Unrivaled Medicine God, page 52
Su Yubai's face alternated color several times. Finally, he swept his sleeves and left.
The other elders actually really wanted to see if Ye Yuan could succeed in his challenge. This was a historic moment!
However, they saw that Su Yubai had left, so they naturally did not find it appropriate to sit back down. They could only follow along.
On the other side, Zuo Bugui watched Ye Yuan's steady footsteps and involuntarily swallowed his saliva.
To actually break through in such a manner on the Nine Heavens Road, he truly no longer knew how to describe Ye Yuan.
But at this moment, Long Tang suddenly turned around and was about to leave. Zuo Bugui was stupefied and hurriedly asked, "You aren't watching anymore, Old Long?"
Long Tang did not slow his footsteps and merely waved his hands with his back facing Zuo Bugui. "The overall situation has been set. There's nothing to see anymore. I'll go make my preparations. The next one will be me!"
Finishing, Long Tang left straightaway.
"The overall situation has been set?" Zuo Bugui repeated this and then muttered, "He's so sure that Ye Yuan can clear it? Even if he already broke through to the Ninth Level Essence Qi Realm, it's still only the Essence Qi Realm. The last 333 steps are the most challenging segment of the road. Can an Essence Qi Realm cross it?"
Naturally, nobody answered him. The only response he got was Long Tang's solid footsteps.
. . . . . .
Stepping onto the 667th step, the illusion in front of Ye Yuan immediately vanished and changed back to the Nine Heavens Road's initial appearance, a set of steps connecting to the heavens!
Yet this time around, a green-robed elder appeared in front of Ye Yuan. He had a benevolent look, with the airs of an expert.
"Young man, to have made it here shows that you're a person with unmatched talent. However, this third stage is the most challenging round in the entire Nine Heavens Road. Are you ready for it?"
The old man actually opened his mouth to talk when he saw Ye Yuan. He actually had his own consciousness!
But Ye Yuan already saw that he was an apparition at first glance. Hence, he was not overly alarmed.
"To actually leave a trace of divine sense behind on the Nine Heavens Road, could it be that this Nine Heavens Road was created by Senior?" Ye Yuan did not answer the old man's question but asked another question instead.
The old man could not help being surprised by Ye Yuan asking that. "You can actually see through my apparition? Such a wonder, a wonder! Looking at your bone age, you are 15 or 16 years old, yet you have such knowledge! However, this Nine Revolutions Turbid Heaven Array was not created by this old man. Rather, it was created by my Tranquil Cloud Sect's founding ancestor, You Wuya! This old man was about to reach the end of my lifespan, that's why I willingly split a wisp of my divine sense into the Nine Heavens Road to host the third round!"
The green-robed old man twirled his beard with a smile as he revealed an admiring look. Clearly, he idolized that person, You Wuya, greatly.
Ye Yuan came to a sudden realization. Only now did he finally know the Nine Heavens Road's origins. It was actually established by the Tranquil Cloud Sect's founding father, You Wuya!
From this, one could see that You Wuya was definitely a dazzlingly talented individual.
Others might not understand, but Ye Yuan could tell that this Nine Revolutions Turbid Heaven Array employed the law of nine and faintly incorporated the Heavenly Dao. It was not something that the average person could construct!
Furthermore, Ye Yuan could see that this Nine Revolution Turbid Heaven Array's power was far beyond this. What was set up on this Nine Heavens Peak was merely a simplified version of the grand array.
The Dan Wu Academy was only the outer sect of the Tranquil Cloud Sect. How could the Tranquil Cloud Sect possibly lay out the complete version of the array formation here?
However, even if it was the simplified version, this Nine Revolutions Turbid Heaven Array was still an extremely remarkable array formation.
"So it turns out that it was created by Founding Ancestor You. No wonder it has such power!" Ye Yuan could not resist praising it.
" En? You actually comprehended Heart Like Still Water?"
The old man sized up Ye Yuan and was greatly surprised. Ye Yuan's mental state was calm, akin to an old well without ripples. Clearly, it was the sign of having comprehended Heart Like Still Water.
