Chapter 274: Treading the Immortal Stairway to the Ninth Heaven

The Yushen tribe's Void-Returner attacked the Ancestral Hall, slain by a single sword strike from the newly ascended Void-Returner Immortal Ancestor of the human race.

Only those within the Ancestral Hall and nearby non-human races witnessed this scene.

But the jade slip slowly opening from the horizon manifested all phenomena within the Manifestation Realm, visible to all beings; its vast, majestic voice echoed throughout the universe, reverberating across the entire Floating Liu Realm.

Countless sacred golden lights rained down, directly dyeing the realm's mists a brilliant golden hue.

Amid solemn chanting, flowers rained from heaven and golden lotuses surged from the earth.

"Void-Return not yet complete, the Immortal Path remains unbroken; may those who follow strive hard."

Upon these words, a golden lotus, exquisite and radiant, nine inches and nine cun wide, slowly rose from the falling petals, spinning toward the Ascension Platform and arranging itself before it.

A row of nine blossoms extended upward in sequence, piercing the clouds, vanishing into the golden mist above, with no end in sight.

Li Ming's eye twitched—he was being forcibly summoned to ascend.

But four Void-Returners still lingered nearby; if he left now…

At that moment, the newly ascended human Void-Returner Ancestor seemed to sense something and shouted aloud:

"I offer the heads of non-human Void-Returners as tribute to my people's Grand Libationer's path to ascension!"

This voice, as if blessed by unseen forces, spread across the entire Floating Liu Realm like the earlier grand celestial decree.

Zhumm~!

Amid the sword's hum, billions of beings in the Floating Liu Realm—human and non-human alike—saw a single line of swordlight, cleaving yin and yang, like the first fire of dawn.

Wu~

A mournful wail, so piercing it could bring tears to all sentient beings.

Accompanied by a rich, intoxicating fragrance that seemed to open every pore, golden blood rained from the sky; a dragon's head, massive as a mountain and heavy with majesty, fell from above—but by the time it reached the ceremony grounds, it had shrunk to the size of an ordinary beast's skull.

The Void-Returner head of the Azure Dragon Clan!

All beings trembled in terror!!

Yet they were also bewildered—this was a Void-Returner Immortal Ancestor!

You, a newly ascended Void-Returner, just cut him down with one sword?!

Is this even believable!

Li Ming: "..."

Everything that happened today exceeded his expectations, but under current circumstances, it was all still favorable.

…Must leave!

The elder had built him a stage—he must continue the performance.

If all five Void-Returners perish here today, and his ascension further terrifies them, the remaining non-human Void-Returners, even if suspicious, will dare not act against the humans.

In an instant, Li Ming stepped forward, placing one foot upon the golden lotus of the Ascension Stairway.

Zhumm~!

The sword hummed again!

A streak of crimson swordlight flashed—and another non-human Void-Returner's head fell.

Another one dead!

The beings of the Floating Liu Realm, beyond shock, now swarmed with speculation.

This newly ascended human Void-Returner is so powerful—slaying one Void-Returner with a single sword—could it be connected to this so-called ascension?

…

…

In that space not existing within reality.

Xu Xing still sat in the boundless void, watching Li Ming ascend step by step along the Heavenly Ascension Stairway.

Occasionally, he flicked out a blade of swordlight, slaying the non-human Void-Returners who had come to the human Ancestral Hall.

Moreover, Xu Xing directly severed their "escape" thoughts, forcing them to remain where they stood and await death.

"Quite clever," Xu Xing chuckled.

Three days ago, Li Ming had already planned today's strategy.

If something unexpected happened and Xu Xing did not intervene, he would immediately activate the great array, uniting the Soul Transformation guards and the newly ascended human Void-Returner to strike with thunderous force and kill the weakest non-human Void-Returner first.

Then he would detonate the array and the Ancestral Hall, destroying the containment measures the non-human Void-Returners had prepared, teleporting all humans within the Ancestral Hall to safety.

No matter how well-prepared the non-human Void-Returners' containment measures were, they could never withstand the power of the human Ancestral Hall and the Legacy Array's detonation!

After that, he himself would not linger—he would head straight for the Yushen tribe's Ancestral Hall.

If any Void-Returners dared to pursue, the Grand Elder, already arrived at the Azure Dragon Clan's Ancestral Hall, would threaten the Azure Dragon Clan to force their Void-Returner Ancestor to return!

Won't return?

Then slaughter the entire Azure Dragon Clan!

At this point, he no longer feared enraging them to death.

With three Void-Returners under his control, the maneuvering space was vast; according to his calculations, even in the worst-case scenario, the human race could preserve some vital strength.

Of course, the best-case scenario is exactly this.

All five non-human Void-Returners slain, he ascends in peace, and the newly ascended human Void-Returner gains temporary prestige to intimidate the non-humans.

Zhumm~ Zhumm~! Two more swordlights sounded.

Two more non-human Void-Returner heads fell.

The beings of the Floating Liu Realm, witnessing this, had grown numb; several clans that lost their Ancestors wailed and wept, filled with dread.

Thus, four of the five non-human Void-Returners who came to the human Ancestral Hall were slain.

"One thing remains."

Xu Xing flicked his finger, sending forth a wisp of spiritual light.

The spirit-light vanished into the void, landing upon the high heavens of Fuliu Realm.

Hum~

Golden auspicious clouds manifested seven-colored radiance; as the Dao-sounds echoed, a hazy rain of seven hues descended.

Pitter-patter, nourishing all things.

The seven-colored raindrops fell upon empty space, and empty space grew solid.

They fell upon the earth, and the earth grew heavy.

