Only My Way

… … Master… …

It seems the waters of this world truly are deep, so deep they can completely drown me… …

In the pool of blood.

Gazing up at the artificial sun overhead.

Feeling the intense pain from every part of my body.

Lying on the ground, gasping for breath, Sun Yuansheng, though still able to endure the pain racking his body, couldn't help but feel a bitter taste in his mouth… …

In a daze.

His consciousness seemed to return to that spring of years past, once again hearing his master's teachings.

“In the future, if you don't even have the strength of the [Nascent Origin Realm], don't tell outsiders you're my disciple. Just stay here in [Shepherd Peak Town] obediently, got it?”

“After all, being beaten to death by others in a few moves due to your weak strength would be a great embarrassment to my old face… … ”

Back then.

Hearing those words.

Sun Yuansheng, who was only a teenager at the time, was somewhat puzzled.

So he asked:

“Then, Master, are you saying that if I possess the strength of the [Nascent Origin Realm], revealing that I am your disciple would bring honor to you?”

Regarding this question.

His master pondered for a moment before replying:

“If you enter the [Nascent Origin Realm] before the age of forty, then you can indeed be said to bring honor to me. The sooner you become a [Nascent Origin Realm] cultivator, the more honor you bring me. Otherwise, you will only bring shame.”

Hearing this.

Sun Yuansheng first nodded.

“Alright, I understand.”

Then, he continued to ask:

“But, I have another question, and that is, what level of strength do I need to truly stand out among my peers?”

He earnestly explained to his master:

“After all, as your disciple, if possible, I naturally want to make a name for myself!”

And for Sun Yuansheng's ambition.

His master naturally greatly appreciated it.

“Well said!”

“A cultivator must have ambition!”

He immediately stated in an extremely solemn tone:

“The answer is simple!”

“If you can successfully step into the [Spirit Disturbance Stage] within the [Nascent Origin Realm] before the age of forty, then you will definitely make a name for yourself!”

“Because no matter the era, those who can successfully do that are undoubtedly true prodigies!”

“Even if you can't win the top spot on the national [Hero Ranking], you will definitely be among the top three!”

“Such prodigies are like the brilliant stars in the sky, destined to become the focus of everyone's eyes, and no one can hide their brilliance!”

“Back then, even your master couldn't achieve that… … ”

At this moment.

Recalling the words his master had said.

Sun Yuansheng could only let out a long sigh of helplessness.

‘Brilliant star, huh… …’

Once.

He thought his master was right, and it was impossible to be wrong.

Therefore, even though his strength had reached the [Nascent Origin Realm] at the age of thirty.

He still chose to remain hidden, not actively revealing himself.

Until this year.

At the age of thirty-five.

After he had successfully advanced to the [Spirit Disturbance Stage].

He finally had the idea to show his true strength to the world.

He wanted to make a name for himself!

He wanted to make his master and friends proud of him!

However.

The cruel reality.

Didn't care about his thoughts at all.

It gave him a heavy and powerful blow right from the start!

Leaving him a little overwhelmed!

Ling Wuyuan was too strong… …

So strong that he couldn't see any hope of confronting him head-on… …

Even.

Even before stepping onto the stage.

He could sense that he probably had no hope of defeating Ling Wuyuan.

Unlike many utterly ignorant fools.

Sun Yuansheng could clearly judge that several of the contestants who had been easily defeated by Ling Wuyuan were definitely not weaker than him, and were even stronger than him. Those were the geniuses from nine countries!

Therefore.

Sun Yuansheng naturally understood that directly facing Ling Wuyuan was unwise.

But on the other hand.

Sun Yuansheng could also clearly realize.

Even if he didn't participate this year, choosing to cowardly avoid the ascendant Ling Wuyuan.

From now on.

The brilliance belonging to Ling Wuyuan would still envelop everyone, obscuring the brilliance of all his peers, even those before and after him… …

That was the sun and moon that had appeared out of nowhere!

The other stars.

Simply couldn't compare!

Even more so, Sun Yuansheng had no way to avoid it!

Therefore.

Facing Ling Wuyuan, who was like the sun.

Sun Yuansheng finally chose to be the first to step onto the stage after all forty-nine previous contestants had failed.

No matter what… …

After more than thirty years of long cultivation.

He still wanted to weigh his true level, and wanted to fight against a true powerhouse!

Then.

There was no then.

He successfully faced the true ceiling… …

That was absolute power… …

Power so great that Sun Yuansheng couldn't find any reason why he could win.

Thinking of all this.

Sun Yuansheng looked at Ling Wuyuan, who had already sheathed his long sword hundreds of meters away.

He could only sigh helplessly to himself:

‘Sorry, Master.’

‘Your disciple ultimately has no way to promote your prestige… … The opponent I encountered is too strong, too strong… … I really tried my best… …’

‘No matter how brilliant and dazzling a star is, after encountering the overbearing sun, it can only helplessly have its presence obscured by the other party… …’

Finally.

In the last moment before leaving the stage.

Sun Yuansheng had only two thoughts in his mind, two extremely contradictory thoughts.

‘How unlucky, how could I be in the same era as Ling Wuyuan… …’

‘How lucky, I was actually able to encounter someone as strong and extraordinary as Ling Wuyuan in my life… …’

Those were two completely opposite emotions.

Sorrow for Ling Wuyuan being so strong that he couldn't compare, and that he could only be inferior to him in this life.

Joy that Ling Wuyuan had shown him the highest and farthest vast sky, so that he was no longer a frog in a well.

Ling Wuyuan was completely unaware of Sun Yuansheng's complex emotions and thoughts.

He only knew that there were truly hidden experts among the various spectators.

Just now, Sun Yuansheng.

Among his previous opponents, he could completely rank in the top ten.

It must be understood.

That was the ranking after adding up the contestants from several countries.

Even if only a portion of the geniuses from several countries came, it was still a very conspicuous ranking!

Therefore.

Ling Wuyuan couldn't help but look forward to the challengers who would appear later.

He sincerely looked forward to the appearance of even stronger guys.

For example, guys with the strength of the [Spirit Accumulation Realm]… … if there really were any.

Thinking of this.

Along with the constant changes in his mind.

In the area of several thousand meters, [Metal], [Wood], [Water], [Fire], [Earth], the vast and boundless Five Elements True Energy was also constantly distorting the surrounding environment.

Making the surrounding environment sometimes extremely hot, sometimes stormy, and sometimes freezing everything… …

Feeling that terrifying power.

The second challenger who replaced Sun Yuansheng on the stage suddenly felt a lot of pressure.

‘Ah?’

‘So strong?’

Obviously, it was only a short one or two seconds.

The other party had already discovered that the scene seen in the projection and the situation experienced personally were completely different in terms of actual feeling… …

At this moment.

Just by sensing the terrifying sense of threat transmitted by Ling Wuyuan.

As a cultivator, the other party was already instinctively sweating profusely… …

That kind of feeling.

It was as if he was facing a tiger… …

Obviously, he hadn't fought yet.

But his instinct immediately judged the final result of the matter — [He could never be Ling Wuyuan's opponent!]