Chapter 9: Becoming a bodyguard, Defeating Bi Hao
“Anyway, I have no retreat. If I’m to die, I’ll die on the arena!” Li Xian said hoarsely.
Bi Hao’s expression was ugly. This kind of lowly creature dared to obstruct his path. He said, “Good, good, good! You’re looking for death.”
Pang Long raised his eyebrows slightly, a hint of appreciation rising in his heart. “Hurry and begin. The incense is almost out. The last one standing on the arena will claim victory.”
His words undoubtedly added fuel to the fire. Bi Hao clenched his fists, victory was in sight, and his heart was far from calm.
He only wished to quickly knock Li Xian off the stage, stand alone, and from then on, become a bodyguard. He took a deep breath, charged forward, and delivered a punch straight to the face.
Li Xian blocked his head with both hands.
With a “bang,” the punch landed on his forearm, turning it purple in an instant.
This was the 【Earth Plate Fist】 Move from the Three Talents Fist Martial Arts, aiming for simplicity and steady progress, with no particular advantages or disadvantages.
The Three Talents Fist Martial Arts… is a widely spread basic Martial Arts, comprising Heaven, Earth, and Man.
A few days ago,
Bi Hao consumed the “essence treasure soup,” and the Qi in his body surged endlessly. On that day, his Three Talents Fist Martial Arts achieved a Breakthrough.
It had advanced to the second level.
The Earth Plate Fist’s punches were simple but carried a profound, solid power. Against a Servant who didn’t know Martial Arts, it was almost a guaranteed victory.
After a few punches, Li Xian’s arm was in extreme pain, enduring solely by sheer willpower.
Although he hadn’t learned the “Three Talents Fist Martial Arts,” he had observed Bi Hao’s fist Move on the arena just now.
During the previous matches, Bi Hao, carried away by his success, deliberately showed off his boxing skills to gain Commander Pang’s appreciation.
Thus, he intentionally displayed his punching patterns and Moves, unaware that Li Xian had secretly memorized them.
“It’s almost time…”
Li Xian endured for another moment. Suddenly, seeing Bi Hao’s movements become larger, his heart rejoiced. The awaited moment had arrived.
In that instant, he let out a low roar.
All the anger in his chest burst forth.
The Wild Bull Fist’s first Move, 【Raging Bull Headbutt】, was unleashed in an instant, with fluid punches, having been building momentum for a long time.
The moment the punch was thrown, it was as if a raging bull was charging forward, its sharp horns striking!
“Ah!”
Bi Hao was greatly alarmed and quickly switched from offense to defense.
This punch didn’t defeat Bi Hao, but it completely disrupted his rhythm.
Li Xian silently recited, “Azure Bull Swings Tail!”
He turned and swung his fist, using the twisting force of his waist and abdomen to increase the power of his punch! Although it was a fist Move, it was not without subtlety, like a whip.
Thousands of punches in the past were all for this moment. A warm current from his Dantian flowed to his fist, and its momentum was incredibly heavy!
Bang!
This punch landed on Bi Hao’s shoulder, almost crippling it, and a faint sound of bones cracking could be heard.
However, it wasn’t Bi Hao’s, but Li Xian’s. As a Servant, he was underfed and poorly clothed, his Physique was weak, and his bones were not strong.
In contrast, Bi Hao, with his cousin Luo Fang’s care, lived an exceedingly good life.
Li Xian endured the pain, not saying a word. Bi Hao, however, screamed in pain and, after being hurt, tried to create distance.
At first glance, it seemed as if Bi Hao’s bones had cracked.
“Trying to run!”
Li Xian only knew three Moves. This set of Moves had to be unexpected, aiming for a decisive victory, otherwise, it would be useless.
In that instant, he extended his left hand, using the skill 【Weeding】.
On this arena, there was naturally no grass to weed, but Li Xian’s target was Bi Hao’s hair!
He grabbed a handful of hair, and the third Move, 【Wild Bull Raises Head】, was delivered to his face as promised.
As this punch landed, Bi Hao’s facial features all caved in, and the patch of hair on his head was completely pulled out by the roots, with traces of blood seeping out.
Li Xian then delivered a final kick, sending him off the arena.
At the same time, the last bit of incense smoke burned out. Everything was perfectly timed!
He didn’t need to win many times, only the most crucial one.
Bi Hao clutched his scalp, feeling a hand full of blood, and gasped in pain, cursing, “That son of a bitch.”
“You lowly dog, lowly dog, I’ll kill you!”
Bi Hao rolled up his sleeves, still wanting to get back on stage and fight again. He had already realized that this kid’s Martial Arts was incomplete.
Otherwise, he would have surely seized the opportunity to kill him, rather than just kicking him off the arena.
