Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Comparing Yourself to Others Can Be Maddening

It was surprising enough that an Inner Sect Disciple would issue a life-and-death challenge to a new Outer Sect Disciple.

And now, for that same new Outer Sect Disciple to have slain an Inner Sect Disciple on the Life-and-Death Stage was an even more astonishing outcome!

The Inner Sect Disciples who had come to watch were especially aghast, their faces etched with disbelief.

Since when had Inner Sect Disciples become so cowardly?

Since when had Outer Sect Disciples become so formidable?

As for the other Outer Sect Disciples, they could only look at Ye Qingchen with a newfound, wary respect. They previously thought he was just some trash who got into the Qingyun Sect through a special admission due to a powerful background. But now it was clear he wasn’t trash at all; he was an absolute genius!

”Young Master is so amazing!” Xiao Xiao’s small hands were almost swollen from excited clapping. She nudged the Venerable One with her elbow, her face glowing with pride. ”How about that, Hei Ze? Big Blackie! I told you the Young Master was bound to win!”

The Venerable One nodded with a smile. ”Indeed, he is impressive.”

Xiao Xiao’s pretty eyes lit up. ”So, what do you think? Are you interested in following my Young Master in the future? Your prospects would be limitless! I can put in a good word with him for you, see if he can help you advance.”

”Such a generous offer? I’ll have to consider it...” the Venerable One replied with a faint smile. This little girl, her sly ambitions never died. She was always trying to coax him into becoming Ye Qingchen’s retainer.

On the Life-and-Death Stage, Ye Qingchen walked over to Liu Wenqiang, bent down, and began searching his corpse. He finally pulled out a porcelain bottle.

He opened it, brimming with anticipation, only for the corner of his mouth to twitch uncontrollably a moment later.

Inside were a mere five Soul Condensing Pills!

He had expected to make a fortune, but it turned out that Liu Wenqiang’s Cultivation Resources were far inferior to his younger brother, Liu Wenzhuang’s! Pauper!

Ye Qingchen shook his head in bitter disappointment. He put away the porcelain bottle and descended from the stage.

”Big Brother!”

Only after Ye Qingchen had left did Liu Wenzhuang dare to climb onto the Life-and-Death Stage. He threw himself onto Liu Wenqiang’s body and burst into convulsive sobs. Had he known his brother would lose his life standing up for him, he never would have allowed Liu Wenqiang to face Ye Qingchen.

”Ye Qingchen, I will kill you someday and avenge my brother!” Liu Wenzhuang’s eyes blazed with furious light as he watched Ye Qingchen’s receding figure, grinding his teeth in rage.

Just then, a few Inner Sect Disciples, both male and female, approached him. The one in the lead, a shapely disciple in a red robe, spoke in an extremely seductive tone. ”You’re Liu Wenqiang’s brother? We were friends with your brother. My name is Hong Ye. Do you want to avenge him?”

”Yes! Of course, I do!” Liu Wenzhuang’s teeth clattered.

”Good! Then come with us,” Hong Ye said. ”We’re heading to a Secret Realm and happen to need an Outer Sect Disciple just like you. If you’re lucky, your strength will soar on this journey.”

”Okay, I’ll go with you!” Liu Wenzhuang agreed without a moment’s hesitation and followed them.

Hong Ye and the others hadn’t expected him to be so easily fooled. They exchanged glances, their faces alight with excitement.

「...」

Ye Qingchen returned to his small courtyard. This time, the harvest had been bountiful! Between the twenty Soul Condensing Pills from the sect, Liu Wenzhuang’s Cultivation Resources, and Liu Wenqiang’s meager stash, he had a total of roughly forty Soul Condensing Pills!

With so many Cultivation Resources, I should have enough to break through to the Martial Master Realm, which is above the Martial Artist Realm!

