Liu Yuqing hadn't expected Li Yundong to back Zhou Qin so forcefully in public, nor had he anticipated that when Zhou Qin opened her eyes again, all traces of fear and worry were gone. At that moment, Zhou Qin had entered a state of 'No Self, No Other, No Sentient Beings'—her gaze fixed only on him, her opponent, with no one else existing in her awareness.

Liu Yuqing gave a cold, scornful laugh, utterly unimpressed by Zhou Qin's overestimation of her own strength. He thought with mocking disdain: A serious sheep is still just a sheep. Does she truly believe she can defeat me? A mere child—if I spar with her, people will laugh at me for bullying the young!

With a sharp snort, Liu Yuqing turned to Li Yundong. "True Man Li, if you send your disciple forward, then I shall send one of mine to meet her, lest it be said I take advantage of the young."

The cultivators from the other sects chuckled inwardly, thinking: Liu Yuqing isn't entirely foolish. He knows fighting this girl would grant him no glory in victory and immense shame in defeat! Sending his most capable disciple is the best choice; after all, his own student's cultivation is surely higher than this girl named Zhou Qin.

Li Yundong listened to Liu Yuqing, then smiled slightly and cupped his hands. "True Man Liu, I have no objection, only I wonder if your disciples have any? Are they not afraid that losing this match will disqualify them from continuing in the competition?"

At these words, the crowd erupted in silent applause. Su Chan burst out laughing. "Brilliant, truly brilliant! Yundong is so clever; this is turning his own trick against him! Liu Yuqing wanted to shatter Sister Zhou Qin's Dao heart, and now Yundong is aiming to shatter the Dao hearts of his disciples! Let's see how he handles that!"

As expected, Liu Yuqing's expression drastically changed. He fixed an unfriendly gaze on Li Yundong and said gravely, "True Man Li, what is the meaning of your words? Are you suggesting my disciples are inferior to yours?"

Li Yundong chuckled. "You'll have to ask them that!"

Liu Yuqing turned to glare at his disciples and barked, "Which one of you dares to step forward!"

Seeing Zhou Qin standing poised and elegant in the arena, her beauty exceptional—truly a 'lovely lady, a gentleman's desire'—her stunning appearance naturally sparked nascent feelings of admiration among the young male cultivators present.

One particularly handsome young man stepped forward. "Master, I am willing to fight for you!"

Liu Yuqing's face softened slightly. He nodded slowly. "Good. You have cultivated to the Yang Spirit realm; sending you forward gives me some confidence."

The handsome young disciple was overjoyed. He turned toward Zhou Qin, struck what he thought was his most charming pose, and flashed a toothy grin. "True Lady Zhou, please?"

Unexpectedly, Zhou Qin’s eyes flashed, her gaze slicing toward the young man like lightning. Zhou Qin had always possessed a firm and unyielding nature, her vital energy robust and powerful. Furthermore, her journey through the Himalayas had tempered her spirit and essence to be stronger than steel. Thus, the intensity radiating from her stare was extraordinary!

Zhou Qin locked her gaze onto him and said coldly, "Are you not afraid to die?"

The handsome young man felt as though he were being stalked by a ferocious beast. He shuddered, a sudden, inexplicable panic gripping him, rendering him speechless for a moment.

Seeing the flicker of terror in the man's eyes, Zhou Qin scoffed with disdain. "True Man Liu, it seems your disciple is not much after all!"

Liu Yuqing immediately flew into a rage and roared at him, "Useless! Was one sentence enough to weaken your legs?"

The young male disciple’s face flushed crimson, and he lowered his head, daring not to reply.

Zhou Qin shifted her gaze back. She said coldly, "True Man Liu, I think you should take action yourself. Don't waste everyone's time!"

Liu Yuqing's face darkened. He gritted his teeth and sneered, "I have never encountered a junior so arrogant! Very well, since you insist on courting death, I shall grant your wish!"

Zhou Qin remained unfazed, calmly adjusting her breathing, striving to bring her body to peak condition. She said lightly, "True Man Liu, since you are older than I and have cultivated for longer, let us forgo spells. That way, no one can say you bullied the weak with your seniority. Shall we exchange blows with fists and feet?"

Liu Yuqing saw that Zhou Qin's words clearly gave her an advantage while feigning modesty. He laughed in exasperation. "Fists and feet? Hmph, you dare challenge me to a contest of bare-knuckle combat? Do you even know what style of martial arts I practice?"

