Chapter 91: Linglong Immortal Lord

There really are people at the foot of the mountain.

Upon hearing Chen Zheng's words, the women all wore surprised expressions.

They hadn't been paying attention before.

Looking now toward the distant Sumeru Golden Mountain, they indeed saw a group of ant‑sized people standing at the mountain's base.

And three figures climbing up the mountain.

"It's them; they even came again to climb Sumeru Golden Mountain."

Piao Yun recognized those people's origins, her brows slightly furrowed, showing a hint of displeasure.

She quickly composed herself and introduced them to Chen Zheng: "Senior Brother Chen, they are people from Wan Gui Immortal Island, who do business with our Linglong Blessing Land, often selling us various treasures and talismans. Their appearance here means they have come to deliver goods to our sect."

Chen Zheng nodded: "I see."

Because Linglong Blessing Land was founded only recently, its foundation is weaker than the other Nine Immortal Paths, and it essentially relies on Linglong Immortal Lord alone; there are few mid‑level figures such as Elders or Grand Elders within the sect.

There isn't even a single Supreme Elder.

Yet the sect has hundreds of thousands of disciples to manage.

Linglong Immortal Lord cannot handle everything personally.

Therefore, the clothing, food, shelter, and daily needs of so many disciples, as well as the treasures and pills they use, overwhelm the Elders of the sect.

The best solution is simply to buy them from others.

Wan Gui Immortal Island happens to be a commercial sect, located in the Great Northern Ocean, not far from Linglong Blessing Land.

Thus, at regular intervals, Wan Gui Immortal Island manufactures various supplies and comes to Linglong Blessing Land to trade.

Only…

Chen Zheng asked in puzzlement: "What are those three doing climbing Sumeru Golden Mountain? With their cultivation level, they don't seem qualified to meet Linglong Immortal Lord, do they?"

Taiyi Sect is the strongest faction.

Linglong Immortal Lord has the top personal strength!

Usually, even the Supreme Elders of various sects may never get a glimpse of Linglong Immortal Lord.

The tiny shrimp from Wan Gui Immortal Island who dwell in Shen Tong Mi Jing have even less right to see Linglong Immortal Lord.

Piao Yun explained: "Senior Brother Chen, you may not know, but centuries ago, our Supreme Patriarch set a gravity restriction on the stairs of Sumeru Golden Mountain…"

As she spoke, Chen Zheng finally understood.

It turned out that the golden staircase leading straight to the summit of Sumeru Golden Mountain was personally established by Linglong Immortal Lord, a test of disciples' physique, magical power, and perseverance called the Heaven‑Stepping Ladder.

The Heaven‑Stepping Ladder has no realm restriction; whether you are a single‑fold mortal body or Tenfold divine skill, as long as you reach the top you can receive Linglong Immortal Lord's reward.

However, the gravity on each step of the Heaven‑Stepping Ladder automatically adjusts according to the cultivator's own realm and the number of people on the step.

In other words, the higher you climb, the harder it becomes.

All these years, from the outer‑gate disciples of Linglong Blessing Land up to the True Disciple Senior Sister Cang Hai, no one has ever reached the summit.

And the three from Wan Gui Immortal Island clearly intend to scale the peak of the Heaven‑Stepping Ladder to claim the reward.

"May I attempt to climb the Heaven‑Stepping Ladder?"

Chen Zheng posed a crucial question to the women.

Linglong Immortal Lord's reward!

He was naturally thrilled.

He just didn't know what the reward was.

A personal audience with Linglong Immortal Lord?

Or a bestowed Dao instrument?

Or even a dharma transmission?

Or perhaps a marriage proposal?

"Of course you may. Our Supreme Patriarch once said that anyone not of the Taiyi Sect, as long as they can reach Linglong Blessing Land, whether demon or monster, may climb the Heaven‑Stepping Ladder," Piao Yun said with a light smile.

Ye Qingqing exclaimed excitedly: "Senior Brother Chen is a once‑in‑a‑thousand‑years genius; perhaps he truly can pass the Heaven‑Stepping Ladder and reach the summit of Sumeru Mountain!"

