Li Ye's Weakness

Over the next few matches, several outer disciples stepped onto the stage one after another, hoping to defeat Li Ye. Yet every one of them was blasted away by a single punch from him—none could even last one exchange!

"Who is this kid? He's clearly only at the peak of Spirit Martial Tier Four, so how could he be this terrifying?!"

One or two matches might have been dismissed as luck, but after four or five straight victories, many people no longer dared to step up so casually. Without exception, those who became outer disciples were outstanding among the Lineage's younger generation. Even the weakest had Spirit Martial Tier Four cultivation, while the strongest few had broken through Spirit Martial Tier Five and entered Spirit Martial Tier Six.

Yet now, no one dared to go up again.

"He seems to be that useless trash everyone talked about three years ago. But is that possible? How could a piece of trash have such strength now?!"

Among the outer disciples, the strongest few were all hesitant.

Aside from Li Gua, whom Li Ye had defeated at the beginning, the rest had merely possessed Spirit Martial Tier Four strength. With their cultivation at Spirit Martial Tier Five or above, they should have had no problem at all.

But the key was this: if they won, defeating someone at least a full realm below them would be perfectly natural. But if they lost, they would become laughingstocks like Li Gua!

"A bunch of cowards! He's nothing but a piece of trash, yet he's scared you all into this state!"

A particularly discordant voice of mockery rang out. The strongest outer disciples all glared furiously toward its source. "Who said that? Get out here!"

One of them snorted coldly. They might have been reluctant to fight Li Ye, but that did not mean others could insult them!

However, once he saw who it was, he immediately did not dare say another word. His expression turned awkward. "So it's Young Master Yuan. But what you said just now was a little excessive. It isn't that we refuse to fight; it's merely that Li Ye isn't worthy of us stepping in yet!"

Everyone looked over. The speaker was currently the strongest among the outer disciples—Spirit Martial Tier Six! Even against an inner disciple, he might have a chance in battle.

"Li Yijian, you call yourself the number one outer disciple, yet now you're shrinking back with your head tucked in your shoulders. You've utterly disgraced sword cultivators!"

It turned out that Li Yijian was a martial cultivator who had taken the path of the sword. The azure-edged longsword on his back was no ordinary weapon either, forged from refined steel tempered a hundred times.

"So he's Li Yijian. I heard that a year ago, he exchanged blows with Li Huo, who ranked sixteenth among the inner disciples, and lost by merely half a move. His fame soared after that! A year has passed now—I wonder what level his strength has reached."

Li Ye also knew something about Li Yijian. His strength was absolutely enough to enter the inner disciples, and even challenging the top twenty would not be a problem.

As for the other person who had spoken mockingly, Li Ye sneered inwardly when he saw him. It was Li Yuan! Though still young, his words were venomous. Moreover, he seemed to have encountered some fortuitous opportunity in the past few days, for his strength had improved considerably since several days ago.

Li Yuan's words made Li Yijian unable to save face, but considering Li Yuan's identity, he did not show it. After all, Li Yuan was the Third Elder's son. His status was far higher than that of an ordinary inner disciple. Li Yijian might have been the number one outer disciple, but compared to Li Yuan, he was still worlds apart.

"Hmph! He's only a piece of trash. Since you people won't make a move, I'll kick him out myself!"

Li Yuan leaped onto the arena. He glared viciously at Li Ye and said in a low voice with a sinister grin, "Trash, I heard your old man once fought across all of Wuzhou City without finding an opponent. I wonder how much of his skill you inherited! Don't let this young master kick you off the stage in two or three moves, or you'll disgrace your old man completely!"

Li Ye's expression turned slightly cold upon hearing those words.

"Are you ready, trash? Watch how this young master plays with you! A piece of trash like you actually dared to come back—do you really think you're something? This is no longer the era when your old man was still around!"

Boom! A powerful aura erupted directly from Li Yuan's body.

"Spirit Martial Tier Six?! How is that possible?!"

The crowd below cried out in alarm, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Even Li Ye was startled. Just a few days ago, Li Yuan had only been at the Peak Spirit Martial Tier Three, yet he had suddenly broken through three whole levels! This was absolutely abnormal!

Even Li Yijian, the number one outer disciple, revealed a grave look in his eyes.

In the stands, Li Huangran wore a faint, unfathomable smile, and no one could tell what he was truly thinking. However, an elder beside him seemed to have thought of something and said softly, "Could it be the Millennium Snow Ginseng?"

Li Mo, who was also watching from the side, snorted inwardly. Relying on external forces to raise one's realm is ultimately a crooked path. Nothing to worry about! Still, the Millennium Snow Ginseng's effects are truly tyrannical—it actually forced someone up three whole levels!

On the other side, Xiao Qing and Li Yating exchanged a glance, both seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.

"There were indeed three Millennium Snow Ginseng plants in the Lineage back then, all kept by the Supreme Elder. I never expected Li Yuan to obtain one of them! It's a pity his own realm is too low. Otherwise, if someone at the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm consumed it, they could at least directly reach the peak of the ninth level of the Spirit Martial Realm!"

