu shouted, planting his feet firmly like rocks, his muscles bulging and veins popping.
As Yang Kai, with his skinny arms and legs, walked towards Zhao Hu, the latter sneered inwardly, thinking, "With your scrawny body, I could blow you away with a breath. What strength could you possibly have?"
Yang Kai walked slowly up to Zhao Hu, raised a fist, and waved it in front of Zhao Hu's face. "Junior Brother Zhao, I'm really going to hit you."
"Bring it on!"
Before his words had even finished, Yang Kai's fist struck Zhao Hu's chest with a dull thud. The onlookers didn't even see Yang Kai's move; the punch landed with a bizarrely swift force.
Zhao Hu's face turned pale as his chest involuntarily caved in.
Another punch landed on Zhao Hu's abdomen, making him double over, feeling as if his stomach was turning inside out.
Then, Yang Kai's kick connected with Zhao Hu's chin, sending him flying and crashing to the ground, motionless.
Victory!
The entire place fell silent, the tension so thick that even a pin drop could be heard. Everyone stared at Yang Kai in shock and disbelief, especially Su Mu, whose eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets.
Two punches and a kick had sent Zhao Hu, who was at the fifth level of the Body Tempering stage, flying. Could this be something a third-level Body Tempering stage disciple could achieve?
Even though Zhao Hu had not retaliated at all, the sheer force was astounding. A person weighing a hundred pounds had been sent flying several meters. How could this be possible without significant strength? Moreover, the speed was incredibly fast; one moment Zhao Hu was smirking, and the next, he was unconscious.
Not only did the spectators outside the hut struggle to believe their eyes, but even Xia Ning Chang, observing from the treetop, was equally stunned.
Her booklet clearly documented Yang Kai's battles: in over two years, he had 147 defeats and no victories. Yet today, that record was broken so decisively.
Xia Ning Chang, originally perched gracefully on a tree branch, was so shocked that she lost her balance and fell.
With a series of soft rustles, the masked woman fell from the three-meter-high treetop, landing on her buttocks with a yelp.
Fortunately, her agility saved her from severe injury, but her rear end still stung, bringing tears to her eyes.
Enduring the pain, she stood up, her long legs trembling slightly, and nervously looked around, relieved that no one had seen her fall.
If anyone had witnessed her fall, it would have been a great embarrassment.
Using her energy to alleviate the pain in her buttocks, Xia Ning Chang's eyes shone with confusion. How had Yang Kai's strength increased so much in just a few days?
The spectators, lacking keen insight, couldn't discern the truth, but Xia Ning Chang, with her sharp eyes, sensed the surge of energy in Yang Kai's meridians at the moment he struck. It indicated he had reached the fourth level of the Body Tempering stage, and his strength seemed to exceed even that.
But, hadn't he been at the third level just days ago?
This wretched junior! He had concealed his strength, not only startling the others but also scaring her off the tree. Truly despicable!
Vaguely, Xia Ning Chang felt a sense of resentment towards Yang Kai.
Yang Kai glanced towards where Xia Ning Chang had hidden. He had heard her brief cry but, being too far away, didn't notice anything amiss. He frowned at his fist, seemingly dissatisfied.
Yang Kai was indeed dissatisfied. This was his first sparring match after acquiring the Proud Bone Golden Body, and he had accidentally used too much force, sending Zhao Hu flying. He had only intended to make him move.
Su Mu was the first to recover, pointing at Yang Kai and shouting, "You cheated!"
Yang Kai calmly replied, "Junior Brother Su, you can't just say anything. How did I cheat?"
Su Mu was momentarily speechless. Yes, how did he cheat? Zhao Hu had stood there, boasting about giving Yang Kai three moves, and Yang Kai had simply defeated him in three moves. With so many witnesses, how could there be any cheating?
"Su Shao, it seems our information was wrong. This guy's strength isn't just at the third level of the Body Tempering stage! He must have advanced; otherwise, how could he defeat Zhao Hu?" A perceptive observer whispered to Su Mu.
"Indeed." Su Mu nodded, his expression dark. "Zhao Hu was too careless. If they had truly fought, how could he be defeated?"
In Su Mu's mind, Zhao Hu's loss was purely due to carelessness. Even if Yang Kai had advanced, he was only at the fourth level of the Body Tempering stage, still below Zhao Hu. In a real fight, Yang Kai would inevitably lose.
"Senior Brother Yang, you hid your strength well!" Su Mu glared at Yang Kai, feeling stifled.
Yang Kai shrugged indifferently.
"We have plenty of time. Next time, you won't be so lucky!" Su Mu sneered, leading his followers away. One of them picked up the unconscious Zhao Hu, casting a hateful glance at Yang Kai as they left.
This grudge was truly settled, but Yang Kai didn't mind. The sect had its rules, and if they wanted to trouble him, they would have to challenge him openly.
Besides, he needed sparring partners to gauge his growth. With this in mind, Yang Kai saw his enmity with Su Mu as a blessing.
Today's fight had been somewhat unsatisfying, and Yang Kai felt a bit unfulfilled.
With Su Mu gone, the crowd dispersed, though many were still in a daze, unable to believe that the trial disciple Yang Kai, who hadn't won a single match in over two years, had won today. Although there was some trickery involved, a victory was still a victory.