118: Long Stairway to God

Following Su Lei's gaze, the outline of Kunlun Main Peak was faintly visible amidst the sea of clouds.

An indescribable aura permeated from deep within the mountain range, washing over her senses like a tide—mysterious, ancient, powerful, as if a giant beast that had slept for ten thousand years was slowly awakening.

Xiao Yuwei unconsciously tightened her grip on the armrest of her seat, her beautiful eyes showing shock, confusion, and even a hint of apprehension.

"Did you feel it?" Su Lei's voice came from behind him.

"Before, no instrument could detect it."

"Not even my Mental Energy could perceive it."

"But now..." He paused, his voice low and carrying a rare hint of solemnity, "I'm afraid our excavation work has inadvertently broken some kind of Restriction."

"The thing hidden inside Kunlun is about to appear."

The helicopter landed on the temporarily constructed base platform, and the roar of the rotor gradually subsided.

The two followed the deep tunnel downwards into the mountain.

Cold white emergency lights were embedded in the surrounding rock walls, casting dim light, like a passage to an unknown world.

The moment she stepped into the construction site, Xiao Yuwei's footsteps paused slightly.

Before her was a spacious hall with a soaring dome.

The surrounding rock walls were covered with intricate murals.

The patterns were faintly visible under the lights.

The lines were ancient and mysterious, as if a lost civilization had been dormant here for tens of thousands of years.

Twisted runes, ferocious Demonic Beasts, and... a colossal, indescribable outline were vaguely discernible.

"These..." Xiao Yuwei's voice involuntarily lowered, as if afraid of disturbing something.

"Ancient murals and texts."

Liu Hongyan walked over quickly, holding a holographic recorder in her hand, with data streams projected and floating at her fingertips.

"A portion has been organized, but the decryption progress is very slow. Some symbols... do not belong to any known ancient script."

Xiao Yuwei's gaze swept over the busy crowd in the hall.

Experts gathered in groups of two or three, discussing in low voices.

Engineers operated large machinery, and the dull, rhythmic sound of drilling echoed.

"How much further is the core area?" Su Lei asked.

Liu Hongyan pointed to the giant stone door at the end of the hall, which had been temporarily reinforced.

"According to the current progress, it can be opened in less than a day. But..."

"The closer we get, the stronger the abnormal energy reaction becomes. Several of our staff have experienced temporary hallucinations and tinnitus."

Su Lei nodded slightly, "It seems that's the place."

Xiao Yuwei couldn't help but glance sideways.

Only now did she begin to believe Su Lei's judgment.

Her sixth sense told her that there might truly be something crucial here to contend with the Lei Family.

Su Lei tilted his head slightly, looking at Xiao Yuwei, who had hesitated to speak several times.

"We have an equal contract between us. Any action detrimental to an ally will result in Mental Energy backlash."

"You can rest assured; feel free to speak your mind."

Xiao Yuwei took a deep breath, then closed her eyes, her Mental Energy subtly spreading like a thread, briefly connecting with Su Lei's consciousness.

"If ancient secret techniques are truly hidden here..."

She didn't finish, but her meaning was clear.

As the future Family Head of the Xiao Family, she couldn't miss any opportunity to strengthen her Family's power.

But this almost greedy thought made it difficult for her to speak directly.

Su Lei's smile deepened a few points, his gaze frankly meeting hers.

"Don't worry, I will share what's here with you."

"The stronger you are, the greater our chances of dealing with the Lei Family."

Xiao Yuwei was slightly startled, the hesitation in her eyes finally dissipating as she nodded, saying no more.

Hours later, the energy fluctuations had become suffocatingly intense.

The entire underground space trembled slightly, and rubble rustled down from the dome.

The drills of the engineering machinery emitted a piercing hum, but could no longer advance an inch, as if held firmly by some invisible force.

"It's no use! If we force it any further, the equipment will be completely ruined!" an engineer reported, drenched in sweat.

Su Lei and Xiao Yuwei exchanged glances, then tacitly released their Mental Energy simultaneously.

Two powerful perceptions spread like a tide, intertwining deep within the stone door, finally locking onto a subtle energy node—the core of a Restriction, like an invisible lock sealing the final passage.

"Together," Su Lei whispered.

Xiao Yuwei nodded slightly, her fingertips condensing Protective Aura, a milky white light coiling upwards like flowing water.

Su Lei's palm, meanwhile, glowed with a faint blue ripple. Two distinctly different forces simultaneously poured into the node—

"Crack—"

A crisp cracking sound rang out, and the runes on the stone door suddenly dimmed.

Immediately after, the entire giant door slowly opened inward, and air sealed for ten thousand years rushed out, carrying an ancient and heavy aura.

What came into view was a towering black giant tower.

The tower body was entirely black, its surface covered with intricate patterns.

Faint dark red streaks of light flowed within the patterns, like blood coursing through veins.

Dozens of thick metal chains extended from the base of the tower, deeply embedded in the surrounding rock walls, as if suppressing something.

Just then, Liu Hongyan hurried over, holding a document.

"The experts have already deciphered some information. Stringing them together, we've preliminarily reached a conclusion..."

She took a deep breath, her expression becoming much more solemn.

"The entire Kunlun Secret Realm is actually an ancient civilization's training base."

"To fight against Demonic Beasts, they mass-produced Grandmaster-level powerhouses here!"

"What did you say?!" Xiao Yuwei's pupils constricted, instinctively refuting.

"Mass-producing Martial Arts Grandmasters? That's absurd!"

Su Lei frowned, equally unable to believe it.

A Martial Arts Grandmaster is not just the Peak of power, but also a Breakthrough in one's state of mind.

Without life-and-death tempering, without an ultimate understanding of the Dao of martial arts, it would be impossible to enter that Realm.

Liu Hongyan shook her head, quickly explaining.

"Ancient civilization not only mastered the technology of creating star marrow, but also could enable Martial Artists to quickly absorb its energy through some method."

"In just one month, it could strengthen an ordinary person's physical fitness to the level of a Grandmaster!"

Xiao Yuwei interrupted coldly, "Without actual combat, it's ultimately an empty shell."

Liu Hongyan's gaze slowly shifted to the black giant tower, her voice lowering.

"So another step is needed..." She pointed at the tower body, "Enter this tower and fight countless enemies in a Mental illusion."

"Growing through endless slaughter, rapidly accumulating combat experience and various knowledge. If one can clear two hundred floors, they will..."

Liu Hongyan's voice trembled, and she took a deep breath, looking at the two of them seriously.

"This tower has another name..."

"Ascension Ladder!"

Su Lei and Xiao Yuwei fell silent simultaneously.

If this was true, the value of this tower would far exceed their imagination!

Just then—

"Rumble—!"

On the bottom floor of the black giant tower, a crimson light pattern suddenly lit up, as if some dormant mechanism had been activated.

The tower gate was slowly opening.

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