Even Zhang Ling of the Zhengyi Sect, who both looked down on the Gezao Sect and secretly regarded Li Yundong as a thorn in her side, couldn't help but exclaim to Zou Ping upon witnessing the scene: "Back in the Warring States period, the King of Chu summoned Lu Ban and manufactured numerous siege weapons to attack the State of Song. Upon hearing this news, Mozi traveled thousands of miles to the State of Chu and engaged Lu Ban in a theoretical siege confrontation. In that duel, Mozi used his belt as a city wall, demonstrating offense and defense against Lu Ban. As a result, Lu Ban changed his siege techniques nine times, and Mozi easily neutralized every attempt! Who would have thought that after more than two millennia, this battle of evolving offense and defense would reappear in this very form today! It is truly an anomaly!"

Zou Ping stared at Li Yundong with an exceedingly complicated expression, venting her deep frustration: "Master, how is it possible that Li Yundong, having practiced for such a short time, knows so many spells? It's one thing for his lightning magic to be so potent, but why is he also so proficient in the Five Elements magic?"

Zhang Ling also looked at Li Yundong, shaking her head slightly. She murmured, "This boy must have had some extraordinary fortuitous encounter; otherwise, his cultivation in magic could never have advanced so rapidly in such a short period!"

Zou Ping glanced worriedly at Zhang Tianhe, whose face was solemn, and whispered to Zhang Ling, "Master, Junior Brother he..."

Although Zhang Ling disliked Li Yundong, she was also a rare master cultivator in the cultivation world and naturally possessed discernment. She could not, in front of her own disciple, insist that short was tall or that tall was short.

Zhang Ling knitted her brow slightly, shook her head at Zou Ping, and signaled for her to stop speaking.

Zou Ping immediately silenced herself, knowing that even her own Master was no longer optimistic about Zhang Tianhe's chances against Li Yundong.

Zou Ping gritted her teeth inwardly: Junior Brother has been diligently cultivating since his humiliation and return to the mountain last time. He had intended to redeem his honor with his greatly improved cultivation this time, but unexpectedly, Li Yundong has advanced even faster! I truly wonder how heartbroken Junior Brother must be!

Zou Ping watched Zhang Tianhe with concern, but Zhang Tianhe seemed completely oblivious, his gaze fixed intently on the arena. His body trembled slightly, his fists clenched unconsciously. Though his face was expressionless, his eyes revealed intense jealousy, resentment, and unwillingness.

Just as the spectators outside were wholly engrossed in watching this rare and spectacular display of spell-casting prowess, a small sparrow suddenly landed on the sunroof of the yacht. This little sparrow poked its head out, peering down through the skylight. After a moment, a paper crane landed beside the sparrow.

The paper crane and the sparrow stared at each other for a while, then simultaneously turned their heads away, continuing to look into the cabin.

By now, the battle inside the cabin was reaching a fever pitch. Li Yundong began to shift from defense to offense, his control over the Five Elements magic growing increasingly fluent, and his understanding of their mutual generation and restraint deepening.

The round table was no longer filled with the previous sight of dense clay soldiers laying siege. Li Yundong's stronghold had transformed into an impregnable fortress. Under Sun Baitian's exhaustive assault, this position had not weakened; instead, Li Yundong had skillfully used borrowed force to make it even sturdier and taller.

But as Li Yundong's fortress grew larger and higher, Sun Baitian was forced to upgrade his clay soldiers and weaponry. The clay figures, originally the size of a fingernail, gradually grew to the size of an infant's fist. The observing cultivators even had the illusion that if the two continued this unlimited escalation, Li Yundong's fortress would eventually become a true ultimate stronghold, and Sun Baitian's clay soldiers would eventually become full-sized clay warriors!

While Sun Baitian fiercely attacked the fortress, Li Yundong also began raising his own army and launched a vigorous assault on Sun Baitian's position.

Seeing Li Yundong fully mobilize his true essence for a head-on clash with Sun Baitian, the tabletop instantly became a chaotic melee of clashing clay soldiers. Above them, the magic of Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth flew everywhere. One moment Li Yundong would gain the advantage on one front, and the next, Sun Baitian would claw it back on another. The two seemed locked in an inseparable, ferocious battle upon the sand table.

Li Yundong's mobilization of true essence reached its peak. Although his expression appeared normal, white vapor rose from his head. Sun Baitian's face cycled rapidly between red and green, like a chameleon.

Sun Baitian observed that Li Yundong's fortress was becoming ever more solid, while his own prolonged assault was failing. His true essence was beginning to flag, yet his opponent, Li Yundong, still shone with complete spiritual vitality; his eyes sparkled with an unfathomable brilliance, suggesting he still held considerable reserves!

Sun Baitian was secretly aghast. I have cultivated for decades, yet I have never encountered a person with such vast and enduring Qi! And he is so young! How did he cultivate this? Furthermore, he is the Sect Master of the Fox Zen Gate; I heard his reputation is quite poor, a man fond of women!

But, how could a man devoted to pleasure possess such powerful, such immense Qi?

