Chapter 41: Advice from the Former World Number One

Under normal circumstances, Jin Genryu (Chin Gentsai) would undoubtedly have teamed up with his two disciples. However, some of his friends were also planning to participate this time, leaving him torn over who he should partner with. If he did not bring his two disciples along, he would have to find them another teammate. Yet among the people Jin Genryu knew, very few had both the connection and the qualifications to enter the King of Fighters tournament.

Figures like Chang Koehan and Choi Bounge were essentially villains. If he were to let his two apprentices team up with them, Jin Genryu figured that by the time the tournament concluded, he would likely be visiting Sie Kensou and Athena Asamiya in prison.

Just as Jin Genryu was agonizing over how to form his team, Sie Kensou walked into the dojo accompanied by Lin Bei.

Jin Genryu had been able to spot the latent potential in Athena Asamiya and Sie Kensou when they were just children, and naturally, he could also perceive Lin Bei's extraordinary nature. At a single glance, he discerned that this young man harbored several distinct types of energy within his body, and even his breathing rhythm possessed a unique cadence. This rhythm kept Lin Bei's muscles and internal circulation in a state of high vitality, which would inevitably enhance his physical constitution over time.

Now eighty-nine years old, Jin Genryu had traveled the globe in his youth, witnessing all sorts of individuals and powers, yet this was his first time encountering someone as peculiar as Lin Bei. Despite possessing multiple conflicting energies within his body, Lin Bei maintained an eerie equilibrium among them. When he first met Athena Asamiya and Sie Kensou, he had been astonished by their immense potential; but upon meeting Lin Bei now, astonishment gave way to sheer apprehension. Given time, this youth might well surpass the heirs of the Yagami and Kusanagi clans from across the sea in the island nation.

While Jin Genryu was looking Lin Bei up and down, Lin Bei was likewise scrutinizing the white-haired, white-bearded old man with a prominent red nose. Even from a distance of three or four meters, Lin Bei could smell the reek of alcohol emanating from Jin Genryu. Moreover, the old man sat swaying as if he might topple over at any second—it was hard to believe someone in this state was once hailed as the world's finest.

The old man and the youth appraised one another in silence for a long moment. Finally, Jin Genryu grinned, revealing a row of large, yellowed teeth, and said, "Young friend, care for a sparring match?"

Lin Bei's mouth twitched slightly at these words. He knew Jin Genryu was a thoroughly eccentric old rascal, but he had not expected him to propose a spar upon their very first meeting. Wasn't this brazenly bullying the junior?

Back in the island nation, Lin Bei had already been holding back a reservoir of frustration after dealing with the Death God elementary schooler and Ryu's crew. Now that he had returned to his homeland, only to discover that a hitherto unknown relative of his was also a character from the King of Fighters universe, if he continued to swallow his grievances, wouldn't his transmigration have been in vain?

The corners of Lin Bei's mouth curled upward slightly as he replied, "You're on!"

Jin Genryu took a swig from his gourd, beckoned to Lin Bei, and said, "Come at me!"

Lin Bei withdrew his right leg, adjusted his breathing, and concentrated all his strength into his lower limb.

*Snap!*

A thunderous explosion suddenly reverberated through the arena, and Lin Bei's figure vanished from the spot.

Sie Kensou, who had been standing right beside Lin Bei, suddenly widened his eyes. He hadn't caught Lin Bei's movement at all; in the blink of an eye, the person was simply gone. Even Jin Genryu was startled by Lin Bei's velocity and instantly turned serious. Just as he raised his arms, a tremendous force struck him, catching him entirely off guard and sending him stumbling backward three or four steps before he managed to steady himself.

"Hung Gar?"

"Precisely!"

With a brief acknowledgment, Lin Bei launched his next assault. Lacking a weapon in hand, neither the thirteen forms of the Sun Breathing style nor the Thirteen Swords of Shimen could be executed to their full potential, so he chose to employ the traditional martial arts he had inherited from the civilian martial world.

Hung Gar emphasized firm stances and powerful bridges, driving force with breath and reinforcing might with sound. Without assuming any elaborate posture, Lin Bei let out an explosive shout and lunged at Jin Genryu once more.

