In midair, the duel intensified.
Yue Chan darted forward, her palm glowing with condensed energy as she launched a series of swift strikes.
Li Haoran twisted away, responding with bursts of spiritual force that scattered droplets from the lake far below like tiny diamonds.
Their bodies moved in a blur—dodging, parrying, attacking—each motion leaving trails of light in their wake.
The sky became their arena.
Waves of energy collided with each exchange, sending ripples through the clouds.
Yue Chan spun gracefully, channeling her power into a precise kick that forced Li Haoran to block with both arms, the impact echoing like thunder.
He retaliated with a spiral of energy, forcing her to flip backwards, regaining her balance in the air.
For a moment, they hovered opposite each other, breathless and shining with spiritual light, the lake reflecting their duel like a living mirror.
Neither was willing to yield—each exchange more brilliant than the last.
"ARE YOU GIVING UP, YOUNG MASTER?"
Li Haoran shouted, his voice booming across the sky as they hovered above the shimmering lake.
Yue Chan observed him in silence, her breath coming slow and even.
She hadn't expected this mischievous, stubborn young man to be so skilled—to match her strike for strike, to press her back with such tenacity.
Behind her mask, a faint, approving smile flickered across her lips—a rare gesture, seen by no one.
The air crackled with tension as they launched into the final round.
Their movements became a blur: palms flashing, feet spinning, spiritual energy arcing between them in streaks of blue and gold.
The world shrank to the dance of combat, the thunder of their colliding powers echoing over the waves.
Then, in a split second, the unexpected happened.
Li Haoran's hand surged with power—Thunder Palm, its force wild and raw. He struck, and Yue Chan, caught off guard, failed to raise her defense in time.
The blow crashed against her, sending a shockwave through her body.
Her form tumbled from the sky, the world spinning in a dizzy rush of wind and light.
With a splash that sent ripples racing across the wide lake, Yue Chan plunged beneath the surface, vanishing from sight.
A stunned silence fell, broken only by the fading echoes of their battle and the soft lapping of water against the shore.
Li Haoran landed on his feet with confident flair, snapping both hands in triumph after defeating his new master.
He let out a short, self-satisfied laugh as he strutted along the lakeshore, arrogance radiating from every step.
But what had happened to Yue Chan after she plunged into the lake?
Even Li Haoran had no idea.
All he knew was that he had just defeated the most formidable and undisputed Supreme Warrior in the entire Jianghu.
Beneath the lake's deep, dark surface, Yue Chan fought for survival.
As she struggled to swim upward, something strange stopped her ascent.
She looked down and saw a mysterious vine coiled tightly around her legs, preventing her from breaking free and reaching the surface.
As she struggled, another mysterious vine lashed out, winding around her arms, legs, and torso, immobilizing her completely.
Yue Chan tried to summon her spiritual power, but the vine seemed to feed on her strength, draining her energy.
It glowed with black and gold light, shimmering ominously as her consciousness began to fade.
The last of her oxygen bubbled from her lips, and everything went dark as she finally lost consciousness.
On the surface, Li Haoran began to wonder—why hadn't Yue Chan come up from the water yet?
He scratched the back of his neck, a flicker of doubt creeping in.
Suddenly, a shimmering white light bloomed beneath the lake, catching his eye.
Li Haoran narrowed his gaze, watching intently, unwilling to look away.
As the scene unfolded, he also noticed the white heirloom jade bangle on his left wrist beginning to glow.
His brows knitted in confusion—the bangle had never reacted to anything before, let alone an event like this.
What could it mean?
Actually, ever since he'd awakened in this world, the white heirloom jade bangle had already been on his wrist.
He never understood how it came to be there, but deep in his heart, Li Haoran felt certain the treasure was precious—perhaps more important than he could yet comprehend.
"YOUNG MASTER! COME OUT!" he shouted. "DON'T STAY TOO LONG IN THE WATER, IT'S DANGEROUS!" he added, but received no response.
Why wasn't she coming out?
The thought struck him, freezing time for a heartbeat.
He remembered using his Thunder Palm technique—had Yue Chan been unable to withstand his strike?
Without hesitation, Li Haoran leapt into the water, swimming as fast as he could toward the shimmering white bloom beneath the surface.
As he moved, the white heirloom jade bangle on his wrist pulsed with light, flickering in sync with the glow beneath the lake.
Deep underwater, Li Haoran was shocked to see Yue Chan trapped by the mysterious vine.
Fearlessly, he lunged forward, gathering his spiritual power to break the vines.
But before he could strike, the vines loosened on their own, uncoiling from Yue Chan's unconscious body.
Li Haoran quickly swam to her side and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her to safety.
