Li Yundong hadn't anticipated that Zhang Kongyun's skeletal frame concealed the strength of a monstrous beast. He felt as if he were being gripped in the palm of a giant, a tremendous force hauling him upward from below!

A jolt went through Li Yundong. Instantly, he sank his qi to his dantian, his inner energy erupting in a flash. Every hair on his body sprang erect with a shua sound, and a faint golden shell immediately manifested around him, crackling softly. However, since it was broad daylight, this subtle sheen of gold was nearly invisible under the sun.

Li Yundong let his breath sink, his entire body pressing downward like a massive, ten-thousand-pound boulder!

Martial artists who diligently practice their lower stances are often immovable, as if ten oxen couldn't shift them. But the strength of a cultivator far surpasses that of ordinary martial artists, especially as Li Yundong’s aura was deep and condensed. With this downward press, he anchored himself firmly in place, much like a Sea-Calming Divine Needle.

Zhang Kongyun had merely intended to toss Li Yundong upward to make him look foolish and be done with it. But he hadn't expected Li Yundong to be so intractable; his toss hadn't budged the young man, who remained as unmoving as Mount Tai!

A sharp glint suddenly flashed in Zhang Kongyun’s eyes. Unwilling to accept defeat, he urged his zhenyuan again. His bones cracked and popped like roasting beans. His previously withered body began to swell little by little, his meager muscles slowly bulging outward. The desiccated veins beneath his skin inflated rapidly like balloons, writhing like countless small snakes!

Li Yundong knew that many elderly Daoist cultivators, in their effort to defy the laws of nature and prevent the decay of their physical bodies, choose to preserve only the most essential components of the human form: Jing (essence), Qi (vitality), and Xue (blood). These three are hidden deep within the kidneys, liver, and heart. They economize every drop of essence and blood, refusing to expend even a fraction more than necessary.

This practice results in them appearing frail and aged. However, the moment they unleash the Jing-Qi-Xue suddenly stored within their kidneys and liver, their physical forms undergo a dramatic transformation, manifesting a vitality akin to a withered tree blooming anew or an old man reverting to youth.

As Zhang Kongyun’s muscles swelled and his frame increased in size, a sudden alarm sounded in Li Yundong’s heart. He knew the opponent was about to employ his full power!

Zhang Kongyun drew a deep breath and violently drove his thumb toward Li Yundong’s Hukou pressure point.

With that single press, Li Yundong was suddenly afflicted by a bizarre illusion: it felt as if that thumb had instantly made him shorter, his legs involuntarily growing weak, threatening to collapse him! Even a fierce tiger or a colossal elephant would have been driven to its knees by that single touch!

The Jinshen Zhenyuan (Golden Body True Essence) was inherently built upon dense condensation and surging, unstoppable power. Lingxu was only the initial stage of the Golden Body realm, yet even relying on the Imperishable Golden Body, he had nearly immunized himself against all spells and magic treasures. This demonstrated the terrifying density of the Golden Body's protective zhenyuan!

Yet, Zhang Kongyun had compressed such intensely dense zhenyuan down to the size of a mere thumb!

What did that imply?!

"Incredible!" Li Yundong was profoundly startled. Zhang Kongyun had instantly condensed all his zhenyuan to a single point, concentrating it entirely on his thumb. At this moment, forget pressing his Hukou vital point; even pressing against a steel plate, he could bore a hole through it as easily as pressing into soft cheese!

This strike combined the exquisite precision of martial arts technique with the terrifying might of cultivation power. If Li Yundong had allowed that thumb to press down on his Hukou point, never mind whether he could compress his Jinshen Zhenyuan to a single point—even a casual pinch using ordinary Golden Body strength would have been unbearable for Li Yundong.

The Hukou point, also known as the Hegumen point, translates roughly to 'Gathering Valley.' 'He' signifies convergence and gathering, while 'Gu' denotes the gap between two mountains.

The meaning of Hegumen is that the qi and xue of the Large Intestine Meridian gather here. This point also relates to the Spleen and Stomach, and the Spleen is the organ responsible for blood production. Once the Hukou is seized, with Zhang Kongyun’s profound zhenyuan strength, he could instantly command the flow of all qi and xue throughout Li Yundong’s body, even halting the Spleen’s temporary blood-making function!

Cultivators, due to their constant training of the five major organs, possess incredibly aberrant organ functionality.

