The leather-clad woman's kick, filled with raging anger, was powerful indeed.

Like a kite with a severed string, Luo Xiu flew backward in a straight line until he smashed into a stone lion statue in the distance, crashing into the fountain with a thunderous splash.

"Good!"

"A great hit!"

This scene made Duan Chunfeng, who was watching from afar, clap and cheer. The Duan Family Martial Artists all beamed with joy.

A battle between Martial Way experts of this caliber was a magnificent sight. Every detail was filled with a sense of power, and it was a spectacle ordinary people rarely got to witness firsthand.

When Luo Xiu had used the second technique of Luo Tian Yu Xuan, they had all felt its world-ending power. While they yearned for such strength, their hearts had been strung tight with worry, certain the leather-clad woman would lose.

But unexpectedly, from within that rolling dust, it was Luo Xiu who was sent flying out in the end.

Although the crowd did not see what happened at that moment, it was clear that Luo Xiu had lost.

Meanwhile, in a small courtyard far away, a breathtakingly beautiful woman in a white hanfu skirt hurriedly tossed aside her tablet. She hastily slipped on her high heels, her heart filled with immense regret.

Little Mule, I'm sorry... Please don't be hurt! Why did your illness have to flare up now? It's all my fault...

Tears welled in the white-skirted woman's eyes as she ran out of the courtyard in a frantic rush.

...

Luo Xiu struggled out of the fountain, soaking wet. He squatted on the edge of the pool, gasping for breath and looking incredibly frail.

Bitterness filled his heart.

That damned illness. It could have flared up any other time, but it had to be now. I guess I'll have to avoid fighting people in the future. This illness is just too agonizing when it flares up... I can only hope I have a future left.

He felt a pang of regret. He looked up at the approaching leather-clad woman, a bitter smile on his face.

In my current state, I'll be lucky to leave the Duan Family estate alive today. I'm going to die here.

But he wasn't overly concerned, as he had long been prepared to face death.

The leather-clad woman stopped in front of Luo Xiu, looking down at him with an indifferent expression. Even now, her rear end still stung. The memory of Luo Xiu's slap filled her heart with endless humiliation and rage.

But she did not attack him again. Taking advantage of someone's weakness was not her style.

"You seem to be sick. It looks like you're about to die," the leather-clad woman said after observing him for a moment.

Luo Xiu gave a faint smile and replied in a weak voice, "Now is a good opportunity to kill me. If you miss this chance, it will be much harder to kill me in the future."

The leather-clad woman scoffed coldly and turned away. "I don't like to take advantage of someone's vulnerability. Besides, I'm not the one who needs to kill you."

As she finished speaking, a series of urgent footsteps approached from ahead.

Duan Chunfeng appeared with a group of Duan Family Martial Artists, running up to surround Luo Xiu completely.

"My dear Divine Doctor Luo, I never thought you'd see a day like this." Duan Chunfeng looked at Luo Xiu, his expression twisted into a sinister grin.

Suddenly, he strode forward and kicked Luo Xiu to the ground.

Luo Xiu let out a scream, not from the pain of the kick, but from the agony of his illness flaring up.

"Divine Doctor Luo, weren't you so arrogant before? How have you become like a stray dog now?" Duan Chunfeng sneered. "Huh?"

He stepped forward, planting his foot on Luo Xiu's chest. "Before a Sky List Strong One, what are you?"

From Duan Chunfeng's perspective, Luo Xiu had simply been severely injured by the leather-clad woman. He had no idea that Luo Xiu was ill, let alone that his condition was flaring up at that very moment.

After pummeling Luo Xiu for a while, Duan Chunfeng vented some of his anger. He then waved his hand, summoning two Duan Family Martial Artists to haul Luo Xiu up. Killing him outright would be letting him off too easily!

"Senior," Duan Chunfeng looked toward the leather-clad woman and asked respectfully, "may I take this kid away and torture him slowly?"

The leather-clad woman stared at Luo Xiu, who was nearly dead and still coughing up blood, and her fine brows furrowed slightly. At that moment, she couldn't help but recall the fiery slap she had received. Yet, for some reason, a tinge of compassion stirred in her heart.

If he had hit me with that punch instead of a slap, I'd probably be in a sorry state right now. He might have been fresh with me, but he never intended to cause real harm.

"Forget it." She shook her head slightly and said to Duan Chunfeng, "If you're going to kill him, do it quickly. Don't dilly-dally. Grant him a swift end; there's no need to torture him."

Duan Chunfeng looked at Luo Xiu, his gaze lowered. He clearly had no intention of accepting her suggestion. He simply couldn't stand the thought of letting Luo Xiu die so easily.

The leather-clad woman spoke again, "He is very strong. If you push him too hard, he might just drag you down with him."

Hearing this, Duan Chunfeng clenched his teeth. "You have a point, Senior!"

He then strode toward Luo Xiu and commanded in a deep voice, "Hold him steady!"

The two Duan Family Martial Artists immediately tightened their grip, restraining Luo Xiu firmly.

His heart full of resentment and frustration, Duan Chunfeng took a knife from another Martial Artist and, without a word, swung it at Luo Xiu's neck.

CLANG!

However, the blade struck Luo Xiu's neck without leaving a scratch. Instead, the edge of the knife itself had buckled.

"This kid... He's this badly injured, and he's still protected by Gang Qi?" Duan Chunfeng stared at the buckled knife in his hand, horrified.

He then channeled the full power of his Gathering Spirit Realm cultivation and struck Luo Xiu several more times. Yet, the knife shattered, and aside from his torn clothes, Luo Xiu's skin remained completely unscathed.

"Senior, this..." Duan Chunfeng turned to look at the leather-clad woman.

The leather-clad woman squinted at Luo Xiu, her heart brimming with astonishment.

He isn't using Gang Qi for protection, she realized. He's relying solely on the toughness of his physical body! Even I don't have such a formidable physical defense. Just what kind of monster is this kid?

While she was lost in thought, Duan Chunfeng found another knife and resumed his merciless hacking. This time, each slash landed on the same spot, each one fueled by his hatred for Luo Xiu.

He cursed as he hacked. "I'll be damned if you're tougher than the Monkey King who survived lightning and fire! Even if you were the Monkey King, I'll still slaughter you today!"

...

"Boss, you're here," the leather-clad woman's voice suddenly sounded from behind Duan Chunfeng.

Hearing this, Duan Chunfeng's heart sank. He quickly lowered his knife and turned to see the woman in the white dress approaching, her expression grim. The leather-clad woman was greeting her.

Duan Chunfeng dared not hesitate. He hurried forward and bowed deeply in greeting. "Boss, you..."

SLAP!

Before he could finish speaking, the woman in the white dress fiercely slapped him across the face.

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