by <unknown>
Chapter 93. Strong Gale |
"I swear upon the Heavenly Dao, once I step unto the Nine Heavens Road, life and death are left to fate. If I succeed in making it through, I will not reveal any information about the Nine Heavens Road. Otherwise, may Heaven strike me dead!"
Ye Yuan swore once according to the words on the stone tablet and slightly felt his divine soul quiver.
Ye Yuan knew that this was the feeling when one's divine soul signed a pledge with the Heavenly Dao.
In the future, if he goes against this oath, the Heavenly Dao will make heavenly punishment descend, destroying his body and soul.
"Now, can I enter?"
The guard stepped aside to allow Ye Yuan passage.
Ye Yuan turned back to Feng Ruoqing and co, and he said, "Help me take good care of Lu-er. I'll be back soon."
Finishing, Ye Yuan walked past the guard and stepped onto the Nine Heavens Road.
Stepping onto the first step, the scenery suddenly transformed.
The initially narrow Nine Heavens Road suddenly became a boundless horizon.
Ye Yuan turned around. The road he came from already disappeared, and what replaced it was still endless steps.
The entire strip of Nine Heavens Road had transformed into another world. A world constituted of countless green stone steps.
"Indeed a little interesting! Looks like every man has his edge. Even though the Lower Realms' martial prowess cannot compare to the Divine Realm, they still have undergone countless eons of development and derivation. They are many things aren't present in the Divine Realm. This Nine Heavens Road became an independent world. Looks like the person who set the array already had considerable accomplishments, and this array formation is a unique school of thought. 1 It's a different style from the Divine Realm. Tranquil Cloud Sect can't be underestimated!" Ye Yuan gasped in admiration.
This entire array formation was integrated into a harmonious reality. There were countless illusion arrays and killing arrays mixed into it. Even though its power was inferior to the Divine Realm's arrays, the complexity of this did not pale in the slightest.
"No wonder this Nine Heavens Road is so hard to pass through. If these illusion arrays and killing arrays were activated at full power, killing Crystal Formation Realm martial artists would be like chopping vegetables!" Ye Yuan exclaimed in admiration once more.
"Well, there's not much hope of breaking the array. My strength now is really too poor. Let me test out this Nine Heavens Road's array formations' power!"
After he said this, Ye Yuan strode out with a large step.
The step forward seemed to have activated the arrays. Countless strong gales howled towards Ye Yuan.
These gales were abnormally piercing-cold as if it could annihilate all life on earth. But this world only had Ye Yuan alone, so naturally, he was the target.
"The concept of wind? Looks like this Nine Heavens Road was constructed to help students train. Much thought and care had been expended on this. Except, using this sort training method seems a bit too cruel."
As Ye Yuan sighed admirably, he moved along with the wind. The strong violent gale was actually unable to cause any harm to Ye Yuan whatsoever!
These strong gales were man-made through the creator of the array formations integrating his own understanding of the concept of wind inside it!
After sensing the concept of wind amidst the powerful gales, Ye Yuan knew the intention of the creator of this array. He hoped to let students comprehend the concept of wind inside through these gales.
However, how many people could comprehend the concept of wind at the Essence Qi Realm or the Spirit Condensation Realm?
The way the other students saw it, these powerful gusts existed to hurt people, instead of helping them to understand some profound concept.
If it were another student tackling the Nine Heavens Road, this Strong Gale round would most likely have already exhausted a great deal of essence energy.
They were unable to be so at ease like Ye Yuan. They have to activate their essence energy shields in order to withstand the power of these gales.
Otherwise, these strong gales would be like blades, slicing their body into pieces.
Even Spirit Condensation Realm students would have exhausted enormous amounts of essence energy after making it past this round; let alone those of Essence Qi Realms.
If Essence Qi Realm students used essence energy protection to withstand this round, they would directly lose 30% - 40%, and this was only the first round!
Under this sort of expenditure, if Essence Qi Realms did not die, where could they flee to?