Back when Li Yundong dueled Zhao Yougen over drinks, he managed to down several bottles of strong liquor in one go solely due to his liver’s exceptional detoxification capabilities. When performing the Divine Dragon Sucking Water technique in Di San Xian, he relied upon the formidable power of his lungs.

Often, when Li Yundong unleashed monstrous bursts of strength, it was because his liver could store far more blood than an ordinary person, and his Spleen could generate dozens of times the normal volume of fresh blood in an instant.

The zhenyuan power of a cultivator originates from the flow of qi and xue; explosive power depends almost entirely on the speed and capacity of that flow.

But if the circulation and creation of qi and xue are controlled by an opponent, it is tantamount to having the source choked off. Even with heavenly divine skills, Li Yundong would be helpless to resist! Moreover, Zhang Kongyun’s press carried terrifying Golden Body divine might!

This seemingly ordinary strike immediately revealed to Li Yundong the opponent's formidable and sophisticated combat prowess. The technique itself wasn't extraordinary, but it struck directly at the vital nexus, creating an oppressive sensation so intense it was suffocating!

"This Zhang Kongyun is at least at the intermediate level of the Golden Body realm—the level of the Immortal Golden Body!" Li Yundong felt a sudden surge of respect. He dared not be careless. With a flip of his wrist, he straightened his index finger and thrust it directly toward the center of Zhang Kongyun's palm.

But their movements were incredibly swift. To an observer, it appeared Li Yundong was simply holding up a single finger, poised like a nail waiting for Zhang Kongyun’s palm to strike.

While Li Yundong couldn't concentrate all his Jinshen Zhenyuan into a tiny point like Zhang Kongyun could, his own zhenyuan, honed through arduous practice during his journey in Tibet, was already far more robust and condensed than that of average cultivators. Now at the Golden Body stage, his power was not to be underestimated.

Crucially, Li Yundong’s finger aimed precisely at Zhang Kongyun's Laogong point in the center of his palm!

The Laogong point, also known as the Ghost Road point. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, 'Ghost' (Gui) is related to Earth, contrasting with Heaven. 'Road' (Lu) implies a path. Thus, the Ghost Road signifies that the qi and xue inside the acupoint originate from the Earth plane, corresponding to the Yongquan point. A common health practice in TCM involves rubbing the Laogong while pressing the Yongquan, meaning to link the Earth energy together to promote smoother circulation of qi and xue in the body.

The Laogong point, like the Hukou point, falls under the governance of the Spleen. Furthermore, it belongs to the Pericardium Meridian of the Hand-Jueyin. The circulation of qi and xue in the body frequently passes through this channel.

When people become nervous, the center of their palms often sweats—and the location of that sweat is the Ghost Road, the Laogong point!

If Li Yundong’s thrust struck true, Zhang Kongyun would not only fail to strike Li Yundong’s Hukou, but his own qi and xue circulation would face catastrophic disruption. Although he possessed the Golden Body protection, Li Yundong also possessed the Golden Body, albeit in its initial stage. As long as the attack landed in the correct location—using a point to break the whole—it was entirely commonplace for the power of the initial Golden Body stage to breach the higher-level Golden Body protection.

Zhang Kongyun was stunned by Li Yundong's astonishing speed of reaction; in the blink of an eye, he had both neutralized and countered the attack. He had turned Li Yundong’s 'point against the whole' back onto his opponent!

Zhang Kongyun inwardly felt a measure of admiration, thinking: Truly, the moniker Li Wudi is not for nothing! But... if you think that's all I have, you are gravely mistaken!

Zhang Kongyun’s thoughts raced like lightning. He flipped his wrist and swiftly grasped Li Yundong’s wrist. Utilizing the momentum of Li Yundong’s counter-turn, another surge of power erupted, yanking him upward once more.

Li Yundong had previously directed all his strength into countering Zhang Kongyun’s pressing technique. His footing was involuntarily unsteady, lacking the solid grounding it had moments before. Hit by this sudden pull, his stance immediately loosened, his feet leaving the ground, and his body threatened to fly up again!

Li Yundong instantly formed a hand seal with his free hand, muttering a rapid true word. A massive, golden-glowing hand print shot toward Zhang Kongyun’s face.

Seeing a dazzling golden palm about to slam into him in an instant, Zhang Kongyun was alarmed. He dared not dodge, fearing that if he moved, Li Yundong’s strike would slam into the building behind him, causing a massive scene!

