Chapter 118: Outmatched

Before the crowd even had time to be surprised, they saw Lin Yun step onto the stage, and the excitement surged once more. Almost all the girls were shouting his name—it was truly deafening.

Jiang Xiaotian recalled his own past and felt a pang of envy. Everywhere he went, he was only ever a target for a beating. When would he ever be like this Lin Yun, chased and adored by so many girls, where those who dared to speak ill of him would be treated as enemies to be fought to the death?

However, the fact that Lin Yun had entered the arena directly suggested that the current situation was not looking good. His expression was grim; the Japanese man had kicked his previous club member off the stage with a single strike, proving he was no ordinary opponent. Even for someone like Lin Yun, extreme caution was necessary.

Seeing that Lin Yun had personally taken the stage, Jiang Xiaotian decided to stick around and watch. He stopped in his tracks. In truth, he couldn't be sure if Lin Yun could win against this man, but he knew for certain he would lose against the man with the yellowed teeth.

Suddenly, he thought of someone. If only Ye Wan’er were here—with her strength, dealing with these small-fry would be a piece of cake. But, alas... Jiang Xiaotian shook his head and pushed the thought away. He had asked Zhang Guodong before returning, and there was still no news; he could only wait patiently.

The essence of karate lies in striking and defeating the enemy quickly with fists and kicks, so the opponent’s moves were bound to be vicious. Logically, Tai Chi is the perfect counter to such explosive martial arts, but the gap in raw power was simply too great to defend against. Still, the gap between Lin Yun and this Japanese man wasn't insurmountable, so there was some room to maneuver.

The two bowed to each other, and then Lin Yun settled into a horse stance. His breathing was steady, and he stood as immovable as a mountain. For his level, he was top-tier, especially considering he had never been properly initiated by a true martial arts master and had learned his Tai Chi mostly at home.

The Japanese man, unlike before, didn't rush in with a kick. Instead, he began to observe. This was the mark of a true martial artist—he was searching for his opponent's flaws. A martial artist can perceive the flow of an opponent's "martial energy," and since the Japanese man was doing exactly that, it confirmed Jiang Xiaotian’s suspicion: Lin Yun had indeed begun to cultivate a sliver of internal martial energy.

But soon, the Japanese man wore a look of slight disdain. He took two long strides, reached Lin Yun, let out a loud shout, and brought a heavy punch crashing down.

Lin Yun faced the attack with composure. He immediately raised his hands to block, then shifted to the left, letting the opponent's fist graze his head—a successful parry. However, this appeared to be a feint, as the Japanese man’s close-range kicking technique was impossible to defend against.

Sure enough, the man kicked directly at Lin Yun’s knee. Lin Yun was forced to retreat quickly, but this movement created an opening. The Japanese man threw another punch. Lin Yun was a beat too slow to block it completely; unable to dissipate the force, he was struck in the forearm, the pain causing his hand to tremble.

Indeed, there was a clear difference between a true martial artist and an amateur. Yet, for Lin Yun to hold his own to this extent was already impressive; it was no wonder he was so respected.

The two traded blows back and forth. Although Lin Yun remained on the defensive, he was holding up well, showing no signs of fatigue other than some heavy breathing. The Japanese man, however, was different. Their style relied on overwhelming the enemy with speed and force, and after several exchanges without finishing Lin Yun, he was beginning to struggle. His punching speed slowed, and his power dropped by several grades.

But Lin Yun was in no rush to counter. He was still waiting. This was a match about dignity; even if he could only win against one person, it would be enough.

"You! Do you only know how to hide?" The Japanese man was growing frustrated and angry.

"No. Tai Chi focuses on using force to neutralize force. As long as I haven't fallen, I haven't lost. Please, continue!" Lin Yun’s expression finally looked a bit better. He knew the opponent was getting anxious, and his own advantage was slowly beginning to emerge.

Just then, the man with yellowed teeth suddenly spoke up: "Koji, you’ve lost. Come back. Let me experience the charm of Tai Chi myself."

The Japanese man named Koji retreated from the stage without hesitation, leaving Lin Yun fuming with red-faced indignation! He had worked so hard to wear his opponent down, only for the Japanese man to forfeit! It was a ruthless tactic, because winning this way was not a true victory. It was obvious that the man with yellowed teeth had sensed his subordinate’s decline and had immediately called him off.

"Heh, Tai Chi, impressive!" The yellow-toothed man gave a thumbs-up, took a surreptitious, inappropriate touch of Chu Ran, and walked toward Lin Yun.

As he stepped onto the stage, a palpable pressure filled the air. As a true martial artist, he exerted a natural dominance over ordinary people. Lin Yun, having cultivated a bit of martial energy, was hyper-sensitive to this; despite having fought for so long without fatigue, beads of sweat now covered his forehead. Lin Yun knew clearly that he was no match for this man.

But he could not back down. If he retreated, it wouldn't just be his own face he lost!

"If student Lin is afraid, we can fight another day," the yellow-toothed man said with a slight smile, perhaps sensing something.

Lin Yun was instantly provoked and stepped forward: "No need! Today, I will show you what true Tai Chi is!"

"Good! Good! You have spirit!" The Japanese man’s tone was sarcastic, making it impossible to tell if he truly couldn't speak Chinese well or was just putting on an act.

The yellow-toothed man removed his shoes, revealing a pair of large feet covered in calluses, looking full of raw power. His kicking technique was formidable; Jiang Xiaotian could see it at a glance. Whether Lin Yun could withstand even a few moves was hard to say, but winning was absolutely out of the question.

While Jiang Xiaotian was thinking, the man with yellowed teeth already made his move. He launched a high kick, descending from above like a falling hammer toward Lin Yun. The latter held his hands over his head, ready to dissipate the force.

Seeing this, Jiang Xiaotian’s heart skipped a beat. *Don't block it—dodge!* Lin Yun’s strength just wasn't at that level!

But it was too late to warn him. The man’s heel landed solidly on Lin Yun’s left arm, the immense force pinning him to the ground, unable to stand. Lin Yun’s face turned deathly pale from the pain, and he couldn't help but cry out! He quickly pulled his hand back, his face a mask of agony.

In the face of absolute power, no technique was of any use! Lin Yun’s left hand throbbed with every slight movement, sending sharp gasps of pain through him—it was definitely broken.

*I can't keep fighting,* was the only thought in Lin Yun’s mind.

But the opponent gave him no chance to yield. In the blink of an eye, he attacked again: "Good! To have taken one hit from me! Tai Chi, impressive!"

Though it sounded like a compliment, it was dripping with mockery! Lin Yun, having no strength left to counter, was kicked squarely in the chest and sent flying backward. The yellow-toothed man seemed unwilling to stop and approached Lin Yun once more.

Just then, a woman’s voice called out to him: "Ito-kun, that is enough."