Chapter 8: Heavenly Ladder!

Soon after, Master Withered Leaf arrived at the scene; Master Withered Leaf was a sixth-rank alchemist.

He stared at the Breaking Origin Pill for a moment, "Really, this truly is a nine-pattern Breaking Origin Pill. May I ask, young master, where did you obtain this pill?" Master Withered Leaf excitedly asked Ling Ye. Many years have passed, the highest-grade pill ever seen on the Profound Heaven Continent was only a seven-pattern pill. No wonder Master Withered Leaf is so excited.

Ling Feng naturally wouldn't tell him that he had refined it himself; even if he did, no one would believe it, after all, a teenager being able to refine a nine-pattern Breaking Origin Pill is nothing short of a fantasy.

"This was refined by my master." Ling Feng gave a slight smile and replied.

"May I ask, young master, what is your master's surname and name?"

"Sorry, Master Withered Leaf, my master usually acts freely and unrestrained; I cannot tell you her name."

"I understand, young master." Master Withered Leaf sighed; such a person, if they could give me some guidance, would also be greatly beneficial to me.

"Master, just tell me how many spirit crystals this pill is worth." Ling Feng got straight to the point.

"Young master, we cannot guarantee that, but the minimum starting price is one hundred thousand spirit crystals, and it would be even higher at auction."

"Good grief, that's high—no wonder alchemists are so wealthy." Ling Feng thought to himself, but kept a calm exterior as he asked, "What if I sell three of them?" After saying that, Ling Feng took out another two nine-pattern Breaking Origin Pills.

Seeing Ling Feng produce another two nine-pattern Breaking Origin Pills, Master Withered Leaf's mouth fell open in shock—could nine-pattern pills have become as common as dirt?

After composing himself, Master Withered Leaf hastily called Mo Ya to bring out a black card.

"Young master, this is the black card of my Treasure Pavilion; it entitles you to a 30% discount on everything in the store. This card holds three hundred thousand spirit crystals. After tomorrow's auction of these three pills, we will deduct the fees and deposit the remaining spirit crystals onto your card."

Seeing this, Ling Feng picked up the black card and left.

He returned to the inn and arrived at Ling Ye's room.

"Big brother, are you in there?" Ling Feng knocked on the door and asked.

"What's up, little brother?" Ling Ye opened the door to see Ling Feng standing at the threshold in a black robe.

"Big brother, these are Breaking Origin Pills; they can raise one's cultivation by one level. I have three for you." Ling Feng handed the three Breaking Origin Pills to Ling Ye.

Ling Ye didn't refuse either; they had been close since childhood, and Ling Ye didn't ask Ling Feng where the pills came from. He knew everyone has secrets they don't want others to know.

Seeing Ling Ye receive the Breaking Origin Pills, Ling Feng grinned. He really liked the way he interacted with his older brother.

After delivering the pills, Ling Feng returned to his room; he still had three Breaking Origin Pills and needed to seize the time to cultivate.

He took out twenty thousand spirit crystals to let the Little Tower recover from its injuries, although those twenty thousand spirit crystals would only help the Little Tower a little. But there was no choice—Ling Feng was too poor. According to what the Little Tower said, even twenty thousand spirit crystals would fall far short of restoring even half of its power.

Ling Feng smacked his lips; this Little Tower is truly a bottomless pit.

Ling Feng didn't think much more, turned around, and ran into the Little Tower to cultivate.

The next morning at dawn, Ling Ye followed Ling Feng to the Profound Heaven Sect's disciple recruitment site.

"Goodness, there are so many people." Ling Feng looked at the scene crowded with people and sighed.

After all, the Profound Heaven Sect is the greatest sect of the Great Yun Empire; who knows how many cultivators are struggling desperately to enter it.

However, the Profound Heaven Sect's admission standards are extremely strict; each time they accept fewer than fifty people into the sect.

Soon, more and more people gathered. By noon, an elder emerged from the Profound Heaven Sect.

"Silence, today is the day our Profound Heaven Sect recruits disciples. There are three stages: a willpower contest, the Heavenly Ladder, and an arena battle." The Profound Heaven Sect elder transmitted his voice with spiritual power to everyone present, so that all could hear.

"The first stage officially begins." As that elder announced the start,

Another elder stepped forward, releasing the terrifying pressure of his Myriad Laws Realm; instantly, all cultivators on the field felt a dreadful pressure.

Ling Feng and Ling Ye also felt this pressure, but for Ling Ye, who had risked life and limb for his family since childhood, this pressure was nothing; and Ling Feng, who followed the Little Tower, found this pressure to be a piece of cake.

However, this pressure was already quite difficult for most cultivators.

Soon, people kept dropping out of the field, while others drenched in sweat struggled to endure.

Ling Ye noticed that many people on the field were performing with ease; no wonder it is the greatest sect of the Great Yun Empire—talents here are as numerous as cow hairs.

Thus, after the Myriad Laws Realm pressure persisted for an hour, only over four hundred people remained on the field.

After a fifteen-minute break, the second round of selection began.

This Heavenly Ladder has existed since the founding of the Profound Heaven Sect; it is said to have been created by the sect's first patriarch, who was a legendary Void-breaking Realm expert. One can imagine how terrifying the Heavenly Ladder is—even the sect's current holy maiden, Yue Ning, has only climbed seventy-six levels. Moreover, the sect's record is held by the current sect master, Xuan Ming, a genius who once shook the Great Yun Empire, who has maintained an eighty-one-level record.

At the elder's command, many began to climb the Heavenly Ladder. The Ling brothers also started their ascent.

As soon as Ling Ye stepped onto it, he felt the pressure was far greater than the elder's earlier aura, but Ling Ye could still endure it.

The Ling brothers climbed higher and higher, the pressure increasing with each step; already many had given up at the twentieth level, while the Profound Heaven Sect's minimum admission standard is the thirtieth level, which already poses a great challenge to many talents who came seeking fame.

Above the thirtieth level is a watershed; the pressure doubles.

After Ling Ye stepped onto the thirtieth level, he turned to look at those around him—there were few left. He continued climbing upward; the Heavenly Ladder's pressure enveloped Ling Ye, but Ling Ye did not yield.

He knew that only by obtaining first place would the Profound Heaven Sect value him and grant him more cultivation resources; he sought his parents, and thus he had to gain the sect's strong support.

Ling Ye gritted his teeth and climbed upward; when he reached the fortieth level, the number of people beside him had already halved compared to before.

Ling Ye, with an unyielding will, continued to climb upward.

When Ling Ye reached the fiftieth level, only a handful remained beside him—only a few renowned talents of the Great Yun Empire: from the four great clans of the imperial capital, Dongfang Jie of the Dongfang clan, Ouyang Xu of the Ouyang clan, Li Xiang of the Li clan, Yang Fan of the Yang clan, as well as the Great Yun Empire's imperial family's second princess, Yun Qingyan, and his own younger brother, Ling Feng.

Sigh, indeed a gathering place for the empire's geniuses. Ling Ye thought this, but he did not stop his steps.

"I wonder if anyone this year will break the eighty-one-level Heavenly Ladder record held by the former sect master Xuan Ming."

"I think Yang Fan of the Yang clan could do it—a sixteen-year-old at the peak of the Spirit Origin Realm."

"I also think the Second Princess Yun Qingyan could manage it—a youth who has come into her own, with the Great Yun Empire's imperial family pouring resources into her cultivation, a fifteen-year-old at the eighth layer of the Spirit Origin Realm."

The cultivators on the stands each had their own opinions, voicing various different views.