"Even if Senior Brother Chen cannot reach the summit, he could still break Senior Sister Cang Hai's record of five million seven hundred thousand steps."

"Since Senior Brother Chen wishes to try, go ahead; we'll cheer you on and surpass those three from Wan Gui Immortal Island!"

"Thank you, sisters," Chen Zheng said. Under the expectant gazes of the women, light radiated from his feet, he rose into the air, traversed the sea of clouds, and sped toward Sumeru Golden Mountain.

Soon after, Chen Zheng arrived first at the massive plaza beneath Sumeru Golden Mountain.

"So it's you!"

"You, Chen Zheng, who killed our True Disciple disciple Haishan of the Feathered Ascension Gate, why are you here?"

Just as Chen Zheng steadied his footing, several hostile voices rang out.

He turned his head to look.

On the opposite side of the plaza, the Wan Gui Immortal Island people who had been watching the three climbing the Heaven‑Stepping Ladder now fixed their fierce gazes on him.

Especially the leader, a man clad in sea‑blue Dao robes, slender as a spear with billowing sleeves, who, while speaking, led his followers in large strides toward Chen Zheng.

As he walked, the sound of crashing waves echoed from his steps, continuously booming.

It was as if each step tread upon an endless ocean, the boundless sea threatening to crush Chen Zheng to death.

You have arrived at this novel.

"I came to Linglong Blessing Land, what does it have to do with you? So, do you intend to act here? Try making a move?"

Chen Zheng's expression remained cold, his posture still upright; even the blue‑clad man's overwhelming aura was to him no different than a gentle breeze.

He had located information on the blue‑clad man across the myriad worlds; the man was Wan Lianshan, the top True Disciple of Wan Gui Immortal Island, ranked very high on the Longevity Candidate List.

The Longevity Candidate List is a ranking released by the Six Paths Alliance, one of the three great merchant guilds of the world.

The list compiles the vast majority of outstanding talents among immortals, demons, monsters, and Free Cultivators, those most likely to breakthrough into the Longevity Secret Realm.

Fan Qingying ranked first on the list.

The second place went to Yan Shuiyi of the Taiyi Sect.

The third was Hua Tiandu.

The fourth was the blue‑clothed man Wan Lianshan.

Though this list is not an absolute authority, anyone who makes the top ten is invariably a peerless genius in the Shen Tong Mi Jing.

Even the weakest among them is estimated to wield the strength of a few tens of millions of Xuanhuang Fiery Horses.

"Sharp‑tongued."

Wan Lianshan was startled, and his steps faltered slightly.

He then fixed a cold, distant gaze on Chen Correct Path: "I naturally would not strike you within Luminous Fortune Land. But as the saying goes, walk night roads enough and you'll eventually meet ghosts; you'd better be careful from now on."

Chen Zhengsenran smiled calmly: "You'd do well to pray that the disciples of Wan Gui Immortal Island never encounter me, otherwise I'll kill each one I see."

"You're courting death…"

A flash of hostility crossed Wan Lianshan's brows.

The other Wan Gui Immortal Island disciples behind him also erupted in anger, about to rebuke Chen Zheng.

At that moment, a faint female voice floated from afar: "Sumeru Golden Mountain, no noise allowed."

Then everyone saw a seven‑coloured rainbow bridge stretching from the horizon to the plaza where they stood, like a grand avenue leading to the immortal realm.

A Taoist nun walked onto the rainbow bridge, her eyebrows sharp as knives, eyes like cold stars, her aura piercing.

Piao Yun, Ye Qingqing and the other women followed behind the nun.

When Chen Zheng first flew to Sumeru Golden Mountain, they had not followed immediately.

Knowing that Chen Zheng holds a grudge with the Wan Gui Immortal Island people and fearing he would be at a disadvantage, they invited the nun over.

"Greetings, Heavenly Punishment Elder!"

Wan Lianshan and the others, upon seeing the nun on the rainbow bridge, felt a chill in their hearts and bowed in salute.

Chen Zheng also clasped his hands and bowed.

The nun is the Great Elder of Luminous Fortune Land, named Qiu Xiyu, whose position is similar to the Heavenly Punishment Elder.

(End of chapter)