186: Chapter 186 Endless Stairs, Dao Stone!

Zhang Yang took a step forward, and his figure instantly vanished.

The surrounding Dao Slaying Realm Experts watched Zhang Yang disappear with looks of anticipation.

“Wait. Once Zhang Yang comes out, we will have our answer.”

“Hundreds of thousands of years of waiting depend on this one attempt!”

Everyone's emotions were somewhat stirred.

If it weren't for the fact that braving the Heavenly Stairs relied solely on the Martial Artist's own power,

they would have definitely provided Zhang Yang with even more help.

“I wonder what material these Heavenly Stairs are made of; even when we Dao Slaying Realm Experts strike, we cannot cause even the slightest bit of damage to them.”

“Back then, I wanted to destroy this Small World to see if the Heavenly Stairs could survive its destruction, but unfortunately, you all stopped me.”

The Master of Canglang Tower looked at the Heavenly Stairs not far away with a face full of regret.

Hearing this, many Dao Slaying Realm Martial Artists were speechless and looked toward the Master of Canglang Tower.

Although the cultivation method for the Due Realm was within the Heavenly Stairs, as recorded in the Wu Ling Sect,

it was still a sliver of hope. If the Small World were truly destroyed,

and the Heavenly Stairs were gone, that sliver of hope would be severed!

How could they possibly allow the Master of Canglang Tower to destroy this Small World?

“The Endless Stairs, the first stage of the Heavenly Stairs' trial. Let's see if Zhang Yang can keep going!”

To the side, Claiming Qiankun spoke softly.

“Indeed, it is the ultimate test of persistence. However, I believe my disciple should be able to hold on!”

Xin Buxiu nodded slightly. The first stage tested persistence;

one had to keep walking until the trial ended!

Xin Buxiu still had great confidence in Zhang Yang.

Furthermore, even if one failed the first stage, they wouldn't fall off the Heavenly Stairs.

How far one walked in the first stage merely determined which position on the Heavenly Stairs the challenger would reach in one go.

The first stage of the Heavenly Stairs trial was fixed, while the subsequent trials were indeterminate and random.

They had strictly suppressed the content of the Heavenly Stairs' trials,

because knowing the trials would bring more harm than good to the challenger.

If the person being tested had preconceived notions, they could easily fail the trial... Zhang Yang shook his head and looked around.

The moment he stepped onto the Heavenly Stairs, he felt the world around him shift, as if he had arrived in another realm.

Before him, an endless flight of stairs extended down from the sky.

Zhang Yang looked up, but he couldn't see the end at all!

At the same time, an ethereal voice rang out near Zhang Yang.

“Walk upward, keep walking, until you reach the end. The first stage, the Endless Stairs, will then be considered a successful challenge.”

Hearing this, Zhang Yang looked up at the Endless Stairs.

“Can an endless flight of stairs actually be walked to the end?”

Zhang Yang gave a soft laugh, then lifted his foot and began to walk upward.

One step, one step!

One hundred steps, one thousand, ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million!

Zhang Yang didn't know how long he had been walking; he just kept walking and walking along the white jade stairs!

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Yang still had a smile on his face, taking one step at a time.

After walking for an unknown duration and seeing the same scenery all around,

Zhang Yang didn't feel the slightest bit discouraged; his pace remained steady, one step at a time.

The Heart Book within Zhang Yang was operating, filtering out all distracting thoughts.

Even if these stairs were truly endless, Zhang Yang could keep walking forever!

Finally, after more time passed, the operation of the Heart Book within Zhang Yang was nearing its limit!

He could no longer count how many stairs he had climbed.

Ten billion, a trillion?

Far more than that!

“Are these really Endless Stairs?”

Looking at the scenery that hadn't changed at all, Zhang Yang's heart remained unshaken, and his footsteps didn't stop.

Finally, after another unknown period of time,

the operation of the Heart Book within Zhang Yang's body was truly on the verge of its limit, and some distracting thoughts began to appear in his mind.

But Zhang Yang kept walking!

Always walking!

Finally!

As Zhang Yang took a step, the surrounding scenery instantly changed.

“Congratulations, you have completed the first stage of the trial. Your performance was perfect; you have arrived at the 8,600th step of the Ten Thousand Step Heavenly Stairs!”

Instantly, that ethereal voice rang out near Zhang Yang again.

“Ten thousand steps?”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang understood.

The total number of steps in the Heavenly Stairs was only 10,000, and one's performance in the first stage determined their current position.

“Only the 8,600th step? Wasn't my performance perfect?”

Zhang Yang shook his head; he wasn't particularly disappointed, as it was only the first stage of the trial.

“So, what is the next stage's trial?”

With a thought, Zhang Yang took a step and entered the 8,601st step.

In an instant, the scenery before him changed again.

Zhang Yang looked around; he had appeared inside a room, with two stone tablets standing before him.

The ethereal voice rang out once more.

“One month from now, input everything you have comprehended from the left stone tablet into the right stone tablet.”

As the voice faded, a countdown appeared between the two stone tablets in the room.

Hearing this, Zhang Yang looked at the left stone tablet.

In his current perception, this stone tablet had a faint flow of Dao Rhyme; it was quite extraordinary!

“It seems this stage tests Comprehension Ability?”

With a thought, Zhang Yang instantly entered a state of Minor Epiphany!

Within the left stone tablet, countless Dao Rhymes were comprehended by Zhang Yang.

In an instant, Zhang Yang felt his understanding of the Dao increase significantly!

He felt himself beginning to slowly advance in the first layer of Dao Principles!

Every minute and every second was equivalent to hundreds of times his previous comprehension speed!

Time slowly passed, and just as the countdown was about to end,

Zhang Yang suddenly opened his eyes and poured all the insights he had gained over the past month into the right stone tablet!

Rumble!

The world seemed to spin.

“Congratulations, you have completed the second stage challenge. Your performance was perfect; you have reached the 9,000th step.”

Zhang Yang looked at the jade Heavenly Stairs beneath his feet, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

“If you exit now, you can obtain a dao stone, which can increase your Dao comprehension by one layer!”

“Do you wish to exit?”

“Once you exit, you cannot re-enter!”

The ethereal voice echoed around him.

Hearing this, Zhang Yang was slightly startled.

It could increase Dao comprehension by one layer!

This meant it could allow a Dao Slaying Realm Expert to increase their cultivation level out of thin air!

An absolutely precious and rare treasure!

Sufficient to save a Dao Slaying Realm Expert one or two thousand years of time!

To think that reaching the 9,000th step would grant one!

This Heavenly Stairs truly lived up to its legend as a supreme treasure containing the Due Realm cultivation method; it could even give away such a thing!

Zhang Yang gave a soft smile, then took a step and entered the 9,001st step.

Exiting was impossible; Zhang Yang was intensely curious about the scenery at the top of the Heavenly Stairs!

How could he possibly leave without seeing it for himself?

As Zhang Yang stepped forward, his vision changed again.

He appeared in another room once more.

Inside the room, there was still a stone tablet, along with a book.

“Within one month, Cultivate this Martial Skill as much as possible. After one month, use the Martial Skill to attack the stone tablet!”

“You may test it in advance!”

In the next instant, a countdown appeared!

Hearing this voice, the corners of Zhang Yang's mouth curled up.

Cultivating a Martial Skill?

He was very good at that!