Victory or Defeat

Without hesitation.

Xu Qing flipped over and leaped.

"Eight Extremities Fist."

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Xu Qing let out a soft shout. He struck a stance and unleashed the Eight Extremities Fist. The fist energy was fierce and powerful, originating from his heels, flowing through his waist, and piercing through to his fingertips...

About ten minutes passed.

Xu Qing finished a set of Eight Extremities Fist.

"Hoo..."

Xu Qing exhaled a long breath of white mist.

[Experience +1]

After finishing a set of Eight Extremities Fist, the experience for Eight Extremities Fist also increased by one point. This meant that completing a set of Eight Extremities Fist would grant one experience point.

"For cultivation techniques and similar items, once the Omni-Codex successfully records them, it's equivalent to directly mastering them. However, Eight Extremities Fist, this short-range boxing style, requires ten full repetitions to level up."

Xu Qing pondered in his mind.

It could be said.

If Xu Qing encountered Zhu He again, he could completely knock him down with a single punch. With this fighting style mastered, Xu Qing's strength had clearly improved.

"This is just the beginning."

Xu Qing said.

Without hesitation.

Xu Qing continued to practice Eight Extremities Fist in the room. With Xu Qing's physical condition, he could complete a full set of Eight Extremities Fist in about ten minutes.

Therefore.

In an hour.

Xu Qing could practice at most five sets of Eight Extremities Fist.

[Experience +1]

[Experience +1]

In the blink of an eye.

An hour later.

"Hoo..."

Xu Qing stopped. He had been practicing continuously for an hour, and he was quite exhausted. His stomach was also rumbling with hunger.

However.

Eight Extremities Fist had also shown changes.

[Eight Extremities Fist LV1: 6/10]

As could be seen.

The experience points had reached six.

It was close to leveling up.

"I can't keep going."

Xu Qing shook his head, feeling a sense of weakness and fatigue in his body. "If I continue, I'll collapse from exhaustion myself. I need to get something to eat."

Since he had won a match, Xu Qing could move freely within the underground fighting ring and was no longer restricted. He walked out of the room with a hefty sum of five taels of silver and found the underground fighting ring's mess hall. The mess hall wasn't large, and it was already late, so there weren't many people.

"Get me something to eat."

Xu Qing walked straight in, found a seat, and shouted loudly.

"It's him."

"The beggar from earlier today."

"Damn it!"

"It's because of him that I lost so much money."

"He still dares to come here to eat."

In the mess hall.

The cooks noticed Xu Qing. Because Xu Qing was still dressed like a beggar, they recognized him immediately, and their expressions turned unfriendly.

"It's too late, there's no food left."

The cafeteria cook shouted, "Get lost! If you want to eat, come back early tomorrow morning."

"Hoo..."

Xu Qing took a deep breath. With a blank expression, he stood up from his seat and walked step by step towards the kitchen.

"You... what are you going to do?"

"Stop right there."

Several helpers and servants around shouted with false bravado.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Ah!!!"

A series of screams rang out.

Xu Qing acted swiftly and decisively, taking down all of them in a flash. If he hadn't been worried about no one cooking if he injured the chef, blood would have been shed in the cafeteria tonight.

"Don't waste my time."

Xu Qing said coldly.

"Yes, yes, yes."

After being beaten, the cooks in the underground fighting ring's cafeteria immediately became much more obedient, bowing and scraping as they started to cook and prepare food for Xu Qing.

Originally.

The cook had held a grudge and was thinking of adding something to Xu Qing's meal. Even if it wasn't poison, he wanted to put something in to disgust Xu Qing.

"Forget it, forget it."

The cook shook his head and ultimately didn't add anything. "Anyway, this beggar is going to fight Pang De tomorrow and will be dead by then. Tonight, I'll just consider it his last meal."

Half an hour later.

The dishes were served one after another.

Of course.

Xu Qing didn't eat. Instead, he had the cook take a bite first. After confirming there were no issues, he began to feast.

"Phew, that was close."

The cafeteria cook wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Good thing I didn't add anything, or it would have been trouble."

In a blink.

An hour later.

Xu Qing was full and satisfied. Because he had eaten so much, including chicken, duck, fish, and meat, this meal cost him a full tael of silver.

"Eight Extremities Fist."

Hoo! Hoo!

In a blink.

He returned to his lodging at the underground fighting ring.

