Chapter 631: Stone Platform Heavenly Ladder

"Alright, Sister Nan!"

He Pingsheng bowed slightly: "I'd like to ask—where do cultivators who ascend from the lower realms go?"

"Ascend? Lower realm?" Nan Qiqi frowned: "No way… you… don't know?"

He Pingsheng's expression turned grim.

He truly didn't know.

There might be such customs in the Spirit Realm, but he hadn't encountered them yet.

Even though he had ascended a hundred years ago, he spent most of that time either in secret realms or aboard massive ships.

He rarely had the chance to learn about the Spirit Realm's customs.

This basic knowledge? He simply didn't know!

"You're… also an ascended cultivator?" Nan Qiqi asked, uncertain.

He Pingsheng said: "Yes."

"Then why are you asking me?" Nan Qiqi said: "Isn't it obvious—you came up through the Ascension Pool!"

"There are countless lower realms beneath the Spirit Realm, each a small world opened by past Mahayana Emperor cultivators, scattered unevenly across the land!"

"Some Ascension Pools are in Imperial Cities, others aren't—nearly every city, big or small, has one!"

"Even some clans have their own Ascension Pools!"

"Once beings from a lower realm ascend, they appear in the Spirit Realm!"

"It mainly depends on which small world your realm belongs to…"

He Pingsheng fell silent.

Fine.

He had ascended abnormally—space forces had flung him onto Yanzhi Mountain near the Li family, where Li Yunyun had rescued him.

So he deduced that the Ascension Pool for his small world must be near the Li family.

The Li family couldn't possibly possess such a thing—no matter how weak, a lower realm was still a small world created by a Mahayana Emperor.

Therefore, He Pingsheng assumed the Ascension Pool was likely within the 【Profound Heaven Sect】 to which the Li family belonged.

Whether that was true? Only Heaven knew.

"As for the Ascension Pool, you can ask about it yourself later!" Nan Qiqi interrupted He Pingsheng's thoughts: "There's still over two hundred years until the 【Stone Platform Gathering】—you promised my grandfather you'd accompany me!"

"I hope you won't break your word!"

He Pingsheng's expression turned solemn and serious: "Rest assured, Sister Nan—I will not break my word."

"Mm!" Nan Qiqi said: "I know your abilities. My grandfather told me you slew a Void Refinement cultivator. Nan Li and Nan Yuan also told me what happened to you in the Yinming Imperial Palace—you're truly powerful!"

"You're a fine choice!"

"When the day comes, I'll come find you. If you truly help me, and I one day inherit the Zhu Que Imperial Domain, I'll reward you handsomely!"

He Pingsheng hadn't thought about rewards.

He asked curiously: "What exactly is the Stone Platform Gathering? Will there be contests? Fights?"

"I know nothing about this—please enlighten me, Sister Nan."

Nan Qiqi explained at length, and He Pingsheng gained a clear understanding of the Stone Platform Gathering.

The Stone Platform Gathering is a grand assembly featuring nearly all top prodigies across the Tianhuo Continent.

It occurs only once every five thousand years!

Only cultivators at the Void Refinement realm may participate.

The format changes each time it's held.

Some years, it's decided by combat strength; other years, by sword intent, spiritual sense, power, and more…

In short, various contests are held.

During the gathering, each Imperial Domain must send its Sacred Son and Sacred Daughter; additionally, each domain may bring ten more participants.

Thus, roughly a thousand participants come from the ninety-odd Imperial Domains of the Tianhuo Continent.

And these thousand are all peerless geniuses, selected from among millions.

He Pingsheng suddenly recalled something: earlier, the Jin Peng Emperor had hosted the 【Hundred Feather Banquet】 to entertain the Tian Yu Crown Prince, Liu Haoran, and others. Back then he hadn't understood why—now he suspected it was connected to the 【Stone Platform Gathering】.

The exact method of selection at the Stone Platform Gathering doesn't matter.

What matters is selecting the top thirty.

These thirty will be sent to Stone Platform Mountain to climb the 【Heavenly Ladder】.

The sole purpose of climbing the Heavenly Ladder: reach as high as possible.

The higher you climb, the stronger your ability, and the higher your rank.

Ultimately, the names of these thirty will be inscribed among the ocean of names built over countless generations by geniuses of the Tianhuo Continent, becoming part of that legacy.

First, it is immense honor.

Second, when these individuals later reach the Mahayana Emperor realm, they gain priority in claiming an Imperial Domain.

That's how powerful it is.

But Nan Qiqi didn't know the finer details.

Those would only be revealed once the Stone Platform Gathering began.

"Brother He, when the time comes, I'll come here to find you—but to be safe, take these five Heartbond Talismans!"

Nan Qiqi handed him five Heartbond Talismans.

All of them were ultra-long-range ones.

"Also, during this time, if you need any cultivation resources, come to the Imperial Palace and find me… here's my token. With it, you may enter and exit the Imperial Palace without hindrance!"

"And!" Nan Qiqi glanced around: "I heard from my grandfather that you have a cultivation partner. If you wish, you may bring her with me into the palace!"

He Pingsheng shook his head: "No need. My senior sister is currently in seclusion. If I truly need help later, I'll trouble the Sacred Daughter then."

"Alright!" Nan Qiqi rose: "Before I leave, let me tell you one more thing—on the Tianhuo Continent, there are many peerless prodigies. While cultivators who can slay Void Refinement with Soul Transformation aren't common, ten or twenty certainly exist!"

"Keep that in mind."

"I'm off!"

With that, Nan Qiqi left immediately.

He Pingsheng took a deep breath, then drained the spiritual tea in his cup.

Prodigies who slew Void Refinement cultivators while only at Soul Transformation?

He had never seen any.

But the Zhu Que Emperor had once told him there were no more than a handful.

Now Nan Qiqi said the same—so it must be true.

He was certainly not the only one in this world capable of fighting across realms.

Among such a gathering of geniuses, he might not even be the top one.

But it didn't matter—he pursued the Dao of Immortality, never seeking conflict.

About half an hour after Nan Qiqi left, He Pingsheng donned the Brocade Cloud Treasure Robe, subtly altered his appearance, and headed toward the Imperial City's merchant association.

Holy Fire Merchant Association!

"Is it really you?"

As soon as he arrived, the association's Elder recognized He Pingsheng.

Though He Pingsheng had disguised himself, his altered face matched exactly his appearance before entering the 【Yinming Imperial Palace】, when this Elder had once escorted him.

Now He Pingsheng was at Soul Transformation sixth layer, while the Elder remained stuck at Nascent Soul—his cultivation had not advanced at all.

So seeing him, the Elder was utterly astonished.