Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Chapter 273: Cloud Water Secret Realm, The Gap Between Geniuses
Chapter 398: Chapter 273: Cloud Water Secret Realm, The Gap Between Geniuses
Hearing Lu Qing’s words, everyone looked up at the Heavenly Ladder.
They saw that Bai Bufan and the others had now taken on a completely different appearance.
They had almost entirely lost their previous composed and debonair demeanor.
Each of them was red-faced, panting heavily, and drenched in sweat as they supported themselves on their knees.
Obviously, they had almost reached their limits.
Yet, the steps where the group stood finally showed a discrepancy.
Among them, Bai Bufan and Mr. Situ stood at the highest point.
The others were behind them, but the gap was small, only three or four steps.
At the very end was Qin Yunting from the Xuanxin Sect.
Just as Lin Zhirui had said, Qin Yunting, who excelled in Light Spirit Martial Arts, was somewhat at a disadvantage while climbing the Heavenly Ladder.
“Bai Bufan and Mr. Situ are now at the one hundred sixty-fifth level!”
Wei Zian quickly counted and exclaimed.
“It seems they have reached their limits, indeed, their potential does not match up to Mr. Zhi Rui.”
Ma Guyou remarked in astonishment.
This method of measuring potential through climbing the Heavenly Ladder seemed quite reliable.
“Mr. Bai, do you still have the strength to keep going?”
On the Heavenly Ladder, Mr. Situ’s face was covered in sweat beads as he spoke to Bai Bufan.
His muscles trembled—a sign that his Vajra Body skill was being pushed to the limit.
“It depends on whether you, Mr. Situ, still have any strength left.”
Bai Bufan’s expression was also strained, his face, usually pale and refined, was now flushed red, even the whites of his eyes threaded with blood.
Clearly, he had reached his limit.
Yet, despite this, facing Mr. Situ, he still refused to show any weakness.
“I do still have a bit of strength left. If I force myself, I can climb up one or two more levels.”
Mr. Situ’s words caused a slight change in Bai Bufan’s expression.
Because he had truly reached his limit and had no more strength to ascend further.
But then, what Mr. Situ said next took him completely by surprise.
“How about we call this contest a draw?”
“You’re actually willing to settle for a draw?”
Bai Bufan was stunned, scarcely believing what he was hearing.
Over the years, Mr. Situ had always competed against him, always standing directly opposed.
Now, under the watchful eyes of the public, with a great chance to defeat him right before him, he was willing to give it up?
“Yes, I can indeed activate my Vajra Body skill to forcibly climb one or two more steps.
But doing so would surely result in a backlash from the pressure of the Heavenly Ladder, damaging the foundation of my physical body and further delaying my breakthrough to the Innate Realm.
We are already behind those two; I don’t want to widen the gap over a moment of pride.”
Bai Bufan fell silent.
He obviously knew who the two people Mr. Situ was referring to were.
Truth be told, he had never paid much attention to those two among the Central State Ten Outstanding before.
After all, one was from the Heavenly Mechanism Sect, skilled in the art of calculation, likely less powerful than them.
The other was even more so, merely the heir of a declining sect, with limited resources, his cultivation speed was bound to be slower than theirs.
Therefore, his focus had always been on Mr. Situ and a couple of others with similar backgrounds to his own.
Who would have thought, after all their competing, the first to break through would be the least conspicuous among them.
Thinking this, Bai Bufan suddenly felt a sense of listlessness.
“You’re right, it’s not worth risking our martial arts future over this petty dispute.
Our focus should be on breaking through to the Innate Realm as soon as possible, not these trivial squabbles.
Mr. Situ, you’ve won this competition.”
Bai Bufan said earnestly.
Mr. Situ was taken aback, just as Bai Bufan was about to speak to concede.
Suddenly, a light laughter came from above in the sky.
“Is this what they call the Central State Ten Outstanding?
Climbing a ladder and they are this drained; indeed, my master was right, these external martial artists generally have a weak foundation, all glitter on the outside, rotten on the inside.”
The voice wasn’t loud, but it carried far enough for everyone nearby to hear clearly.
The sarcasm and mockery in it immediately stirred up a commotion.
“Who is that, so full of himself?”
“To dare to ridicule the Central State Ten Outstanding to their faces, who does he think he is?”
“Looks like there’s a new spectacle to watch?”
People began looking in the direction of the voice.
Then the next moment, everyone’s mouths fell open.
For they saw in the sky above, there were seven or eight giant birds hovering, each with people standing on their backs.
The giant birds’ wingspan was over ten meters, each flap of their wings producing a loud sound of wind.
Bai Bufan and the others had initially been ignited with rage by the mocking tone of that voice.
But when they saw the scene above, they too were stunned in place, and the anger in their hearts could no longer be vented.
As for Lu Qing and the others, there was no need to say.
Coming from remote areas, they had never seen such a spectacle.
Their eyes widened in amazement, their faces full of wonder.
“It’s them!”
Lin Zhirui’s face also significantly changed as he exclaimed.
“Mr. Zhi Rui, do you know them?” Lu Qing asked curiously.
“I don’t know them, but I recognize their origin.”
Lin Zhirui stared intently into the sky, speaking slowly.
“Dressed in Cloud Water pattern robes, riding divine birds, they are from one of the Four Great Secret Places, Cloud Water Secret Realm!”
“Four Great Secret Places?”
Lu Qing’s mind stirred; he recalled a past encounter where he had fought a direct disciple of Yan Canghai, who had once assumed he was a disciple trained in a secret land.
Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com