Technique.

A contest of technique. Form versus form, strike versus strike.

This test was designed to test his aptitude and control over his techniques in Hou Quan.

"I am looking forward to this."

Jin started to do some warm-ups.

Alex flashed a fake smile. He wasn't.

"Are you ready?"

"Ask him."

Alex sighed. This day was getting longer by the second.

"I am ready."

He took the basic stance. This was a test of technique.

"Wooden Monkey, Stone Monkey."

Jin took an offensive stance and attacked Alex. He had to block the attack and counter.

Jin was not holding anything back. So when his fist collided with the opponent's arm, his opponent felt it go numb for a second. Nonetheless, Alex absorbed the attack and countered it with a swift cross.

Jin used his other hand to give out a cross of his own. Both their fists canceled out each other.

"Fall back."

Alex took a step back, and so did Jin. This was exhilarating for them.

"Standing Monkey, Lost Monkey."

Jin took the standing monkey, while Alex took the lost monkey.

Long ranged attacks versus feints. Jin used his strength and speed to keep Alex at bay, making accurate strikes that forced Alex to dodge. For his feints to work, Alex had to get closer to Jin. But he didn't have enough time to catch a breath, let alone for an attack.

His footwork bailed him out. This round should have been Jin's victory.

"Fall back."

Alex started breathing heavily. Will I have to use it?

"Drunken Monkey, Stone Monkey."

Alex was slower. Jin took the Drunken monkey form and went on the offensive.

He hesitantly took the stone monkey for the second time. He had to absorb another attack.

Jin approached, and Alex was unable to keep up with his footsteps. They were random but highly efficient. Jin went for a throat strike, and Alex tried to block it. But he purposely went off balance, changing the trajectory of the strike at the last moment. Alex could do nothing against it. The strike connected to his ribs.

He stumbled back. The hit was extremely effective.

"Fall back."

Jin moved away from Alex. Lei looked at him and asked,

"Are you ready to give up?"

He took a deep breath and said,

"No."

His speed was lacking while he executed the techniques. A few more hits like this, and he was out.

"Drunken Monkey, Wooden Monkey."

Unpredictable offense versus all-out offense. An interesting match-up.

'Screw it. The system, Black blood. Efficiency, 2 percent.'

'Affirmative.'

Instantly, his body started to feel lighter.

Jin was about to execute the Drunken monkey form, but he frowned when he looked at Alex.

He was already in motion. Using his newfound speed, he approached Jin as fast as he could, and Jin could barely follow. Lei raised an eyebrow. The audience widened their eyes.

Jin threw out a jab towards his face. Alex fake stepped his way out of the attack and sent out a kick towards his groin.

Jin dodged the attack narrowly and decided to go all out. He attacked Alex with everything.

He sent out a knife-hand strike. Alex dodged it with ease.

Crescent kick. He dodged it and countered with a palm strike. Jin blocked the attack.

"Fall back."

Alex had turned the tide. Jin was not supposed to block but cause damage.

Jin looked at his right hand. He had made a mistake.

"Stone monkey, Lost monkey."

Alex moved in with a monkey pounce and shortened the distance between them immediately. Jin prepared to block his strike, but he kept moving forward with no intention of using his fists or legs.

Jin prepared for the worst. Alex used his legs and arms to propel himself towards his opponent.

He opened his arms to attack, although his speed was slow. Jin could easily use his hands to block the attack. It was fast, but it couldn't be strong.

'Shoulder strike.'

Alex joined both of his hands mid-air and fooled Jin into blocking his strike. He rammed intoJin's block with his shoulder, pushing him off the ground. He was only in the air for a moment and crashed back on the ground. It was a strong hit.

Alex was breathing heavily. He was exhausted. Jin used his hands to push himself back up.

"Fall back, and bow."

Alex took a step back. Jin did the same. They both bowed at each other.

Lei looked at Alex and said,

"Congratulations. You have passed."

Jin, Mei, and everyone else smiled at that sentence. No one could say that he didn't deserve it.

"You will have your mission in 3-4 days. Till then, focus on your recovery."

He turned around and left. The audience gathered inside the hall bowed down as he left. Shortly after that, the audience dispersed as well. They had their chores to get back to. Some of them greeted Alex as they left, while others simply smiled at him to acknowledge his achievement.

In the end, there were only 3 people left. Alex and Jin sat down on the ground while Mei brought a pitcher for them.

"You both fought well."

Jin looked at Alex and said,

"I never thought that I would lose to you again."

"I never had any doubts."

Alex said that and smirked.

"Hmm."

Jin took a sip of water and looked towards the sky.

"Besides, it was only in one technique. Don't beat yourself up."

He had a system. Until the enemy completely overpowers him, he could always find a way.

"You fought well."

Jin stood up from the ground and left after saying that. Alex couldn't quite tell what he was feeling right now.

"Mei, I will take this pitcher back with me. Is that okay."

"Are you going back to the cell?"

"Yes. Where else would I go?"

"Master has told me to assign you a Siheyuan."

"I don't want that. I am completely content with my cell."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I will go back now."

"Wait a minute."

Mei slowly approached him.

"Close your eyes."

"What are you doing?"

She came closer.

"Close your eyes."

"Sigh...Fine."

He closed his eyes.

Mei put her hand on his head and patted it slowly. She said,

"Good Job."

Alex opened his eyes.

"So vanilla."

He grabbed her head and kissed her on the forehead. Before she could resist, he had already let go.

"Try to be a little more proactive."

He turned around and left without looking back. Mei stood there, stunned.

"That bully..."

She toucher her forehead gently and smiled.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Alex approached the inbuilt toilet. He drank some water from the pitcher and vomited some black liquid into it.

'System, how much time until full recovery?'

"2 days for 2 percent."

He continued to vomit for another hour. Thankfully, Lei had taken the guard away from his cell.