In contrast, Ye Yuan did not even use his essence energy for protection. He simply swayed his body along with the wind force, and the gale wind blades floated past his body easily.
These gales were just like a giant wind blade technique, cutting wantonly in this space; omnidirectional and with no blind angles.
If students did not open their essence energy protection after coming in here, the consequences would be very severe.
As to why Ye Yuan did not use essence energy protection, it was because his comprehension towards the concept of wind was way above these gales.
The concept of wind encompassed within these gale winds, to Ye Yuan, was like a toddler learning how to walk. Wanting to hurt him was naturally hardly possible.
Not to mention that Ye Yuan's Falling Flower Floating Zero Sword technique already encompassed an exceedingly profound concept of wind within.
Except, Ye Yuan's Essence Qi Realm cultivation realm was too low and unable to unleash the true might of the concept of wind; that's all.
Following the increase of his cultivation, the power of the Falling Flower Floating Zero Sword would also become increasingly stronger.
Although Ye Yuan was only at the Essence Qi Realm currently, it was still more than sufficient to evade the attacks of these gale winds.
. . . . . .
Ye Yuan could not see the landscape outside, but the people outside could see Ye Yuan's situation.
To be more precise, they could not see what was happening inside the illusionary world, but they were able to clearly see what Ye Yuan was doing right now.
There were a total of 999 stone steps on the Nine Heavens Road. Right now, Ye Yuan had already walked across more than 20 steps.
It was just that from the perspective of a bystander, Ye Yuan's condition did not seem to be too good.
"What's Ye Yuan doing? He's dangling and swaying about like he's drunk."
"Don't know. Is he being mesmerized by an illusion world?"
"I think so! Look at him swaying around non-stop. Who tackles the Nine Heavens Road like that?"
"En. I heard from some senior apprentice brothers that in the past when those people challenged the Nine Heavens Road, they opened up their essence energy protection right away as if there was something terrifying. But you look at Ye Yuan. He didn't even open anything, but rather, it's like he's drunk. Why is he totally different from how others challenging the Nine Heavens Road?"
"Yeah. According to the seniors' speculations, the first 333 steps of the Nine Heavens Road might be some external force test which is extremely taxing on essence energy. Those who could walk past 333 steps would be completely fatigued. But why is Ye Yuan's perfectly fine? Could it be that what he encountered was different from the seniors?"
"This Ye Yuan is really a wonder. Whatever he does is different from the rest. It's just that if he does this, would he lose his mind within the first 333 steps?"
"I think there's really that possibility!"
"Eh? Look! Ye Yuan seems to have recovered!"
That person fixed his eyes to take a look, and Ye Yuan was indeed no longer behaving like he was drunk. He continued walking up steadily.
One look and onlookers could tell that Ye Yuan should have passed through the first barrier.
"This . . . the first round is completed so effortlessly?" Huyan Yong stared dazedly at Ye Yuan's
figure with a dumbfounded face.
As an instructor in the academy, he knew much more things than the rest of the students! These things were summed up using the experience from students' fresh blood.
The first 333 steps on the Nine Heavens Road, and every 33 steps was a minor barrier.
Although it was unknown what exactly these minor barriers were, regardless of who charged through these minor barriers, it would not be this effortless!
What's more, some Essence Qi Realm students were directly annihilated at the first minor barrier!
But Ye Yuan managed to pass through it just by swaying around like that the entire way!
Chapter 94. Crushing All Resistance |
"Nine Heavens Road, 999 steps. He only crossed 33 steps by luck, the first minor barrier. Each and every one of them is behaving like he already cleared it!"
Su Yubai snorted coldly. Evidently, he was very displeased by everyone's astonishment.
The way he saw it, Ye Yuan only passed the first barrier by luck!
Furthermore, passing the first barrier did not signify anything. Many Essence Qi Realms were able to cross it.
The true terror of the Nine Heavens Road was in the last 333 steps!
