Chapter 401

Ji Ziyue's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the seemingly desolate peak, curious as well.

"Zhuofeng. The legendary peak where the Nine Secrets reside."

Ye Fan and Pang Bo both changed expression.

They already knew that Zhuofeng held a lineage that, once cultivated and awakened, could unleash tenfold combat power—truly a divine art—and now they wondered if it truly lay upon this very peak.

As the group studied Zhuofeng, a dozen figures descended from its summit, led by the disciple Hua Qingming.

"You've all come to take the trial for Zhuofeng? Good. In the past, our trials had few rules, but now, every disciple must state their name and identity. Only after we register and verify your details as genuine may you proceed with Zhuofeng's trial. Understood?"

Hua Qingming looked down upon the assembled cultivators seeking to join Zhuofeng.

"We understand."

Some nodded, grasping the necessity, yet Ye Fan and Pang Bo both felt a headache coming—their identities were hard to explain.

As for Ji Ziyue, it was the same; she clenched her teeth. She was of the Ancient Ji Clan—if the Xuan Sect learned her identity, they would never allow her to join.

"After registration, proceed with the trial. No chaos. Understood?"

Several other Zhuofeng disciples spoke up, their eyes scanning each person, as if trying to discern their origins.

"What do we do? What's our background?"

"This seems difficult. Zhuofeng is harder to enter than we thought."

Ye Fan and Pang Bo both felt a headache.

At that moment, a figure descended from Zhuofeng's summit and stepped before the disciples.

The moment this figure appeared, Hua Qingming and all other Zhuofeng disciples bowed deeply in reverence: "We humbly welcome the Holy Son's arrival!"

The dozen disciples bowed in unison, their voices shaking the heavens and earth, leaving the untested cultivators in awe.

Holy Son.

What manner of being was this?

Some stole glances upward and saw that this Holy Son radiated an aura of terror—his presence was like mountains and seas, standing there like the full moon in the sky. A single glance could pierce to the deepest secrets of one's heart, leaving everyone utterly stunned.

"When did the Xuan Sect produce a Holy Son? I've never heard of this."

Ji Ziyue's gaze fixed on the so-called Holy Son and saw his eyes were boundless and profound, as if containing worlds of thunder and Xu Yuan Qi, capable of piercing the soul—just one look could expose every hidden secret within, leaving no escape.

At that moment, Ji Ziyue felt terror. This new Holy Son of the Xuan Sect was truly terrifying—his pressure dwarfed even that of her Moon Brother.

"How is this possible?"

Shock surged within Ji Ziyue's heart.

Yet Ye Fan and Pang Bo, upon seeing this Holy Son, wore expressions of astonishment and joy.

For this Holy Son was their old friend, Brother Fang Yu.

After disappearing for a time, he had become the Xuan Sect's Holy Son.

With such a status, their own identities would be secured.

Indeed, a voice echoed from the void: "Ye Fan, Pang Bo—you've come to take Zhuofeng's trial? Excellent. Qingming, these two are trustworthy—I know them well. No need to verify."

"Yes, Holy Son."

Hua Qingming's face remained reverent; he immediately nodded in agreement.

"Of course, I won't break Zhuofeng's rules. Ye Fan, Pang Bo—the rule to join Zhuofeng is to ascend the Nine-Step Jade Stairway. Reaching the fifth step suffices to pass."

Fang Yu gazed at Ye Fan and Pang Bo—his old friends had advanced rapidly in just a few days. Both had already cultivated to the Divine Bridge Realm, the third stage of the Wheel and Sea Realm, and stood on the brink of the Other Shore Realm.

Beyond that, they could enter the Palace Realm.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo's cultivation speed was already astonishing—most would take decades to reach the Divine Bridge Realm from a mortal state. Even the Elders of the Spirit Ruins Grotto, after a lifetime, remained at the Life Spring or Divine Bridge Realm; only the Zhang Sect leader had reached the Palace Realm.

To reach the Divine Bridge Realm in just one year was enough to shame the Elders of any grotto or blessed land.

Yet compared to Fang Yu, it was far too slow—his power dwarfed even the Divine Bridge Realm.

Fang Yu had cultivated countless great Dao arts in the Life Great World: the Great Five Elements Art, the Great Cutting Art, the Great Slaughter Art, the Great Origin Art, and many supreme techniques—Black Sun Wind Calamity, Great Sun Fire Calamity, the Scripture of Infinite Stars, the Ten Thousand Thunder Worship Art—all terrifyingly powerful.

