Pokemon: I refuse to be a supporting character!

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Due to Li Xiang's long-standing "favoritism" and the diligent efforts of both sides, Frogadier and Torracat's energy levels had been rising at an astonishing rate.

Among them, Torracat's growth speed was still relatively fast—originally gaining about one level per month, but now it had shortened by a few days, becoming even slightly quicker.

Frogadier's growth speed, however, was downright exhilarating, almost explosive.

It was worth noting that the level data Li Xiang had recorded on New Year's Eve was outdated because, due to his hand injury, he hadn't used the level scanner during those two days.

When he later had Riolu help record the data on the computer, he discovered that Frogadier had already reached Level 31.

New Year's Eve was in mid-March.

By the end of March, Frogadier had leveled up again, reaching Level 32.

Torracat, meanwhile, had reached Level 34.

The latter's lack of evolution left Li Xiang somewhat frustrated—he had missed a perfect opportunity.

Song Jie, on the other hand, hadn't reacted at all, and Li Xiang wasn't sure if he had figured things out.

As for his injuries, his left hand had fully recovered, while his right hand still needed a bit more time. But as long as he didn't lift heavy objects or maintain a tight grip for extended periods, it wasn't a problem.

Finally, with his mother's permission, Li Xiang was allowed to return to the dojo to continue his martial arts training.

Honestly, after nearly a month without seeing his senior sisters, he missed them quite a bit.

Upon arriving at the dojo, Li Xiang realized that Duan Tianxing wasn't one to gossip. As a result, very few people knew why he had been injured or why he hadn't come to train for so long.

Jiang Shangrong had exchanged messages with him on WeChat and learned that he had suffered an accident that injured his hands.

Thus, for a short period, he became the object of care from his senior brothers and sisters.

Even Second Senior Sister stopped teasing him as much.

Although he had always been looked after, this level of blatant doting was a first, leaving him somewhat flattered.

However, there was something strange—whenever his senior sisters or Duan Tianxing saw him, they would frown slightly and give him an extra glance before speaking to him.

It was as if they found him… off-putting.

This continued until the afternoon when he went to Jiang Shangrong's house for extra training. After seeing the same expression for the third time, Li Xiang couldn't hold back any longer.

"Senior Sister, is there something I'm doing wrong?" he asked, tilting his head slightly and looking at her sideways. "You, Master, and the others all seem to have this… expression when you see me."

He didn't finish his sentence.

Jiang Shangrong frowned again upon hearing this, walked over, lifted his head, and adjusted it so that his face was directly facing hers. Only then did she say, "There, that looks better."

"Right, right! I was wondering why this kid seemed off today—he's been looking at people sideways, like some gloomy shadow. It's making him seem so unapproachable," Qi Sunsun chimed in, giving his shoulder a firm pat. "Where'd you pick up this bad habit? Fix it quickly, or your senior sister won't like you anymore."

'Looking at people sideways?'

Li Xiang was stunned—he hadn't even noticed this habit. "I—"

"There's unresolved anger in your heart," Jiang Shangrong interrupted, pressing a hand against his chest. "The way you've been punching lately—it's full of aggression. Can't you feel it?"

Li Xiang lowered his stance and stared blankly at his hands. "No, not really."

"How many balloons can you sense with the Three-Blind Perception Method now?" Jiang Shangrong asked.

"Twenty," Li Xiang replied. He had just tested it earlier.

Jiang Shangrong's expression turned stern. "Before winter break, you told me you could sense twenty-eight."

"But my hands—"

"The Three-Blind Perception Method has nothing to do with your hands. You know that, don't you? Right now, you're impatient and scattered. If this continues, all the mental discipline you've built up will crumble."

Her voice was heavy. "Junior Brother, the past is the past. Maybe something recently has forced you to rush forward, but some things can't be hurried. Only by staying calm and steady can you see things through to the end."

'She could tell all that just from this?'

Li Xiang glanced at Qi Sunsun, who nodded in agreement with Jiang Shangrong's words.

Well… truthfully, Li Xiang was a bit slow on the uptake. Even though Jiang Shangrong thought she had explained it plainly, he still didn't have a sudden epiphany.

"…Senior Sister, I really don't feel any anger in me. I am a little impatient, but that's only when it comes to training my Pokémon… and even then, I wouldn't call it impatience…"

He hesitated before speaking slowly.

The two senior sisters exchanged glances.

"Then let's do this—hit me with your left fist," Jiang Shangrong said, stepping back and placing a hand on her chest. "I'll hit back, so be prepared."

Li Xiang was confused and looked at Qi Sunsun again, only to find that she had already stepped aside, assuming the role of a spectator.

"Don't hesitate. Strike."

Jiang Shangrong's voice was low. "If you don't throw a punch, I will."

The moment she finished speaking—

Her front foot stomped hard against the ground as she completed the exhale in an instant, closing the distance like lightning and driving her elbow toward Li Xiang's chin!

'Forward Step Elbow Strike!'

Li Xiang staggered back two steps in shock, planting his feet in a firm stance while raising his right hand in a defensive posture, just in time to meet Jiang Shangrong's elbow!

Boom!

A dull impact reverberated through his arm, the force traveling all the way down to his feet. Caught off guard, Li Xiang lost his balance and landed hard on his backside.

