Zhou Qin’s single sentence instantly hushed the cabin. Cultivators from various sects stared at her with peculiar expressions. Liu Yuqing burst into loud laughter, and the young cultivators accompanying him from the Shenxiao Sect let out derisive snickers.

Annoyed by their laughter, Zhou Qin called out, “What’s so funny?”

Liu Yuqing chuckled without answering. A disciple beside him shouted, “Shameless! Who goes around claiming to be the founding senior disciple? Li Yundong is merely the nominal head of the Fox Zen Gate; what mountain are you claiming to have opened?”

Then, they roared with laughter again.

At this moment, the cultivators from other sects on the yacht began to jeer and point fingers at Zhou Qin, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

Seeing Zhou Qin standing frozen, her face flushed crimson and her body trembling slightly with suppressed anger, Li Yundong walked over to her. He patted her shoulder and murmured, “Zhou Qin, as cultivators, we must cultivate our temperament and learn to control our emotions. Forget it, I’ll handle this; you…”

Before Li Yundong could finish, Zhou Qin seemed not to hear him. She suddenly surged forward a step, pointed directly at Liu Yuqing, and shouted excitedly, “Enough of the nonsense! Do you dare to fight or not!”

Li Yundong was startled, looking at his classmate and prized disciple with incomprehension. He couldn't fathom why Zhou Qin, who was usually so compliant, was suddenly losing emotional control and blatantly ignoring his words.

As Li Yundong tried to speak again, he suddenly felt a gentle pinch on his fingertip. He turned to see Ziyuan silently shaking her head at him.

Though perplexed, Li Yundong trusted Ziyuan’s judgment and swallowed the words he intended to say to Zhou Qin.

What Li Yundong didn’t know was that while Zhou Qin could endure personal slight and mockery, she absolutely could not tolerate any disrespect or derision aimed at him.

Faced with Zhou Qin’s challenge, a flicker of disdain and mockery crossed Liu Yuqing’s eyes. However, he maintained his composure. He knew that even if he defeated Zhou Qin, it would bring him no benefit; instead, he would earn a reputation for bullying the weak, a man harassing a woman.

Liu Yuqing let out a cold snort, turned his face away, and looked toward Wan Zhenyuan.

Li Yundong also cupped his hands towards Wan Zhenyuan and asked, “Sect Leader Wan, by custom, may a subordinate disciple fight in place of their master?”

Wan Zhenyuan glanced at Zhou Qin, then chuckled. “Of course! According to the convention of the Lotus Gathering Assembly, a disciple may undertake a duel on behalf of their master. However, the outcome will still be counted against the master. If the disciple loses, it is considered the master’s defeat, forfeiting the right to compete for the treasure.”

This statement jolted Zhou Qin. She instinctively glanced at Li Yundong, a thought of retreat forming in her mind.

To Zhou Qin, her own defeat didn't matter, but implicating Li Yundong and causing him to lose his chance to compete for the treasure would be a grave offense!

Seeing Zhou Qin’s gaze shift towards him, Li Yundong’s heart tightened; he knew immediately that Zhou Qin had lost her resolute confidence and aggressive sharpness. She was becoming hesitant, worrying about potential losses.

For cultivators, whether in practice or combat, the key is forward momentum, the fearless spirit to overcome all obstacles and conquer every difficulty. The greatest danger is falling into such a state of indecision. If one succumbs to this state and chooses to fight, winning is one thing, but losing means descending into endless self-reproach and regret, which is extremely detrimental to cultivation. Indeed, without immense fortune and unshakable resolve, even the most gifted cultivator would likely stagnate as a second-rate practitioner.

Furthermore, if Zhou Qin refused the challenge, her Dao Heart would be shattered. For the rest of her cultivation journey, every time she reflected on this day, she would regret her cowardice at the critical moment, thus sowing the seeds of inner demons.

Zheng Yuan, understanding these principles perfectly, let out a cold chuckle. He cast a meaningful glance at Zhou Qin, then at Wan Zhenyuan.

Ding Nan, who was paying close attention to Zhou Qin’s situation, quickly asked upon seeing Zheng Yuan’s cold smile, “Master, what are you laughing at? Are you laughing at Zhou Qin’s overestimation of her own ability?”

