Amid the laughter and chatter of the elders, Nangong Qi stepped forward with a graceful gait, performed a courtesy bow, and then presented a red gift box the size of a palm before Hong Fei, "The little girl has prepared a gift for the gentleman, and I hope the gentleman will kindly accept it."

"Haha, of course, thank you, Miss Qi," said Hong Fei, who also took out a gift, "This is a small token I prepared for Miss Qi, a modest gift, and I hope Miss Qi won't mind."

"You are too kind, sir."

Qi bowed slightly as she accepted the gift, handed it to her servant, and then proceeded to Tuo'er's side. After exchanging gifts, there was a noisy commotion below with people yelling and crying about hanging themselves, while the elders from both families looked on at the three young people with smiles of proud satisfaction on their faces.

Feng Yi reflexively reached into his pocket, searching thoroughly only to find nothing - he hadn't prepared anything. Was this okay?

He really wanted to step forward now, but it seemed inappropriate. Fortunately, he decided to wait—after all, Feng Yi had already let down a girl, Sheng Qiangwei, who had waited for him for years before marrying another. The situation with Qi'er, however, was completely different. There was no emotional foundation between them; at least this time, Feng Yi wouldn't miss out—yes, he had never missed out, yet he had always missed out.

What followed would be a battle determining Nangong Qi's future happiness, where only one could emerge as the favored suitor. In this era of survival of the fittest, the Nangong Family had no choice but to make this decision to cultivate superior bloodlines.

Instantly, Tuo'er and Hong Fei had already squared up to start their fight.

The fighting stance Tuo'er adopted was a Rekart military special combat stance. He was clearly a killer seasoned by bloodshed, as a cold aura suddenly spread from his body…

Hong Fei, meanwhile, stood firm without moving, his hair fluttering in the wind. He then clasped his hands and suddenly enveloped his whole body with an invisible force field, following this with a gesture of invitation.

The audience seemed stunned by the powerful display between them; this was a collision of military boxing and Ancient Martial Arts.

Boom! With Tuo'er's straight punch thrown, a crater surprisingly formed under his feet. It was unimaginable how terrifying the force of his punch was, likely able to blow away a measuring device.

However, Hong Fei merely focused his gaze and slightly moved sideways to dodge the attack, his graceful evasive maneuver immediately eliciting screams from the female audience…

Then, with a flick of the wrist, as if he intended to slap Tuo'er away, the swiftness of this slap caught even Tuo'er off guard…

Pop! It hit its mark, and the crowd heard a crisp sound. But what kind of background did a soldier have? His resistance to being hit was strong, and a mere fingertip slap was not enough to inflict serious injury, especially in a fight among equals. Tuo'er practically absorbed the strike and then swung his arm down in a thunderous elbow strike, as the sound of roaring wind next to everyone's ears seemed to be accompanied by the crack of thunder.

But Hong Fei was faster, truly worthy of being the young master of the Xigu Family. He smoothly turned his body and struck an elbow blow just like Tuo'er's. Though he pulled his punch slightly, the strike landed directly on Tuo'er's back, sending him staggering and stumbling forward several steps…

Feng Yi silently shook his head. Hong Fei was holding back; otherwise, that hit could have seriously injured his opponent. It wasn't that Tuo'er lacked fighting ability. On the contrary, according to Feng Yi's analysis, their physical strength didn't differ much, but the key was the difference in their realms. After all, Tuo'er was only at Rank 2, while Hong Fei had already stepped into the threshold of Rank 1. That was the main reason why it was extremely difficult for him to have any chance of winning.

It was evident that Tuo'er was always the first to attack, but Hong Fei was able to deliver a strike first despite acting second—this clearly marked a difference in realm. It was uncertain how much strength Hong Fei had used, but at least, to Feng Yi, it seemed he was just stepping into the initial threshold.

The strike was enough to showcase the difference in their realms. Although Tuo'er was extremely reluctant, he well understood their disparity and that his opponent had held back. Continuing to fight would only be unreasonable harassment. With a heart full of regret, Tuo'er voluntarily gave up the fight, knowing that staying any longer would only humiliate himself. He exchanged a few courtesies and then left the Nangong Family without looking back.

