Chapter 355: Nine Steps to Tread the Altar

Duan Rong was already standing before the steps beneath the Altar.

Nine steps. Nine steps to tread the Altar!

The steps were not particularly high; the nine steps only reached as high as Duan Rong's chest.

Duan Rong stood before the steps, while Jiang Hanyan, who had been bowing her head to play the zither, raised her eyes slightly, glanced at him, then lowered her head again, continuing to pluck the strings on her own.

Jiang Hanyan knew the position Duan Rong was standing in; she could not be more familiar with that spot.

Nine years ago, it was at that very spot where Duan Rong stood that she had fainted after stepping half a foot onto the stairs. Even so, that year, she had already been the person who walked the furthest.

Although Jiang Hanyan had only glanced at Duan Rong indifferently, she was actually very curious whether this plain-looking youth before her could successfully tread the steps and stand upon the stone stairs, or if he would be like her back then, fainting there after taking only half a step.

Although Jiang Hanyan had not successfully climbed the steps back then, in the nine years since she entered the mountain, she had yet to see anyone else reach the stone steps of the Altar as she had.

The youth before her was the first person in nine years.

Jiang Hanyan bowed her head to play the strings, but she had already etched Duan Rong's appearance into her heart.

It was not just Jiang Hanyan on the Altar who was curious about whether Duan Rong could step onto the stone stairs; the old fellows on Lone Peak were as well, along with the many Registered Disciples behind him, among whom was the gaze of Xiao Yu.

Once the slight stinging sensation in his Divine Soul passed, Duan Rong lifted his right foot slightly and took half a step, landing on the stone stair.

"Look! He's taken half a step!" a white-haired and white-bearded Elder on Lone Peak shouted.

Hearing this, Zhu He frowned with some disgust, but said nothing.

Duan Rong took half a step, and a faint trace of stinging pain flashed across his Divine Soul.

He steadied his body, and once the stinging passed, he looked at Jiang Hanyan, who was bowing her head to play the zither on the Altar; a veil covered her face, but it could not hide her elegant and refined temperament.

Jiang Hanyan noticed Duan Rong looking at her, and her brows furrowed slightly.

But just at this moment, Duan Rong's other foot also stepped onto the stair.

Both of his feet were standing on the first stone stair.

Step successfully climbed!

Jiang Hanyan's zither music faltered slightly.

"He... succeeded?"

When Duan Rong stepped up with his other foot, his Divine Soul was pricked, and he could not help but grimace.

This was the most painful sting he had felt since he started.

He had taken half a step with his right foot onto the stair, and his body had only leaned forward slightly, but the moment his left foot also stepped up, his entire body was standing on the first stone stair. That was a true step taken! His whole body had advanced by one step.

Jiang Hanyan looked deeply at Duan Rong, only then restoring the steadiness and clarity of her zither music.

Jiang Hanyan was naturally aloof; she knew that almost every twenty or thirty years, someone would successfully climb the steps and stand on the stone stairs of the Altar.

But in the nine years since she entered the mountain, no one had successfully climbed the steps, and not even one person had been able to reach the stone steps of the Altar as she had back then.

Therefore, before Duan Rong, she had never seen anyone surpass her from that year.

But now, there was someone standing on the stairs before her.

To her aloofness, this was a kind of injury.

On Lone Peak, the group of Elders were all full of joy.

"My Taiyi Sect, at last, has an endless stream of talent, generation after generation."

"This child must be cultivated well; do not let his talent go to waste."

Once the stinging in his Divine Soul passed, Duan Rong took another half step, and his right foot landed on the second stone stair.

"Look, he's moving again!"

On Lone Peak, the Elders who had just been discussing joyfully all fell silent; they all fixed their gazes on Duan Rong upon the stairs.

Seeing Duan Rong's body lean forward slightly again, Jiang Hanyan's eyes flickered, but the zither sound did not become chaotic.

Duan Rong was also gazing at Jiang Hanyan at this moment; he was not coveting the woman's beauty, but was actually listening carefully to Jiang Hanyan's zither music.

Because, he had never known before that zither music could actually nourish the Divine Soul.

If his guess was correct, this zither music of Jiang Hanyan's was likely a type of Soul Technique.

Stepping his right foot onto the second stone stair only involved his legs moving, and his body only leaned forward a little, so only a slight stinging sensation drifted across Duan Rong's Divine Soul.

