The news spread faster than Dao Chi had expected.
The next morning, the village was filled with whispers.
"Did you hear?"
"Dao Chi took Wang Li down yesterday."
"Without using Haka."
"Impossible."
"I saw it with my own eyes."
"But Wang Li possesses Water Haka, and his talent is higher than Dao Chi's."
The words passed from one person to another.
As for Dao Chi, he walked through the streets as though he had heard nothing.
He was not interested in his reputation.
At least, not yet.
He was thinking about training.
Earth Haka.
Three energy stones.
And a weak body.
Those were his current resources.
"A lack of resources isn't a problem."
He stopped for a moment.
"The problem is that I still don't know the limits of this body."
And that was exactly what he wanted to discover.
In the training grounds, Wang Li stood before a group of youths.
His face was grim.
His arm bore more signs of anger than of yesterday's fall.
One of his friends approached him.
"Let it go."
Wang Li raised his eyes.
"You want me to let him humiliate me?"
"He didn't humiliate you."
"He knocked me down in front of everyone."
His friend fell silent.
Wang Li came from one of the village's powerful families.
He was not accustomed to being ignored.
Then he heard a voice behind him.
"Dao Chi is here."
Everyone turned.
Dao Chi entered the training grounds.
His steps were calm.
He did not look at Wang Li.
That alone caused the anger in Wang Li's eyes to intensify.
"Dao Chi."
Dao Chi stopped.
He turned toward him.
"What?"
Wang Li approached.
"You were lucky yesterday."
Dao Chi did not respond.
"Are you afraid to do it again?"
Dao Chi looked at him for several seconds.
Then he said:
"No."
Silence descended.
Wang Li smiled.
"Good."
He pointed toward the training grounds.
"Then let's test that."
Dao Chi raised an eyebrow.
"Now?"
"Now."
Dao Chi looked around.
Most of the youths had stopped training.
Everyone was waiting.
Even the instructor was watching from a distance.
He did not intervene.
He wanted to see what would happen.
Dao Chi thought for a moment.
Then stepped forward.
"Fine."
The two stood in the center of the training grounds.
The instructor said:
"I don't want any serious injuries."
Then he looked at Wang Li.
"And use Haka only after I give you permission."
Wang Li nodded.
Dao Chi remained silent.
The instructor raised his hand.
"Begin."
Wang Li charged first.
His speed was greater than anyone expected.
He closed the distance quickly and threw a direct punch toward Dao Chi's face.
But Dao Chi moved only half a step.
The fist passed beside his face.
At the same moment, Dao Chi grabbed Wang Li's wrist.
Wang Li tried to pull his arm away.
But Dao Chi did not let him.
He pushed his shoulder.
Wang Li lost his balance.
He quickly retreated.
This time, he did not charge again.
Instead, he began circling Dao Chi.
Dao Chi noticed.
"Better."
Wang Li had learned.
He was no longer leaving his footing exposed.
Dao Chi smiled.
"So you are capable of learning."
Wang Li grew furious.
"Don't talk as if you're my teacher!"
He charged again.
This time, his movements were more cautious.
But he did not know that Dao Chi was waiting for something else.
A moment when his defense opened.
And that moment came.
Wang Li raised his arm slightly too high.
Dao Chi moved.
A short punch.
It stopped just inches before Wang Li's face.
Yet the force of the air it displaced sent Wang Li staggering backward.
Silence descended.
One of the youths whispered:
"He didn't use Haka..."
But this time, Wang Li did not retreat.
He shouted:
"Water Haka!"
Energy surged through his body.
A layer of water formed around his arm.
Everyone's expressions changed.
The instructor shouted:
"Wang Li! I didn't give you permission—"
But it was already too late.
Wang Li charged.
This time, his fist was heavier.
Faster.
Stronger.
Dao Chi raised his hand.
A golden aura appeared around his arm.
Earth Haka.
The two fists collided.
A wave of energy exploded outward.
Dao Chi stepped back once.
Wang Li, however, staggered back two steps.
The two stared at each other.
Dao Chi looked at his arm.
It was trembling slightly.
"So this is the true power of Haka."
He was not afraid.
He was excited.
Finally...
He was beginning to understand.
He smiled.
Wang Li mistook his smile for mockery.
He roared and charged again.
But this time...
Dao Chi did not wait for him.
He moved toward him.
One step.
Then another.
He concentrated Earth Haka into his legs.
Then he launched forward.
For a moment, he disappeared from Wang Li's sight.
Wang Li's eyes widened.
"What—?"
Dao Chi appeared beside him.
Then struck him in the chest with his palm.
The blow was not powerful.
But it was precise.
Wang Li lost his balance and fell to the ground.
Silence filled the training grounds.
Dao Chi raised his hand.
The golden aura of Earth Haka faded.
Then he said:
"It's over."
No one moved.
As for the instructor...
He stared at Dao Chi.
This time, it was not merely good control.
He had seen something else.
Dao Chi was learning during the fight.
Every move Wang Li made...
Dao Chi adapted to it.
That kind of talent had not appeared in the Red Stone.
The instructor raised his eyes.
"Where did this young man learn to fight?"
As for Dao Chi, he was thinking about something entirely different.
He had found his first answer.
Earth Haka was not as slow as he had thought.
The problem was not the Haka.
It was the way he used it.
He looked at his hand.
Then smiled.
"Now I'm beginning to understand."
He did not know that this small battle...
would be the first step toward spreading the name Dao Chi beyond the circle of his own generation.