Although Dong Guanqin hadn't suffered any serious injuries, he looked utterly devastated—his hair, beard, and eyebrows were scorched, and his robe was blackened in countless patches. This made him feel humiliated, especially since he had come to cause trouble in the first place. He leaped up from below and launched an attack on Qin Feng. Qin Feng moved with a swift flick, ducking into the small tripod. Without a clear target, Dong Guanqin paused, surprised that the other had simply chosen to evade rather than engage in a direct confrontation. Inside the tripod, Qin Feng, now taking the place of Ling'er's pillow that had been held by her, chuckled to himself: "Old fellow's temper hasn't yet reached its peak—let me add a little more fuel to the fire!" Dong Guanqin grew furious, blowing his nose and glaring, and instead of directly addressing Qin Feng, he directed his anger at the surrounding trees and stones, reducing the area to a complete wreck. A few minutes later, he began gasping for breath, and Qin Feng suddenly reappeared above him—this time with four advanced seals, plus ice spear and boulders spell techniques. Another surprise, though he remained unharmed, as before, Gong Qiankun's temper grew even fiercer. Turning toward where Qin Feng had vanished, he stormed, "Qin! Besides being a turtle that always retreats and a third-rate performer, what else do you have? If you're truly a man, step out and face me—dead or alive!" Qin Feng flickered and reappeared a third time, smiling cheerfully. "The best way to prove whether I'm a man is to find a woman. Your household must have some young girls, right? I'm not averse to proving myself on one of them. What's the matter with you? Are you not seeing any? Then that's a pity. Even if you have no daughters, your daughter-in-law or granddaughter will do. I'm not picky!" "Qin Feng, stop your constant talk and fuss," said Gong Qiankun. "Why do you always find reasons to be at odds with me?" Dong Guankun was afraid that if he moved too quickly, the other would once again choose to retreat—then he’d truly be at a loss. So he forced down the growing anger in his chest, determined to first hold off Qin Feng and then find the right moment to strike. Qin Shao chuckled softly, thinking how well-mannered this old man was. He’d already started asking about the younger women in the elder’s life, yet the old man remained completely composed. "Dong," he said, "am I the one causing trouble, or did you initiate the challenge first?" His smile gradually turned cold. "It was I who first discovered the Liantai. As the headmaster of the foremost cultivation sect, you openly seized it—this is precisely where our rivalry began. Since you’ve chosen to act with authority and superiority, why shouldn’t I respond in kind? This is simply a matter of justice—fair and natural." "Dong Guanqin gritted his teeth, saying, 'But in the end, the Lotus Platform still belongs to you, doesn't it? Moreover, because of your actions, I personally demoted a highly accomplished disciple. Our grievances should now be settled—yet you, instead, have undermined my position as the Grand Champion of the cultivation world. Is that bearable? How much more is beyond endurance!'" As a master of surprise attacks and gradual pressure, Qin Feng certainly wouldn't be easily caught off guard—he had already seen through Dong Qunran's scheme. When... the two flying swords collided, sparking a trail of sparks, the battle became evenly matched. Qin, the young lord, chuckled: "Dong, didn't see that coming, did you?" Dong Qunran was stunned. Indeed, he hadn't expected it. In his memory, when the Lotus Platform was seized, Qin Feng had only reached the Kui Tian stage. By the time of the Gathering of the Immortals, he had advanced to the lower tier of Kui Tian. Now, he was able to hold his own against someone at the mid-tier of Kui Tian—something he hadn't anticipated at all. How had Qin Feng progressed so swiftly? Was it due to a unique cultivation method? That seemed to be the only plausible explanation. Dong Qunran furrowed his brows, quietly cursing himself for not thinking of this earlier—then he should have struck at the Gathering of the Immortals, forcing Qin Feng to surrender his secret scrolls. Now, to secure Qin Feng, it would surely prove to be no easy task. "As you just said—no "Qin, with full confidence, said, 'If today you fail to defeat me, I will certainly retaliate against your Xiao Yao Sect. After all, you came to me first—how can a true gentleman leave such a matter unaddressed?' Dong's heart began to race. Though the Xiao Yao Sect was the leading martial order in the realm of cultivation, boasting several masters at the Ji Mi stage, if even he could not overcome Qin, then the others would surely falter. Once Qin Feng took action, the Sect would undoubtedly be in disarray. A wave of regret and embarrassment surged through him, yet he still took a deep breath and said firmly, 'As you've requested, since we've reached this point, I will certainly defeat you today—so as to eliminate any future threats!' 'Then it depends on whether you're worthy of that challenge,' Qin Feng replied, launching his attack and using his Lé Shi Technique to accelerate his flying sword. Clang... This time, Qin Feng clearly gained the upper hand. The acceleration from the Lé Shi Technique was no mere addition—it represented a decisive leap forward." Dong Guanqin was even more astonished. For years in high office, he had long since worn thin his competitive spirit, making him more afraid of failure than anyone else. Indeed, in the previous contest for the Lotus Platform, had it not been for a mysterious True Immortal acting as a backup, he would have felt deeply humbled. Now, even at the very start of this battle, he began to wonder what would happen if he won—what if he merely drew even? Qin Feng had already mentioned he would go to trouble with the Xiao Yao Sect; would he then never find peace again? In contrast, Qin's younger brother displayed far superior mental resilience. His consistent philosophy was simply: fight if you can, retreat if you can't, and if necessary, come back next time. What's so remarkable about that? He's young—he has plenty of time. Ice spears, fire dragons, lightning bolts—his attack methods were constantly evolving, and one could even say he no longer adhered to the conventions of the martial world. As the old saying goes, "A disorderly barrage can defeat an experienced master," and Dong Guanqin now deeply felt this truth. By accident, he was caught off guard, facing an ice spear aimed straight at his chest. Fortunately, his spiritual energy shield held strong and deflected it, but the powerful force still left him feeling a tightness in his chest. Qin made good progress, excited and launching even more vigorous attacks.