He stared blankly at Jiang Shangrong, who was looking down at him from above. Out of nowhere, a surge of irritation and restlessness rose in his chest. He scrambled to his feet, settled into his stance, and—

Exhale. Rotate. Strike!

His left fist tore through the air with a sharp whoosh!

Yet Jiang Shangrong didn't dodge. Instead, she stepped forward, narrowly evading the punch.

Her fair, delicate face was suddenly inches from his.

Li Xiang could even feel her calm breath. If he were just a little taller, or if he leaned in just slightly, their lips would have touched.

Unsurprisingly, he froze in shock at her sudden proximity.

But this senior sister, who seemed completely unfazed by his presence as a male, simply stared quietly into his eyes.

Only when Li Xiang awkwardly averted his gaze did she step back and put distance between them again.

Nearby, Qi Sunsun—who would normally have started teasing by now—remained silent and instead asked Jiang Shangrong in a low voice, "Well?"

"Just as I suspected."

Jiang Shangrong let out a sigh before turning to Li Xiang with an unusually complicated expression. "Junior Brother… you've seen blood, haven't you?"

Though she phrased it as "seen blood," all three of them knew what she really meant.

"…Yeah." Li Xiang hesitated for a second before nodding slightly.

He wasn't sure how Jiang Shangrong had figured it out, but given her personality, if she was asking, she was already certain. Denying it would be pointless.

Qi Sunsun sighed. "Figures. The only thing that could change someone this much in just one break is something like that."

Strangely, the two didn't seem shocked—almost as if they had experience with this themselves.

To Li Xiang, that was unbelievable.

"Does Master know?" Jiang Shangrong asked.

Li Xiang nodded. "He does."

The two senior sisters exchanged another glance.

"This is troublesome. Back then, it took me a whole year to move past it," Qi Sunsun said, wrapping an arm around Li Xiang's shoulders sympathetically. "Having trouble sleeping at night?"

Li Xiang gave her a surprised look. "Senior Sister, you…?"

"While jogging alone at night, I ran into some scum. Couldn't hold back. You know what they say—'the martial artist's strength becomes a crime.' I was still young back then, didn't know how to control my strength, and… well, that's what happened."

She shrugged. "Luckily, they pulled knives on me. Plus, I—one punch!"

She held up a dainty fist for emphasis.

'Scum pulling knives. Senior Sister—one punch.'

It wasn't hard to figure out the rest.

Self-defense during a crime in progress. One punch was all it took—no more, no less. No one could find fault with that.

Li Xiang truly hadn't expected Qi Sunsun to have blood on her hands too. But what Jiang Shangrong said next shocked him even more.

"I held back, but I hit a vital point. Left them paralyzed," Jiang Shangrong said, looking troubled. "I was taken hostage in a bank… Eldest Senior Sister has had a similar experience too."

'Huh?!'

"Consider it a Zhenxing Dojo tradition. Once you start learning Beng Quan, trouble just finds you. Of course, there are exceptions—Duan Yu, Lu Chengfeng, and Wang Dong never went through it. We thought boys were exempt, so we assumed you wouldn't either."

Qi Sunsun bent down slightly and suddenly hugged Li Xiang. "Poor little Junior Brother… you must've been so scared, huh?"

'Holy crap, that's a lot to take in.'

Li Xiang silently complained before wriggling out of Qi Sunsun's embrace. He was still growing, and with his current irritability, her proximity was a bit too much for his teenage hormones.

She pouted playfully, grinning.

"…Junior Brother, for the next half-month, stop practicing the Three-Blind Perception Method," Jiang Shangrong said softly. "From now on, don't train anything except stance work. Just spar with me until that aggression fades."

"Eh?"

"The simplest way to get rid of aggression is to hit and be hit," Qi Sunsun explained. "Just hitting fuels it. Just getting hit fuels it. Only doing both at the same time can wear it down."

"You're lucky, Junior Brother. When I was going through this, I didn't have a senior sister to help me. Eldest Senior Sister was a mess herself back then."

She huffed. "And Master just kept saying, 'Endure it yourself—it's good for tempering your spirit.'"

"Was it actually good?" Li Xiang asked curiously.

"Oh, absolutely. My mental discipline skyrocketed after that. My Beng Quan and Yuanyang Hook both evolved during that time," Second Senior Sister said, sticking out her tongue mischievously.

Yikes.

Li Xiang suddenly felt tempted to tough it out on his own.

"Senior Sister!" Jiang Shangrong scolded, shooting Qi Sunsun a reproachful look before turning back to Li Xiang. "Don't just focus on the benefits. During that year, Senior Sister's mental state nearly collapsed. Her body almost gave out too."

"She went to a therapist countless times, but nothing helped. In the end, Master personally stepped in. During their spar, he shattered her confusion, and only then did she truly break through."

Qi Sunsun groaned. "'Shattered her confusion'? More like shattered both my arms, one leg, and two ribs! I was crying and begging for mercy, but he wouldn't stop! That man's ruthless! I had to stay in the hospital for three months!"

'Holy hell! Both arms and a leg?! Master, are you even human?! Beating your own disciple half to death!'

Li Xiang gulped involuntarily. "Uh, Senior Sister… you're not going to…?"

"No." Jiang Shangrong shook her head. "You're going to be a trainer. I know."

'Thank goodness.'

Li Xiang let out a sigh of relief.