The old man willingly guarded the stage, so he naturally understood the array considerably and was aware that this second round incorporated the Heart Like Still Water concept. But he did not expect a 15-year-old brat to comprehend it!
Ye Yuan smiled lightly, and he said, "This Junior comprehended it by luck."
Only now did the green-robed old man examine Ye Yuan closely and commented agitatedly, "Good! Good! Good! It's truly talented people will be born to take over the previous generation! Heaven is protecting my Tranquil Cloud Sect! My Tranquil Cloud Sect will surely revive in the future with such a talent! I've waited for a millennium, and finally, I saw hope! Quickly tell me your name, young man!"
"This Junior is Ye Yuan. May I know Senior's name?" Ye Yuan asked respectfully.
Ye Yuan was still very respectful in his heart towards a figure like him who sacrificed himself for the development of the sect.
One had to know that this elder already did not have much lifespan back then. Splitting out divine sense to host the array formation would result in an even greater loss of lifespan.
What reason did he have to be discourteous towards such a selfless person?
"Ye Yuan? Not bad, not bad. This old man is Lu Yan. I'm the Tranquil Cloud Sect's 35th generation, Martial Hall, Hall Master!"
"So senior is the Martial Hall's Hall Master. This Junior pays his respect." Ye Yuan bowed respectfully.
" Haha! Quickly get up, quickly get up. I'm already a dead person, so what's the point of you doing this sort of empty courtesy? I've already hosted this array for over a hundred years. My divine sense is about to be exhausted already. To be able to encounter a peerless genius such as yourself before I perish, this old man can die peacefully!"
Through special means, divine sense could indeed be sustained for a long time. But there would come the day where it would eventually perish.
This Lu Yan's divine sense could at most hold on for another ten years. At that time, it would completely dissipate from this world.
A former powerhouse, yet he still had to return to dust. This was Lu Yan's desolation and also the anguish of all martial artists.
Even an unparalleled Divine King could not overcome the ravages of time.
Nevertheless, Lu Yan was a broad-minded person. He had long treated life and death lightly.
"I've hosted the Nine Revolutions Turbid Heaven Array for nearly two hundred years. Yet, the number of students I met were barely around ten people. Only that brat called Mo Yuntian from several years back left some impression on me. But compared to you, he was much more inferior!"
"Senior is too kind." Ye Yuan naturally would not blow his own trumpet in front of Lu Yan.
Although Lu Yan only hosted for nearly two hundred years, he was obviously extremely clear on the situation inside this Nine Heavens Road.
Those so-called geniuses did not even register on his radar.
How could one talk about being a genius if they could not even make it past three rounds?
What the Tranquil Cloud Sect required were not this kind of genius. What was needed were geniuses who could revive the Tranquil Cloud Sect, rally, and lead them!
The purpose of the Nine Heavens Road's existence also laid here!
While Mo Yuntian made it past the Nine Heavens Road, it was merely luck.
Heart Like Still Water and this third round was where the true essence of the Nine Heavens Road laid.
Otherwise, why would there be a need to sacrifice a Martial Hall's Hall Head's lifespan to host the array formation?
"Can you promise me something, young man?" Lu Yan suddenly opened his mouth and asked.
Chapter 102. All Out Array Formations! |
"Does Senior Lu want me to aid the Tranquil Cloud Sect to eclipse the other sects?"
From the exchange of words previously, Ye Yuan naturally knew Lu Yan's thoughts.
"Haha! This child is teachable! You indeed understood from just a bit! However, I don't only want you to eclipse the various sects in the Southern Domain. What I wish for even more is for you to lead the Tranquil Cloud Sect back to the Northern Domain!" Lu Yan said agitatedly.
Hearing this, Ye Yuan smiled bitterly. "Isn't Senior Lu thinking too highly of me? I'm just a junior at the Essence Qi Realm."
"Haha. You don't have to be modest. To be able to comprehend Heart Like Still Water, your future accomplishments are limitless! I only hope that when you possess sufficient strength, you will remember the water's source; that's all."
Lu Yan was already a dead man, so he naturally would not demand great help from a shallow relationship. If the request were too overboard, Ye Yuan would never agree. Even if he promised, it would also be impossible for him to do it in the future.
