Chapter 132

Chapter 132: Heroes of the Ages, Past and Present

“Little girl!”

　　The small pagoda said in a deep voice, “Watch how you talk.”

　　Hearing the pagoda ancestor’s words, Nan Tianqing giggled, “Pagoda Grandpa, sorry about that, I thought you couldn’t hear me.”

　　Small Pagoda: “……”

　　Ye Tianming also shook his head with a smile.

　　Nan Tianqing quickly said, “Come on, let’s hurry to the Hundred Clans Era.”

　　Ye Tianming nodded.

　　The two picked up their pace.

　　A day later, the two arrived at the Hundred Clans Era. Just as they entered the cosmic range of the Hundred Clans Era, a young man appeared before them. He looked about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a stocky build that radiated a wild and powerful energy.

　　The young man burst into laughter like a clap of thunder, “Nan Tianqing, is the guy beside you the Ye Tianming who defeated Yang Jia?”

　　Nan Tianqing nodded, then introduced him to Ye Tianming, “This is Gongyuan of the Hundred Clans Era. He and that Gong Shen are considered the two most extraordinary individuals in the Hundred Clans Era.”

　　”Haha!”

　　The young man named Gongyuan laughed, “Nan Tianqing, stop flattering me. I can’t compare to my big brother.”

　　Nan Tianqing smiled, “Brother Gongyuan, you’re being too modest.”

　　Gongyuan smiled, then his gaze landed on Ye Tianming, “Brother Ye, would you mind sparring a little?”

　　Ye Tianming was about to speak when Gongyuan added, “Just a friendly spar, no provocation or picking a fight intended!”

　　Ye Tianming smiled, “Sure.”

　　Gongyuan laughed heartily, “This place isn’t ideal for a fight, follow me.”

　　A moment later, Gongyuan led Ye Tianming and Nan Tianqing to a wide training platform, where quite a few of the Hundred Clans Era’s prodigies and extraordinary talents had already gathered.

　　Everyone’s eyes were on Ye Tianming, filled with curiosity.

　　Gongyuan and Ye Tianming faced each other across the air. He looked at Ye Tianming and smiled, then with a flick of his sleeve, he directly suppressed his own cultivation to match Ye Tianming’s level.

　　Ye Tianming said, “Brother Gongyuan, there’s no need to lower your cultivation.”

　　Gongyuan laughed, “Brother Ye, I’ll lower my cultivation, and you don’t use the Law of All Beings. We fight with everything we’ve got, how about it?”

　　Though he was confident in himself, he wasn’t confident enough to withstand the Law of All Beings. After all, even Yang Jia hadn’t been able to.

　　Ye Tianming smiled, “Alright.”

　　Gongyuan laughed loudly. He suddenly spread both hands open, then clenched them tightly.

　　Boom!

　　In an instant, the entire training ground erupted. The next moment, his figure transformed, expanding directly to several thousand zhang in height, his body like a mountain range. A terrifying and domineering aura swept out from within him, pressing down on everyone present until they could barely breathe.

　　The crowd was shocked and scrambled back in retreat.

　　A dharma form?

　　Ye Tianming looked at Gongyuan, somewhat puzzled, yet it didn’t quite look like a dharma form either.

　　At that moment, Nan Tianqing’s voice suddenly rang out in his sea of consciousness, “This is the Hundred Clans Era’s supreme divine art: the Nine Transformations of the True Spirit. It was created by the Hundred Clans Sovereign of old. There are nine levels in total, and when cultivated to the extreme, one can perceive their true self and shatter heaven and earth. He has six great daos behind him, which means he has clearly cultivated to the sixth transformation. Be careful…….”

　　Nine Transformations of the True Spirit!

　　Gongyuan laughed, “Brother Ye, take my punch.”

　　With that, he suddenly clenched his right hand and threw a punch straight at Ye Tianming. As the punch was unleashed, thousands upon thousands of fist forces rolled forward like crashing waves, surging directly toward Ye Tianming.

　　Its momentum swallowed ten thousand li, crushing everything in its path!

