77: Chapter 77: Rewards at Each Level

After passing the four thousandth step.

Xiao Ran felt his Dao Heart become more solid and firm, like refined iron that had undergone tempering.

"The Trial of Seeking the Dao is truly extraordinary."

He looked toward the stairs extending into the clouds, a more intense fighting spirit igniting in his eyes.

At this moment, Elder Gu's voice rang out once more:

"Those who climb four thousand steps may receive a reward, choose one of two."

"First is the cloud-climbing boots; once worn, climbing speed increases by fifty percent for six hours."

"Second is the Dao-Enlightenment Black Tea; drinking it temporarily boosts Comprehension Ability to help solve subsequent trials."

As soon as the voice finished speaking.

Two items appeared before Xiao Ran.

A pair of boots with flowing cloud patterns and a cup of black tea shimmering with Dao rhyme.

"Dao-Enlightenment Black Tea? Is this some bloody knockoff?"

Xiao Ran was slightly stunned.

Regardless of whether it was the real deal or not, he wouldn't choose it.

What he needed most right now was speed.

Only two days remained, and there were still over six thousand steps to climb.

Therefore, he immediately chose the cloud-climbing boots.

The moment he put on the cloud-climbing boots, Xiao Ran felt his entire body lighten, and the pressure on the stairs seemed to weaken by more than half.

With every step, he could easily clear three or four stairs; his speed had increased by far more than fifty percent!

He looked at the others.

Li Tianxing also chose the cloud-climbing boots; a flash of blood-shadow and he was already hundreds of steps away.

Ling Jianxin chose the Dao-Enlightenment Tea; after drinking it, his Sword Intent became even clearer, and he seemed to gain insights from the sword path remnants on the stairs.

White Bone Scholar chose the cloud-climbing boots, while Jian Wuchen, Liu Ruyan, and Su Qinghan mostly chose to accelerate as well.

Li Changsheng, however, chose the Dao-Enlightenment Tea.

His Innate Dao Embryo resonated with the Dao-Enlightenment Tea; clear Qi flowed around him, and with every step, he seemed to merge with the stairs, his speed surprisingly not inferior to those with the cloud-climbing boots.

"Let's go!"

Xiao Ran delayed no further and headed up with all his might.

With the boost from the cloud-climbing boots, his climbing speed surged.

Four thousand one hundred steps, three hundred, five hundred...

The pressure and interference continued to increase, but under the speed boost, everyone moved as if on level ground.

As Xiao Ran climbed, he carefully sensed the changes on the stairs.

Starting from the four thousandth step, various illusions began to appear on the stairs.

They weren't attacks, but rather... projections of Legacy fragments.

There were phantoms of great masters from immortal sects preaching the Dao, remnants of Demon Sovereigns demonstrating techniques, fragments of ancient wars, and trajectories of Cultivation Technique operations...

These projections flashed by in an instant, but Xiao Ran used his Guixu Body to forcibly capture and devour the Dao rhyme fragments within them.

Though scattered, they accumulated over time.

He felt his understanding of the Guixu Demon Scripture deepening, and his use of devouring power becoming more refined.

...

At the four thousand five hundredth step, a sudden change occurred.

On both sides of the stairs, eighteen stone statues appeared out of thin air.

The stone statues had various forms: an old man with an immortal air, a hideous and terrifying Devil Head, a swordsman holding a blade, and an elegant scholar playing a zither...

"Four thousand five hundred steps, the Battle Puppet Trial."

A voice rang out:

"Eighteen Battle Puppets, each corresponding to a different combat style."

"Defeat any three to continue forward."

"Time limit: one incense stick's time."

As the voice fell, all eighteen stone statues opened their eyes simultaneously!

"Those who trespass upon the Immortal-Demon Ladder, halt!"

A sword-wielding stone statue struck first, its sword light like a rainbow, slashing directly at the nearest Jian Wuchen.

"Good timing!"

Jian Wuchen was just worrying about having no chance to verify his Sword Intent insights; his Taixu Sword Intent erupted as he met the attack.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Sword lights collided, sparks flying everywhere.

The other stone statues also sought out their own targets.

A Devil Head stone statue lunged at Li Tianxing, its Devilish Qi overwhelming.

An old man stone statue pointed toward Ling Jianxin, his finger force piercing through the air.

A zitherist stone statue played the zither, sound waves surging toward everyone like a tide.

"Just in time!"

Li Tianxing shouted, fully activating his Blood Fiend Demon Body to battle the Devil Head stone statue.

Three stone statues appeared before Xiao Ran.

One was a saber-wielding stone statue with overbearing Saber Intent.

One was a spear-wielding stone statue, the spear thrusting out like a Dragon.

One was a Talisman master stone statue, waving its hand to release three Talismans.

"Three... then let's settle this quickly!"

Xiao Ran took a deep breath.

He fully unleashed his Guixu Demonic Light, turning it into three vortexes that simultaneously enveloped the three stone statues.

He intended to take on all three at once!

"Arrogant!"

The saber-wielding stone statue roared, a hundred-foot saber astral light slashing down.

The spear-wielding stone statue's spear tip emitted a cold gleam, piercing straight for Xiao Ran's throat.

The Talisman master's Talismans transformed into a firebird, an ice dragon, and a lightning snake, attacking from three sides.

Xiao Ran neither dodged nor evaded, his hands forming seals.

"Guixu Heaven-Swallowing!"

This was a simplified version he had comprehended himself after exchanging for the Guixu Finger.