Watching Lin Bei execute familiar fist routines, Jin Genryu involuntarily thought of an old friend. Yet the Hung Gar in Lin Bei's hands seemed to carry even greater momentum than what he was accustomed to, and each strike was imbued with a peculiar, piercing jin (internal power). Every blow landed with the force of a thunderclap.

Delighted to find a worthy opponent, Jin Genryu refrained from resorting to his trump card—his Drunken Fist—and instead matched Lin Bei using Hung Gar. As a grandmaster of pugilism well-versed in various ancient Chinese martial arts, Jin Genryu executed Hung Gar with a unique charm of his own, though it lacked Lin Bei's overwhelming momentum.

The two engaged in a fierce exchange of hard blows, their resounding shouts echoing throughout the entire dojo.

At the side, Sie Kensou watched with undivided attention. He had known his older cousin understood a bit of kung fu, but he had never imagined he could be this formidable. Although Sie Kensou felt that the strength Lin Bei was currently displaying was still no match for his own, he himself had trained since childhood under Jin Genryu, the former world number one. If Lin Bei had similarly received guidance from supreme masters, his ultimate achievements might not fall short of his own.

In the training hall, after trading blows with Jin Genryu for a while, Lin Bei realized that the old man was deliberately testing his kung fu. He decided to go all out; after all, the old man was no villain, and agreeing to fight implied a willingness to offer pointers. If he could manage to learn that legendary Drunken Fist technique in the process, it would be all the better.

Having finished a complete set of Hung Gar routines, Lin Bei picked up a feathered duster used for cleaning to serve as a makeshift weapon, executing the Fatal Ringing Three Immortals Swords. This sword technique originated from *The Smiling, Proud Wanderer* and was a specialty of the Mount Hua Sword Sect. Consisting of merely three forms executed in rapid, continuous succession, the whole set flowed together as one.

In the eyes of Sie Kensou watching from the sidelines, whenever the feathered duster in Lin Bei's hands threatened to pierce Jin Genryu, the old man would invariably evade it by a hair's breadth, only highlighting Jin Genryu's extraordinary skill.

Realizing that the Fatal Ringing Three Immortals Swords could not subdue Jin Genryu, Lin Bei switched to the Thirteen Swords of Shimen. Fueled by his consummate Wudang internal energy, the feathered duster in Lin Bei's grip spun into a blur of illusions. Every thrust aimed directly at the Shenmen pressure point on Jin Genryu's wrist; if an ordinary martial artist skilled in fist techniques were to face Lin Bei like this, they would likely lose the use of both hands on the spot.

By this point, Jin Genryu's face was etched with astonishment. After Lin Bei had struck him using the Thunderclap Flash technique, he had already been surprised by such an unprecedented movement method. Following that came the Hung Gar and then the swordsmanship—these unconventional attacking methods continually provided him with pleasant surprises.

Having once more dodged the feathered duster lunging for his wrist, Jin Genryu began his counterattack. He took a draught of wine from his gourd, and his entire demeanor shifted instantly; his footwork grew even more erratic and ethereal than before.

As Lin Bei thrust the feathered duster forward again, Jin Genryu hurled his wine gourd directly at Lin Bei's face. Left with no alternative, Lin Bei was forced to retract his attack and dodge.

At that exact instant, Jin Genryu closed the distance. Lin Bei caught a sudden rush of alcoholic fumes entering his nostrils. Before he could react, Jin Genryu slammed directly into his chest, sending him flying backward.

Managing to land at last, Lin Bei dropped to one knee, rubbing his bruised chest in pain. Having harnessed powers from multiple worlds, this was his first time being driven to such a sorry state. Although he had suppressed his breathing technique, even if he had fully unleashed it, the outcome likely wouldn't have been much better.

What made Jin Genryu superior to Lin Bei was not his repertoire of techniques, but his mastery over force and his terrifying physical conditioning. Such formidable physical might simply had no business belonging to an eighty or ninety-year-old man.

No wonder, despite his advanced age, he still harbored ambitions of entering the King of Fighters tournament.