Chapter 101 Taking a Step Forward, Entering the Tenth Bronze Tier

"Do you think this Gu Ye can reach the five thousandth step..."

"I think it's unlikely. Even if he can surpass Cui Lieqiong, the five thousandth step is a test of comprehension..."

"Does anyone here know anything about this Gu Ye?"

At this moment, on the 4,999th step of the stairway to godhood, Gu Ye gazed at the empty stairs ahead, which glinted with the cold light of sword blades.

After a brief moment of contemplation, a flash of determination crossed his eyes. He then resolutely took the final step, landing firmly on the 5,000th position.

In an instant, the surrounding scene twisted and changed abruptly. Gu Ye felt his vision blur, and he suddenly found himself standing within a simple yet vast Martial Arts Arena.

The ground, paved with bluestone slabs, was covered in the marks of time. Mottled stone pillars stood all around, and the air was filled with a faint spiritual energy. This step had been exceptionally easy, without the slightest discomfort, as if he had stepped into another dimension.

Then, a line of text appeared before Gu Ye's eyes:

"Comprehend! Learn the Fist Technique and defeat the wooden man!"

After Gu Ye focused and finished reading, the ancient golden characters turned into points of spiritual light and dissipated into the air.

Immediately after, a pitch-black shadow appeared out of thin air in the center of the arena. Its figure was upright and its aura steady. Without any wasted words, it raised its hands and began performing a set of Fist Techniques.

"I could help you cheat, but I don't recommend doing so," Night Dwelling Phoenix's voice rang out.

Gu Ye stared at the black shadow in front of him, his brow furrowing slightly as a look of contemplation appeared on his face.

"Is it because this set of Fist Techniques also counts as a Card Master skill?"

"Yes!"

Hearing this, a sharp light flashed in Gu Ye's eyes, and his expression became somewhat excited. Being able to get a Card Master skill for free could only be described as a massive profit.

If other commoner Card Masters could reach this point and climb a few more steps, they could get a few more Card Master skills for free.

Gu Ye quickly focused his mind and cast aside distracting thoughts. His gaze was locked tightly onto the black shadow in the center of the arena, memorizing every move and every point of power exertion without missing a single detail.

As his mind became increasingly immersed, the core philosophy of the Fist Technique was transmitted to him along with the movements of the black shadow.

In truth, Night Dwelling Phoenix was helping him, greatly reducing the difficulty of his learning.

Other Examinees did not have this kind of treatment; they all had to rely purely on their own comprehension to learn...

As Gu Ye stepped onto the 5,000th step, his results were displayed on the stone tablet below.

In an instant, the crowd near the stone tablet completely erupted. Cries of surprise, jealousy, curiosity, and excitement intertwined, rising and falling as they echoed across the entire mountain peak.

"My god! He really did it! He actually stepped onto the 5,000th step!"

The crowd was abuzz with discussion. Without exception, everyone was full of curiosity regarding Gu Ye's identity. No one had heard of this name before, let alone knew which Noble Families or power he came from.

However, within the crowd, several people had complex expressions—some were angry, while others were surprised and silent.

Li Jie stared fixedly at the name in the second position on the stone tablet, his eyes flashing with anger and resentment as he said through gritted teeth:

"I don't believe this is that commoner Gu Ye. It must be someone with the same name."

"It might really not be him!" Yang Haochen's mind flashed back to the person who had severed one of his arms in the Blood Fiend Mechanical Forest.

He also didn't want to believe it was Gu Ye, but there was a trace of panic in his heart.

The few people who were familiar with Gu Ye all understood that it was definitely him.

The setting sun of Tianding Mountain gradually sank in the west, and its golden afterglow spilled over the stairway to godhood, making the sword blades shine brilliantly.

Most of the Examinees on the stairway to godhood had already exhausted their spiritual energy and physical strength. They walked down one after another, each looking exhausted but carrying a bit of the joy of harvest.