Xu Qing continued to practice Eight Extremities Fist, his movements neither too fast nor too slow, yet powerful and imposing, with a faint gust of fist wind.

An hour later.

"Hoo..."

Xu Qing exhaled a breath of stale air. He had slowly finished his practice and concluded his movements.

[Eight Extremities Fist LV1: 10/10 (Upgradeable!)]

"Upgrade."

Xu Qing said.

Buzz!

Faintly.

The Omni-Codex shimmered with silver light.

The next moment.

In Xu Qing's mind, his consciousness entered a state of trance, re-entering a mysterious space where he continuously practiced Eight Extremities Fist.

Gradually.

Eight Extremities Fist became masterful in Xu Qing's hands. He even innovated and improved it, making it increasingly powerful.

Most importantly.

Xu Qing gradually condensed the strength of his entire body into a single surge of force.

[Eight Extremities Fist LV2: 0/20 (Originally just a common short-range punching technique, with fierce and unpretentious movements, and rapid power generation, it had the effect of strengthening the body. However, after innovation and improvement, it gradually transformed, possessing a trace of the essence of the training method, capable of condensing the strength of the entire body's bones and muscles into a 'Bright Force'.)]

"Excellent, excellent, excellent."

Xu Qing was overjoyed.

At the same time.

Vast knowledge and information about Eight Extremities Fist, along with the mysteries of 'Bright Force', surged into Xu Qing's mind, and he began to practice rapidly within the stone room.

Bang!

At the very end of his fist technique.

Xu Qing threw out a punch, and combined with his physical condition, he actually produced a sonic boom.

If Fan Yanbin and the others saw this scene, they would undoubtedly be greatly astonished and fall into shock. To achieve such power through martial arts was truly the mark of a peerless martial arts prodigy.

"Continue."

Xu Qing stopped the smile on his face. He didn't know how strong Pang De was, so he could only improve his own strength as much as possible. Only by becoming strong enough could he fear no enemy and deal with all impending dangers.

In a blink of an eye.

Three hours later.

"Hoo..."

Xu Qing finished his practice again, exhaling a breath of turbid air.

[Eight Extremities Fist LV2: 20/20 (Upgradeable!)]

"Upgrade."

Xu Qing said.

Ding!

Upgrade successful.

[Eight Extremities Fist LV3: 0/40 (Originally just an ordinary short-range punching technique, its movements were fierce and unadorned, with rapid power generation, offering the benefit of strengthening the body. However, after innovation and refinement, it underwent a transformation, gaining the essence of the training method, capable of condensing the power of the entire body's tendons and bones, transforming it into a form of 'Bright Force'.)]

He had leveled up again.

The stats for Eight Extremities Fist hadn't changed much.

However.

Xu Qing could clearly feel the Bright Force within his body growing stronger.

"I can't practice anymore."

Xu Qing shook his head. "It's already very late, and I'm getting hungry again. If I keep practicing, my body won't be able to take it."

"Also."

"I have a match with Pang De tomorrow, so I must conserve my energy and be in the best condition. If I continue practicing, even if I raise the level of Eight Extremities Fist, my body won't be able to handle it, and my mental state will be insufficient, which is completely unfavorable for tomorrow's battle."

Therefore.

Xu Qing lay down on the bed to rest.

In a blink of an eye.

The next day arrived.

Morning.

After Xu Qing had rested enough, he immediately went to the cafeteria to eat. After a hearty meal, he returned to his room, fully satisfied.

Originally.

Xu Qing had wanted to practice some punches to see if he could upgrade Eight Extremities Fist again, but before he could even start, Yu Chen came to his door. The match was about to begin.

"So soon?"

Xu Qing was taken aback for a moment.

"Yes."

Yu Chen shrugged his shoulders and glanced at Xu Qing, saying, "Pang De is a well-known boxer in the underground fighting scene. You definitely can't compare to him. Naturally, he gets to decide when the match starts. You have to accommodate him, not the other way around."

"That's true."

Xu Qing pursed his lips.

"By the way, how's your Eight Extremities Fist training going?"

Yu Chen asked.

"It's alright, I guess."

Xu Qing replied.

"What do you mean by 'it's alright, I guess'?"

Yu Chen was a bit speechless. "Forget it, forget it. You better rely on yourself. I don't expect you to win, but at least don't die on the stage."

"Can you do me a favor?"

Xu Qing asked.

"What favor?"