Clearly, with Li Yuan's realm, consuming the Millennium Snow Ginseng had wasted much of its medicinal power.

"Third Elder, with Li Yuan's current strength, it seems he has hope of challenging the inner disciples."

Several elders on good terms with Li Huangran spoke up to offer their congratulations.

If both of his sons entered the inner disciples, it would absolutely be something Li Huangran could boast about.

At this moment, Li Yuan had already made his move. A freezing aura erupted from his body.

"Frost Fist! Though it isn't as terrifying as when Li Xuan uses it, it is still enough to slow the movements of anyone below Spirit Martial Tier Six, or even wound them with its frost aura!"

When they saw Li Yuan attack, many people began analyzing the situation inwardly. They did not believe Li Ye could defeat Li Yuan; even protecting himself would be difficult.

After all, one was at the peak of Spirit Martial Tier Four, while the other was at Spirit Martial Tier Six. Though Li Yuan's aura showed that he had only just entered the realm and was somewhat unstable, the gap of two levels, combined with the suppression of a high-grade Yellow Rank battle technique, left Li Ye with no room to fight back.

Sure enough, Li Ye discovered that his movements were somewhat affected by the frost aura, his speed reduced by at least thirty percent. However, the crowd had underestimated his advantage in speed. Everyone only saw a blur before their eyes, and in the next instant, Li Ye had appeared behind Li Yuan!

"What incredible speed! He can still move this fast within Frost Fist's attack range!"

"In terms of speed alone, Li Ye is no weaker than any Spirit Martial Tier Six expert. He may even rival a seventh-level Spirit Martial Realm expert!"

Li Yuan had not expected Li Ye to escape his attack so easily. By the time he wanted to turn around and block, it was already too late!

Bang!

Li Ye punched Li Yuan directly in the back, but it felt as though he had struck a piece of frozen meat that had been chilled for ages, hard beyond compare.

The fist wind rushing toward him in the next moment made him abandon the thought of continuing his attack, and he drifted backward.

"Li Yuan actually transferred Frost Fist's freezing effect to his own back to strengthen his defense. What a genius!"

Among those watching the match, some saw through the trick and nodded secretly. As the Third Elder's son, Li Yuan was not merely a pampered wastrel who knew only how to eat and drink. His talent on the path of cultivation was not weak either.

"Li Ye! You piece of trash! You have no chance at all!"

Li Yuan, who had originally intended to kill Li Ye in a single blow, was now somewhat furious and flustered. He had paid a great price to consume one of the Lineage's Millennium Snow Ginseng plants precisely so that today, before the eyes of everyone, he could defeat Li Ye! He could not tolerate having lost by so much to someone who had once been trash in the first round of testing. He had to prove himself.

But after exchanging several moves, Li Ye had already grasped the situation. Li Yuan's aura is unstable. Though he has Spirit Martial Tier Six cultivation, he can at most exert strength around the peak of Spirit Martial Tier Five. The only troublesome thing is the freezing effect mixed into his Frost Fist, but it's still manageable!

After considering this, Li Ye finally began his counterattack.

The crowd only saw another blur before their eyes. Only a handful of experts present could barely make out his footwork.

As for Li Yuan, he could not track Li Ye's movements at all. He could only roar as he threw punch after punch, yet he could not strike any target whatsoever.

"Li Yuan, this ends here!"

A voice suddenly came from behind him. It was Li Ye, who had closed in on him. Yet Li Yuan did not panic. Instead, he gave a sinister grin as his entire body seemed to be covered in a layer of frost, his muscles instantly hardening!

"Li Ye! You piece of trash, you can't hurt this young master!"

Sure enough, Li Ye's attack struck as if it had collided with hard steel. Though it sent Li Yuan flying, it did not produce much real effect.

"Li Yuan truly is talented. Frost Fist is a battle technique, yet he has exploited it to such an extent."

At this point, even an expert like Li Yijian, the number one outer disciple, could not help but sigh inwardly. Of course, he was confident that if he were standing on the stage instead, he could kill Li Yuan within three sword strikes!

Without a battle technique, my attack power simply cannot keep up with my realm!

After several attempts, Li Ye immediately understood his weakness.

Although his realm was only at the peak of Spirit Martial Tier Four, he was not much weaker than someone at the peak of Spirit Martial Tier Six. His speed was an even greater advantage, enough to let him gain the upper hand even against a seventh-level Spirit Martial Realm expert!

His only weakness lay in his attacks. Because he lacked battle techniques, he could only strike with brute force. He was not like Li Datou, born with divine strength!

Just then, Li Ye suddenly felt a slight swelling pain in his eyes.

Immediately afterward, he discovered that Li Yuan's every movement seemed to have turned into slow motion. At first, he thought it was merely an illusion, but he soon realized it was not.

My eyes?

He had not used the Blood-Eyed Illusion. It was one of his greatest trump cards, not something he would use lightly unless absolutely necessary. He feared that certain people present might see through it, so he had endured without using it. Otherwise, someone like Li Yuan could have been dealt with by a single glance!