James Carter made a pose like an old bear hugging a tree, standing firm, breathing in the pattern of three long and one short, his exhalations carrying far into the distance.

Meanwhile, Anna Sullivan was leisurely sitting on a wide sun lounger, wearing a pair of sunglasses and a sky-blue shirt tied in a neat knot at the bottom, subtly revealing her snow-white, crystal-clear belly button. She wore light-colored, knee-length skinny jeans, her long jade-like legs and graceful curves enough to make any man drool.

Anna Sullivan's outfit was both fashionable and carried a fresh, bright vibe. However, her aura was somewhat mysterious, lacking any sense of approachability.

Watching James Carter standing there practicing the "Bear Shoulders" stance from Xingyi boxing, Anna Sullivan picked up the chilled lemonade from the small white round table beside her and took a small sip through a straw. Her large sunglasses hid her eyes, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking. Occasionally, she tapped her slender fingers on the table, producing a "teng! teng! teng!" sound.

Dragon, tiger, monkey, horse, rooster, bear, hawk, swallow, eagle, snake—these are the ten forms of Xingyi. James Carter moved slowly through each posture, coordinating his breathing, uniting mind and intent, intent and fist. With every movement of his hands, feet, knees, hips, head, waist, and back, and with each breath, James Carter felt his internal organs moving along with his body. It was as if several streams of energy were flowing through him, some warm, some cool—a sensation he had never experienced while practicing Iron Sand Palm.

Iron Sand Palm trains the muscles, bones, and skin, emphasizing strength, dominance, and unstoppable force. Internal martial arts refine the body and mind, consciousness, organs, meridians, regulate blood and qi, incorporating medical principles, focusing on momentum, gentleness, continuity, accumulating softness into strength, the unity of water and fire, the harmony of yin and yang, and the cycle of the five elements.

After several rounds, James Carter suddenly felt a dull pain in his lungs, as if sand was rubbing inside, dry and uncomfortable. After half a month of practicing Xingyi Liuhe Boxing with Anna Sullivan, he had finally learned the breathing techniques and the secret of coordinating breath with movement. The benefits were unimaginable. However, recently, whenever he moved his lungs, this sensation would arise, growing stronger each time.

"In the end, I've still injured my lungs!" Practicing Iron Palm meant constantly grabbing and striking iron sand, consuming physical strength. With heavy breathing over the years, it was inevitable to inhale large amounts of iron sand dust, which accumulated in the lungs—an unavoidable problem.

With his lungs feeling extremely uncomfortable, James Carter gritted his teeth and began practicing intensely, as if trying to force out all the accumulated dust from his lungs through vigorous movement.

Hoo! Hoo! James Carter's breathing suddenly grew much rougher, as if his throat was stuffed with cotton. His movements became faster and faster, his face reddening like a pig's liver, as if all the blood in his body was rushing upward. Frowning, she took off her sunglasses and lunged forward, slapping James Carter's back in a split second!

James Carter suddenly felt a surge of fresh blood in his lungs, rising instantly to his throat! "Cough! Spit!" He spat out a large mouthful of thick, bloody phlegm, filled with countless tiny black specks.

"Chronic lung disease needs slow recuperation. If I hadn't done that, in less than thirty years, you'd definitely be a tuberculosis patient!" Anna Sullivan shot James Carter a glare. She returned to the sun lounger, took another sip of lemonade, and popped an ice cube into her mouth, making her teeth clack.

"I know that too! But there's nothing I can do. Training the external without the internal is ultimately empty. By the way, didn't you go to work today?" James Carter took a deep breath, feeling much better in his lungs, then turned to ask.

"I'm on vacation these few days. Next month, I have a tricky case to handle." Anna Sullivan rubbed her forehead. After half a month together, James Carter had learned a bit about her, and seeing this, he knew she was facing something difficult.

Ever since James Carter killed someone in the street and attacked a police officer, getting arrested, Anna Sullivan had used her position to take over the case and get him out. It had been half a month now. To avoid trouble, James Carter had been staying in this luxurious villa in the upscale neighborhood, watching Anna Sullivan come and go busily every day, not knowing what she was up to.

The Lü family, like the Wang family, had a touch of aristocracy—one in politics, the other in business. The Lü family held considerable power in Beijing, controlling some military and political authority, with deep-rooted status, but as the saying goes, a tall tree catches the wind, and they had plenty of enemies. Anna Sullivan's department was both mysterious and ordinary: the Ministry of State Security, generally handling emergencies and directly under the central government. This time, Anna Sullivan was assigned to a local post to gain grassroots experience before returning to Beijing for promotion.

Even so, it wasn't easy for Anna Sullivan to pull James Carter's case file from the criminal police squad, and the Wang family had spent a lot of money and effort. Of course, all of this was done behind the scenes, and James Carter, the person involved, knew nothing about it. Even though he had an inkling, he couldn't be bothered to ask—he never cared about such things.

Anna Sullivan was not only beautiful but also a high-ranking official's daughter. Back in Beijing, she was constantly pursued by a crowd of rich playboys and young masters, which annoyed her to no end. This time, she killed two birds with one stone: she got some peace and quiet and conveniently solved James Carter's problem. With the case in her hands, she could drag it out for a year or two until it faded away.

"Do you want me to help?"