126. The Might of the Strong

Only a martial artist who has transcended the Acquired Realm can touch the realm of the Bridge of Life and Death. At this level, one can begin to perceive the essence of life and death; only those who have stepped into this state can truly be called martial artists.

After a moment, Qi Fei seemed to recall something and asked, "Old man Tong He, you didn't quite clarify earlier. You mentioned the Bridge of Life and Death is divided into upper, middle, and lower tiers, so why are there fourteen stages? Does each tier contain four stages, and can they be divided into fourteen levels? Which specific stages are these?"

"The Realm of Life consists of the first through fifth stages, the Realm of Death covers the sixth through tenth, and the remaining four stages comprise the Bridge of Life and Death itself. Together, they form the fourteen stages of the Bridge of Life and Death." Tong He answered without the slightest hesitation. Seeing Qi Fei’s peculiar expression, he seemed to realize something, chuckled, and said, "Boy, don’t look at me like that. These divisions of the Bridge of Life and Death were not something I made up on the spot, but a result widely accepted by many masters and predecessors."

Tong He paused, then explained in detail, "Do not be fooled by the simplicity of the numbers within these fourteen stages. I must tell you that the gap in strength between those in different tiers is immense. It is much like the difference between the first-rate cultivators you spoke of and those at the Acquired level; those in a higher tier are essentially untouchable to those below them."

"Grandpa, you aren't pulling my leg, are you? Is the gap really that vast?" While Qi Fei had already realized through Tong He's explanation that the gap between himself, Ma Lianliang, Qi Fei Po, and the Yin-Yang Sect Master—who occupied different tiers—was significant, he had never imagined the chasm was this deep.

The distinction within the Acquired Realm was enough to render numbers irrelevant. Upon reflection, it made sense: someone like Ma Lianliang would never care about ordinary Acquired martial artists, and a figure like the Yin-Yang Sect Master would certainly not spare a glance for someone of Ma Lianliang’s level. To put it bluntly, it was the same dynamic as an Acquired martial artist disregarding a common cultivator. Although Qi Fei lacked a complete conceptual grasp of the three tiers, the comparison between the four individuals made the reality clear.

The harshness of reality struck him; Qi Fei’s expression shifted, and he sighed solemnly, "It seems the road ahead will not be an easy one."

Tong He scoffed, "Silly boy, no road in this world is ever smooth from the start. What is meant to come will come; for now, you must first deal with the trouble right in front of you."

No sooner had Qi Fei finished speaking than Tong He added, "Listen, there are many Acquired-level martial artists inside the Ma Manor, and they are about to come out." Qi Fei pricked up his ears and indeed sensed dozens of auras belonging to Acquired experts rapidly approaching.

This collective aura was chaotic due to the sheer number of people, yet precisely because of that, even from a distance, Qi Fei could feel the immense pressure of dozens of people combined. It wasn't just Qi Fei; everyone gathered at the scene sensed the presence of these Acquired experts. Amidst a cacophony of shouting, the gates of the Ma Manor swung open. A man in a black long-robe with a ruddy complexion emerged, followed by dozens of guests. Though the man did not look particularly old, his hair was entirely silver.

Yet, this white hair did not make him look aged; rather, contrasted with his vigorous spirit, one would only perceive him as being in his prime.

Observant onlookers whispered, "That must be Ma Lianliang."

Qi Fei was not yet certain. He turned and studied the elder, vaguely recognizing a resemblance to the features he had seen before. Although the two brothers differed in appearance, certain details betrayed their kinship. As the man approached, Qi Fei asked, unable to gauge his depth, "Old man Tong He, what stage of the Realm of Life is this man at?"

Tong He whispered, "It appears he has reached the fourth stage. He is quite diligent; at least he has progressed beyond the multitude of those stuck at the first stage, which is rare for cultivators in your Divine Continent. If he cultivates with focus, he might even reach the upper tier of the Realm of Life in his lifetime."

Even without looking at the leader, Tong He spoke as if he knew everything, answering Qi Fei’s question effortlessly.

"Fourth stage? No wonder he could contend with several ordinary Acquired experts without falling behind," Qi Fei murmured to himself, his gaze locked firmly on Ma Lianliang.

This old man was clearly no ordinary person, and given the Ma family’s focused resources, his true strength would likely be even more formidable. Given the current prosperity of the Ma family, it was highly probable he had mastered one or two Profound-grade martial arts. A cultivator wielding Profound-grade techniques could never be underestimated.

An ordinary Acquired expert could increase their attack power tenfold by mastering a few high-level Yellow-grade techniques, but once they mastered a Profound-grade technique, their explosive power could reach twenty to forty times that of a normal strike.

Furthermore, Ma Lianliang was at the fourth stage of the Acquired Realm. If one calculated his strength when fighting for his life, it would likely be dozens of times that of an ordinary Acquired practitioner. Such a formidable existence, not to mention in a remote place like Yunshan City, would be a force to be reckoned with anywhere in the Danxia Mountains. Although Qi Fei’s own combat methods meant he was no longer an ordinary Acquired martial artist, facing an expert who was a full tier above him, he felt a subtle, lingering pressure.

Clearly, this expert had already heard of the commotion caused by Qi Fei and Tong He. Upon exiting, Ma Lianliang glanced briefly at his surroundings before fixing his gaze directly on the pair.

Because both Tong He and Qi Fei had consciously used secret techniques to conceal their auras, Ma Lianliang was visibly taken aback. No matter how he had imagined it, he had never expected those causing trouble at his birthday celebration to appear as nothing more than two ordinary people.

Ma Lianliang frowned deeply and leaned toward the butler standing beside him, asking, "Was it not said that these two experts could easily defeat Innate-level fighters? Why do they appear to me as commoners with no martial ability? What is going on here?"

Likely having been briefed by the master of the house, the elderly butler, who had been present during the earlier disturbance, bowed and replied, "Master, it is said that these two are particularly adept at concealing their aura. Unless they are actively fighting, they appear no different from ordinary people. I do not know what method they use, but if you look closely, you will see."

Ma Lianliang stared fixedly at Tong He, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. He pondered to himself: the old man and the youth before him seemed to possess no significant aura, but whenever his own true energy touched the old man, it vanished like a stone cast into the sea. How very strange.