The moment Li Xisheng sprang to his feet, Meng De's complexion drained of all color, his voice quivering as he gasped, "It's Li Xisheng! This is disastrous!"
He Yu's eyes widened in alarm, her fingers clutching Xiao Wu's sleeve as if it were a lifeline. "Is this foreigner truly that formidable?" she fretted, her anxiety palpable.
"Without a doubt!" Meng De replied with a rueful grin. "Li Xisheng has reigned supreme in our provincial martial arts competitions for three consecutive years. Rumor has it that he could single-handedly overpower three to five special forces operatives with ease. A slab of marble as thick as ten fingers? He'd shatter it like it was mere glass under his palm!" To the average onlooker, a titan like Li Xisheng was nothing short of a mythical beast.
"I caught a glimpse of him on TV once, during a news interview," a student piped up, his voice hushed yet charged with awe. Instantly, a ripple of astonishment spread through the crowd.
"Oh no, this is looking grim!" He Yu's gaze darted towards Qin Xuan, her heart sinking. How on earth could he hold his own against such a behemoth?
Xiao Wu's eyes, however, remained fixed on Qin Xuan's unyielding form, her heart fluttering like a caged bird. Could he truly vanquish a juggernaut like Li Xisheng? Her mind wandered to the stoic warrior monks she'd seen in ancient temples. In her estimation, Li Xisheng was likely their equal.
'Qin Xuan, tread carefully,' she whispered inwardly.
Inside the arena, Li Xisheng's visage darkened like a storm cloud, his eyes ablaze with fury. This insolent pup had the audacity to scorn the taekwondo he held dear, an affront he would not abide. In the recesses of his mind, he'd already condemned Qin Xuan to a swift and brutal defeat.
Drawing in a deep, steadying breath, he felt the air rush into his core, his body crackling with pent-up energy.
With a sudden whoosh, Li Xisheng launched himself forward, a blur streaking through the air, leaving a trail of ghostly afterimages in its wake.
As he closed in on Qin Xuan, one hand coiled tightly at his waist, the other morphing into a lethal blade of a palm. In a flash, it sliced downward, cleaving the air as if it were paper. The resultant wind pressure was a razor-sharp gust that sent shivers down spines.
"Ah!"
A chorus of gasps and shrieks erupted from the spectators. Several girls instinctively shielded their eyes, bracing for the worst.
This palm, capable of shearing through solid marble, would surely reduce bones to splinters if it connected with flesh.
A cold, triumphant smirk curled Li Xisheng's lips as his palm hurtled downward. "Arrogant whelp, today you'll learn the true essence of taekwondo!"
Yet, beneath his menacing glare, Qin Xuan's lips twitched into a bemused smile. That single expression sent a shiver of unease down Li Xisheng's spine.
Qin Xuan inhaled deeply, his focus sharpening. In a fluid motion, his right hand extended, a faint cyan aura dancing at his fingertips. His movements were slow and deliberate, reminiscent of plucking the most delicate of blossoms. Gradually, he raised his hand aloft.
The first form of the Purple Thunder Palm, Seizing Leaves with Green Thunder!
When their palms collided, it was as if the heavens themselves had split open. A deafening clap of thunder reverberated throughout the dojo, sending shockwaves that set clothes and uniforms flapping wildly.
Li Xisheng's eyes bulged in disbelief. His pupils constricted to pinpricks, a wave of shock crashing over him like a tidal wave, drowning out all else.
How could this be?
Decades of grueling training had honed his hands into weapons capable of pulverizing marble. Yet, this young upstart had blocked his strike with effortless ease. Worse still, his right hand was now a numb, useless appendage, devoid of all strength.
With a series of staccato bangs, Li Xisheng staggered backward, horror etched across his features.
A master! This was an absolute master!
Such prowess, he'd only witnessed in his revered master, thousands of miles away in the Great Han Empire. Could it be that China harbored such a hidden gem?
"Thinking of escaping?" Qin Xuan's voice was a low, taunting chuckle. In a blink, his palm flared with cyan light, morphing into a whirlwind of afterimages, as if the very essence of autumn was being captured and consumed.
