On the towering Wentian Ranking, the first line only displayed the title of "First Place," while the names below were conspicuously absent, replaced instead by a level number. This level, however, caused everyone in the Wentian Academy to gasp in disbelief, as the number was "108th Level."

Cultivators from other places, unfamiliar with the difficulty of the Wentian Steps, might not fully grasp the significance of the 108th Level. However, the Wentian Academy members understood it all too well.

"What's going on?" Feng Zhenqiu asked coldly.

The deacon of the Wentian Academy's Affairs Hall, who had been standing nearby, quickly bowed and replied, "Reporting to Dean Feng, this situation arose more than half a month ago. I originally intended to report it to the Dean separately, but only now have I had the opportunity."

He wasn't lying. The moment this happened, he had been eager to inform the Wentian Academy's higher-ups. However, due to the war beyond the realms, the deans, elders, and peak masters of the Wentian Academy were all absent. By the time he had a chance to report to a dean, he couldn't even see one, and only received an order to cover the Wentian Ranking with red cloth.

Only now did he have the chance to say a word to the Second Dean.

"I already know about this. You may leave," Bei Suting's voice interjected.

"Yes," the deacon replied hastily, bowing and retreating, his back drenched in cold sweat. He didn't understand why this had happened. To say that someone had climbed to the 108th Level of the Wentian Steps was something he absolutely wouldn't believe. He had climbed the Wentian Steps himself, and the difficulty was far beyond what mere willpower could accomplish.

"Senior Sister Suting, what is going on?" Although Bei Suting was much younger than Feng Zhenqiu, Feng Zhenqiu still addressed her as Senior Sister, out of respect for the Wentian Academy's Dean.

At this moment, Feng Zhenqiu felt a sense of unease. The Wentian Steps were the symbol of the Wentian Academy. If the Wentian Steps had a problem, would the Wentian Academy still be the Wentian Academy?

Bei Suting pondered for a moment and said, "I only learned about this recently. I've had brief discussions with several elders and peak masters. It's highly likely that while we were participating in the war beyond the realms, a disciple of the Wentian Academy climbed the Wentian Steps and reached the top. Perhaps this disciple didn't want to reveal their name, so they didn't inscribe it at the top of the Wentian Steps."

"The Wentian Academy has a genius disciple like this?" Feng Zhenqiu was so excited that he trembled slightly. He quickly realized that what Bei Suting said was likely true. Only a disciple who didn't want to be famous would climb the Wentian Steps when everyone was away. And after reaching the top, they didn't leave their name.

"I've already sent people to investigate which disciples didn't leave the Wentian Academy during the war beyond the realms. I believe we'll have results soon," Bei Suting said. She also hoped that the Wentian Academy truly had a genius disciple who had reached the top of the Wentian Steps.

Feng Zhenqiu nodded and added, "There's also the matter of the rogue cultivator 2705. Rumor has it that he was taken away by the Zhenmo Continent expert, Zeng Houyi, who covets his treasures."

Bei Suting sighed, "Even if that's true, the Wentian Academy can't do anything about it. Since that rogue cultivator chose the path of a rogue cultivator, such a thing happening is his fate. Alas, I wonder when the Lost Continent will have a peerless expert who can speak for ourselves."

Towards the end, Bei Suting's face was filled with dejection. Whether it was the invasion of cultivators from beyond the realms that nearly annihilated all the cultivators of the Lost Continent, or the powerful presence of the newcomers from Zhenmo Continent, she deeply felt a sense of helplessness. Even she, the leader of the Lost Continent, was powerless, so the situation of others was even more imaginable.

"Dean Feng, what is going on?" Xia Mo's expression was somewhat ugly. He had originally planned to reach the top of the Wentian Steps, but he didn't expect someone to beat him to it.

Feng Zhenqiu hurried over and said, "Special Envoy Xia, the Wentian Academy is not very clear why the Wentian Steps have undergone this change. If it weren't impossible for anyone to reach the top of the Wentian Steps, I would suspect that someone secretly climbed it. I believe that as long as someone climbs to the top of the Wentian Steps and inscribes their name, that first place will definitely change hands."

Xia Mo knew that Feng Zhenqiu was prevaricating, and even implying that since no one could reach the top anyway, it wouldn't affect him, Xia Mo, who held the first place.

However, he didn't disagree with Feng Zhenqiu's words. As long as he could reach the top of the Wentian Steps and inscribe his name, the nameless first place would naturally fall to second. Instead of arguing with this Feng, it was better to show all the cultivators of the Lost Continent what he could do.

"Distinguished talents who are about to travel to Zhenmo Continent, although you have emerged from many competitors, please allow me to see your potential. Now, I will lead everyone in climbing the Wentian Steps. I hope to see everyone's names on the Wentian Ranking again," Xia Mo said loudly, standing before the first step of the Wentian Steps.

Everyone was eager to try. Many had long admired the Wentian Steps, but they weren't in the Wentian Academy and didn't have the opportunity to climb them. Now that they had such a good opportunity, who would want to miss it? More people were thinking about leaving their names at the very top of the Wentian Ranking, so that the Special Envoy would definitely look at them differently.

Xia Mo was very satisfied with everyone's reaction. With a wave of his hand, he said, "Now, let's conquer the Wentian Steps together."

The word "conquer" made the people of the Wentian Academy very uncomfortable, but the vast majority of cultivators here were filled with joy. Conquering the Wentian Steps of the Wentian Academy was naturally the dream in everyone's heart.

Xia Mo was the first to step onto the Wentian Steps. When he easily stepped from the first step to the second, he felt a sinking feeling in his heart.

