Chapter 94: Smashing Through Like a Splitting Bamboo!

"The Nine Heavens Path has nine hundred and ninety-nine steps, and he only managed to get past thirty-three—the first small hurdle—yet everyone is acting as if he's already conquered the whole thing!"

Su Yubai snorted coldly, clearly displeased by the crowd's astonishment.

In his view, Ye Yuan's passing of the first level could only be a fluke!

Moreover, passing the first level meant nothing; many Qi Transformation Realm cultivators had done so.

What truly made the Nine Heavens Path terrifying was the final three hundred and thirty-three steps!

"Indeed, this Ye Yuan looks like a slick fellow, probably good at exploiting loopholes. He must have found some trick to get through the first level so easily," an elder chimed in.

"Hmph, regardless, the Nine Heavens Path is a death trap for Qi Transformation Realm cultivators—that's an unchangeable fact! Based on past records, the highest achievement for Qi Transformation Realm is the middle three hundred and thirty-three steps. Even if Ye Yuan is incredibly talented, reaching the last three hundred and thirty-three steps would be his limit," Zhang Songtao agreed.

Unlike these elders, Ye Yuan's performance bolstered the confidence of Hu Yan Yong and Feng Ruoqing.

"The most fearsome thing about the first three hundred and thirty-three steps is the consumption of Yuan Power! Liquid Essence Realm cultivators fare a bit better, but for Qi Transformation Realm, their Yuan Power can hardly last to the end. Even if they somehow make it through, the middle three hundred and thirty-three steps are even more deadly, and they'll still die. But Ye Yuan didn't even use a Yuan Power shield on the first level, so he's barely consumed any Yuan Power," Hu Yan Yong said excitedly.

"Ye Yuan really does bring endless surprises. Perhaps... he might actually make it through?" Feng Ruoqing murmured to herself.

"Pfft, that stubborn and obnoxious guy—it'd be good riddance if he died!" Feng Zhirou had returned to her fiery nature.

Feng Ruoqing smiled: "If he dies, you'll never break through to the Crystal Coagulation Realm in this lifetime."

"...Who cares!" Feng Zhirou put up a tough front, but her gaze kept following Ye Yuan on the steps.

...

The gale level posed little difficulty for Ye Yuan. As soon as he passed the thirty-third step and set foot on the thirty-fourth, the scene abruptly shifted again, turning into a scorching ocean.

Fire Intent!

This was a path of flames!

The blazing fire scorched Ye Yuan as if he were about to ignite, but a cold smirk flickered at the corner of his mouth.

"I wonder what Divine King Lingzhe would think if he knew someone was playing with fire in front of his cultivation technique!"

With that, Ye Yuan activated the *Lingzhe Nine Yang Divine Art*, not to open a Yuan Power shield, but to unleash his aura fully, releasing his Yuan Power outward!

Then, he strode forward, and wherever he passed, the flames actually retreated on their own!

Playing with Fire Intent in front of the *Lingzhe Nine Yang Divine Art*—this was simply ridiculous!

The *Lingzhe Nine Yang Divine Art* was the supreme fire-attribute technique in the Divine Realm, with Fire Intent nearly reaching its pinnacle!

Back then, Divine King Lingzhe made his name with the ultimate skill of the *Lingzhe Nine Yang Divine Art*, the *Nine Suns Incinerate Heaven*, which burned several Divine Kings who besieged him into nothingness, and no one dared provoke him since.

Even though Ye Yuan's current cultivation was shallow, his flames were still incomparable to the mortal fire of the lower realm.

It was like a young dragon not yet fully grown—no matter how small, it was still the king of beasts, and all creatures would submit in its presence!

Ye Yuan walked steadily, and the flames around him parted to clear a path.

Thus, Ye Yuan passed the second level, the Sea of Flames, at an extremely fast pace.

To get through the first level and avoid the gale, Ye Yuan had spent about the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

But this second level, Ye Yuan passed in an instant.

Third level: the World of Extreme Cold!

This was a world of ice and snow, bitterly cold.

Yet this cold posed no threat whatsoever to Ye Yuan's *Lingzhe Nine Yang Divine Art*.

Ye Yuan passed through it directly again!

In the blink of an eye, Ye Yuan had cleared ninety-nine steps!

Then came the fourth level, Gravity Realm; the fifth, Thick Earth Realm; the sixth, Water World... all the way to the tenth level, Ye Yuan passed through without obstruction.

Ye Yuan's realm was far higher than that of the formation's creator, so these levels caused him little trouble; he didn't even expend much Yuan Power.

"I wonder who from the Nethercloud Sect created this formation, merging the five elemental intents of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, along with the other five intents derived from them. Truly a genius! I wonder what became of him later—did he ascend to the Divine Realm? I've never heard of such a formation genius in the Divine Realm. Could he have fallen long ago?" Ye Yuan mused.

The world of martial artists is fraught with dangers; besides the perils of cultivation, the human heart is even more terrifying.

Throughout history, whether in the Divine Realm or the lower realm, geniuses have been as numerous as ox hair, yet very few have truly grown to maturity.

Those who stand at the pinnacle of the Divine Realm—which of them didn't climb over the corpses of countless geniuses?

Even a peerless genius like Qing Yunzi was murdered during his growth; needless to say about others.

...

Ye Yuan's pace through the levels caused a huge commotion outside!

He was too fast!

From the first step to passing the first three hundred and thirty-three steps, Ye Yuan took less than an hour—this was truly terrifying!

A disciple rubbed his eyes and said in disbelief, "Am I seeing things? Since when did the Nine Heavens Path become so easy to pass?"

"Are you out of your mind? If it's so easy, go try it yourself! I'd like to see how you die!"

"But Ye Yuan is only at the sixth level of Qi Transformation Realm. How could he be so fast?"

"I've heard that the Nine Heavens Path doesn't fully test strength, but rather potential! It seems this Ye Yuan's talent is monstrously unimaginable! I just wonder if he can get through the remaining six hundred and sixty-six steps."

"Maybe... he really can make it?"

The two exchanged glances, both startled by this thought!

A sixth-level Qi Transformation Realm cultivator passing the Nine Heavens Path?

Impossible! Absolutely impossible! The Nine Heavens Path is a forbidden ground for Qi Transformation Realm martial artists!

But somehow, once the thought appeared, it was like a seed planted in their hearts, taking root and sprouting, impossible to suppress!

On the other side, when Ye Yuan passed the first three hundred and thirty-three steps, Su Yubai abruptly stood up, staring at Ye Yuan on the mountainside, equally full of disbelief.

No wonder he was so shocked—Ye Yuan's pace was too fast!

He had smashed through all obstacles without any delay!

There were only so many disciples who had attempted the Nine Heavens Path, and their performances were no secret. As the Grand Elder of the Punishment Hall, Su Yubai naturally knew this best!

Yet none of those challengers had matched Ye Yuan's speed, including the Liquid Essence Realm disciples who had cleared the path!

Even the brilliant Mo Yuntian had taken an entire day to pass the first three hundred and thirty-three steps!

But Ye Yuan had taken only an hour!

Did that mean Ye Yuan's genius was several times, even dozens of times, greater than Mo Yuntian's?

Su Yubai dared not, and refused to, believe this conclusion!