Chapter 1261

The figures of the two drifted further and further away.

"What exactly are these two doing?" A group of people became confused, not understanding why Ye Xiao suddenly left, while Yang Yu followed behind him.

"Eh, isn't that Ye Xiao? He is following Yang Yu." Suddenly, someone shouted, instantly attracting the gazes of the surrounding crowd. In an instant, countless people were discussing, appearing very lively.

Ye Xiao heard all kinds of discussions coming to his ears. He frowned and stopped abruptly.

"There's a problem!" Ye Xiao's eyes gradually turned cold. He turned to stare at Yang Yu and said coldly: "Speak, who exactly are you? Why are you impersonating me?"

Ye Xiao's attitude was very serious. He always felt that the person before him gave him a hint of familiarity, but for a moment, he couldn't remember where he had seen them.

"You really want to know?" A strange smile curled at the corner of Yang Yu's mouth.

"Nonsense!" Ye Xiao raised his eyebrows, a cold and sharp look flashing in his eyes, "If you don't speak, I don't mind sending you to the afterlife!"

"Hehe, I advise you not to mess around, because you can't kill me!" Yang Yu sneered, "Let me tell you, I am the person you have been looking for all along—the personal disciple of the Vault of Heaven Palace Master—Yang Yu!"

"What? He is the personal disciple of the Vault of Heaven Palace Master?" Ye Xiao's expression changed drastically.

"How is that possible? How old is he? How could he be the personal disciple of the Vault of Heaven Palace Master?"

"Is this news true?"

"I don't believe it, it must be a rumor. A brat who hasn't even dried behind the ears, how could he be a disciple of the Vault of Heaven Palace Master?"

"..."

As soon as Yang Yu's voice fell, the square instantly boiled over. Everyone's face was filled with shock and disbelief.

This news was too explosive, wasn't it?

This youth was actually the personal disciple of the Vault of Heaven Palace Master? This was an existence that made the entire Imperial City go crazy!

Although this matter sounded unbelievable, no one doubted it.

"Yang Yu?" Just at this moment, a youth wearing blue clothes, carrying a long sword on his back, and with a slender figure walked over. He stared at Yang Yu, a smile on his lips, "Are you that newly promoted assessment disciple?"

"Who are you?" Yang Yu raised his eyebrows. This youth radiated an extremely powerful and sharp sword intent; he was clearly not an ordinary person.

"Ximen Wudi." The youth smiled faintly and said, "We have already dealt with each other before, but meeting again now is a bit of a surprise."

"Ximen Wudi?" Yang Yu's pupils contracted.

Ximen Wudi!

This name could be said to be one of the top three monstrous geniuses on the Wind and Cloud Ranking of the entire Eastern Profound Domain. It is said that he is currently in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Martial Dao Innate, and he is even attempting the Innate peak. Just one step away, he could cross between Mortal Martial and Spirit Martial, reach a higher level, and become a true transcendent. This was a peerless genius that countless forces would fight over.

"No wonder he has such a rich sword intent on him. So he is a disciple of the Vault of Heaven Palace Master." Yang Yu thought bitterly.

"What? Are you scared?" Ximen Wudi smiled slightly.

Yang Yu's mouth twitched, and he said: "What exactly do you want to do?"

"Nothing much." Ximen Wudi shook his head and said indifferently, "I was just testing your loyalty on behalf of the Palace Master. Since that's the case, then get lost. From now on, I, Ye, have broken all ties with you!"

"You!" Yang Yu was extremely angry. He never expected that the person he was wholeheartedly loyal to would actually kick him out of the sect and even go so far as to impersonate him. He hated himself for being so stupid. If he had known this, why would he have gone to such lengths to please Li Yuchan?

Unfortunately, it was all too late.

"What, you're not convinced?" Ximen Wudi sneered, his eyes filled with contempt, "I don't care about your background, and I'm too lazy to investigate, but you shouldn't have impersonated me!"

"You..."

"Alright, get lost quickly!" Ximen Wudi waved his hand.

Hearing this, Yang Yu's face twitched slightly, and he gritted his teeth: "Ximen Wudi, you will regret this!" After speaking, Yang Yu quickly headed into the distance.

"Regret? Hahaha, I, Ximen Wudi, have never feared anyone in my life!" Ximen Wudi looked up and laughed loudly, his tone incomparably domineering, "Wait until I break through to the Martial Dao Innate and step into the transcendent realm, even if the Palace Master himself comes, I will have no fear!"

Yang Yu returned to his family in a daze, Ye Xiao's arrogant and unruly face still in his mind.

He finally understood why, after entering the Vault of Heaven Palace, he felt as if he were being monitored, living in fear every day, terrified of being exposed. But now, that crisis had been completely resolved, which also made him breathe a sigh of relief.

"No, I cannot just sit and wait for death. I must work twice as hard!" Yang Yu clenched his fists secretly, his eyes flashing with a determined look, "I must not lose in this year's Hidden Dragon Ranking!"

Yang Yu knew that although his aptitude was good, it was impossible to take first place. After all, the prodigies participating in the Hidden Dragon Ranking all possessed Nine-Star physiques. His Nine-Star physique couldn't even compare to an ordinary Six-Star physique, let alone the prodigies with Eight-Star physiques.

Thinking of this, Yang Yu couldn't help but sigh: "If only I could possess the Five Elements Divine Body. Then, the mere Vault of Heaven Palace wouldn't be worth mentioning."