Indeed, this pushing force was almost non-existent for him. But the pushing force of the second step was nearly twice that of the first step. Once this terrifying pushing force extended to the 108th Level, how terrifying would it be?

He quickly calmed down. His age wasn't very old, even younger than some of the Transcending Mortality Realm cultivators. But he was at the fourth level of the Void God Realm, and had the potential to enter the Earthly Immortal Realm. He believed that no one in the Lost Continent could surpass him.

However, when he thought of that nameless first place, he felt a burst of annoyance in his heart. Originally, even if he couldn't reach the top of the Wentian Steps, taking the first place wouldn't have been a problem, but now the first place was at the 108th Level.

Xia Mo looked up at the Wentian Steps, which had no visible top, and took a deep breath. If he went all out, he might not be able to reach the 108th Level.

Xia Mo was the first to step onto the Wentian Steps, and the one hundred selected Lost Continent cultivators began to climb the Wentian Steps one after another. Even Gou Zihan and Feng Luojian, who had climbed it once before, started to climb the Wentian Steps again.

The square in front of the Wentian Steps became quiet, and countless cultivators who came to watch were looking at these top-tier talented powerhouses climbing the Wentian Steps.

Feng Zhenqiu looked at Bei Suting on the side and sighed inwardly. If Bei Suting were to climb the Wentian Steps, she might be able to cross the hundredth step.

At this moment, on the Wentian Steps, Xia Mo had already climbed to the fortieth step. At this point, he began to feel some difficulty. For the first time, Xia Mo felt that even if his talent was good, the chance of reaching the top of the Wentian Steps was extremely slim.

Another two hours passed, and when Xia Mo reached the seventieth step, his speed was getting slower and slower. And for the first time, someone surpassed him, the Special Envoy of the Zhenmo Continent.

This shocked Xia Mo. Even if the pushing force of the Wentian Steps increased with higher cultivation, he didn't believe that there was anyone in the Lost Continent who could surpass him. Because the higher the cultivation, the stronger the resistance. What's more, he wasn't that old. Didn't the pressure decrease with age on the Wentian Steps?

Before Xia Mu could recover, another person surpassed him.

Xia Mu's face became a little unsightly. Fortunately, he hadn't said that he would definitely become first place before stepping onto the Wentian Steps.

With the mobilization of his Yuan energy, Xia Mu also increased his speed.

Eighty steps...

Ninety steps...

Many people couldn't hold on and fell. Xia Mo didn't rush to first place, he was still third. He recognized both the first and second place. One was called Lei Hongji, and Protector Xu had specifically mentioned his name. He was a top-grade Lightning Spiritual Root cultivator who had just entered the Yuan Dan realm.

The second was Xi Yixuan, a genius disciple of the Dayan Sect, at the ninth level of the Yuan Dan realm. He was second only to Three Cultivator 2705 on the Hundred Sect Alliance's contribution point ranking.

Jiang Xiushan was extremely excited. His Dayan Sect had suppressed the Wentian Academy on the contribution point ranking. Now, on the Wentian Steps of the Wentian Academy, they were also suppressing Gou Zihan, a genius of the Wentian Academy.

Except for that nameless, unknown, or even fake first place, Gou Zihan was in second place on the Wentian Steps. Moreover, Gou Zihan had reached the ninety-second step. At this moment, Xi Yixuan of his Dayan Sect had already crossed the ninety-fourth step. And another genius from his Dayan Sect, Lei Hongji, had even crossed the ninety-eighth step.

Xia Mo swallowed the mouthful of blood that had reached his throat, secretly took out a pill and put it in his mouth, and then crossed two more steps, arriving at the ninety-fourth step. Xi Yixuan, who was on the ninety-fifth step, finally didn't continue climbing. He struggled to write his name on the white stone tablet on the side, and then was sent down the Wentian Steps.

Xia Mo looked at the ninety-fifth step, which seemed to be right in front of him, but was out of reach for him.

He sighed, knowing that he could only reach the ninety-fourth step. If it were any other time, he wouldn't even want to leave his name. But now that so many people were watching him, if he left without leaving his name, he would probably be considered narrow-minded. After hesitating for a moment, Xia Mu wrote the words "Xia Mo of the Star Emperor Mountain" on the stone tablet next to him.

As soon as he finished writing these words, Xia Mu was sent down the Wentian Steps.

"Not bad, not bad, Zhenmo Continent has selected some talented disciples this time," Xia Mo said with a smile, despite the disappointment in his heart.

However, no one was mocking him at this time. Being able to reach the ninety-fourth step of the Wentian Steps was already a genius among geniuses. Even the people of the Wentian Academy thought that Xia Mo was a genius, because Gou Zihan, the strongest of the Wentian Academy, was still sent down at the ninety-second step when he climbed the Wentian Steps for the second time. Yan'er, the first genius of the Wentian Academy's Pill Tower, was sent down at the ninetieth step because her cultivation was not at the Yuan Dan realm.

"Junior Sister Yan'er, don't be discouraged. As long as you advance to the Yuan Dan realm, you will definitely be able to reach the hundredth step of the Wentian Steps. The Transcending Mortality Realm has the biggest disadvantage in climbing the Wentian Steps." Seeing Yan'er, who had been sent down the Wentian Steps, was a little dejected, Shi Jinwen quickly stepped forward to comfort her. Master Linglong Granny had been missing for a long time, and for her, Yan'er was the future of the Pill Tower.

No one cared that the Wentian Academy's first genius had been sent down. Everyone was staring at Lei Hongji, who was still on the ninety-ninth step of the Wentian Steps, and wanted to know if this top-grade Lightning Spiritual Root genius could climb to the hundredth step, or even the hundred and eighth step, and conquer the Wentian Steps.