Chapter 23: The Gap Between Genius and the Ordinary

"Is this the start?"

Yao Mengzhen was startled.

He listened to Li Mu's words and understood their meaning.

Could it be that he wanted to give himself a technique, guiding his own Purple Thunder Sword Technique onto the right path?

Or perhaps…

Li Mu wanted to use real combat to make him a mirror, so that he could clearly see the most direct gap between himself and him under the same sword technique?

As Yao Mengzhen felt her mind becoming a bit chaotic, Li Mu's calm voice rang in her ears once more.

"Yes!"

"From now on, I'll also duel you with the same Purple Thunder Sword Technique."

"So, attack me as much as you can!"

After Li Mu said those most arrogant words in the calmest tone,

Yao Mengzhen was taken aback.

Yet immediately a flash of indignation appeared on the girl's pretty face.

Indeed!

Regarding Li Mu's comprehension and talent, Yao Mengzhen never dared to doubt him even a fraction.

Especially in his understanding and attainment of the sword technique.

Yao Mengzhen had personally witnessed that Li Mu, in less than five days,

mastered the so‑called Yellow Rank Martial Art with the highest difficulty to pick up, the most difficult to master, the Seven Absolute Blade Method.

Though the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique's moves are extremely hard and its threshold high, it is ultimately just a Yellow Rank Martial Art, whose ceiling cannot compare with a Mysterious Rank Martial Art!

Especially.

Li Mu's whole process of taking the Purple Thunder Sword Technique from his own hand and returning it to himself didn't even take the time of a single incense stick.

Could it be…

He wants to tell himself!

That the years of arduous practice she has endured since childhood still can't match his one‑incense‑stick time?

"Fengyi Blade!"

Whoosh!

Yao Mengzhen, with a cold, pretty face, let out a light chuckle.

Accompanied by a bright blade ringing sound.

That crimson dagger, no more than an inch long, flew out from her sleeve and quickly expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye!

It finally turned into a large crimson saber, which was seized by Yao Mengzhen's pure white small hand.

Just as in their first duel!

The Fengyi Blade, once manifested, instantly merged with her aura, enhancing her temperament.

"Mid-Grade Spiritual Artifact, does it already show a trend of nurturing a spirit artifact's embryonic form?"

"Not bad, not bad…"

Looking at the crimson long sword in Yao Mengzhen's hand, Li Mu glanced down at his own Vengeance Blade and thought with satisfaction.

I also have such a fine spirit artifact!

Moreover, I have even more special techniques than yours!

"Purple Thunder Sword Technique, First Form: Pure and Clear!"

Just as Li Mu was eyeing Yao Mengzhen's treasured blade, the girl's delicate chuckle suddenly rang out.

The next second.

The girl's figure vanished from the spot!

In her enraged state, Yao Mengzhen's aura surpassed even that of yesterday's duel.

Whoosh!

Accompanied by a flash of purple lightning, Yao Mengzhen, holding the Fengyi Blade in a draw stance, knelt and leaned toward Li Mu, less than an inch away.

As rolling thunder power surged, the crimson long sword in Yao Mengzhen's hand turned entirely pale blue, like a thunder dragon breaking through, piercing the air and slashing toward Li Mu's chest!

An unstoppable force!

Li Mu's dark eyes lowered.

Before fully comprehending the Purple Thunder Sword Technique yesterday, Li Mu had no clear notion of Yao Mengzhen's mastery level of the sword technique.

But when Li Mu had just succeeded in refining the Purple Thunder Sword Technique to the Small Achievement Realm, he could already see at a glance.

Now.

Yao Mengzhen's grasp of the Purple Thunder Sword Technique is roughly at the Peak of Small Achievement, infinitely close to the Great Achievement stage, with faint wind‑and‑thunder momentum already manifesting between the techniques.

Among peers, Yao Mengzhen, having cultivated for less than ten years, has such achievement; she has enough reason to be proud!

But in Li Mu's eyes, who has also refined the Purple Thunder Sword Technique to the Small Achievement Realm,

as long as Yao Mengzhen hasn't broken through to the Great Achievement Realm.

Anything Yao Mengzhen can do, Li Mu can also do!