'Remembering the water's source,' these four words hit the spot nicely. It pointed out that Ye Yuan's future accomplishments were due to the Tranquil Cloud Sect, yet it did not mention any specific request.
What to do in the future would still have to rely on Ye Yuan. If Ye Yuan were an ingrate, then these words would obviously be wasted. But if Ye Yuan were someone who valued loyalty and relationships greatly, these words would have buried a seed inside Ye Yuan's heart.
Hearing that, Ye Yuan smiled and said, "Senior worries too much. I'm originally a disciple of the Tranquil Cloud Sect. Contributing to the sect is expected of me."
Lu Yan nodded with a smile. Clearly, he was very pleased with Ye Yuan's reply.
He did not need Ye Yuan to promise him anything. It was good enough for Ye Yuan to remember that the Tranquil Cloud Sect was good to him.
As for whether Ye Yuan could reach that height in the future, Lu Yan had never doubted it.
Back then, You Wuya's talent did not stand out at all. But ever since he fully comprehended Heart Like Still Water in the Spirit Condensation Realm, nobody could stop his rise anymore.
Even if Ye Yuan did not reach You Wuya's height, at the very least, he would have adequate strength to bring the Tranquil Cloud Sect back to the Northern Domain.
The power difference between the Northern and Southern Domains was rather huge. The truly mighty sects in the Endless World were mainly all in the Northern Domain.
Back then, the Tranquil Cloud Sect was also a major sect in the Northern Domain. Afterward, because their new generation could not handle things like the older generation, they were swallowed up by the other sects and even nearly lost their foundation.
All these years, the Tranquil Cloud Sect's upper echelon had never given up on the goal of returning to the Northern Domain. However, the Tranquil Cloud Ten Nations were poor and barren lands, and their talents were zilch. How could it be easy to want to return to the Northern Domain?
There were also a few people who made it past the Nine Heavens Road these past few years among the Tranquil Cloud Ten Nations' Dan Wu Academy. But not a single person had comprehended Heart Like Still Water.
Lu Yan laughed and exclaimed, "Haha! To be able to hear your words, the knot in this old man's heart these few years is finally resolved! Counting the main sect's Nine Heavens Road, there are still ten old undying guarding the stage like this old fellow. But they don't have my fortune! I didn't think that I could witness you crossing the Nine Heavens Road in my living years. This old man can finally pass away with a smile."
One could see that Lu Yan was indeed extremely satisfied, and he no longer cared about life and death.
Ye Yuan smiled and said, "Senior doesn't have to be pessimistic. Heaven does not seal off all roads. Perhaps you still have the chance to witness the day the Tranquil Cloud Sect returns to the Northern Domain!"
Lu Yan smiled, and he waved his hands. "Don't comfort old me, little brat. Life and death are up to fate. This old man has already seen past it."
Lu Yan thought that Ye Yuan was consoling him. But with Ye Yuan's methods, it was not impossible to bring Lu Yan back from the dead as long as he had adequate strength.
Ye Yuan did not explain anything either. It would be up to Lu Yan's fate whether or not he could hang on until that day.
If he had sufficient strength in the future and Lu Yan's divine sense had not dissipated yet, he would come and help Lu Yan.
"Alright. Enough of this nonsense. Even though you comprehended Heart Like Still Water, you still have to pass this third round. The third round's raison d'être is my Tranquil Cloud Sect's supreme skill, the Azure Dipper Purple Yang Sword Art. The might of this set of sword technique is unrivaled. How much you can comprehend is up to you. I will control the power of the array. If you can't hold on, I will withdraw the array and directly let you pass through the third round!" Lu Yan said.
The Nine Heavens Road had stood for a thousand years before a genius who could comprehend the Heart Like Still Water Realm came. Lu Yan did not wish for Ye Yuan to be killed by the array. That would be playing too big and risky.
After all, Ye Yuan was only at the Ninth Level Essence Qi Realm. His chances of making it through the third stage were honestly not that great.
