Xiong Zhuangzhuang, seeing that Xu Yi still didn't understand the situation, animatedly recounted the commotion Xu Yi had caused.
"Xiong Zhuangzhuang, you're not pulling my leg, are you?"
Xu Yi's teeth ached from listening.
Especially when the big-browed, big-eyed Xiong Zhuangzhuang uttered those praises that made one's toes curl, Xu Yi felt goosebumps rise all over.
"Why would I lie to you?" Xiong Zhuangzhuang expressed his dissatisfaction with Xu Yi's suspicion. "Buddha Son, Lu Zaiye, the two of you, please bear witness for me."
"Xu Yi, congratulations."
Hong Jing, holding his prayer beads, with a serene smile, indirectly confirmed Xiong Zhuangzhuang's words.
Xu Yi's vision darkened. It seemed she had truly become famous this time.
"Why didn't the three of you go attempt the tower?"
Xu Yi took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and asked.
Xiong Zhuangzhuang replied, "Besides you, the six of us finished attempting the tower long ago. Yu Xiaoyu and the other two went on a mission. We three didn't receive suitable missions, so we returned to rest."
Xu Yi was taken aback, then realized that at a normal pace, the tower attempts would have already concluded by this time. She had taken longer because she had attempted several more towers.
"Since that's the case, why don't you tell me about the situation with the Heavenly Ascension Tower?"
Xu Yi stroked her chin and said with a smile.
She was going to attempt the Heavenly Ascension Tower tomorrow, and she still felt a bit uncertain.
"No problem," Xiong Zhuangzhuang thumped his chest and loudly agreed.
"Let's go, we'll talk inside."
Xu Yi excitedly walked towards Courtyard Number 44. Xiong Zhuangzhuang and Hong Jing followed.
Lu Zaiye stood still, quietly watching Xu Yi's retreating back, lost in thought.
"Lu Zaiye, keep up."
Xu Yi didn't turn back but didn't forget to remind Lu Zaiye.
A faint smile curved Lu Zaiye's lips as he rejoined the three who had deliberately slowed their pace.
The next day.
Xu Yi completed her last circulation, exhaled a breath of turbid air, and left Courtyard Number 44.
On the way, she passed the ranking stone monument. The spot that had been crowded the day before was now completely empty.
She stopped beneath the stone monument, tilting her head up to look.
After a night's time, her ranking had dropped from sixth to ninth place.
The other disciples had already begun to exert themselves.
Xu Yi's heart tightened. She didn't linger any longer, hurrying towards the Heavenly Ascension Tower.
When she arrived at the Heavenly Ascension Tower, she found a tall and imposing figure standing at the entrance.
The figure stood at the entrance of the Heavenly Ascension Tower, blocking more than half of the doorway.
Xiong Zhuangzhuang's physique was already robust, but he was still shorter when standing before this person.
Although the person wasn't deliberately releasing their aura, in Xu Yi's eyes, he was like a majestic and imposing mountain, inspiring awe.
Xu Yi had a general idea of this person's identity, and precisely because of that, she was even more puzzled. Why was this person acting as a gatekeeper at the Heavenly Ascension Tower instead of earning merit points?
Could it be that he was here for her?
No.
It shouldn't be.
Although she was now somewhat famous at Kunlun Academy, her achievements were not enough to threaten this person.
As she pondered, the figure standing at the entrance of the Heavenly Ascension Tower also saw her, and his eyes immediately blazed with sharpness.
"Is this Junior Sister Xu Yi?"
The person's voice was as deep and heavy as his physique, and Xu Yi could even hear a resonant echo.
Xu Yi looked at him in surprise, "Senior Brother Yue, are you waiting for me?"
This person was Yue Hantian, currently ranked first among the disciples of Kunlun Academy.
"Haha, it really is Junior Sister Xu."
Yue Hantian laughed heartily twice and took two steps to reach Xu Yi.