After Duan Rong stood steady, he suddenly lifted his left foot and stepped onto the second stone stair.

As soon as Duan Rong stood up, a wave of stinging pain struck his Divine Soul, and he could not help but bare his teeth and suck in a cold breath.

"Hiss—"

Seeing Duan Rong's comical appearance, Jiang Hanyan smiled slightly at the corners of her mouth, but her zither music did not falter.

Jiang Hanyan was not a person who was easily startled; when Duan Rong stood on the first stone stair just now, her zither music faltered because Duan Rong was the first person in nine years to surpass her.

But when Duan Rong stepped from the first stair to the second, she was already able to play the zither as before!

"He's stepped onto the second stair!" the white-haired and white-bearded Elder on Lone Peak said again.

But at this moment, no one took up his remark; those Elders were all waiting, waiting to see where Duan Rong's limit truly lay.

The third stair? The sixth stair? Or could he step onto the Altar?

No one understood better than them what stepping onto the Altar meant.

The strength of the Divine Soul is the foundation of cultivation!

Duan Rong did not make them wait too long, for after a few breaths, he took another half step.

His right foot stood on the third stone stair.

Duan Rong took a deep breath; the pain from just standing on the second stone stair still left him with lingering fear.

Duan Rong lifted his left foot and stood on the third stone stair; the stinging pain in his Divine Soul was even worse than before, and Duan Rong could not help but grit his teeth and let out a muffled groan.

At this time, Jiang Hanyan had been watching Duan Rong, but the zither music from her hands remained as before.

And on the top of Lone Peak, southeast of Yougu, no one spoke anymore, and even the white-haired and white-bearded old man who loved to shout the most fell silent.

Duan Rong only rested for a moment before stepping onto the fourth stone stair.

Next was the Fifth Tier.

The Sixth Tier.

The Seventh Tier.

With every tier he climbed, the pain in his Divine Soul escalated; when he stood on the Seventh Tier, the agony from the depths of his Divine Soul made Duan Rong's face turn deathly pale and his body tremble.

After a long while, Duan Rong finally looked up at the Altar. "Two more tiers!"

Just then, a black shadow suddenly streaked across the sky above the Lone Peak in the southeast of the Yougu and landed on the summit.

"That is...?"

Duan Rong's gaze flickered; he had seen the black light flash by like a lingering shadow, but he knew it was clearly a person.

What kind of person could fly over with such inconceivable speed? And that arc he traced above the Lone Peak? Duan Rong truly could not imagine what kind of power could trace such an abrupt arc at such high speed.

Duan Rong's gaze suddenly sharpened. It was Law Power!

That black shadow just now was a powerhouse of the Dongming Realm!

A powerhouse of the Dongming Realm was very likely an Elder of the Elder Council!

Duan Rong stood on the seventh stone step of the Altar, staring blankly at the Lone Peak in the southeast of the Yougu; that black shadow from just now had landed on the summit of the Lone Peak.

"That place... could it be on that Lone Peak?" Duan Rong suddenly thought of something.

On that Lone Peak, a burly figure wearing a loose indigo Daoist robe descended gracefully.

The group of Elders on the Lone Peak, upon seeing this person descend, all bowed and cupped their hands, saying, "Sect Master!"

This person was none other than the Sect Master of the Taiyi Sect, Chu Qiushan!

No expression could be seen on Chu Qiushan's stern face as he said indifferently, "Everyone, no need for formalities; continue watching."

As Chu Qiushan spoke, he stood at the edge of the cliff and fixed his eyes on the Altar in the center of the dark valley, only to see a youth already standing steadily on the seventh stone step.

Many of the Elders on the summit of the Lone Peak could not help but glance at Chu Qiushan's back.

It seemed that the youth in the Yougu, by stepping onto seven tiers in a row, had even startled Chu Qiushan, who had not concerned himself with worldly affairs for many years!

However, thinking about it, it was not strange at all! This child had already stepped onto seven tiers; two more steps and he would be on the Altar!

If he could step onto the Altar, he would be the first person in one hundred and eighty years!

His future achievements would be limitless!

How could Chu Qiushan still sit still?

Duan Rong had already vaguely guessed that the Elders of the Elder Council were likely on the summit of the Lone Peak in the southeast, watching the assessment.