In the Shrouding Heaven Realm, he absorbed the Seventh Layer's Five Elements True Fire and the Eighth Layer's Seven-Colored Flame from the Fire Domain, enough to slay Immortal Platform experts.

Yet Ye Fan and Pang Bo remained in the Wheel and Sea Realm, still far from the Palace Realm.

Wheel and Sea, Palace, Four Extremes, Dragon Transformation, Immortal Platform.

All had cultivated for one year—yet the gap had already emerged.

This had little to do with personal talent—it was tied to the world itself.

"Yes, Senior Brother. We shall take the trial now."

Ye Fan and Pang Bo fixed their gaze on Fang Yu ahead, their faces filled with admiration, then stepped forward to an open space atop Zhuofeng.

There stood nine steps of jade, worn by time yet still luminous and undamaged, radiating a gentle glow.

The Nine-Step Heavenly Stairway was built of nine ancient jades, each a different color, devoid of dazzling divine light, only shimmering with subtle brilliance.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo exchanged glances—Ye Fan stepped forward first.

The first step, of green ancient jade, glowed faintly, yet Ye Fan moved effortlessly, stepping onto the second jade stair.

The second step glowed crimson, as if crimson auroras descended, pressing down with force meant to hurl intruders back.

Ye Fan remained calm, stepping again onto the third stair.

Blue ancient jade spilled clear radiance, glowing translucent—the pressure here was greater.

Fourth step… Fifth step…

Without surprise, Ye Fan stepped directly to the fifth step, then descended.

"Senior Brother, how was that?"

Ye Fan had not ascended the sixth step.

"Excellent. Congratulations, Ye Fan. From now on, you are a disciple of Zhuofeng."

Fang Yu smiled.

"Good! Congratulations, little Ye Zi—my turn now!"

Pang Bo, not far off, let out a laugh and stepped onto the stairs as well.

The first step was nothing special, and the third felt normal to him too, but after stepping onto the fourth, Pang Bo felt an immense pressure. With a great shout, however, he stepped onto the fifth step and passed the trial.

"Is the trial on Zhuofeng really this simple? I'll have a go too!"

Seeing this, a cultivator who had just finished registering could no longer hold back. He hurried forward and stepped onto the first stair.

But a flash of green light sent the cultivator flying backward several meters, crashing to the ground.

"This… he didn't even clear the first step?!"

"Why did those two find the stairs so easy when he couldn't?"

"That kind of aptitude is just too…"

Many were astonished. Hua Qingming, however, gave a cold laugh: "You really think the 9th Rank trial on my Zhuofeng is that easy? Back in the day, countless prodigies all wanted to climb the Heavenly Stair on my Zhuofeng and take pride in it. Anyone who could reach the seventh step could already be called a once-in-a-generation genius. For those with insufficient aptitude, they don't even qualify for the first step!"

"Indeed, back when my Zhuofeng was flourishing, countless geniuses couldn't enter even if they wanted to. These nine-tiered Heavenly Stairs are no joke—they make ninety-nine percent of cultivators think twice."

Another Zhuofeng disciple spoke up.

"I wonder how many tiers of the Heavenly Stair Senior Brother climbed."

Pang Bo looked at the disciple who had spoken, asking curiously.

"I was admitted directly—no need to climb the stairs."

The Zhuofeng disciple replied leisurely.

"…"

Pang Bo was a little speechless.

"What about you, Senior Brother Fang?"

Pang Bo's gaze turned to Fang Yu, curious.

"I haven't taken the trial either, but I can give it a try."

Fang Yu listened to Pang Bo's words and smiled.

Come to think of it, it was rather interesting—every disciple currently on Zhuofeng had never gone through the 9th Rank Heavenly Stair trial. When he had joined Zhuofeng, its legacy had not yet awakened; Zhuofeng was utterly destitute, with only Li Ruoyu alone, so there was no need for any trial. As for the other disciples, they all had connections on the One Hundred and Seven Peaks, so joining Zhuofeng didn't require taking the trial either.

As for this batch, they had caught an unlucky break—right when Zhuofeng had become famous, making entry extremely difficult.

One had to pass the 9th Rank Heavenly Stair trial.

So up to now, neither Pang Bo nor Ye Fan's senior brothers on Zhuofeng had ever taken the trial.

While pondering, Fang Yu stirred slightly and stepped onto the first jade stair.

The jade stair emitted green light as usual, but Fang Yu's expression was calm, completely unaffected.

He stepped onto the second stair as well, still unaffected.

The pressure on the jade stairs seemed to have nothing to do with him at all.