Brother, you haven't said goodnight to Ayuan today...

The second round of sparring began just like that.

This time, Su Qi made the first move.

Determined to turn the tables and redeem himself from the previous defeat, he went straight for a lethal strike.

Liu Yuan, her petite frame constrained by the narrow space of the entryway, found it difficult to evade. She had no choice but to brace herself against the onslaught, opting to defend first and counter later.

As the saying goes, "The first burst of energy is fierce, the second wanes, and the third exhausts."

She only needed to wait for the moment when Su Qi's initial momentum faded and his new strength had yet to rise—that would be her chance to turn defeat into victory.

But Su Qi believed prolonged defense would inevitably lead to a mistake.

Both were convinced they wouldn't lose to the other.

Thus, it was bound to become a battle of endurance.

Su Qi seemed to sense this and abruptly intensified his assault.

His palm strikes cut through the air like blades, aiming straight for Liu Yuan's vital points.

The golden-haired girl dodged like drifting willow catkins, but she was still half a beat too slow.

Su Qi's palm grazed her clothes, the force behind it laden with internal energy that left Liu Yuan struggling to parry.

Having gained the upper hand, Su Qi didn’t let up despite his momentary advantage.

He pressed forward relentlessly.

His attacks surged like tidal waves, each strike brimming with overwhelming power.

Liu Yuan was forced into retreat, her golden hair whipping wildly as she moved at high speed.

Her defense grew increasingly strained, her small frame appearing ever more fragile under the relentless assault.

"Admit defeat this round. I’ve won," Su Qi said, believing sparring should end before things got too serious. There was no need to obsess over victory or defeat.

After all, he hadn’t held back this time and had struck harder than intended.

The gap between a sixth-tier and a fourth-tier was simply too vast to bridge.

A few drops of blood had already splattered onto the floor.

Even in such a dire situation, Liu Yuan clenched her teeth, a stubborn glint flashing in her eyes.

Then, she suddenly changed tactics.

The Phantom Fox Steps didn’t just enhance her footwork.

Her supple waist twisted like a serpent, using softness to overcome hardness.

Su Qi grunted, surprise flickering in his eyes.

"Not bad," he remarked, his voice steady as the flow of his soul force abruptly accelerated.

Liu Yuan sensed the shift in his aura, her heart tightening.

The real battle had begun.

Su Qi struck without warning.

The air tore apart with a shrill screech.

Liu Yuan had no time to dodge—she could only block.

Her internal energy surged within her, yet the sheer force of the impact sent her stumbling back, the bells at her feet jingling with each step.

Su Qi’s attacks grew fiercer, unstoppable as a storm.

Liu Yuan was backed into a corner of the entryway, her ragged breaths nearly drowning out the sound of the bells.

Against such a relentless assault, she was clearly outmatched.

"Do you see the difference now?" Su Qi’s strikes turned even more brutal.

Liu Yuan gritted her teeth and abruptly shifted tactics again.

Abandoning defense, she retreated to advance, gathering the last remnants of her soul force to trap Su Qi in place, using pressure from all sides to halt his attacks.

The move caught Su Qi off guard, disrupting his offensive rhythm entirely.

But unfortunately, Liu Yuan had exhausted her soul force too soon, leaving her with no strength left to counter or defend.

She had been so close to turning the tables.

"This is too much… Big Brother is bullying me. No more sparring… The gap between fourth-tier and sixth-tier is just too big."

Liu Yuan was too disheartened to speak further, her golden hair disheveled over her shoulders, the very picture of defeat.

Seeing this, Su Qi quickly comforted her, "It’s alright. Losing isn’t shameful. I might’ve gone a little too hard this time. Let’s call it a day—it’s getting late, time to rest."

"But it is shameful… Sparring injuries are inevitable, and you didn’t hold back. I’ll recover in a couple of days. Next time, Big Brother will know how to control his strength."

"Ah, next time?"

"Of course. Since you said this is intensive training for the martial exam, we have to keep at it daily to see results."

[...+]

After that, the night passed mostly in silence.

With their soul force completely drained, neither even ate dinner before drifting off to sleep one after the other.

Su Qi’s bedroom was bathed in the soft glow of a nightlight.

Liu Yuan slept soundly under the covers, her lips occasionally twitching as if savoring something delicious in her dreams.

One pale calf peeked out from the edge of the blanket, stubbornly pressing down on the corner.

A faint rustling came from behind her.

Half-asleep, Liu Yuan shifted slightly, her small hand brushing against Su Qi’s palm.

Her voice was thick with sleep, words slurred.

"Big Brother… you haven’t said goodnight to Yuan’er yet…"