Sharp Tongue

Underground.

Xie Xu had already descended from the suspended room above.

Tu Ran rubbed her shoulder and asked, "So this is what you call training me?"

Xie Xu neither confirmed nor denied. Instead, he asked, "Did you learn all this recently?"

"Half and half, I guess. Some of it I trained for in Regaken State, and some of it relies on muscle memory."

Her original body's muscle memory.

"You're a quick learner," Xie Xu acknowledged her ability.

"So what are you going to teach me next?"

"Get on the ring and spar with me." Xie Xu finished speaking and headed toward the ring.

Another match? She'd just expended so much stamina and hadn't recovered yet.

Plus, her shoulder hurt and her face hurt.

"Shouldn't we rest for a bit?"

"No need. I'll just exchange some pointers with you."

"Oh."

That was acceptable. Tu Ran happily stepped onto the ring.

Then she realized she'd been deceived.

What Xie Xu called exchanging pointers meant communicating through fists.

A punch landed right on the half of her face that wasn't already swollen.

Tu Ran spat out a mouthful of viscous blood.

"Your reaction speed is too slow. When a fist comes at you, you meet it with your face. Are you afraid your left and right sides aren't symmetrical enough?"

His sharp tongue infuriated her so much she wanted to spit blood again.

Next round.

An elbow slammed into her spine.

Tu Ran dropped to her knees with a thud.

Crisp and clean.

Her back burned with pain.

Xie Xu commented coldly, "Do you think your backbone is harder than my elbow? You could have blocked my attack with your arms just now!"

Tu Ran: "..."

Wasn't she trying to dodge by turning around?! Who knew he'd be so fast, and she'd exposed her back.

Served her right!

She struggled to her feet and continued the next round.

A leg kicked her square in the chest.

Tu Ran flew off like a torn sack, was caught by the ropes at the edge of the ring, bounced back, and landed on the ground seated.

The people who'd been beaten by Tu Ran earlier but weren't seriously injured and had stayed to watch felt sheer bliss at the sight.

Yes! Brother Xie was avenging them!

Weren't you being cocky? Go ahead and stay cocky then.

Tu Ran was too tired to stand anymore.

Xie Xu's voice came from afar. "Get up. Continue."

Tu Ran shook her head. "No way. I'm tired."

Her whole body ached now, like she'd been run over by a car back and forth, and every bone in her body felt crushed to pieces.

Xie Xu walked over and looked down at her. "That was only three rounds. At this rate, when will you ever get better?"

Tu Ran flopped down in defeat and shook her head. "I really can't do it. Give me ten minutes to rest."

With that, she lay down flat, closed her eyes, and gave up completely.

Xie Xu was taken aback by her move, his brows knitting into a deep knot. He clearly hadn't expected Tu Ran to have so little perseverance.

The onlookers below the ring were stunned by her behavior as well.

She just lies down like that?! That bold?!

Does she really not take Brother Xie seriously at all?

They could already feel the low pressure radiating from Xie Xu, and they feared he might blow his top.

Barely two minutes after she lay down with her eyes shut, Tu Ran jolted with a start and scrambled quickly to her feet on the ring.

In that split second, she'd seen a vision of being pummeled by Xie Xu.

Blood gushing from her nose, her face bruised black and blue, ribs fractured, and herself carried up to the small clinic above.

If she lay there any longer, that would be her fate.

"Researcher Xie, I'm rested. Let's start." Tu Ran put on an ugly smile with an excellent attitude, showing none of her earlier arrogance.