"Yeah. One look and you can tell that this Ye Yuan is a slippery punk. He probably excels in exploiting gaps. Most likely he took advantage of some loophole. That's why it was so easy for him." Another elder chimed in.
"Mm. No matter what you say, the Nine Heavens Road is a death zone for Essence Qi Realm. That is the truth that nobody can alter! Looking at the past, the highest record for Essence Qi Realm was at the middle 333 steps. Even if Ye Yuan's incredibly heaven-defying, his limit will at most be at the last 333 steps." Zhang Songtao also agreed.
Unlike the other elders, Ye Yuan's performance gave Huyan Yong and Feng Ruoqing more confidence.
"The most terrifying aspect of these first 333 steps is the exhaustion of essence energy! Spirit Condensation Realms are a little better, but it's very difficult for an Essence Qi Realm's essence energy to sustain till the end. Even if they are lucky enough to bear through it, the middle 333 steps will only get more terrifying than the front part. In the end, they still die. But Ye Yuan didn't even use essence energy protection in the first round. He basically didn't expend much essence energy at all," Huyan Yong said agitatedly.
Ye Yuan can really bring people limitless surprises. Perhaps . . . he might really make it? Feng Ruoqing muttered to herself.
"Tch. That fellow is smelly and hard. It's better if he's dead!" Feng Zhirou recovered her fierce and unreasonable nature.
Feng Ruoqing smiled and said, "If he dies, you can forget about breaking through to the Crystal Formation Realm in this lifetime."
". . . Who cares!" Feng Ruoqing remained stubborn, but her eyes kept following Ye Yuan on the steps.
. . . . . .
The Strong Gale round did not pose much difficulty to Ye Yuan. The instant he crossed the 33rd step and landed on the 34th step, the scenario suddenly transformed once again, becoming a stretch of fiery sea.
The concept of fire!
This was a flame road!
The scorching flames roasted Ye Yuan until he was about to combust, but a cold smile flashed across the corner of Ye Yuan's mouth.
"I wonder what the Spirit Bristle Divine King will feel if he knew that someone was playing with fire in front of his cultivation law!"
Saying this, Ye Yuan revolved the Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art not to activate essence energy protection, but to completely release his aura to let his essence energy erupt out!
Then Ye Yuan made his strides and steadily went up. Where he passed by, the flames automatically retreated!
Playing with the concept of fire in front of the Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art was simply a joke!
The Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art was the supreme fire attribute cultivation law in the Divine Realm. It had virtually reached the limits of the concept of fire!
Back then, the Spirit Bristle Divine King relied on the Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art's ultimate technique, Nine Suns Burning Heaven, and became renown in a single battle! He used the Nine Suns Burning Heaven during that battle, and he directly burnt the numerous Divine Kings attacking him into nothingness. Since then, nobody dared to provoke him.
Even though Ye Yuan's current power was still shallow, it was still not something that a Lower Realm mortal flame could compare to.
This was like a young, juvenile dragon. No matter how little he was, he would still be the king of all beasts. All laid dormant where he passed!
Ye Yuan continued forward steadily as the flames around him automatically gave him a wide berth.
Just like that, Ye Yuan passed through the second round, Flame Sea, with unbelievable speed.
Ye Yuan had to waste around an incense of time to avoid the strong gales in order to pass the first round.
As for this second round, Ye Yuan passed it in a blink of an eye.
Third round, Arctic World!
This was a world of ice and snow, and it was extremely cold.
Yet, this sort of cold seemed to be unable to pose any form of threat in front of Ye Yuan's Spirit Bristle Nine Yang Divine Art.
Ye Yuan immediately cleared it once again!
In a blink of an eye, Ye Yuan crossed 99 steps!
Next was the fourth round, Gravity World. Fifth round, Thick Earth World. Sixth round, Water World . . . All the way until the tenth world, Ye Yuan came all the way here unimpeded.
Ye Yuan's realm was much higher than the creator of these arrays. These barriers were simply unable to cause any great difficulty for him. He did not even expend much essence energy.
