by Feng Yise
Why should we rejoice over life, and why should we be bitter about death?
The road of a powerhouse was filled densely with thorns. Even if one did not go and challenge the Nine Heavens Road, there might still be an Eight Heavens Road, Ten Heavens Road.
A person could hide for a moment, but could he hide for a lifetime?
Only by braving forward could one trample all these ups and downs underfoot. Only by continually surpassing oneself could there be a possibility to truly look down on all life under the heavens!
Pursuing good fortune and avoiding disasters were the primal instinct of men. But if martial artists did not sever these instincts, how could they talk about being an expert?
Long Tang could see from Zuo Bugui's eyes that he simply did not dare to give birth to the thought of challenging the Nine Heavens Road. Hence, he said that they were not from the same world.
Long Tang was destined to walk out of the State of Qin; a person who would walk unparalleled throughout the entire Endless World.
But Zuo Bugui was only an expert in the State of Qin. Even if he forced himself to the limits, he would only be an expert in the Tranquil Cloud Sect.
Chapter 96 - Illusionary Realm
Everybody was focused on Ye Yuan, so naturally, no one noticed the transformation which suddenly took place in Long Tang's body. Except for Zuo Bugui.
But even Zuo Bugui could not imagine just what kind of change Long Tang's transformation brought him.
It was until many years later, Zuo Bugui then heard that Long Tang's martial prowess broke the void, and he ascended to the Divine Realm with the status of the strongest expert in the Endless World. At that time, he finally understood what these words meant back during the days of the State of Qin.
Of course, this was all later on in the future.
Just as Long Tang was conversing with Zuo Bugui, another commotion sprung out from the crowd again.
"Quickly look! Ye Yuan stopped advancing!"
"Yeah. He stopped at the 338th step. It's only been five steps!"
"He scared me to death! I thought that he would continue forth with an indomitable force."
"Are you dumb? This is the Nine Heavens Road, hailed as the death zone for all Essence Qi Realms. How could he possibly continue forth without any resistance? The true difficulty of the Nine Heavens Road starts from the middle 333 steps stage. The vast majority of those Essence Qi Realms who came to challenge the Nine Heavens Road fell at this juncture! How could Ye Yuan possibly fall to the first stage with how monstrous he is?"
"So that's the case! His crossing speed just now was too frightening. It quickly swept me up. Hur hur. Then do you think Ye Yuan can make it through?"
"Absolutely not! If Ye Yuan were at half-step Spirit Condensation Realm, I would feel that he might make it through. But he's only at the Sixth Level Essence Qi Realm! The scariest part of the Nine Heavens Road is still the final 333 steps!"
Just as Ye Yuan landed on the fifth step of the second stage on the Nine Heavens Road, his fierce momentum finally halted.
This action naturally drew everyone's attention. The crowd started clamoring.
The people who were initially stunned by Ye Yuan's advancing momentum suddenly came to a realization at this moment.
This was the death zone for all Essence Qi Realms, Nine Heavens Road! How could it be possible to pass through it smoothly without problems?
When Su Yubai saw this scene, his initial shock turned into wild ecstasy.
"I've long said that he can't possibly pass through! A tiny little Sixth Level Essence Qi Realm dares to tackle the Nine Heavens Road? Conceited! Seeking his own destruction!"
Even though he was filled with wild joy, Su Yubai obviously would not be stupid enough to show it on his face. However, he did not hold back his words at all.
Everybody knew that he wanted to eliminate Ye Yuan anyway, so he naturally had no need to pretend to be some hypocritical good person.
"What Elder Su said is right. This Ye Yuan would rather challenge the Nine Heavens Road than come to the elder's meeting. This is slighting us all! Such an impertinent brat! The way I see it, there's nothing to regret over his death!" an elder echoed.
"Elder Lin's words are unreasonable. Challenging the Nine Heavens Road is the right of every student. Once you pass the Nine Heavens Road, you would enjoy the special privilege of the high sect's core disciple. This was set by the high sect. No matter how powerful the Elders Council is, it's not greater than the high sect's rules, right?" Hu Changsheng raised his eyelids and said coolly.
