Liu Wu spoke of going easy on him, but his strike was vicious beyond measure, as though he meant to cleave Lin Lang in two.
Everyone watched Lin Lang nervously, wondering how many moves he could withstand now.
Some even closed their eyes. Although they felt following Lin Lang offered no future anymore, they still could not bear to see Liu Wu defeat him so easily, or even seriously injure him.
Everyone knew Liu Wu had schemed against Lin Lang. Otherwise, why would Lin Lang, who had never gone near women before, choose such a critical moment to lose his virginity and ruin his Golden Body Child Skill?
Lin Lang did not draw his blade. He merely turned slightly sideways and dodged Liu Wu's slash.
Seeing Lin Lang dodge, Liu Wu swiftly changed to a horizontal sweep, then followed with a diagonal slash.
Three consecutive strikes, each more vicious than the last.
Lin Lang dodged all three, as though he did not dare draw his blade and exchange blows with Liu Wu at all.
Everyone began murmuring. This was nothing like Lin Lang's previous fighting style.
"It's over. Looks like Chief Banner Officer Lin really did lose his virginity. Otherwise, with the strength of his Golden Body Child Skill, he would definitely have met those strikes head-on. Three moves would have been enough to expose a gap in Banner Commander Liu's defense and win with ease."
He had also bet on Chief Banner Officer Lin at the Silver Hook Gambling House. The odds had been extremely low, but it had still seemed like guaranteed money. Now he wanted to cry but had no tears.
"Heh, I went and doubled my bet on Banner Commander Liu yesterday. Not only will I avoid losing money this time, I'll even make a little profit."
Wang Wu and Jia Liu glanced at the colleague who said he had doubled his bet on Banner Commander Liu, pity in their eyes. He really could have made a little profit before. Now he would lose twice as much.
None of Liu Wu's three slashes had even touched the hem of Lin Lang's clothes, but they had forced him to the edge of the platform. Let's see how Lin Lang dodged this time.
"Still not drawing your blade, Chief Banner Officer Lin? How many more moves can you dodge with footwork alone?"
"Or do you not even have the courage to draw your blade, Chief Banner Officer Lin? Planning to dodge until an incense stick burns out? Do you have anywhere left to retreat?"
Lin Lang had only refrained from attacking because he wanted to adjust to his soaring strength. Since Liu Wu was asking for a beating, he would oblige him.
"Against you, I don't need to draw my blade."
Liu Wu flew into a rage. Your cultivation has fallen, yet you're still spouting wild boasts here?
At present, Lin Lang was at most in the early second-rate realm. Liu Wu, meanwhile, had firmly established himself in the middle second-rate realm and was even about to break through to the late second-rate realm.
Lin Lang actually dared to be so arrogant as to fight without a blade. In that case, Liu Wu would win within ten moves!
Today, he would cut off one of Lin Lang's hands and leave him no chance of ever turning things around.
Hundred-household Li, who sat drinking tea, frowned slightly. He had sent men to investigate, and Lin Lang's Child Skill had definitely been broken. The way Xiao He walked could not have been faked.
But where did Lin Lang get the confidence to act so assured? Had he learned some other formidable martial art that gave him the confidence to handle Liu Wu even without his Child Skill?
Yet Hundred-household Li had tested him just before Lin Lang went to wipe out the bandits north of the county. Lin Lang had definitely possessed no other formidable martial arts then. Even if he had acquired one afterward, what could he master in just a few days?
Even quick-learning martial arts needed several months before they could show their power.
He must have been overthinking it. Lin Lang was bluffing. After spending three days without leaving Xiao He's room, he probably could not even hold a blade anymore.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, he saw Liu Wu's blade sweep toward Lin Lang's neck like lightning. Lin Lang actually reached out with his left hand to grab the blade.
Was he mad? Even if his Golden Body Child Skill had not been broken, that would still injure him!
Liu Wu was overjoyed when he saw Lin Lang reach for the blade with his left hand.
