121: On the path to immortality, I tread the path of cultivation, and I will cover the heavens!

Shen Nian looked up with a surprised expression; he hadn't expected there to be others in these ruins!

Another Daughter of Destiny?

But when Shen Nian saw the information for this new Daughter of Destiny, he couldn't help but gasp in his heart.

【Age: 18】

【Realm: Nascent Soul Early Stage】

【Special Physique: Indestructible Sword Body (Awakened), Seven-Aperture Lapis Lazuli Sword Heart (Awakened)】

【Cultivation Technique: Sunset Heart Sutra (Minor Achievement) — Nascent Soul, Nine Tribulations Flying Immortal Technique (Introductory) — Immortal Realm】

【Divine Ability: Sunset Sword Art (Minor Achievement) — Nascent Soul, Divine Sword Purple Firmament Sword Art (Introductory) — Immortal Realm, Meat-Cutting Knife Technique (Perfection) — Soul Transformation, Heavenly Fragrance Cooking Technique (Perfection) — Soul Transformation】

【Talent: Unique Through the Ages (Seven-Colored)】

【Destiny Cheat: Nine Tribulations Sword Tower (Ancient Realm Peak Divine Object — Damaged)】

【Fate: Undying and Indestructible】

"Good heavens, a Prodigy-type Daughter of Destiny has appeared... What is this..." Shen Nian had a trace of shock in his eyes. An 18-year-old in the Nascent Soul Early Stage was a bit exaggerated. He only had such a fast breakthrough speed because of the System, but she relied entirely on her own talent.

And this fate...!

Undying and Indestructible!

It was hard for Shen Nian not to be envious!

However, Shen Nian found it a bit strange. Logically, with her talent, her Nascent Soul Cultivation Technique and Divine Abilities shouldn't just be at Minor Achievement; the fact that she could reach Introductory in the Immortal Realm was enough to prove her Comprehension Ability.

Meat-Cutting Knife Technique...

Cooking technique...

"Is she a cook?" Shen Nian immediately had a strange expression, and then the System popped up with more information about her.

【Extended Information: Jiang Churan (Rebirth), in her past life, she came from a mortal Dynasty in the Third Star Domain. She was orphaned from a young age, grew up in poverty, and survived by begging on the streets. Because she was often hungry as a child, she developed personality flaws; she was extremely gluttonous, lazy, had no resistance to delicious food, and believed that being full was the greatest happiness.

At nine years old, she accidentally had the Nine Tribulations Sword Spirit recognize her as its master, revealing her Heaven-Defying talent for Sword Dao, and she embarked on the path of cultivation.

After cultivating for 137 years (actually 19 years of cultivation), she stepped onto the ninth level of the Ascending Heaven Road, and her reputation began to spread. Her Seven-Aperture Lapis Lazuli Sword Heart and peerless beauty were soon discovered by the First Prince of the Third Star Domain's Immortal Dynasty. He coveted her sword heart and beauty, designing a trap with nine-colored sacred beef to lure Jiang Churan out. Under the siege of three Dao Integration experts, the Nine Tribulations Sword Spirit acted to kill all three, but Jiang Churan's Divine Soul was also nearly shattered, and the Nine Tribulations Sword Tower escorted her to Reincarnation.

She was reborn into the direct line of the Ancient Jiang Family in the Upper Realm of the Eastern Profound Ancient Star. Her mother was only a concubine, often suppressed and bullied by the main wife, and suffered from illness for many years. She gave birth to Jiang Churan without anyone knowing, raised her until she was three, and then passed away. After that, the trajectory of fate was very similar. After her mother died, Jiang Churan was left helpless and was often hungry, Awakening the memories of her past life. The Nine Tribulations Sword Spirit also awoke at the same time. It just so happened that the main wife was plotting to get rid of Jiang Churan to avoid future trouble. Fortunately, her aunt, the eldest Young Miss of the Heaven-Grade Weapon Sect, You Lan, arrived in time. Although the Heaven-Grade Weapon Sect was a Holy Land for Artifact Refining, it could never be a match for that snake-hearted woman with a greater background, so You Lan took the young Jiang Churan away, fled to the Lower Realm, changed her name to Murong Guoguo, and Murong Lan of Sunset Valley did not know the truth and always thought she was his own daughter...】

After reading this, Shen Nian silently withdrew his gaze and then glanced at Murong Chen beside him.

He didn't expect this Daughter of Destiny to actually be this kid's sister.

Could this kid be a Son of Destiny?

After all, those around a Daughter of Destiny are never simple.

Murong Chen noticed Shen Nian's gaze and immediately revealed a sycophantic smile, with a trace of excitement in his eyes, as if saying, "Brother Shen, are you calling me?"