Like everybody else, Hu Changsheng was also astonished by Ye Yuan's performance. It was just that he did not show it. He kept both eyes lightly closed like an old monk in meditation.
However, Hu Changsheng's talent loving heart was stirred, and he felt great pity for Ye Yuan.
Such a genius might be able to pass the Heaven Rank Advancement test in the future and become the Tranquil Cloud Sect's inner disciple. He might even yield brilliant results in the Ten Nation's Grand Competition and be chosen as a core disciple of the Tranquil Cloud Sect!
But now, Ye Yuan was going to fall on the Nine Heavens Road. How could that not make people sigh regretfully?
And what caused this sort of tragedy to happen was precisely these few so-called elders in front of his eyes who were playing politics!
How could this not make him displeased?
Hence, Hu Changsheng who was always a nice person finally blew his top!
Yes. Even with Ye Yuan's spectacular performance, Hu Changsheng did not think that Ye Yuan could pass through the Nine Heavens Road!
As the deputy dean, he naturally understood much more than the students. The further one went along the Nine Heavens Road, the more challenging it became. Especially at the last 333 steps, the difficulty basically reached an extreme level.
It was impossible for Ye Yuan to pass it with his current realm!
Hu Changsheng's words left that elder who was surnamed Lin dumbfounded. What could he say? That he was bigger than the Tranquil Cloud Sect? Was that not seeking death?
. . . . . .
Presently, Ye Yuan was already on an illusionary trip. He was currently in the pill refinement room at the Divine Realm's Medicine King's Hall.
A pill refinement room so vast that it could be a training room for martial arts, tens of times greater than Feng Ruoqing's refinement room. It could be called extravagant!
Ye Yuan would treat other aspects of himself shabbily with the sole exception of this pill refinement room and things related to it. No matter what he would not treat himself badly or underperform on this aspect.
Because the Alchemy God realm was his life-long goal!
Limitless Cauldron, one of the best pill cauldrons in the Divine Realm. It was formerly Ye Yuan's greatest love.
Apart from that, various pill refining tools and herbal ingredients were all here. Everything here was so familiar.
Ye Yuan spent over 300 years in this pill refinement room!
To Ye Yuan, he was even more familiar with this refinement room than his bedchamber.
There were no mirrors in his pill refinement room, but Ye Yuan knew that he definitely recovered his previous life's appearance.
"Appearance is born from the heart. This illusionary realm is seriously realistic. It can actually completely dig out the things buried within my heart so thoroughly! Even though I know it's an illusionary realm, I still don't wish to wake up!" Ye Yuan sighed emotionally.
After Ye Yuan entered the Nine Heavens Road's second stage, he suddenly felt his head was incomparably heavy. After a bout of dizziness, he appeared in his former refinement room.
Ye Yuan already confirmed that he entered an illusionary realm nearly straightaway.
Illusionary realms might look completely harmless, but it was extremely dangerous. Those students who went insane after challenging the Nine Heavens Road basically lost themselves after failing this second stage.
The av
erage person who ventured deep into an illusionary world would often unable to extricate themselves out from it. They would be swept inside instantly, and finally, lose themselves inside it.
Only someone with a firm heart could free themselves from the illusion world and return to reality. However, this process was tremendously arduous. Even Mo Yuntian who was so powerful back then spent several days before he could awaken.
To talk about a firm heart, the previous life's Qingyun Zi was not that powerful either.
However, he had changed dramatically today and became countless times more m.a.t.u.r.e than the previous life's Qingyun Zi in terms of mentality. In addition, his heart for vengeance was incomparably firm. How could ordinary illusionary worlds mesmerize him?
Without talking about how Ye Yuan himself was a great array master, even if his strength today was lacking and unable to break the array, it was still insanely difficult for illusion arrays to make him fall for them.
No matter how powerful this Nine Heavens Road was, it was nothing but an array formation from the Lower Realms. It was still considered as nothing in Ye Yuan's eyes.
