A seemingly ordinary punch, but the moment it was unleashed, it seemed to carry the force of mountains and seas.

This punch is strong! That was Lin Mu's first impression.

However, his expression remained completely unchanged, and there was no trace of worry. This was because he felt no killing intent from his opponent's fist. Therefore, this person was not here to kill him. But, since the man had come to offer a punch, then he might as well accept.

With a light chuckle, Lin Mu stood his ground. Just as the opponent's fist was about to smash into him, he slowly raised his hand and threw a punch in return.

The other person had simply used a technique, without employing any True Qi or Internal Energy. Lin Mu, likewise, threw a punch relying purely on his physical strength.

The two fists made contact in an instant.

BANG!

A muffled sound echoed out. Lin Mu's body shook for a moment, but he immediately regained his stability. In contrast, the young man took half a step back. As his foot landed on the ground, the solid stone slab beneath it cracked.

"Not bad!" A rare fighting spirit suddenly ignited in the young man's otherwise calm eyes, and his entire aura transformed. He was like a tiger breaking free from its cage, a Jiaolong emerging from the sea.

A force like a landslide or tsunami surged forth as an even more ferocious punch came thundering down.

"Try and take another one of my punches!" the young man shouted, channeling all his power into his fist.

Lin Mu's eyes narrowed slightly. He felt an immense pressure from this punch.

"Strike!" the youth roared as his fist descended.

THUD!

The moment the fist appeared before him, Lin Mu's expression changed for the first time. The force of this punch had actually solidified. With its momentum alone, it could instantly kill all the Grandmasters Lin Mu had ever seen.

Exhaling slowly, Lin Mu surprisingly didn't counter. Instead, he braced himself and took the punch directly with his chest.

BANG!

The fist slammed into his chest, emitting a soul-quivering thud. The two of them remained frozen in their positions, their faces unreadable.

CRACK!

A nearby streetlight suddenly went out, followed by the lamps on both sides of the road extinguishing one after another. Even the rows of sycamore trees rustled violently, shedding countless leaves.

"You…" The young man stared dumbfounded at Lin Mu, never expecting him to neither dodge nor counterattack, but to simply block the punch with his body.

However, before the youth could finish his sentence, a sense of unease crept over him. A faint smile curled the corners of Lin Mu's mouth.

"A nice punch, but it's missing something."

The young man looked at Lin Mu strangely. Is this guy giving me pointers? He should know that even without using True Qi, just with my pair of iron fists, no one in the Capital would dare claim they could beat me. Back then, weren't the Four Grandmasters chased all over the world by me like stray dogs, fleeing from my strength? Even now, the mere mention of my name, Han Xiaochuan, is enough to send the Four Grandmasters running in terror! And this guy? He's only just appeared on the scene, beaten Yun Xu, and killed Western Poison Little Ouyang, one of the Four Grandmasters, and he's already this arrogant?

Just as the young man was about to withdraw his fist, he suddenly felt the pressure against it vanish. Lin Mu had taken a deep breath, his chest caving inward. The young man's eyes widened; it was too late to pull back.

THUD!

A sound like muffled thunder erupted from within Lin Mu's body. A force like a tidal wave surged outward, blasting the young man away.

"It would be impolite not to return the gesture. Now, you try and take a punch from me!" Lin Mu laughed heartily, his figure shooting out like lightning as he threw a punch.

The wind howled and the clouds churned; the world itself seemed to change color.

A look of pure horror filled the young man's eyes, knowing full well he couldn't withstand this blow.

"I concede!" he blurted out, his face flushing red with shame and his heart filled with bitter frustration.

WHOOSH!

The fist stopped a mere inch from his forehead. If he had spoken a moment later, his head would have been smashed to pieces. A few strands of his hair slowly fluttered down, and the young man's pupils contracted sharply.

The aura of his fist formed a blade! What kind of monster is this guy? At such a young age, he has actually refined his fist intent to a state of natural perfection, reaching a realm where he can turn the intangible into the tangible, solidifying it into Sword Qi?

The youth broke out in a cold sweat. The way he looked at Lin Mu changed for the first time. The Commander sent me to test this kid, and I'll admit I underestimated him. I thought he was just a young upstart with a bit of strength who was turning the Martial Arts World upside down. But after trading fists with him myself, I realize his strength is barely less than my own!

Even so, Han Xiaochuan still believed Lin Mu was his inferior. Refining one's fist intent to mastery only proves he might become a great boxing expert one day. But in a true life-and-death battle, I'm confident I could kill him within ten moves! Still, this kid is undeniably a prodigious talent. After all, my own rank on the Heaven's List is quite high.

Lin Mu tilted his head. "Are we not fighting anymore?"

"No more, no more! You're a total freak," the young man said, retreating two steps with a bitter smile. I've lost a lot of face this time. I can't imagine how the Commander is going to mock me when I get back.

Lin Mu smiled and withdrew his fist. "Alright, since we're done fighting, I'll be on my way if there's nothing else," he said, waving his hand as he prepared to leave.

"Wait," the young man called out. After Lin Mu stopped, he took something out and tossed it over. "Keep this safe. It could save your life at a crucial moment."

Lin Mu caught it. On closer inspection, he saw it was a small yet heavy Token. It was purple-gold, with a nine-clawed Golden Dragon engraved on it. It had an ancient, imposing aura and was clearly no ordinary object. Furthermore, on the Token were two characters written in bold, powerful strokes: Protector of the Dragon.

Beside these words was a line of smaller characters: "With burning blood, protect our nation!"

Though just a short phrase, it stirred a boiling passion within him.

Lin Mu raised an eyebrow slightly. "I don't think I need this to save my life." He believed only in his own strength. Besides, this Token was clearly some kind of pledge, representing a certain responsibility.

Just as he was about to toss the Token back, the youth spoke hurriedly. "Lin Wudi, I know you're powerful. The fact that you could withstand my punch means your sixteenth rank on the Heaven's List is well-deserved."

"But that's not enough!" the young man said with a solemn expression. "You've seen the Heaven's List. You know that everyone ranked below tenth, without exception, is in the Grandmaster Realm, their strength not to be underestimated. If they are all like that, what about the top ten?"

Lin Mu's brow furrowed slightly. "What are you trying to say?"

The young man sighed. "There isn't much time left before your challenge with Zhang Daoyun, is there?"

Only eight months of the year remained.

A rare look of fear crossed the young man's face. "I'll be honest with you. As confident as I am, if I were to fight Zhang Daoyun, he could kill me in a single move."

Lin Mu's mind stirred. He, too, would only need one move to kill this man, though he would be injured in the process. The fact that Zhang Daoyun could also do this meant he was not to be underestimated.

"But that is ultimately my affair," Lin Mu said, truly unwilling to accept the Token. The item would likely bring him considerable trouble. Most importantly, it would place too many restrictions on him.

The young man looked at Lin Mu seriously and emphasized, "Lin Wudi, do you really think your fight with Zhang Daoyun is just a matter between the two of you?"

"In this battle, we don't ask you to win, but you absolutely must not die!"

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