The Vast Gap

"Li Huo seemed to have some confidence before he dared challenge him."

"Otherwise, although I heard he broke through to Spirit Martial Tier Eight and became a Martial Dao Master a year ago, don't forget that Li Mo had already broken through to the Martial Dao Master level two years ago. Who knew how far his strength had advanced over those two years?"

From the conversations around him, Li Ye learned that more than seventy percent of the people did not think highly of Li Huo's challenge. Even among Martial Dao Masters, the gap in strength could sometimes be immense.

The simplest example was that even among Martial Dao Masters, differences in the Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques they cultivated, or even how far they had mastered those techniques, could affect the final gap in strength between them.

"Li Mo! Two years ago, you defeated me in three moves. Today, I will surely avenge that humiliation!"

So Li Huo had once been utterly defeated by Li Mo two years ago. This time, he had returned to the fray, hoping to prove himself!

"Just as it was two years ago, you still have no chance today! Defeating you will still take only three moves!"

Arrogant! Li Mo made no attempt to hide his arrogance, yet in everyone's eyes, he had the right to be arrogant!

Because he was the foremost of the Lineage's three great geniuses! One of Wuzhou City's four great geniuses!

"You are as arrogant as ever, but I am no longer the same as I was back then!"

With a loud shout, Li Huo instantly unleashed the powerful aura belonging to a Martial Dao Master. Feeling that formidable pressure, Li Ye felt a faint sense of wariness.

"The gap between Spirit Martial Tier Seven and Tier Eight is at least tenfold in terms of Blood Soul Power. It seems that even if I advance to Spirit Martial Tier Five, I would still be somewhat lacking against a Spirit Martial Tier Eight Martial Dao Master."

At Spirit Martial Tier Four, the Blood Soul Power within Li Ye's body was equivalent to that of an ordinary person at the peak Spirit Martial Tier Six, close to the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm. Now that he had entered Spirit Martial Tier Five, his Blood Soul Power had increased another threefold, but it was only about equal to the peak seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm for an ordinary person.

"If I do not use Blood Eyes, my odds of defeating a Spirit Martial Tier Eight Martial Dao Master are less than ten percent. Even if I use Blood Eyes, given a Martial Dao Master's mental will, my chances are likely only around thirty percent, forty at most."

Li Ye quickly arrived at that conclusion. To be honest, he was not worried. As he continued breaking through, this gap would grow ever smaller, and one day, he might even surpass it.

A faint red glow appeared around Li Huo's body.

"Blood Soul Aura!"

At that sight, the eyes of some people burned with intense fervor.

Martial cultivators cultivated the Blood Soul Power within their bodies, but from Spirit Martial Tier One through Tier Six, that power was difficult to use beyond strengthening the body. Only upon reaching the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm could one truly wield this peculiar power. Like inner force, it could greatly increase combat strength. Even using certain powerful Combat Techniques required consuming a certain amount of Blood Soul Power.

Once one became a Martial Dao Master, this power could even be transformed into Astral Energy, possessing astonishing might!

"It seems Li Huo intends to go all out from the very start!"

Seeing the faint, almost imperceptible layer of red light around Li Huo, many people immediately understood his intentions.

"Although a Martial Dao Master can force the Blood Soul Power in their body outside and unleash tremendous destructive power in the form of Astral Energy, the consumption is also enormous. Even with the immense Blood Soul Power of a Martial Dao Master, this state can only be sustained for around ten breaths at most."

The person seated beside Li Ye spoke calmly. Li Ye looked toward him just as he turned to look at Li Ye. He nodded amiably, his eyes clear and tranquil.

Li Ye had heard of this person before.

"Li Yuan Jia, ranked fifth among the Inner Disciples. He broke through to Martial Dao Master at eighteen. He kept a low profile and never revealed his edge." But none of that was the most important thing. What mattered most was that Li Yuan Jia was Li Hou Nian's adopted son! Though not his biological son, he had been adopted by Li Hou Nian from an orphan of a collateral branch, yet he displayed peerless talent that surpassed even the disciples of the main branch.

"My father has mentioned you before. He secretly asked me to look after you if I had the opportunity. But from what I can see now, Brother Ye, your strength no longer requires much protection from my father or me."

A calm voice reached his ears. Clearly, because of Li Hou Nian, Li Yuan Jia was considered to be on Li Ye's side. Naturally, Li Ye would not put on a cold face toward one of his own. He merely nodded slightly in greeting.

"How good are Li Huo's chances?"

Li Ye asked casually in a low voice. By then, Li Huo and Li Mo had already begun fighting. The intensity of their clash gave him an even deeper understanding of the strength of Martial Dao Masters.

"He has no chance at all." Li Ye had originally thought that Li Huo, gambling everything on one throw, had at least a thirty to forty percent chance. He had not expected Li Yuan Jia, one of the five strongest Inner Disciples, to shake his head and flatly deny it.

"Why?" Li Ye was very curious about that.

"Li Huo is gambling everything on one throw. Though the might of his Blood Soul Astral Energy will raise his strength considerably in the short term, he cannot sustain it. But that is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that the gap between him and Li Mo is even greater than he imagines."

