Chapter 89: The Nine Heavens Path

A moment ago, Ye Yuan was righteous and awe-inspiring, full of pride, boasting that he would take someone's head.

Now he was hiding behind a woman, utterly shameless.

But this trick really worked.

No matter how furious Su Yubai was, he dared not strike at Feng Ruoqing!

Ye Yuan had long seen this, which also made him curious about Feng Ruoqing's identity—she was definitely not just an ordinary instructor.

Yet Ye Yuan searched his mind and could not think of any great family in the Qin Kingdom with the surname Feng.

"Teacher Feng, I want to go to the议事堂 myself. Is that okay?" Ye Yuan said with a brazen face.

Feng Ruoqing sighed and slowly nodded.

Although Feng Ruoqing was gentle and charming, she had an innate royal arrogance, yet for some reason she could not refuse this young man before her.

Su Yubai had suffered one setback after another and no longer wanted to lose face in front of everyone.

He snorted coldly and turned to leave.

Surely they wouldn't dare not go to the议事堂!

After Su Yubai left, Ye Yuan bowed deeply to Hu Yan Yong: "Thank you, Teacher Hu Yan, for saving my life!"

Hu Yan Yong waved his hand dismissively: "No need to thank me. Thank the dean instead. Before he left, he specifically instructed me to take good care of you and not let anything go wrong."

Ye Yuan was taken aback, finding it strange that the dean he had never met would do this.

"Actually, strictly speaking, you saved yourself," Feng Ruoqing suddenly spoke.

"Oh? How so?"

"I told the dean about your performance in the alchemist assessment. The dean took a liking to your talent and sent Teacher Hu Yan to protect you," Feng Ruoqing explained.

Ye Yuan suddenly understood, but he did not quite agree with Feng Ruoqing's view.

Saved is saved; he owed a huge debt of gratitude!

Ye Yuan was not an ungrateful person; he would surely repay this kindness.

"Teacher Hu Yan, once I break through to the Liquid Realm, I will repay today's kindness a hundredfold!"

Ye Yuan made a promise that seemed far off, but Hu Yan Yong could feel his sincerity.

Yet he did not know how heavy this promise truly was!

Jiang Yunhe had only told him to protect Ye Yuan before leaving, not knowing the reason, thinking Jiang Yunhe had changed his mind.

"No need for that. I didn't do this for any reward. This ordeal isn't over yet; it seems Su Yubai still wants you dead!" Hu Yan Yong dismissed Ye Yuan's words of gratitude.

Feng Ruoqing, however, vaguely guessed something and her eyes lit up, but she did not say anything.

She couldn't help but look forward to seeing what level Ye Yuan's alchemy would reach after he broke through to the Liquid Realm.

"Ye Yuan, from Su Yubai's attitude just now, he intends to settle this matter in the长老会. You'd better be careful. Once the长老会 decides to execute you immediately, we cannot disobey," Feng Ruoqing said with a frown.

"Is the长老会 that powerful? Teacher Feng, didn't you say there were exceptions? How did he escape death?"

"You mean Mo Yuntian? He escaped punishment, but it was a narrow escape!" Hu Yan Yong interjected.

"Oh? Teacher Hu Yan, could you enlighten me?"

Hu Yan Yong shook his head: "You can't walk Mo Yuntian's path. Give it up! The only way now is to stall for time in the长老会 until the dean returns!"

The more Hu Yan Yong refused to say, the more curious Ye Yuan became.

Since Hu Yan Yong wouldn't say, he turned to Feng Ruoqing: "What's the story behind this?"

Feng Ruoqing hesitated for a moment, then said: "Mo Yuntian was the top of the martial rankings at the academy, at the fourth level of the Liquid Realm! When he entered, his close brother couldn't keep up with his pace and was still a Mystic-level disciple. At that time, a steward disciple from the杂事处 didn't know their relationship and harassed Mo Yuntian's brother repeatedly, eventually crippling him. In a rage, Mo Yuntian killed that steward disciple!"

Ye Yuan sneered: "The杂事处 really is a gathering place for talent, a place of 'fine' tradition!"

Feng Ruoqing sighed: "The Danwu Academy has too many people; using disciples to manage disciples is a necessary evil. Instructors not only teach but also cultivate themselves. If they are burdened with too many chores, it hinders their training. So the杂事处 has always been a place of great power, naturally breeding these arrogant disciples."

Ye Yuan nodded in understanding. Instructors were also martial artists pursuing the ultimate path; they naturally wouldn't want to be distracted by mundane affairs.

Letting less talented disciples manage the others, allowing true geniuses time to cultivate—that was the right way.

"What happened next?"

"Later, Mo Yuntian didn't wait for the academy's judgment. He went alone to the Nine Heavens Peak in the back mountain, embarked on the life-or-death Nine Heavens Path, and made it through! But the Nine Heavens Path is definitely not something you can conquer now!" Hu Yan Yong interjected.

"So, if I get through the Nine Heavens Path, the长老会 can't do anything to me?" Ye Yuan ignored Hu Yan Yong's warning and asked instead.

"That's true, but you must know that Mo Yuntian was at the fourth level of the Liquid Realm when he passed the Nine Heavens Path. Since the founding of Danwu Academy, a total of 237 disciples have attempted the Nine Heavens Path: 194 in the Liquid Realm and 43 in the Qi Realm. Only five have succeeded. In the last ten years, only Mo Yuntian made it through! Those who failed either died directly on the path or lost their minds and went insane. Most importantly, none of the 43 Qi Realm disciples survived!" Speaking of the Nine Heavens Path, Hu Yan Yong seemed tense.

"What is on the Nine Heavens Path?" Hu Yan Yong's words still didn't change Ye Yuan's mind.

"No one knows what's on the Nine Heavens Path, because before entering, disciples must swear a heavenly oath not to reveal any information about it," Hu Yan Yong said.

"I see. Interesting! Teacher Hu Yan, that old bastard just now was named Su. Is he from the Su family?" Ye Yuan suddenly asked.

"Yes, Su Yubai is the second brother of Su Yulin, the head of the Su family."

"So that's it. No wonder he wants me dead so badly. In that case, I'll go and challenge the Nine Heavens Path!"

Ye Yuan's words stunned Hu Yan Yong—had he wasted all that time talking?

Seeing Hu Yan Yong's expression, Ye Yuan laughed: "Think about it, Teacher Hu Yan. Su Yubai wants me dead; he'll definitely find a way to get the长老会 to pass my death sentence. So why should I go to my death? I know you want to stall until the dean returns, but will Su Yubai let you?"

Hearing Ye Yuan's analysis, Hu Yan Yong's expression turned grave.

Over the years, the dean had stayed aloof from worldly affairs and didn't manage the academy's specific matters, allowing Su Yubai to exploit the situation. The长老会 had almost become his people.

As Ye Yuan said, going to the长老会 now was no different from seeking death.

"So, the Nine Heavens Path is my only way out!"