C236 Flying(1)

Woo Zhengyang was not about to compromise; he had his own plan and chose to step back. The distance of about 130 feet was daunting and dangerous if he tried to walk it. So, Woo Zhengyang decided to take a different approach: he would leap forward, which required a temporary retreat to gather his strength.

After retreating a few dozen feet, Woo Zhengyang gathered his energy. With the first step of the "Dragon Countering Nine Steps," his body was propelled upward. Since he was leaping upward, the force of the steps was somewhat limited.

On the first step, Woo Zhengyang only managed to cross a single step. The second step took him less than 10 feet. By the third step, he had crossed just over 10 feet. By the fourth step, he was no longer just stepping up; he was soaring, clearing several steps at once and covering more than 20 feet.

With each subsequent step—fifth, sixth, and seventh—Woo Zhengyang's body rose higher and higher. After the eighth step, he returned to the spot where he had been trapped earlier. On the ninth step, Woo Zhengyang's body soared along the cliff face.

To the astonishment of everyone watching, Woo Zhengyang leaped over the most dangerous part of the Martial Master Path in a single bound, landing steadily on the stone platform at the path's end. At that moment, everyone finally understood why Woo Zhengyang had stepped back earlier.

The most treacherous part of the Martial Master Path was conquered by Woo Zhengyang, a feat unheard of in everyone's experience.

"Haha... That's our Senior Brother Woo for you!"

"The reputation of a madman is well-earned. I wonder if I'll ever cross the Martial Master Path with such boldness!"

"You? Cross the Martial Master Path? You'd probably get weak in the knees halfway... haha..."

After their initial shock, the crowd below was buzzing with excitement. Many had already started to see Woo Zhengyang as their role model.

On the stone platform above the Martial Master Path, several inner circle stewards watched Woo Zhengyang as if he were a marvel. Despite years of evaluating countless inner circle disciples, this was the first time they had witnessed someone pass the Martial Master Path in such a manner.

"Impressive, truly impressive. A young hero indeed!" sighed the steward who had been about to assist Woo Zhengyang.

"Indeed, impressive. Not to mention the feat of leaping across the sheer cliff of the Martial Master Path, even the fact that he didn't use his hands at all on the way is far beyond his peers. Even Zhongli Huo had to use both hands and feet to climb up at the last moment!" another steward remarked in awe.

"Hmph... Just showing off!" Zhang Tia grumbled. Having secured his place in the inner circle alongside Yue Jiuxiao, he naturally couldn't stand to see Woo Zhengyang succeed.

"Wait, you can use both hands and feet on the Martial Master Path?" Woo Zhengyang was a bit surprised and didn't bother responding to Zhang Tia. He only knew the saying, "Cross the Martial Master Path to become an inner disciple." Wasn't the test supposed to be completed by walking across it?

The overseers were embarrassed. They finally understood why Woo Zhengyang had dared to step back and then leap forward. He thought the Martial Master Path couldn't be traversed using hands.

"Ah, that makes sense. But it's just as well; otherwise, how could he have achieved such a feat? Let's head to the inner disciple assessment hall!" one of the overseers called out.

Woo Zhengyang followed the overseers toward the nearby inner disciple hall, still mulling over the Martial Master Path in his mind. He knew very little about the Profound Heaven Sect, even less than most outer disciples.

But it wasn't entirely his fault. Since joining the outer sect, he'd faced constant challenges and hadn't had much time to settle in or interact with other disciples, leaving him with many gaps in his knowledge.

Now that he was entering the inner sect, there were still many aspects of the outer sect he hadn't experienced, let alone the Martial Master Path. Many outer disciples only faced it after several years, but Woo Zhengyang had encountered and completed it within just a few months of joining, in a way that exceeded many expectations.

Even if he had to do it all over again, knowing what he knows now, Woo Zhengyang would likely choose the same path. Striving for perfection is always worthwhile.

As for whether others thought he was just showing off, Woo Zhengyang didn't care at all. Besides, even if he was showing off, so what?

Woo Zhengyang never imagined that his unintentional actions would later lead to significant changes in the rules of the Martial Master Path. Many outer disciples witnessed how Woo Zhengyang crossed the Martial Master Path, leaping over the final cliff. Later, they heard that Woo Zhengyang wasn't even familiar with the rules of the Martial Master Path and had never used his hands for assistance.

This inspired many outer disciples, each filled with a sense of boldness. Quite a few even claimed they would follow Woo Zhengyang's example, insisting on walking the Martial Master Path without climbing. Over time, this method spread, and the rules of the Martial Master Path were changed. It became a true test, where anyone who could cross it was undoubtedly a Reality Condensing Stage martial artist, with both skill and agility. The subsequent assessments were deemed unnecessary.

Of course, for now, Woo Zhengyang still needed to undergo the upcoming assessments.