Yet on the field, Li Huo was enveloped in a layer of red light, looking majestic and imposing as he seized the initiative at once, drawing loud cheers from many spectators.

"How much of Li Mo's strength do you think Li Huo can force out?"

At this moment, nearly all the Inner Disciples ranked in the top ten were quietly whispering among themselves. As for Li Mo, the Lineage's number one genius, they did not know whether he was a blessing or a curse. For years, they had been pressed beneath him, suffering endless humiliation.

"Hard to say. But Li Huo has already stabilized his initial Spirit Martial Tier Eight cultivation over the past year and is nearing Spirit Martial Tier Eight, Minor Achievement. Now he is gambling everything on one throw and directly stimulating his Blood Soul Astral Energy. Even Li Mo will have to treat him cautiously, right?"

The speaker was ranked tenth among the Inner Disciples. With Li Wei, ranked ninth, and Li Xuan, ranked eighth, both injured and out of the competition, he and Li Ye were the only two among the top ten Inner Disciples whose cultivation had not yet reached Martial Dao Master.

"Wrong. In my view, Li Mo has not even revealed half his strength. He is plainly toying with that idiot Li Huo! Li Huo is fighting so desperately, yet in Li Mo's eyes, he is nothing more than a clown!"

With a cold snort, Li Ye looked over and saw that it was the Inner Disciple ranked second. He was twenty-three or twenty-four years old, relatively old among the Inner Disciples, and his aura was also the most terrifying. His name was Li Ji.

Sure enough, upon closer inspection, Li Ye saw that although Li Huo looked imposing on the field, Li Mo wore a cold smile, his expression calm and even faintly mocking. With his hands clasped behind his back, he moved as though strolling through a garden, dodging left and right beneath Li Huo's frenzied attacks. His figure flickered about, carefree and elegant.

This immediately drew shrieks from many young maidens nursing springtime longings! Though he was not handsome and was even somewhat ugly, as one of Wuzhou City's four great geniuses, he still lacked no women's admiration in this world where strength reigned supreme.

"Although a Martial Dao Master can temporarily stimulate the Blood Soul Power in their body to create a force similar to Astral Energy, it cannot last. Once the expenditure becomes too great, the resulting weakness will leave them worse off than an ordinary person!"

Li Yuan Jia's calm analysis sounded beside him. Li Ye nodded with deep understanding, then heard Li Yuan Jia continue, "The Cloud Soaring Continent has been passed down for countless millennia. The so-called Spirit Martial Rank is merely a starting stage. It is said that only by breaking through the shackles of the Spirit Martial Rank, entering the Innate Realm, and becoming a King Tier expert can one truly master the formidable power of Astral Energy. Martial Dao Masters and even Martial Dao Grandmasters are merely like children imitating adults—ridiculous and laughable."

At that moment, the pale red Astral Energy around Li Huo gradually faded, while his aura abruptly declined as well.

"Li Mo! Are you looking down on me?"

Realizing that he once again could not match the man before him, who was even one or two years younger, Li Huo was unwilling to accept it.

"Looking down on you? A piece of trash like you—do I need to think highly of you?"

As soon as those words were spoken, not only did Li Huo's face turn livid, but the expressions of all the powerful Inner Disciples who had entered the Martial Dao Master realm, including Li Yuan Jia, also darkened.

Li Huo's strength might have been the lowest among them, but they were not much stronger than him! Li Mo's words were tantamount to insulting every single one of them!

"Li Mo! You may be powerful, but aren't you being too arrogant?"

Several people immediately rose to their feet, their expressions hostile.

"Hmph, a pack of trash. Do you really think you can contend with me? Stop wasting time. Come at me together!"

Even Li Ye was immensely shocked by such arrogance. The strongest Inner Disciples were all here. Aside from Li Yue, who was absent for some unknown reason, every one of the others was a Martial Dao Master. If several of them joined forces, they could contend with a Martial Dao Grandmaster for a short time!

"Arrogant!" Someone immediately shouted in rage. Yet no one stopped them. Perhaps the Lineage elders were more than happy to see this sort of competition among one another.

"A pack of ignorant fools. Since that is the case, I will let you see what it means to be frogs at the bottom of a well!"

Why Li Mo was so arrogant soon became clear to Li Ye.

"Impossible!"

Boom! At that instant, Li Mo's aura surged wildly! He broke through from Spirit Martial Tier Eight in an instant and entered an even higher level!

"Spirit Martial Tier Nine! A Martial Dao Grandmaster!"

At that moment, the strongest of the Inner Disciples, including Li Yuan Jia, all cried out in shock! Their soaring battle intent vanished in an instant!

Li Ye felt an appalling pressure crashing toward him, one so terrifying that he could not move. Though he was not even the main target, he still felt an irresistible and dreadful force.

There was no need to fight at all. Every Inner Disciple was completely convinced.

"Spirit Martial Tier Nine! And from the looks of it, he is at least at Spirit Martial Tier Nine, Great Achievement! Li Mo has hidden himself deeply indeed!"

Li Yuan Jia drew a deep breath, shook his head, and gave a bitter laugh.

The gap was simply too vast—so vast that they could not even summon the desire to catch up.