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"Ptooey—" Shawn Young sucked out the last mouthful of stagnant blood from Maggie Chang's chest and spat it onto the floor, then flashed her a cheeky grin, "There we go—good as new!"
"Oh—so fast? Did you really suck it all out?" Maggie Chang's cheeks stayed rosy, and she actually felt a weird little pang of disappointment, wishing the moment had lasted a bit longer.
"Yeah, your internal injuries are pretty serious. I'll whip up some medicine for you." Shawn said, closing his eyes, focusing his mind, and swiftly slipping into the "Heavenly Sanctuary." He didn't even have time to greet Fire Dragon and his wife before plunging into the "Frostfire River," scooping up some liquid with his hands, and popping right back out.
"Whoa, where'd you get that liquid from? It smells incredible—seriously, it's like a spa for my nose!" Maggie Chang blinked at the clear liquid in Shawn's palm, the fresh, cool scent instantly perking her up and making her super curious.
"Oh—this is my own secret brew. I always keep some handy for emergencies! It's awesome for healing inside and out, and right now it's just what the doctor ordered! Here—let me work my magic!" Shawn winked as he gently spread the liquid on Maggie Chang's chest, channeling a bit of qi to kickstart the healing.
As Shawn worked his magic, Maggie Chang felt an icy-cool wave seep right into her battered chest, all while his big, gentle hand added a weirdly soothing warmth. The mix of chill and heat danced through her, erasing the pain and leaving behind a delicious, tingly pleasure. It was so nice she couldn't help but close her eyes and let out a soft, "Oh—".
That cute little moan hit Shawn's ears, and his eyes locked onto Maggie Chang's snow-white, perfectly plump chest. Those trembling, jade-like beauties were just centimeters from his hand, and the sight of those pink tips made his heart pound like a drum solo. Unable to resist, his hand crept lower, kneading at the base of those peaks, itching to climb even higher. "You know, these mountains look pretty climbable," he teased under his breath.
"Mmm—oh—" Maggie Chang gasped, totally caught off guard by his touch. She peeked open her eyes and saw Shawn practically shooting sparks from his eyes, glued to her twin peaks. His naughty hand looked ready to scale those mountains. Shyness flooded her, but she didn't stop him—after all, since he'd helped her mom, she figured she owed him, even if it meant giving her all. "Just don't fall off the cliff, okay?" she whispered, half embarrassed, half teasing.
Right when things were getting steamy, a shout exploded from outside, followed by the crash of a wild fight. Shawn jerked his hands away from Maggie Chang's snowy chest and jumped up like he'd been caught with his pants down. Maggie shot him a teasing glare, yanked up her bra and jacket, smoothed herself out, and got up too—fast as lightning. "Guess our mountain expedition's postponed!" she quipped.
Near the door, Kotani Komai helped Helen to a chair, then stepped forward and opened the door, peeking out to check the situation.
"Komai, what's happening out there? Is it a kung fu rumble or did someone order pizza again?" Shawn Young called out to Kotani Komai at the door.
"Oh—looks like the old guy from this room is brawling with the three dudes who came with us. Nobody's winning yet!" Komai grinned, watching Andrew Qi tangle with Jack Chen, Zhao Tianyi, and Qi Baimen.
Hearing this, Shawn moved closer to the door and looked out. In the corridor, Andrew Qi and the other three were locked in a fierce battle, exchanging blows with no clear winner. Frowning with concern, he said, "Andrew Qi is not only highly skilled, but he also has some strange, sinister techniques. If it's just martial arts, he might not have the upper hand against those three, but if he uses his dark arts, they might not be able to handle him!"
"Shawn-kun, should we go jump in and give those guys a hand—or just grab popcorn and watch?" Komai teased.
"Hold up—let's not rush in. Danba Mingyun vanished, but I've got a gut feeling he's lurking somewhere, just waiting to pounce. We gotta keep our guard up!" Shawn said, also curious to see how Andrew Qi could take on two Dragon-Tiger List top dogs plus the nimble Jack Chen. The guy's kung fu had to be something special.
Andrew Qi fought the three masters without losing ground. His martial arts were fierce and domineering, taking the hard-hitting approach. Facing the trio's relentless attacks, he met them head-on, striking like a tiger descending a mountain, fast as lightning, neutralizing their moves and finding chances to counterattack. Each counter was a huge threat, showing the style of a true grandmaster.
Jack Chen, the weakest of the three, saw that even with their combined efforts, they couldn't take down Andrew Qi. After being thrown off by several powerful moves, he grew impatient. Suddenly, he dashed forward, leaping past Zhao Tianyi and Qi Baimen, shouted, and sprang into the air, his toes pointed forward and back, launching a lightning-fast attack at Andrew Qi's face. This was Jack Chen's signature killer move, the "White Crane Double Tap," honed through countless practice!
But Andrew Qi wasn't flustered. Twisting his waist, he dodged Jack Chen's first kick, then, before Jack Chen could strike again, lunged forward like a coiled snake. His right palm shot out like a cannonball, filled with fierce inner strength—"Bang!"—and struck Jack Chen's right leg before he could kick.
"Crack—" With a scream, Jack Chen crashed to the floor, rolling into the corridor wall and smashing a big crack in it. Dust fell from the ceiling as Jack Chen clutched his broken right leg, struggling on the floor, biting his lip to keep from screaming, sweat pouring down his forehead with pain.
"Hmph—kid, your 'White Crane Double Tap' from the Piercing Kick School is still a bit raw!" Andrew Qi sneered at Jack Chen, who lay sprawled on the ground.
"Ah—Iron Arm Gale Strike! That's Shaolin Thirty-Six Chambers technique! Old man, are you a Shaolin disciple? Who exactly are you?" Zhao Tianyi exclaimed, helping Jack Chen up. He and the others didn't recognize Andrew Qi, but saw his skills came from Shaolin, and were shocked at how powerful his Shaolin techniques were. Note: All martial arts originate from Shaolin, whose skills combine internal and external training. According to history, Shaolin Temple had thirty-six hard and thirty-six soft techniques, also called thirty-six external and thirty-six internal skills, collectively known as the "Shaolin Seventy-Two Supreme Arts." Martial artists also call them "Shaolin Thirty-Six Chambers Ultimate Skills," all secretly taught within the Shaolin sect!
"Heh—sharp eyes! That's Iron Arm Gale Strike, from the thirteenth chamber of the Shaolin Thirty-Six Chambers. I used to be Shaolin, but that's ancient history—I bailed ages ago! Wanted to master all the Thirty-Six Chambers, but the monks were way too stingy—only let me learn half. So, I hit the road and did my own thing! Heh—heh—heh—" Andrew Qi laughed, cold and cocky.
"Someone who mastered half the Thirty-Six Chambers is definitely a top expert—wait—are you the monk Yankong, who secretly practiced evil Western techniques, was discovered, killed your master and fellow disciples, then left Shaolin and vanished into the martial world?" Qi Baimen suddenly asked.
Andrew Qi's face changed at this, his brows furrowing as his eagle-like gaze swept over the three. He said ominously, "Heh—kid, you know too much. Listen, Monk Yankong is long gone. My secular name is Andrew Qi! Since you know my background, none of you are leaving here alive—prepare to die!"
With that, Andrew Qi stepped back, putting some distance between them. He shook his body and channeled his qi—"Crack—crack—" his sleeves burst apart, revealing arms like steel, radiating a terrifying aura.