Two shafts of azure light collided with a deafening explosion, shattering violently.
An immense roar echoed through the street.
In the aftermath of the blast, a dense plume of white smoke billowed forth around Gu Qingli and Vice Commander Qi.
Gu Zhan's heart pounded anxiously at the sidelines, mirrored by the tense anticipation of the crowd, all eager to witness the outcome of the young girl's confrontation.
As the smoke gradually dissipated, a vast crater yawned in the middle of the street, while a considerable distance now separated Gu Qingli and Vice Commander Qi.
Their eyes met with icy resolve, neither willing to yield an inch.
Yet upon closer scrutiny, a flicker of apprehension gleamed in Qi's gaze.
A stunned silence fell over the crowd; no one had expected Gu Qingli to hold her ground, much less avoid suffering any loss—this revelation left them utterly astonished.
The enormous crater churned with flying debris and dust, stones scattered wildly upon the ground.
Draped in a flowing white gown, Gu Qingli stood serenely amidst the swirling dust, her pale complexion lending her the ethereal beauty of a blooming white lotus, quietly commanding the attention of all present.
At merely twelve years old, she wielded such formidable power—what extraordinary fortune had the Gu family been graced with to birth such a prodigious genius?
"Xiao Li, are you unharmed?!" Gu Zhan called out anxiously.
Though he possessed the strength to contend with the two warriors of the Wolf Pack, he found himself entangled and unable to intervene decisively.
Upon catching sight of Gu Qingli, his worry deepened.
"Father, just take care of yourself. Don't fret over me. Though this uncle bullies the weak, he is no match for me," Gu Qingli replied with a sweet smile, her eyes sparkling with playful defiance as she glanced at Vice Commander Qi.
Qi's face turned ashen, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"Good! Very good indeed!" he snarled, seething with disbelief that he had been wounded by a mere twelve-year-old girl. His pride was utterly shattered, both in public and in private.
"So, what's the matter? I thank you, Vice Commander Qi, for proving that I am no worthless weakling. Truly, I am grateful," Gu Qingli said softly, her smile still imbued with a youthful innocence, yet dripping with provocation.
The surrounding crowd, composed mostly of battle-hardened mercenaries, found it unfathomable that an Eight-Star Warrior like Gu Qingli could hold her own against the peak Nine-Star Vice Commander.
Many had discerned a subtle truth in the skirmish—though soul force was invisible and intangible, its presence had been unmistakable amidst the clash.
"I sensed soul force just now!" an onlooker exclaimed in surprise.
"Me too. No wonder the Eight-Star Warrior could stand against the Nine-Star peak Vice Commander. Good heavens! Could it be that Sixth Miss Gu Qingli is a Pill Refiner?" another murmured.
A wave of astonishment rippled through the crowd; all had witnessed the scene clearly.
Gu Qingli's identity as a Pill Refiner was now beyond doubt.
"A twelve-year-old Eight-Star Warrior and a Pill Refiner! Such an unparalleled prodigy!" the voices around her reverberated in awe. Loulan City had not seen such talent in many years.
"The Gu family patriarch must be wracked with regret over past events," some remarked with schadenfreude.
"Yet, after all, she hasn't severed ties with the Gu family. This time, the family has truly gained a priceless treasure," others observed.
Gu Zhan himself was astonished, never imagining that Qingli could hold her own against a Nine-Star Warrior without faltering.