281: The younger brother definitely belongs to the older sister, but it's just not the right time yet.

Chu Wujiu's steps were steady, as if walking on flat ground, and he easily reached the fiftieth step.

A small portion of people immediately began their challenges, while the vast majority kept their eyes fixed on Chu Wujiu's figure.

"So fast! He's at the fiftieth step. Maybe he really can reach the hundredth step!"

Yun Zexuan watched the scene with his arms crossed, a hint of complexity in his eyes, murmuring, "Can he do it..."

"If it were the previous Chu Wujiu, I wouldn't know, but the him now..." Li Xuan stepped forward, his eyes shining brightly, "He can do it!"

Ji Wuchen also nodded, deeply agreeing:

"We advance, advance, and advance again to surpass that monster, not to stop in a place like this."

It wasn't until the seventieth step that Chu Wujiu felt some pressure, and his skin began to tremble slightly.

At the eightieth step, the pressure surged; it felt like carrying a mountain on his shoulders, and every step required mobilizing the strength of his entire Physical Body.

When ascending from the eighty-ninth step to the ninetieth step, this pressure doubled again, nearly crushing his body.

Although one could use a Cultivation Technique during this trial, the pressure would also increase exponentially, so he could only proceed purely with his Physical Body and will.

Sweat seeped from Chu Wujiu's forehead, and his veins bulged, but an unyielding flame burned in his eyes.

He knew that this was not just a test of the Physical Body, but also the extreme compression of his Dao Heart.

Finally, he trembling stepped onto the ninety-seventh step.

The ninety-eighth step!

The ninety-ninth step!

At this moment, Chu Wujiu could no longer move; his body was firmly pinned in place by invisible heavy pressure.

The onlookers were silent, everyone holding their breath, nervously watching the figure distorted by the heavy pressure.

The ninety-ninth step, only one step away!

He stared at the final step, his eyes wide, as whispers constantly Gu-ded him:

"Give up, giving up will bring ease..."

"You are already very strong, why torment yourself like this?"

"It's only one step away, it doesn't matter if you stop here."

"The ninety-ninth step is already excellent; you are the pinnacle of the current generation, enough to look down upon your peers."

This comforting and admiring remark, like a sharp ice pick, instantly pierced Chu Wujiu's eardrums and stung his proud Dao Heart.

"Pinnacle of the current generation?" Chu Wujiu's body trembled slightly, and Qin Wangchuan's transcendent figure suddenly appeared in his mind.

Would he stop here? Would he be satisfied with the praise of being the "pinnacle of the current generation"?

The answer was no!

Qin Wangchuan's goal was to be the best of all time, the strongest in history!

"How can I stop here?"

Fierce Battle Intent and unwillingness ignited in Chu Wujiu's eyes, and the exhaustion and despair that had nearly crushed him instantly dispersed.

He suddenly let out a low roar like a beast; the bones in his body wailed, his muscles knotted, and his veins bulged.

"He definitely can do it. Since he can do it, why can't I, Chu Wujiu!"

Using the last shred of his strength, he stepped out resolutely—

The hundredth step!

When Chu Wujiu's foot landed firmly on the hundredth step, it seemed to touch upon some ancient Law.

The entire Sky Ladder resonated thunderously, illuminated by ten thousand rays of light.

The silent Myriad Dao Stele at the base of the steps let out a deafening roar. On the stele's surface, Dao Laws circulated, and golden light condensed, finally carving three magnificent, Dragon and Phoenix-like characters—

Chu Wujiu!

The surrounding crowd erupted in gasps of astonishment.

"Another summit conqueror! Our Chu Family finally has a third person to reach the top!"

"Too strong. From the ninety-ninth step to the hundredth, I saw his entire body was nearly crushed, yet he was still able to take that step. That willpower is monstrous!"

Chu Wujiu stood at the peak of the Sky Ladder, feeling the might that cleansed the Soul, his chest rising and falling violently.

He did not look back, merely gazing toward the depths of the Void Realm, Battle Intent burning like fire in his eyes.