But the moment he touched her, the world around him seemed to warp and blur.
His chest surged with unexpected emotion as he gazed at the unconscious Supreme Warrior—her mask gone, revealing a beauty utterly beyond compare.
She... she was like a goddess.
Staring at her, unblinking, Li Haoran nearly forgot the urgency of his rescue.
He quickly regained his composure and pulled her closer, gently cupping her face and giving it a light shake, hoping she would respond.
Judging their position, they were still deep below the lake's surface—the way up looked impossibly far.
Li Haoran glanced at Yue Chan's unconscious form and guilt gnawed at him; if he hadn't used his technique, she wouldn't be in this state.
But what was done was done. There was no taking it back.
Determined to save her from drowning, he summoned his courage, pulled her closer, and pressed his lips to hers without hesitation.
As he began the exchange of breath, a shimmering light flared before them.
A surge of energy bloomed between their lips, pulsing and flowing into the white heirloom jade bangle on Li Haoran's wrist, which mirrored the glow with an ethereal radiance.
His warm gaze locked onto Yue Chan's, and for a moment, a flash of vision flickered through his mind.
First, he saw a man joyfully carrying his wife, her arms full of flowers and laughter in her eyes.
Second, a couple living together in seclusion, their bond unmistakably close and intimate.
Third, the same couple dressed in red, standing together as if on their wedding day.
The visions were deeply moving, yet the faces remained obscured, forever just out of sight.
Li Haoran couldn't tear himself away from the vision; with his eyes closed, he let himself be completely consumed by the moment he shared with her beneath the water.
Who were those people? Why did their images suddenly appear in my mind?
Before he could ponder further, Yue Chan's eyes fluttered open as she regained consciousness.
Realizing their lips were pressed together, she was stunned and immediately pushed him away in shock.
But Li Haoran kept his arm securely around her, meeting her startled gaze with a gentle warmth, as if nothing unusual had happened.
Without a word, he pulled her close once more and began swimming upward, desperate to get them both to the surface before they suffocated.
Fortunately, they emerged safely together.
As they broke the surface, Yue Chan gasped for air, coughing up the cold lake water.
She trembled—partly from the lingering fear of the mysterious vine, partly from the shock of their sudden intimacy.
She glanced at Li Haoran, her face flushed, but found herself at a loss for words, unable even to scold him.
"Don't look at me like that. Your heart had stopped. If I hadn't forced my breath into you, those mysterious vines might have finished digesting your soul by now. Consider it repayment for the Thunder Palm that sent you down there."
"I understand, I understand," Yue Chan said quickly, still trembling. "Thank you for saving me."
"Feeling cold, are you?"
Li Haoran stepped forward, concern in his eyes, but Yue Chan immediately stepped back, avoiding his touch.
"I'm fine," she replied curtly.
A heavy silence settled between them.
Li Haoran felt the awkwardness in how Yue Chan interacted with him.
Yue Chan let out a deep breath, hugging herself.
"I need to leave."
As she turned to go, Li Haoran suddenly called out, "Wait!"
Yue Chan paused, hearing his footsteps behind her—and in the next moment, he was standing in front of her, blocking her path.
"You forgot something."
Li Haoran lifted his hand and gently placed a mask over Yue Chan's face.
Her eyes widened in shock as she realized she had lost it while underwater.
A chill surged through her, leaving her speechless.
She looked up at him—at his unassuming figure—and found a reassuring smile on his lips.
"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone what I saw."
"Ah—uh."
It was all she could manage, at a loss for words.
Turning away, embarrassment swirled inside her.
Not only had their lips met, but he had seen her face—something she'd never intended.
She curled her fists, fighting her internal struggle.
However, as she stepped forward, an unexpected weakness swept over her.
Her steps faltered, and she nearly lost her balance.
Li Haoran reacted instantly, rushing to catch her before she could fall.
"What's wrong?" he asked, concern in his voice.
Yue Chan didn't respond; her vision was beginning to blur and sway.
"We were just fine a moment ago. Why have you suddenly become so weak?"
"I—I'm fine," Yue Chan managed, her voice barely more than a gasp.
Panic surged through Li Haoran as he quickly checked her pulse.
Her energy was badly depleted. This can't be! he thought anxiously.
He fixed his gaze on her, urging her silently to hold on.
But Yue Chan's eyes fluttered shut, and she slipped into unconsciousness once more.
Li Haoran tried to wake her, but there was no response.
To save her, he had no choice but to bring her back to the sect.
Without hesitation, Li Haoran scooped her into his arms, ready to depart.
In the next instant, he vanished from the lakeside, leaving behind only a trace of swirling spiritual energy.