Chapter 92: I Am Inferior to Him

Three days later, at the foot of Nine Heavens Peak!

The disciples packed the square, leaving no room to move.

Challenging the Nine Heavens Path was a rare sight in years, and they certainly didn't want to miss such a spectacle.

The entire Danwu Academy was nearly deserted; everyone wanted to join in the excitement.

Without the铺垫 of previous events, today might not have drawn such a crowd.

A Qi Refining sixth-layer trying to brave the Nine Heavens Path? Just seeking death—what was there to see?

But Ye Yuan's earlier deeds had caused such a stir that almost everyone in the academy knew of him. Now everyone understood that Ye Yuan's genius surpassed all imagination—would he create a miracle?

Though no one truly believed it deep down, they still harbored a faint glimmer of anticipation!

On a mountain opposite Nine Heavens Peak stood a pavilion.

This was the best spot to watch the Nine Heavens Path!

In the pavilion, several people sat around a table—Su Yubai and a few elders.

Outside the pavilion, many onlookers gathered, including academy instructors and, mostly, the genius disciples of the Danwu Ranking, whose status naturally differed from ordinary disciples.

Long Tang, Zuo Bugui, Su Yishan, and others were all present.

"Hey, Old Long, how about we make a deal? Give me back that rhino beast inner core? Last time was just a joke—no need to take it seriously, right?"

Zuo Bugui kept pestering Long Tang, trying to reclaim the rhino beast inner core he had lost last time.

Long Tang didn't even glance at him, closing his eyes to rest, patiently waiting for Ye Yuan's arrival.

"I say, why are you so unreasonable? You're already so powerful—what use do you have for an inner core? Just give it back!"

"Old Long, say something, will you!"

"Ye Yuan is here!"

Long Tang's eyelids twitched, then returned to calm.

"Stop pretending, okay? Let's drop that topic. Talk about Ye Yuan—do you think he can make it through?"

"I don't know."

Zuo Bugui was astonished, because Long Tang's answer was "I don't know," not "He can't make it!"

Could Long Tang really have such confidence in Ye Yuan?

Although he had disagreed with Long Tang before, and Long Tang had been proven right, this time Zuo Bugui was completely pessimistic about Ye Yuan.

The Nine Heavens Path—even Long Tang dared not attempt it!

Though Long Tang was arrogant, he knew he was nowhere near the monstrous level of Mo Yuntian.

Even Mo Yuntian had barely made it through with a narrow escape—how could he possibly get through?

"You mean he might actually make it? How is that possible?"

"Didn't you say before he couldn't kill Lin Tiancheng? And then?"

"Come on, those are completely different things, okay? A hundred Lin Tianchengs combined couldn't get through the Nine Heavens Path!"

"A hundred Lin Tianchengs combined aren't as monstrous as Ye Yuan!"

"..." Zuo Bugui was left speechless, because Long Tang was telling the truth.

Zuo Bugui suddenly realized that the ever-arrogant Long Tang was showing signs of admitting inferiority to Ye Yuan.

In the academy, Long Tang was the object of admiration for all disciples; he had always looked down on everyone, including Zuo Bugui.

And now, that figure was actually raising his gaze, looking at another disciple on equal terms, even looking up to him!

This was too incredible!

"Old Long, this isn't like you!" Zuo Bugui suddenly felt a sense of sorrow for his own kind, and said seriously.

Long Tang, however, did not react much, merely saying indifferently, "Have you forgotten the saying that circulates within the academy? Geniuses are meant to be surpassed!"

Long Tang took a deep breath and said slowly, "I... am inferior to him."

"Alas, though I am reluctant to admit it, what you say is true." Zuo Bugui also let out a long sigh.

"But he should have no chance to surpass you or me! The Nine Heavens Path—he cannot cross it!" Zuo Bugui suddenly added.

"..." This time Long Tang did not refute; to be honest, he did not have much confidence either.

Zero survival rate!

This statistic was like an insurmountable mountain. Could Ye Yuan cross it?

...

"Hmph! This Ye Yuan sure puts on airs, making so many people wait for him!" Su Yubai grew impatient and began to complain.

"Indeed, he is truly a brat who doesn't know the rules. Deserves to die!" An elder chimed in.

He had apparently become Su Yubai's lackey.

Hu Changsheng, however, stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "The Nine Heavens Path is no joke; naturally, one must prepare carefully."

"What is there to prepare? He is only at the Yuan Qi realm; can he possibly break through? Whether he lives or dies, he's wasting everyone's time. How outrageous!" That elder was clearly annoyed, having grown tired of waiting.

When he said this, no one refuted him.

For Ye Yuan, preparing or not indeed made little difference.

In their eyes, Ye Yuan had merely chosen to end his own life rather than let them execute him, but the outcome was the same.

As for Ye Yuan surviving, no one had ever believed that.

The students below had only heard rumors of the terror of Nine Heavens Peak, but these elders and instructors, having been at the Danwu Academy for so many years, had seen one student after another go forth and then fall on Nine Heavens Peak.

In fact, many of them, when they were still students, had seen the outstanding figures of their generation challenge the Nine Heavens Path, yet none succeeded.

As for the five who did succeed, they were now beings they could only look up to.

No one doubted that Ye Yuan had the potential to pass the Nine Heavens Path, but it was only potential. Ye Yuan was only at the sixth level of Yuan Qi, not even having stepped onto the last small step of the Yuan Qi realm. How could he pass?

Those Yuan Qi realm students who had dared to challenge Nine Heavens Peak before—were they not all prodigies?

And those Yuan Qi realm students who came to challenge Nine Heavens Peak—were they not all at the ninth level of Yuan Qi or even the peak of Yuan Qi?

They all died. Could Ye Yuan pass?

The answer, of course, was no!

Just then, a stir arose among the crowd at the foot of the mountain.

Ye Yuan had arrived!

Behind Ye Yuan followed the two women, Feng Ruoqing and Feng Zhirou, and a dark-faced Hu Yan Yong.

Everyone directly ignored Hu Yan Yong and looked enviously at the Feng aunt and niece behind Ye Yuan.

Such treatment—who wouldn't want it!

To have these two women escort him on his way, he could die content!

Ye Yuan was not late because he was putting on airs; he had to settle Lü'er.

Early in the morning, Ye Yuan had again channeled Yuan force to suppress Lü'er's cold poison, then meditated for a while, and asked Feng Ruoqing to arrange for someone to care for Lü'er before he felt at ease to come to Nine Heavens Peak. Naturally, he was a bit late.

Looking into the distance, a flagstone path spiraled upward, piercing into the clouds, reaching straight to Nine Heavens Peak.

The Nine Heavens Path, which seemed like a fairyland, was actually a forbidden ground for martial artists.

"Truly a masterpiece of nature! It seems I cannot underestimate the strong of this realm. The Nine Heavens Path is no simple matter!" Ye Yuan evaluated in his mind.

When Ye Yuan arrived, the crowd automatically parted to make way.

Before the Nine Heavens Path stood a stone tablet with a line of text inscribed on it.

A martial artist stopped Ye Yuan: "Before ascending the Nine Heavens Path, first swear a Heavenly Dao oath before the stone tablet!"