Chapter 29: Someone Is Envious

For the past half-month, Li Yao’s seclusion site had been echoing with thunderous roars, reminiscent of raging tsunamis and rolling peals of thunder, accompanied by vibrant rainbows erupting from within.

At this moment, Li Yao’s Bitter Sea had expanded to the size of a large palm. A divine spring bubbled within, and a brilliant, radiant rainbow arched high above, spanning the heavens in spectacular fashion. He had finally forged a small segment of the Divine Bridge, suspending it over his Bitter Sea. He had become a cultivator at the Divine Bridge realm.

A powerful aura surged outward. Initially, the fluctuations were subtle, barely detectable to any but the most profound experts. However, as the intensity grew, more and more people began to take notice. Among the disciples of the Yaoguang Sacred Land’s branch, many felt a jolt of shock as they sensed the disturbance. But once Li Yao’s identity was revealed, the shock turned into sheer astonishment. A disciple who had only been cultivating for half a year was already breaking through to the Divine Bridge realm—a true dragon was emerging.

As one of the hegemons of the Eastern Wastelands, the Yaoguang Sacred Land was teeming with geniuses, and the Yaoguang Saint Son stood high above them all like a blazing sun. To the disciples of Yaoguang, those deemed geniuses by ordinary standards were nothing of note. Yet, someone like Li Yao, even in the eyes of these arrogant disciples, was considered a prodigy. While many of them were seen as outstanding talents, it had taken them at least three years to reach the Divine Bridge realm.

"A prodigy is about to rise from the Rising Sun Divine Island. If Li Yao can maintain this momentum, he will surely have a place in the Sacred Land’s future."

Many agreed with this sentiment, but a small group remained skeptical and voiced their mockery. "Hah, so he’s fast at cultivation—does that alone prove his talent is superior? What we cultivators should value most is combat prowess. What good is speed if he’s just a flashy spear that can’t strike?"

The other disciples were unsurprised, for those who spoke this way were from Dragon Head Peak. It was common knowledge in the Sacred Land that the Rising Sun Divine Island and Dragon Head Peak were at odds. Although the Yaoguang Sacred Land was a single entity, the factions within it often clashed. This was hardly unusual; even in mortal kingdoms, different factions existed. As long as they did not resort to open violence, the Sacred Master generally turned a blind eye. In fact, the Sacred Master often welcomed such rivalry, as his own faction was one of the twelve, and he preferred to act as a mediator. Thus, the disciples watched with amusement, treating these verbal barbs as mere entertainment.

"Some people have a unique talent for playing dumb. They know the truth in their hearts, but their mouths refuse to admit it. If speed doesn't matter, then show me you can be that fast," a disciple from the Rising Sun Divine Island retorted, biting back at the Dragon Head Peak disciples.

"Exactly. Everyone wants to cultivate faster, but it’s not something you can just choose to do if you lack the ability."

"Reminds me of a neighbor back home. Every time he saw me eating meat, he’d say it tasted sour and wasn't good at all."

"Sour grapes, eh?" The disciples of Rising Sun Divine Island collectively mocked those from Dragon Head Peak. In truth, they weren't close to Li Yao and had barely even met him. But since they had been provoked first, they had to respond; otherwise, their masters and seniors would make them pay upon their return to the Sacred Land.

The crowd grew excited, sensing a spectacle. "Hmph, sharp tongues are useless. Only real combat proves one's worth. Send out this genius of yours from the Rising Sun Divine Island. We’ll pick someone at the same cultivation level to spar, and then we’ll see the truth."

The atmosphere shifted instantly. No one expected the verbal sparring to escalate into a call for a duel. Yet, the onlookers were delighted. The Yaoguang Sacred Land did not forbid duels between disciples; in fact, they implicitly encouraged them, provided no lives were lost. Now that Dragon Head Peak had thrown down the gauntlet, the question was whether the Rising Sun Divine Island dared to accept.

"You’re not so confident now, are you? Why the silence?" the Dragon Head Peak disciples pressed, sensing their advantage.

The disciples of the Rising Sun Divine Island were trapped. They knew nothing of Li Yao or his combat capabilities, so they dared not rashly accept the challenge. "It looks like the Rising Sun Divine Island is in a tight spot. Li Yao may have great talent, but his cultivation time is just too short."

"True. In just a few months, he’s reached the Divine Bridge realm. He must have spent every waking moment on cultivation, leaving him no time to master any offensive divine arts."

High atop a grand palace, Elder Yun Shang of Falling Mist Mountain watched the scene with interest, looking toward Zhang Chong. "Brother Zhang, should we intervene?"

"Let the juniors settle their own disputes. We were no different in our time," Zhang Chong replied calmly. As Half-Step Great Experts, both men were aware of the conflict but had no intention of interfering.

Yun Shang smiled, his gaze shifting. "That depends on whether the party involved chooses to step forward."

The challenge hung in the air, but with Li Yao absent, his fellow disciples were hesitant to commit on his behalf, leading to a stalemate. Unless Li Yao emerged to accept, the reputation of the Rising Sun Divine Island would be overshadowed by Dragon Head Peak. Zhang Chong remained silent, though he felt a seed of doubt. The disciples were right—Li Yao’s time was limited, and human energy was finite; it was impossible to master everything at once.

Outside, the clamor continued. Li Yao, the subject of all the talk, had heard the commotion. Following his breakthrough to the Divine Bridge realm, his spiritual sense had grown significantly. Though he did not know the full story, he caught snippets of the conversation.

"Do you think if that Li Yao were here, he would accept the challenge from Dragon Head Peak?"

"Who knows? But he probably would. All geniuses share one trait: pride. If someone challenges them to their face and they don't respond, their future achievements will be limited, regardless of their innate talent."