Although Lin Weidong had only just entered the post-natal Ming Jin realm, he knew that in the division of martial artist power levels, the gap between each major realm was particularly significant.
Forging Body, Ming Jin, An Jin, Hua Jin. For a martial artist of any major realm to attempt to defeat a martial artist a major realm higher was generally impossible.
Unless it was a peak Post-Natal Forging Body martial artist facing a martial artist who had just entered Post-Natal Ming Jin, or a peak Post-Natal Ming Jin martial artist facing a martial artist who had just entered An Jin.
And that would still depend on the Post-Natal Ming Jin and Post-Natal An Jin martial artists having unstable auras and fluctuating strength!
However, it was different for a peak Post-Natal An Jin martial artist facing a martial artist who had just entered Post-Natal Hua Jin.
This was because breaking through to the Hua Jin level represented a qualitative leap, not to be compared with the previous three major realms.
The gap between a peak An Jin martial artist and an initial Hua Jin martial artist was like a chasm, difficult to cross.
Whereas, between a peak Forging Body martial artist and an initial Ming Jin martial artist, or between a peak Ming Jin martial artist and an initial An Jin martial artist, there was only a small dividing ridge.
After this came the great dividing ridge of breaking through from peak An Jin to Post-Natal Hua Jin.
Furthermore.
Martial artists in the Forging Body stage had no true qi in their bodies, nor did they have subdivisions of early, mid, late, or peak strength.
Martial artists in this stage could only rely on the explosive power of their physical bodies to fight.
It was only upon reaching the Ming Jin level that the early, mid, late, and peak stages were subdivided.
However, for martial artists at the Ming Jin and An Jin levels, the difference between the early, mid, late, and peak stages was not particularly large if they were only separated by a small realm, and cross-level challenges could still occur.
But the Post-Natal Hua Jin realm was different.
A martial artist at the initial Post-Natal Hua Jin stage had only a one percent chance of defeating a martial artist at the mid Post-Natal Hua Jin stage.
This sole hope was reflected in the cultivation techniques practiced by the martial artist!
But cultivation techniques were priceless treasures, never circulated among martial artists, nor sold by anyone.
Where could one learn them if they wished?
Even the Dragon Group, up to this point, had only collected three cultivation techniques.
And these three cultivation techniques were of the relatively ordinary kind.
But!
Even ordinary cultivation techniques could allow Lin Weidong to attract the rising stars of various prominent families.
Otherwise, would the Dragon Country's officials simply allowing the young talents of various prominent families to join the Dragon Group and become official members be enough of an incentive?
Clearly, it was not.
Super-class families and top families also possessed cultivation techniques.
They were never passed on!
From this, one could see how difficult it was to break through the barriers between martial artist strength realms!
Yang Ye, a guest martial artist of the Sun family, had a personal strength of initial Post-Natal An Jin. However, having just entered this level, his realm was unstable, making it difficult for him to exert his full strength.
Even if Zhou Yu were truly only at peak Ming Jin, he might be able to defeat Yang Ye!
What's more, this brat had just admitted himself that his strength was Post-Natal An Jin!
Lin Weidong found it incredible.
He had always thought Zhou Yu was a peak Ming Jin martial artist, but he never expected the latter to have concealed his strength.
"This kid just met me and said he was a peak Ming Jin martial artist. It seems he's deliberately hiding his strength. Heh, interesting." Lin Weidong stood amidst the crowd, a smile on his lips as he watched the two in the arena.
He undoubtedly had more confidence in Zhou Yu for this match.
Yang Ye wanted to prove himself, to show he wasn't as inconsistent in strength as outsiders claimed, and he had clearly chosen the wrong opponent.
Of course, Lin Weidong would not stop Yang Ye, nor would he tell him this.
"This kid is a miracle doctor, but he insists on puffing himself up. He claims he's Post-Natal An Jin, and no one believes him."
"He's only in his twenties and dares to say he's Post-Natal An Jin. Even if he were initial An Jin, no one would believe him."
"Yeah, do you really think Post-Natal An Jin martial artists are as common as cabbage by the roadside? If he's Post-Natal An Jin at this age, what are we guys in our forties and fifties then?"
"If he's really Post-Natal An Jin, then we can only be considered trash."
"Just watch. No matter how bad Yang Ye is, he can't possibly lose to this kid named Zhou."
"I hope he doesn't get beaten to tears by Guest Martial Artist Yang!"
Among the onlookers, many guest martial artists began to whisper amongst themselves.
Inside the tent, when they heard Zhou Yu's boastful words, everyone couldn't help but scoff.
Just imagine.
A miracle doctor in his twenties claiming to be a Post-Natal An Jin martial artist, and doing so in front of a group of middle-aged martial artists who were at Post-Natal An Jin.
Such a scene was simply too comical.
"Guest Martial Artist Zhang, in your opinion, is this miracle doctor named Zhou Yu an opponent for Yang Ye?"
Zhang Huizheng was frowning as he stared at Zhou Yu in the arena when suddenly, a voice sounded by his ear.
He turned his head and saw Liu Changsheng from the Jin family of Yunhai.
"Guest Martial Artist Liu, this Zhou Yu seems to be from Yunhai, and your Jin family is the undisputed top family there. If you can't tell, how can I?" Zhang Hui threw the question back.
Before the two had started fighting, he naturally favored Yang Ye.
But Zhou Yu was one of the observers invited by Lin Weidong. If this individual had no special background, it would be illogical.
But no matter what.
A Post-Natal An Jin martial artist in his twenties was simply too unbelievable.
"Guest Martial Artist Zhang, you mustn't speak carelessly. Although my Jin family has great influence in Yunhai, besides my Jin family, there is also the Zhang family. The Zhang family is also a first-class family, and their current momentum and foundation are not much inferior to the Jin family." Liu Changsheng said humbly.
Before coming here, he had already learned that Zhou Yu was also a member of the observer group.
However, the connection between the Jin family and the latter could not be known to other families.
Therefore, Liu Changsheng could only pretend not to know Zhou Yu.
In fact, it was indeed their first meeting.
Those in the Jin family who had direct contact with Zhou Yu so far were only the younger generation, Jin Shenghuo.
If Yun Yanlan prohibited anyone from contacting Zhou Yu, even the patriarch and elders of the Jin family would not dare to initiate contact easily.
"The Zhang family is merely at the bottom of the first-class families. What qualifications do they have to be on equal footing with the Jin family? Guest Martial Artist Liu, you mustn't inflate others' egos and deflate your own morale," Zhang Hui said with a smile.
Although the Dong family was in Chuan'nan City, and the Jin and Zhang families were in Yunhai City.
However, the intelligence networks of first-class families were quite fast at acquiring information. The Zhang family was gradually rising in Yunhai, showing signs of wanting to surpass the Jin family. The Dong family could not be unaware of this.
But the Zhang family was, after all, decades behind the Jin family. Even with their current strong momentum and rapid rise, it would be difficult to surpass the Jin family.
On this point, Zhang Hui never doubted.
The gap between an established first-class family and an emerging first-class family could not be bridged in a day.