by Feng Yise
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 relationsh.i.p.s 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 Yua
n, 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 s.u.c.k.e.d 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.
To make the guardian of the stage invoke the array at full power, Ye Yuan was probably unprecedented and unrepeatable.
At the foot of the mountain, many students were forced back by the raging sword intent. The initially packed plaza was currently split into multiple segments.
The front rows were mainly Spirit Condensation Realm students. They were still able to withstand the encroachment of the sword intent.
Behind them was a vast stretch of empty space, and behind the empty space were those Earth Rank students. Those even further out at the periphery were students with inadequate strength.
Ye Yuan who was residing at the heart of the storm, on the other hand, did not show the slightest signs of discomfort towards the violent sword intent. He stood with his hands behind his back while the fierce wind worked up by the sword intent tore his clothes. But Ye Yuan himself remained completely unmoved like a pine tree.
But at this moment, Ye Yuan's disposition was drastically different from usual. It was as if his entire being had transformed into a sharp sword, and he was resonating with those raging sword intents.
" Mm? You actually have your own sword intent as well!" Seeing the situation, Lu Yan was completely taken aback, as his voice transmitted from the void.
"This Junior was lucky to have comprehended some sword intent. Compared to Senior You Wuya's sword intent, it's still far from it. It's just able to forcefully protect myself."
Ye Yuan was just being modest. How could his Falling Flower Floating Zero Sword Intent possibly be inferior to You Wuya's?
Except, Ye Yuan's current cultivation realm was not high, and he himself also had the intention of restraining his sword intent to protect his body. That was why he did not unleash it around.
But in terms of the sword intent's level, You Wuya was just a Lower Realm expert back then. How could he possibly be mentioned in the same breath with Ye Yuan?
One had to know that when Ye Yuan created the Falling Flower Floating Zero Sword, even the Extreme Sword Divine King could not stop praising it!
"Alright. Since that's the case, you have to be careful! I'm going to attack now!" Lu Yan's voice transmitted over.
Ye Yuan replied indifferently, "Feel free to attack, Senior!"
Then Ye Yuan trod across the steps while braving the sword shadows filling the skies.
One step, second step, third step . . .
Ye Yuan walked all the way for 30 steps, yet the azure sword shadows which filled the skies did not descend from start to the end. It just kept acc.u.mulating more and more.
It was evident that Lu Yan had already pushed the quantity of these azure sword shadows to the limits, all for the final 33 steps where the attack would begin to land.
Under so many sword shadows' descend, even steel would also be shredded to rotten mud.
These sword shadows were formed by sword intent. Under the influence of Lu Yan, the killing power would be extremely bloodcurdling.
The students who challenged the stage in the past, including Mo Yuntian, all faced almost certain death under these sword shadows.
But the sword shadows that Ye Yuan was facing currently were several times, even dozens of times greater than what the others had experienced! Even if a Spirit Condensation Realm came to the third stage, it would be tough to say whether or not they would be able to retreat fully!
But Ye Yuan was presently behaving like nothing was wrong, and he strode out to the first of the 33 steps without hesitation!
As expected, the sky full of sword shadows stabbed towards Ye Yuan like raindrops and looked like it was about to pierce Ye Yuan full of holes like a beehive.
Right at that moment, Ye Yuan wielded his fingers like a sword and pointed to those sword shadows. A streak of faintly discernable sword qi shot towards those sword shadows.
The imperceptible sword qi was engulfed instantly!
Ye Yuan did not seem to give up resisting. His sword fingers drew a half-arc in midair and finally pointed to his right.
At the next moment, an unimaginable scene occurred!
The sword rain which obscured the skies actually collectively flew out to the right of Ye Yuan in front of that arc Ye Yuan drew before him and vanished entirely into the void!
"What? Yo– How did you do that?" From the void came Lu Yan's alarmed voice.
Ye Yuan smiled and said, "Senior, this Junior has some understanding in the application of sword intent. These sword intents might appear to be extrem
ely powerful, but in reality, they are just rootless grass. scattered and not condensed. I used sword intent to tow them, so they would naturally deviate off course. This is an artful way of using a weaker force to deal with a greater force."
"Sss . . . Have some . . . understanding?" Lu Yan muttered to himself.
This sort of thing was easy to say, but to actually do it was extremely difficult!
Forget about 'some knowledge' towards sword intent, it would be incredibly arduous for even those who 'understood sword intent very well' to do this!
Lu Yan spent his entire life immersed in the Azure Dipper Purple Yang Sword Art, and he had remarkably profound understanding towards sword intent. But if he were the one just now, he might perhaps be able to do it, but he definitely could not do it like how Ye Yuan lifted a heavy object as if it was light!
Only now did Lu Yan knew just how exaggerated Ye Yuan's 'some understanding' was.
But this way, Lu Yan could finally put his heart completely at ease. He could also totally unleash the array formations at the back now. The greater Ye Yuan's strength was, the higher the hopes of the Tranquil Cloud Sect returning to the Northern Domain!
The second of the 33 steps, the quantity of the sword intent decreased to a thousand.
This time around, Ye Yuan used two fingers before he could draw the sword intent away.
The third of the 33 steps, the quantity of the sword intent decreased by another ten times. There were only a hundred!
This time around, Ye Yuan unleashed five fingers!
. . . . . .
The number of sword intents of the Azure Dipper Purple Yang Sword Art became increasingly lesser, while the number of fingers Ye Yuan used progressively increased.
It was very clear that while the number of sword intents lessened, the power was multiple times greater than before!
"The Azure Dipper Purple Yang Sword Art truly lives up to its reputation. To have such incredible power! The attack of my Falling Flower Floating Zero Sword is lacking, but it has no flaws to be exploited when using it for defense. Even so, this one hundred sword intents could actually force me to use five fingers. Truly impressive!" Ye Yuan was also full of praise in his heart.