Chapter 101: The Former Hall Master of the Martial Hall

After that, Ye Yuan ascended the remaining steps with the ease of a leisurely stroll.

Having reached the state of心如止水 (a calm, unruffled mind), the illusions of the Nine Heavens Path were now virtually nonexistent to him.

He climbed step by step, steady and firm, and in an instant traversed the entire second stage.

Su Yubai watched this scene, his face as calm as water.

This was already the second time he had sentenced Ye Yuan to death, yet Ye Yuan had come back to life again.

Not only had he come back to life, but he was living even more prosperously!

He now didn't know whether to leave or stay, standing there in great embarrassment.

He was unwilling to leave; without seeing with his own eyes Ye Yuan being destroyed by the Nine Heavens Path, he would not rest easy even after returning.

But if he didn't leave, he had already stepped out of the pavilion. Could he go back and sit down to comment and criticize?

He couldn't afford to lose face!

Su Yubai's face changed color several times, but in the end, he flicked his sleeves and left.

Those few elders actually wanted very much to see whether Ye Yuan could successfully pass the trial; this was a historic moment!

However, seeing Su Yubai leave, they naturally couldn't go back and sit down again, so they had to follow him away.

On the other side, Zuo Bugui watched Ye Yuan's steady steps and couldn't help swallowing.

To actually break through in such a manner on the Nine Heavens Path—he really didn't know how to describe Ye Yuan anymore.

Just then, Long Tang suddenly turned around and prepared to leave. Zuo Bugui was startled and quickly asked, "Old Long, aren't you watching anymore?"

Long Tang didn't stop walking, only waved his hand behind his back at Zuo Bugui: "The outcome is already decided; there's nothing worth watching. I'm going to prepare; next is my turn!"

With that, Long Tang walked away directly.

"The outcome is already decided?" Zuo Bugui repeated, muttering to himself: "Is he so sure Ye Yuan can pass? Even if he has broken through to the Ninth Level of Yuan Qi, he's still only in the Yuan Qi Realm. The last three hundred and thirty-three steps are the most difficult part of the path. Can someone in the Yuan Qi Realm pass through?"

Naturally, no one answered him; the only answer was Long Tang's steady footsteps.

...

Stepping onto the six hundred and sixty-seventh step, the illusions before Ye Yuan's eyes instantly vanished, and the Nine Heavens Path returned to its original appearance—a staircase reaching to the heavens!

This time, an old man in a blue robe appeared before Ye Yuan, with a kind and benevolent expression, exuding the demeanor of a master.

"Young man, being able to reach here shows that you are a person of extraordinary talent. However, this third trial is the most difficult of the entire Nine Heavens Path. Are you prepared?"

Seeing Ye Yuan, the old man actually spoke; he had his own consciousness!

But Ye Yuan, at the first glance of the old man, saw through his true nature, so he wasn't too alarmed.

"To have left a wisp of divine sense on the Nine Heavens Path, could it be that this path was created by you, senior?" Ye Yuan didn't answer the old man's question but asked instead.

Hearing Ye Yuan's question, the old man was surprised and said, "You can see through my true nature? Strange, strange! Judging by your bone age, you're only fifteen or sixteen, yet you have such insight! However, this Nine Revolutions Chaos Heaven Array was not created by me, but by the founding patriarch of our Youyun Sect, You Wuya! I, an old man, was nearing the end of my lifespan, so I voluntarily split a wisp of my divine sense into the Nine Heavens Path to preside over the third trial!"

The blue-robed old man stroked his beard and smiled, his face showing a look of longing, clearly full of admiration for You Wuya.

Ye Yuan suddenly understood, finally learning the origin of the Nine Heavens Path—it was created by You Wuya, the founding patriarch of the Youyun Sect!

From this, it seemed that You Wuya must have been a person of extraordinary brilliance.

Others might not understand, but Ye Yuan could see that this Nine Revolutions Chaos Heaven Array adopted the number nine times nine, subtly aligning with the Heavenly Dao, and was not something an ordinary person could create!

Moreover, Ye Yuan could also tell that the power of this Nine Revolutions Chaos Heaven Array was far more than this. What was arranged on the Nine Heavens Peak was merely a simplified version of the grand array.

The Danwu Academy was only an outer dojo of the Youyun Sect; how could the Youyun Sect set up the complete version of the array here?

Nevertheless, even the simplified version, this Nine Revolutions Chaos Heaven Array was a very remarkable formation.

"So it was created by Patriarch You. No wonder it has such power!" Ye Yuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Hmm? You have comprehended the state of心如止水?"

The old man took a closer look at Ye Yuan and was greatly surprised. Ye Yuan's state of mind was calm and peaceful, like an ancient well without ripples, clearly a sign of having comprehended心如止水.

Having voluntarily guarded the trial, the old man naturally knew the array well. He knew that the second trial incorporated the essence of心如止水, but he never expected it to be comprehended by a fifteen-year-old child!

Ye Yuan smiled slightly and said, "I was fortunate enough to comprehend it."

The blue-robed old man then carefully examined Ye Yuan, and then said with some excitement, "Good! Good! Good! Truly, each generation produces its own talents; Heaven blesses our Youyun Sect! With talent like this, our Youyun Sect will surely revive one day! We have been guarding this corner for over a thousand years, and finally, we see hope! Young man, tell me your name quickly."

"This junior's name is Ye Yuan. May I ask your esteemed name, senior?" Ye Yuan said respectfully.

For someone who sacrificed himself for the development of the sect, Ye Yuan held great reverence in his heart.

After all, this old man had little lifespan left at the time, and splitting his divine sense to preside over the array would further shorten his remaining years.

Such a selfless person—what reason did he have not to respect him?

"Ye Yuan? Good, good. I am Lu Yan, the thirty-fifth generation Hall Master of the Martial Hall of the Youyun Sect!"

"So you are the Hall Master of the Martial Hall. This junior pays his respects." Ye Yuan bowed respectfully.

"Haha, rise, rise. I am already a dead man; why bother with these empty formalities? I have presided over this array for over a hundred years, and my divine sense will soon be exhausted. To meet a peerless genius like you before I fade away, I can die without regret!"

Divine sense, through special means, can indeed last for a considerable time, but it will eventually dissipate.

Lu Yan's divine sense could last at most another ten years, after which it would completely vanish from this world.

A former strong man returning to dust—this was Lu Yan's desolation, and also the desolation of all martial artists.

Even a peerless divine king cannot withstand the ravages of time.

However, Lu Yan was clearly a person of broad-mindedness, having long taken life and death lightly.

"I have presided over the Nine Revolutions Chaos Heaven Array for nearly two hundred years, and I have encountered only a dozen or so disciples. Only that young man named Mo Yuntian from a few years ago left some impression on me, but compared to you, he is far inferior!"

"Senior flatters me." Ye Yuan naturally would not act arrogantly before Lu Yan.

Although Lu Yan had only presided over the array for nearly two hundred years, he was naturally very familiar with the situation of the Nine Heavens Path.

Those so-called geniuses were, in his eyes, not even worth mentioning.

If they couldn't even pass the three trials, how could they be called geniuses?

What the Youyun Sect needed was not such geniuses, but geniuses who could lead the sect to revitalize!

That was the meaning of the Nine Heavens Path's existence!

Although Mo Yuntian had passed the Nine Heavens Path, it was only by luck.

The states of心如止水 and this third trial were the true essence of the Nine Heavens Path!

Otherwise, why would they sacrifice the lifespan of a Martial Hall Master to preside over the array?

"Young man, can you promise me one thing?" Lu Yan suddenly spoke.