"Qin Wangchuan, I did it! No matter how awesome you are, you can only tie with me!"

As soon as he thought of this, a smile appeared on Chu Wujiu's lips; everything had paid off.

He slowly walked down the Sky Ladder, the exhaustion on his body washed away by a powerful conviction.

Immediately afterward, the other Prodigies also began their challenges.

Yun Zexuan took a deep breath and stepped onto the heart demon road.

His steps were light, his Heart-Nature stable, and he quickly passed the first trial with ease.

However, he encountered difficulty before the second trial, the "True Self Mirror."

The mirror surface rippled, and an ancient, majestic voice sounded:

"You intend to slaughter all people of the Lower Realm. Is such an act not demonic?"

Yun Zexuan lowered his eyes, his expression calm, without the slightest hint of wavering.

"Demonic?" He replied softly, his voice carrying a hint of cold rationality, "What I seek is merely the death of all fools, the destruction of foreign races, and the eternal peace of the Immortal Court."

"What is wrong with that?"

"If this result can be exchanged for the blood of tens of thousands of Lower Realm beings, then I will be the demon."

The mirror surface flickered with light, eventually slowly receding.

Yun Zexuan passed the second stage.

Following this, he stepped onto the Sky Ladder.

Yun Zexuan's talent was considerable, and his will was tenacious. He climbed all the way up, only beginning to show signs of strain after the eightieth step.

Ultimately, before the threshold of the ninetieth step, he exhausted all his Qi and strength, stopping at the eighty-ninth step.

Although he failed to reach the summit, this result was enough to stand above the masses.

Next up was Ye Lingchuan.

He pressed his palm onto the cold mirror surface. The fog inside the mirror surged but did not reveal a concrete image; instead, it seemed to reflect an endless, gloomy sky where fine snow drifted.

An ancient voice, carrying a chill that seemed to come from the depths of a tomb, slowly sounded:

"Since you have long foreseen the end and determined that you must eventually return to 'destruction,' then what is the meaning of your Cultivating this Dao and fighting for this destiny?"

The two words "destruction" were like two ice picks, precisely stabbing the deepest hidden pain in Ye Lingchuan's heart, causing his body to tremble imperceptibly.

The aura of the Nine Bends immortal burying coffin carried on his back fluctuated accordingly.

Ye Lingchuan was silent for a moment. His eyes, which always carried a desolate hue, did not dim because of this cruel questioning. Instead, they were like stars suddenly lit up over a snowfield, radiating a pure and stubborn light.

He raised his head, looking toward the seemingly endless sky within the mirror. His voice was calm but contained an unshakable resolve:

"Because... I feel that beyond the end of this 'destruction,' there is still something I want to see."

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, which finally condensed into a belief that was almost obsessive:

"I don't know exactly what it is, or even if it exists."

"But I can search for it."

"My Cultivating the Dao is precisely to find it."

As his voice fell, the mirror surface flowed with light, finally slowly returning to calm.

As the three talisman stones lit up, he passed.

After him was Ji Wuchen.

His figure was tall and slender, his temperament cold, like a drawn sword.

The heart demon road and the True Self Mirror were virtually meaningless to him.

His Heart-Nature was pure and his Dao path clear; he passed the first two trials almost instantly.

When Ji Wuchen stepped onto the Sky Ladder, everyone's attention was focused on him.

The young man's back was straight. Facing the immense pressure, he did not bend in the slightest, becoming even braver as he climbed, his eyes completely devoid of confusion.

The whispers in his ears urged him to stop, Gu-ding him to halt and enjoy the praise.

The young man's expression was calm, and a faint curve appeared at the corner of his mouth:

"If I could stop, I wouldn't be standing here."

His will and Physical Body had long been tempered to the extreme, only waiting for a battle with Qin Wangchuan.

Every step he took was steady and firm, as if measuring his own Dao path.

The ninetieth step, the ninety-fifth step, the ninety-ninth step... He did not pause or hesitate in the slightest.