This was also his greatest reliance to dare to tackle the Nine Heavens Road!
Except, seeing through the illusion world did not mean being able to break the illusion world, and it also did not mean willingness to break the illusion world.
This Nine Heavens Road was extremely remarkable, to directly look at the human heart.
Even somebody like Ye Yuan was unwilling to leave just like that after seeing this place filled with cherished memories.
These things had accompanied Ye Yuan for 300 years!
Every blade of grass and every tree was filled with feelings!
With a casual wave, the Limitless Cauldron turned into a remarkably small and exquisite pill cauldron in Ye Yuan's hand. The feeling when his fingers came into contact with the Limitless Cauldron was exactly the same as back then.
Of course it would be exactly the same. Because this illusionary realm was birthed from his inner thoughts!
"If time could rewind, how great would that be . . ." Ye Yuan was overcome with emotion.
Chapter 97 - Heart Realm!
Dong dong dong!
Just as Ye Yuan was lost in his emotions, a knocking sound came from outside the door.
"Are you in there, Yun-er?"
That familiar yet foreign voice sounded out from outside the door. Ye Yuan could never forget this voice even if he turned to ashes. Because it was the voice belonging to his father, Ji Zhengyang.
Zhengyang Zi and Qingyun Zi were only Dao-titles that the outside world dedicated to them. Qingyun Zi and his father were originally surnamed Ji.
In the Divine Realm, any alchemist who reached the realm of Alchemy Emperor would be addressed respectfully with 'Zi.' Directly calling an Alchemy Emperor with his name was a great disrespect and could very well anger the Alchemy Emperor.
And the vastness of an Alchemy Emperor's network was unimaginable to the average person!
Even though he was clearly aware that he was currently inside an illusionary realm, Ye Yuan still shuddered uncontrollably.
Casually firing out a spell, the door to the pill refinement room automatically opened revealing Ji Zhengyang's figure.
Seeing this familiar figure once again, Ye Yuan's eyes immediately became moist.
Ji Zhengyang entered with a faint smile. When he saw Ye Yuan's wet eyes, he could not help but be surprised. "Why is your face covered in tears, Yun-er?"
Ye Yuan who had transformed into Ji Qingyun was fully aware that this was inside an illusionary realm, but he still could not resist explaining.
"Father, when Yun-er was preparing the herbs just now, I used the Melancholy Gathering Grass and accidentally got the fumes in my eyes. That's why I'm like this."
Melancholy Gathering Grass was a ninth rank herb with extremely powerful stimulating effects. Even with Ji Qingyun's status as an Alchemy Emperor, if he got the fumes in his eyes, he would also cry nonstop.
Ye Yuan did not know why he would inexplicably come up with a white lie even though he knew perfectly well that the Ji Zhengyang in front of his eyes did not exist.
As expected, Ji Zhengyang laughed when he heard it. "Yun-er is overly careless. Even father dares not to overlook this Melancholy Gathering Grass. How could you be so careless?"
Ye Yuan quietly received this teaching. "Father is right. Yun-er will be more careful next time."
Ji Zhengyang let out a sigh and said, "Oh Yun-er . . . Father knows that you are infatuated with the Alchemy Dao, but there isn't only the Alchemy Dao in this world. Cooping yourself up in a pill refinement room all the time will do you no good!"
Ye Yuan once again replied respectfully, "Don't worry, Father. Yun-er knows when to stop."
Ji Zhengyang shook his head and said, "You, oh you. What do you want me to say about you? The Alchemy Dao is boundless and everlasting. Even if we pour our entire lives into it, it would be hard to even glimpse a ten-thousandth of it. Even if you really stepped into the Deity Realm in the future and become an Alchemy God, it is but another beginning. When alive, one has to take note of many other things. You will see that the vastness of this world far exceeds your imagination when you step outside of the pill refinement room. You should learn more from your senior apprentice brother about this point."
Ye Yuan's face changed upon mentioning his senior apprentice brother. The killing intent in his heart unconsciously welled up but was quickly pressed down.
