Chapter 274: Yun Shui Mi Jing — The Gap Between Genius and Genius

Hearing Lu Qing’s words, everyone looked up toward the Tian Ti.

Above, Bai Bufan and the others now looked completely different.

Their earlier composure and effortless grace had vanished entirely.

Faces flushed crimson, breathing ragged, drenched in sweat, they leaned on their knees, barely able to stand. Clearly, they were at their absolute limit.

Yet, despite their exhaustion, the steps they stood upon had finally begun to show a gap.

At the very top stood Bai Bufan and Situ Jin, side by side.

The others trailed behind, but only by a few steps—three or four at most.

At the very back was Qin Yunting of the Xuan Xin Zong.

Just as Lin Zhi Rui had predicted, the man whose strength lay in light and agile martial arts was clearly struggling on the ascent of the Tian Ti.

"Bai Bufan and Situ Jin have reached level 165!" Wei Zian counted swiftly, whispering in awe. "They're clearly at their breaking point. It's true—compared to Zhi Rui Ge Xia, their potential is far inferior."

Ma Gu muttered in amazement. "This method of measuring potential through climbing the Tian Ti... it really seems reliable."

...

"Bai Brother, do you still have strength left to climb further?" Situ Jin, sweat dripping from his brow, asked Bai Bufan from above.

His muscles trembled—his Jin Gang Shen cultivation had reached its peak.

"Then it depends on whether you still have reserves, Si Tu Brother," Bai Bufan replied, his expression strained. His once-pale, jade-like complexion was now flushed red, his eyes streaked with blood.

He was clearly at his limit.

Yet even so, he refused to show weakness.

"I do still have a sliver of strength left. If I push, I could climb one or two more steps."

Situ Jin’s words made Bai Bufan’s face flicker with surprise.

He had no more energy left—truly at the end of his endurance.

But then Situ Jin added something that stunned him even more.

"Let’s call this contest a draw."

"You’re willing to call it a draw?" Bai Bufan froze, staring at Situ Jin in disbelief.

For years, Situ Jin had been his rival—constantly challenging him, standing in opposition at every turn.

Now, with everyone watching, the perfect chance to defeat him was right there—yet he was willing to walk away?

"Yes," Situ Jin said calmly. "I could still force my Jin Gang Shen to climb one or two more steps. But doing so would cause the pressure of the Tian Ti to rebound on me, damaging my physical foundation. My breakthrough into Xian Tian Jing would be delayed again."

"We’re already behind those two. I won’t risk widening the gap just for a moment’s pride."

Bai Bufan fell silent.

He knew exactly who Situ Jin meant.

To be honest, among the Top Ten, he had never taken those two seriously.

One was from the Tian Ji Zong, specializing in divination—his combat strength must be weak compared to theirs.

The other? A mere descendant of a declining sect. With limited resources, his cultivation speed would naturally lag behind.

That’s why Bai Bufan had always focused on rivals like Situ Jin—those with backgrounds similar to his own.

Who would have thought, after all their rivalry, that the first to break through would be the two most overlooked?

At that thought, a sudden sense of emptiness washed over him.

"You’re right," Bai Bufan said earnestly. "For a petty grudge, risking our entire martial path? It’s not worth it. Our focus should be on breaking through to Xian Tian Jing, not these childish games."

"Situ Jin, this time, you’ve won."

Bai Bufan was about to declare surrender when, suddenly, a light laugh echoed from above.

"Is this really the so-called Zhong Zhou Ten Heroes? Even climbing the Tian Ti makes you look like this? Just as the Master said—external martial artists are generally weak at the core, all gold and silk on the outside, rotten cotton within."

The voice wasn’t loud, yet it carried clearly for miles, leaving every listener stunned.

The mockery was unmistakable—and instantly, chaos erupted.

"Who is this person?!"

"Who dares mock the Zhong Zhou Ten Heroes in person? What kind of force is this?"

"Another spectacle to watch?"

People turned toward the source of the sound.

And then, their jaws dropped.

In the sky above, seven or eight enormous birds hovered, each carrying a figure on their backs.