Sun Baitian gritted his teeth and strained to hold on, but the fierce momentum of his initial assault had already consumed a significant amount of true essence. Now, when Li Yundong commanded his forces to advance, it was truly like a fierce beast released from its cage or a flood breaking a dam, instantly pushing the battle line back to the Yin-Yang dividing line. His clay forces were routed, falling back step by step!

The sharp-eyed cultivators knew that Sun Baitian was at his limit, unable to withstand Li Yundong's surging assault any longer. They shook their heads and sighed inwardly, thinking, It is such a pity and a lament that Sun Baitian loses even after fighting this hard! Who exactly is this Li Yundong? Even his command of the Five Elements magic is so formidable that he can defeat the well-prepared Sun Baitian! Frightening, truly frightening!

But just as they sighed in admiration, Li Yundong's troops and Sun Baitian's troops were locked in a fierce collision in the center of the round table, when suddenly the table could bear the strain no longer. With a sharp crack, it split into two halves, tumbling down in the direction of each combatant.

Li Yundong and Sun Baitian both froze, exchanging a glance. For a moment, neither spoke. Li Yundong sized up Sun Baitian with his eyes, as if asking if he wished to continue. Sun Baitian, however, seemed not to notice Li Yundong's gaze; he merely glanced at him before quickly looking away, concentrating on regulating his breathing.

The onlookers saw that Sun Baitian was covered in a sheen of sweat, looking as if he had just been pulled from a water vat. Li Yundong, though slightly breathless, maintained a normal complexion and hadn't broken a single sweat bead. The contrast between the two made the outcome immediately clear!

Wan Zhenyuan frowned upon seeing the result of the duel, but then a thought struck him, and he burst into loud applause, laughing heartily: "Brilliant! Truly brilliant!"

It was then that the crowd seemed to awaken from a dream, erupting in earth-shaking cheers and applause.

Although this duel was not as earth-shattering as the previous one, it tested not only their proficiency and understanding of the Five Elements but also their strategy and wit. This exchange served not just as a living demonstration of attack and defense, but as a perfect application of military strategy within a spell duel, compelling the audience’s admiration!

As the clamor of cheers filled the air, the sparrow that had been watching the scene from the sunroof suddenly spread its wings and flew up.

It flapped its wings vigorously, soaring into the sky. After flying in one direction for a while, it finally landed in the palm of an old man.

This old man was dressed in a black kimono and wooden geta sandals; it was none other than Master Cinen of the Shingon school of Mikkyo from Mount Kōya, whom Li Yundong had met once before at Saien-ji Temple!

The old man gently stroked the sparrow in his palm with his wrinkled, withered hand. He sighed softly and murmured, "Alas, I never thought that the Great China, which claims to be vast and the Celestial Empire, could have degenerated to this extent! So many cultivators reduced to mere juggling buffoons! A tragedy, a pity!"

Standing beside him was Shūshin, who had previously confronted Li Yundong. This young monk was still wearing a designer suit, standing somewhat subserviently behind a small girl. Hearing Master Cinen's words, he spoke up, "Master Cinen, you worry too much! What true skill can these cultivators possess when they resort to such secretive duels?"

Tachibana Chiko, dressed in a red kimono with a white floral pattern, looked like a cute doll. She looked up at Cinen, smiling sweetly, and said, "But Master Cinen, I thought their duel was quite interesting!"

Cinen shook his head and sighed, "Tachibana Chiko, you are still a child, so you find it interesting. To me, that was simply a farce. In our Japanese cultivation world, such a thing would be inconceivable! A duel is a duel; it is a sacred and solemn matter, how can it be treated so childishly? In our world of cultivation, a duel is combat—fail to win, and you die!"

Tachibana Chiko blinked, seemingly not fully grasping the concept, and asked innocently, "Then Master Cinen, are we still going to watch their Lotus Picking Assembly?"

Cinen pondered for a moment, hesitating. As he deliberated, he heard Shūshin speak, "Master Cinen, please allow me to attend the Lotus Picking Assembly and challenge Li Yundong! Then these cultivators of the Chinese continent will know what a true spell duel is!"

Cinen shook his head without a second thought: "No, we are not here to stir up trouble!"

Shūshin was deeply disappointed but said no more, lowering his gaze submissively and standing respectfully behind Tachibana Chiko like a servant.

Tachibana Chiko, however, was reluctant. She tugged at Cinen's sleeve, ceaselessly pleading and cajoling, "Master Cinen, I rarely get to go out, and it happens that we've stumbled upon such a fun Lotus Picking Assembly! Please, just let me go take a look! I beg you, please!"

Cinen looked at Tachibana Chiko with an expression of fond affection, thought for a moment, and smiled helplessly, "Very well, Tachibana Chiko, I truly cannot do anything about you!"

Upon hearing this, Tachibana Chiko was overjoyed and cheered, "Hooray! Master Cinen is the best! Don't worry, I will be very good and won't cause any trouble!"

Cinen then tucked his hands into his sleeves and declared proudly, "And if trouble were caused? Are these cultivators who treat spell duels as child's play even worthy of being our opponents?" With that, he burst into loud laughter. Peals of thunderous laughter erupted from him, startling the little sparrow in his hand, which suddenly took flight, disappearing rapidly toward the horizon. =============================C