41: Chapter 41 Li Meng's team boasts: "Knockout within three moves"

Before the morning mist of the Public Welfare Foundation had even dispersed, the training hall's electronic screen suddenly lit up with a piercing red light. Li Meng's coach, Zhang Tao, was roaring at the camera, the tactical board in his hand squeezed out of shape: "I'm telling you, Chen Wu's set of flashy moves won't last three rounds! My Li Meng's 'Raging Lion Tail-Swipe'—the first move breaks his ribs, the second locks his throat, and the third carries him straight out!"

On the screen, Li Meng stood before a backdrop, his bare upper body coated in gold oil, the lion tattoo on his left chest baring its bloody maw. He didn't speak, merely making a throat-slitting gesture toward the camera. On his muscular arms, newly wrapped bandages were still seeping blood—an injury caused by a sparring partner's mistake during yesterday's training, which the team had deliberately portrayed as a "blood-soaked preparation" medal.

The number of online viewers surged from 50 million to 60 million within ten minutes, and the bullet chat was like a lit powder keg:

 "Zhang Tao is bragging without a script! A KO in three moves? Dream on!"

 "Li Meng's Tail Flick kick is indeed powerful; last time he sent someone straight to the hospital."

 "62 million online! Waiting for Brother Wu to slap their Faces."

 "Gao Jun is spamming gifts for Li Meng's team again! There's definitely something fishy behind this."

Chen Wu was correcting the power angle of Lin Mo's "Silk-Reeling Elbow." The boy's elbow always drifted half an inch at the last moment, and the halo formed by his gaseous Qi flickered unsteadily. "Don't get distracted." He tapped the tip of Lin Mo's elbow with his finger. "The more the opponent wants to provoke you, the more you must stay calm."

Li Meng's challenge video was still playing on loop. Zhang Tao held up a slow-motion frame of a Baji Fist Elbow Strike, circling every detail with a red pen: "See that? When the elbow is raised, the waist and abdomen are exposed! We'll strike this opening; a single low sweep will bring him straight to his knees!"

"They are deliberately exposing their tactics." Lin Xue walked in holding a laptop, the screen displaying an analysis report from the Bureau of Abnormal Incident Management. "Zhang Tao used to be a combat instructor for Grey Shadow; he's best at using false information to mislead opponents." She pulled up a surveillance recording showing Zhang Tao secretly instructing Li Meng in anti-joint techniques late at night in the training hall. "The move they really intend to use is this 'Poison Snake Coil,' specifically designed to counter the Elbow Strike."

Chen Wu's gaze fell on Li Meng's bandaged arm, and liquid Qi suddenly condensed into a droplet at his fingertip. "That wound was self-inflicted." He flicked it lightly, and the droplet landed precisely on Li Meng's arm on the screen. "It's used to cover the needle marks from injecting Muscle Enhancers."

Lin Mo suddenly pointed at the bullet chat and shouted, "Brother Wu, Li Meng has posted a bet! He said if he doesn't KO you within three moves, he'll publicly kneel and kowtow three times!"

During the tactical analysis livestream at noon, Zhang Tao brought a special prop—a silicone mannequin similar in build to Chen Wu, with pressure sensors installed at the joints. "Let me show you what professional analysis looks like." Wearing white gloves, he picked up a metal rod to simulate an Elbow Strike. "For the first move, we use 'Evasive Maneuvers' to avoid the front while striking his ribs with an elbow."

The moment the metal rod struck the mannequin, the sensor emitted a piercing alarm: "Impact force 650 kg, simulated rib fracture!"

The number of online viewers broke 70 million, and gamblers in the bullet chat began betting frantically:

 "The odds are 1:3! Those betting on Li Meng, get on board quickly!"

 "Can a silicone mannequin even compare to a real person? Ridiculous."

 "73 million online! That old fox Zhang Tao definitely has a hidden trump card."