"I must be overthinking it..." Shen Nian was speechless, turned his head to look at the hundred-layer staircase in front of him. The stairs were paved with bluestone, covered in moss, and looked as if no one had stepped on them for many years.

The next second.

Shen Nian took a step and climbed onto the first layer.

An invisible gravitational force struck him, instantly, and a majestic voice rang in his ears.

"Ascending Heaven Road, treading the Dao, I wish to cover the sky!"

Shen Nian looked at the top with interest and said, "Heh, that's quite a boast..."

But the voice that followed made Shen Nian understand.

"This was forged by me observing the Dao Heavenly Ladder, borrowing from its words..."

"Those who reach the top can obtain the Cultivation Technique Legacy I left behind. Those who climb the ladder can only rely on their own strength and cannot use external objects, otherwise, it will be returned tenfold!"

"So it's a pirated version..." Shen Nian whispered to himself, and he actually became a bit interested in the so-called Dao Heavenly Ladder in his eyes. Anything that could be associated with the word 'Immortal' was not simple.

He wondered how it compared to the Immortal Road that opened every thousand years in Eastern Profound...

While thinking, he moved lightly.

The next second.

Shen Nian stepped onto the stairs one by one, looking very relaxed, as if he hadn't been affected by the gravity at all.

Murong Chen immediately followed quickly. Because he walked too fast, his body's reaction was a bit slow. Until the third ladder, his expression suddenly changed, his mouth twitched, and he froze in place.

"Damn it!"

Murong Chen wiped his sweat and looked up at the calm back in front of him.

Damn it, Brother Shen, you could have said something!

Immediately, he adjusted his posture and began to resist this immense gravity, climbing the ladder at an extremely slow speed.

Xiao Qinger also stepped onto the ladder at this time, but her expression flickered slightly on the first layer. She saw Murong Chen's situation and knew there was a problem with these hundred-layer stairs.

Afterwards, she also began to climb the ladder slowly.

Until she reached the seventh layer...

Xiao Qinger's sweat dripped down. The inexplicable gravity seemed to want to crush her. After struggling to take a step onto the eighth layer, the gravity doubled significantly.

"Hoo..." Xiao Qinger let out a turbid breath, with only determination in her brows, looking at the top.

"Your Realm is too low. It's not easy for you to reach the eighth layer. The first ten layers should belong to the Golden Core Physique category. These hundred-layer stairs should be a trial left for the Nascent Soul level, otherwise, with your Divine Body's Physique and talent, it wouldn't be so difficult at the very beginning..." The Female Yan Emperor's voice sounded, her golden eyes fixed on the white-clothed back that had already walked to the seventy-something layer on these hundred-layer stairs.

It was truly exaggerated. Even if he was a Prodigy, facing this Ancient Cultivator's assessment, it should have been at least a little difficult for him...

Hearing the Female Yan Emperor's words, Xiao Qinger acted as if she hadn't heard them, still climbing the stairs, with only unprecedented determination in her eyes.

"If I can't even climb this broken ladder, and if I retreat in the face of difficulties in everything, and rely on Senior Brother for everything, how can I bring the head of a Nascent Soul Great Demon to drink with Senior Brother next time we meet..."

"Besides, I am still the Second Disciple of the Ninth Mountain; I can't be the weakest one..."

In her heart, when facing Xia Youyue, she actually always had a trace of inferiority. Clearly, the other party's Realm was higher than hers, but she had to call her Senior Sister, which often made her feel embarrassed.

Bearing immense pressure, Xiao Qinger took a step, her delicate body began to tremble, and she felt every bone in her body shaking, her teeth clenched tightly.

Beside her, Murong Chen, who was on the same ninth ladder as her, gasped for air, turned his head to look at her, with a trace of admiration and shock in his eyes.

"Worthy of being Brother Shen's Junior Sister, truly different!"

"I'm already struggling to hold on, and she can reach this layer at the Foundation Establishment Realm!"

"No, it seems I have to work harder too!"

...

Nineteenth layer.

With a thud.

Murong Chen sat directly on the ground, his face pale, waving his hands repeatedly and saying, "I can't do it, I really can't do it. The pressure of this staircase doubles every ten layers. If I take another step, I'll have to kneel..."

But the young girl beside him, although her body was obviously already a bit hunched, had no intention of retreating on her face.

She slowly moved a step, wanting to step onto the twentieth ladder, but as soon as half of her foot landed, she was bounced back by a huge force, and a trace of blood overflowed from the corner of her mouth.

The next second, she climbed up again, and then was shaken off again, repeating it several times...

"Miss Xiao... why don't you give up? We can just wait for Brother Shen here..." Murong Chen said, unable to bear it when he saw this scene.

However, Xiao Qinger didn't speak. She no longer had the energy to think about anything else, and her eyes only had that layer of stairs.