Battle Against the Eighth-Ranked Inner Disciple

"Xiao, you must be joking. This boy was not an Inner Disciple before; he was not even an Outer Disciple. How could he have cultivated a Combat Technique that only a very small number of Inner Disciples were qualified to practice?"

Quite a few people nodded at those words. After all, even low-grade Yellow-tier battle techniques were not something one could casually find on the street. As for High-Grade Yellow-Tier Combat Techniques, even among Inner Disciples, only a tiny handful were qualified to cultivate them.

How could a youth at peak Spirit Martial Tier Four, who had only joined the ranks of Outer Disciples this year, possibly have learned one?

Li Hou Nian's brows furrowed slightly. Truthfully, this matter gave even him quite a headache. Li Huangran had seized upon this very point, intending to consign Li Ye to eternal damnation in one stroke.

"Is that all?"

Yet, contrary to everyone's expectations, Xiao Qing burst into laughter upon hearing this. Ignoring Li Huangran's ugly expression, he shook his head and swept his gaze across the crowd as though looking at fools. Then he loudly declared, "It's only a High-Grade Yellow-Tier Combat Technique. Such trash can be learned with a single glance. There's no need at all to steal a secret Combat Technique manual!"

Uproar! One sentence stirred up a thousand waves!

"What arrogant words!"

With an angry snort, an Inner Disciple glared darkly at the wildly boastful Xiao Qing. This man ranked fifth among the Inner Disciples. The terrifying aura of the eighth level of the Spirit Martial Realm made even some enforcement elders sigh in inferiority.

Unfortunately, Xiao Qing paid him no attention. Instead, he asked Li Ye, "Little brother, was what I just said correct?"

How could Li Ye fail to understand? He immediately nodded in agreement. "This brother is absolutely right. I truly learned Frost Fist after observing it just once. There was no need to steal a secret Combat Technique manual and practice it in secret."

The moment those words came out, the crowd erupted.

"What utter nonsense! How could a High-Grade Yellow-Tier Combat Technique be learned after seeing it once? Third Elder, these two are spouting nonsense. Do not believe them! Especially this man—his origins are unknown. Perhaps he is an enemy sent by the other Two Great Families! He must be taken down!"

One of the enforcement elders snorted angrily, and most of the others wore similar expressions.

Yet Li Huangran drew a deep breath and stared intently at the seemingly rough and uncouth Xiao Qing before him. How could he not know Xiao Qing's relationship with Li Ye? But he knew even better the identity behind this young man. Let alone himself, even the entire Li Family—no, even the Three Great Families of all Wuzhou City combined—were not as formidable as a single finger of the Heavenly Profound Sect!

Casting an indifferent glance at the beautiful young woman seated there as though the matter had nothing to do with her, Li Huangran understood. One Li Hou Nian alone could make his success uncertain. Now, with these two youngsters added to the mix, he knew the situation could not be forced.

So be it. There will still be another chance! There is no need to fall out with the Heavenly Profound Sect over such a trivial matter!

With that thought, Li Huangran abruptly changed expression. A trace of a smile reappeared on his face, and like a kindly elder, he patted Xiao Qing's shoulder and nodded. "What Nephew Xiao says is not without reason. However, you come from a place like the Heavenly Profound Sect, so naturally you disdain a High-Grade Yellow-Tier Combat Technique. Others may not be like you."

"Then let this little brother prove it."

Xiao Qing looked utterly unconcerned, leaving the others unable to read him. Clearly, he had just helped Li Ye out of trouble, yet now he was following Li Huangran's words. Why?

Only Li Ye knew that in that instant, the two had exchanged a knowing glance. It was clearly Li Ye who had deliberately prompted Xiao Qing to answer this way.

"Fine! Since Nephew Xiao says so." Li Huangran turned toward Li Ye, his voice carrying a faintly sinister edge. "Li Ye, if you can prove that you can learn a High-Grade Yellow-Tier Combat Technique with one look, then this matter shall be dropped!"

"How am I supposed to prove it?"

At this point, the two enforcement elders had already released him. Facing Li Huangran, Li Ye's voice was icy, and his gaze showed no fear.

"Very simply! Consider the battle just now your victory over Li Yuan! But in the next battle, you will directly challenge one of the Inner Disciples! Li Ye, every Inner Disciple has cultivated at least one High-Grade Yellow-Tier Combat Technique. As long as you can learn your opponent's Combat Technique during the exchange, that will suffice!"

Even Li Ye was greatly startled by those words.

Directly challenging an Inner Disciple! One had to know that he had only won four or five consecutive matches just now. Even counting this match with Li Yuan, he still had not met the requirements to challenge an Inner Disciple.

However, the crowd did not object. Given what had happened just now, few Outer Disciples could contend with Li Ye. Challenging an Inner Disciple was not considered too excessive.

Li Yuan, on the other hand, was immediately unwilling upon hearing his father's decision. He shouted, "Father! I refuse to accept this! I haven't lost yet!"

"Shut up!" With a cold snort, Li Huangran cast a frosty glance at his youngest son. Li Yuan immediately left the arena in a dejected and resentful state. Yet as he passed Li Ye on the way down, he muttered in a low voice, "Trash! Just wait and see how you die!"

Li Ye ignored him completely and merely waited for the outcome.

"Any Inner Disciple?"

