Chapter 221 - 125: Celestial Pride Trial Completed, a Change of Status, Inner Sect Celestial Pride, Zhang Su

Meng Shouzhen, however, was completely unconcerned. He kept smiling as he said, "Waiting a few more years is no problem. After all, even if we wait another eight or ten years, it’s not as if your sect’s Celestial Pride will break through to the Innate Realm, right?"

The moment he said this, Zhong Taiheng’s expression darkened.

’Innate?’

If the Innate Realm were that easy to reach, the Five Elements Sect wouldn’t be limited to a single Innate Grandmaster.

Even for a Celestial Pride, breaking through to the Innate Realm was a monumental task.

The Five Elements Sect had produced Celestial Prides in every generation.

But how many of them ultimately managed to reach the Innate Realm?

You could count them on one hand.

This wasn’t just true for the Five Elements Sect; it was the same for Medicine Valley and the Guiyuan Sect.

The Innate Realm was a natural chasm on the path of the Martial Dao.

Countless geniuses got stuck at this step, unable to cross it for their entire lives.

"Hmph. This is only the first match of the top eight. Zhang Su is merely at the Embracing Pill stage. To aim for first place in the Three Sects Gathering of Heroes, he’ll need to win two more matches. It’s not that easy. In the entire history of the Gathering, no Embracing Pill Martial Artist has ever taken first place."

Zhong Taiheng said coldly.

He paused before adding, "There never has been, and there never will be!"

"Sect Leader Zhong, you shouldn’t speak so definitively," Meng Shouzhen said, his eyes narrowing slightly in a smile. "While the Three Sects may not have produced such a peerless talent, the Upper Sects have plenty of Celestial Prides at the peak of Embracing Pill Slash Gangjin!"

His tone was light, but everyone could understand his implication.

Just because the Three Sects lacked such a person didn’t mean they didn’t exist elsewhere.

The Upper Sects had Celestial Prides at the peak of Embracing Pill Slash Gangjin!

"Upper Sect Celestial Prides?"

Zhong Taiheng sneered. "Sect Leader Meng, throughout the history of our Three Sects, even our most brilliant Celestial Prides amounted to little after joining an Upper Sect. You don’t actually believe Zhang Su can compare to them, do you?"

The two Sect Leaders were locked in a standoff.

Neither was willing to back down.

The smile on Meng Shouzhen’s face never wavered, but his gaze grew several shades sharper.

Zhong Taiheng’s expression was grim, a cold sneer playing on his lips as he met the other’s gaze without yielding.

For a moment, the atmosphere grew tense.

"Alright, you two. Let’s continue watching the matches. The Three Sects Gathering of Heroes is far from over."

In the end, it was Gu Peiyuan, the Sect Leader of Medicine Valley, who stepped in to mediate.

Gu Peiyuan sat in a guest’s seat to the right of the high platform. His expression was benevolent and his tone was gentle.

He lifted his teacup, took a sip, and set it down, his gaze sweeping across the faces of Meng Shouzhen and Zhong Taiheng.

Meng Shouzhen and Zhong Taiheng exchanged a glance before looking away.

The matches of the Three Sects Gathering of Heroes continued.

Zhou Dingshan and Ye Ling both secured victories.

Zhou Dingshan’s opponent was a Guiyuan Sect disciple at the Gang Force stage.

The disciple wielded a longsword with sharp and aggressive swordsmanship, but against Zhou Dingshan, he was utterly powerless to retaliate.

Zhou Dingshan sent his opponent flying off the arena platform with just three punches.

Ye Ling’s opponent was a Five Elements Sect disciple at the Gang Force stage.

The disciple cultivated the Five Elements Sect’s Armor-Breaking Force and possessed immense attack power, but Ye Ling’s Palm Technique was far more refined.

She forced her opponent to concede after just five palm strikes.

The last victor was Han Zhiyuan of the Guiyuan Sect.

Han Zhiyuan wore a cyan robe, his gaze calm and steady.

His opponent was a Gang Force disciple from Medicine Valley. The two fought a bitter battle for over a hundred rounds before Han Zhiyuan managed to secure a narrow victory.

Including Zhang Su, the final four were essentially all from the Three Sects.

This was why Jianghu Martial Artists could never take first place in the Heroes Gathering.

The Three Sects were simply too powerful.

Jianghu Cultivators lacked the support of a sect’s resources, the guidance of masters, and the legacy of profound Cultivation Techniques.

For them to reach the Peak of Gang Force was already an incredibly rare feat.

Yet even so, a gap remained between them and the disciples at the Peak of Gang Force from the Three Sects.

It was a gap that could not be bridged by talent and hard work alone.

However, among the four finalists, Zhang Su was the exception.

His Cultivation was at the Pill Force stage, while the other three were all at the Peak of Gang Force.

Moreover, Han Zhiyuan of the Guiyuan Sect had only managed a pyrrhic victory.

His opponent had been strong, and though he won, he had sustained significant injuries.

A long gash on his left arm had soaked half his sleeve in blood, and his face was pale.

Even if he were to somehow compete, in his current state, he would be no match for Zhou Dingshan or Ye Ling.

If not for Zhang Su’s unexpected rise, the Guiyuan Sect would have most likely finished last among the Three Sects.

But with Zhang Su, things were different.

The four finalists drew lots again.

A Steward walked onto the arena platform carrying a bamboo tube. Inside were four bamboo slips, each engraved with a number.

The four stepped forward in turn to draw a slip from the tube.

This time, Zhang Su’s luck wasn’t as good.

He didn’t draw the injured Han Zhiyuan. Instead, he drew one of the strongest Martial Artists in the Three Sects Gathering of Heroes: Ye Ling!

Zhang Su looked at the bamboo slip in his hand. The number ’1’ was carved on it.

He raised his head and looked across.

Ye Ling was also looking at the slip in her hand. It, too, was carved with the number ’1’.

Their gazes met in mid-air.

"The first match of the semifinals: Zhang Su of the Guiyuan Sect versus Ye Ling of Medicine Valley!"

The Steward’s voice was sonorous, echoing across the Martial Arts Arena.

Zhou Dingshan had drawn Han Zhiyuan, so both of them stepped down from the platform.

Han Zhiyuan’s expression was grim. He knew that in his current state, he stood almost no chance of victory against Zhou Dingshan.

But he didn’t back down. He gritted his teeth, stepped off the platform, and took his position.

Zhou Dingshan’s expression was calm, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

He glanced once at Zhang Su, then at Ye Ling, before looking away.

And so, only Zhang Su and Ye Ling remained on the arena platform.

Ye Ling stood on one side of the platform. She wore a pale yellow dress, her figure graceful and her expression cool and distant.

Zhang Su stood on the other side. His face was calm and his gaze was steady, showing no trace of nervousness or excitement.

They stood several yards apart, facing each other in silence.

In an instant, the entire Martial Arts Arena fell silent.