Occasionally, Qiao Zhi would interject a small set of instruction—"Keep your stance lower," or "Don't telegraph your punch"—voiced so softly that only Gu Yangjin could hear. But the cadence of it, delivered amidst the smack of sand and the rustle of clothing, felt like an unspoken dialogue between the two.
After fifteen minutes of intense back-and-forth, both women were breathing hard, sweat beading on their foreheads. Gu Yangjin's cheeks were flushed—not from anger, but from exertion and the thrill of challenge. She launched one last powerful strike—an overhead palm aimed at Qiao Zhi's collarbone. Qiao Zhi caught her wrist easily, stepped inside Gu Yangjin's guard, and delivered a palm strike to Gu Yangjin's sternum. The impact sent Gu Yangjin stumbling backward. Qiao Zhi followed through with a sequence: she stepped in low, guided Gu Yangjin's elbow past her own ribs, and locked her arm behind Gu Yangjin's back. With a final gentle push, she sent Gu Yangjin to her knees.