Their wingspan stretched over ten meters. Each flap of their wings sent a thunderous gust roaring through the air.

Bai Bufan and the others, furious at the earlier mockery, had been ready to rage.

But when they saw the scene, their anger froze—utterly stunned.

As for Lu Qing and the others, they were even more awestruck.

Coming from the remote countryside, they had never seen anything like this before.

Their eyes widened in sheer wonder.

"It’s them!" Lin Zhi Rui’s face paled, gasping.

"Zhi Rui Ge Xia, do you know them?" Lu Qing asked curiously.

"I don’t know them personally," Lin Zhi Rui said, eyes fixed on the sky, "but I know their origin."

"Clad in robes with cloud-and-water patterns, riding celestial birds through the sky—they are from the Four Secret Places, the Yun Shui Mi Jing!"

"The Four Secret Places?" Lu Qing’s mind stirred. He remembered how, during his battle with Yan Canghai’s direct disciple, the man had once assumed he was a disciple training in one of the secret realms.

He had later looked into this matter and learned the truth:

The Four Secret Places were legendary, mysterious sanctuaries—no one knew their exact locations.

Yet every time a disciple of one of these realms emerged into the world, they always caused ripples across the entire martial world.

It was said that even the founding of Sheng Shan had only been possible with the silent approval of these four hidden sects.

They were ancient, powerful, and utterly enigmatic.

And now, they had appeared here—unexpectedly.

Driven by curiosity, Lu Qing immediately activated his Abilities and gazed upward.

"Could it really be the Yun Shui Mi Jing?!"

From the high vantage points within Sheng Cheng, the powerful figures there froze.

"No mistake—the cloud-and-water pattern is their mark."

"The shift in the heavens, the Qi reversal... it seems even the Four Secret Places can no longer hold back."

"The Yun Shui Mi Jing has arrived. The others must be close behind."

"Should we go greet them?"

"Not so fast. Let’s observe first. Besides, even if we do, it’s not our turn."

...

Just as the high-ranking figures debated, a brocade-clad youth perched on one of the giant birds suddenly spoke toward Bai Bufan and the others on the Tian Ti.

"Well? You look like you still aren’t convinced by my earlier assessment."

Everyone recognized the voice—the one that had mocked them.

"Master, you jest," Bai Bufan said quickly, "we harbor no resentment."

Though they couldn’t identify the man, the sheer power to command such divine birds meant he belonged to an elite force.

And from what their elders had whispered, they could guess—these were likely the legendary disciples of the Secret Places.

How could they dare to be angry?

"Is that so?" The youth chuckled. "But I saw the look in your eyes—clearly unsatisfied."

"Very well. If you won’t believe it, let me show you what it means—there are people beyond people, skies beyond skies."

With that, the youth tugged lightly on the reins.

The massive bird beneath him let out a piercing cry and shot forward, wings flaring, unleashing a violent gale.

The sheer force sent the crowd at the base of the mountain scrambling in panic, scattering to either side—afraid of being crushed by the bird’s wingbeats.

But the youth had no intention of harming anyone.

Just as the bird neared the ground, he leapt from its back and landed precisely on the Tian Ti.

The bird instantly flared its wings, creating a vortex of wind, and soared back into the sky.

The youth, now on the stairs, didn’t pause.

One step—his body shot upward like an arrow, soaring through the air.

When he landed again on the Baiyu Jieti, the crowd gasped.

That single leap had spanned over twenty steps—nearly seven meters in height.

Nearly double the distance of Bai Bufan’s first jump.

And that wasn’t all.

Without pause, the youth pushed off the step again, leaping upward once more.

This time, though the height was slightly less, it still reached six or seven meters.

Each time he landed, he immediately pushed off again—his movements fluid, effortless.

As if the pressure of the Tian Ti meant nothing to him.

Like a nimble monkey on a cliffside, he continued leaping, climbing, moving with astonishing speed.

He soon reached the level where Bai Bufan and the others stood.

He didn’t stop.

A faint, disdainful smile passed his lips—and he passed them by, continuing upward.