Yu Chen asked.

"Help me place my bet."

Xu Qing grinned, took out the remaining three taels of silver, and handed them to Yu Chen, saying, "Three taels of silver, bet it all on me to win."

"You..."

Yu Chen was taken aback.

"What are my odds?"

Xu Qing asked.

"Ten to one."

Yu Chen replied.

"And Pang De's?"

Xu Qing asked again.

"One to one."

Yu Chen answered.

"That's a huge difference."

Xu Qing exclaimed in surprise.

"No matter how big the difference, it's still a guaranteed win!"

Yu Chen couldn't help but roll his eyes. "This betting pool is going to lose all the money it made yesterday. If there was any other way, I really wouldn't want to open this betting pool."

As they were talking.

The match was about to begin.

The scene shifted.

To the underground fighting ring.

"Pang De! Pang De! Pang De!"

"..."

The surroundings.

Were already filled with spectators. Every spectator held a ticket, waving their hands, and shouting at the top of their lungs.

This feeling.

Gave Xu Qing the impression of a celebrity concert.

"Hoo..."

Xu Qing took a deep breath and walked onto the stage. The first thing he saw was a burly middle-aged man, already two meters tall, with well-developed muscles, robust and strong. It was a bald man with a sinister grin and a scar on his left cheek, like a centipede crawling across his face.

"He really is a little beggar."

Pang De's voice was quite loud.

Indeed.

Up until today.

Xu Qing hadn't had the time to properly groom himself.

At this moment.

Xu Qing and Pang De had become the focus of the entire venue, and some spectators' eyes were already bloodshot, showing a somewhat morbid kind of madness.

They were anticipating, they were craving, they were waiting for Pang De to tear Xu Qing apart.

They wanted to see blood and madness.

This was underground fighting.

"How long do you think Xu Qing can last?"

Lu Wei asked.

"Three punches!"

Fan Yanbin said, "With Pang De's strength, this beggar can last at most three punches. After three punches, he'll either be dead or seriously injured on the ground."

"Hmph!"

Yu Chen snorted coldly, "The match hasn't even started yet."

"Is there any point in watching?"

Fan Yanbin shrugged.

Clang!!!

The next moment.

As the bell for the match rang.

Bang!

Pang De attacked without hesitation. He roared, his legs shaking the very ground of the arena as he lunged at Xu Qing like a ferocious wild bear.

"Kill!!!"

"Tear this little beggar apart!!"

"Hahaha..."

The crowd roared with laughter.

However.

Xu Qing had completely changed his fighting style from yesterday. Facing Pang De, who was charging at him like a wild bear, he took a deep breath, subtly shifted his right foot back, brought his left foot slightly forward, and slowly raised his hands.

He had already assumed the stance for Eight Extremities Fist.

Hummm!

Faintly.

Xu Qing seemed to exude a presence.

"What is this?"

"This beggar knows martial arts too?"

"What the heck?!"

Everyone was stunned.

"Bear Pounce Hand!"

Pang De shouted, his hands like bear paws, carrying a gust of wind. He wasn't slow as he slapped towards Xu Qing's head.

If that hit, his skull would shatter on the spot.

"Eight Extremities Fist! Collapse!"

Bang!

Xu Qing also gave a light shout, his Eight Extremities Fist energy circulating. The strength of his entire body was condensed, transforming into a Bright Force.

The two clashed.

Just as they were about to collide, Xu Qing suddenly crouched down, narrowly dodging Pang De's Bear Pounce Hand strike.

"What?!"

Pang De was utterly astonished.

But.

It wasn't over yet.

Because.

Xu Qing's fists had already been unleashed, generating a powerful Collapse force. The Bright Force within him twisted into a single stream, exploding with his full power.

"Aaaargh!!!"

A piercing scream rang out.

Xu Qing's fists struck Pang De's chest. The immense power broke several of Pang De's ribs and sent his two-meter-tall, imposing frame flying back two meters.

Pfft!!!

Pang De spat blood and collapsed onto the ground, his eyes wide, pupils dilated. Lying on the ground, he continued to spew blood from his mouth, his limbs twitching uncontrollably.

One punch!

It was just one punch!

Pang De, famous in the underground black boxing scene, was defeated by Xu Qing, and severely injured with a single blow.

At this moment.

The entire underground black boxing arena fell silent.

Everyone shut their mouths.

They were all dumbfounded.