84: The Road to Heaven

"The Heavenly Ascent Path."

The successor of Zixiao Heaven, a cold-faced youth wreathed in purple lightning named Thunder Without Extremes, looked at the stone steps with burning eyes. "Legend has it that this is the first step of the Heavenly Emperor Inheritance, the Heavenly Ascent Path, to test one's potential and Foundation."

"Enough talk, every man for himself!"

Battle Vault could no longer hold back. With a wild laugh, he transformed into a black streak of light and charged toward the start of the stone steps.

He stepped onto the first stair.

Boom!

An invisible pressure descended suddenly, acting upon his Physical Body and Divine Soul.

Battle Vault's figure sank slightly. His Battle Intent erupted, allowing him to forcefully resist it, and he then strode upward.

Seeing this, the other Prodigies moved as well.

Mysterious Heaven Son stepped on the breeze, his movements elegant.

The Buddhist son, Shakyamuni, walked with lotus flowers blooming at every step, protected by Buddhist light.

Another top successor of the Demonic Path from the Nine Nether Mansion, You Lu, moved like a ghost, weaving his way up.

Phoenix Nine Songs of the Golden Crow Divine Clan, though injured earlier, gritted her teeth and followed, True Sun Fire burning around her to resist the pressure.

The Seven Saints of the Lin Clan exchanged glances and stepped forward simultaneously.

When Lin Hao stepped onto the stone steps, he felt as if he were carrying a mountain. His Sword Qi circulated automatically, and his sharp Sword Intent quietly sliced through the pressure, allowing him to walk steadily.

Ye Chen grinned, his Ancient Desolate Sacred Body's blood and Qi roaring. The pressure that was enough to crush others of the same rank felt like a gentle breeze on his face. He was even faster than Battle Vault, catching up in just a few steps.

Lin Yun's double pupils flashed, and starlight flowed around him. As the pressure approached, it was diverted and scattered by his Star Power, making his movements leisurely.

Phoenix Spirit was surrounded by Phoenix True Fire, appearing noble and extraordinary, making it difficult for the pressure to get close.

Lin Feng was the most peculiar; he seemed to merge with the surrounding pressure, moving lightly. His speed was not fast, but he showed no signs of strain.

The siblings Yang Yan and Moon Radiance intertwined their Taiyin and Taiyang Divine Power, forming a Yin and Yang force field that neutralized the pressure into nothingness.

The seven displayed their own Divine Abilities, their speed not falling behind anyone else, and even faintly leading.

The stone steps seemed endless; the higher they went, the more the pressure increased geometrically.

It not only acted upon the Physical Body and Divine Soul but also began to induce Heart Demons and hallucinations.

Some Cultivators could not bear it; they spat blood and were repelled by an invisible force, disappearing into the Chaos Void Realm.

Battle Vault roared repeatedly, his Battle Intent burning to the limit as he charged upward, forcefully resisting the pressure.

Mysterious Heaven Son's Dao robe billowed, protected by clear light, his gaze remaining calm.

The Buddhist son chanted continuously, dispelling the Heart Demons.

You Lu was surrounded by surging Devilish Qi, his eyes fierce.

In Lin Hao's Sea of Consciousness, countless distracting thoughts of the Dao of the Sword clashed, attempting to pollute his Dao Heart.

With a thought, his Sword Soul trembled and let out a clear sword chime. All distracting thoughts melted away like snow, and his Dao Heart became even more transparent.

Before Ye Chen appeared a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, hallucinations of his relatives dying tragically.

He snorted coldly, his will as hard as iron, and threw a punch that shattered the hallucinations directly: "Mere tricks, and you dare to disturb me!"

Lin Yun's double pupils saw through the illusions; the trajectories of the stars were clearly visible to him, and no illusion could get close.

The Phoenix cry inherited in Phoenix Spirit's Bloodline cleansed all evil.

Lin Feng's Dao Heart was clear, immune to all Laws, and the hallucinations arose and vanished on their own.

Yang Yan and Moon Radiance complemented each other with Yin and Yang, their minds steady.

Seven hundred steps, eight hundred steps, nine hundred steps...

The pressure was already great enough to crush an ordinary ninth-stage Heavenly Soul Realm expert.

Many successors of Saint-level Forces slowed down, sweat on their foreheads, their bodies trembling.

When they stepped onto the thousandth stair, the scene ahead changed suddenly.

At the end of the stone steps was a huge platform.

In the center of the platform stood nine ancient stone steles, each a hundred feet tall.

The material of the steles was neither gold nor jade, covered in dense, constantly flowing, and changing ancient runes, emitting distinct yet powerful Dao rhymes.

Sword Intent, power, stars, fire, Yin and Yang, lightning, slaughter, life, space... nine different types of Law auras permeated the area.

"A Forest of Law Steles."

Thunder Without Extremes' expression was grave. "They represent the nine directions of the Heavenly Emperor Inheritance, or rather, the test of nine core Laws."

"Choose one and trigger the resonance of the Law to be qualified to enter the next stage."

He did not hesitate and walked toward the stone stele wreathed in purple lightning, sat cross-legged, and sank his Divine Sense into it.

Immediately, the lightning on the stele flared, enveloping him.

The other Prodigies also made their choices.

Battle Vault walked toward the stone stele radiating wild power fluctuations; he pursued the ultimate Law of Power.

Mysterious Heaven Son chose the Life Law stele, which had a balanced and peaceful aura, containing the vitality of creation.

