Genius and Genius

In the open grounds, Wu Zongming did not deliberately circulate his qi. He simply walked slowly toward the square-faced disciple.

Ten steps, nine steps, eight steps... five steps!

To everyone's surprise, it was not Wu Zongming who attacked first, but the square-faced disciple. His legs gave a slight spring, and he lunged forward in a single stride. His lowered right arm traced a strange arc through the air, striking upward at Wu Zongming.

Pff!

The sound of air shattering rang out. A faint dark gleam flashed along the edge of the square-faced disciple's right hand—the sign that his Internal Energy was about to break through his flesh.

"Get back!"

Wu Zongming gave a low shout and pressed his palm against the square-faced disciple's right hand.

Bang!

The ferocious-looking square-faced disciple was knocked cleanly off his feet and sent back to where he had started. He then staggered back more than a dozen steps, nearly falling over.

Cough! Spitting out a mouthful of blood, the square-faced disciple pointed at Wu Zongming. "You, you..." He managed only one word before collapsing unconscious.

At once, an uproar broke out across the square.

Everyone had known that the square-faced disciple would most likely be unable to withstand even a single move from Wu Zongming, but they had never expected the gap to be this immense. Moreover, Wu Zongming did not seem to have used any martial skill at all, merely meeting him with an ordinary move. The outer sect's First Disciple truly lived up to his name.

Ye Chen saw things differently. Strictly speaking, the gap between the Qi Cultivation Realm Eighth Layer and the Qi Cultivation Realm Tenth Layer should not have been this great. Besides, the square-faced disciple had used the Human-grade High-tier Martial Skill, the Little Yaksha Palm, whose attack power had nearly reached the threshold of the Qi Cultivation Realm Tenth Layer. Even if he was no match for Wu Zongming, he should not have been knocked unconscious immediately.

There was another reason behind it. If Ye Chen's guess was correct, the cultivation art Wu Zongming practiced was of a higher grade than the square-faced disciple's. Whether in the quality or total amount of their Internal Energy, the two were simply not on the same level. Beyond that, Wu Zongming had clearly cultivated his art to a rather high level, and his control and use of Internal Energy far surpassed that of the square-faced disciple.

Thinking of this, Ye Chen could not help but smile bitterly.

The world he lived in was called the True Spirit Continent. Its lands stretched endlessly, vast beyond measure. No one knew just how large it truly was, nor did anyone know how many people or demonic beasts lived upon it. Only one thing was certain: this continent was a world ruled by sects and martial artists. Nations were important, but they still ranked slightly below them.

On this continent, two things were of utmost importance to martial artists. One was martial skills, and the other was cultivation arts.

Compared to martial skills, cultivation arts were several times more important.

The value of a Human-grade Low-tier cultivation art was absolutely no less than that of a Human-grade Mid-tier martial skill, and at times even exceeded it.

If martial skills allowed someone to unleash two or even three times their combat strength, then cultivation arts were a person's foundation. Once the foundation was strong, one held an enormous innate advantage.

Under normal circumstances, when the cultivation art a martial artist practiced was one grade higher, their total Internal Energy increased by thirty percent. In other words, if two martial artists had equal cultivation, one practicing a Human-grade Low-tier cultivation art and the other a Human-grade Mid-tier cultivation art, then the latter would possess more than one-third again as much Internal Energy as the former. If the latter practiced a Human-grade High-tier cultivation art, they would have seventy percent more; with a Human-grade Top-tier cultivation art, they would have more than twice as much. The enormous gap was like a chasm, not easily crossed.

Aside from the total amount of Internal Energy, a cultivation art one grade higher also greatly improved its quality. To make an analogy, if the Internal Energy produced by a low-tier cultivation art was a piece of wood, then the Internal Energy produced by a high-tier cultivation art was a stone—or even a chunk of metal. How could wood contend with stone and metal? They were plainly not on the same level.

