Battle Against Gu Qingqing

"Hmm? Is it my turn?"

Xun'er had been listening intently to Yun Xi's "guidance," so the sudden announcement caught her off guard.

"Then is it supposed to be my turn?" Yun Xi replied irritably.

There was nothing wrong with this girl—except that her little head sometimes seemed a bit slow to react.

"Hmph!"

With a soft snort, Xun'er sprang to her feet. Her toes lightly tapped a nearby stone pillar, and her body spun through the air before she landed steadily in the arena.

"This girl really likes showing off."

Seeing her move, Yun Xi could not help but laugh helplessly from within her body.

On the viewing platform, Lei Dong stared fixedly at Xun'er as she leaped through the air and could not help praising, "As expected of the Gu Clan's little princess. Even entering the arena is so elegant."

The Thunder Clan elder beside him was covered in black lines. As expected of the Thunder Clan's young master—combative and lecherous, exactly like the clan chief.

Just moments after Xun'er entered, someone slowly emerged from the shadows on the other side of the arena.

"You are... Gu Qingqing?"

As the figure in the distance gradually came into view, Xun'er was pleasantly surprised.

A long time ago, Xun'er had secretly gone to Gu Saint City for fun. By a stroke of chance, she had met the city lord's daughter, Gu Qingqing.

With Gu Qingqing accompanying her, Xun'er toured the entire holy city. They ate and drank together, sparred together, and cultivated together—until Gu Yuan eventually dragged her back.

After that, the two never crossed paths again. Xun'er had not expected to run into her at the Clan Competition.

"Xun'er?! Hehe, I knew I'd run into you." Gu Qingqing, dressed in a light purple gown, was overjoyed and ran toward Xun'er.

The distance between them closed. Just as their hands were about to meet, Elder Gu Dao's aged voice rang out once more.

"Ahem. The battle begins. I hope all of you shine brightly in the Clan Competition."

Hearing this, the two stopped at the same time and exchanged helpless smiles.

"Oh dear, I forgot we're in a competition." Gu Qingqing gave an awkward smile.

"Me too..." Xun'er said helplessly. "Fine, fine. We can catch up after the Clan Competition is over. For now, let me see how much your strength has improved."

"Alright. Let me see how much stronger you've become as well."

Having reached an agreement, the two slowly retreated.

"This Gu Qingqing is another newly emerged Dark Horse. I wonder how Xun'er will deal with her." Gu Qingyang smiled faintly as he watched the two face off in the arena. "She has the strength of a Three-Star Dou Shi. Xun'er, you'd better work hard."

As Gu Qingyang muttered to himself, this battle between girls finally began.

As the distance widened, golden Dou Qi surged wildly from Xun'er's body. Part of it wrapped around her hands, while the rest formed a protective barrier around her.

"Qingqing, come on."

Feeling Xun'er's surging Dou Qi, Gu Qingqing smiled slightly. "Xun'er, your strength has improved quite a bit. You reached Five Star Dou Zhe in just a few months, but... that still isn't enough." As she spoke, an even more powerful aura rose from within her.

Xun'er frowned slightly. She had already sensed that Gu Qingqing's Dou Qi fluctuations were powerful, but she had not expected her to be a Three-Star Dou Shi. The pressure made her uncomfortable.

"Xun'er, here I come!"

With a light shout, Gu Qingqing shot forward. Pale blue Dou Qi surged wildly out, wrapping around her fists. Her fierce punch wind howled toward Xun'er, stirring the strands of hair before Xun'er's forehead.

Xun'er's gaze sharpened as golden light flared from within her. Her feet lifted slightly half an inch off the ground, and her waist-length hair fluttered despite the lack of wind. Golden light poured from her palms, and she fired four palm strikes in rapid succession. Four palm imprints condensed around her, streaking out like lightning with golden trails of energy as they collided with the charging Gu Qingqing.

Bang!

Amid a soft explosion, Gu Qingqing was sent flying backward. However, after retreating only a few steps, she steadied herself again.

"Cough, so strong..." Gu Qingqing coughed lightly after regaining her footing, her expression filled with shock.

When she had seen Xun'er's Five Star strength earlier, she had admittedly underestimated her. As a result, she had fallen behind before even using a Dou Skill.

Xun'er was even more shocked. Four palm strikes had only forced Gu Qingqing back a few steps. This was a Mystic High-Rank Dou Skill—its power was not to be underestimated.

"Mystic Mid-Rank Dou Skills, Swallow Soaring Step!"

Just as Xun'er was lost in thought, Gu Qingqing attacked again, her speed doubling.

With a flip of her palm, a fireball formed from Heavenly Flame rose in Xun'er's hand. She immediately hurled it toward Gu Qingqing.

Bang!

The attack missed. The fireball exploded in midair, scattering sparks across the sky, while Gu Qingqing's strange footwork made her figure even harder to track.

One fireball after another was thrown, continuously exploding in the air as the temperature in the arena steadily rose. Suddenly, a blue figure lunged toward her. Gu Qingqing's palm, trailing blue light, slammed toward Xun'er.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Facing Gu Qingqing's frontal assault, Xun'er showed no fear. Raising her palm wrapped in golden light, she chose the most brutal approach and met the attack head-on. Every collision of their hands created a sonic boom in the air.

As Gu Qingqing's palm strikes accelerated, the disparity in their levels gradually became apparent. Xun'er's steps began to retreat.

Bang!

With another sonic boom, Xun'er's delicate body trembled as she staggered back several steps.

So strong!

After their exchange, Xun'er realized that this was the true strength of a Dou Shi. With such vast reserves of Dou Qi supporting Gu Qingqing, she could only retreat step by step.

In only a few minutes, their palms had clashed dozens of times, and Xun'er's hands were already slightly numb from the impacts.

"Not bad. To fight me to this extent with Five Star strength, Xun'er, you're the first." Gu Qingqing withdrew her hands and placed them behind her back, praising Xun'er.

Though she said that, her slightly trembling hands exposed the shock in her heart.

Strong! Incredibly strong!

That was Gu Qingqing's assessment of Xun'er. Only after exchanging blows did she discover that every one of Xun'er's palm strikes was enhanced by a special power. Moreover, whether in strength or speed, Xun'er surpassed her. Though she had barely forced Xun'er back, only she knew that her hands were temporarily unusable now.

"Good! Very good!" Gu Yuan smiled faintly from the main viewing platform, extremely satisfied that Xun'er had managed to fight Gu Qingqing to a draw.

At the same time, murmurs arose from the surrounding stands.

"Gu Xun'er is so strong. Her strength is so much lower, yet she can fight that Three-Star Dou Shi opposite her to a draw. That's truly impressive." Huo Zhi of the Yan Clan said in shock.

"She really is quite good." Huo Xuan beside her nodded.

"Ahem, you're very strong too." Xun'er raised her head and smiled at Gu Qingqing in the distance. "But I'm afraid the real battle is only beginning now."