438: Ladder Rules

"Investigate! Go investigate at once! Just who are these seven people? Who is their Revered Master?"

An impatient Elder could not help but shout.

"Foolish!!"

A deep shout suppressed all the noise.

The one who spoke was a middle-aged Daoist dressed in black Daoist robes, with a lean face and an aura as deep as the sea.

He was the current Dean of the Dao Zang Academy, Immortal Master Xuanji.

His gaze swept over the Elders in the hall, his voice not loud but carrying a firm authority.

"In this Golden Age, where Luck is concentrated, unparalleled heroes will naturally emerge as the times demand.

Since they have come to my Dao Zang Academy to participate in the assessment, it means they trust our academy. Investigating their backgrounds forcefully is unwise and more likely to sour the relationship."

He paused and looked at the water mirror reflecting the platform at the eight-thousandth step, a deep sense of amazement and solemnity flashing in his eyes.

"Pass down my orders."

Immortal Master Xuanji's voice regained its composure, but it carried decisiveness.

"First, the Heavenly Ladder assessment continues; no one is allowed to interfere with the climbers in any form, and violators will be severely punished.

Second, open the access to core Secret Realms such as the Dao Infusion Pool and the Ancient Dao Enlightenment Hall. Prepare top-tier resources like Dao Enlightenment Pills and Great Dao Origin Qi to welcome this session's True Disciples.

Third, order the Hall of Heavenly Punishment and the Dao Protector Hall to be on secret alert to prevent any factions from taking the opportunity to cause trouble, or any ill-intentioned individuals from harassing the Prodigies."

He took a deep breath and said slowly, "This session's Disciples concern our academy's Luck for the next ten thousand years, and even our position in this Golden Age.

Everything shall be handled with the highest specifications. As for their Origins..."

Immortal Master Xuanji looked toward the Heavenly Ladder outside the hall, which towered into the clouds and vanished into the Chaos, his gaze distant.

"When it is time for us to know, we will naturally know. For now, we only need to open our gates and wait for the true dragons to enter the sea."

The Elders in the hall felt a jolt in their hearts and bowed in unison: "We respectfully obey the Dean's decree!"

Everyone looked at each other and nodded, their minds gradually aligning.

Although this batch of Disciples would only Cultivate in Daozang for three years, the grace of mentorship and the friendship of fellow Disciples would be enough for them to remember for a lifetime.

If the academy treats them with sincerity today, then in the future, no matter where they go, there will naturally be a place for the academy in their hearts.

Furthermore, though three years is short, the connection is long.

Who can say for certain that no one will be willing to stay and watch over this vast starry river together with Daozang?

Meanwhile, in the deepest part of Dao Zang Academy!

In the center of the Void Realm, an ancient bluestone platform floated.

On the platform, there was only a stone table and two stone stools.

An old man dressed in simple grey robes, with silver hair but a face as rosy as a baby's, was standing respectfully by the stone table with his hands down.

He was the previous Dean of the academy, Qing Xuzi, who had long since stopped concerning himself with worldly affairs.

And on the stone stool sat a man calmly.

It was the Nirvana Emperor, Xing Tianao.

Qing Xuzi quietly lifted his eyelashes slightly, his gaze sweeping over the figure sitting calmly on the stone stool, his heart surging with unspeakable waves.

His Revered Master had been back for several days, but he was still unclear about his Revered Master's specific situation.

Previously, he had seen with his own eyes that during the World-Ending Emperor Tribulation, his Revered Master's Dao injuries erupted, and his soul and body were both destroyed.

That scene was too tragic, too real.

He had also mourned incessantly for this, his Dao Heart covered in a layer of haze. A few days ago, he was still on this platform, reminiscing about the person, overcome with grief and weeping bitter tears.

But just as he was concentrating on crying and his emotions were sinking, his Revered Master appeared before his eyes without any warning or sound.

