Tang Xuan suffered defeat on the battlefield, prompting Xuan Zhi to intervene.

Tang Xuan’s fists clashed with Li Mochou’s whisk, and he immediately sensed the surging force emanating from its flowing threads, power rolling in from all directions like the endless currents of a mighty river. It was as if he had struck the heart of a raging storm, so much so that his palms tingled with numbness.

Li Mochou, a formidable boss of level forty or fifty, possessed attributes far superior to his own at level sixteen, her internal energy no weaker than his perfected "Arhat Thousand-Pound Skill." Were it not for the mystical strength granted by that very skill—allowing his Shaolin Arhat Fist to hit harder—he would have been injured by even a glancing blow.

Even so, a "-30" appeared above Tang Xuan’s head, indicating a slight loss of health, though with his current pool at "1570/1600," it was hardly worth mentioning. In contrast, the blow he landed on Li Mochou only resulted in a "-5" floating above her, leaving Tang Xuan bemused. His most refined combination of agility and fistwork, pushed to its limits, managed to shave off a mere five points from her health.

She was a boss of level forty or fifty; such negligible damage was tantamount to nothing at all.

Seeing that the Arhat Fist would not suffice, Tang Xuan drew the Tiger Fang Blade from his game inventory and unleashed the lost technique: Five Tigers Severing the Gate. He pressed the attack fiercely upon Li Mochou. This superior blade art, perfected to its highest level, unleashed a barrage of blade flashes, accompanied by a phantom roar of tigers.

This third-tier blade technique, at full mastery, boosted attack power by two hundred sixteen percent, surpassing the second-tier Arhat Fist. Coupled with the sixty percent skill amplification from "Arhat Thousand-Pound Skill," the total increase reached two hundred seventy-six percent.

With the Tiger Fang Blade equipped, Tang Xuan’s attack power rose to 2115. Executing the blade technique, it soared to over 7900, nearly 8000.

Yet even this tremendous force merely prompted Li Mochou, the high-level boss, to focus her attention. Above her head, only "-7" or "-8" appeared—just two or three points more than what the Arhat Fist achieved!

For this boss, it was as if her health remained untouched, while Tang Xuan lost "-27" or "-28" each time.

Those observing—Master Xuan Zhi, Yang Guo, Yelü Qi, and the others—could see that although Tang Xuan’s blade art was fierce and allowed him to contend with Li Mochou for a time, she clearly held the advantage, relaxed and in control.

Gradually, Tang Xuan began to resemble Yelü Qi at the outset, the signs of defeat becoming apparent. Though the two continued to duel, the outcome was already determined.

Before stepping onto the stage, Tang Xuan had anticipated this result. He knew well that his skill and attributes were only marginally superior to Yelü Qi’s, and nowhere near sufficient to challenge Li Mochou.

But his purpose in fighting was simply to lure out the true threat and keep this demoness from escaping.

Indeed, as Tang Xuan’s defeat became evident, Master Xuan Zhi leaped forward, landing between him and Li Mochou, and both combatants withdrew just in time.

Li Mochou regarded Master Xuan Zhi with grave respect. “May I ask this venerable Shaolin monk his Dharma name? What guidance do you have for me?”

Since the young man who had faced her earlier claimed to be a lay disciple of Shaolin, this monk, whose internal energy was profound, must surely be a high-ranking member of Shaolin Temple.

“Xuan Zhi of Shaolin,” he replied calmly, giving his name before continuing, “Li, you have perpetrated countless evils upon the martial world. Now that my disciple and I have encountered you, we cannot ignore your deeds. The Buddha is merciful, and repentance leads to salvation. I invite you to accompany me to Shaolin Temple for a decade, to listen to the Dharma.”

A decade’s stay to listen to the Dharma? Li Mochou’s expression changed. The words sounded pleasant enough, but in truth, he meant to imprison her in Shaolin for ten years.

Shaolin monks of the Xuan generation were not easy to deal with; each was a master of the temple’s seventy-two supreme techniques. Fortunately, this was not one of the famous Xuan Ci, Xuan Bei, or Xuan Nan, but a relatively unknown Xuan Zhi, whom Li Mochou believed she could handle.

Yang Guo and Yelü Qi, upon hearing he was from the Xuan generation of Shaolin monks, were overjoyed. If this ruthless, murderous demoness could be detained in Shaolin, all would be well. Otherwise, even if Yang Guo rescued Lu Wushuang, the demoness would never cease her pursuit, and peace would be forever out of reach.

Tang Xuan stood aside, speechless. His master’s words sounded noble: encountering this villain, they could not turn a blind eye. In reality, had he not acted first to keep Li Mochou from fleeing, she would have escaped long ago!

Li Mochou laughed lightly. “Today, I shall seek instruction from Master Xuan Zhi. If I lose, what harm is there in ten years' confinement at Shaolin?”

As soon as her words fell, she launched her first proactive attack of the day. The whisk in her hand unfurled, its threads sweeping left and right, up and down, striking at Xuan Zhi from all directions.

Her left hand quietly readied the Crimson Serpent Palm, poised for a sudden strike.

Facing a Shaolin monk of the Xuan generation, Li Mochou dared not be careless—she began at full strength.

Much like her standing as a martial senior to the group of young men such as Yang Guo, the Shaolin monks were all in their forties and fifties, making them her own seniors.

Xuan Zhi was not surprised by Li Mochou’s sudden attack, as if he had expected it all along. In the next moment, he swung both fists to meet her.

Master Xuan Zhi’s first move was extraordinary. His strength gathered into the wind, producing dazzling golden fist energy.

One of Shaolin’s seventy-two supreme techniques—the Great Brightness Fist!

This was a divine Buddhist martial art, created by the Tathagata himself. The sutras say the Tathagata raised his golden arm, curled his five fingers, and formed the Brightness Fist.

In former days, the Brightness Fist had demonstrated dazzling power, earning the reputation as “the greatest fist under heaven.”

It was one of the seventy-two supreme arts studied in the Arhat Hall of Shaolin.

Master Xuan Zhi belonged to the Arhat Hall. Having perfected the "Arhat Thousand-Pound Skill," he had begun advancing in the "Arahant Divine Skill," another of the Hall’s seventy-two arts.

Among the seventy-two supreme skills of the Arhat Hall, fist techniques included the Great Brightness Fist, Flower-Piercing Hands, Monument-Smashing Hands, and the Paramita Hands.

Xuan Zhi’s practice lay in the Great Brightness Fist.

Every Shaolin monk of the Xuan generation mastered at least one or two of the seventy-two supreme arts; Xuan Zhi’s skills were in the Arahant Divine Skill and the Great Brightness Fist.

Just these two arts were enough for a lifetime’s study, though he had only reached the entry level so far. If he had truly mastered them, his abilities would far surpass that of an ordinary expert; with sufficient skill level, he could easily defeat Li Mochou.

Tang Xuan watched with envy. If his master would teach him the Arahant Divine Skill or the Great Brightness Fist, then, as a cheat character, how could he possibly lose to Li Mochou?

At this moment, Master Xuan Zhi and Li Mochou were locked in battle, her first time fighting at full strength.

Facing the Great Brightness Fist, Li Mochou felt immense pressure; she used her whisk to parry, seeking a chance to unleash her Crimson Serpent Palm, but found no opening.

The force of the Brightness Fist was not so easily withstood.