The current Ye Yuan could not be compared to the past. If he did not even have this bit of shrewdness, how could he talk about revenge?
One had to know that what he was worse off than his senior apprentice brother was not limited to cultivation realm, but instead, he fell behind in all aspects!
And wasn't this illusionary realm an excellent place for Ye Yuan to temper his heart realm?
Although he knew that this illusion array was automatically activated, and nobody knew what was happening inside, Ye Yuan still did not wish to expose these things that were buried in the innermost part of his heart.
Firstly, it was to temper his heart realm. Secondly, it was to prepare for all contingencies.
After all, his origin was simply overly startling. If it was leaked, it might be hard to not arouse some big trouble.
And Ye Yuan's current strength was far from being able to protect himself.
However, Ji Zhengyang apparently seemed to have discovered Ye Yuan's flash of killing intent and was very puzzled.
"What's wrong? You had a conflict with your senior apprentice brother?"
Ye Yuan smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, father. It's just a small spat. It will be fine after this period of time."
Ji Zhengyang then smiled and said, "So that's the case. Then it's fine. A peaceful family will prosper. Small fights and arguments are fine, but if you two brothers turn on each other, this Medicine King Hall will decline sooner or later."
Ye Yuan secretly sighed. This was more than just turning on each other!
This scoundrel killed the master who imparted to him all his abilities and raised him for several hundred years. He even murdered his master's only son!
Such an unfilial son could not be tolerated by heaven and earth!
Ji Canglan!
When I return to the Divine Realm someday, I will definitely grind your bones to dust! '
"I will. I wonder why Father came to look for this child?"
Although the killing intent in his heart was billowing to the skies, Ye Yuan did not let out the slightest bit.
Ye Yuan knew that he seemed to have broken through in terms of his heart realm.
After hearing that, Ji Zhengyang smacked his own head and smiled wryly. "You see, I'm already old and muddle-headed. I forgot about the proper business after talking to you. Father has refined a half-step divine pill and was about to convene a Pill Appreciation Grand Assembly. When visitors from all around come to congratulate a few days later
, you and your senior apprentice brother shall arrange all the matters. Don't treat the guests discourteously."
Hearing this, Ye Yuan's entire body trembled!
Just now, he was immersed in past events and completely did not think about what time the illusionary realm brought him to.
Only now that Ji Zhengyang mentioned it did Ye Yuan suddenly awakened. This so-called Pill Appreciation Grand Assembly was precisely when Ji Canglan revealed his fangs!
What Pill Appreciation Grand Assembly was this? This was simply a Father and Brother Killing Grand Assembly!
The so-called visitors from all around were also single-handedly arranged by Ji Canglan.
He really did not know how Ji Canglan operated over these few years to suddenly bring over dozens of Divine Kings. With the inside colluding with the outside, they swiftly brought down the Medicine King Hall!
The Medicine King Hall was also a top-tier power in the Divine Realm. Just the Divine Kings under Zhengyang Zi's command numbered over a dozen. But Ji Canglan had handled everything for several hundred years, causing the Medicine King Hall to fall apart immediately.
Ji Qingyun was oblivious to the outside world, so he was hoodwinked by everything that happened. Even after he reincarnated today, he still could not understand just how Ji Canglan did all those things under the eyes of the father-son pair.
When he closed his eyes to await death, he was seized with remorse over his usual indifference. But it was already too late for regrets. Ji Zhengyang was dead and his Dao dissipated!
Hence, the purpose of Ye Yuan's existence in this life was to do two things!
The first thing was to personally kill Ji Canglan and avenge this immense hatred. The second was to figure out just what force was supporting Ji Canglan from behind!
Ye Yuan believed that Ji Canglan would undoubtedly be unable to do this alone.
Wishing to overturn a colossal bring such as the Medicine King Hall? The force behind Ji Canglan must surely be powerful to the point it terrifies people at the sight of it.
But so what?
If he could not take revenge for Father, then what was the point of him, Ji Qingyun reincarnating?