"Many thanks for Senior's concern. But please don't control the power of the array formation. If I don't even dare to take on the Nine Heavens Road, then what qualifications does this Junior have to help the sect return to the Northern Domain?" Ye Yuan rejected Lu Yan's good intentions instead.
Ye Yuan also did not expect that he would actually receive this sort of preferential treatment. But after thinking about it, he still rejected it.
He comprehended Heart Like Still Water in the second round, so he became curious about the third stage.
Even Heart Like Still Water was only placed in the second round. If one passed the third round, what benefits could they receive?
At this point, he would no longer look down on the Tranquil Cloud Sect.
You Wuya was an absolute genius, but why had he never heard of his name before in the Divine Realm?
But to be able to comprehend Heart Like Still Water in the Lower Realms, the sword art he left behind was definitely worth a look.
Lu Yan naturally did not know what Ye Yuan was thinking and thought that it was because of his pride and arrogance. He could not resist to persuade Ye Yuan. "Ye Yuan, the power of this Azure Dipper Purple Yang Sword Art is extraordinary. Even for the sake of testing genius students, there were still many Spirit Condensation Realm students who fell to this sword art. Although you comprehended the Heart Like Still Water Realm, your power is shallow after all. It's better to think first before you act!"
Hearing this, Ye Yuan smiled and said, "Didn't senior tell me to comprehend the sword art just now? If you control the might of the sword art, then how can my insights be deep? If I learn a half-ass Azure Dipper Purple Yang Sword Art later, then wouldn't it be a joke?"
"This . . ." Lu Yan had no words to retort with.
Ye Yuan continued saying, "Senior, this Junior is aware that you are doing this for my own good. But which true powerhouse grew up inside a greenhouse? Wanting to become an expert of my generation in a completely stable and safe way is undoubtedly a fool's talk. I believe that Senior You Wuya also went through nearly certain death back then before he could have such achievements, right?"
Lu Yan involuntarily let out a long sigh after hearing that, and then he said, "Looks like this old man was mistaken. I actually couldn't see things as clearly as a teenage brat like you. Forget it, forget it. Regardless of time or fate, try your best!"
Ye Yuan bowed towards Lu Yan and said, "Many thanks to Senior for allowing it!"
Finishing, Lu Yan's figure vanished, and the array immediately seethed with killing intent.
Ye Yuan could feel that this was a true blue killing array! One would lose their life on the spot if they let their guard down.
At the same time, the back segment of the Nine Heavens Road became enshrouded in clouds. Ye Yuan's figure also disappeared from everyone's sight.
Everybody could feel the waves of killing intent coming from the Nine Heavens Road. Even those Spirit Condensation Realm martial artists also felt their scalp tingle involuntarily.
Even the outside world could sense such vivid killing intent, let alone Ye Yuan who was residing within the array!
Everyone's hearts tightened, and their initial confidence in Ye Yuan turned into anxiousness right now.
They knew that Ye Yuan was about to face the most terrifying stage.
Could he really make it through?
Chapter 103. Sword Intent vs Sword Intent! |
"What's going on? The power of this array is not right!"
Huyan Yong felt a chill run down his back when he sensed the surging killing intent from the Nine Heavens Road.
Feng Ruoqing knitted her brows and said, "Why would the third stage have such incredible power?"
"That's right! I was also present back then when Mo Yuntian challenged the Nine Heavens Road. There wasn't such a piercingly cold sword intent from the third stage!"
"Could it be because Ye Yuan comprehended Heart Like Still Water?"
Huyan Yong sucked in a deep breath and said, "The Nine Heavens Road's array will become stronger when it encounters someone stronger. Could it be that the Nine Heavens Road's judgment of Ye Yuan had already surpassed Mo Yuntian? But he's only at the Ninth Level Essence Qi Realm!"
"Even though he's only at the Ninth Level Essence Qi Realm, Mo Yuntian had not comprehended Heart Like Still Water. It was said that he crossed the second stage with a ragged appearance, far from how effortlessly Ye Yuan did it."
"There's only this explanation. Hopefully, nothing happens to Ye Yuan."
No matter how they guessed, they would never have guessed that the array possessed such incredible might because Ye Yuan himself requested for it.
