Chapter Forty-Four: The Glorious Dragon Knights (Part One)

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Qin Anyi truly hadn't expected Wang Yiran to be so cunning. First, she distracted him with those heart-pounding words, then, without warning, launched a direct attack. Such petty tricks, however, had little effect on Qin Anyi—Kirin's computational and analytical abilities were simply too monstrous.

"Shift left thirteen centimeters, turn your body seventy-five degrees, bend your knees and prepare."

Following the data Kirin projected into his mind, Qin Anyi executed a precise evasive maneuver.

After reconstructing his body through Kirin, Qin Anyi found that his control over his own body had improved tremendously. This degree of control allowed him to manipulate every point of his body with exquisite precision; his movements could be confined, and perfectly stable, within the span of mere centimeters! Without any training, Qin Anyi could perform the most challenging mechanical dance simply by virtue of this uncanny control. Even though he had never actually danced before, he was extremely confident about it.

Whether in dance or in combat, at the root, it all came down to control over one’s body. Having undergone Kirin’s transformation, Qin Anyi already possessed that foundation.

When Qin Anyi dodged her punch, Wang Yiran showed no sign of surprise. She simply followed through, lifting her knee in a strike aimed at Qin Anyi’s torso. Qin Anyi sidestepped again, evading her attack by the narrowest of margins...

"That was a good knee strike, but you put in three percent too much force—it'll slow your follow-up," Qin Anyi commented, even as he continued to dodge.

Once Wang Yiran realized Qin Anyi was only evading and had no intention to attack, she abandoned any thought of defense, unleashing her full strength. Yet no matter how swift or relentless her attacks, Qin Anyi slipped away with ease, his evasions never large or showy—just the smallest adjustments, enough to dissolve Wang Yiran’s every assault.

Five minutes passed in this storm of fists and feet before Wang Yiran’s movements finally slowed. She stood, panting heavily, her stamina utterly spent. Though she maintained a calm expression as she looked at Qin Anyi, inwardly she was shaken to her core.

Five minutes—fists and kicks flying—and not a single blow had landed on Qin Anyi! Every attack missed its mark. What was even more astonishing, Wang Yiran noticed, was that though Qin Anyi kept moving, his feet had never left a circle with a diameter of just half a meter.

Most incredible of all, every evasion was calculated to be just enough—no more, no less—to avoid her strikes. This subtlety exerted tremendous pressure on Wang Yiran. In actual combat, such micro-evasions would grant Qin Anyi countless opportunities for counterattack. His judgment and bodily control were so formidable, it left her speechless.

Gasping for breath, sweat pouring from her body, Wang Yiran grit her teeth and asked, "How can I hit you?"

Qin Anyi shrugged. He hadn’t spent much energy; his evasions, though quick, were minimal in scale, and his exertion was far less than Wang Yiran’s.

"Well," he began, "while taekwondo techniques do enhance your destructive power to a degree, they also limit your overall strength. Combat is affected by the environment, your opponent, your own condition, and other unpredictable factors. That means, in a real fight, you need adaptability and the ability to maximize your power in any circumstance. Relying too much on technique can become an obstacle. Technique is important—it’s the medium for expressing strength—but it shouldn’t become rigid. You need to integrate all techniques. Studying taekwondo doesn’t mean you can’t use close-quarters judo moves. Ultimately, all techniques should serve real combat."

Wang Yiran blinked, listening intently to Qin Anyi’s explanation. Though simple, his words seemed to open a window in her heart, and all the things that had previously tangled together in her mind suddenly became clear.

That’s right! For over ten years, she had gotten it wrong. Her ultimate goal was to become stronger—that was why she trained, why she learned all these fighting skills. Yet, little by little, she had let herself be confined by those same skills, always striving for perfection without distraction, forgetting that true strength was the goal. Combat should be diverse, not restricted to a single discipline.

"Thank you for your guidance," Wang Yiran said earnestly, bowing slightly.

"Let's continue. From now on, arrange your training schedule: up at five every morning for about two hours of basic training, then spar with me during this time in the evening. Also, I suggest you get some weighted vests. They don’t need to be too heavy—just enough to make you feel the effort."

Qin Anyi thought for a moment and added, "That’s all for now. Since your foundation isn’t fully built, there’s no point in adding more. Oh, and you should let me know exactly what level you want to reach in a year, so I can adjust your training as needed."

"The weighted vests and schedule are fine, but as for giving you a clear target..." Wang Yiran pressed her lips together, hesitating. This was the first time Qin Anyi had seen such a conflicted expression on her face, and he couldn’t help but be curious. "What’s wrong? Is there a problem?"

"Not really a problem, just a bit complicated," Wang Yiran replied, tilting her head thoughtfully. Then she said, "Earlier I mentioned something about my family background. When the time is right, I’ll tell you—it relates to all this."

"Well, if that’s the case, let’s leave it for now. If we don’t have a reference point, we’ll just have to imagine one," Qin Anyi said, genuinely curious but aware that this likely touched on secrets ordinary people weren’t meant to know.

But Wang Yiran sighed. "Actually, your physical and mental performance these days already meets the standard for being informed of these matters. Plus, your family background for three generations is clean. However, the information is strictly confidential and subject to special regulations. Once you know, you must keep it secret—you can’t reveal anything to outsiders without permission."

Qin Anyi blinked, scratching his head with a wry smile. "If it’s that much trouble, maybe it’s better not to tell me. Ignorance is bliss—I don’t want my peaceful life shattered."

"You’ve spent two nights at my house already. Many people must know by now. It’s not something you can just walk away from," Wang Yiran said with a brilliant smile. "Did you think I’d let you earn that ten thousand so easily?"

Qin Anyi was dumbfounded. "But... I’m just your tutor! I didn’t say I was selling myself for ten thousand!"

"Exactly. Ten thousand for a knight—that’s quite a bargain," Wang Yiran laughed, her smile dazzling. Under its radiance, everything else seemed to fade into insignificance, and for a moment, Qin Anyi forgot to refute her words.

"Anyi, have you ever heard of the Order of the Glorious Dragon Knights?"