Wang Li barely had ti to breathe.
The mont Feng Yuling vanished, his instincts scread at him. His Dragon Step was fast, but she was faster.
Step One to Getting Beat Up By Your Exes: Fight Soone Who Specializes in Assassination
A whisper of movent—behind him.
"Dragon Palm Strike!"
Wang Li spun, his palm glowing golden with qi, striking at the source of the sound—
But his attack hit nothing but air.
A sharp pain flared across his left arm.
He winced and staggered back. A thin red line appeared on his sleeve where Feng Yuling's dagger had just grazed his skin.
"You're getting better," Feng Yuling murmured, her voice as calm as ever. She stepped out of the shadows, her dagger twirling effortlessly between her fingers. "But still not fast enough."
Wang Li clenched his fists. His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
He was stronger than before, but Feng Yuling fought like a ghost—silent, unpredictable, and impossibly quick.
And worst of all—she wasn't even trying yet.
"Alright," Wang Li exhaled, shaking the tension from his limbs. "If speed is the problem, then—"
He crouched slightly, gathering qi into his legs. The mont Feng Yuling made her next move—
He would counter.
A flicker of a smile passed over her lips. "Let's see if you can keep up."
Then—
She vanished again.
But this ti, Wang Li was ready.
He closed his eyes—feeling rather than seeing. His qi senses expanded, tracing the faintest disturbance in the air—
There. Behind !
"Dragon Step: Mirage!"
Wang Li twisted at the last second, his body flickering—leaving behind an afterimage.
Feng Yuling's dagger sliced straight through the illusion, missing his real body by a hair's breadth.
Her eyes narrowed in surprise. "Oh?"
Wang Li grinned.
And then he attacked.
"Golden Serpent Palm!"
His palm strike shot forward, aid at her center of mass—
But—
She caught his wrist.
Before Wang Li could even blink, Feng Yuling had him in a joint lock—his own attack completely neutralized.
Her dagger pressed lightly against his throat.
"I win," she said smoothly.
Wang Li froze. His heartbeat pounded.
For a mont, neither of them moved. The only sound was the whisper of wind through the trees.
Then, Feng Yuling smirked and stepped back, releasing him. "Not bad. You almost made take you seriously."
Wang Li groaned, rubbing his wrist. "Almost?"
She sheathed her dagger, her expression unreadable. "Keep improving. If you're lucky, next ti I won't kill you in less than ten moves."
Wang Li stared at her. "That wasn't luck?! That was fighting for my life!"
Lin Ruoyan laughed from the sidelines. "Alright, alright. Enough flirting—my turn!"
Wait. WHAT?!
---
Step Two to Getting Beat Up By Your Exes: Fight Back-to-Back Without Rest
Wang Li had barely gotten a second to breathe before Lin Ruoyan dragged him to his feet.
"Let's go," she said, grinning. "I want to see if you learned anything from getting roasted last ti."
"I'M STILL RECOVERING!" Wang Li shouted.
Feng Yuling sat back, sipping her tea again. "This should be entertaining."
Mu Qingling clapped her hands together. "Go, Wang Li! You can do it!"
No, I CAN'T.
But it wasn't like he had a choice.
Lin Ruoyan stretched her arms, flas flickering around her hands. "I'll keep it fair," she said generously. "No killing moves."
"THAT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE A CONSIDERATION!" Wang Li yelled.
She grinned. Then she attacked.
BOOM!
A fireball shot toward him, moving too fast to dodge.
Wang Li threw himself sideways, barely avoiding being turned into ash.
The ground where he had been standing exploded into flas.
Lin Ruoyan rushed forward, fists blazing.
"Flaming Lotus Fist!"
Her punch ca at him like a cot, heat distorting the air around her.
Wang Li had NO intention of taking that hit.
He channeled qi into his legs, activating Dragon Step, and—
He vanished.
Lin Ruoyan's fiery fist slamd into the ground, sending a shockwave of flas outward.
But Wang Li was already behind her.
"Golden Serpent Palm!"
His palm strike shot toward her back—
But at the last second, Lin Ruoyan twisted midair, catching his wrist just like Feng Yuling had earlier.
"Nice try!" she laughed.
And then she pulled him forward, using his own montum against him.
Wang Li's vision spun.
A second later, he was hurtling through the air.
CRASH!
He slamd into a tree, groaning as he slid down to the ground.
Lin Ruoyan smirked, hands on her hips. "You're learning, but you're still too predictable!"
Wang Li groaned. "I think I just saw my ancestors..."
Mu Qingling rushed over. "Wang Li! Are you okay?!"
Lin Ruoyan waved a hand. "He'll be fine. Probably."
"STOP SAYING THAT!" Wang Li wheezed.
---
Step Three to Getting Beat Up By Your Exes: Agree to Fight All Three at Once
After barely surviving Lin Ruoyan's flaming beatdown, Wang Li thought—finally—he could get a break.
Then Mu Qingling smiled sweetly.
"My turn!"
Wang Li felt his soul leave his body.
Mu Qingling wasn't like the others. She didn't have explosive fire qi or assassin-like speed.
But what she did have...
Was the most infuriating defensive technique ever.
She clasped her hands together.
"Water Lotus Barrier!"
A translucent bubble of water ford around her.
Wang Li stared at it. "You're... hiding inside a shield?"
Mu Qingling nodded happily. "Yep!"
Lin Ruoyan grinned. "Good luck getting past that. Her water barrier absorbs direct attacks, so punching won't work."
Feng Yuling sipped her tea. "He could wait until she runs out of qi."
Mu Qingling smiled even brighter. "But I have lots of qi!"
Wang Li felt a headache forming.
So let's summarize:
Feng Yuling was too fast to hit.
Lin Ruoyan punched like a volcano.
Mu Qingling... had a perfect defense.
How was this fair?!
But Wang Li wasn't going to just give up.
If direct attacks didn't work...
Then he had to get creative.
He took a deep breath, focusing his qi. "Alright, then. Let's try this."
Mu Qingling tilted her head. "Hm?"
Wang Li charged forward, but instead of striking the barrier, he leapt above it—
Then—he flipped midair.
Dragon Step: Feathered Descent!
He landed behind her, in the tiny space inside the barrier—
Mu Qingling's eyes widened.
Wang Li grinned. "Gotcha."
"Golden Serpent Palm!"
His palm strike slamd into Mu Qingling's side—
Or at least, it should have.
But instead of hitting her, he felt his hand sink into water.
Wait—what?!
Mu Qingling giggled, her body shimring like a mirage. "You didn't think I'd make it that easy, did you?"
Then—
The water bubble exploded outward, sending Wang Li flying.
CRASH!
He landed flat on his back, staring at the sky.
Why was life like this?
Lin Ruoyan whistled. "Wow. That was creative. Didn't work, but creative."
Feng Yuling smirked. "Still, not bad. You lasted longer than I expected."
Mu Qingling ran over. "Are you okay?!"
Wang Li groaned. "I hate this training."
Feng Yuling smiled. "Well, don't worry."
Wang Li looked up. "...Why?"
Lin Ruoyan grinned.
"Because tomorrow, we're making it even harder."
Wang Li stared at them.
Then—he passed out.
---
Reviews
All reviews (0)