Chen Wu suddenly joined the livestream, holding an identical mannequin. "Coach Zhang's analysis is brilliant." He smiled as he held up the mannequin. "But it overlooks the 'Wholeness Power' of Baji Fist." He placed his palm against the mannequin's back and applied a slight force; the mannequin's front elbow suddenly rose automatically, perfectly blocking the simulated Elbow Strike. "This is called 'one move moves the whole body'; while performing the Elbow Strike, the defense has already formed."

Zhang Tao's Face instantly turned purple-red as he snatched the microphone from the host: "Flowery words! If you have the guts, come to the training hall now for a duel! I'll have Li Meng demonstrate on the spot what a three-move KO looks like!"

"Fine." Chen Wu's answer caused an uproar. "But on one condition—if I withstand the three moves, you must reveal how many moles Grey Shadow has planted in the combat world."

The broadcast signal immediately switched to Li Meng's training hall. Li Meng, wearing a red battle robe, stood in the center of an octagonal cage, with the silicone mannequin suspended from the top. "Here comes the first move!" Zhang Tao roared from the side of the cage like an excited beast.

Li Meng's figure suddenly vanished from his spot, reappearing behind the mannequin with a high sweep kick that whistled through the air toward the back of its head. This move was a full 0.3 seconds faster than in the video, clearly hiding his true speed.

"Too slow." Chen Wu's voice came through the speakers. Just as the wind from the kick was about to hit the mannequin, a golden stream of light flew from outside the cage—it was a Qi bullet Chen Wu had launched in advance using a catapult device. It struck the mannequin's neck precisely, causing it to turn slightly as if pushed by an invisible hand, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow.

"First move, withstood." Chen Wu's voice carried a hint of a smile. "Two moves left."

Cold sweat broke out on Li Meng's forehead. In that moment, he felt as if Chen Wu were standing inside the cage, his gaze sharp as a hawk's. Zhang Tao roared exasperatedly from the side: "Second move! Use 'Poison Snake Coil'!"

Toward evening, Chen Wu received an unexpected call—Li Meng's Master, Elder Zhou, had been hospitalized. When he arrived at the ward, the old man was leaning against the headboard watching the livestream, where Zhang Tao was still spouting nonsense while analyzing tactics.

"Little Chen, don't believe their lies." Elder Zhou took Chen Wu's hand, his withered fingers trembling with emotion. "Li Meng was a very good boy when he was young; Zhang Tao led him astray." He pulled an old photo album from under his pillow, showing a picture of a young Li Meng in a Tai Chi uniform, smiling with two little canine teeth showing. "He used to practice Tai Chi; he was soft-hearted and never willing to strike vital points."

Chen Wu's Qi quietly entered the old man's body, finding that his leg injury was more serious than imagined, with toxins from Grey Shadow's Genetic Medicine remaining in his bones. "After next week's match, I'll come to heal you." A warm golden light rose from his palm as he pressed it gently against the old man's knee. "I guarantee I can make you stand again."

The ward door was suddenly pushed open, and Li Meng stood there, the lion tattoo on his battle robe looking particularly ferocious in the sunset. "What are you doing here?" His fists clenched with a cracking sound, and the bandages on his arm seeped blood again. "Coming to laugh at me?"

"I'm here to show you something." Chen Wu pulled up the surveillance footage sent by Lin Xue, showing Zhang Tao transferring money to a mysterious person with the note "final payment for Genetic Medicine." "Zhang Tao is using your body for experiments; that medicine will cause your muscles to dissolve in three months."

Li Meng's pupils constricted, but he stubbornly said, "Nonsense! He's doing it for my own good!"

"For your own good? Would he have you deliberately cut your arm to hide needle marks?" Chen Wu's voice suddenly rose. "For your own good? Would he teach you underhanded moves that violate the principles of Tai Chi?" He pointed to the album at the head of the bed. "This is how you should be!"