He could not help but smile lightheartedly; were these Elders really that idle?!

Did they even need to watch the assessment for Registered Disciples to advance to Outer Sect Disciples?

But looking at that figure from just now, arriving only at this moment, they probably came to make an appearance since the assessment was almost over.

Duan Rong withdrew his gaze and looked at the final two steps before him; he took another half-step.

And then, another half-step!

Duan Rong stood on the eighth stone step!

The moment he stood on the eighth step, the piercing pain in his Divine Soul made his head feel like it was splitting; Duan Rong grabbed his head with his hands, and the agony from the deepest part of his Divine Soul surged in like waves.

Duan Rong's body trembled uncontrollably, and cold sweat suddenly broke out in a layer on his forehead, back, and stomach.

Xiao Yu stood in the distance, gazing at Duan Rong's body, which was shivering like a leaf in the autumn wind, fear and worry flashing in her eyes as she murmured, "Duan Rong..."

The pain from the depths of his Divine Soul only began to fade after a few breaths.

Duan Rong let out a long breath, and his eyes instantly became clear again.

"The Eighth Tier, he has also stood firm!" someone on the Lone Peak said.

The person who spoke this time was Zhu He.

Zhu He was speaking to Chu Qiushan, his eyes fixed on Chu Qiushan's back as he spoke.

But Chu Qiushan said nothing; his burly figure remained as immovable as a mountain.

Chu Qiushan had actually long wanted to resign from this position of Sect Master; he truly did not want to be troubled by these mundane Sect affairs anymore.

One hundred and eighty years ago, he was in this very place, stepping onto the Altar; at that time, he was just an ignorant Registered Disciple, and he did not understand what stepping onto the Altar meant.

However, this year he was already over two hundred years old. For the last few decades, he had been trapped in the middle stage of the Dongming Realm; he had tried many methods, but it was difficult to advance even an inch.

"Does stepping onto the Altar mean the cultivation of the middle stage of the Dongming Realm?"

Chu Qiushan stood on the mountain peak, the mountain wind blowing into his robes; he stared at the Altar in the Yougu and the youth on the stone steps of the Altar, frowning as he thought.

He knew that the Ancestor of the Taiyi Sect, Lv Yinlin, had not only stepped onto the Altar back then, but had also walked step by step to the Great Cauldron in the center of the Altar.

And he, after stepping onto the Altar one hundred and eighty years ago, had been unable to take another step forward.

He looked at the Altar at this moment.

The distance from the entrance of the Altar steps to the Great Cauldron in the center was actually not far, but in his eyes, that distance was as far as thousands of mountains and rivers.

If he could not even break through to the late stage of the Dongming Realm, would the Nascent Soul Realm not be like a reflection of a flower in a mirror or the moon in the water to him?

Chu Qiushan knew that he was different from Zhu He and the others; Zhu He and the others already knew that they had absolutely no possibility of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm.

But he had not yet given up. Because he felt that he still had hope. But was there really still hope?

Duan Rong looked at the Altar before him; there was only one final stone step left.

Once he stepped over this tier, he would be standing on the Altar!

But a flash of hesitation crossed his eyes. The excruciating pain from standing on the eighth tier just now left him with some lingering fear.

By standing on the Altar, he could directly advance to an Outer Sect Disciple. This was still attractive to him; he had crossed the Red Line, and the second assessment was already waived.

But there was still a final assessment; who knew what would happen then?

Duan Rong thought for a while, then decided to give it a try.

His right foot stepped onto the Altar.

Just by stepping his right foot up, his body leaning forward ever so slightly, a massive wave of pain surged over, instantly engulfing Duan Rong.

Duan Rong gritted his teeth to endure it, another layer of cold sweat forming on his forehead, sliding down the tip of his nose and his chin.

A flash of ruthlessness appeared in Duan Rong's eyes; up to this moment, he had yet to feel that kind of profound, soul-deep fear of death.

He knew he had not yet reached his limit.

He had a feeling. This Altar, he could step onto it.

Duan Rong raised his head and straightened his body.

The heel of his left foot, which had landed on the eighth step, was already slightly off the ground; as his left heel lifted, his body began to lean forward slightly.

Just at this moment, Duan Rong suddenly saw Jiang Hanyan, who was sitting cross-legged in the center of the Altar playing the zither, suddenly widen her eyes, staring at him in a daze.

