140: Chapter 140 The wind was too strong, I didn't hear what you said.

Buzz—!

As he raised his sword, the entire dormant Ten Thousand Sword Killing Array was actually triggered once again!

Tens of thousands of suspended ancient swords hummed in unison.

At this moment, Li Mu's Aura climbed to its Peak.

He viewed this battle as a test of his own sword Dao.

If he won, his sword heart would be clear, and the world would open up before him.

If he lost, he would die without regrets.

“This sword is named ‘Questioning the Heart’.”

Li Mu's voice carried a sense of solemnity.

“This move is something I created over three years at the Peak of Soul Transformation while watching the rising tides of the sea of clouds; it is named ‘Severing the Heavens’.”

“Today, I have broken through and rebuilt myself here, reaching Perfection in Sword Intent. I shall use this move to validate my Dao!”

“Brother Chu, take my sword!”

The moment the words fell, Li Mu became one with his sword.

Transforming into an incomparably brilliant sword light, he slashed toward Chu Xiao!

This strike did not have earth-shattering power, nor did it present a terrifying sight of tearing through the Void Realm.

All the power, all the Sword Intent, all the essence, energy, and spirit...

All were condensed into that seemingly simple and unadorned sword light.

Returning to simplicity!

As this sword slashed out, it seemed as if even time and space were frozen.

On the plaza, everyone's thoughts fell into a standstill.

In their eyes, only that brilliant sword light remained, looking as if it could sever all Karma in the world.

Emperor Ji Rulong's pupils shrank violently as he cried out in shock, “What a sword! The power of this strike is enough to threaten a powerhouse who has just entered the Returning Void Realm!”

The Imperial Old Ancestors beside him all showed looks of horror.

They asked themselves: if they were to face this sword...

They would have no choice but to temporarily avoid its sharp edge!

This was the Peak strike of the number one person in the sword Dao of the Eastern Wasteland's younger generation!

This sword strike carried all of his hopes!

However, just as that sword light was about to touch Chu Xiao's back...

A sudden change occurred!

That natal ancient sword that had accompanied Li Mu for many years, which had long been connected to his mind... and which he regarded as his second life, actually began to tremble!

The brilliant sword light abruptly stopped when it was still three feet away from Chu Xiao's back.

Its luster dimmed rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

“What?!”

Li Mu turned pale with horror.

He felt that his sword was afraid!

It was resisting his activation; it was desperately trying to stop!

It was unwilling and did not dare to show its edge toward the figure in front of it!

“What's going on?!”

Li Mu's mind shook violently as he frantically drove his spiritual energy, trying to force control over his sword.

But the trembling of that ancient sword became even more intense.

Cracks even began to appear on the sword's body.

It looked as if it would shatter at any moment!

It was using self-destruction as a way to resist its master's command!

How could this be possible?!

At this moment, Li Mu's conviction began to waver.

Only then did Chu Xiao finally make a move.

He slowly turned around and calmly looked at the young swordsman before him, whose face was flushed red and whose forehead veins were bulging.

On his face, there was no mockery, no disdain—only a sense of indifference.

It was as if he were looking at a child playing with a wooden sword in front of him.

Chu Xiao raised his hand with a flash!

The Burning Heaven Golden Sun Sword appeared in his hand, and at the tip of the sword, a wisp of golden flame flickered gently.

That flame was very small, very weak!

Like a candle in the wind, it could go out at any time.

But the moment this wisp of flame appeared...

“Clang—!!!”

The ancient sword in Li Mu's hand let out a wail!

Then, it fell to the ground.

“No...”

Li Mu watched this scene, looking at his natal spirit sword.

His entire being was dumbfounded!

The sword Dao he was proud of, his indestructible sword heart...

At this moment, they were shattered by an indescribable sense of absurdity!

He had forcibly suppressed the backlash of his natal spirit sword, and the web between his thumb and forefinger had long since split open.

Blood flowed steadily down his arm, staining half of his sleeve red, yet he was completely unaware of it.

His mind was a complete blank.

Chu Xiao put away the divine fire of the Burning Heaven Golden Sun Sword.

Only then did that ancient sword seem as if it had been granted a great amnesty, its light completely fading away.

Chu Xiao's gaze fell upon the despondent Li Mu, and he spoke indifferently.

“Your sword is not bad. Unfortunately, you are too stubborn!”

These words were like a thunderclap.

They struck hard against the crown of Li Mu's head!

“Puff—!”

Li Mu spat out a mouthful of blood toward the sky.

In that blood, there was actually a trace of black Qi mixed in.

That was his Dao Heart breaking and then instantly restructuring.

It was the expulsion of Heart Demon distractions.

At this moment, his entire Aura rapidly withered away.

A moment later, Li Mu bent over and picked up the ancient sword from the ground.