Life or death, sometimes, the reason behind personal happiness is just this seemingly insignificant gap.

Xigu Family stepped forward at the right moment, "Hongfei, you sure are lucky to have caught Miss Qi's favor."

Upon hearing this, Hongfei smiled faintly. Indeed, he was always considered discerning, but he genuinely admired Nangong Qi. Although they had never interacted before, he had heard enough stories about her. She was a young genius, beautiful as a flower, and also a superpowered individual with special pupillary power. As a member of an ancient martial arts family, Hongfei had essentially grown up listening to rumors about Qi.

The head of the Nangong Family let out a loud laugh, "Let's leave the remaining time for this new couple."

Seeing the melancholic expression on Nangong Qi's face, Hongfei stepped forward and asked, "Could it be that Miss Qi has something troubling her mind?"

Nangong Qi nodded slightly, then shook her head... She didn't know how to express her hardships in such a setting; this was more than just a simple refusal; it was akin to slapping the Nangong Family's own face.

During the conversation, Hongfei seemed to discern something, "Miss Qi, if there is something unspeakable troubling you, feel free to speak freely."

Nangong Qi bit her lip gently, her voice barely audible as she murmured, "If you wish to marry me, you must prove to be better than me."

This was the most she could do and was a form of compromise. On this difficult issue, she needed to give an explanation to herself and to Li Xiang—initially, she had similarly told Li Xiang that if he could surpass her in certain aspects, she would agree to date.

As a result, the two of them did date, but it was only a brief, beautiful moment. Whenever she recalled Li Xiang's silly appearance, Qi couldn't help but laugh, but... she obsessively cared, cared about the persistence Li Xiang demonstrated in pursuing his goals—now with everything changed, had he thought about the promises he once made? On this fate-chosen pebble path, Qi had no choice, perhaps the promises of the past no longer mattered.

At least, this was the last effort she could make for herself and for her happiness.

Upon hearing this, Hongfei's body froze slightly. Defeat Nangong Qi? Although he prided himself on his courage, as a member of a civilian ancient family attempting to defeat a cherished daughter of a hidden sect certainly brought significant pressure, one might even say immense pressure.

The head of the Nangong Family hadn't missed these words and turned back before leaving, casting a glance toward Nangong Qi, "Show some manners. Young Master Hongfei has already been severely tested; how can you be so difficult?"

"The elder speaks too seriously, I..."

Before Hongfei could finish speaking, the head of the Nangong Family abruptly gestured with one hand, fully aware that Qi'er was somewhat reluctant, and said, "Qi'er, consider that the chief disciple of the Flying Heaven Sect is also restricted to 10 seconds. Today, let's also seek a little fortune, just like the Flying Heaven Sect. You might as well give Young Master Hongfei 10 seconds."

The crowd below was stunned. Regardless of whether ten seconds were enough to defeat Hongfei, whether Nangong Qi could defeat him at all was another matter and those ten seconds would definitely be worth watching.

Dressed in her formal attire, Nangong Qi was obviously unsuited to fight. A few minutes later, she changed into her usual training clothes, which consisted of capri pants, training shoes, and a breathable shirt. She then took half a step back, her hands poised in front of her chest, ready to begin.

Hongfei, graceful and composed, continued to smile lightly, but he was ready for any sudden events. He knew that Nangong Qi should not be compared to that military man named Tuo'er they spoke of earlier; forget about ten seconds, even three seconds of carelessness could lead to disaster.

"Here it comes."

Qi uttered a soft cry, her slender fingers quickly forming seals. With a sharp shout, her pupils suddenly transformed into a golden color, a dazzling light that was extremely eye-catching. Replacing it was a terrifying wave of mental oppression that swept over, truly worthy of the Nangong Family's treasured daughter. Even Hongfei could feel his body sway uncontrollably from the intense pressure...

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