Zheng Yuan shook his head and lowered his voice. “No, I’m laughing at Wan Zhenyuan’s malicious intent! He didn’t have to add that last sentence, yet he chose to. Consider his motives. That single sentence has set a trap for Zhou Qin; no matter how she chooses, escaping this snare will be difficult, or she risks developing inner demons that will halt her advancement permanently!”

Ding Nan looked at her former ‘good sister’ with complex emotions, biting her lip slightly. “Then does Zhou Qin have no other way out?”

Zheng Yuan sneered, “Yes! She must accept the challenge and, crucially, win! Otherwise, Zhou Qin’s cultivation is finished!”

Ding Nan looked deeply at Zhou Qin, then suddenly murmured, “She will definitely win!”

Zheng Yuan scoffed, “Are you joking? Zhou Qin is, at best, a newly Foundation-Established cultivator. How could she possibly defeat Liu Yuqing? Do you know who Liu Yuqing is? He is the junior martial brother of the Shenxiao Sect Leader, whose divine abilities were renowned across the world over a decade ago! How could Zhou Qin be his match? Heh, no matter which path Zhou Qin chooses, she is practically sealing her own doom in cultivation! This Wan Zhenyuan is truly cunning, remarkably so!”

Saying this, Zheng Yuan spoke earnestly to Ding Nan, “Ping’er, you must learn carefully. Combat is not solely dependent on superior cultivation or immense spiritual power, nor just on having stronger magical artifacts. Look how Wan Zhenyuan, with a single sentence, almost ruined a promising cultivation talent. This is the power of ‘a tongue that cannot be broken with three inches, capable of repelling a million troops!’”

But Ding Nan seemed not to hear him, her focus fixed entirely on Zhou Qin. She stubbornly and resolutely repeated, “She will win; she must win!”

Zheng Yuan was greatly surprised and asked, “Oh? Why?”

A strange light flashed in Ding Nan’s eyes. Gritting her teeth, she spoke each word distinctly: “Because she must be defeated by me.”

Zheng Yuan paused, thinking: Why is Ping’er acting so strangely? Why does she seem to harbor an irreconcilable hatred for this Zhou Qin?

While they spoke in low tones, Li Yundong gazed meaningfully at Wan Zhenyuan for a moment, then turned back to Zhou Qin, his expression softening as he said, “Zhou Qin, do you understand what this battle signifies?”

Although Zhou Qin had fought a life-or-death battle with Yan Fang before, that was in the split second between life and death; she had no choice but to fight with all her might, which allowed her to unlock her full potential.

The current situation was entirely different. Zhou Qin had the option to decline the fight and preserve Li Yundong’s eligibility to compete for the treasure.

Under these circumstances, Zhou Qin felt trapped—whether to fight or not to fight felt wrong. She whispered nervously, “I know. If I lose, Master, you will lose the qualification to obtain the Immortal Brush.”

Hearing this, Li Yundong couldn't help but chuckle. He showed an uncharacteristic closeness towards Zhou Qin in front of everyone. He reached out, gently patted her shoulder, then took her hand, saying earnestly, “Zhou Qin, you are mistaken! To me, the Immortal Brush is indeed a powerful and important artifact, but compared to you, the Immortal Brush is worthless! Artifacts are as common as dog hair in this world; should I go around seizing and snatching all of them? Enough artifacts for use will suffice, and if one is lost, it can always be reclaimed later.”

Li Yundong looked at Zhou Qin with gentle eyes, as if only the two of them existed there. He spoke heedlessly of the crowd: “But if your cultivation is derailed by inner demons here, there is absolutely no turning back! Therefore, for this battle, my greatest concern is whether you can overcome your inner demons. As for the Immortal Brush and such things, I don't care in the slightest. Besides, no matter how precious an artifact is, it is merely an inanimate object. Is there any reason in this world to value a dead thing more than a living person? Heh, never mind the Immortal Brush; even if all the artifacts in the world were piled up here, they wouldn't be as important as you. Do you understand?”

Li Yundong’s words rendered the entire crowd speechless for a moment. Especially the female cultivators from various sects; their eyes sparkled with adoration as they gazed at him.

Wei Qing clasped her hands before her chest like a praying maiden and sighed dreamily, “Heavens, that was so moving! This Li Yundong is truly a peerless romantic hero. If I were Zhou Qin, I’d die without regret right now!”

Yue Sheng, standing beside her, rolled his eyes dramatically and scoffed, “Is it really that exaggerated? Are you even a cultivator? You watch too many idol dramas.”

