Gap

After choosing his retainers, Ye Qingxuan planned to set off immediately and hurry back to Xuantian Sect.

But when he thought of the journey from the Ye Family to Qingmu Prefecture City, Ye Qingxuan shamelessly asked Ye Yuhong to give him a ride. They also exchanged Sound Transmission Talismans.

Ye Yuhong did not refuse Ye Qingxuan's request.

The group arrived outside the hall. Just as Ye Yuhong was about to take out the Flying Boat and send Ye Qingxuan and the other two to Qingmu Prefecture City, he suddenly noticed a figure hurrying toward them.

"Ye Qingxuan, you coward! You still dared to come back?"

Hearing the newcomer's words, Ye Yuhong looked at Ye Qingxuan with a strange expression, his eyes carrying a meaningful look.

Sensing Ye Yuhong's gaze, Ye Qingxuan looked toward the slender figure hurrying over, completely at a loss!

He remembered that he had never provoked any girl.

In just a moment, the slender figure arrived before them. Her exquisite face was puffed up in anger as she glared fiercely at Ye Qingxuan.

Looking at the maiden before him, whose bearing was exceptional, Ye Qingxuan hesitated and asked,

"Who are you?"

Unexpectedly, the maiden flew into a rage the moment she heard Ye Qingxuan's question. She said indignantly,

"Ye Qingxuan, you really have the nerve to pretend you don't know me! Back then, we agreed to compare our Cultivation Speed, yet you secretly slipped away!"

If she had not unexpectedly learned this time that Ye Qingxuan had returned, she would not even have known that this coward had sneaked back again!

Hearing this, Ye Qingxuan suddenly Reacted. As he examined the maiden before him, memories from many years ago surfaced in his mind. Somewhat uncertainly, he said,

"You're... Ye Qingshuang?"

It was difficult for him to connect the stunning maiden before him with the aloof little girl from over twenty years ago.

Ye Qingshuang had changed far too much. For a time, Ye Qingxuan had failed to recognize her.

Seeing that Ye Qingxuan had only just recognized her, Ye Qingshuang became even angrier and demanded,

"We agreed back then to compare our Cultivation Speed. Why did you secretly run away? Hmph, coward!"

Hearing Ye Qingshuang's words, Ye Qingxuan innocently shrugged.

"I never agreed to compete with you in Cultivation Speed. I'm not competing with you!"

Hearing This, Ye Qingshuang stamped her foot and said angrily,

"Hmph, I don't care! You beat me in the examination back then, so I had to beat you back in Cultivation Speed! I'm already at Qi Refining Layer 9 now. You definitely can't compare to me!"

By the end, the corner of Ye Qingshuang's mouth lifted slightly, and her tone carried a trace of pride.

Among the Ye Family's records, the fastest person with a Three-element Spirit Root had taken twenty-five years to reach Qi Refining Layer 9.

Yet in less than twenty-three years, she had already broken the Lineage's record.

Seeing the corner of Ye Qingshuang's mouth lift, Ye Qingxuan smiled inwardly and said nothing.

Just as Ye Qingshuang was feeling pleased with herself, Ye Yuhong suddenly interjected,

"Qingshuang, Qingxuan is already at Qi Refining Perfection and is about to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. If you truly compare Cultivation Speed, he's even a little faster than you!"

Ye Qingshuang was the Grand Elder's granddaughter, so Ye Yuhong naturally knew her.

Hearing Ye Yuhong's words, Ye Qingshuang's little mouth fell open and her pupils abruptly widened. The moment she Reacted, she immediately questioned him.

"That's impossible!"

She remembered that Ye Qingxuan clearly only possessed a Single Element Spiritual Root. How could his Cultivation Speed possibly surpass hers?

Seeing that Ye Qingshuang did not believe him, Ye Yuhong could only Shake His Head.

"Qingxuan!"

Hearing the Patriarch call him, Ye Qingxuan understood. He could only helplessly release his aura.

Their cultivation levels were nearly identical. If he did not release his aura, Ye Qingshuang would not be able to sense his exact realm.

After Ye Qingxuan released his aura, Ye Qingshuang confirmed his cultivation level, and disbelief immediately leaked from her eyes.

Ye Qingxuan clearly only had a Single Element Spiritual Root, while she had a Three-element Spirit Root. How could her Cultivation Speed possibly be slower than his?

Seeing Ye Qingshuang's expression, Ye Yuhong sighed.

"You girl are just too competitive. All these years, you cultivated so desperately for this?"

