I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1732 - 170: Heavenly Dao Rewards the Diligent

Chapter 1732: Chapter 170: Heavenly Dao Rewards the Diligent

Before Zhu Huolong and Lei Dong could respond, Tang Luo spoke on his own initiative: "Because in the eyes of the esteemed masters at Qiyao Temple and Wushen Mountain, your martial arts potential has been exhausted. Such inheritors are naturally the unquestionable choices for those seeking to learn and question the Dao."

As soon as his words fell, the two sect inheritors on full alert had a drastic change in expression, but each wore a different look.

Lei Dong of Qiyao Temple had a dark gaze, forcibly tightening his facial features.

Zhu Huolong, trailing half a step behind, tugged the corners of his mouth, about to speak but holding back. His eyes and brows were filled with scorn, as if he completely disregarded the headmaster’s assessment.

Tang Luo, with his hands clasped behind his back, strolled forward leisurely, his mouth never ceasing to speak: "Sometimes, without trying your hardest, you never know how desperate you can get. Year after year of relentless cultivation, even going as far as refining the body with destructive secret techniques such as Xuan Ting, eroding the foundation—clinging precariously to the shadow of the leader, surely that must be unbearable."

Lei Dong’s complexion changed again. Although not named explicitly, he knew Tang Luo was referring to him. It was as if his deepest secrets were laid bare, leaving his mind buzzing as if his most crucial secret was exposed, completely vulnerable.

How could he know? Has he been spying on me? How is that possible?

With a tumult of emotions swirling in his heart, Lei Dong wanted to retort but not a single word could he utter. All he could do was press his lips tightly together, clench his fists fiercely, glaring at the back of the headmaster with a crazed intent to attack if another word was spoken.

Watching Lei Dong lose his composure, Zhu Huolong didn’t feel much perturbed; instead, the disdain in his eyes deepened—not just toward Tang Luo, but toward Lei Dong as well.

Zhongzhou was already a sacred land of martial arts. As a direct heir of a sect like him, bathed from a young age in the essence of martial arts, he naturally possessed much insight. For example, some martial artists with exceptional talent hurriedly cultivated certain techniques that harmed their foundations, leading to a brief lifespan and untimely demise.

He had thought such things only occurred within prominent families; unexpectedly, even the true inheritors of Qiyao Temple were so fragile.

Zhu Huolong, who already held the martial arts of Longzhou in disdain, wore an even more scornful look.

Yet this sense of superiority didn’t last long before he heard the headmaster of Unparalleled Academy, who had just evaluated Lei Dong, speak again: "It is indeed regrettable to have given your best yet still not attain the pinnacle, but that can’t be deemed a failure. In the martial path, there is only one true defeat, and that is to give up before the competition even begins. Does the true inheritor Zhu think The Academy is correct?"

Zhu Huolong, who was previously looking unperturbed, suddenly changed his expression, ready to contradict, but the long Red Crystal corridor had already come to an end.

The sudden expanse of the snow-covered valley dazzled their eyes with its brightness, forcing both to squint under the blinding warm sun.

The usually sparse and somewhat deadly Red Crystal rear mountain was now covered in snow, turning it into a simple white, which involuntarily uplifted one’s spirits.

But the two sect inheritors, whose minds were in chaos, had no mood to appreciate the snow. Just inside the corridor, Tang Luo not only revealed their reasons for coming but also hit a few sore spots with his remarks.

Originally, coming to Red Cloud Mountain to study was a simple mission, but now it seemed to have acquired a different flavor.

Turned around in the snowy field, the headmaster of Unparalleled Academy stood with a casual posture, his hands even more lazily crossed and hanging at his waist inside his sleeves, his eyes still wearing that partially awake look, said indifferently to the two: "If you’re ready, then let’s begin."

This wasn’t the first time they felt bewildered; the head of Unparalleled Institute had a different pace from all the people they had ever met. Being led by the nose like this was truly uncomfortable for the two true inheritors.

Not wanting to be manipulated any further, Zhu Huolong spoke directly: "The headmaster said Zhu Huolong’s martial arts potential is exhausted. Since there’s no potential left, what preparation is there to speak of? Why even bother starting? Zhu Huolong will take his leave now."

The mission this time was essentially to tarnish the reputation of Unparalleled Academy. From the beginning, Zhu Huolong never thought about accepting any guidance. Since the Longzhou Wind Media had already seen him entering The Academy, the mission was already half-successful. Why should he waste more time?

Zhu Huolong, having said his piece, made a perfunctory bow and turned to leave.

Tang Luo did not stop him, but instead turned his head toward Lei Dong, whose expression was complex, and asked, "What about you? Do you want to leave with him?"

As a true disciple of Qiyao Temple, Lei Dong’s feelings were incredibly complex at this moment. As a sect disciple, there is inevitably a sense of pride and self-regard.

Although he didn’t believe that the fellow before him had any ability to instruct him, the words spoken in the corridor were truer than anything even his mentors had witnessed.

Indeed, as the other had said, while his true disciple ranking seemed to be steadily improving in the eyes of others, only he knew how increasingly difficult each upward step had become.

What frightened him even more was the realization that once he fell behind, there would never be a chance to catch up again.

So he forced himself to keep up with the top-tier monsters in his sect. If there was insufficient time, he would practice his spiritual power instead of resting; if his comprehension was lacking, he would practice the same martial art hundreds, even thousands of times more than others; deficient control over spiritual power meant accelerating the construction of models, and gaps in bloodline power would be filled with secret techniques that consumed his very essence!

He exhausted all he had, giving his all, yet he could still only gaze at the distant figures ahead of him.

Only those who have truly experienced it can understand such despair.

It gnaws at the heart, breeding incessant dread.

He had not failed to seek advice from his senior sect kin and elders; they offered him responses like rejuvenating rain.

["You should look within yourself for reasons. Have you truly given your all for your dreams?"]

["When you feel the struggle, ask yourself if you’ve truly given your all."]

["When the desire to advance is as desperate as gasping for air while drowning, then you won’t feel it’s a struggle."]

These words of encouragement had motivated him for a long time, but as he invested more and more without shortening the distance, Lei Dong sometimes reflected in his exhaustion.

He had done as experience dictated, he had given everything he could, so why wasn’t it enough? Why was it still not enough?

"Why?"

The true disciple of Qiyao Temple, with his head lowered and fists clenched, asked tremulously, "Is the barrier of talent truly insurmountable, and does effort really have meaning?"

"Having been included as a true disciple of the sect with mere mortal talents, haven’t you already demonstrated the meaning of effort?"

The Unparalleled Institute’s head, with hands tucked in his sleeves, spoke indifferently, "Your discontent comes merely from having given your all without achieving the results you deem fitting."

"I deserve a higher ranking! I work harder than any other true disciple of Qiyao Temple! I abstain from alcohol, steer clear of the opposite sex, indulge in no vices; I dedicate all my time to cultivating and pondering the martial path!"

Lei Dong said in a rough voice, "If the Heavenly Dao truly rewards the diligent, shouldn’t I, the most hardworking, be the foremost among my peers?"

Tang Luo laughed, "The Heavenly Dao indeed rewards diligence, but not just diligence. Effort is only a prerequisite for competition; the final outcome is not decided by such things alone."