“You little brat, you hide things quite well.”
“Hiding so deeply, it was probably all for this moment. Come again, and see how I cripple you.”
Bi Hao’s face was filled with viciousness, his heart already consumed by rage.
“The match is over,” Commander Pang said calmly.
Bi Hao froze, then came back to his senses.
He looked at the long incense stick beside him; the incense had burned out, and the smoke had dissipated.
His heart sank. He no longer cared about being angry, suddenly not knowing where he was or what to do, and asked blankly, “I… I lost?!”
He repeatedly confirmed in his mind, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. The bodyguards and Servants looked at him strangely, none of them having expected such a result.
“The bodyguard selection… I lost? Lost to the most insignificant lowly creature?”
The outline of the truth gradually became clear.
A buzzing sound echoed in his mind.
After a while, a faint glimmer of hope remained in his heart:
“Even if I fell off the arena, my Martial Arts skill is clearly superior, not something these lowly creatures can compare to.”
“Perhaps I have already gained Commander Pang’s appreciation! If I try a bit more, there’s still a chance!”
So, he plucked up his courage and said, “Commander Pang, rules are dead, but people are alive.”
“My Martial Arts are superior to his, everyone has seen it. The purpose of the match, I presume, is to select talented individuals with strong Martial Arts. Could… you let me and that lowly… Brother Li, fight another round?”
As soon as he finished speaking,
Pang Long said calmly, “The match is over. Li Xian wins.”
“Commander Pang… Commander Pang…” Bi Hao became even more flustered.
“Servants, return to the Servant quarters.” Pang Long made his final decision, waving his hand impatiently.
“But…” Bi Hao gritted his teeth, his heart filled with extreme unwillingness. “Commander Pang, I object to the rules. This is unfair. I earnestly request…”
Pang Long looked at him but did not speak.
Bi Hao suddenly woke up, shrinking his head. “Commander Pang’s word is final. This kid… lost.”
Li Xian let out a heavy breath, thinking in his heart, “I’ve finally taken the first step. Today’s gamble was not in vain.”
“That Bi Hao could rack his brains, scheme a thousand ways, but he probably never expected that I would be the one to win in the end. He must hate me to death right now.”
He couldn't help but look at Bi Hao.
“It’s all ruined… completely ruined. I… I clearly prepared painstakingly, but in the end, I still lost!”
“He’s clearly so lowly, yet he insists on competing with me. Wouldn’t it be better to just be a Servant honestly! Damn him, damn him.”
“If Uncle Luo finds out, how am I going to explain this?”
Bi Hao was distraught, his mind filled with obsessive thoughts, as if in a dream, his heart in a tangled mess.
He refused to accept this reality.
Li Xian walked towards him, cupping his hands and saying, “Brother Bi, thank you for your care in the Servant quarters.”
“You lowly…” Bi Hao was about to curse, but then he met Li Xian’s smiling face.
Li Xian was now a bodyguard, so the term “lowly creature” should instead be directed at Bi Hao by Li Xian.
One should know that his cousin Luo Fang, who managed to become a steward, also relied on having been a bodyguard in the past!
Becoming a bodyguard meant having the opportunity to come into contact with some shallow Martial Arts revealed by the Madam!
Ordinary people, gaining even a little, could benefit endlessly, and Luo Fang was just such a case.
The reversal of identity and change in status made Bi Hao even more uncomfortable. All of this should have been his!
“Brother Li, congratulations!” Bi Hao’s smile was worse than crying.
“Congratulations to you too, congratulations to you too,” Li Xian originally wanted to retort and also call Bi Hao a lowly creature, to vent the anger in his heart.
But on second thought, it was better not to utter the word “lowly creature.”
The one being cursed would certainly feel very bad.
But the one doing the cursing… would indirectly admit to their own and others’ low worth: that as long as one’s status was high, one could view those of lower status as animals.
In this way, it was the one doing the cursing who more identified with the designation “lowly creature.”
In the future, when facing people of higher status, they would unconsciously feel inferior, placing themselves in the “lowly creature” category.
After all, they themselves treated their subordinates in the same way.
Li Xian could conform to the rules of this world, climbing step by step. But he was unwilling to be assimilated and become like Bi Hao.
When Bi Hao heard the words “congratulations to you too,” his heart ached with anger.
This impact was even more damaging than vulgar insults.
Bi Hao squeezed out from between his teeth, “Co… congratulations to you too.” He clutched his stuffy chest and rushed out of the courtyard.
In the distance, Commander Pang secretly nodded.
Gaining power but not becoming arrogant, enduring but not being cowardly.
This kid… is quite interesting.
“Newcomer, follow me,” Commander Pang called out.