Xu Qing stood on the platform and slowly withdrew his fist.
The knuckles of his fist were reddened and slightly numb, but there was no pain at all. He lowered his head to look at his fist, then glanced at Li Chong below the platform, sprawled on the ground like a dead dog. His heart was calm.
A full three breaths passed before someone in the training ground let out the first cry of shock.
That cry was like piercing a sheet of window paper. At once, gasps, sharp inhalations, and the clatter of benches toppling over all mixed together, like a pot of boiling water exploding.
"One punch?! He knocked Li Chong off the platform with one punch?!"
"Li Chong is at the peak of Bright Force! Wasn't Xu Qing only at lesser accomplishment in Bright Force? He sent Li Chong flying with one punch?!"
"Impossible! Li Chong must have underestimated him!"
"Underestimated him? Look at Li Chong's arm! At that angle, the bone's broken! Shattered! Li Chong's finished! Could underestimating someone cripple you that badly?"
"That wasn't the strength of lesser accomplishment in Bright Force! Absolutely not! Even greater accomplishment in Bright Force couldn't throw a punch like that!"
"..."
The discussions surged in like a tide, wave after wave, flooding the entire training ground.
On the second floor of Listening Wind Tower, the windows by the main table stood wide open.
County Magistrate Lin Hanshan's hand froze in midair as he held his teacup. Tea spilled from the cup and dripped down the tablecloth, yet he did not notice at all.
The amused smile from earlier still hung on his face, but it had already frozen solid. He stared at Xu Qing on the platform, a flash of cold light vanishing from his eyes.
County Deputy Su