Chapter 144. The Level Four Zone
That guy had actually co too?
Interesting.
Xu Yuan was first taken aback, but then he smiled and took the initiative to speak. “Isn’t this my old superior, Chief Overseer Yang?”
Yang Cang glanced at him. There was no real expression on his face as he said with a false smile, “I heard Battle Overseer Xu has recently established one great rit after another. You really are full of youthful vigor these days.”
Xu Yuan chuckled. “Not at all, not at all. Naturally, I still can’t compare to how comfortable and leisurely Chief Overseer Yang has it in the dicinal fields.”
Yang Cang gave a cold snort and did not respond again. Clearly, he had no interest whatsoever in chatting.
After Xu Yuan left, he had made so further inquiries and had all but confird that his niece, Yang Caiyu, had almost certainly been dealt with by Xu Yuan.
Naturally, he was furious about it, but he also knew that Xu Yuan had now beco one of Shangyang Residence’s banner figures. It was already difficult to make a move against him.
So naturally, he was in no mood to be pleasant.
Seeing that the two of them clearly had a serious grudge between them, Qin Chuan forced a laugh and changed the subject.
“Let first explain the current situation. The Level Four zone lies directly beside the Bai Family’s front line. In total, there are twelve streets on this side. The Bai Family originally had about the sa number, but since we currently hold the advantage, we’ve already taken two of theirs.”
Hearing this, Xu Yuan and Yang Cang could hardly keep wearing cold faces, so both nodded to show they understood.
Qin Chuan smiled again and said, “If either of you has any questions, feel free to ask.”
Xu Yuan thought for a mont and did not stand during the ceremony. He asked the question he cared about most. “Chief Overseer Qin, may I ask how many seven-ridian and eight-ridian martial artists the Bai Family currently has?”
Yang Cang said nothing, but he was clearly equally concerned about this question.
Qin Chuan explained, “On our side, there are four seven-ridian martial artists and one eight-ridian martial artist, naly . On the Bai Family’s side, because they now have so additional manpower from the authorities, they have eight seven-ridian martial artists and one eight-ridian martial artist.”
“So in terms of high-level combat power, we are at a slight disadvantage.”
Xu Yuan was sowhat surprised after hearing this.
He had already guessed that there would not be many eight-ridian martial artists here, but he had not expected that on such an important front as the Level Four zone, each family would actually have only one.
Seeing his confusion, Qin Chuan smiled and said, “Battle Overseer Xu may not know this, but Shangyang Residence naturally has more than just one eight-ridian martial artist. There’s a reason there are so few here.”
“The first reason is that the bottleneck from seven-ridian to eight-ridian is several tis harder than all the previous bottlenecks combined.”
“Let give you a figure, and Battle Overseer Xu will understand. According to statistics, the probability of breaking through from the sixth-ridian bottleneck to the seventh ridian after taking a ridian-Opening Pill is sixty percent. But the bottleneck from seven-ridian to eight-ridian? It barely reaches thirty percent.”
“It’s already this difficult at eight-ridian? Then wouldn’t the Extraordinary ridians realm be as hard as ascending to heaven?” Xu Yuan exclaid in surprise.
Of course, it was only a casual remark or two. In truth, it had nothing to do with him.
Whether bottlenecks were hard or easy, he felt nothing either way.
For him, as long as his aptitude improved, those bottlenecks would be as brittle as paper, unable to create even the slightest obstruction.
What was more, his aptitude would only beco more and more heaven-defying as his skills advanced. He could practically use one foot to step on the other and keep climbing upward.
At the side, Yang Cang suddenly cut in, “You keep asking pointless questions. Otherwise, if Shangyang Residence has been rooted in Prefecture City for a hundred years, why is it that the number of resident retainers at the Extraordinary ridians realm can still be counted on one hand?”
“Chief Overseer Yang speaks well!”
Xu Yuan smiled faintly. “But who asked you?”
“You...” Yang Cang choked on that sentence, and his expression turned sowhat ugly.
If this had been before, Xu Yuan had only been a chief guard under his command. How would he ever have dared speak to him like this?
‘If I had known earlier, I should have kept him in the dicinal fields. Then I might still have found a chance...’
Yang Cang narrowed his eyes, seemingly thinking about sothing.
