The Old Man in the Pavilion

The gap between a Martial Dao Master and a Martial Master, between the eighth and seventh levels of the Spirit Martial Realm, was as enormous as the gap between an ordinary person at the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm and an ordinary person.

With just a casual palm strike, Li Ye felt as if a rhinoceros charging head-on had slammed fiercely into his chest. Had he not made a snap decision to retreat several steps while throwing a punch to offset part of the palm force, that single strike would have been enough to injure him.

"Eh? Kid, you've got some nerve. You actually dare to fight back!"

When the elder saw that his palm strike had failed to injure the youth before him as expected, surprise appeared on his face. Yet what flashed through his eyes even faster was a thread of killing intent.

Sensing the killing intent that had flashed from the other man, Li Ye immediately understood. These two were clearly targeting him on purpose!

"Hmph! The matter of me taking seventh place among the Lineage's Inner Disciples should have spread throughout the Lineage long ago. These two are clearly trying to make things difficult for me, perhaps even taking the chance to kill me!"

Having figured that out, Li Ye instead calmed down.

"These two should be in league with Li Huangran! They may even be stopping me on Li Huangran's orders!"

If that was truly the case, then entering the Martial Arts Pavilion would be extremely difficult.

"But if I can't enter the Martial Arts Pavilion, I won't be able to cultivate all kinds of Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques!"

Although martial cultivators primarily cultivated the power of their Blood Souls, Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques were also immensely important. Simply put, among opponents of the same realm, the quality of their Combat Techniques could decide victory or defeat.

At present, Li Ye had only secretly learned Frost Fist, Gale Legs, and Phantom Step from Li Wei and Li Xuan. This gave him an even deeper understanding of just how important Combat Techniques were.

"You trespassed into the Martial Arts Pavilion, impersonated an Inner Disciple, and even resisted elders! What crime should you be charged with? Surrender obediently and accept the Lineage's punishment! Otherwise, you will be executed without mercy!"

The two elders guarding the pavilion gave Li Ye no chance to explain and attacked directly!

Seeing this, Li Ye became even more certain that these two were in league with Li Huangran and had deliberately come here to find a chance to kill him!

At that moment, quite a few others were entering and leaving the Martial Arts Pavilion. Upon seeing the scene, they all revealed strange expressions.

A few among them even recognized Li Ye!

"Isn't that Li Ye, the one who just took seventh place among the Lineage's Inner Disciples? Why is he fighting two elders here?"

Yet none of them spoke up to stop it, nor did they testify for Li Ye. Instead, many watched coldly from the sidelines, their eyes carrying mocking smiles as they enjoyed the show.

One elder at the Martial Dao Master level was already enough to make Li Ye struggle. With the two attacking together, danger sprang up on every side.

"You old bastards! Don't think I don't know what you're plotting! You're openly violating the Lineage's rules by attacking me. Aren't you afraid of being punished by the Lineage afterward?!"

Fortunately, Li Ye had already cultivated Phantom Step to the beginner level. For the moment, he could barely hold his own under the joint assault of two Martial Dao Masters.

"Punishment! Li Ye, you're too naive!"

One of the two sneered. No longer bothering to conceal anything, he lowered his voice and laughed.

Li Ye's expression stiffened, and he instantly realized that he truly had been too naive!

"It seems that even though I've become one of the top ten Inner Disciples, some people still refuse to let me go! They even want to get rid of me more than before! They're willing to attack me regardless of what others may think!"

He could not help cursing himself for having thought too simply before. He had believed that as long as he displayed strength worthy of the Lineage's recognition, he would be able to return to it. Now, it seemed that some people not only did not want him back, but even wanted him dead!

"You trash never should have returned! You brought this upon yourself!"

Sure enough, Li Ye's heart turned cold. But soon, a blood-red radiance erupted from his eyes. In an instant, a terrifying spiritual force slammed directly into the minds of the two elders. They seemed to see a boundless sea of blood, and even their souls trembled.

But they were Martial Dao Master-level experts after all. That illusion lasted only a moment before they suppressed it, though lingering fear remained in their hearts.

Yet before they could recover, the figure before their eyes blurred, and Li Ye had already closed in!

"Frost Fist!"

The oncoming chill made both men shudder. A layer of frost formed across their bodies, further slowing their movements.

"Storm of Gale!"

With a sudden change in moves, Li Ye instantly kicked out dozens of times. The two elders, both considered experts even within the Lineage, cried out miserably and were sent flying backward together.

To those preparing to enter the Martial Arts Pavilion, the sight was as unbelievable as seeing a tomcat raping a tigress!

Those were two Martial Dao Master-level elders! Yet they had actually been defeated together by an Inner Disciple?

It would have been one thing if the attacker had been one of the handful of Martial Dao Masters among the Inner Disciples. But he was merely a youth at Spirit Martial Tier Five. It was simply incomprehensible!

In the distance, unnoticed by anyone, a figure stood there. It was Li Huangran. Seeing the strength Li Ye had unleashed, the killing intent in his eyes grew even denser!

Bang!

They were Martial Dao Master-level experts after all. Although the two elders had suffered a loss from being caught off guard, Li Ye's attacks were not enough to strip them of their fighting strength.