　　Gongyuan struck with his full power from the very first move.

　　Facing this Ye Tianming who had defeated Yang Jia, he naturally didn’t dare to be the slightest bit careless.

　　Not far away, Ye Tianming slowly closed his eyes. The next moment—

　　Boom!

　　Five dharma forms, each several thousand zhang tall, condensed behind him. The five dharma forms did not draw their swords, but instead threw a direct punch straight at Gongyuan.

　　Though no sword was used, these five dharma forms carried within them a certain force—

　　Sword force!

　　This was not a single sword deciding life and death, but a single fist deciding life and death.

　　The way of the fist, the way of the sword — all paths lead to the same place.

　　With just one punch—

　　Boom!

　　Gongyuan’s fist force instantly collapsed and crumbled. Not only that, but he himself was sent flying back several thousand zhang in rapid succession. When he finally came to a stop, his “spirit body” shattered and returned to its original size. At the same time, a terrifying force still loomed over him.

　　In the face of this force, his feeling was: as long as the other party wished it, he would die instantly.

　　Not just him — everyone on the training ground felt Ye Tianming’s force.

　　An invincible aura!

　　Contemptuous of all!

　　Let you live and you live, let you die and you die!

　　The crowd stared at Ye Tianming in shock and awe.

　　Nan Tianqing looked at Ye Tianming, her eyes shimmering with a brilliant light. At this moment, she finally understood why her sister had been willing to choose Ye Tianming at any cost.

　　This man was destined for greatness.

　　Ye Tianming flicked his sleeve, and the five dharma forms vanished, along with that invincible force.

　　Gongyuan immediately let out a breath of relief. He looked toward Ye Tianming, a complex expression flickering in his eyes.

　　Ye Tianming said, “I’ll accept the concession.”

　　Gongyuan smiled bitterly, “Brother Ye, you are incredibly strong. I’m truly impressed.”

　　Ye Tianming said earnestly, “Brother Gongyuan, your Nine Transformations of the True Spirit is profoundly mysterious. I’d like to study it…of course, I can offer something in exchange.”

　　Gongyuan smiled, “I’d like to learn your Law of All Beings. Would that be alright?”

　　Ye Tianming nodded, “Of course.”

　　”Haha!”

　　Gongyuan burst out laughing, “Brother Ye, even if you let me learn the Law of All Beings, I wouldn’t dare to!”

　　That thing on him would bring more harm than good.

　　Ye Tianming smiled, “The Law of All Beings exists for the sake of all living beings. It’s just not mature enough yet. One day in the future, once I’ve fully refined it, all living beings will be able to learn it.”

　　To let all living beings learn the Law of All Beings — this was not only his teacher’s goal, but also his own, Ye Tianming’s, goal.

　　But as he said, the Law of All Beings was not yet mature. Giving it to all living beings now would only bring them harm.

　　Hearing Ye Tianming’s words, a complex look flashed through Gongyuan’s eyes, “Brother Ye, I used to not think much of scholars, but I have to say, I genuinely admire both you and your teacher.”

　　Teacher!

　　Ye Tianming’s expression grew somber.

　　Gongyuan suddenly said, “Brother Ye, I’m not qualified to exchange with you. Once you enter the trial grounds, you’ll be able to study the Nine Transformations of the True Spirit. With your talent, you’ll surely grasp its essence with ease. Come, let me take you to the trial grounds.”

　　Ye Tianming cupped his hands, “Then many thanks.”

　　Gongyuan smiled, “Don’t mention it. From now on, we’re all our own people.”

　　Beside them, Nan Tianqing smiled, though her smile carried a hint of helplessness. She had realized that no matter how good one’s words were, they couldn’t match strength. Strength was the best diplomacy.

　　Soon, Ye Tianming and Nan Tianqing were led by Gongyuan to a teleportation formation. Standing before it was an elderly man whose aura was unfathomably deep.

　　When Gongyuan saw the elder, his expression immediately became solemn. He bowed deeply, “Uncle Ku.”

　　The elder glanced at Gongyuan indifferently, then his gaze fell on Ye Tianming, fixing on him steadily.

