Outer Disciple Battles

The second Inner Disciple had been defeated, losing his Inner Disciple status under an Outer Disciple's challenge!

If Li Datou defeating Li Wei had still allowed some people to accept it, considering Li Wei was merely one of the weakest Inner Disciples, then Li Wei's defeat had caused a tremendous uproar!

"These two brothers really are unlucky, getting kicked out of the Inner Disciples one after another."

It turned out that Li Wei and Li Wei were brothers, and both had once been quite well-known among the Inner Disciples. Li Wei in particular ranked seventh among the Inner Disciples and was exceedingly domineering. It could be said that his younger brother's ability to retain his Inner Disciple position was inseparable from him.

"I heard Li Wei was able to practice the High-Grade Yellow-Tier Combat Technique Gale Legs before even reaching the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm because his brother Li Wei secretly taught it to him!"

"Exactly! Otherwise, with his strength, he could never have come into contact with a High-Grade Yellow-Tier Combat Technique!"

Although defeated, Li Wei was not as utterly despondent as his younger brother. Instead, he swept his gaze deeply over the crowd before directly saying to the enforcement elder, "Elder, I challenge the eighth-ranked Inner Disciple!"

According to the Lineage's rules, an Inner Disciple defeated in a challenge still had one chance to challenge again and prove himself. The moment everyone heard this, they immediately looked with pity at the person occupying the eighth Inner Disciple position.

"Though Li Wei was defeated, his strength is beyond doubt. Now that he is challenging the eighth-ranked person, who was originally weaker than him, he has at least an eighty or ninety percent chance of returning to the top ten among the Inner Disciples."

Many people thought so inwardly. Sure enough, although the eighth-ranked Inner Disciple was also at the peak seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm and was not weak, he could not withstand Li Wei's High-Grade Yellow-Tier Combat Technique. After several dozen exchanges, he voluntarily admitted defeat to preserve his strength.

Immediately afterward, the defeated man challenged the ninth-ranked Inner Disciple and succeeded as well.

Very quickly, the Inner Disciples' rankings underwent a series of changes. Nearly everyone shifted back one position. Aside from a very few whose ranks remained unchanged, Li Xuan and Li Datou's entry into the ranks of the Inner Disciples instantly sent the atmosphere soaring.

Yet none of this held the slightest attraction for Li Mo, who sat high above in the stands. His gaze was fixed on the elegant, otherworldly young woman beside him. A flash of burning heat flickered through the depths of his eyes, and the corners of his lips curved faintly upward.

"Li Yating, I heard that the Heavenly Profound Sect has valued you greatly these past few years. I wonder if you can now last more than ten moves against me?"

The moment Li Mo opened his mouth, he was full of pride and confidence. Ten moves! Even when facing Li Yating, one of the three great geniuses who stood at the same level as him, he remained so arrogantly self-assured!

Yet he had the capital for such pride. Three years ago, neither Li Yue nor Li Yating had lasted ten moves in his hands before being directly defeated. Within the entire Li Family, no one of his generation could contend with him. Even looking across all of Wuzhou City, there were few opponents worthy of making him take them seriously.

"Hmph, although Li Yating is hailed as one of the Lineage's three great geniuses, in my eyes, aside from her looks, she cannot compare to me at all! I truly do not understand why the Heavenly Profound Sect chose her rather than me! This time, I want to see just how capable the genius whom even the Heavenly Profound Sect actively recruited really is!"

It turned out that Li Mo had always felt deeply unbalanced over the past few years. In cultivation, he had surpassed Li Yating back then; in strength, Li Yating had not even endured ten moves before him. Yet the Heavenly Profound Sect had not allowed him to enter the sect and had instead chosen Li Yating. This left Li Mo, who had practically ridden ahead alone in a cloud of dust since childhood, filled with resentment.

Unfortunately, Li Yating treated his attempt at conversation as though it were air and paid him no heed. This caused Li Mo's already rather unhandsome face to twist slightly, a trace of chill flashing through his eyes.

He noticed that ever since Li Yating had appeared, her beautiful eyes had been fixed on the developments atop the arena below. This made him somewhat curious. What could make this woman, whose status was now extraordinary even in Wuzhou City, pay such close attention?

Following her gaze, aside from Li Xuan, who was worth a little of his notice, there was simply no one else who could draw his attention.

But just as he shook his head and gave up, a figure suddenly entered his sight.

"Eh?"

At that moment, a young man leaped directly onto the arena below. He looked sixteen or seventeen years old, and a calm smile rested upon his clean, handsome face.

The instant Li Mo saw this youth, he frowned. The youth seemed somewhat familiar. After thinking carefully, a sharp glint flashed swiftly through his eyes!

"Li Ye! I never expected it to be that trash!"

He glanced at Li Yating beside him and found that, sure enough, after Li Ye appeared, her expression, once as still as an ancient well, had changed.

Scenes from several years ago flashed through his mind, and a cold smile surfaced.

At that moment, Li Ye had no idea that he had actually drawn the attention of the Li Family's greatest genius, Li Mo.

"Li Ye. Please enlighten me."

Opposite him stood a youth about the same age with a vicious expression. He licked his lips and let out a sinister chuckle. "Kid, if you know what's good for you, admit defeat yourself. This grandpa does not want to get rough!"

