Chapter 543 The Road Underfoot

Ye Yuan looked at Ren Xingchun, finding it rather amusing.

In the past, this old fellow would have slapped him without a word, but now he was reasoning with him—how frustrating it must be.

Yet Ye Yuan had no intention of changing his mind.

The sky is vast for birds to fly, the sea wide for fish to leap; naturally, he wouldn't stay in a small place like Wufang City as some young master.

“I have my own plans for the future; I can't stay in Wufang City forever. Since Ren Dong has already taken me as his master, I naturally have to train him well. As for the candidate for young master, I can recommend someone,” Ye Yuan said calmly.

Ren Xingchun was curious—besides Ye Yuan and Ren Dong, who else could be capable of the young master's position?

“Go on.”

Ye Yuan's gaze fell on Ye Hang, and he smiled: “Far away, yet right before your eyes!”

Ye Hang was startled, pointing at himself: “Me? What a joke!”

Ren Xingchun's face darkened again—this kid was just making fun of him!

Didn't he know Ye Hang's capabilities? If Ye Hang had the ability, why would he have opposed Ren Hongling being with him back then?

Ye Yuan shook his head: “I'm not joking! Father, don't sell yourself short. Within ten years, you will surely surpass Old Man Ren!”

Ye Yuan still hadn't acknowledged Ren Xingchun, so he kept calling him Old Man Ren.

Of course, Old Man Ren's mind was elsewhere now; he was seething with anger.

This kid was getting more and more outrageous!

Ye Hang surpassing him in ten years? Wasn't that a fantasy?

“Ye Yuan! There's a limit to fooling around! Even if you don't acknowledge me, you don't have to crack such a joke in front of so many people!” Ren Xingchun fumed.

Ye Yuan said calmly: “I said I'm not joking! How about this—let's make a bet. If Father can't surpass you in ten years, I'll come back and be your young master!”

Ye Yuan said city lord, not young master!

Such “big talk” was probably something only Ye Yuan dared to say.

In truth, Ye Yuan had full confidence in Ye Hang. He had cultivated the “Lingzhe Nine Sun Divine Art” and the “Qianyan Soul Art”—if he couldn't break through to the Alchemy Emperor realm in ten years, that would be too foolish!

Moreover, Ye Yuan knew that Ye Hang's talent was not lacking.

Back then, the reason he fell short of Ren Hongling was entirely due to family background and resources.

Now, with the backing of the City Lord's Mansion and top-tier techniques from the Divine Realm, reaching the Alchemy Emperor realm in ten years would be a piece of cake.

It's just that these people couldn't understand.

But Ye Yuan believed that before long, Ye Hang's progress would leave everyone astounded.

“Fine! I'll take that bet!” Ren Xingchun agreed without hesitation.

Ten years wasn't long for him; he could wait.

By then, if Ye Hang wasn't qualified, wouldn't Ye Yuan obediently come back to take over Wufang City?

How could he know that Ye Yuan had no intention of staying in the lower realm for ten years?

…

The next day, a high platform was erected in the hall of the Thousand Questions Wall at the Linlang Pavilion.

A young man sat upright on it, exuding the demeanor of a master.

But everyone below was older than him, making the scene somewhat incongruous.

Holding a lecture on alchemy was something no one dared to do without reaching a certain level, especially in Wufang City, a sacred land of alchemy.

The alchemists here were of such high caliber that they represented almost all the alchemy elites of the Boundless Realm.

Without the strength of an Alchemy Emperor, who would dare to hold a lecture?

Yet Ye Yuan, a youth at the quasi-Alchemy King level, had done just that.

Although Ye Yuan was now hot stuff in Wufang City, many had come today to see him make a fool of himself.

After all, Ye Yuan was too young; as the saying goes, “a beardless youth cannot be trusted.”

Many had only heard rumors that the seventh-level question of the Thousand Questions Wall had been solved, but few believed it.

Of course, among those present today were many alchemists who had been there that day and witnessed Ye Yuan's stunning performance.

Today was the first day the Ren family took over the Thousand Questions Wall, and many doubted whether the Ren family had the foundation to handle it.

Ye Yuan sat calmly on the platform, showing no sign of stage fright.

In his previous life, he had given lectures countless times; he was all too familiar with such scenes and was far from nervous.

Compared to his previous life, the level of these people was far too low.

After all, in his previous life, whenever Ji Qingyun gave a lecture, even many Alchemy Emperors would come to hear him!

As a fellow Alchemy Emperor, Ye Yuan's strength far surpassed theirs!

Now, facing this small occasion, it was child's play for Ye Yuan.

Once everyone was settled, Ye Yuan's first sentence left everyone stunned.

“Alchemy, like martial arts, is a great Dao! The path of the Dao is built step by step! As the saying goes, ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; an ocean is formed from countless streams.’ Among you, there are quasi-Alchemy Kings, Alchemy Kings, and even Alchemy Emperors, but ask yourselves: have you truly walked the road underfoot well? Today, on this first day, I will teach you the refinement of first-grade pills!”

“What did he just say? It started off sounding interesting, but then it went downhill! Do we, with our strength, need to hear about refining first-grade pills? Ridiculous!”

“Exactly! What a load of nonsense! This so-called lecture is just a publicity stunt! The City Lord's Mansion sends a brat to give a lecture—what a joke!”

“Let's go! Did we travel all this way just to hear a brat talk about refining first-grade pills? What a waste of time!”

…

Ye Yuan's words immediately sparked strong backlash.

Even those who had seen Ye Yuan's stunning performance were deeply disappointed.

Could it be that Ye Yuan had prepared for that day, which was why he was so brilliant?

And now, in front of everyone, his true colors were showing?

As soon as Ye Yuan finished his first sentence, many had already started to leave.

Whether martial artists or alchemists, their eyes were always fixed upward; no one ever looked down on those of lower rank.

Of course, Ye Yuan was an exception.

In their eyes, first-grade pills weren't even considered entry-level, so why make a big deal out of a lecture?

But the reason Ye Yuan had achieved so much in his previous life was precisely because his foundation was so solid!

Once his level was high, it was merely a matter of organically combining simple things.

What others saw as extremely obscure alchemy methods were, to Ye Yuan, very simple.

Ye Yuan paid no attention to those leaving and continued speaking eloquently.

Some left, but others stayed, enduring patiently.

And the expressions on their faces shifted from initial disdain to fervor, and finally to obsession!