Finally, he easily stepped onto the hundredth step.

The Myriad Dao Stele roared again, golden light dazzling, carving the second name:

Ji Wuchen.

Subsequently, the other Prodigies also completed their challenges:

Ye Lingchuan stopped at the ninety-fifth step.

Zhao Lingyun stopped at the ninety-first step.

Yan Wujin stopped at the ninety-third step.

Only Zhou Yunyi happened to stop exactly at the seventieth step.

Among the many Prodigies, this result could only be considered mediocre.

After all—

The passing line for Myriad Dao Academy was the sixty-fifth step.

Those below this step would not even have the chance to knock on the Academy's great gate.

However, his status as the leading figure of the Imperial Zhou Family made this result particularly eye-catching.

"Surely Lord Leader has ulterior motives?" In the crowd, quick-witted individuals immediately began to interpret, "He must not want to over-exert himself in this stage."

"Exactly! Otherwise, with Lord Leader's strength, why would he stop exactly at the round number of the seventieth step? This is controlling his power freely, having plenty of leeway!"

The surrounding discussions clearly reached him, every sentence like a red-hot needle stabbing the tip of Zhou Yunyi's heart.

Where no one could see, his entire face was so embarrassed it was nearly crumpled, and his heart was filled with wails of despair:

'Stop talking! Please, stop talking!'

'What ulterior motives, what free control! I simply couldn't hold on anymore!'

'I didn't just happen to stop at the seventieth step, I could only reach the seventieth step! I hit my limit! My bones were about to be crushed!'

'I know I've embarrassed you all, I know I'm incompetent... but you don't need to keep reminding me!'

A mix of shame, unwillingness, and intense self-reproach churned within his chest.

'Just wait! All of you, just wait for me!'

'In the future, I will definitely Cultivate myself to death! I'll eat Medicinal Pills like rice and treat closed-door Cultivation like sleep! Sooner or later, I will shock everyone!'

Just after Zhou Yunyi finished his challenge, Qin Zhaoer skipped onto the heart demon road.

The illusions that would have caused ordinary people to break down were nothing to her Peach Blossom Calamity Body. She even made a playful face at the Heart Demon with great interest and passed easily.

However, when she stood before the ancient "True Self Mirror," her steps unconsciously halted.

The mirror surface did not produce violent ripples; instead, it was like a bottomless dark pool, reflecting her slightly flickering gaze.

The ancient voice was no longer majestic, but carried an ethereal echo, as if emanating from the deepest part of her heart:

The mirror asked:

"When exactly will that stirring, deeply hidden beneath your Bloodline, finally be willing to reveal itself to the world?"

This question was like the softest feather, yet it precisely grazed her most sensitive heartstring.

The naughtiness and arrogance on Qin Zhaoer's face instantly vanished without a trace.

There was no fury, no rebuttal; she merely stared blankly at the seemingly unfamiliar self in the mirror.

After a long while, Qin Zhaoer slowly raised her hand and gently pressed it onto the cold mirror surface.

Immediately after, she pressed her forehead against it as well, seemingly conversing with the self in the mirror, or rather, with the true Soul within her heart.

She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, and murmured in a whisper that was almost a sigh, yet contained immense determination:

"It's not time yet..."

The young woman paused slightly. When she opened her eyes again, her gaze was clear.

"After all, no matter what..."

"He is still... an ungrown little brother."

The moment her voice fell, the mirror surface seemed to be coated in a layer of frost, and then all anomalies silently disappeared.

She passed, in a manner no one could understand.

Qin Zhaoer stopped at the ninety-fourth step.

After the crowd finished climbing the Sky Ladder, they waited nearby for the arrangements to enter the Academy.

They exchanged experiences with each other, their eyes filled with anticipation for Myriad Dao Academy.

Just then, Elder Liang's voice echoed in the Void Realm once more, carrying a mysterious smile:

"Congratulations to all of you for passing the three trials. However, entry into Myriad Dao Academy still requires a fourth trial."