However, blood stained the corners of both their mouths, and their faces were twisted and livid!

"Kid! You're courting death!"

"Stop!"

Just then, a thunderous shout caused the tense atmosphere to freeze for a moment. Then, a man strode forward with the gait of a dragon and tiger, stepping between both sides. An immense aura instantly made everyone feel as though they could barely breathe!

"Fourth Uncle!"

"Fourth Elder!"

Seeing the newcomer, Li Ye was overjoyed, knowing that this matter had taken a turn for the better. The expressions of the two elders, meanwhile, turned ugly.

The newcomer was none other than Li Hou Nian! From the looks on the two elders' faces, it was obvious that although he too was an elder, Li Hou Nian held a far higher status than they did.

"Fourth Elder, this boy—"

"Shut up!" With a furious shout, Li Hou Nian directly cut off the two men's attempt to lodge a false accusation first. He shot them an unfriendly glare and snorted coldly. "I saw the entire course of events! Li San, Li Si! You have some nerve! Who gave you the authority to stop an Inner Disciple from entering the Martial Arts Pavilion? Speak!"

Li San and Li Si looked at each other, yet neither dared answer.

Li Hou Nian ignored them and turned to Li Ye with a kindly expression. "Li Ye, go in now. Let me see who dares stop you!"

Once those words were spoken, Li Ye glanced at the two elders named Li San and Li Si, nodded, and headed straight toward the Martial Arts Pavilion.

Seeing Li Ye about to step into the Martial Arts Pavilion, Li San and Li Si's expressions turned cold as they prepared to stop him. But in the next instant, a terrifyingly immense aura enveloped them both. They had the feeling that if they so much as moved a finger, death would greet them the next moment!

A bead of cold sweat slid down their foreheads. They could only watch helplessly as Li Ye entered the Martial Arts Pavilion.

Only after stepping into the Martial Arts Pavilion did Li Ye discover that it had three floors in total.

"The first floor of the Martial Arts Pavilion contains Yellow Tier Mid-Grade Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques."

An aged voice rang out beside him, startling Li Ye.

Then he saw a decrepit old man emerge from within, leaning on a cane and limping along.

"Senior!"

Although he could not sense even the slightest trace of power from the man before him, Li Ye's instincts told him that this old man was definitely no ordinary person.

"You're a newly promoted Inner Disciple? I've never seen you before."

The old man casually swept his gaze over Li Ye and asked.

"Yes, Senior. This junior is Li Ye. I came today to choose a Combat Technique or Movement Technique."

The old man nodded, then pointed at the first floor. "Ordinary Inner Disciples and Outer Disciples may choose the Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques they need on this first floor."

The first floor?

Li Ye frowned slightly. The first floor clearly only held Yellow Tier Mid-Grade Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques, while his goal was at least Yellow Tier High-Grade Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques!

As though he had seen through Li Ye's thoughts, the old man appeared somewhat displeased and said coldly, "Young man, do not aim too high. At Spirit Martial Tier Five, Yellow Tier Mid-Grade Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques are enough for you! When you reach the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm, then go up to the second floor!"

"Senior, does the second floor contain Yellow Tier High-Grade Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques?!"

Li Ye did not give up. Instead, he asked respectfully.

Though he did not know who the old man before him was, anyone who could appear here was certainly no ordinary person.

Sweeping his eyes across the floor, he found that there were quite a few people there as well. Most possessed cultivation between Spirit Martial Tier Five and Spirit Martial Tier Six.

"That's right. The second floor stores Yellow Tier High-Grade Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques."

So that was it! Li Ye understood. The Martial Arts Pavilion had three floors in total. Did that not mean the third floor stored even higher Black Tier Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques?!

At that thought, his gaze grew fervent!

On the Cloud Soaring Continent, whether Combat Techniques or Movement Techniques, they were divided into the four grades of Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow. Generally speaking, ordinary people only came into contact with Yellow Tier Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques. There were not many Black Tier techniques in all of Wuzhou City, and the Three Great Families possessed all of them.

"Senior, this junior Li Ye took seventh place among the Inner Disciples this time. According to the Lineage's reward, I may select one Yellow Tier High-Grade Combat Technique or Movement Technique from the Martial Arts Pavilion and take it out!"

At those words, a sharp light suddenly flashed through the old man's originally cloudy eyes! He raised his head and seriously examined Li Ye for the first time.

But after a long while, he shook his head. "Your realm is too low. Though this old man does not know how you entered the top ten among the Inner Disciples, with your realm, Yellow Tier Mid-Grade Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques suit you best. Yellow Tier High-Grade Combat Techniques and Movement Techniques would instead delay your cultivation."

His words were very fair. Li Ye nodded thoughtfully. In truth, he knew the old man was right. The higher the grade of a Combat Technique or Movement Technique, the greater its demand on Blood Soul power. If it were a Black Tier Combat Technique, even a Martial Dao Grandmaster could only barely activate it once! Unless one entered the Innate Realm and became a King Tier expert, one simply could not fully wield techniques of that level.

"Senior, if this junior can prove that I am qualified to cultivate Yellow Tier High-Grade Combat Techniques, would you allow this junior to choose from the second floor?" Li Ye suddenly asked with a smile.