In this instant, Jiang Hanyan had actually stopped playing; her slender, long hands, as if petrified, remained suspended over the zither in the posture of plucking the strings.

The look in Jiang Hanyan's eyes was fanatical and desolate.

This was the first time she had truly lost her composure!

If Duan Rong just took that final half-step, he would be standing on the Altar!

The first person in one hundred and eighty years!

In the eyes with which Jiang Hanyan looked at Duan Rong, a certain fanaticism surged forth.

That fanaticism came from the idealized version of herself buried deep at the bottom of her heart.

She did not know how many times she had fantasized about stepping onto the Altar and becoming another legend after Sect Master Chu Qiushan.

She had always harbored this ambition!

At this moment, as she looked at Duan Rong, the suppressed baseness in her heart welled up!

Although she was born into a wealthy family and had lived in luxury since childhood, her mother was merely a concubine; for the slightest mistake, she would be humiliated and beaten by the mistress.

Jiang Hanyan grew up in this kind of environment!

Later, when she began practicing martial arts, her talent gradually manifested, and she eventually became the direct disciple of Taiyi Sect Elder Lin Youjian.

It was also at this time that her pride suppressed the baseness of her youth.

But that deep brand had always been in the bottom of her heart; as long as her pride was breached by someone, that baseness would rise from the depths of the pool, once again enveloping her.

Watching Jiang Hanyan's loss of composure, a heavy sense of vigilance suddenly welled up in Duan Rong's heart.

Although when Zhu He first used Wind Riding to land on the peak of the Lone Peak, Duan Rong was still standing at the entrance of the canyon with Xiao Yu and the others, and the Lone Peak was blocked by the massive divine statue in the east, so Duan Rong had not been able to see Zhu He's figure land.

But shortly after, he had seen Jiang Hanyan leap out from the southeast and land in the center of the Altar.

Standing on that Lone Peak were all Elders of the Taiyi Sect; for this woman to be able to leap down from the peak, her status was already self-evident.

Furthermore, the zither music she played was a type of Soul Technique.

All of this confirmed that this woman's status was likely that of a Core Disciple of the Sect.

But why would a Core Disciple be so flustered seeing him, a Registered Disciple, taking an assessment to step onto the Altar?

Eyes wide open, her beautiful face changing color, her whole person as if petrified?

Being able to make a Core Disciple react with such intensity showed that stepping onto the Altar was by no means as simple as just being promoted to an Outer Sect Disciple.

Just think, why would a Core Disciple take to heart the matter of a Registered Disciple being exempted from two assessments and promoted directly to an Outer Sect Disciple?

Duan Rong looked again toward the Lone Peak in the southeast direction.

The left heel he had slightly raised pressed back down.

He now understood why those Elders were on the top of that Lone Peak; they were not there to watch the assessment of Registered Disciples being promoted to Outer Sect Disciples; they were there to see if anyone could step onto the Altar steps, or even step onto the Altar itself!

What exactly did stepping onto the Altar mean? To be able to make a Core Disciple so terrified, as if petrified?! To be able to make a group of great experts in the Dongming Realm watch from the peak?!

Duan Rong soon thought of it: this was a talent test!

That Core Disciple was astonished because she knew what kind of talent stepping onto the Altar signified!

In Duan Rong's ears, the words of Xiao Zongting from Xiangu County echoed once again.

"Martial arts take Mental Power as the core!"

However, in this very instant, Duan Rong gave up.

He knew that if he took that half-step, he could shock the whole world!

His reputation as a genius would spread throughout the entire Sect!

But it is cold at the heights!

He had quite a few secrets on him! Stopping here might be the wisest choice.

He needed to become a genius; only then would others feel he had value and be willing to cultivate him.

But he did not want to become a genius who could even shock a Core Disciple of the Sect.

He had no idea what that would mean.

Perhaps he wouldn't be able to handle it at all?

Would those great experts of the Dongming Realm start interfering in everything about him? He still did not know anything about the abilities of Dongming Realm powerhouses; could he really handle it?

In his Spirit Sea, there was still the Source Blood Core of the Filthy Blood Divine Art.

The other side of rising to the top in one step might be being smashed to pieces.

And at this moment, taking a step back might be the way to a vast and open sky.

(End of chapter)