Standing on the steps, Gu Ye suddenly opened his eyes. It was as if countless black shadows appeared in his pupils, practicing that nameless Fist Technique over and over again. The moves became increasingly skilled, and the intent of the fist grew thicker.

A moment later, Gu Ye recovered his focus and exhaled a breath of turbid air, looking up at the stairs ahead.

"This is enough for now. There are still over ten days of opportunity; there's no need to reach the top in one go."

After saying that, Gu Ye turned and walked down the stairs. Descending the stairs was very easy, without any pressure at all.

"Why hasn't Gu Ye come down yet!" Luo Yuerou watched the stairway to godhood ahead anxiously; Gu Ye's figure had yet to appear.

They already knew that Gu Ye had rushed to second place and were very worried about his safety.

At this moment, a group of Examinees and Church Members had gathered at the base of the stairway to godhood.

While the Yanxia Federation was there to protect Gu Ye, the other federations and Church Members harbored ill intentions.

As the last person walked off the stairway to godhood, they still hadn't seen Gu Ye come down.

However, the Examinees ranked in the top few understood that Gu Ye was still digesting his gains and waited quietly.

After a while, Gu Ye's figure finally entered everyone's sight.

He walked down the steps one foot at a time, his aura slightly turbulent.

"He's here!"

Everyone looked up at Gu Ye with gazes of contempt, joy, or jealousy.

Gu Ye looked down at the crowd below, the corners of his mouth curling up and his eyes filled with indifference.

Tick-tock, tick-tock!

As Gu Ye descended the stairs, the sound of his boots striking the longswords seemed to strike precisely against their hearts every time.

The atmosphere in the crowd below became increasingly tense and very quiet.

As Gu Ye reached the last step, he took a deep breath. He felt that he could no longer suppress the opportunity to break through his realm.

As he took his final step off the stairway to godhood, the aura around him suddenly surged, and his spiritual energy billowed.

A 'crack' suddenly sounded in his ears, and Gu Ye's realm successfully rose to Bronze Tenth Tier.

Seeing this, the crowd below suddenly fell into a great commotion.

"How is that possible? How did he only just advance to Bronze Tenth Tier?"

"Oh my god! He actually relied on only Bronze Rank Nine strength to break through to the five thousandth step..."

As waves of surprised voices spread, the other federation Examinees and Evil God Cult members all stared at Gu Ye with dangerous eyes.

Seeing this scene, the Examinees belonging to the Yanxia Federation quickly surrounded Gu Ye, staring intently at the others.

"What do you want to do!" Cui Lieqiong roared. His personality was just like his name: violent and irritable.

"Hand over that kid. We can see he's not one of your Noble Families members."

A blonde-haired, blue-eyed Western woman stood at the front of the crowd, her tone full of threat as she pointed her rapier directly at Gu Ye.

There was already a Nie Xinghe walking ahead of them. They couldn't beat the Nine Lands Federation, but could they not even handle a single Yanxia Federation? They wouldn't allow someone else to be so powerful, especially someone from the Yanxia Federation.

Clang—

"You're talking absolute bullshit. He is a man of my Yanxia. Holloway, if you want to fight, we'll accompany you."

Cui Lieqiong had a violent temper; he reached out and swatted away the sword in Holloway's hand, his eyes full of rage.

"You—!"

Holloway didn't actually want to fight them. There were a total of ten powers that had come to the Tianding Mountain Card Domain.

If they were to start a fight with the Yanxia Federation and get ambushed by other federations, it wouldn't be worth it.

The other federations were all watching like tigers eyeing their prey. In Holloway's view, no other federation could be like the Yanxia Federation, which could take on the other three major federations single-handedly and still develop to its current state.

The people from other factions had misgivings in their hearts and didn't want to be the first bird to be shot.

Even if the members of the Evil God Cult were brainless, they understood that the current balance would not be broken so easily.

In the end, this grand show of forcing a confrontation ended anticlimactically.