Zhou Qin said coldly, "I don't know. I just want to know: after all this talk, are you fighting or not?"

Liu Yuqing roared back with fury, "Good, good, good! Come, let me see what impressive bare-hand skills you have learned!" With that, he crossed his arms, lifting them from below until they reached his chest. Suddenly, he let out a great shout, his body vibrating as a surge of True Essence erupted outward. His outer robe snapped with a crisp sound, the edges fluttering without any wind!

Liu Yuqing scowled and glared, then flicked his sleeve. As the cuff brushed against a nearby table, it made a sharp pa sound, cleanly slicing a notch into the sturdy leg of the mahogany table as if it were a sharp sword!

As the saying goes: Medicine upholds the Dao, and martial arts defend the Dao. Nine out of ten Daoists also practice martial arts. The cultivators inside the cabin were knowledgeable about such skills and immediately gasped. Some couldn't help but whisper, "What powerful Gang Jin (Hard Strength)!"

Liu Yuqing’s sleeve-flick immediately revealed a style of martial art both immensely powerful and ferocious. Su Chan and Ruan Hongling sucked in a sharp breath.

Ruan Hongling couldn't help but ask Ziyuan, "Sister Ziyuan, what is that skill of his?"

Ziyuan watched as Liu Yuqing stepped into a stance, balanced precariously on one leg like a 'Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg.' One hand was clenched with the palm facing up, the other fist extended behind him. Despite standing on one leg, he was as stable as an ancient pine, his posture concealing deadly killing moves.

Ziyuan was slightly startled and whispered, "Not good, this looks like Baji Quan (Eight Extremes Fist)!"

Ruan Hongling exclaimed in alarm, "Ah? Baji Quan? Then isn't Sister Zhou Qin in danger?"

Ziyuan looked grave, glancing quickly at Li Yundong. She shook her head at Ruan Hongling but said nothing more, her expression filled with worry.

Among the crowd were some younger cultivators who had only recently begun their journey and followed their seniors to watch the Lotus Gathering commotion. Seeing Liu Yuqing's strange posture, they couldn't help but ask, "What style of boxing is that? It looks so bizarre!"

A more knowledgeable elder cultivator explained, "That is Baji Quan!"

"Baji Quan? Is it the Baji Quan famously inscribed by Emperor Kangxi: 'In literature, Tai Chi secures the world; in martial arts, Baji secures the realm'?"

"Precisely!"

"Baji Quan is hailed as the pinnacle of external martial arts—tsk tsk, Zhou Qin is in danger!"

"I never expected Liu Yuqing of the Divine Heavens Sect to practice Baji Quan; I thought he practiced internal arts! Aren't external arts mostly Shaolin styles?"

"That's not entirely true. Ding Faxiang, who made Baji Quan famous, was taught by a master from our own Daoist lineage—the True Man Huang Jue, known as the Slovenly Daoist!"

"I wonder what method Zhou Qin has to possibly defeat Liu Yuqing?"

As the crowd buzzed with speculation, Liu Yuqing suddenly glared at Zhou Qin and shouted, "Come on!" With that, his body shifted, preparing to advance.

Zhou Qin suddenly held up a palm and said, "Wait a moment!"

Liu Yuqing forcibly reined in the power surging through him and said with clear displeasure, "What else do you have to say?"

Zhou Qin said, "Since this is a fight to the death, injuries or death are not subject to liability, is that correct?"

Liu Yuqing sneered, "Naturally. Little girl, if you're scared, you still have time to back down! You haven't cultivated to the realm where your spirit can wander freely. If you die now, it's truly the snuffing out of the lamp—no remedy!"

Zhou Qin smiled faintly, as if not hearing Liu Yuqing’s words, and said, "Then I understand. Let us begin!"

Liu Yuqing took a deep breath and moved to advance again, but as soon as his body moved, he heard Zhou Qin say, "Wait!"

The torrent of Liu Yuqing’s energy, just unleashed like a broken dam, had to be instantly retracted. He felt immensely frustrated and shouted impatiently, "What is it now?"

Zhou Qin smiled sweetly. "There are a few matters we need to clarify first."

Liu Yuqing fumed, "What matters? Can't you say it all at once?"

Zhou Qin replied with a smile, "Weren't you the one who prattled on for a long time earlier? Why are you suddenly impatient now?"

