"I can still fight, let's begin."
Peng Lin drooped his head, sweat trickling down his hair. His shoulders were uneven, and he staggered to the center of the ring, his back forlorn, yet imbued with an indescribable strength.
"Kid, hurry back and see a doctor. If you keep fighting like this, I'm afraid you might die," Pang Qiang said, twisting his neck and cracking his knuckles. He spoke with a strained voice.
Peng Lin seemed to gather all his strength just to straighten his body. A sickening sound could be heard from his chest.
"What are you showing off about? We only drew. Do you really think you've got me beat?"
"Good, very good. Even in this state, you can still talk tough in front of me. Then, I'll fight until you can't speak anymore!"
As soon as Pang Qiang finished speaking, he launched three flying kicks, directly striking Peng Lin's elbows. The sickening sound of bone colliding was like metal clashing. Peng Lin's face turned ashen. In just three moves, his defense was broken, his hands hung limp, and his head and body were once again exposed to his opponent.
"You're finished."
Pang Qiang's face was expressionless, a predatory glint in his eyes. He leaped high into the air and, with a magnificent spinning kick, aimed straight for Peng Lin's head!
His jumping height even stunned the two veteran masters at the referee's stand. Although they were some distance from the ring, they could feel a chilling wind from this move, let alone Peng Lin on the stage.
At this very moment, Peng Lin did not retreat. Instead, he charged headfirst towards the opponent's razor-sharp leg technique. In a flash, as he was about to be swept by the opponent's foot, his hair flying, he actually raised his limp right hand and, with all his might, slammed his knuckles heavily onto the sole of the opponent's foot!
"How is this possible?"
Not only did the audience erupt, but all the city representative teams stood up. Anyone with eyes could see that Pang Qiang had the much higher chance of winning this exchange. Moreover, Peng Lin's blind move was very likely to result in his right hand being broken by the opponent's kick!
However, how many people could dodge Pang Qiang's swift and powerful spinning kick at this critical moment and counter-attack?
The crowd was both surprised and worried. But there was no turning back once the arrow left the bow. As the two forces collided, Peng Lin's right hand emitted a chilling bone-breaking sound. He retreated incessantly, while Pang Qiang, who should have taken advantage of his injury to finish him, also staggered back several steps, almost falling to the ground!
The audience immediately rose to applaud. Regardless of whether Peng Lin could win this match, this surprising move had won him thunderous applause. But Peng Lin, with his useless right hand hanging down, did not seem ready to give up. Seeing the opponent's supporting leg lose its balance, he suddenly leaped high like a cheetah, executing an equally challenging spinning kick!
"Damn, what's up with this kid?"
Pang Qiang muttered to himself, but the opponent's leg, carrying a gust of wind, had already reached his face!
Bang!
With a crisp sound, Pang Qiang was instantly swept across the head by his opponent. He spun two and a half times in the air before rolling miserably to the corner of the ring!
The entire martial arts hall fell into dead silence, with only the deep breaths of the audience audible. However, within two seconds, this silence was drowned out by a tidal wave of ecstatic cheers and applause!
"Peng Lin scores 5 points first, and the Aishen City representative team wins!"
As soon as the referee's voice rang out, Peng Lin's seniors and juniors rushed onto the stage as if they had already secured a spot in the top four. Only Shen Lan Ni, with a somber expression, quickly rushed into the ring and began to examine Peng Lin's injuries.
"Fractured right wrist, fractured elbow! Peng Lin, what were you thinking?" Shen Lan Ni looked at her disciple, her face full of concern, but she couldn't help but chide him a little.
"I... I wanted to win, and Coach, you promised me..."
Before Shen Lan Ni could finish, she swept him off the ring with domineering grace, ignoring the astonished gazes of the audience, and headed straight for the exit.
Ren Yuan Hao, Zhou Long, and the two girls also followed Shen Lan Ni out of the martial arts hall.
"Quick, Zhou Long, give me the car keys!"
"Okay, here you go."
Just as Zhou Long handed over the keys, Ren Yuan Hao snatched them first. "You shouldn't be driving in your condition. Come on, I'll drive."
The three girls got into Zhou Long's car one after another, leaving him outside to choke on the exhaust fumes. The sun slowly pierced through the dark clouds, but Zhou Long shivered with cold, the dark clouds in his heart engulfing his heart.
Ren Yuan Hao drove at high speed, reaching their destination in about ten minutes.
A moment later.
Happiness came too suddenly. Peng Lin was still immersed in his coach's embrace when he felt a coolness on his hand and a nurse drew out a tube of blood.
"Wha-what's going on?" Peng Lin wasn't without pain, but he was somewhat numb. Once the adrenaline rush subsided, the pain would be excruciating.
"You absolutely cannot participate in the upcoming matches. You've shown off enough today. Leave the rest to your teammates," Shen Lan Ni's tone was not that of negotiation but a command.
"I~"
"What 'I'? The match is over. I finally found a gem, and I'm counting on you to win the national Taekwondo championship for me. What, you're not happy about it?" Shen Lan Ni glared at him, her tone undeniably commanding.
"But I want to try again tomorrow. I can do it." Peng Lin had never imagined he could defeat a black belt master on a real stage, and his confidence had soared.
"Enough said. No, you winning today was largely due to luck, and you took advantage of that guy's collapsed arch and poor balance. What, you're not even going to listen to me anymore?"
Peng Lin remained silent, and Shen Lan Ni then brought over the X-ray film.
"Look, see what your right hand has become. Continuing to fight would mean the end of your career. The Taekwondo you love so much will be gone forever."
Even with Shen Lan Ni's words, the light in Peng Lin's eyes did not extinguish. Just as he was trying to persuade his coach, Ren Yuan Hao suddenly took out a gray-black pill from a bottle!
The three girls were well aware of the pill's power. With Peng Lin's foundation, not only would his injuries heal by tomorrow, but his strength would likely rise to another level!
However, the preciousness of this pill was also evident. It could be said that these two gray-black pills were obtained by Ren Yuan Hao at great risk.
"What is this stuff? Big brother, I'm still a child. Strengthening pills and the like aren't suitable for me, and~"
Peng Lin's attempt to cover the pill with one hand made Shen Lan Ni both amused and exasperated. She immediately stopped him, "Alright, shut up. Ren Yuan Hao, are you really willing to take this out?"