"Sigh, the Five Elements Divine Body, that is what kind of heaven-defying physique. Even the entire Southern Ridge would be hard-pressed to find a second one. How could it be so easy to encounter?" Yang Yu shook his head secretly, "It seems I must find another way!"

Yang Yu knew that he must seize this last opportunity. Only by breaking through to the Innate realm would he have a chance to obtain the sect's rewards, and only by breaking through to the Innate realm would he be qualified to become a disciple of Ye Lingkong. For him, this was a path to the heavens.

"Yang Yu, let's go." Li Yuchan said lightly.

"Hm." Yang Yu came back to his senses, followed Li Yuchan, and flew toward the outside.

Watching the background of Yang Yu and Li Yuchan leaving, many people frowned.

"This Yang Yu is not simple!" Some people whispered, their eyes faintly carrying a trace of wariness.

"Not only is his talent overwhelming, but his temperament is also courageous. He is definitely not a creature of the pond."

"As expected of Yang Yu!"

"This Yang Yu is indeed not ordinary. No wonder the Palace Master sent him to serve as the newly promoted assessment disciple. It seems the Palace Master had long anticipated this and was not unprepared." Inside a palace, Ximen Wudi narrowed his eyes, "This is more interesting. However, if you really think you can deceive me with such tricks, you are underestimating me, Ximen Wudi."

After speaking, Ximen Wudi also turned and left, leaving behind a crowd of stunned disciples.

They didn't expect that Ximen Wudi would let Yang Yu off so lightly, as if he didn't care at all. One must know that in the past, when the Vault of Heaven Palace recruited disciples, they almost always cut the weeds and eliminated the roots, with no exceptions.

But this year, Ximen Wudi actually changed the rules!

"Could it be because of the Palace Master's authorization?"

"It should be, otherwise, how would that Yang Yu dare to be so arrogant."

Some people speculated, but they didn't pay too much attention. Anyway, Yang Yu couldn't escape and would be executed by the Palace Master sooner or later.

At the same time, in the depths of a quiet bamboo forest, there was a huge lake. The lake was clear to the bottom, with no ripples. In the pavilion in the center of the lake, two figures were sitting.

One of the figures radiated an ancient and vicissitudinous aura, their eyes like an abyss, making people feel awe-struck.

"Palace Master." Ximen Wudi stood respectfully to the side, his tone respectful: "You summoned me specifically, could it be that you discovered something?"

The owner of this figure was none other than the Vault of Heaven Palace Master—Ximen Wudi!

He was not only the Vault of Heaven Palace Master but also a super expert at the fourth level of the Transcendent realm. In the entire Eastern Ling Dynasty, he belonged to the top of the pyramid!

"You are very smart." Ximen Wudi smiled.

"Many thanks for the Palace Master's praise." Ximen Wudi said humbly, "Please, Palace Master, give me your guidance."

"I dare not call it guidance. I am just telling you that the enemy you are about to deal with is a hundred times more powerful than you imagine!" Ximen Wudi said solemnly, "Do you know that this assessment has a total of eighteen spots? And the disciples of my Vault of Heaven Palace occupy seven spots, while the remaining six are contested by outstanding disciples recommended by the four great County Prince Mansions and various Marquis Mansions. Among these people, the weakest has combat power at the Innate peak, and the strongest is at the half-step transcendent realm."

"What?" Ximen Wudi widened his eyes, somewhat unable to believe it.

He only knew the assessment competition was very fierce, but he never thought it would be this fierce.

"Palace Master, you just said..." Ximen Wudi took a deep breath and asked, "Among the eighteen candidates, the weakest is at the half-step transcendent realm?"

"That's right." Ximen Wudi nodded.

"This..." Ximen Wudi was stunned, "Then... doesn't that mean I have no chance at all?"

Ximen Wudi's words had not yet finished when they came to an abrupt halt, because he suddenly thought of something. His expression changed drastically, he raised his head abruptly, his gaze fixed on Ximen Wudi: "Palace Master, do you mean that among our batch of disciples, there is a high-level expert?"

"What do you think?" Ximen Wudi glanced at Ximen Wudi with deep meaning.

Ximen Wudi was silent. After a long time, he said bitterly: "If it's really like this, how are we supposed to play?"

"Do you think our batch of disciples can win the assessment?" Ximen Wudi continued to ask.

"Can't win, the probability is minimal." Ximen Wudi sighed, "Perhaps, only the top three have a possibility."

Ximen Wudi's words were not without reason. This batch of disciples was basically at the Body Tempering realm. Although they had all reached the Bone Tempering stage, how could this realm compete with the Innate realm?

And among this group of people, the most dazzling was Yang Yu, but his realm had already reached the Body Tempering peak level. One step further, and he could break through to the early Innate stage.

But the early Innate stage was still out of reach for them.

"This assessment is the best opportunity for you to showcase yourselves!" Ximen Wudi pondered for a moment and said slowly, "So-called talent relies on bloodline, spirit pills, and cultivation techniques and martial arts. And cultivation techniques and martial arts are the foundation for a martial artist's survival. If you don't have these, no matter how strong your talent is, it's useless."

Hearing this, many people around nodded in agreement. Cultivation techniques and martial arts were the foundation for a martial artist's growth. If one didn't even possess cultivation techniques and martial arts, even if their talent was good, it would be impossible to grow.