"Junior Sister Xu, I have admired you from afar for a long time."
Yue Hantian extended his palm, the size of a fan, intending to pat Xu Yi's shoulder to show closeness. Midway, he noticed the significant height difference between them and sheepishly retracted his hand.
Xu Yi had to crane her neck to meet Yue Hantian's eyes directly, "I have long admired Senior Brother Yue."
Inwardly, she thought that Yue Hantian coming to find her couldn't simply be to say hello; he clearly had an agenda, but she didn't know when he would reveal his purpose.
"So Junior Sister Xu and I share the same sentiment. How about we exchange our transmission disk imprints? We can also discuss cultivation issues with each other in the future."
Yue Hantian treated Xu Yi with a humility that differed from Shangguan Yuquan and Sun Yue. His tone was very gentle, making it impossible for Xu Yi to refuse.
Yue Hantian was overjoyed after obtaining Xu Yi's contact information. He even took the time to impart techniques for attempting the Heavenly Ascension Tower to Xu Yi before calmly leaving, leaving Xu Yi bewildered.
Xu Yi glanced at Yue Hantian's retreating figure, still not understanding his intentions. She shook her head, dismissed the matter, collected her thoughts, and stepped into the Heavenly Ascension Tower.
As Xu Yi stepped into the Heavenly Ascension Tower, the scenery around her transformed. It was pitch black, with only a cloud ladder stretching endlessly ahead.
Ascending the Heavenly Stairway, questioning the mortal heart, each step a tremor from the heavens.
According to the descriptions of Xiong Zhuangzhuang and others, everyone encountered different challenges on the Heavenly Stairway, but most of them were related to cultivation.
Xu Yi cautiously stepped onto the first step of the cloud ladder.
Boom!
The moment her foot touched the ground, an indescribable current surged into her body, invigorating Xu Yi.
"What is the Dao?"
A mysterious voice echoed in Xu Yi's sea of consciousness.
What is the Dao?
Without a moment's hesitation, Xu Yi loudly declared, "My heart's desire is the Dao."
As the words fell, Xu Yi's body naturally moved up another step.
Second level of the cloud ladder.
"What is the Dao?"
Xu Yi frowned.
Why was it the same question?
This time, Xu Yi spent more time before slowly saying, "The origin of all things in the world is the Dao."
After saying this, she stepped onto the third level of the cloud ladder, with a sense of unease.
As expected, the third question remained unchanged.
"What is the Dao?"
Xu Yi stood on the cloud step, her eyes vacant, her mind racing.
Dao?
What exactly is the Dao?
After three days and three nights, her eyes regained their clarity.
"The heavens and earth move on their own without being pushed, the sun and moon shine without being lit, the stars arrange themselves without being ordered, and beasts are born without being created; this is the Dao!"
This sentence was something Xu Yi had seen in an ancient text.
It was perfectly suited to answer this question at this moment.
The cloud ladder questioned thrice: the first asked about the Dao in Xu Yi's heart, the second about the origin of the Dao, and the third about the changes of the Dao.
Therefore, Xu Yi provided three answers.
When Xu Yi spoke her third answer, she felt a slight shift in her state of mind.
With firm eyes, she stepped onto the fourth level of the cloud step, secretly holding her breath.
Fortunately, the questions finally returned to normal, inquiring about Xu Yi's understanding of the low-grade spell, Fire Dragon Art.
Xu Yi blurted out the answer to this question almost without thinking.
The fifth level of the cloud ladder.
"The upgrade spell for Spirit Guiding Art?"
The sixth level of the cloud ladder.
"The weakness of the Foundation Establishment stage White-Headed Oriole?"
The seventh level of the cloud ladder...
The eighth level of the cloud ladder...
After the most difficult three questions, Xu Yi's speed in ascending the Heavenly Stairway grew faster and faster.
On Kunlun Academy's ranking stone monument, the merit points behind Xu Yi's name were also changing rapidly.