Wei Qing immediately rolled her eyes even wider. “What do you know? What woman in this world doesn't want her man to value her? So what if we are female cultivators? Aren't female cultivators women too?”

Even Zhang Ling and others from the Zheng Yi Sect, who had long held grudges against Li Yundong, found their impression of him greatly improved after hearing his words. Zhang Ling couldn't help but think distractedly: Although Li Yundong has opposed us time and again, he is indeed a man driven by deep affection. Alas, if the blockhead I was once with had half of Li Yundong's devotion, would I have ended up lonely in my old age?

The junior sister beside Zou Ping tugged at her sleeve and whispered, “Senior Sister, Senior Sister! Li Yundong doesn't seem like a bad person at all. How could someone who treats his disciple so well be a bad person?”

Hearing Li Yundong’s speech, Zou Ping was overcome with painful memories. She glanced mournfully at Zhang Tianhe and thought to herself: If my ambitious junior brother could say just one sentence to me like that, I would die without regret!

Zou Ping let out a deep sigh and replied evasively with a bitter smile, “Little Sister, you don’t understand… When you are older, you will.”

The junior sister blinked, nodding with partial understanding.

If these bystanders were so deeply moved, Zhou Qin was even more stirred. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

In that instant, Zhou Qin felt as if all her years of perseverance and sacrifice had finally been rewarded. She gazed at Li Yundong through a haze of tears—this usually strong and aloof woman looked at him with profound affection, tears swirling in her eyes, as if if Li Yundong asked her to jump off a ten-thousand-foot cliff the next second, she would leap without hesitation.

Ruan Hongling saw Zhou Qin on the verge of tears in public and sighed inwardly, You know she is fond of you, and yet you still say such things to her! Alas, Li Yundong, how many people must you harm? Is it truly that one glance at Yun Dong seals a lifetime of sorrow?

Li Yundong seemed oblivious to the varied expressions of those around him. He smiled, reached out, and used his broad, soft palm to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eyes. He laughed, “As the saying goes, fighting is like warfare, and the pinnacle of warfare is strategy! Attacking the mind, shattering the opponent’s Dao Heart, and conquering the enemy without a fight—that is the highest form of combat! Zhou Qin, you must not surrender without a fight! Even if you lose, it doesn't matter; the most important thing is not to leave any regrets in your heart! Things lost can be regained, a lost battle can be won back, but regret, once established, is irreparable!”

Zhou Qin felt Li Yundong’s palm warm and gentle. When his skin brushed the corner of her eye, her body shivered slightly as if from an electric shock. His words filled her heart with a warm power that rapidly surged through her limbs and organs, making her feel as if she possessed inexhaustible strength!

Zhou Qin looked deeply at Li Yundong, suddenly breaking into a brilliant smile. She nodded forcefully and said, “Master, I understand! I will not disappoint you!”

Li Yundong smiled faintly and replied, “I have never been disappointed in you.” Then, they smiled at each other.

Ziyuan, who had been watching Li Yundong with complex emotions, saw Zhou Qin take a deep breath and slowly close her eyes. Knowing Zhou Qin was about to perform final preparations before the fight, she murmured, “Liu Yuqing’s cultivation is extraordinary. Zhou Qin, when you contend with him, remember never to let him dictate the rules of the duel. Also, try to spar using physical strikes or artifact combat; absolutely do not contend with him using magical spells, or you will have no chance of winning!”

Li Yundong also nodded in agreement. “Correct. Zhou Qin, this cabin is small and better suited for close-quarters fighting. Try to engage him in hand-to-hand combat to minimize the huge gap in cultivation level between you two! In terms of spells, ten of you wouldn't be his match, but in terms of physical skill, you start on the same footing!”

After they finished speaking, Zhou Qin slowly exhaled. This breath shot out like a straight arrow, only dissipating when it hit the wall near the couplet hanging in the cabin, causing the paper to rustle loudly.

Zhou Qin opened her eyes. She no longer looked back at Li Yundong or Ziyuan. Her gaze was fixed solely on Liu Yuqing, as if everyone else in the world had vanished, leaving only him and herself!

Zhou Qin calmly took a step forward. She cupped her hands and declared in a clear, resonant voice, “I am Zhou Qin, the founding senior disciple under Li Yundong. Daoist Master Liu, I request your guidance!”

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