Only after Lu Changsheng's figure had vanished did Elder Liu turn to question the disciple. "You wanted to say something earlier and held back. Speak now. Who exactly is this man?"

Clearly, Elder Liu was not entirely oblivious. He had noticed the disciple seemed to know something, and anyone who insisted on the titled elder assessment was clearly no ordinary individual. 

"Elder Liu, this Martial Saint is no simple figure. He is Lu Changsheng, Martial Saint of the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect, known to the outside world as Saint Lu. He is extraordinarily talented. He once slew a Martial Saint head-on while still at the Divine Ability Realm, and his name has shaken the entire Sacred Earth!"

At that, Elder Liu frowned slightly. 

"Slew a Martial Saint while at the Divine Ability Realm? No wonder he holds himself so high. Fighting up against a Martial Saint is indeed no small feat," Elder Liu acknowledged. 

"Still, outside Martial Saints are mediocre," he went on. "Our sacred land's supreme disciples may not all be able to slay Martial Saints from below, but some of our once-in-a-generation prodigies are certainly no weaker than Martial Saints. Yet even talents of that caliber stand little chance of passing the titled elder assessment."

Elder Liu shook his head. There was a difference between sacred land Martial Saints and outside Martial Saints—and a vast one at that. To Elder Liu, this was no prejudice but a simple fact. In his eyes, outside Martial Saints were hardly worth mentioning.

The sacred...