The Buddhist son chose the Slaughter Law stele, which was implicitly opposed to Buddhism but could temper the Buddhist heart.

You Lu naturally chose the Slaughter Law stele, which matched his Cultivation Technique.

Phoenix Nine Songs walked toward the Fire Law stele.

The Seven Saints of the Lin Clan also dispersed.

Lin Hao walked straight toward the Sword Dao Law stele.

As soon as he approached, the stele hummed, and the flowing runes instantly turned into billions of sword shadows, sweeping toward him.

Lin Hao did not dodge; his Sword Soul emerged from his body, turning into a small cyan sword, taking the initiative to meet the sword shadows and beginning to devour, analyze, and fuse the supreme Sword Dao true meaning contained within them.

Ye Chen stood before the Power Law stele, feeling the pure power Dao rhyme that seemed capable of splitting the heavens with one punch. He took a deep breath, his Ancient Desolate Sacred Body fully activated, and smashed his fist into the stele!

It was not destruction, but using his own power to communicate with and trigger the Origin of Power hidden within the stele.

The stele trembled, feeding back an even more violent and ancient power, washing over his Sacred Body.

Lin Yun stopped before the Star Law stele; the galaxy flowing within his double pupils accelerated, resonating with the stellar runes flowing on the stele.

He stretched out his finger and traced in the air, drawing the Star Power of the Universe to pour into the stele.

The star runes on the stele seemed to come alive, turning into a miniature Universe that enveloped him.

Phoenix Spirit sat cross-legged before the Fire Law stele; her Phoenix True Fire attracted and merged with the Origin of Ten Thousand Fires on the stele.

The fire divine mark on her forehead shone, accepting a fire inheritance far more ancient and pure than the Golden Crow True Fire.

Lin Feng scanned the nine steles and finally walked toward the stele with the most mysterious aura, which seemed to contain everything yet appeared empty—that was the stele representing the "Chaos" or "Origin" Law.

His Innate Dao Body naturally resonated with it; without needing to be triggered intentionally, the Dao rhyme flowed on its own, communicating with the stele.

Yang Yan and Moon Radiance exchanged glances and walked together toward the stele radiating Yin and Yang energy.

The two joined forces, their Taiyin and Taiyang Divine Power forming a huge Yin and Yang Taiji diagram that enveloped the stele, working together to comprehend the Yin and Yang Chaos ultimate truths contained within.

The platform became quiet, and everyone was immersed in the comprehension and test of the Laws.

Time passed.

Suddenly, a earth-shattering roar came from the direction of the Power Law stele.

Ye Chen's blood and Qi soared into the sky like smoke, his muscles knotted, and it seemed as if countless small dragons were swimming under his skin.

He successfully triggered the Origin in the deepest part of the Power stele, obtaining the blessing of "Heaven-Shaking Great Power," and his physical strength skyrocketed again.

Almost simultaneously, at the Sword Dao Law stele, ten thousand swords chimed together!

Sword Qi soared from Lin Hao's body; the small cyan sword returned to his Sea of Consciousness, becoming more solid and brilliant. His Sword Intent became pure to the extreme, faintly carrying a hint of the charm of severing Karma and shattering Reincarnation.

He successfully obtained the recognition of the "Supreme Sword Heart."

The Star Law stele shone brightly. In Lin Yun's double pupils, the original galaxy scene became deeper and more vast, even beginning to evolve the life and death of Star Domains.

He obtained part of the authority of the "Star Dominator."

On Phoenix Spirit's side, at the Fire stele, a phantom of a Phoenix long cry soared into the sky. Her Phoenix True Fire color became deeper, carrying a hint of immortality.

She received the blessing of the "Nirvana Divine Fire."

The Chaos stele where Lin Feng was located had the least movement but was the most profound.

The Dao rhyme flowed around him, as if he had completely merged with the stele and this world, inseparable.

He obtained the mark of the "Origin of All Laws."

For Yang Yan and Moon Radiance's Yin and Yang stele, the Taiji diagram rotated endlessly, and finally, the Yin and Yang energies merged perfectly, turning into a wisp of Chaos Qi that flowed into the siblings' bodies respectively.

They obtained the "Yin and Yang Chaos Origin."

Other Prodigies also had their own gains; Thunder Without Extremes' lightning turned into a purple dragon shape, his aura violent; Mysterious Heaven Son's life aura was rich, as if he were immortal; the Buddhist son and You Lu's Slaughter stele had Buddhist light saving the world on one side and fierce Devilish Qi on the other, both obtaining the corresponding Slaughter true meaning.

However, not everyone succeeded.

A Prodigy from a Saint-level Force, while comprehending the Space Law, could not bear the tearing of the space power, screamed, damaged his Divine Sense, was repelled by the stele, and looked pale.

Another who tried to comprehend the Lightning Law was scorched black by the backlash of lightning and retreated with heavy injuries.

Of the nine steles, fewer than twenty people successfully triggered the core resonance.

Among them, the Seven Saints of the Lin Clan all passed!

Hum—

When the last person finished their comprehension, the nine steles vibrated simultaneously, shooting out a divine light that converged in the center of the platform to form an even more ancient gate emitting space-time fluctuations.

"The Legacy Hall Gate!"

Thunder Without Extremes stood up, his eyes sharp. "What follows is the real battle for the Legacy!"

He was the first to rush into the light gate.

The others did not hesitate and followed closely behind.

The seven from the Lin Clan also moved instantly, turning into streaks of light and vanishing into it.