That old guy, the Grand Elder, had always bragged to him about how diligently his granddaughter cultivated. So this was the reason?

Seeing Ye Qingshuang's dazed expression, Ye Qingxuan could not bear it. No matter what, she had once been his companion, so he casually said,

"Ye Qingshuang, you lost this time. How about we compete to see who reaches the Purple Mansion Realm first? You've already lost twice. This third time, don't lose again!"

There was no need to compete over the Foundation Establishment Realm. Once he Return to Xuantian Sect and Contract Blessed Land, he could break through immediately. They would compete over the Purple Mansion Realm instead—it could also give Ye Qingshuang some motivation.

Sure enough, after hearing Ye Qingxuan's words, light began to shine from Ye Qingshuang's eyes again. After regaining her confidence, she declared with complete assurance,

"Ye Qingxuan, just you wait! The third time, I absolutely won't lose again!"

After throwing down those harsh words, Ye Qingshuang turned into a streak of rosy cloud and left This Place.

However, what she did not know was that this parting might perhaps be forever!

Seeing that Ye Qingshuang had already left, Ye Qingxuan did not dwell on it. With a Slight Smile, he said,

"Patriarch, let's go!"

Ye Yuhong slightly shook his head. Young people these days—he truly could not understand them!

Afterward, he took out a Fourth-Rank Flying Boat, brought Ye Qingxuan, Ye Zhaoheng, and Ye Zhaoyu aboard, and piloted it toward Qingmu Prefecture City.

Flying Boats were products combining Artifact Crafting and Formations. They differed from Magic Treasures, so they were divided into Tier One to Ten, corresponding one-to-one with Cultivation Realms!

After Ye Qingxuan departed, Ye Qingshuang returned to her Cave Mansion and began cultivating even more diligently.

In truth, it was only natural that Ye Qingshuang could not believe the result that her Cultivation Speed was inferior to Ye Qingxuan's.

Under normal circumstances, each additional Spirit Root would double a cultivator's Cultivation Speed from its original basis.

If the cultivation speed of a Single Element Spiritual Root was 1, then that of a Dual Element Spiritual Root was 2, while that of a Three-element Spirit Root was 4, and so on.

Theoretically, her Cultivation Speed should have been four times Ye Qingxuan's!

The more Spirit Roots one possessed, the resulting effect would far surpass the effect of one plus one being greater than two.

However, that was merely the normal theoretical Cultivation Speed. Under the influence of external factors, cultivation speed could also vary.

A cultivator's daily cultivation time, supply of Cultivation Resources, surrounding Spiritual Energy Density, physical strength, the toughness of the meridians, and so on would all affect a cultivator's Cultivation Speed.

Take Ye Qingxiao, for example. As someone with a Five Element Spirit Root, his Cultivation Speed should theoretically have been sixteen times Ye Qingxuan's.

But due to factors such as Menial Tasks during his Early Stage, insufficient Cultivation Resources, and his physical condition being unable to withstand excessively powerful Spiritual Energy Impacts, his overall Cultivation Speed was only about one time faster than Ye Qingxuan's.

For those true prodigies, the factors that most affected Cultivation Speed in the Early Stage were, instead, not those external objects, but their own physical strength and the toughness of their meridians.

As cultivation rose, or as one cultivated certain Body Refining Cultivation Methods and improved one's physical condition, the gap truly brought by talent would become ever clearer and ever more despairing.

The further one progressed in realm, the more enormous the required energy became. Many cultivators were not unable to break through bottlenecks; rather, their own talent dragged down their Cultivation Speed, leaving them without enough lifespan to accumulate the energy needed for a breakthrough.

Although Ye Qingxuan possessed Eternal Lifespan and could ignore this issue, one should prepare for danger in times of peace. Since there was a way to Increase Own Spirit Root, he would naturally fight for it with all his strength.

Spirit Roots had far too great an influence on cultivators. Talent was sometimes simply an unreasonable thing.

And resources were the second most important factor affecting cultivation.

By choosing to Become A Blessed Cultivator, Ye Qingxuan could easily obtain both of these things.

This was also one of the reasons why Ye Qingxuan had chosen to Become A Blessed Cultivator after learning that Blessed Lands could increase a cultivator's Spirit Roots.

Of course, he had only ultimately made that decision because he had the Eternal Turtle Clone and the Mysterious Bead in his mind as safeguards.

Tomorrow, he would Contract Blessed Land, and the Earth Immortal Legacy that everyone had been yearning for would also appear!