Anything Yao Mengzhen cannot do, Li Mu can also do!

The key…

This already counts as Yao Mengzhen's ceiling!

But the opponent she faces is constantly growing, with no ceiling!

The surging thunder‑type true Qi, flowing from Li Mu's dantian along the Eight Extraordinary Vessels, makes the eighteen forms of the Purple Thunder Sword Technique flash in his mind like slides.

Clack, clack, clack…

As if a thousand birdcalls suddenly rang out, a purple electric arc abruptly appeared on the heavy long blade in Li Mu's hand.

At this moment.

Yao Mengzhen's blade tip had already closed in on his face.

Li Mu shifted his body slightly.

With an extremely subtle movement, he calmly dodged the opponent's blade tip, and at the same time Li Mu made a single swing, deflecting the edge of the Fengyi Blade, and laughed.

"Your blade is too slow!"

Yao Mengzhen's pretty face flushed bright red, as he prepared to change technique and launch a second attack.

But then.

At the instant Li Mu's blade blocked, he had already completed his technique before her, and lowly intoned: "Storm Thunder Across Ten Thousand Miles!"

One slash, straight at Yao Mengzhen's face!

"Whoosh!"

In an instant.

The true Qi symbolizing the Ninth-Grade Qi Refining Realm Peak spread outward like a tide in all directions, causing Li Mu's figure in midair to pause ever so slightly.

Seizing this precious interval, Yao Mengzhen instantly completed his technique.

"Surging Thunder, Flashing Lightning!"

Behold.

Yao Mengzhen's Fengyi Sword emitted a brilliant blue light!

The purple thunderous electric arc seemed to turn into an impenetrable wall, confronting Li Mu head‑on as he pressed his attack.

"Clang!"

Clack, clack, clack…

A burst of fierce metallic clangs, accompanied by the roaring intertwining of two electric arcs, erupted loudly.

During this duel, Yao Mengzhen stepped back only half a step, while Li Mu retreated eight or nine steps before barely steadying his stance.

Between them, who was stronger or weaker was plainly obvious.

"Li Mu!"

"I admit it!"

"Your comprehension is truly terrifying; among everyone I know, no one surpasses you!"

"But your time studying the Purple Thunder Sword Technique is still too short; defeating me in this regard is unrealistic!"

"Use your strongest Seven-Absolute Sword Technique!"

Seeing Li Mu's slightly disheveled posture, Yao Mengzhen had thought this bout would make him realize the gap, feeling a sense of defeat.

But the youth's reply to her was!

Those black eyes, constantly brewing fierce battle intent, and the terrifying aura rising around his whole body!

【Ding!】

【Detected host using Purple Thunder Sword Technique to duel a Ninth-Grade Qi Refining Realm Peak cultivator, triggering Tenfold Heavenly Dao Blessing.】

【Congratulations host, obtained Tenfold Harvest of the Purple Thunder Sword Technique!】

"Indeed!"

"Whether it's the Seven-Absolute Sword Technique or the Purple Thunder Sword Technique, only through real combat can the gains be maximized!"

Feeling the dense thunder‑type spiritual energy generated from his earlier clash with Yao Mengzhen surge wildly into his own body.

This made Li Mu's previously unremarkable Purple Thunder Sword Technique Small Achievement Realm take a massive leap forward at this moment!

Having tasted the sweetness, Li Mu's eyes glowed ever brighter at Yao Mengzhen, and his battle aura rose step by step.

"Again!"

"Swift as Flying Dust!"

Li Mu retracted his long blade, his posture slightly bent, his leg muscles bulging, faint purple thunder light flickering.

"Zzzla…"

In the next instant, Li Mu's form turned into a streak of purple lightning, charging at Yao Mengzhen again.

"Swift as Flying Dust!"

Seeing Li Mu's assault, Yao Mengzhen dared not be careless and could only meet it head‑on with the same technique.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

"Clack, clack, clack!"

"Boom, boom, boom!"

The roar of thunder, together with metallic clangs, rang densely across the vast training ground.

Where the eyes could reach, neither Li Mu nor Yao Mengzhen could be seen.