Bai Bufan and the others could only stare, stunned, as the youth effortlessly overtook them.

Below, the crowd remained silent—awestruck.

They watched, breathless, as the youth climbed upward, his pace slower now but still incredibly fast.

One hundred seventy… one hundred eighty… one hundred ninety…

Even beyond the limits of Bai Bufan and the others, he still leapt across multiple steps with each bound.

All eyes followed him, as he steadily approached the legendary level.

Then—his body landed firmly on the 200th step.

His stance remained steady. His expression calm.

The crowd erupted.

"Two hundred steps?! He made it to the 200th!"

"Legend says Hou Tian Jing cultivators can only reach the 199th step. Beyond that is the domain of Xian Tian Jing. Could this man be a Xian Tian Jing powerhouse?"

"Impossible. I don’t sense the unique Essence of Xian Tian Jing on him."

"The record for climbing the Tian Ti was set over a thousand years ago by 'Di Yu.' Now, it’s been broken!"

"Who is this man? He’s even more talented than Di Yu from a thousand years ago!"

From the heights of Sheng Cheng, the powerful figures were equally stunned.

"He reached the 200th step... still only Hou Tian Jing?"

"Of course. If he were Xian Tian Jing, mocking Bai Bufan like that would be like bullying a child. He’d be undermining himself."

"No wonder they’re from the secret realms. The pressure at the 200th step is enough to overwhelm even a newly broken Xian Tian Jing cultivator. And yet he faced it with no change in expression."

"Look at him—he could still go much further. Could he really be a Hou Tian cultivator fighting a Xian Tian master?"

"Nothing strange about that. The Four Secret Places have done it before."

"The heritage of the secret realms truly differs from ours. Otherwise, how could they have quietly controlled the world for so long?"

"Usually, only one or two of them emerge at a time. But now, Yun Shui Mi Jing sends so many, so openly... this world is truly changing."

...

"He made it to the 200th step so easily," Lin Zhi Rui murmured, still stunned.

Having climbed the Tian Ti multiple times himself, he knew exactly how immense the pressure was—especially beyond 150 steps.

At that point, the strain approached the absolute limit of even the greatest martial artists.

Even he, in his prime, had struggled step by step, barely reaching 171.

He had never imagined that a Hou Tian cultivator could ascend the Tian Ti with such ease—reaching the 200th step without effort.

True, from afar, Li Zhi Rui couldn’t sense the youth’s aura.

But he was certain—this man was indeed a Hou Tian cultivator.

The Yun Shui Mi Jing were known for their arrogance.

They would never stoop to bullying someone weaker.

But precisely because he understood that, the shock in his heart was even greater.

"Zhi Rui Ge Xia," Lu Qing said, admiration in his voice, "your information was wrong. Even Hou Tian Jing cultivators can reach the 200th step. No wonder they’re called legendary secret realms. Even one of their disciples is this powerful."

"Lu Qing, little friend," Lin Zhi Rui suddenly asked, staring at Lu Qing’s calm face, "how can you remain so composed?"

"Huh?" Lu Qing blinked, puzzled.

"Seeing such a vast gap—don’t you feel even a hint of despair?"

Lin Zhi Rui asked.

"Such a gap? You mean the man from the Yun Shui Mi Jing?" Lu Qing looked at Lin Zhi Rui’s expression, then smiled gently.

"Zhi Rui Ge Xia, everyone has different talents, different fates. In the path of cultivation, there are always differences—some fast, some slow. Once you’ve stepped onto this path, can you just give up because your talent isn’t as great as others’?"

"If so, then why burden ourselves with constant comparison? We should only compare ourselves to yesterday’s self."

"Every day, if we’re stronger than we were the day before, then our cultivation hasn’t been wasted."

"Keep pushing. Even if we can’t match the geniuses of today, I believe one day, our own moment will come."

"‘The heavens move tirelessly—gentlemen must strive unceasingly.’ Doesn’t that make sense, Zhi Rui Ge Xia?"

As Lu Qing finished speaking, Lin Zhi Rui’s entire body trembled.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end