Seeing that the two were about to quarrel again, Qin Chuan did not try to smooth things over at once. Instead, he waited until both had cooled off before continuing with a smile.
“As for the second reason, once a martial artist breaks through into a certain realm, that does not an their combat power can remain at that level forever. Most of Shangyang Residence’s other eight-ridian martial artists are already seventy or eighty years old. They’re not suited to co here, and they’re unwilling to co either...”
At this point, Qin Chuan teased, “When Battle Overseer Xu first began practicing martial arts, you must have heard the saying, ‘First train cultivation, then train martial arts.’ Let put it this way: those elderly martial artists who look white-haired and depleted in qi and blood are the only ones who might actually be able to fight above their realm!”
Xu Yuan nodded in understanding, grasping the aning behind those words: Shangyang Residence did indeed have other eight-ridian martial artists, but they were old, no longer at the peak of their strength, and also senior enough and well-connected enough that they were unwilling to co.
It was just like that group of old holdovers in the Level One zone. Unless the family had reached a truly life-or-death crisis, they would definitely hide if they could.
So this was what people ant by the front lines being under pressure while the rear enjoyed itself under pressure.
‘Still, this is good news for . The Bai Family also has only one eight-ridian martial artist, and soone at that level usually has to remain in the center to hold the line and direct the overall situation. There’s no way he would personally make a move against , right?’
‘And even taking ten thousand steps back, even if he did make a move against , I’m now eight-ridian as well. My movent art and external martial art have both reached perfection. Even if the authorities are secretly hiding an eight-ridian martial artist, I still wouldn’t fear it.’
As for anyone below that, any so-called seven-ridian martial artists, then forgive him for being blunt, but they were all trash.
Thinking this, Xu Yuan suddenly felt much more secure. Still, not entirely reassured, he asked one more question.
“What Chief Overseer Qin says makes perfect sense, but if the Bai Family were pushed too far, is there any chance they might secretly send an Extraordinary ridians expert here?”
“Haha.”
After hearing this, Qin Chuan burst out laughing. “The Bai Family would never dare do that, because no matter how well soone in the Extraordinary ridians realm conceals their aura, anyone of the sa level who observes carefully can still tell, unless they’re using so kind of aura-concealing thod.”
“Secondly, the reason those in the Extraordinary ridians realm do not make moves is also to restrain both sides. After all, this is only a battle over the spirit spring. It has not yet reached the point of a desperate war in which the entire family stakes its survival.”
As Qin Chuan spoke, a trace of longing appeared on his face.
“The Extraordinary ridians realm, a resident retainer at that level... Shangyang Residence has only nine of them in total. Those are the true upper echelon. They do not enter the war. They sit and watch the winds and clouds shift. They are the treasures of both families. Who would be willing to let them suffer losses so casually?”
If he could break through to the higher Extraordinary ridians realm, then to put it bluntly, this Chief Overseer position could go to whoever wanted it.
Hearing this, Xu Yuan asked in puzzlent, “It still hasn’t reached the point of risking the whole family? But haven’t we already driven them out of the Level Three zone?”
Qin Chuan let out a scornful laugh. “Driven out in na only.”
“With the Bai Family’s strength, if they really wanted to return to the Level Three zone, they could not be stopped. But this battle did establish our title as the number one great family of Prefecture City. When future interests are divided, we now have direct allocation rights.”
“The Bai Family still wants to turn things around through the Level Four zone, but how could we possibly let them have their way?”
Xu Yuan imdiately understood.
He had been wondering how a family like the Bai Family, with several hundred years of inheritance, could collapse so quickly. So it turned out they were simply fighting it out on the sa stage.
And Zhao Yan’s grand gesture, when he shouted that they would drive the Bai Family out of Yuquan Prefecture City, had turned out to be nonsense as well, just sothing said to raise morale.
‘Still, because of my appearance, it can be said that I accelerated the Bai Family’s defeat. From now on, I’m bound to be a thorn in their side.’
At that thought, Xu Yuan did not panic. After all, strength itself was confidence.
Then his thoughts shifted, and he opened his panel.
【Skills: Jade Platform Stance Art (Perfection 5%) Thunderclap Fist (Perfection 85%) Golden Bell Shield (Entry 6%)】
【Aptitude: 39 (one in ten thousand)】
【Martial Seed (0): Berserk, Paralysis】
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