He wiped it clean gently and slowly returned it to its sheath.

Then, he bowed to Chu Xiao with his hands cupped!

“Thank you... for Your Excellency's guidance.”

“Li Mu has learned his lesson.”

He changed his form of address, going from 'Brother Chu' to 'Your Excellency'.

A difference of one term, yet worlds apart.

After saying that, he silently retreated to the side.

He voluntarily stepped aside from the path leading to the higher ground.

He knew that his journey on the Heaven-Ascending Staircase had come to an end.

On the plaza, there was dead silence.

If one were to say that Chu Xiao's act of crippling Silver Bone with a single word was overbearing...

Then his act of subduing an enemy without fighting right now...

Causing a top-tier swordsman's Dao Heart to collapse and making him bow in surrender with a single sentence was truly too exaggerated!

Even Li Mu had lost in such an inconceivable manner.

All the Prodigies on the Heaven-Ascending Staircase...

Had already been left far behind.

It seemed that no one could stop Chu Xiao's steps toward reaching the top anymore.

However, just at this moment...

The light screen above the high platform suddenly flickered.

Everyone's gaze subconsciously looked toward the higher reaches of the Heaven-Ascending Staircase.

They saw that in the mist near the top of the 99,000th step...

There was actually another figure!

It was Huangfu Qi!

This Third Prince from the Dayan Holy Dynasty of the Central Prefecture.

His appearance at this moment was miserable to the extreme.

His fine robes had long since turned into rags under the endless Sword Qi and pressure, and they clung tightly to his body, mixed with dried and fresh blood.

His long hair was disheveled like a madman's, and that once peerlessly handsome face was covered in bloodshot veins.

From his seven orifices, blood seeped out like small streams, only to be dried by the fierce wind.

The spiritual energy in his body had long since been exhausted; what supported him to stand now was his natal essence blood, which was burning fiercely.

With every step he took upward, his handsome face would age a bit more.

His Lifespan was being squandered at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Not only that, above his head, an ancient and heavy golden jade seal was emitting a soft light.

Below the jade seal, nine small golden dragons condensed from Imperial Dragon Qi circled and flew about.

They were helping him resist the pressure of the Laws from the Heaven-Ascending Staircase itself.

This “State-Defending Dragon Seal” was one of the national Luck treasures of the Dayan Holy Dynasty, and it was the final life-saving trump card his Imperial Father had bestowed upon him before his departure.

The cost of using this treasure was immense, and upon returning to the dynasty, he would surely face severe punishment.

But he could no longer care about that much!

He had seen everything that happened below.

He saw Silver Bone's laughable assassination attempt and saw how that assassin was suppressed by a single word and kicked off the platform like a dead dog.

He also saw how Li Mu's stunning sword strike, which was enough to threaten the Returning Void Realm, didn't even have the qualification to be unleashed before that man; the sword was destroyed, the person was injured, and the Dao Heart collapsed.

At that moment, he truly became afraid of this monster, Chu Xiao!

But he could not retreat!

He had already paid the heavy price of burning his essence blood and using a national Luck secret treasure.

He had gambled all of his pride and all of his future...

On being the first on this Heaven-Ascending Staircase!

If he gave up now, not only would his Foundation be damaged and his Dao base shaken, but he would also completely lose the qualification to compete for that supreme position and become the laughingstock of the entire Central Prefecture!

He had no way back!

Behind him was a bottomless abyss, and in front of him was the only chance at life!

“Aaaaaah—!”

Huangfu Qi let out a roar.

Within those naturally born Saint Pupilss, bloodshot veins were densely packed.

The brilliance deep within his pupils spun frantically, almost about to burst into flames.

“A mere native from a barbarian land! You also want to compete with this Prince?!”

He turned all of his fear and unwillingness into madness!

He squeezed out the last bit of potential in his body, enduring the severe pain of the secret treasure's backlash and the terrifying pressure of the Heaven-Ascending Staircase, and took another step upward!

And another step!

With every step he took, the stone stairs beneath his feet would make a dull thud.

Cracks began to appear.

His body was trembling, and his Divine Soul was wailing.

But on his face, there was a distorted and frantic smile.

At this moment, he was only... nine steps away from the final Peak above the sea of clouds!

And that white-clothed figure was still within the Ten Thousand Sword Killing Array.

Still thousands of steps below him!

I've won!

I've won!

This thought exploded in his chaotic mind, giving his spirit a jolt!

He forcibly turned his head and looked down from a high position at that still-composed figure below.

A hideous smile appeared on his face.

He wanted this man and those tens of thousands of ants below to see clearly!

What a true Prodigy was!

What true heritage was!

“Damned native, do you see?!”

Huangfu Qi's voice, amplified by spiritual energy, clearly spread throughout the entire plaza.

“This is the eternal, insurmountable chasm between you and me!”