Filled with anticipation, Ye Qingchen sat cross-legged, swallowed a Soul Condensing Pill, and began to circulate the Divine Wood Art, entering a state of cultivation. Soon, like a whale inhaling water, dense nature’s spiritual energy converged around him, and his aura began to climb at an insane pace.

After five days and five Soul Condensing Pills, Ye Qingchen’s cultivation broke through to the Eighth Layer of the Martial Artist Realm!

Another ten days and ten pills later, his cultivation advanced again, reaching the Ninth Layer of the Martial Artist Realm!

After another dozen or so days and a dozen more pills, his cultivation finally reached the peak of the Ninth Layer of the Martial Artist Realm! His progress was incredibly fast.

However, just as he prepared to push through to the stronger Martial Master Realm in one go, something strange happened. Even after consuming all his remaining Soul Condensing Pills, his cultivation remained stuck at the peak of the Ninth Layer of the Martial Artist Realm, showing no sign of a breakthrough.

At first, Ye Qingchen didn’t think much of it. Although the peak of the Martial Artist Realm was just a step away from the Martial Master Realm, they were separated by an entire major realm. Becoming a martial master was certainly not meant to be easy.

Just then, the sect’s second monthly reward of twenty Soul Condensing Pills arrived. Ye Qingchen immediately used them to continue cultivating.

Yet, even after all twenty pills were gone, his cultivation still showed no sign of a breakthrough. Instead, his Soul Power, nourished by the pills, had simply grown more robust and vigorous.

Ye Qingchen finally realized something was wrong. He seemed to have hit what people called a bottleneck. Relying on Soul Condensing Pills and cultivation alone was not enough to reach the Martial Master Realm.

It seems I can’t just keep to closed-door cultivation!

Ye Qingchen gave up on his training, got off the bed, and walked out of his room.

He saw Hei Ze and Xiao Xiao sitting on the stone benches in the courtyard, each holding a chicken. Xiao Xiao was chattering away, explaining the techniques and secrets of cooking chicken to Hei Ze and demonstrating the movements herself. Across from her, Hei Ze listened with rapt attention, nodding frequently.

”Young Master, you’re out! How did it go? Did you break through to the Martial Master Realm?” Seeing Ye Qingchen emerge, Xiao Xiao’s lively eyes brightened, her delicate face filled with anticipation.

Ye Qingchen shook his head with a bitter smile. ”Not yet. I’ve been stuck at the peak of the Ninth Layer of the Martial Artist Realm for several days now. I feel like I’m about to break through, but no matter what I do, I just can’t seem to shatter that barrier.”

Xiao Xiao frowned. ”That shouldn’t be right! When I broke through from the peak of the Ninth Layer of the Martial Artist Realm to the Martial Master Realm, I felt no resistance at all. What barrier?”

Hearing this, Ye Qingchen’s eyes widened into perfect circles. ”What?! Xiao Xiao, you’ve already broken through to the Martial Master Realm?!”

The news was utterly shocking. He had been cultivating arduously for days, never daring to slack off for a moment. But in the end, he had been surpassed by Xiao Xiao? The same Xiao Xiao who spent her days researching how to cook and eat chicken instead of focusing on cultivation? The girl whose cultivation realm was lower than his when they joined the sect had managed to break through to the Martial Master Realm first? This was too much of a blow to his pride! To compare oneself to others is truly maddening!

Suppressing the shock in his heart, Ye Qingchen forced a smile and looked at Xiao Xiao with the utmost sincerity. ”Xiao Xiao, how did you break through from the peak of the Ninth Layer of the Martial Artist Realm to the Martial Master Realm? Can you tell me the specific details?”

Ye Qingchen planned to learn from Xiao Xiao’s experience, identify his own shortcomings, and perhaps find a way to finally break through!

Xiao Xiao tilted her head, blinking her long, curved eyelashes. She thought very hard for a long moment before speaking with great seriousness. ”I just kept cultivating and cultivating, and then... I broke through. Breaking through to the Martial Master Realm seems pretty simple...”

Ye Qingchen: ”...”