"You know medicine?" the old Patriarch of the Cao family asked, shocked.
Zi Lingling sneered, "I wouldn't say I *know* it, but I'm quite reliable when it comes to being proficient."
Cao Shaoqing, standing nearby, couldn't help but give her a mental thumbs-up. Her level of showing off was simply off the charts. Most people would say, "While not exactly proficient, I have some basic knowledge!" But Zi Lingling reversed it.
It was then that Cao Shaoqing understood that to be thick-skinned, one couldn't just be shameless; showing off was also a method. Of course, he didn't know Zi Lingling was a half-step divine-level alchemist, otherwise, he would have understood an even more crucial point: showing off also required strength.
The old Patriarch of the Cao family was also shocked by Zi Lingling's arrogant words. "Truly boastful!"
"Since you refuse to admit defeat, we shall fight again!"
"However, I only used fifty percent of my strength earlier. Next, you will face my true eighty percent!"
As the old Patriarch of the Cao family finished speaking, he raised his palms once more. This time, his movements were even slower than before, but the momentum they carried was far more immense.
"Nothing more than this!"
Zi Lingling outwardly remained nonchalant, but inwardly, she was extremely serious. One could disdain their opponent, but never underestimate them. She slowly raised her own jade-like palms, channeling the strength of her body into them. However, her power was more contained, not creating a powerful palm wind.
"Bang!"
Their palms collided again. Instantly, strong winds erupted, whipping up the dust from the ground and forming a whirlwind that enveloped them both. This time, Zi Lingling only retreated one step, while the old Patriarch of the Cao family was forced back three steps.
"Impossible! Pfft!"
The old Patriarch of the Cao family's face was filled with shock. In his rage, he actually spat out a mouthful of blood. He couldn't believe that a young girl not yet twenty, a mere peak Great God realm spirit cultivator, could withstand eighty percent of his strength. No! Not just withstand it! To be precise, it was on par with his eighty percent strength!
If the old Patriarch of the Cao family knew that Zi Lingling had also only used eighty percent of her strength, would he be so shocked that he'd swallow his own tongue?
Zi Lingling let out a cold laugh and said, "In this world, what is impossible? Everything is possible; that is the correct rule!"
"It seems your eighty percent strength as a Divine Lord realm cultivator is nothing special! With this, you dare to boast that not even the King of Heaven can cause trouble in your Cao family?"
The sarcasm in Zi Lingling's words pierced the old Patriarch of the Cao family. A hint of scarlet blood spread across his eyes, and he said furiously, "Hmph! Insolent brat! You can only barely withstand my eighty percent strength due to your body refinement techniques, yet you dare to make pronouncements about the might of the Divine Lord realm!"
"Then, I will show you the true might of the Divine Lord realm! Try taking another palm from me!"
With that, he channeled all his strength into his palms and struck towards Zi Lingling. This time, the old Patriarch of the Cao family held nothing back, unleashing one hundred percent of his Divine Lord realm power. Consequently, the palm wind generated was even more ferocious. The sheer force of the palm wind alone caused sand and stones to fly everywhere, forcing even himself to squint his eyes to prevent debris from entering them.
Zi Lingling let out a mocking smile and said, "Your Cao family's skill in cultivating thick skin could entirely become a hereditary art."
"You clearly agreed beforehand to only use eighty percent of your strength, yet now? You can't defeat me with eighty percent, so you resort to one hundred percent?"
"Fine! I, Zi Lingling, specialize in dealing with the unyielding! Since you refuse to give up, what if I take your one hundred percent strength?"
As she spoke, she also raised her palms, drawing out ninety-eight percent of her internal power and channeling it into her palms to meet his attack.
"Bang!"
Their palms collided for the third time. Zi Lingling was forced back five steps by the impact, while the old Patriarch of the Cao family was also sent flying back five steps. Both of them spat out a mouthful of blood simultaneously.
Zi Lingling quickly drew upon the life force from her green space, infusing it into her body and rapidly healing her injuries. In an instant, the damage she sustained from the impact was completely healed, leaving no trace of injury.
The old Patriarch of the Cao family, however, was in a much worse state. He had sustained minor injuries during their first exchange, and with this second injury, he found himself in dire straits. At the same time, he was stunned by Zi Lingling's monstrous talent. The old Patriarch of the Cao family could no longer imagine what kind of genius the young brat before him was. A spirit cultivator at the peak of the Great God realm, yet capable of displaying the strength of a Divine Lord realm cultivator – even stories wouldn't dare to fabricate such a thing.
"Who exactly are you?" the old Patriarch of the Cao family asked, suppressing his internal injuries and looking at Zi Lingling with disbelief.
"Who am I? I am the master of everyone in the Cao family!" Zi Lingling said with a fake smile. It had to be said, her ability to incite anger was unparalleled. This statement completely infuriated the old Patriarch of the Cao family.
"A young person with such monstrous talent must have a significant background. I was initially considering whether to communicate with your elders to resolve the current misunderstanding, but now, I see it's unnecessary!"
"Someone like you, relying on talent and being so ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth, will eventually fall hard."
"Very well, I will discipline you on behalf of your elders now, lest you cause great trouble in the future and bring shame upon your behind-the-scenes elders!"
Zi Lingling sneered, "Discipline me on behalf of my elders? I truly wonder how thick your face must be!"
"If you want to attack me, then come at me. Don't hesitate because of who is behind me, nor find some high-sounding excuse! Come, let me see what other skills you, a Divine Lord realm expert, possess!"
Hearing this, the old Patriarch of the Cao family's face turned blacker than soot. His eyes turned cold, and he angrily declared, "Hmph! Since you refuse a toast and prefer a defiant stand, then don't blame me for being ruthless!"
"I refuse to believe that a peak Great God realm Earth Spirit cultivator's soul power could be stronger than mine!" Of course, the latter part was something the old Patriarch of the Cao family said to himself.
"So much nonsense!" Zi Lingling said dismissively.
"Good! Good! Good!" The old Patriarch of the Cao family was so enraged that he uttered the word "good" three times consecutively, his face grim as he declared, "Take this!"
Saying that, he struck another palm towards Zi Lingling, and simultaneously, the vast soul power of the Divine Lord realm pressed down upon Zi Lingling.
Zi Lingling gave a disdainful smile and, too lazy for further words, directly raised her palms to meet the attack. At the same time, her Guiyuan realm soul power was released, crashing fiercely against the old Patriarch of the Cao family's soul power.