As Murong Fu activated the Internal Energy of "Moving Stars Across Dipper," he began to simulate the circulation pattern of Daoist Zhangxu’s Internal Energy, capturing the precise path of his opponent's Yin-Yang Fist.
At the beginning, Murong Fu was constantly thrown aside by Daoist Zhangxu. But as the fight progressed, he would be thrown only halfway before drawing a circle and launching a counterattack. The Ancestor’s Long Fist had long ceased to be the straightforward, aggressive style it once was; it had merged with Daoist Zhangxu’s Yin-Yang Fist. What began as broad, sweeping movements had evolved into something resembling a practice of push-hands between the two.
After dozens more exchanges, Daoist Zhangxu was thrown aside by Murong Fu for the first time. After all, while their techniques were similar, their depth of power differed. While the Daoist had been able to borrow his opponent's strength to strike back early on, now that Murong Fu understood the inner workings of the technique, such a feat was no longer easy to achieve.
As soon as Daoist Zhangxu’s feet touched the ground, Murong Fu surged forward, trapping him within the web of his fist techniques. The Daoist grew increasingly unable to defend himself, and Murong Fu sensed this. He no longer held back; they had been fighting for most of the night, and Daoist Zhangxu was like a stalk of sugarcane being crushed for its juice—thoroughly drained and exhausted.
Deep down, Daoist Zhangxu could only lament his misfortune. Murong Fu was truly a devil incarnate. Like a ball, the Daoist was batted back and forth by Murong Fu’s arms, launched from his left hand only to be caught by his right and sent flying again.
Struck from the side, Daoist Zhangxu felt the world spin as he was lifted into the air. His limbs collided repeatedly until he resembled a spinning waterwheel. And a waterwheel it was—he kept spitting out blood. Where a waterwheel sprays water, Daoist Zhangxu sprayed blood, his internal organs already battered and wounded. To onlookers, it seemed as if a Tai Chi Pattern had appeared in the air; the left side was firm and forceful, while the right was hidden and Yin-soft, leaving everyone gasping in astonishment.
As the movement continued, the Tai Chi Pattern began to rotate slowly in the sky. At this moment, Daoist Zhangxu felt an influx of Internal Energy entering his body. It was Murong Fu, channeling energy into him—as if fearing he might be played to death.
"Oh, mother! This is too terrifying! Won't you just let me die? Can't I just give up on living? This is too brutal! Murong Fu, I beg you, have some humanity!" Daoist Zhangxu wanted to scream, but as he spun through the air, he could not open his mouth to voice his thoughts.
The Tai Chi Pattern in the air began to shift. As the Daoist spun, eyes of Yin and Yang appeared within it—the convergence of hard and soft forces, blindingly brilliant. It was as if the Tai Chi was giving birth to the Two Forms, the Four Symbols, the Eight Trigrams, and the cycle of reincarnation, with the Two Forms spawning the Four Symbols, and the Three spawning all things. Between the three paths of merit and the three paths of evil, the five elements generating and overcoming one another, the reversal when things reach their extreme, the arrival of prosperity after adversity, the birth of Yang in the extreme of Yin, and the birth of Yin in the extreme of Yang—all things were balanced, returning to one. The starting point was the end, and the end was a new beginning.
As Daoist Zhangxu spun faster and faster, Murong Fu demonstrated the transformations of the Tai Chi Pattern in high-speed rotation, a display truly containing infinite truths. Those present watched, stunned and speechless. They had witnessed much that was incredible that night, but nothing was more shocking than Murong Fu using the heavens and earth as his board and Daoist Zhangxu as his wheel to demonstrate the high-speed rotation of the Tai Chi Pattern.
"Amazing, truly amazing... Brother Fu is so amazing..." Gan Baobao and Qin Hongmian were dumbstruck. Never had they seen someone with such profound internal power; he had surely reached the very pinnacle of the martial arts world.
The speed of the Tai Chi Pattern gradually decreased until it finally came to a halt, and with a thud, Daoist Zhangxu tumbled to the ground.
"Urgh—ack—" The Daoist dry-heaved repeatedly, his body curled like a shrimp. He retched incessantly, blood and scraps of food spilling out. If his stomach weren't attached to his own body, it would likely have been vomited out as well.
"Murong—ack—you—ack—ack—"
Seeing the state of Daoist Zhangxu, everyone gasped in horror. Bao Butong felt a deep sense of dread. *Tsk, tsk, tsk*, the Young Master’s methods of torment were truly invincible. He decided he would have to be less glib in the Young Master’s presence from now on. "Hey, Old Four, if I start running my mouth in front of the Young Master again, pull me back. I’m scared..."
Meanwhile, Gan Baobao and Qin Hongmian kept their beautiful eyes locked on Murong Fu, their gazes as thick and clinging as royal jelly.
Standing amidst the heavens and earth, clad in white robes and a white crown, Murong Fu stood with his eyes tightly shut, like a god descended to the mortal realm. At this moment, he was the sole protagonist of the world. He carefully savored his gains, lost in a state of epiphany.
It was a massive harvest! He had not only learned Daoist Zhangxu’s Yin-Yang Sword and Yin-Yang Fist but had gained a deeper understanding of the true essence of Tai Chi—the Tai Chi that is boundless. His understanding of his family’s unique skill, "Moving Stars Across Dipper," had advanced as well. Ultimately, "Moving Stars Across Dipper" was but one application of the understanding of the boundless Tai Chi. He suspected that the "Great Qiankun Shift" was another such application. Pondering it, he realized he could now achieve anything that the "Great Qiankun Shift" could do.
The Yin-Yang Fist and Yin-Yang Sword were clearly primary versions of the Taiji Fist and Taiji Sword. Though Daoist Zhangxu’s execution had been subpar, that was due to his own limitations, not the techniques themselves.