　　Ye Tianming gave a slight bow, then met the elder’s gaze directly, neither servile nor arrogant.

　　His teacher had taught him: respect others without being submissive, for submissiveness reveals a slavish spirit. Courtesy and propriety are enough.

　　After staring at Ye Tianming for a moment, the elder said, “Follow me.”

　　With that, he turned and walked toward the teleportation formation.

　　Ye Tianming followed, while Gongyuan and Nan Tianqing stayed where they were.

　　Ye Tianming turned to look at Nan Tianqing, who smiled and said, “I’ll wait for you outside.”

　　Ye Tianming nodded, “Alright.”

　　With that, he followed the elder and stepped into the teleportation formation. Light surged, and the two disappeared without a trace.

　　Watching Ye Tianming and the elder vanish, Nan Tianqing suddenly asked, “Gongyuan, where’s your big brother?”

　　Gongyuan said, “In cultivation.”

　　Nan Tianqing said, “Is he also going to participate in the Cosmic Grand Tournament?”

　　Gongyuan nodded, “Of course……”

　　As he spoke, he let out a quiet sigh, his expression complex, “Ever since the battle between Brother Ye and Yang Jia, the world’s eyes have been fixed only on them. Even for this Cosmic Grand Tournament, everyone will probably only want to watch those two. Everyone else is destined to be nothing more than a backdrop.”

　　Nan Tianqing smiled, “My big brother is the same. He was always proud and ambitious, but I have to say, whether it’s him, or your big brother, or that Si Fanyou — in front of Yang Jia and Ye Tianming, they’ve all lost any sense of presence.”

　　Gongyuan smiled, “But I think those three still have a chance. My big brother definitely does, at least.”

　　”Oh?”

　　Nan Tianqing turned to look at Gongyuan and smiled, “What, has your big brother already completed the ninth transformation of the Nine Transformations of the True Spirit?”

　　Gongyuan burst out laughing, “That’s a secret, a secret.”

　　Nan Tianqing smiled and didn’t ask further.

　　Gongyuan suddenly said, “Tianqing, who do you think has a better chance of winning between Yang Jia and Brother Ye this time?”

　　Nan Tianqing fell silent.

　　Gongyuan said, “I think it might be Yang Jia.”

　　Nan Tianqing looked at Gongyuan, who said seriously, “The gap in cultivation is just too vast.”

　　Nan Tianqing turned to look at the teleportation formation, a trace of worry rising in her eyes as well.

　　As Gongyuan said, the gap in cultivation between Ye Tianming and Yang Jia was truly enormous. And this time, Yang Jia would certainly not lower his cultivation level.

　　After some unknown amount of time, Ye Tianming felt his feet touch the ground.

　　He opened his eyes. Before him stretched a boundless, desolate wasteland.

　　Heaven and earth, utterly barren!

　　Ye Tianming turned to look at the elder beside him. The elder said, “The Hundred Clans Trial is not that complicated. It’s simply combat. Starting from where you stand, you fight all the way to the end of the road. Along this road are the era’s most outstanding prodigies and extraordinary talents from the Hundred Clans Era throughout all of history. Their cultivation will be one level higher than yours…but you must understand, in their lifetimes, they were all prodigies and extraordinary talents, all capable of fighting above their level.”

　　As he spoke, he turned to look at Ye Tianming, “Throughout all of history, only one person has ever reached the end of this road — the most extraordinary genius our Hundred Clans Era has ever produced: the Hundred Clans Sovereign.”

　　Ye Tianming said nothing. He walked forward into the distance.

　　The elder watched Ye Tianming, and a talisman slowly drifted from his open palm to Ye Tianming’s side, “If you can no longer hold on, crush this talisman and the trial will end.”

　　Ye Tianming did not take the talisman. He continued walking forward, “I won’t need it.”

　　Boom!

　　A terrifying sword force instantly swept out from within Ye Tianming.

　　Ye Tianming strode forward, his face filled with excitement, his voice thundering like a clap of thunder, “Prodigies of all ages past and present, come and fight!!”