162: Dengxiandai

The Immortal Gate stood towering and majestic, its aura seemingly consuming the past and present.

The moment he crossed the Immortal Gate, a high-dimensional energy descended upon Su Quan, causing the flame mark on his arm to ignite, while the Laws of time and space shifted in that instant.

Golden light shone everywhere, and the sun and moon rose together.

When Su Quan opened his eyes again, he was shocked to find himself standing on an endless platform suspended far outside the universe.

The platform was vast in scope; even though hundreds of billions of Cultivators had poured in just moments ago, it did not feel crowded.

"This is..."

Su Quan looked forward, his pupils constricting sharply.

Above the boundless Void Realm, countless floating platforms drifted, arranged in a massive circle that stacked upwards until they vanished into the horizon.

Just then, the Immortal Gate behind him rippled like water.

The light retracted, and the Immortal Gate slowly closed.

A gilded figure appeared directly above the platform.

"For this Ascension Assembly, the number of Cultivators who successfully passed the selection is over 926.76889 billion, the highest number of Cultivators in history!"

...

Outside.

After the Immortal Gate closed, it slowly dissipated, replaced by a projection of immortal imagery.

A mighty figure from the Immortal Domain was casting supreme magical power to project everything happening behind the Immortal Gate to the Myriad Worlds.

The Floating Divine Island was truly the best viewing spot in the world.

Upon hearing that exaggerated number, the Cultivators on the island erupted into an uproar.

"How many people? Did this Old Woman mishear?"

"I personally attended the Ascension Assembly ten thousand years ago, and the number of people was only over 400 million."

"Damn it all, how did it skyrocket several thousand times this time!"

"So many people? The competition is so fierce that I wonder if my precious Disciple can stand out!"

"..."

One must know that the Cultivators standing on that platform at this moment were all outstanding elites from their respective planes, having undergone layer upon layer of selection; they were not just rotten cabbage in a field!

Many people smelled something unusual.

A Great Era of contention!

The gilded figure continued, their voice echoing throughout the Myriad Worlds.

"The method of combat for this Ascension Assembly is the Ascending Immortal Platform!"

Hearing the three words "Ascending Immortal Platform," countless super-powers secretly observing this Ascension Assembly were thrown into a frenzy.

There are many methods of assessment in past Ascension Assemblies, such as entering grotto-heavens for training, arena duels, fighting against puppets, and so on.

Among these assessment methods, the most dangerous, most vicious, most difficult, and also the rarest method is the "Ascending Immortal Platform"!

In the long river of history, the last appearance of the Ascending Immortal Platform must be traced back to before this era. At that Ascension Assembly, one invincible Immortal Emperor and seven heaven-defying Immortal Emperors were born.

As for the number of Immortal Kings and Immortal Lords, they were countless!

One must know that in an ordinary Ascension Assembly, producing even one Immortal Lord is considered high quality.

It can be said that once the words "Ascending Immortal Platform" were uttered, even many powerful forces in the Immortal Domain that were hidden from the world and held transcendent status turned their attention to the Futuo Ancient Realm.

This is an assembly that can truly affect the landscape of the Immortal Domain.

"The rules for the Ascending Immortal Platform are very simple!"

"The number of floating Ascending Immortal Platforms on this bottommost layer is the same as your number, so each Cultivator can occupy one platform!"

"And if you want to go to the next layer of platforms, you must defeat an opponent on the same layer."

"Layer by layer of combat, layer by layer of climbing; hence it is named the Ascending Immortal Platform!"

Upon hearing the rules, the Cultivators on the platform fell into a deathly silence, followed by an explosive uproar.

"Are you kidding? Doesn't this mean half of us will be eliminated at every layer?"

"This, this climbing layer by layer, with no end in sight, how many rounds of slaughter must we endure?"

"Who can withstand this? What if you exhaust yourself fighting to the top and get ambushed? Isn't that a bit unfair?"

"Unfair, it's unfair!"

"..."

Many Cultivators shouted excitedly.

"Fairness? Do the weak even have the face to talk about fairness?"

The gilded figure said mockingly: "Luck is also a part of strength. From the moment you passed the Immortal Gate, you had no way back!"

"Now everyone, choose your Ascending Immortal Platform immediately. After one hundred breaths, any Cultivator remaining on the platform will be wiped out by this deity!"

Hearing these bone-chilling words, the Cultivators swarmed out, scrambling to board a floating Ascending Immortal Platform each.

Some quick-witted individuals deliberately chose their platform locations to avoid areas where powerful Heavenly Prodigies were present.

Su Quan crossed his arms, a blade of grass in his mouth, the faint fragrance of soil and vegetation spreading in his mouth. He smiled faintly and chose a platform quite casually.

Seeing him settle down, many Cultivators scrambled to crowd onto the platforms surrounding him; a few even engaged in small-scale combat to fight for a spot.

After all, powerful Cultivators all possess monstrous auras, their surging and robust Qi and blood capable of reaching the stars.

And this old man before them, with his hunched figure and decaying aura, looked like an easy target no matter how you looked at him.

After one hundred breaths, the initial platform shattered.

The gilded figure laughed loudly.

"Very well, the Ascending Immortal Platform of this Ascension Assembly now begins!"

"On the Ascending Immortal Platform, life and death do not matter!"

"Everyone, feel free to climb. At the very top of the Ascending Immortal Platform, great immortal fortune awaits you!"

She laughed heartily, then transformed into a streak of golden light and flew upwards, eventually disappearing at the end of everyone's line of sight.

Leaving countless Cultivators looking at each other in dismay.

Suddenly, a fluctuation of magical power erupted.

"Despicable, a sneak attack!"

"Kill!"

Just like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, vast magical power surged and collided, countless Cultivators fought each other, and the Ascension Assembly completely erupted.

...

At the top of the endless Ascending Immortal Platform.

Here, immortal mist swirled, and the sound of the Dao was ethereal.

In the endless void, a tall figure appeared faintly.

She exuded an indescribable nobility and dominance; an incredible brilliance permeated the surroundings, and the Laws of heaven and earth were in disarray, not daring to approach her side.

"Golden Puppet pays respects to Lord Immortal Emperor!"

The powerful gilded figure bowed respectfully before her, lowering her arrogant head.

Immortal Emperor!

A supreme existence standing at the end of the Dao, transcendent beyond the Laws of Reincarnation, able to exist alongside heaven, earth, the sun, and the moon.

It is rumored that among the countless living beings in the Myriad Worlds, anyone who chants her name can be perceived by her.

All kinds of great power and means had long since exceeded the scope of imagination.

This Immortal Emperor had deep eyes, looking towards the very bottom of the Ascending Immortal Platform, and spoke indifferently: "Golden Puppet, guess how high my descendant can rank in this Ascension Assembly?"

"The Young Master has peerless talent and has shown invincible aptitude since childhood. In this Ascension Assembly, he will surely rank in the top three!"

"Top three? I'm afraid that might be a bit difficult. In this Great Era, there are truly quite a few super Heavenly Prodigies emerging!"

The Immortal Emperor smiled indifferently.

Suddenly, she raised her eyes to look into the void, a smile appearing on the corner of her mouth,

"Little girl from the Jade Pool, it has been one hundred thousand years. How have you been lately?"