The atmosphere in the hall grew tense as Zhou Ming and Han Xue faced each other on the stage, their contrasting auras filling the space with palpable energy. Zhou Ming, with her slightly exposed waist and graceful movements, exuded a confident yet playful demeanor. Her attire, a combination of red and gold, shimmered under the dim lights, highlighting her poised stance. In contrast, Han Xue stood like a serene statue, her silvery hair cascading over her dark, flowing robes that hinted at her mysterious and cold nature.

Both girls stared intently at each other, their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. Zhou Ming’s lips curled into a determined smile, while Han Xue’s face remained an unreadable mask. The crowd held their breath, eagerly anticipating the clash between these formidable opponents.

As Elder Wang’s voice echoed, “Begin!” the stage seemed to shrink, drawing all eyes to the two combatants. Zhou Ming immediately shifted into a fluid stance, her movements as graceful as a dancer’s, while Han Xue’s posture was rigid, her focus unwavering. The air around them crackled with anticipation.

Zhou Ming dashed toward her opponent, her speed seemingly defying the laws of acceleration. One moment she was moving slowly, the next she was like the wind. They engaged in swift and intense hand-to-hand combat, their palms striking, zapping, pulling, pushing, and hooking in a flurry of motion. Their speed rapidly increased, causing popping sounds of natural essence qi each time their palms connected in the air. The stage seemed to shrink beneath their feet, barely containing their rapid movements.

“Tai Chi Palm Style!” Elder Wang commented, nodding his head in approval. “Good! Both of them have mastered the first style.”

Even amid the loud clapping and gasping in the hall, Han Xiao could hear Elder Wang’s comment clearly.

‘Hmm, so this is the famed Tai Chi Palm Style!’ he mused, feeling a flicker of excitement. A soft dinging sound chimed as if responding to his emotional fluctuation, accompanied by a notification in his red interface.

Ding!

[Advance Tai Chi Martial Art Available to Unlock!]

[Use 100 Shopping Keys to Unlock!]

[Highly Compatible with Your Curse Body Cultivation Method!]

Han Xiao's interest was piqued. ‘An advanced martial art that's highly compatible with my cultivation method... this might be worth the investment.’

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

‘I still don’t have a proper offensive skill. Perhaps, this will be a good choice,’ he pondered. ‘Later, I’ll visit the library to have a look at the Seasonal Sword Style as my main offensive skill for the Martial Qi Cultivation.’

Then, remembering something, he asked, “System, is there a technique called Seasonal Sword Style in my shopping list?”

[No! But I can reproduce a better version of that technique after scanning the main manual at the expense of another 100 Shopping Keys.]

“Hmm, as I thought, you money-grubbing computer!” Han Xiao cursed softly, adding another curse point to his stats.

[You still have ten seconds to buy Advance Tai Chi Martial Art before it is closed for good. Are you buying?]

[Yes/No]

‘What did you think I’d choose?’ Han Xiao grumbled, feeling a bit frustrated. “Of course, yes, I’m buying, you piece of money-grubbing, emotionless... eh, whatever, computer!”

Automatically, the Curse System deducted one thousand Curse Points, and an old leather book appeared in his red interface. The book flipped open, and a new page was added, displaying descriptions of various unknown texts and pictures of a master practicing the skill.

Ding!

[Total Curse Points: 9567!]

‘This better be worth it,’ Han Xiao thought as he briefly studied the advanced Tai Chi Martial arts techniques. "I’ll practice this later. Now, let’s see how great my Sixth Royal Sister is.’ With that thought, the book disappeared from his mind space, and he turned his focus back to the intense battle between the two ladies, which was fiercer than any previous spars in the hall. “She’s really good and is slowly gaining the momentum of the whole fight.”

Han Xue’s palm striking speed became quicker, or perhaps Zhou Ming was slowing down. To compensate for this disadvantage, Zhou Ming switched to another movement technique called Floating One-Legged Crane.

This technique allowed Zhou Ming to evade with more agility, making her movements seem as if she were weightless and graceful. The audience watched in awe as she appeared to float around the stage, countering Han Xue’s rapid palm strikes with fluid and unpredictable maneuvers.

Elder Wang’s eyes widened in appreciation. “Floating One-Legged Crane! A high-level evasion technique. Zhou Ming has indeed mastered it.”

Han Xiao observed closely, noting the intricate footwork and the way Zhou Ming maintained her balance on one leg, shifting her weight effortlessly from one side to another. ‘Impressive,’ he thought. ‘But can she keep it up against Han Xue’s relentless assault?’

The intensity of the battle increased as both fighters pushed their limits. Han Xue’s strikes grew even faster, her eyes locked onto Zhou Ming with unwavering focus. Zhou Ming, on the other hand, relied on her agility and precision, dodging and countering with swift, well-timed attacks.

The crowd was captivated, their cheers and gasps filling the hall. The clash of techniques, the display of skill, and the sheer determination of the two fighters made it a spectacle that would be remembered for a long time.

As the fight raged on, Han Xiao couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride for his sister. ‘She’s come a long way,’ he mused. ‘But can she withstand Han Xue’s full power?’

The sound of popping and clapping filled the entire hall, encouraging a loud clamor from the disciples.

Suddenly, Han Xue changed her style, moving her arms in wide, sweeping motions like a goddess with three pairs of arms. As she muttered, she delivered a seemingly ordinary palm strike, “First Law Tai Chi Palm Style, Mount Tai Strike!”

The instructors and elders gasped in shock. They were all familiar with this famed hand-to-hand combat style, which contained four distinct styles, each embodying a unique law. The Mount Tai Strike utilized the law of gravity, while the other three styles harnessed the laws of softness/absorption, rebound, and the ultimate law of Ying and Yang harmony. Until now, it was believed that no one below the Houtian Realm could comprehend these laws, only the rudimentary level of the skill. Yet here was someone in the Early Stage of the Nine Layers of the Pulse Condensation Realm executing it perfectly, a record-breaking moment.

With that simple vertical palm strike, the crowd saw a virtual image of a miniature mountain capped with white snow. Suddenly, they all felt a heaviness as if a law of the sky was pressing upon them. The effect of this heaviness was much greater closer to Han Xue, making Zhou Ming appear to move in slow motion.

“Huh! This is the law of gravity. Interesting!” Han Xiao quickly assessed the skill.