Zhang Kongyun rapidly retreated, shaking his Taoist sleeve and catching the massive hand print inside it.

Li Yundong’s formidable palm print vanished as if swallowed by the sea, emitting no further sound.

The entire exchange between Zhang Kongyun and Li Yundong took only two or three seconds. The surrounding tourists hadn't had time to react or even shift their gaze to the two men before they had already separated, resuming positions as if nothing had happened. Because their movements were subtle and concealed, the onlookers hadn't noticed they had already completed several rounds of fierce combat!

Zhang Kongyun stared at Li Yundong with a slight hint of anger, his voice deep. "True Master Li, your cultivation at such a young age is remarkable. You should learn to respect yourself!"

Li Yundong noticed that the tourists nearby had finally focused on him and Zhang Kongyun. Unwilling to prolong the entanglement, he replied calmly but without deference, "Thank you, senior, for your instruction. However, I manage my own affairs and do not require your guidance. I came today to plead for Zi Yuan, hoping you will cease targeting her. Direct any grievances toward me. If your sect master has not yet emerged from seclusion, please convey my message to him when he does."

Zhang Kongyun's gaze sharpened slightly. He had already tested Li Yundong’s limits; a true duel would certainly result in a massive clash that wouldn't resolve without a clear victor. Under the current circumstances, it was best not to press further, lest they both suffer losses.

Zhang Kongyun nodded slightly. He cast a cold glance at Su Chan and muttered sternly, "The succession ceremony for the Linggong Sect Master is just over a month away. I look forward to facing you then! However, True Master Li, do not presume that reaching the Golden Body realm makes you a true master of that realm! At the succession ceremony, I will show you what true Golden Body combat entails! Lastly, one piece of advice... associate less with such demonesses! Otherwise... you will regret it! Hmph!"

Li Yundong smiled faintly. He took Su Chan's hand and said with a slight smile, "The thing I regret least in my life is falling in love with her!" With that, he spoke no more, turned, and led Su Chan down the mountain path.

Zhang Kongyun stared intensely at Su Chan's receding figure for a long moment before turning away himself. Ignoring the calls of the other Taoists, he quickly moved toward the rear courtyard of the prefectural hall. Once in an unoccupied area, he employed his levitation skill and sped toward a peak on Mount Longhu.

He rushed until he reached the summit, stopping before a massive slab of rock polished smooth as a mirror, affixed with several sealing talismans. Zhang Kongyun slowly paused, reaching out a hand to lightly stroke the three deeply carved characters on the rock: Fengchen Shi (Wind and Dust Stone)!

As Zhang Kongyun gently caressed the rock's surface, his expression suddenly became deeply melancholic. He sat down beside the Fengchen Shi, speaking as if to himself. "Old friend... guess who I saw today? Heh, the Seven-Tailed Divine Fox! Don't worry, it wasn't your Ao Wushuang, but she bears a striking resemblance to her! Likely her disciple! You've been here a long time; you must miss her dearly, right? Alas, with your high cultivation talent, why couldn't you see things clearly? Since ancient times, has anyone who consorted with fox demons ever met a good end?"

Zhang Kongyun sighed for a time, only the whistling wind from the surrounding peaks responding to him. He shook his head. "You still refuse to show yourself? Very well, I won't force you. But today I met another cultivator whose talent is no less than yours. He, too, is obsessed with a seven-tailed fox demon... Heh, I think soon you'll have company, and then you won't be so lonely! Oh, and in just over a month, it will be your disciple Zi Yuan's day to ascend as the Linggong Sect Master. Aren't you worried? Don't fret, I will help her, though I alone cannot speak for the Zhengyi Sect. Calculating now, Fourth Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother should also be emerging from seclusion soon. I wonder what their cultivation levels are now."

Saying this, Zhang Kongyun rose, brushed the dust from his backside, and said, "I came in haste today and didn't bring you any wine! I'll bring some next time. I'm off now!"

With that, Zhang Kongyun's form flickered, vanishing instantly from the spot.

Long after he departed, a tall, graceful man with long, flowing black hair, clad in a Taoist robe, materialized exactly where Zhang Kongyun had stood. The man stood with his back to the Fengchen Shi, his eyes possessing a dreamlike, ethereal quality, gazing down at the mortal world below like an otherworldly immortal. He remained silent for a long time, a subtle, meaningful smile slowly spreading across his lips.