At that time, Qing Xuzi's Divine Soul was screaming in terror, and his Dao Heart shook violently, nearly failing.

What was the situation?!

Was it a remnant soul's obsession?

No, the person before him was full of flesh and blood, with a vigorous life Origin, surging like a tide.

Was it someone else in disguise?

No, the vicissitudes, loftiness, and that faint hint of weariness deep in those eyes belonged uniquely to his Revered Master; no one in heaven or earth could imitate it, nor would they dare to.

In his uncertainty, he had even secretly triggered a wisp of aura from the academy's Emperor Weapon to sense it covertly.

The feedback was indeed his Revered Master's Origin aura.

What Realm was his Revered Master in now? Had this Emperor Tribulation failed or succeeded?

He still didn't know what had happened.

His Revered Master didn't mention it, and he didn't dare to ask.

"Revered Master."

Qing Xuzi suppressed his churning emotions and spoke respectfully, his voice echoing in the Void Realm.

"On the Heavenly Ladder, anomalies are occurring frequently. Nearly thirty people have already stepped onto the threshold of the eight-thousandth step for True Disciples, and among them, there are clearly existences with transcendent natural talent!

Based on the current climbing situation and past experience, it is estimated that by the end of the assessment, the number of True Disciples should be no less than forty. This opening of the academy is more grand than ever before."

His tone carried a hint of excitement; he seemed to already see the future grand occasion of the Xuanhuang Great World where Great Saints and Quasi-Emperors would emerge in large numbers.

The mystery of the Daozang Heavenly Ladder lay in the fact that it did not measure everyone by the same standard.

It could reflect the true self and set a trial of the ultimate limit unique to each climber's current Realm and level.

What it measured was not how much power the climber possessed at this moment.

But rather, at the life level and Cultivation stage they were in, how much of their potential had been unearthed, how solid their Foundation was, and how clear their Dao Heart was!

King Realm Cultivators and Saint Realm Cultivators, even if standing on the same step, would feel completely different levels of pressure, Heart Demon intensity, and power of Dao law attacks.

For those who could climb to the eight-thousandth step, as long as they did not fall midway, becoming a Great Saint was almost a certainty.

If carefully nurtured, they would have a great chance of stepping into the Quasi-Emperor Realm.

For those who could climb to the nine-thousandth step, the Quasi-Emperor Realm was already a smooth path for them, and they could even touch the threshold of the Emperor Realm.

This meant they were already qualified to peer into that supreme Realm; one could say they possessed the potential of a great emperor.

Every additional step meant their life Origin, Dao Foundation, and even their mysterious Luck were closer to that supreme Imperial Dao.

The higher they climbed, the greater the possibility of stepping into the Emperor Realm in the future.

And at the peak of that Heavenly Ladder, those who reached the top were few, but any who succeeded, as long as they didn't perish midway, would eventually become an Emperor who ruled over the heavens and swept through an era!

Xing Tianao withdrew his gaze from the Heavenly Ladder, and the ripples in his eyes caused by Gu Changge and his Disciples gradually subsided, returning once again to calmness.

He only said indifferently: "In the Golden Age, Luck burgeons like a hundred rivers returning to the sea; it will naturally nurture countless flood dragons.

The resonance of heaven and earth and the manifestation of the Great Dao make the emergence of many talents a matter of course. There is no need for surprise."

Qing Xuzi paused slightly.

He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately could not suppress his heart, which was excited for the academy's sake and for this brilliant era, and asked cautiously.

"Revered Master has a Wisdom Eye that pierces through the ages. In your opinion, among the Disciples climbing the Heavenly Ladder this time, are there any who possess Emperor potential and hope to glimpse that supreme Great Dao in the future?"

When he asked this question, Qing Xuzi's heart was filled with great expectation.

In such a Golden Age, it should be possible for one or two seedlings with Emperor potential to appear, right?

Even if there was only a sliver of hope, it would be enough for the entire academy to pour everything into nurturing them.