"What did you just say?" Zhao Yujian's gaze unexpectedly landed on Li Yundong, rather than Su Chan, who had just ignited the collective anger of the crowd.

Li Yundong had no idea that even learning Taekwondo would be so difficult; he shot a helpless glance at Su Chan, then turned an even more frustrated look toward Zhao Yujian, who was now pushing through the crowd, his face contorted with rage as he descended.

Su Chan tilted her delicate face up; her features, a blend of refinement and allure, were etched with pride and disdain, as if she had just uttered an undeniable truth of the mortal realm.

Li Yundong felt a headache beginning to throb. This girl was nothing more than a walking disaster! Ever since he met her, trouble had been ceaseless!

Yet, he was unaware that throughout history, no man who kept a vixen by his side ever met a good end! History books clearly recorded that the greatest commonality among the infamous rulers Jie of Xia, Zhou of Shang, and You of Zhou was not that they were tyrannical fools, but that each had a nation-ruining temptress beside them...

Though Li Yundong didn't realize the beautiful young woman beside him was a little fox spirit, he did know that trouble had always followed women, and the prettier the woman, the greater the trouble—the two were directly proportional.

Li Yundong sighed, "I just wanted to learn Taekwondo... Is it necessary to make such a scene?"

Zhao Yujian sneered, stepping right up to him. "You have insulted Taekwondo. You must apologize!"

Before Li Yundong could speak, Su Chan interjected quickly, "Did I say something wrong? If this isn't just flashy but useless technique, then what is it? Yundong could take all of you with one hand!"

Damn it, do women inherently know how to stir up trouble? Li Yundong nearly leaped up to clamp a hand over Su Chan’s mouth.

Zhao Yujian burst into laughter born of pure fury, throwing his head back and roaring. He pointed toward the center of the practice area. "I'll wait for you there!"

With that, he stalked angrily toward the designated spot.

The students immediately parted to make way as he approached, their expressions varied—some furious, some eager for chaos, and others simply standing by, watching the show with placid indifference.

Li Yundong looked at Su Chan and lamented, "My dear lady, you truly think highly of me!"

Su Chan patted Li Yundong's shoulder, cheering him on. "It’s fine! Didn't you kick that last guy flying?"

Li Yundong wailed, "That wasn't a match! Zhao Yujian is the city champion, and I haven't trained a single day. You can’t seriously think I can beat him?"

Su Chan paused, thinking: That's true. Although Li Yundong has the protection of his Golden Elixir divine power, just taking hits won't suffice.

But her eyes quickly darted around, and she devised a brilliant plan. "I’ll tell you a move that guarantees victory."

Li Yundong leaned in curiously. "What is it?"

Su Chan declared, "When his fist comes, you strike his fist. When his leg kicks, you strike his leg."

Li Yundong heard this and was torn between laughter and tears. What kind of brilliant strategy was this? A guaranteed victory?

Zhao Yujian stood five meters away on the mat, gripping his black belt in both hands, sneering, "Are you finished talking? If I don't beat you into submission until you apologize today, my surname isn't Zhao!"

Li Yundong was stubborn by nature—soft words might work, but hard pressure never would. If Zhao Yujian had tried to reason with him, he likely would have apologized on Su Chan's behalf. But since this guy wanted to teach him a lesson with fists and feet, there was nothing more to say.

You might be tough, Zhao Yujian, but I’m not a pushover!

I won't lose face! I'll fight with everything I have!

Li Yundong’s eyebrows lifted; steeling his resolve, he strode forward purposefully.

As the two men reached the designated area, the surrounding students formed a perimeter along the white boundary line, some sitting, some standing. Even Zhou Qin and Ding Nan, usually aloof and detached within the school, stood up, their gazes intently fixed on the center.

"Who do you think will win?" Ding Nan couldn't help but ask Zhou Qin beside her.

Zhou Qin countered, "What do you think?"

Ding Nan considered it. "Although I find Zhao Yujian hypocritical and annoying, I still favor him. After all, his city championship title wasn't won by chance."

Zhou Qin offered a faint smile. "Care to make a bet?"

Ding Nan giggled. "What kind of bet?"

Zhou Qin’s eyes remained fixed on the mat, and he spoke casually, "My handbag. You’ve wanted it for a while, haven't you?"

Ding Nan’s eyes lit up. "The LV 09 limited edition fall handbag? Done! I bet on Zhao Yujian to win!"

Zhou Qin smiled sweetly. "I bet on Li Yundong to win."

Ding Nan looked at Zhou Qin, puzzled. "Why are you so sure this guy can win?"

Zhou Qin replied lightly, "Instinct."

Ding Nan let out a soft laugh. "I don't believe your instincts are always this accurate."

Zhou Qin merely smiled, his expression light and untroubled as he looked toward the center ring.

Zhao Yujian was already warming up his joints at the edge of the mat. He harbored no hint of underestimating his opponent; on the contrary, he scrutinized Li Yundong with extreme seriousness.

His cautious demeanor made several onlookers feel a touch of pity for Li Yundong, their gazes turning sympathetic. That poor guy is definitely going to get battered.

Only Su Chan, carefree as ever, cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone and shouted, "Li Yundong, go! You will definitely win!"

Li Yundong turned his face, managed a dry chuckle, and then turned back, constantly searching for that sensation—the internal heat he felt when he landed the heavy punch and sent Zeng Qing flying twice earlier. But now, the harder he tried to find it, the more elusive it became, flickering on and off like Duan Yu’s Six Meridian Divine Swords.

Before Li Yundong could locate that feeling, Zhao Yujian closed the distance, his eyes icy. "Are you ready?"

