Zhao Chengyuan removed his cloak, revealing a dark fitted combat outfit tightly wrapped around his lean, powerful muscles. The hard lines of his body looked forged from iron, every inch radiating explosive strength ready to erupt at any moment.
With his hands clasped behind his back, his hawk-sharp gaze swept over Li Xuan’s face—one that was “far too handsome”—and he frowned.
“Changgeng, the Fulong Camp doesn’t take ornamental vases. Three moves. If you can still stand afterward, there’ll be a spot for you in the personal guard.”
Li Xuan’s expression remained unchanged. Slowly, he shifted into a low-center stance combining boxing and Krav Maga, striking a posture so bizarre that the battlefield-hardened onlookers stared in shock.
His feet spread shoulder-width apart, center of gravity lowered, fists loosely raised to guard his jaw, elbows tucked close to his ribs—like a cat ready to counterattack at any moment.
To Zhao Chengyuan, it looked full of openings, yet strangely carried an infuriating calm that said, You won’t hit me.
“Fancy nonsense.” Zhao Chengyuan scoffed and stomped forward, activating Mountain-Crushing Force.
The ground trembled beneath everyone’s feet as a straight punch carrying the force of wind and thunder shot toward Li Xuan’s face.
The pressure of the punch stung like blades against skin, forcing the spectators to retreat instinctively.
That pretty boy’s doomed, they all thought.
Li Xuan’s pupils contracted. Instead of retreating, he advanced.
With a subtle turn of his ankle, his body slipped aside like a sheet of paper drifting in the wind—
Modern combat evasion technique: Circular Step.
Zhao Chengyuan’s fist grazed past his ear, the resulting airflow sending silver hair fluttering.
At the same time, Li Xuan casually raised a hand, fingertips lightly brushing Zhao Chengyuan’s elbow. Borrowing the momentum of the rotation, he redirected the terrifying force of the punch off-course.
Zhao Chengyuan’s heart skipped.
Ridiculously fast reflexes—and he knows how to redirect force? This footwork… I’ve never seen anything like it.
The first move missed.
Instead of anger, excitement flickered in Zhao Chengyuan’s eyes.
Dropping low, his fingers curved into claws.
Seizing Lock shot straight toward Li Xuan’s shoulder blade—a technique capable of sealing the body’s meridians completely, one that had never failed in real combat.
Yet Li Xuan advanced instead of retreating.
Pressing forward—Neutralizing Force.
He crashed directly into Zhao Chengyuan’s range, elbow striking the precise point where Zhao was exerting force. Then, twisting his body like a slippery fish, he slipped cleanly through Zhao Chengyuan’s fingers.
“No wasted motion,” Zhao Chengyuan murmured, lips curling slightly.
“Every move is made to break another move.”
The desire to win was completely ignited.
“Interesting.”
With a sharp shout, Zhao Chengyuan finally stopped holding back.
In an instant, he appeared behind Li Xuan, arms closing in from all directions.
Stabilize the Mountains and Rivers.
Above, below, left, right—every path of escape sealed.
An unavoidable killing move.
At the critical instant—
Li Xuan’s figure flickered.
In that one-tenth of a second, he activated his hidden ability:
Guiyuan — Fleeting Blossom of an Instant.
Time stuttered for half a second.
Zhao Chengyuan’s certain capture embraced nothing but empty air.
Li Xuan had already appeared two steps away at his side, fingers pressed together lightly against the artery at Zhao Chengyuan’s neck. His breathing remained calm; even his robes were undisturbed.
At the same moment, Zhao Chengyuan’s palm stopped an inch from Li Xuan’s chest.
Both men halted simultaneously.
The martial field fell so silent that the sound of wind brushing through silver hair could almost be heard.
“What the hell was that?!”
“The Commander’s Stabilize the Mountains and Rivers got dodged?!”
“That pretty boy’s moves are weird—but terrifying!”
The Shura warriors stood dumbfounded.
No one had ever survived three moves from the young commander while remaining this graceful.
Nor had they ever seen martial arts so ruthless, precise, and utterly without flourish.
Every move Zhao Chengyuan made targeted vital points.
Every move Li Xuan made aimed to neutralize or subdue.
Zhao Chengyuan stared at the hand pressed against his throat.
Cool fingertips.
Yet carrying a terrifying steadiness that sent tremors through his soul.
“Your martial path is strange,” Zhao Chengyuan said hoarsely, suppressing the urge to reach out and touch that silver hair.
“Your abilities are rare.”
Slowly lowering his hand, deep shock and unmistakable admiration flashed through his eyes.
This youth’s martial arts pursued no elegance whatsoever.
Only one thing:
Kill in one strike—or survive at all costs.
It resembled the methods of professional assassins he had encountered at the border, yet somehow even more refined.
“This kind of skill…” Zhao Chengyuan’s throat moved slightly.
“…doesn’t belong to any sect of the Great Fan Dynasty.”
“Your techniques have no school,” he said, staring into Li Xuan’s calm emerald eyes.
“Yet every move is lethal.”
The suspicion in his heart was gradually replaced by another emotion—
A fierce possessiveness.
This man must stay by my side.
Zhao Chengyuan looked at Li Xuan, curiosity and an addictive fascination rising simultaneously.
“Three moves have passed. You’re still standing.”
Turning to the examiner, he ordered in a deep voice:
“Li Xuan, courtesy name Changgeng. Enter the personal guard. Assign him as an attendant bodyguard. His lodging will be arranged in the Fulong Camp inner court.”
Turning away, Zhao Chengyuan swept up his cloak in a decisive arc and said coldly to Li Xuan:
“From today onward, you are part of my personal guard and will serve as my attendant officer. Your residence and missions will be personally assigned by me.”
He paused before leaving and looked back again.
“Tonight. Come to my study and explain your lineage.”
Just as Zhao Chengyuan’s black cloak disappeared beyond the stone staircase, the crowd finally exploded into chaos.
Yan Chiyu bounced toward Li Xuan like a spring-loaded ball, eyes sparkling as he tried grabbing his hand.
“Brother Changgeng! Was that time reversal just now?! You can use it like that? Let me measure your muscle frequency—this is more precise than mechanical engineering!”
A’Man silently sheathed his greatsword and stood in front of Li Xuan like an immovable guardian deity.
“Impressive,” he said flatly.
“The Commander couldn’t hit you. I wasn’t wrong about you.”
Shen Qingci approached, fanning himself with a mischievous grin.
“Brother Changgeng, congratulations. You’ve become the Fulong Camp’s hottest topic overnight.”
He lowered his voice.
“But be careful. Commander Zhao looked at you like a wolf starving for three days staring at fresh meat. Like he wanted to swallow you whole.”
Li Xuan stayed calm on the outside.
Inside, however:
Oh no, oh no! That look in Zhao Chengyuan’s eyes could devour someone alive! How the hell am I supposed to explain my martial lineage? I can’t exactly say I transmigrated here, can I?!