Elder Zhou suddenly coughed violently, pointing at Li Meng's arm: "That wound... did you inject it again?" The old man's tears fell. "You promised me you'd never use that stuff again..."

Li Meng's defenses finally collapsed, and he crouched on the ground, covering his Face and weeping. It turned out he had known all along that there was a problem with the medicine, but Zhang Tao had used the old man's medical expenses to threaten him, forcing him to cooperate with Grey Shadow's plan. "I didn't dare say anything..." he choked out. "They said if I didn't listen, they'd throw my Master into the sea to feed the fish..."

[System Prompt: Redemption plot triggered. Completion can unlock the Purification Form of Qi.]

Chen Wu's Qi suddenly turned pale blue, gently enveloping Li Meng's arm. The wound under the bandages healed at a pace visible to the naked eye, and the black toxins at the needle marks were sucked out bit by bit by the golden Qi. "The match will proceed as scheduled." His voice was gentle yet powerful. "But we will decide the winner through true combat, not drugs and conspiracies."

At the pre-match press conference, the reporters' flashes were as dense as a rainstorm. Zhang Tao pushed Li Meng into the main seat, holding a notarized bet: "It's written in black and white—KO within three moves, or Li Meng kowtows and admits his mistake!" He deliberately exposed Li Meng's bleeding arm. "Look at this determination! Does Chen Wu dare to sign?"

Chen Wu took the bet and added a line at the end: "If Li Meng does not use underhanded moves within three rounds, all previous grievances will be wiped clean." He handed the pen to Li Meng. "Sign it, for your Master and for yourself."

Li Meng's pen hovered over the paper, sweat dripping onto the signature line. Zhang Tao whispered a threat beside him: "Think about your Master's medical bills..."

Just then, the large screen in the hall lit up, playing the footage of Li Meng weeping in the hospital earlier, along with all the evidence of Zhang Tao's transactions with Grey Shadow. It was a live broadcast arranged by Lin Xue.

"I'll sign!" Li Meng signed abruptly, with such force that he tore the paper. "But let's change the stakes!" He stood up, tearing off the bandages on his arm to reveal the healed wound and needle marks. "If I lose, I will publicly testify against Zhang Tao and Grey Shadow's crimes! If I win..." He looked at Chen Wu, his eyes clear for the first time. "I will take you as my Master and relearn Tai Chi!"

The room fell silent for a moment, then erupted into thunderous applause. Zhang Tao tried to rush forward to snatch the bet but was pinned to the ground by a prepared special forces team. The spare medicine in his pocket rolled out, gleaming with an eerie green light under the flashes.

The number of online viewers broke 80 million, and golden blessings in the bullet chat poured in like a tide:

 "Go Li Meng! Be yourself again!"

 "Brother Wu's move was brilliant! He saved his Face and his life at the same time."

 "85 million online! This is the true spirit of martial arts."

Chen Wu saw the light rekindled in Li Meng's eyes and suddenly remembered Elder Zhou's words: "The way of martial arts is not about defeating someone, but about guarding one's own original heart." He reached out and shook Li Meng's hand firmly; the two streams of Qi merged the moment they touched, like two long-lost rivers reuniting.

[System Prompt: Redemption plot initiated. Global Martial Arts Enlightenment progress: 400%.]

In the training hall at night, Chen Wu stood alone in the octagonal cage. The Purification Form of Qi formed a pale blue halo around him, capable of neutralizing all toxins and malice. He knew that tomorrow's three-move promise was not just a combat match, but a battle to save a Soul.

The final frame of the livestream was a bullet chat sent by 85 million viewers simultaneously, forming a giant character for "Benevolence" floating over the city:

"Martial arts carry the Dao, benevolence dissolves resentment."

Outside the cage, the moonlight flowed silently, shining on Chen Wu's training uniform. The symbols of the Taiji Diagram and Baji Fist shone together in the blue light, as if telling the simplest truth of martial arts—true victory is never about defeating an opponent, but about awakening the sleeping justice within their heart.