"I wonder who from the Tranquil Cloud Sect created these arrays. They actually integrated metal, wood, water, fire, and earth; these concepts of five elements as well as the other five types of concepts derived from them. Truly a genius! I wonder what happened to this person afterward. Did he ascend to the Divine Realm? I've never heard of such an array formations genius before in the Divine Realm. Could it be that he had long fallen?" Ye Yuan was overcome with emotion.
The world of martial artists was filled with countless dangers. Aside from the dangers on the road of cultivation, what was even scarier was the human heart.
Since ancient times, regardless of whether it was the Divine Realm or the Lower Realms, geniuses were as abundant as the hair on an ox. However, only a remarkable handful was able to truly mature.
Which of the figures standing at the pinnacle of the Divine Realm did not tread over countless corpses of geniuses to attain their current position?
Even a peerless genius like Qingyun Zi plummeted after being harmed while in the process of maturing; let alone the others.
. . . . . .
Ye Yuan's speed of clearing the rounds caused a huge uproar in the outside world!
He was too fast!
From the first step to crossing the first 333 steps, Ye Yuan spent less than two hours. This was simply too harrowing!
One student rubbed his eyes and asked in disbelief, "Do I have something wrong with my eyes? Since when did this Nine Heavens Road become so easy to pass?"
"Does your brain have holes? Why don't you try it, if it is easy to cross! I think you won't even know how you die!"
"But Ye Yuan is only at the Sixth Level Essence Qi Realm. How could he possibly be this fast?"
"I heard that this Nine Heavens Road is not a place that tests strength solely. What the test placed emphasis on, is potential! Looking from that perspective, this Ye Yuan's talent is truly so monstrous that it's inconceivable! But I don't know if he can cross the later 666 steps or not."
"Maybe he can really cross it?"
The two exchanged glances. They were both frightened by this thought!
Sixth Level Essence Qi Realm passing the Nine Heavens Road?
This was impossible! Absolutely impossible! The Nine Heavens Road was a forbidden ground for Essence Qi Realm martia
l artists!
They did not know why either, but once this thought arose, it was like a seed, buried at the bottom of their hearts. It grew roots and sprouted, and it could no longer be stopped!
On the other hand, when Ye Yuan passed the first 333 steps, Su Yubai jumped to his feet. He looked at Ye Yuan who was halfway up the mountain similarly with incredulity.
One could not blame him for being so shocked. Ye Yuan's speed in passing the rounds was too quick!
He crushed all resistance along the way without any delay!
There were only that few students who passed through the Nine Heavens Road. Their performance was not kept a secret. As the Disciplinary Hall's First Elder, Su Yubai was naturally very clear on that!
However, nobody among those who challenged the road had Ye Yuan's crossing speed, including those Spirit Condensation Realm students who passed!
Even the Mo Yuntian who was brimming with talent spent an entire day to pass the first 333 steps!
But Ye Yuan only took two hours!
Doesn't that mean that the degree of Ye Yuan's genius was several times, even tens of times that of Mo Yuntian's?
Su Yubai did not dare nor was he willing to believe this thought!
Chapter 95. Long Tang's Transformation |
"Huuu . . . I really don't know what to say about this Ye Yuan. Other people are filled with fear and trepidation before challenging the Nine Heavens Road, and he cleared it so effortlessly. Is there nothing that can stump him?"
Zuo Bugui looked at Ye Yuan halfway up the mountain and was likewise completely stunned.
The shocks that Ye Yuan brought him these few days was simply too many.
Jumping ranks and killing Fei Qingping. Consecutively breaking through five realms within a month. Becoming an Alchemy Master with a Fourth Level Essence Qi Realm cultivation. Leaping across a major realm to kill Lin Tiancheng. Each one of these matters, when placed on a single individual, was an impossible task.
But Ye Yuan did them all!
Now, was Ye Yuan going to clear the Nine Heavens Road, which no Essence Qi Realm had ever passed through before? This was also simply inconceivable!