Chapter 42: Shinji Kato

"I am truly puzzled. How dare you act so arrogantly on Chinese soil?" Qin Xuan glanced at Shinji Kato and shook his head.

"Idiot! Arrogance is my nature—only those with real strength can afford to be arrogant!" Shinji Kato bellowed, and at once, the two men in white shirts behind him surged forward.

"Do you know, this 'Osaka-kun' is a first-rate Aikido master, while 'Honda-kun' here is a top Judo expert. No matter who you are, facing them both at once means certain defeat!" Shinji Kato explained, relishing the spectacle.

"Is that so?" Qin Xuan curled his lips in a faint smile, locking his gaze on the man to his left. The art of Aikido from the Land of the Rising Sun emphasizes late but decisive action, overcoming strength with softness—it's a defensive martial art, impressive in real combat.

But in the end, it is only a martial art. Besides, this foreign student had nowhere near mastered Aikido to its highest level. While he might be stronger than the average person, to Qin Xuan, he was nothing more than a novice.

"Late but decisive, is it? Let’s see how you manage that," Qin Xuan thought, launching a fierce kick!

The so-called master, Osaka, had been cautious all along. Seeing the kick, he hurriedly reached out, trying to lock Qin Xuan's leg.

"Too slow," Qin Xuan mused. Suddenly, his kick accelerated beyond Osaka's expectations, landing squarely on his kneecap.

Crack!

The crisp sound of bone breaking echoed, sending shivers through the crowd.

Osaka fell to the ground with a scream of agony.

At that moment, the Judo expert Honda finally seized his opportunity, closing in on Qin Xuan in a flash, aiming to throw him using a combination of hip and hand techniques, relying on his own weight to bring Qin Xuan down.

"Trivial tricks," Qin Xuan snorted. He stepped forward abruptly, swung his arm, and drove an elbow fiercely into Honda's cheek.

Crunch!

The sound of teeth clashing rang out. Honda staggered back three steps, clutching his mouth, glared fiercely at Qin Xuan, and then collapsed.

In the blink of an eye, the so-called Aikido and Judo masters were effortlessly defeated by Qin Xuan!

"Well done!"

"Brother Jian, you’re awesome!"

The students watching nearby finally erupted in cheers.

Though their own misgivings kept them from taking action against the foreign students, their patriotic fervor ran deep. Seeing Qin Xuan dispatch both so-called masters in an instant, they could not help but cry out in admiration.

"Now it’s your turn, isn’t it?"

Qin Xuan stood with hands clasped behind his back, gazing coolly at Shinji Kato in the distance.

"I have to admit, you’re quite strong," Kato said, still posturing, his head held high in arrogance. "But is that all? If that’s the extent of your ability, you’re still far too naive to take me on. I, Shinji Kato, will entertain you with karate first."

"Enough talk. Come on," Qin Xuan beckoned him with a wave.

A flash of cunning glinted beneath Kato’s tousled hair. With a swift step, he crossed the ten-meter gap between them almost instantly!

"Not bad speed. But still not enough," Qin Xuan remarked, standing his ground as immovable as a mountain.

Swish!

Kato leaped lightly, spinning into a roundhouse kick aimed at Qin Xuan’s neck.

Smack!

Qin Xuan raised a single hand to block, then drew a semicircle with his arm in a Tai Chi movement, dissipating the force with ease.

"Underestimating your opponent is your greatest mistake," Kato sneered again, and finally unleashed his hidden killing move.

A cold gleam flashed—he drew a dagger from his jacket!

"Remember my name—Shinji Kato!"

Bang!

Kato was sent flying backward, vomiting blood.

"Ha! Is this your so-called master?"

"Too weak! Utterly helpless!"

"Brother Jian, you’re invincible!"

The students cheered once more, but this time, Qin Xuan’s expression grew solemn. He realized that Kato was no ordinary man—not just his speed, but his attack technique...

"A ninja?" Qin Xuan narrowed his eyes in thought.

He did not bother to blame Kato for suddenly using a dagger. After all, in his past adventures with his master, he had encountered far more sinister foes in the battles against demons.

Besides, aside from Qin Xuan himself, no one had even noticed the cold glint of the dagger.

"Your... your skill is impressive."

Kato coughed up blood as he struggled to his feet, his gaze toward Qin Xuan now tinged with respect.

"Whatever your identity, if you want to run wild on Chinese soil, you’d better measure your own worth first," Qin Xuan said coolly. "Go now, and remember what I said—China is a land of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Someone like you can’t stir up much trouble."

The affairs of the cultivation world were not suitable for public discussion, so Qin Xuan simply gave him a warning.

"Haha! Hidden dragons and crouching tigers? Are you joking? Besides you, I really don’t see—" Kato swept his gaze around, then laughed uproariously.

The crowd of students bristled with indignation, their faces full of anger. Yet none dared to act, for attacking foreign students at school would bring severe punishment.

Ordinary students simply couldn’t afford the risk.

"And as for you," Kato looked at Qin Xuan again, "in the end, you too will fall before the might of the Land of the Rising Sun. Ha!"

"Get lost already!" Qin Xuan frowned.

"Hmph. Let’s go!" Kato snorted and turned to leave. The limping Osaka and the injured Honda hurried after him, not daring to linger for a moment.

Only then did Qin Xuan find the chance to look around the basketball court to see how the basketball team captain, Chen Yuchen, was faring. To his surprise, the situation on the court had been completely reversed in such a short time.

The foreign students in white shirts were all sprawled on the ground, groaning, while the basketball players surrounded them, raining down blows—a most satisfying sight.

From the discussions around him, Qin Xuan learned that this was a trap set by Chen Yuchen himself. He had used himself as bait to lure out the foreign students, then had the rest of the basketball team ambush them.

It was the only way—they had scattered after the initial attack, making it impossible to avenge their teammate otherwise.

Chen Yuchen wiped the blood from his mouth and walked over to Qin Xuan.

"Qin Xuan, is it? You’re a real man," Chen said, giving a surprised glance at Dongfang Qingwan, though he didn’t dwell on it. "We still have unfinished business between us, but for now, since we’ve both fought the foreign students, we’ll have a hard time explaining ourselves to the school. For the moment, we should join forces. What do you say?"

"Whatever you like. I never go looking for trouble," Qin Xuan replied coolly, then shot a glance at Dongfang Qingwan, and the two of them left the court together.

Watching them go, Chen Yuchen smiled to himself. He had not expected that in his conflict with the foreign students, the only one to lend a helping hand would be Qin Xuan.

"From now on, leave Qin Xuan alone. Also, be prepared for disciplinary action," Chen said to his teammates, his expression darkening.

"Brother Chen, will we... will we be expelled?" one of the basketball team members asked softly, his family being in difficult circumstances. Beating up foreign students felt good, but the consequences were not easy to bear.

"Don’t worry. We’re special recruits—they won’t go so far as expulsion. And even if it comes to that, I’ll do my best to shield you. But..." Chen Yuchen thought of Qin Xuan.

If the school decided to expel Qin Xuan, should he step in to help?