“This Prince was born noble, carrying the Luck of a Holy Dynasty!”

“And you are just a frog at the bottom of a well in this barren land! Even if you have some talent, you will never understand just how big the gap is between us!”

“This first place is mine! The Heavenly Martial Demon Dragon's essence blood is also mine! You are not worthy!”

He laughed wildly, his laughter filled with pleasure and a high-and-mighty sense of superiority.

The entire plaza was in dead silence.

Countless Cultivators of the Liuyun Dynasty showed expressions of humiliation and anger on their faces.

But they could not refute him.

Because the facts were right before their eyes; although Huangfu Qi was in a wretched state and had paid a huge price...

He had indeed reached the end and was about to reach the top.

While Chu Xiao still remained below.

On the high platform, Emperor Ji Rulong's face also became extremely unsightly.

The several Imperial Old Ancestors beside him were so angry that their beards were twitching and their eyes were glaring.

“This junior from the Central Prefecture is too arrogant!”

“Your Majesty, this person humiliates our Eastern Wasteland so much; we absolutely cannot let him off lightly!”

Emperor Ji Rulong did not speak; he just stared intently at the white-clothed figure on the Heaven-Ascending Staircase.

A trace of tension flashed in his eyes.

Under the convergence of all eyes in the field and amidst Huangfu Qi's smug and frantic hideous laughter...

Chu Xiao, located in the Ten Thousand Sword Killing Array area, raised his head.

He glanced at the figure who was frantically shouting near the Peak.

And then...

He gave a bored yawn.

It was as if Huangfu Qi's frantic performance of burning his life and gambling everything...

Was, in his eyes, nothing more than a tedious farce.

It even made him a bit sleepy.

This yawn was silent and soundless.

But through the magnification of the light screen, it was clearly presented in everyone's eyes.

Huangfu Qi's laughter came to an abrupt halt.

The hideous smile on his face instantly froze.

A sense of humiliation stronger than being slapped ten times in public...

Caused his entire face to turn the color of pig liver.

Ignored!

This was blatant ignoring!

“You... are looking for death!”

Huangfu Qi was shaking all over with anger and was just about to open his mouth to curse again.

It was also at this moment that Chu Xiao moved.

He did not climb step by step with difficulty like Huangfu Qi did.

Nor did he perform any earth-shattering movement techniques.

He just very casually took a step in the direction of the Peak.

One step.

It was just this plain and unremarkable step.

The moment this step was taken, time seemed to have been paused.

In the eyes of the tens of thousands of Cultivators on the plaza, they only saw Chu Xiao's figure blur for a moment where he stood.

There was no process, no trajectory, no flowing light, and no afterimage.

One moment, he was still tens of thousands of steps below.

The next moment, he was already standing on the final Peak at the 99,999th step.

He just appeared there so abruptly.

It was as if he hadn't walked up, but had been standing there all along.

Ascending to the heavens in one step!

“This... this... am I seeing things?”

A Cultivator rubbed his eyes hard, his voice trembling.

“Teleportation? No! The space here is stable and the Laws are suppressed; even a Returning Void Realm grandmaster cannot teleport! How... how on earth did he do it?”

“A monster... he simply isn't human...”

On the high platform, the teacup in Emperor Ji Rulong's hand fell to the ground with a “clatter”.

It shattered into pieces, yet he was completely unaware.

The several Imperial Old Ancestors beside him all widened their mouths, their eyes bulging as if they had seen a ghost in broad daylight.

“Shrinking... Shrinking the Earth into Inches... no, this is the legendary... Dao of Space!”

An Old Ancestor who had lived for over a thousand years spoke with a dry voice, like someone talking in their sleep.

And at this moment, the one who was most shocked and whose scalp was most numb was none other than Huangfu Qi.

He was just grinning hideously and shouting a moment ago.

But in the next second, a figure appeared out of thin air above his head, and a shadow enveloped him.

He stiffly raised his head.

He saw that lazy face.

He saw those calm eyes.

Chu Xiao stood on the platform at the Peak, looking down at the figure on the steps below...

The figure who had already completely turned to stone.

He extended his pinky to pick his ear, a look of curiosity appearing on his face as if he really hadn't heard clearly, and asked softly:

“What did you say just now?”

“The wind was too loud, I didn't catch it.”

The flat voice entered Huangfu Qi's ears.

Every word was like a slap, fiercely striking his face!

Boom!!!

Huangfu Qi's head buzzed.

In an instant, it went blank.

The hideous smile on his face, the madness in his eyes, and all his emotions...

Were replaced by fear and despair at this moment.

A chasm?

A gap?

The background he was proud of, the trump cards he relied on for survival, and the struggle he gambled everything on...

In front of the other party, from beginning to end, they were all just a joke.

A pathetic and laughable clown.