Li Xisheng's face contorted in panic. With a bellow that shook the rafters, he propelled himself skyward, his body contorting into a spinning vortex, tearing the air asunder.
When fists and feet finally met, the dojo plunged into a deathly silence.
Under the collective gaze of all present, Li Xisheng's face contorted in agony. The sickening crunch of his once-steel-like right leg fracturing echoed repeatedly, as if the bone was splintering into a thousand pieces.
With a thud that seemed to shake the foundation of the building, Li Xisheng crashed to the ground, his anguished groans filling the air.
That single sound jolted the spectators from their trance.
"Qin Xuan won!"
The students peering in from outside the door gaped in disbelief.
Li Xisheng, the taekwondo titan who had dominated the provincial martial arts scene for three consecutive years, had been toppled by Qin Xuan in a single, stunning move.
"Wow! That's truly remarkable!"
"Qin Xuan, you're my idol!"
"Fantastic! Taekwondo? It's all flash and no substance. Qin Xuan is in a league of his own!"
Outside, the air was electric with excitement. Even the trainees within the dojo, who had once scorned Qin Xuan, were now slack-jawed with astonishment.
This young student, whom they had dismissed as inconsequential, had defeated their seemingly invincible master with a single, masterful stroke. How was it possible? It defied all logic.
"He actually pulled it off?"
Xiao Wu stared at Qin Xuan's triumphant silhouette, her eyes wide with wonder.
Qin Xuan had once again defied the odds, conjuring a miracle where none was expected.
He Yu's jaw hung open, her eyes glazed over as she stared at Qin Xuan.
She'd never fathomed that Qin Xuan was such a force to be reckoned with. Was this the same Qin Xuan who used to cower under her scolding, offering nothing but sheepish smiles?
Meng De was equally thunderstruck. One man had taken on an entire dojo and emerged victorious. Glancing at the chaos of fallen bodies, he felt as if a colossal weight had been dropped on his chest, leaving him breathless with shock.
Amid the cacophony of cheers and the sea of awestruck gazes, Qin Xuan lowered his palm, slipped his hands into his pockets, and pivoted with an air of nonchalance.
"How could a second-rate art possibly grasp the profundity of Chinese martial arts? You're all just frogs in a well!"
"Taekwondo? It's pedestrian at best!"
Qin Xuan's words were like a dagger to the heart of the Han Feng Dojo trainees. Their cherished beliefs in taekwondo crumbled in an instant.
Qin Changqing, that name was now seared into their memories for eternity.
Qin Xuan stooped to retrieve the crumpled notebook, then strode out and handed it to Xiao Wu.
"It's just a Buddhist scripture. If it gets snatched away, I'll simply fetch you another." His tone was tinged with mild reproach, yet it kindled a warm glow in Xiao Wu's heart.
Surrounded by a throng of admirers, Qin Xuan made his way back to school.
Once back on campus, the news of Qin Xuan's audacious conquest of the Han Feng Dojo spread like wildfire, engulfing every nook and cranny.
The initial reaction was one of unanimous disbelief.
How could a single individual decimate the renowned Han Feng Dojo in Jing Shui City? Many had witnessed provincial competitions and knew full well that the Han Feng Dojo was leagues apart from the run-of-the-mill ones. It was a titan in the taekwondo world.
But as tales were told and retold, embellished with each passing moment, the rumors spiraled out of control. Soon, multiple versions were circulating.
"Did you hear? Qin Xuan razed the entire Han Feng Dojo to the ground. He left over a hundred people battered and broken, unable to fend for themselves!"
"Really? I heard he went on a rampage for a damsel in distress. The moment he showed up, the Han Feng Dojo cowered in fear, scattering like rats!"
"Please! What you heard is all hogwash. Qin Xuan stormed the Han Feng Dojo, sent a dozen men flying with a single punch, and fought his way from the entrance to the very heart of the place!"
The school was in a state of fevered excitement. Qin Xuan's name was on everyone's lips, the topic of endless debate and admiration.
For those who had witnessed his epic showdown, he was already a legend. The idea of a man rising to defend his beloved – it was the stuff of heroes.