Inner Disciples also varied in strength. The powerful ones, such as the top six, had all entered the eighth level of the Spirit Martial Realm. Their strength rivaled that of ordinary elders! Even Li Huangran himself was merely at the peak eighth level of the Spirit Martial Realm!

The weaker ones, the last few, were only at peak Spirit Martial Tier Six. Though they were far stronger than Outer Disciples, they were not insurmountable.

"Of course not! I watched your performance in the previous matches. Among the Outer Disciples, no one is your match! Since that is the case, an ordinary Inner Disciple would offer you no comparison at all."

Li Huangran's words surprised quite a few people. Everyone had already seen that there was an irreconcilable conflict between Li Ye and the Third Elder. Those who understood the situation were even more astonished, unable to fathom why Li Huangran was elevating Li Ye so highly now.

Only Li Ye knew that Li Huangran was a weasel paying respects to a chicken—he harbored no good intentions.

Sure enough, Li Huangran then said with a cold smile, "Li Wei, fight him!"

Li Wei!

A cold gleam flashed through Li Wei's eyes when his name was called. He had not expected Li Huangran to choose him!

The others cried out in alarm as well. Although Li Wei had previously lost to Li Xuan and dropped one rank among the Inner Disciples, he still ranked eighth! His cultivation was at peak seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm, and his strength was incomparably terrifying. Even among the enforcement elders, few could defeat him.

"They actually want the eighth-ranked Inner Disciple, Li Wei, to fight him!"

Though Li Wei was secretly enraged—having just been defeated by Li Xuan, and now being named to fight an Outer Disciple at peak Spirit Martial Tier Four—he dared not voice his anger before the Third Elder.

However, he directed all that resentment straight at Li Ye.

"Come out! Receive your death!"

Leaping onto the arena, Li Wei's eyes were filled with killing intent.

As one of the highest-ranked Inner Disciples, he had always believed that if not for the suppression of his cultivation realm, he could even vie for the top three! He was not the slightest bit weaker than the Three Great Geniuses.

First, his defeat at Li Xuan's hands had caused him to lose tremendous face. Now he had to act against an Outer Disciple three realms below him, making him feel a trace of humiliation!

Li Hou Nian frowned and quietly asked Li Ye, "How certain are you? If you cannot do it, your Fourth Uncle will refuse for you."

Clearly, Li Hou Nian did not think highly of Li Ye's chances.

No matter what, they were separated by three realms. There was practically no hope. Even Li Datou, who had been born with divine strength, had only dared to challenge the few lower-ranked Inner Disciples.

"Hmph, you snot-nosed brat. You are not your father. Even if some fortunate encounter changed your trash physique, you still cannot change your fate! For two generations, neither father nor son will ever rise above the rest."

Li Huangran wore a stern expression, as though he were acting for the sake of fairness, but in his heart, he sneered again and again.

Xiao Qing hesitated for a moment, but before he could speak, Li Huangran beat him to it. "What do you think of this, Nephew Xiao? Li Wei is an Inner Disciple of the Li Family who has cultivated the High-Grade Yellow-Tier Combat Technique Gale Legs to a certain level of mastery. If this boy can learn Gale Legs, then what happened earlier shall be as Nephew Xiao said—it was this old man who worried too much."

Cursing the old fox in his heart, Xiao Qing could only cast Li Ye a helpless look. Though the Li Family was exceedingly polite to him because he came from the Heavenly Profound Sect, he was ultimately only a junior. Some matters could only be hinted at, not pressed too far.

"Fourth Uncle, do not worry. I am confident."

Below the arena, Li Ye gave Li Hou Nian a reassuring look.

Since Li Ye had no objections, Li Hou Nian said nothing further. However, he did not move away from the arena. Seeing this, Li Huangran sneered faintly in his heart, but he said aloud, "Li Wei, remember, this is merely a sparring match. Stop when appropriate, and do not strike too heavily! You must not cripple or injure anyone! Otherwise, the Fourth Elder will immediately intervene and halt your match!"

Everyone's expressions shifted slightly. They thought to themselves that Li Huangran truly was a figure who could stir the clouds and overturn the rain within the Lineage. With a casual sentence, he had immediately blocked Li Hou Nian's reason to interfere.

As for Li Wei, he also understood the hidden meaning in Li Huangran's words. A sinister smile immediately appeared on his face as he nodded. "Li Wei will remember the Third Elder's words!"

Boom!

Li Wei took a single step, and in an instant, his whole body became elusive where he stood. Several afterimages appeared in rapid succession.

"Though Li Wei lost to Li Xuan earlier, few among the Inner Disciples can match him. Li Ye is going to be in trouble."

Quite a few people did not think Li Ye stood a chance. The gap between them was too vast. One gap was in cultivation realm: three full realms separated them. In ordinary times, let alone three realms, even a difference of one realm was enough to determine victory or defeat. How much more so with a three-realm gap!

Storm of Gale!

In an instant, the crowd saw Li Wei transform into three or four figures. Each one unleashed dozens of kicks in a flash, and countless leg shadows sealed off the upper, middle, and lower paths alike! There was not the slightest room left to maneuver!

"Li Wei must have carefully observed Li Ye's battle with Li Yuan just now! He wants to completely kill off Li Ye's advantage in speed!"

The crowd understood at once. They secretly thought that Li Wei truly deserved to be a powerhouse among the veteran Inner Disciples. His ability to adapt was exceptionally outstanding!