Only the two flashes of purple lightning appeared and vanished instantly, then reappeared a hundred meters away!

As the battle steadily approached a white‑hot climax!

The aftershocks of thunder collisions and clashing weapons.

And the thunder spreading wildly in all directions splintered the ground with deep cracks, causing the walls to crumble inch by inch.

The entire arena trembled continuously, as if it would collapse completely at any moment.

Although each time they clashed head‑on, Yao Mengzhen often could exert a direct suppression on Li Mu, relying on his own cultivation and advantage in the Purple Thunder Sword Technique realm.

But this suppression grew weaker as time passed!

The battle!

It even began to tilt toward the direction favorable to Li Mu!

"How could this be possible?"

"Li Mu..."

"He's actually still getting stronger!"

"How could this be possible!"

Feeling Li Mu's increasingly dense, ferocious onslaught, Yao Mengzhen kept shouting nonstop!

She had clearly poured all her strength this time, with no reserve left!

Could it be...

Could it be that I'm about to lose too?

And it's in the domain I'm most familiar with!

No!

Can't!

I will never accept such a result!

Yao Mengzhen's heart was shouting uncontrollably!

But Li Mu was now in a state of extreme excitement, his whole body brimming with battle spirit, so how could he care about what Yao Mengzhen was thinking?

All that echoed in his ears were the intermittent system notification sounds.

Ding!

System identified the host is using Purple Thunder Sword Technique, leaping to challenge a Ninth Grade Qi Refining Realm Peak cultivator, successfully triggering Tenfold Heavenly Dao Blessing!

Congratulations, host, you have obtained Tenfold Harvest!

Ding!

System identified the host is using Purple Thunder Sword Technique, leaping to challenge a Ninth Grade Qi Refining Realm Peak cultivator, successfully triggering Hundredfold Heavenly Dao Blessing!

Congratulations, host, you have obtained Hundredfold Harvest!

"..."

Every time!

The Purple Thunder Sword Technique that Yao Mengzhen unleashed with all her strength filled the entire training arena instantly with massive, surging thunder‑elemental aura during the fierce clash with Li Mu!

But the next second!

Li Mu instantly absorbed those thunder‑elemental auras again, turning them to his own use!

In this give‑and‑take battle, Yao Mengzhen grew increasingly alarmed with each strike, more and more terrified as the fight went on!

But Li Mu?

He treated Yao Mengzhen like a "big power bank", becoming more courageous with each battle, more invigorated with each strike!

"Clang!"

"Boom!"

The two once again faced the boom head‑on; Li Mu stood rooted, while Yao Mengzhen was thrown back a step by the massive recoil.

"Again!"

"Thunderous Might!"

Li Mu's long sword swirled in his hand; the blade's motion shifted, and he surged forward again!

At the instant the long sword, wrapped in purple lightning, Slash!

In the air, the rampant purple lightning's "Ka, ka, ka…" sound was suddenly amplified countless times, and the illusory violet thunder‑beast silhouette flickered in and out.

It is...

Seeing the strange sight on the blade, Yao Mengzhen's eyes filled with intense shock!

This thunder‑beast illusion!

It officially signifies that Li Mu has refined the Purple Thunder Sword Technique to the Great Achievement Realm!

How could this be possible...

Having obtained the Purple Thunder Sword Technique from the opponent.

From then until now, even counting every fight, it's been less than half a day!

Even...

When I heard that Li Mu would use the same Purple Thunder Sword Technique to duel me.

Yao Mengzhen once even regarded it as Li Mu's humiliation toward her!

A warrior may be killed, but not humiliated!

Yao Mengzhen thought Li Mu took her far too lightly!

He thought that beating her once would allow him to humiliate her like this?

You think a half‑day of fleeting observation can match my years of relentless, all‑season cultivation!

But the truth of the matter is...

Li Mu, from start to finish, never intended to humiliate me.

He was merely stating a fact to me!

A brutally harsh fact!

Your years of daily arduous practice are worth only half a day to me.

Yao Mengzhen felt her mind go blank as she stared at the thunder‑beast roaring toward her.

In the girl's heart, only one thought remained.

"This is..."

"The gap between ordinary people and geniuses?"