[Ding! Congratulations to the host, your friend "Yun Zhenting" has increased your favorability by +999999, current favorability: Five Stars (Lifelong Comrades)!]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, your friend "Yun Tianzhong" has increased your favorability by +999999, current favorability: Five Stars (Lifelong Comrades)!]
...
Hao Ren
o( (⊙﹏⊙) )o
Completely bewildered!
He had no idea what was happening.
He hadn't done anything! Why did Yun Zhenting and Yun Tianzhong's favorability suddenly skyrocket?
Hao Ren checked the "Friend Updates" and finally understood what was going on.
It turned out that both Yun Zhenting and Yun Tianzhong believed that Hao Ren had secretly intervened and given the "Sword Tomb" to Yun Tianzhong.
Hao Ren
彡 (—＿—；) 彡
Speechless!
It was one thing for Yun Zhenting to be such an "old delusional expert," but how could Yun Tianzhong, at such a young age, have such a "superstitious" idea?
Sigh!
The entire Yun family had been led astray by Yun Zhenting!
At this moment, the fifth heavenly phenomenon, "Ancient Cauldron Refining Treasures," gradually dissipated, and Hao Ren's "preaching" finally reached its third word.
Dao ke dao...
The third word was still "Dao"!
As the sound echoed, various powerful heavenly phenomena erupted once more.
In the sky, countless "Dao" condensed into tangible forms.
Each of these "Dao" contained immeasurable divine power, mysterious and unfathomable.
Now, they had all condensed into tangible forms, crisscrossing and covering the entire firmament.
Dao!
Dao, Dao, Dao!
Everyone's expressions were dazed, filled with longing.
The ultimate goal of cultivators was to cultivate the Dao.
Now, with the Great Dao condensing into tangible form across the heavens, it was an irresistible temptation for all cultivators!
Ahhh, we can't bear it!
Some Golden Core magnates couldn't resist this "temptation." They instinctively activated their flying swords, preparing to "fly on swords" to touch the "Dao" in the sky.
However, as soon as their sword light condensed, it was instantly annihilated by an immense power!
The mysterious power was so powerful that it was irresistible!
The "Dao" transcended all beings and was unapproachable.
At this moment, a hoary and majestic voice slowly sounded.
"The Great Dao is fifty, Heaven evolves forty-nine, leaving one for man!"
As the words fell, a golden light descended from the sky.
The golden light spread downwards, forming forty-nine heavenly steps, connecting the mortal realm and the heavens' "Dao."
To approach the "Dao," this was the only way – to ascend the heavenly stairs!
The sixth heavenly phenomenon: "The Forty-Nine Heavenly Steps"!
At this point, there was no need for Chi Lian to step forward and explain further. Just by seeing the "Dao" in the sky and these majestic golden heavenly steps, everyone's hearts were filled with understanding.
As long as one ascended these forty-nine golden heavenly steps, there was a chance to comprehend the mysterious and profound "Dao"!
This was an immense opportunity!
Although the chances were slim, it was an opportunity that could not be missed!
Xiao Dezzi of the "Deyun Sect," an elite disciple who had successfully broken through to the "Golden Core realm," felt that he was among the best of these eight hundred elite disciples. He stepped forward first.
"Esteemed friends, I shall lead the way!"
Xiao Dezzi's tone was filled with immense confidence, the arrogance of a "Golden Core cultivator."
Xiao Dezzi believed that he had a high chance of successfully ascending the forty-nine heavenly steps...
Bang!
Rumble!
Ahhh...
A series of sounds echoed.
As soon as Xiao Dezzi placed one foot on the golden heavenly step, before he could even steady himself, the immense "Dao aura" erupted.
This power was mysterious and unfathomable. It targeted neither the body nor the soul; if one had to say, the "Dao aura" targeted the "Dao heart."
If the Dao heart was stable, one could resist the impact of the "Dao aura."
If the Dao heart was unstable, hehe...
Xiao Dezzi's fate served as a warning to all.
As soon as he stepped onto the heavenly steps, he was blasted away, his screams echoing as he flew further and further away...
This...
The elite disciples were all stunned.
These heavenly steps were indeed not easy to ascend!
The elite disciples who had been eager to try moments ago now all retreated.
They hesitated, not daring to challenge the ascent to the heavenly steps.
They looked at each other, the atmosphere growing somewhat awkward.
"Fellow Daoist Long, I've long heard that you are a once-in-a-millennium super genius. Why don't you go first?"
"Alas, what 'once-in-a-millennium'? It's just empty fame, meaningless! I think, Fellow Daoist Luo, you have great potential. You go first!"
...
Everyone kept pushing the responsibility to each other, and no one was willing to ascend the heavenly steps.
Just then, a figure stepped out from the crowd, his foot landing firmly on the heavenly steps.
Holy crap!
So ferocious!
The crowd was shocked at first, then sighed inwardly, thinking, "Another fearless one!"
Heh heh, too young, too impulsive!
In the next second, this figure should be blasted away, right!
Thus.
One second...
Two seconds...
Three seconds...
After five seconds had passed, the imagined scene of being blasted away still hadn't occurred.
What was going on?
Everyone looked up, and they saw standing on the first golden heavenly step... a monkey.
The Little Spirit Monkey King!
This monkey, which had been thoroughly defeated by Hao Ren earlier, had recovered and nimbly leaped onto the golden heavenly steps.
The monkey stood on the first step, appearing to be at ease and very relaxed.
"Jiji jiji..."
The monkey chirped a couple of times at Yun Zhaozhao, Yun Tianzhong, and the others, gesturing for them to join.
"Little Ling, I'm coming!"
Yun Zhaozhao showed a spirited smile, and like a cheerful little butterfly, she ran over and leaped onto the first golden heavenly step.
Yun Zhaozhao landed steadily on the heavenly step, with great ease!
Immediately after, Yun Tianzhong and Yun Tiankong also stepped onto the first golden heavenly step.
Then, Liu Xiuer, who had been keeping a low profile, also walked over and successfully ascended the first golden heavenly step.
Very easily!
Extremely easily!
The performance of the Little Spirit Monkey King and the others left the elite disciples completely dumbfounded!
So, what exactly was going on?
Were the heavenly steps difficult or easy?
Perhaps, the heavenly steps weren't that strong. Xiao Dezzi's situation earlier... was Xiao Dezzi just too weak!
With this "hopeful mentality," several elite disciples, imitating the Little Spirit Monkey King and the others, began to climb the first golden heavenly step.
Boom, boom, boom!
Ahhh...
Ahhh...
Screams erupted one after another.
As soon as their feet touched the golden heavenly steps, the immensely powerful "Dao aura" exploded.
They felt as if they had been hit by an eighteen-level tsunami.
They were directly blasted away.
Struggle?
Resistance?
Don't be ridiculous; the "Dao aura" was overwhelmingly powerful, utterly irresistible!
The elite disciples
o( (⊙﹏⊙) )o
Stunned!
Completely confused!
So, what exactly was going on with these heavenly steps?
Judging by the performance of the Little Spirit Monkey King and the others, it seemed easy and effortless.
But looking at the "tragic state" of others, why did it seem so difficult?
The elite disciples didn't know what to do.
They began another round of looking at each other and making excuses.
"Fellow Daoist Long, you go first!"
"No, no, no, Fellow Daoist Luo, you go first!"
...
Just as the elite disciples were arguing amongst themselves, an unremarkable figure walked over. Without hesitation, he raised his foot and stepped onto the golden heavenly steps...