Before Li Ye came up, this person had already won one match, directly breaking his opponent's arms and legs. His methods were exceptionally cruel!

"Heh, this kid is going up there to court death."

When the people below saw Li Ye step onto the arena, some immediately shook their heads, as though they had already seen Li Ye suffer the same fate as the previous person.

It turned out that Li Ye's current opponent was somewhat famous within the Lineage and had long been a renowned figure among the Outer Disciples.

"Li Gua was already at the peak of Spirit Martial Tier Five last year. Though he has yet to break through now, as long as no Spirit Martial Tier Six expert appears, no one is his match. Moreover, he has always been ruthless—if he does not break arms, he breaks legs!"

What Li Ye displayed was only the aura of peak Spirit Martial Tier Four. Compared to Li Gua's peak Spirit Martial Tier Five, he was an entire realm lower. No wonder those around him did not think highly of Li Ye's chances of victory.

By then, nearly all the stronger Outer Disciples, those experts who had reached Spirit Martial Tier Six or above, had already challenged the Inner Disciples. Some had succeeded, while others had failed. Of those remaining, Li Gua's level was the strongest. This was also why many Spirit Martial Tier Five Outer Disciples had wisely waited until now to make their moves.

They did not seek to successfully challenge an Inner Disciple; they only sought to rank as high as possible in this Outer Disciple ranking competition.

"The higher an Outer Disciple's ranking, the more cultivation resources the Lineage gives each month."

Thinking this, Li Ye could not help recalling that within the Li Family, an Outer Disciple could receive a monthly stipend of twenty gold coins, while the top ten Outer Disciples received stipends of at least one hundred gold coins per month! The number one Outer Disciple directly received five hundred gold coins each month!

That was the difference in treatment!

For martial cultivators of the Blood Soul Continent, everyday bruises and injuries required money to purchase expensive medicinal herbs. Cultivation also required the assistance of medicinal herbs. Spread out over everything, this money was not even enough to put out a cartload of firewood.

"Li Gua was already among the top fifty Outer Disciples last year. After a year, he can now even make a bid for the top twenty Outer Disciples. Yet a mere kid at peak Spirit Martial Tier Four actually dares to go up there."

Quite a few people wore expressions of admiration, though naturally, some revealed disdain.

Seeing that Li Ye did not voluntarily admit defeat, Li Gua's eyes revealed a trace of ferocity. With a savage grin, he formed a claw with his hand and viciously grabbed at Li Ye!

"Eagle Claw Technique! A mid-grade Yellow-tier battle technique!"

The moment they saw his move, people below cried out in alarm.

A mid-grade Yellow-tier battle technique was something that only a small number of elite Outer Disciples in the Li Family could practice, and even then, they might not cultivate it to a sufficient level. Yet judging from Li Gua's attack, he had clearly cultivated the Eagle Claw Technique to a certain degree.

"Someone just had both his arms broken by this Eagle Claw Technique!"

Peak Spirit Martial Tier Five combined with a mid-grade Yellow-tier battle technique immediately gave Li Gua the foundation to fight a Spirit Martial Tier Six expert!

"Li Gua's strength is far from ordinary. He may be able to enter the top ten among the Outer Disciples! He may even have a little hope of challenging an Inner Disciple!"

In the stands, a cold smile appeared on Li Huangran's face. Quite a few Inner Disciples casually glanced over, then immediately lost interest, apart from the few ranked at the bottom.

"Li Ye, let me see just how much you are truly worth!"

Li Mo thought silently. Although Li Gua was beneath his notice, among the Outer Disciples, few could rival him!

"A Combat Technique?"

A mocking smile appeared on Li Ye's face, and then he threw a punch!

"Courting death!"

Seeing that Li Ye did not even use a Combat Technique, the savage grin in Li Gua's eyes deepened, as though he could already see himself twisting off his opponent's arms and legs once more.

But in the next moment!

Boom!

A scream rang out. The scene everyone expected did not occur. Instead, Li Gua, who possessed the qualifications to challenge an Inner Disciple, screamed as his entire body was blasted away.

Upon closer inspection, his right hand was bent at an unnatural angle—it had been broken!

"I'll slaughter you!"

The intense pain drove Li Gua into a frenzy. With an enraged roar, he used the Eagle Claw Technique again with his left hand and swung it out.

But the result was still the same. Li Ye used only one punch to directly shatter his left hand.

With both hands crippled, the excruciating pain made Li Gua roll his eyes back and pass out.

"Who would have thought that Li Gua, who broke other people's hands at every turn all day long, would have such a day himself!" Some Outer Disciples who had not dared offend Li Gua in the past felt incomparably satisfied at the sight of his fate!

"Where did this kid come from? At peak Spirit Martial Tier Four, he actually defeated Li Gua, who was at peak Spirit Martial Tier Five and used the mid-grade Yellow-tier battle technique Eagle Claw Technique, so easily without even using a Combat Technique?"

For a time, Li Ye became the focus of everyone's attention. In particular, with his peak Spirit Martial Tier Four cultivation defeating a stronger opponent, another dark horse had emerged after Li Datou!