Although its power wasn't even a ten-thousandth of the original, it was enough to deal with these stone statues.

The three vortexes merged into one, forming a ten-foot grey-black Domain that swallowed all the attacks from the three stone statues!

"What?"

The three stone statues were shocked.

But it wasn't over yet.

"Returning them to you!"

Xiao Ran pushed his hands forward; the swallowed attacks, transformed by Guixu, were blasted back with even greater power!

The saber astral, spear light, and Talisman techniques surged back!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The three stone statues exploded simultaneously, turning into rubble.

In three breaths, the battle was over!

Xiao Ran looked around.

Li Tianxing had already defeated the Devil Head stone statue and was engaging the second one.

Ling Jianxin's Sword Intent was sharp, forcing the old man stone statue to retreat repeatedly.

Li Changsheng used his Dao Embryo phantom to toy with two stone statues, relaxed and at ease.

White Bone Scholar used a Formation to trap three and was defeating them one by one.

Jian Wuchen was locked in a fierce battle with the sword-wielding stone statue; as their sword paths validated each other, there were signs of an impending Breakthrough.

Liu Ruyan used illusions to confuse, and Su Qinghan used Dao techniques to neutralize, each handling their opponents.

After one incense stick's time, everyone had completed the challenge of the three stone statues.

"Battle Puppet Trial passed."

"Reward: Infusion of combat experience."

The eighteen stone statues turned into eighteen streaks of light, sinking into the bodies of the eight people.

Xiao Ran felt many combat fragments added to his mind—the essence of the combat styles represented by those stone statues!

Saber techniques, spear arts, Talisman paths, Sword Intent, Demonic Techniques, music...

Although they were only fragments, they were enough to broaden his horizons and cause his combat experience to surge.

"This is the real reward."

A sharp light flickered in Xiao Ran's eyes.

The Immortal Climbing Ladder doesn't just test strength; it also imparts Legacies!

...

Five thousandth step.

"Those who climb five thousand steps may receive a reward, choose one of two."

"First is the spirit nourishing pill; after taking it, it can strengthen the Divine Soul."

"Second is the Body-Tempering Spiritual Liquid, which can strengthen the Physical Body."

This time, Xiao Ran chose the spirit nourishing pill.

He felt that his Divine Soul strength was still lacking.

Although the Guixu Body was strong, the Divine Soul was the foundation.

After taking the Medicinal Pill, his Divine Soul power surged like a tide; his perception range expanded by thirty percent, and his control over spiritual power became more refined.

The others also made their choices.

Li Tianxing chose the Body-Tempering Spiritual Liquid, and his Blood Fiend Demon Body advanced further.

Ling Jianxin chose the spirit nourishing pill, making his sword heart even more clear.

Li Changsheng chose the spirit nourishing pill; his Dao Embryo resonated with his Divine Soul, seemingly undergoing a transformation.

After the rewards, they continued to climb.

Starting from the five thousandth step, new changes appeared on the stairs.

It was no longer just simple pressure and interference, but... changes in the gravity field.

Sometimes with one step, gravity would suddenly increase tenfold, and the next step would become a state of weightlessness.

One needed to adjust the flow of spiritual power at all times; otherwise, they would lose balance and fall.

"This is training our subtle control over power."

Xiao Ran quickly understood the intent.

His Guixu Body operated at full capacity, swallowing the energy fluctuations generated by gravity changes and converting them into his own momentum.

He walked more and more smoothly, his speed even exceeding the upper limit of the cloud-climbing boots' boost.

...

Six thousandth step.

"Those who climb six thousand steps may receive a reward, choose one of two."

"First is the barrier-breaking talisman; after use, it can provide temporary immunity to Heart Demon interference for one incense stick's time."

"Second is the Gale Technique; after the blessing, speed increases by another thirty percent for three hours."

This time, Xiao Ran chose the barrier-breaking talisman.

Because he already had the cloud-climbing boots, there was no need to blindly pursue speed.

Moreover, there was surely a reason for this item appearing here.

Sure enough, starting from the six thousand one hundredth step, Heart Demon illusions returned.

This time, the Heart Demons were even more hidden and cunning.

It was no longer straightforward fear, but... temptation.

In the illusion, Xiao Ran saw himself holding the Immortal-Demon Inheritance, standing at the peak of the Immortal Realm, ruling over myriad worlds.

He saw his brother Li Changsheng standing beside him, the two of them controlling the universe together.

He saw the Eternal Night Demon Sect becoming a Holy Land worshipped by ten thousand demons, but the entire Holy Land was in his own hands.

Everything was so beautiful.

"This is what you want, isn't it?"

"Accept it, and all of this will be yours."

The Heart Demon whispered.

Xiao Ran's footsteps paused.

For a moment, he really wanted to lose himself in it.

But in the next instant, his Dao Heart trembled.

"What meaning is there in false glory?"

"What I want is a path I've walked out myself, step by step!"

Xiao Ran gave a cold laugh.

He activated the barrier-breaking talisman.

The Talisman burned, and a clear light protected his body; the Heart Demon illusions receded like a tide.

He looked at the others.

Li Tianxing's Devilish Qi protected his body, making it hard for Heart Demons to invade.

Ling Jianxin's sword heart was clear, slashing through the delusions.

Li Changsheng's Dao Embryo was natural and remained unmoved.

White Bone Scholar used a Formation to isolate himself, Jian Wuchen used Sword Intent to slash the Heart Demon, Liu Ruyan countered with illusions, and Su Qinghan purified with Dao techniques.

All eight people passed.