Forced onto the spot, Li Yundong braced himself. "I'm ready."

Since civility was shattered, Zhao Yujian saw no point in the superficial formality of pre-fight bows. He bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, circling Li Yundong.

Zhao Yujian lived up to his city champion status; his footwork was swift and nimble. His upper body swayed continuously, probing his opponent, while his legs crossed and uncrossed like scissors, each movement appearing powerful and coiled, ready to spring open like a folding knife.

The onlookers were dizzy just watching Zhao Yujian’s movement patterns, and a few star-struck girls gasped, "The Butterfly Step! It’s the Butterfly Step!"

Li Yundong watched Zhao Yujian dart around him. Despite his near-total lack of practical combat experience, he knew the most fundamental principle of fighting: follow the opponent’s rotation; never let your back be exposed, allowing an enemy an easy shot at your back or abdomen.

The two men circled each other for a while until Zhao Yujian grew impatient. Abandoning the probing, he suddenly executed a crossover step, flicked his right foot out—thwack—and unleashed a mid-level sweeping kick aimed at Li Yundong’s waist.

Zhao Yujian’s kick was swift and fierce; the fabric of his trousers whipped through the air with a crack. Li Yundong barely had time to react before a sharp pain shot through his waist, and he took the blow.

Feeling the impact, Li Yundong remembered the method Su Chan taught him, let out a low roar, and swung a punch toward Zhao Yujian’s foot.

But Zhao Yujian’s legwork was astonishingly fast. Immediately after connecting, he retracted the leg and launched another kick—thwack—landing solidly on Li Yundong’s opposite flank.

The instant he was hit, Li Yundong instinctively raised an arm to block, but as soon as he did, the other leg was already coming.

Zhao Yujian's two legs whipped out like lashes, fast as the wind, striking Li Yundong’s waist and abdomen again and again. The smack-smack sounds were chilling to the onlookers.

Ding Nan glanced smugly at Zhou Qin. "Looks like I’m getting a new bag!"

Zhou Qin remained unruffled. "The last laugh is the best laugh."

Just then, Li Yundong suddenly spun around, seemingly trying to flee backward. Zhao Yujian sneered coldly, sped up to catch him, and with a quick motion, pivoted his heel over his head, unleashing a ferocious, arcing kick raining down toward Li Yundong’s temple.

"Whoa!" The surrounding students shot to their feet in alarm. If that kick landed, it would guarantee at least a concussion! Had Zhao Yujian gone mad? Li Yundong wasn't wearing protective gear! Did he intend to kill him?

However, Li Yundong seemed to sense the attack from behind. He whipped around and threw a horizontal punch, aiming squarely for Zhao Yujian’s shin.

He was rigidly adhering to Su Chan’s instruction: Fist comes, strike the fist; leg comes, strike the leg.

Any martial arts expert hearing this would have burst out laughing—it was pure chaotic recklessness. But Li Yundong was desperate, possessing immense Golden Elixir power yet unable to wield it effectively; he was grasping at straws.

Zhao Yujian let out a cold snort. The downward chopping motion of his kick suddenly folded mid-air, changing direction abruptly. Crack! It connected with Li Yundong’s neck, making him stumble.

This mid-air leg adjustment was stunningly executed, drawing gasps from the students: "Flying Swallow Drop!"

Had Li Yundong not been shielded by his Golden Elixir, that blow to the neck could have caused serious injury.

If Zhao Yujian had known when to stop here, the matter would have concluded. But driven by impulse, Zhao Yujian glanced toward Zhou Qin. He caught sight of Zhou Qin’s focused gaze on Li Yundong, and even the usually composed Zhou Qin had a slight furrow in her brow, appearing concerned for Li Yundong.

A buzzing sound exploded in Zhao Yujian’s mind. He ground his teeth, a fierce look flashing in his eyes, and lunged forward. Suddenly airborne, he launched a spectacular spinning side kick aimed directly at Li Yundong’s chest.

This move was one of Taekwondo’s most powerful, concentrating nearly his entire body weight and strength into the strike. A direct hit carried the force of a thousand catties!

Li Yundong staggered from the blow and knew he was outmatched in skill. Since he hadn't been seriously injured, he considered conceding.

But Zhao Yujian pressed his advantage aggressively. A surge of heat suddenly erupted from Li Yundong’s lower abdomen, rushing through his entire body like steam building in a pressure cooker, causing every hair on his head to stand on end!

In that instant, Li Yundong saw Zhao Yujian’s airborne movement with perfect clarity, as if the entire action were unfolding in slow motion.

Zhao Yujian’s spinning side kick approached slowly while Li Yundong sank his weight, launching a heavy punch directly toward the sole of the opponent's extended foot.

With a dull BOOM, Zhao Yujian was hurled more than a meter through the air, crashing heavily onto the ground, clutching his lower leg and letting out a heart-wrenching shriek.

The students were stunned into silence, gaping like statues. They simply could not comprehend why Zhao Yujian, who had held absolute dominance moments before, had suddenly suffered such a crushing defeat.

Especially when they looked at Li Yundong, whose previously erect hair was slowly settling back down—this bizarre sight filled them with even greater dread.

As the others stared in horror, Su Chan quickly ran to Zhao Yujian’s side, her fingers flying as she pressed several pressure points on his leg and torso, easing some of the pain.

Before Zhao Yujian could manage to mask his agony and offer a look of gratitude to Su Chan, she stood up, walked over to Li Yundong, shook her head sagely, and declared, "All martial arts in the world are breakable; only divine strength is unbreakable!"