Now, even if he cut off Lin Lang's hand, he could simply say he had been unable to stop his blade. No one could accuse him of being too ruthless toward a colleague.
Lin Lang was courting death himself!
Huh?
What's going on? He caught the blade?
To his horror, Liu Wu discovered that Lin Lang had actually caught his Xiuchun Blade barehanded. Then an immense force pulled him straight toward Lin Lang.
He immediately released the Xiuchun Blade and punched at Lin Lang's ribs with both fists.
Both punches landed, but it felt as though he had struck an iron plate. He felt his finger bones were about to snap.
Impossible!
Not only was Lin Lang's Golden Body Child Skill unbroken, it had grown even stronger?!
Didn't that mean Lin Lang's strength had increased rather than declined? I'm no match for him. I have to surrender immediately!
Every one of his earlier slashes had targeted Lin Lang's vital points. Lin Lang certainly would not let him off lightly.
"I sur-pfft!"
Liu Wu had barely begun to surrender when Lin Lang punched him in the chest. He was certain his ribs had broken.
Lin Lang was about to follow up and break both of Liu Wu's legs when Hundred-household Li stepped in front of him. They exchanged a palm strike, and both retreated half a step.
Hundred-household Li's face filled with shock. Lin Lang had definitely broken through to the first-rate realm!
Moreover, Lin Lang had surely achieved mastery of his Golden Body Child Skill. With its formidable defenses, even Hundred-household Li was probably no match for him. The title of the Hundred-household Office's strongest fighter was about to change hands.
"Hundred-household, sir, is interference allowed in a platform match? He hasn't surrendered yet," Lin Lang said loudly.
Hundred-household Li thought, Did you give him a chance to surrender? If I hadn't stepped in, Liu Wu's family would probably be preparing his funeral feast.
"Chief Banner Officer Lin, you've won this match." Hundred-household Li immediately announced the result. "I'll go put your name on the probationary hundred-household appointment document right away."
"Lin Lang, to think you were lying to me all along!" Liu Wu knelt on one knee on the platform, his eyes filled with resentment, fear, and confusion.
Lin Lang had spent three days in Xiao He's room. So many people had heard the noises, and they had also confirmed that Xiao He was no longer a virgin. How had Lin Lang's Golden Body Child Skill remained intact-and even broken through?
Could Lin Lang have been putting on an act all along?
Xiao He was probably someone Lin Lang had arranged, too. All that talk about drugging him had been a lie.
Lin Lang had spent the past few days in secluded cultivation, practicing his Golden Body Child Skill, and had even achieved a breakthrough. They had all been fooled!
Glancing at Liu Wu, Lin Lang deliberately said, "I didn't lie to you. Xiao He really was nice and wet."
Pfft!
Liu Wu spat out another mouthful of blood and fainted on the platform.
The Jinyiwei below the platform were dumbfounded as well. Banner Commander Liu, whom they had believed certain to win, had failed to withstand even a single move from Chief Banner Officer Lin.
Even when Hundred-household Li personally intervened, he had only fought Chief Banner Officer Lin to a draw.
Now those who had supported Liu Wu regretted it so bitterly their guts turned green, especially those who could have clung to Lin Lang's coattails but had let go.
Only Wang Wu and Jia Liu were cheering. After seeing Lin Lang bet all his savings on his own victory, they had immediately borrowed a large sum and bet on him as well. They had made a fortune this time.
Moreover, the two of them were now surely Lin Lang's trusted confidants. Wouldn't they be able to swagger around the Hundred-household Office however they pleased from now on?
A quarter of an hour later, Lin Lang was already sitting in the probationary hundred-household's office.
He looked at the appointment document Hundred-household Li had personally delivered. "If only I could remove 'probationary' from 'probationary hundred-household.'"
"Liu Wu will suffer for days from the injuries I gave him. As a colleague, I have to help spare him that suffering."
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