Liu Yuqing felt his dignity as a senior of the Divine Heavens Sect being eroded by this entanglement with a junior. The energy he had gathered seemed misplaced, and a rising wave of pure, senseless anger shot to the top of his head. He roared, "That was then, this is now! How can it be the same? What is it? Speak quickly!"

Zhou Qin chuckled, "I propose that regardless of who wins or loses, who lives or dies between us, no further pursuit of the matter will be made. How about that?"

Liu Yuqing snapped, "Nonsense! Are you fighting or not?"

Zhou Qin settled her stance, standing perfectly balanced, and said, "Let us begin!"

Liu Yuqing huffed angrily, readjusting his stance, just preparing to unleash his full strength, when he heard Zhou Qin yell, "Hold on!"

At this point, some people at the side couldn't help but suppress small chuckles. Liu Yuqing was furious. "Why do you have so many tricks, girl? If you won't fight, then scram!"

Zhou Qin did not get angry but smiled slightly and said, "I need to exchange a few words with my Master." With that, she ignored Liu Yuqing and walked over to Li Yundong's table.

Seeing Zhou Qin approach, Li Yundong used the cover of his body to discreetly give Zhou Qin a thumbs-up, whispering with a smile, "Not bad. You have successfully agitated Liu Yuqing; his vigor will fade after the initial surge!"

Ziyuan also cautioned quietly, "Zhou Qin, remember to use softness to overcome hardness. Do not clash head-on with Liu Yuqing. He practices Baji Quan, a style known for its ferocious, explosive power—it is terrifying!"

Zhou Qin nodded, indicating she had heard. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then turned back toward the fighting area.

By now, Liu Yuqing's impatience had reached its peak. In his mind, a delicate, beautiful girl like Zhou Qin, even if she knew martial arts, would only possess superficial techniques, not worth mentioning, destined to collapse upon contact with his Baji Quan!

Zhou Qin moved her wrists and ankles slightly in place, then asked Liu Yuqing, "True Man Liu, are you ready?"

Liu Yuqing was too annoyed even to take a proper stance, looking at Zhou Qin impatiently. "I have been ready for a long time. What about you? Are you ready?"

Zhou Qin smiled faintly, her right foot slightly forward, her body leaning slightly forward, her back slightly arched. She said, "I am ready!"

Liu Yuqing beckoned toward Zhou Qin. "Then come!"

Zhou Qin took a deep breath and said slowly, "Then... very well!"

With that, her eyes snapped open, and her entire internal strength exploded forth like highly volatile explosives!

Zhou Qin drove her right foot down violently. With a booming thud, the yacht actually tilted noticeably beneath her. She used this force to launch herself like a cannonball toward Liu Yuqing!

The onlookers felt a blast of fierce wind rush past them, as if a fierce tiger, carrying unstoppable momentum, had suddenly leaped down into a chasm!

Liu Yuqing was startled. He had not expected Zhou Qin's sudden attack to possess such terrifying might; she was already upon him in the blink of an eye!

For an ordinary person, this situation might have led to panic and being caught completely off guard by Zhou Qin’s assault. However, the Baji Quan that Liu Yuqing practiced was a style suited for both long and close-range fighting. The very name 'Baji' implies "Eight Extremes, where explosive power can reach the farthest reaches in all directions."

Liu Yuqing roared, "Well met!" He twisted his body slightly, one hand held back, the five fingers together like a bird's beak, while the other hand was held in front, bringing a palm strike down directly toward Zhou Qin's head!

This was precisely the 'Returning Body Reverse Palm Facing the Sun' move from Baji Quan!

Liu Yuqing's strike descended like a giant swinging an iron hammer toward Zhou Qin's crown. If it connected, Zhou Qin would instantly be killed, her skull shattered.

Zhou Qin neither dodged nor retreated. Her eyes widened, and with a fierce roar, she drove a punch fiercely toward Liu Yuqing's throat!

This was the exact technique she had learned from Li Yundong, the one he used against Huang Yifei in school: "Direct advance, direct attack, a single, continuous flow, attacking the enemy's vital necessity with thunderous force!"

The crowd watched as Zhou Qin and Liu Yuqing initiated contact, immediately aiming for a fight to the death. All were struck with horror, letting out gasps and jumping to their feet, staring intently at the center of the arena!

One, an experienced, senior cultivator; the other, a beautiful, young rising star. Who would win this life-or-death struggle?