Mountains, rivers, grasses, trees, all living beings, the entire cosmos—even the world itself—grew stronger in essence and foundation under the nourishment of the seven-colored rain.

Heaven and earth were silent, yet a single thought arose spontaneously in the hearts of all beings.

'A transcendent has been born in Fuliu Realm! He shall be rewarded!'

Transcendence?

Transcendence!

Joy spread like a tide—like the collective will of all beings, or perhaps the will of Fuliu Realm itself.

All living beings looked up and saw the human Grand Priest, the transcendent Li Ming, ascending the Celestial Stairway to the Ninth Heavens. Golden clouds swirled around him, rendering his form sacred and vast.

Boom—!

As the world trembled, rolling clouds parted outward; from the horizon, the unfurled jade slip projected endless guiding light.

Beside that boundless radiant sun, a new moon rose slowly.

From afar, Li Ming appeared surrounded by sun and moon, like a celestial exile.

"Not entirely foolish," Xu Xing chuckled upon seeing this.

This spectacle of sun and moon encircling him was not his doing—it was the world's own spontaneous act.

A hazy, nascent consciousness appeared at his side, emitting affectionate thoughts as if seeking favor.

Not 'Hun Tian Yi'—but the World Will.

A world of this Reversal Void tier could never give birth to a being like 'Hun Tian Yi'.

Perhaps it feared he would be displeased.

Rules wove together, forming a golden great seal, gently lifted and drifting before Xu Xing—Fuliu Heavenly Emperor Seal!

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If this realm had a Spirit Worship Dao, holding this seal alone would instantly grant the title of Heavenly Emperor!

With the world's aid, its combat power could even surpass a Reversal Void peak cultivator.

And this is no half-hearted 'Son of Heaven' promised by the traitorous Hun Tian Yi of Tai Xuan Realm—it is the true Heavenly Emperor, a supreme title worthy of being called 'Heavenly Father'.

Now in Xu Xing's hands, creating a Spirit Worship Dao from nothing within this realm took but a flick of his wrist.

Xu Xing reached out and drew the golden seal near, nodding slightly.

That speck of spirit-light meant nothing to him—but to this realm, it was an extraordinary blessing!

If such events occurred a few more times, it might even break through the Reversal Void boundary, elevating the world's ceiling further, ascending to a Dao-Union tier capable of birthing 'Hun Tian Yi'!

Hence, the World Will was so eager to please.

Of course, even if Fuliu Realm's World Will one day truly evolved into 'Hun Tian Yi', with Xu Xing beside it, he would surely train it to be as obedient as a dog.

It could never become like the Hun Tian Yi of Tai Xuan Realm or the Beast God Realm!

…………

At this moment, above the clouds of Fuliu Realm.

As the golden clouds parted, Li Ming, stepping upon the Celestial Stairway, encircled by sun and moon, sensed something and looked upward.

The endless guiding light from the jade slip manifested into a grand, sacred gate.

Its entire form resembled white jade, crystal-clear, with divine radiance swirling within.

Amid chanting Dao-sounds, the majestic gate slowly opened, bathing all in celestial light, brimming with boundless Dao essence and spiritual vitality.

The billions upon billions of beings in Fuliu Realm stood dumbfounded.

Immortal Realm?

Is this the Immortal Realm?!

Even the last remaining non-human Reversal Void above the human ancestral seat, upon seeing the grand Immortal Gate, momentarily forgot life and death, staring upward in stunned silence.

Above Reversal Void…

Endless Immortal light poured down, obscuring the view within the gate.

But Li Ming caught a glimpse.

He saw a sight he had never witnessed in his life.

Upon a grand golden hall, several beings far more terrifying than Reversal Void sat upon cloud thrones, gazing down at him.

He felt blazing sword intent, surging blood qi!

Figures woven from myriad arts, a colossal celestial hammer crashing down, shaking the starry river.

A pair of eyes—supreme nobility and majesty, the arrogance of dominion over all Dao!

And yet…

Li Ming's mind spun, awestruck; he understood his own insignificance, yet his heart surged with joy—he had glimpsed the path ahead!

Is this truly what Immortals are?

After years trapped at Reversal Void peak, how he had longed to take one more step!

And now, the path lay before him…

Huh~

Li Ming exhaled slowly, suppressing his inner excitement, and turned to look back.

All beings looked up, gazing at him.

The human race he protected, all alien races of the Fuliu Realm, even beasts and plants without sentient awareness.

Longing, envy…

Li Ming suddenly bowed low, paying homage to this heaven and earth, and also to the human race from which he came.

"May my human race flourish forever!"

A voice echoed across the heavens; Li Ming turned around and stepped resolutely into the Immortal Gate.

Humming~!

The final sliver of crimson swordlight flashed, severing the head of the fifth, and last, alien Return Void cultivator.

Thus, the Human Race's Grand Sacrificer ascended, and all five alien Return Void cultivators were dead!

The jade slip in the heavens slowly retracted and vanished; all supernatural phenomena subsided accordingly.

Just as all beings of the Fuliu Realm believed this matter had ended.

Another line of golden characters appeared in the heavens and earth.

No.

Still more?!

【Year of Ascension, Human Li Ming, cultivated for nine hundred and twenty-three years, attained the Dao and ascended】

【The Immortal Realm sensed this and specially bestowed a boon to honor the Fuliu Realm】

【—The Chronicle of Fuliu Heaven and Earth】

Year of Ascension, The Chronicle of Fuliu Heaven and Earth, including the earlier Fuliu Heavenly Emperor Seal…

Were all decisions made in unison between the world's will and the world itself.

After all, the world too wishes to advance! (End of Chapter)