As the outer sect's First Disciple, Wu Zongming practiced at least a Human-grade Mid-tier cultivation art. Ye Chen's cultivation art, meanwhile, was Human-grade Low-tier. Even if Wu Zongming's cultivation had been the same as his, both at the Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer, Wu Zongming's total Internal Energy would still have exceeded his by thirty percent. Not to mention that Wu Zongming's cultivation was higher than his.

Fortunately, when it came to the quality of Internal Energy, Ye Chen was confident he would not lose by much to Wu Zongming. A month ago, he had already cultivated the Cloud Qi Art he practiced to the pinnacle, a realm one level higher than the levels described in the manual—roughly equivalent to the most ordinary Human-grade Mid-tier cultivation art.

After defeating the square-faced disciple in one move, Wu Zongming showed no pride. To him, the square-faced disciple was merely a clown. Defeating him brought no excitement. Teaching him a lesson was only meant to let others know that even if he had failed his breakthrough, he was still not someone just anyone could compare to.

Clap clap clap clap!

A handsome young man with a somewhat youthful face walked over, clapping his hands. "That was marvelous. As expected of the outer sect's First Disciple. Wu Zongming, you are qualified to be my opponent."

Wu Zongming turned his head, narrowing his eyes. "Zhang Haoran."

Though Zhang Haoran's appearance was somewhat youthful, his bearing was remarkably mature. He smiled faintly. "You practice the Human-grade High-tier cultivation art, the Foundation Cultivation Art. I wonder which level you have reached."

"Not much to speak of. I have only just entered the peak of the fourth level."

Ye Chen immediately understood. No wonder Wu Zongming could knock the square-faced disciple unconscious with a casual palm strike. He practiced the Foundation Cultivation Art. As a Human-grade High-tier cultivation art, the Foundation Cultivation Art might not have been outstanding in other aspects, but in one respect it stood alone above the rest: the Internal Energy it cultivated was exceptionally deep and abundant, even surpassing cultivation arts of the same grade. Furthermore, the Foundation Cultivation Art had five levels, and reaching the peak of the fourth level was already quite remarkable.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Haoran gave a proud smile. "Compared to ordinary people, you are indeed a genius. But today, you are no longer my opponent."

Wu Zongming sneered. "Arrogant people never meet a good end."

"Is that so? I am not afraid of dealing you a blow. I practice the Human-grade High-tier Cloud Soaring Art, and I have already reached its highest realm, the fifth level. That is the gap between you and me."

As soon as those words fell, the square erupted into discussion.

"That is too exaggerated! Cultivation arts are the hardest to advance in realm. Zhang Haoran obtained the Cloud Soaring Art only a little over four months ago, yet he has already reached the fifth level. How is that possible?"

"Exactly. Human-grade High-tier cultivation arts generally have five levels. An ordinary person needs at least three or four days to reach the first level, ten days for the second, one month for the third, three months for the fourth, and over a year for the fifth. I remember that when an Inner Sect Disciple once switched to a Human-grade Top-tier cultivation art, he had not even completed his previous Human-grade High-tier cultivation art and simply abandoned it."

"It seems Zhang Haoran is more formidable when it comes to talent."

Unlike everyone else's astonished reaction, Ye Chen found it perfectly natural. Geniuses were called geniuses precisely because they could not be measured by ordinary reasoning. Otherwise, they would not be geniuses. Wu Zongming was no slouch either. After all, he was only one step away from the fifth level of the Foundation Cultivation Art. Perhaps he would break through to the fifth level in another half a month.

Wu Zongming was indeed startled. Half a year ago, after taking first place in the Wooden Man Alley Competition, he had received the Human-grade High-tier Foundation Cultivation Art. He had thought that reaching the peak of the fourth level in half a year was already exceptional. After all, an ordinary person needed around five months to cultivate from the first level to the fourth, then another five months to reach the peak of the fourth level. He had never imagined Zhang Haoran would be even more gifted than him, reaching the highest fifth level in just over four months.

Drawing a deep breath, Wu Zongming calmly said, "Words are useless. Strength is not decided by comparing."

Zhang Haoran grinned. "That's right. So in this Wooden Man Alley Competition, I will take first place."

With that, he turned and left, leaving only his back for the crowd to see.