Chapter 746

Previously, from afar in the void, when he saw the stone terrace and sky ladder, He Pingsheng felt it resembled a sword plunged vertically between heaven and earth, its height invisible!

Now, standing before this stone terrace and sky ladder, He Pingsheng realized the ladder itself was equally thick.

It spanned ten thousand zhang in diameter!

It stood perfectly upright!

The closer he got, the more intense the pressure emanating from the ladder became.

"Stop…"

Before thousands of prodigies, a black-robed disciple waved her hand and said: "Within a thousand zhang of the stone terrace ladder, inverted heavenly gangqi hangs—no one may enter the gangqi zone!"

With no choice, everyone could only observe from beyond the thousand-zhang perimeter.

Nan Qiqi said: "It's not really about fearing the inverted gangwind—it's because the second trial's century-long enlightenment occurs right here, and we must enter the gangqi. They forbid us from approaching so we won't prematurely sense the primordial gangqi!"

He Pingsheng nodded.

That made sense.

"Look!" Hu Tianci, the White Tiger Prince, suddenly pointed toward a spot a hundred zhang above the ground on the ladder: "There appear to be inscriptions!"

Everyone followed the White Tiger Prince's finger and indeed saw countless characters.

They were countless names engraved upon the stone stele.

"This is…"

"This is the Stone Terrace Stele Inscriptions!"

"The names of countless ancient sages!"

"Some have long slept in death, some have ascended—yet their names remain carved in heaven and earth!"

"Truly admirable!"

Many raised their heads in awe.

Nan Qiqi said: "When ascending the stone terrace ladder, when a prodigy reaches their personal limit, they leave their name at that height!"

"That name will then automatically enter the stele and be reordered by height!"

"The first name you see now is the all-time champion—not just the winner of one session!"

He Pingsheng's pupils subtly contracted; his vision could reach beyond a thousand zhang.

First place: Heavenly Phoenix Clan, Bei Chen Holy Maiden!

Second place: Heavenly Phoenix Clan, Chi Ming Holy Son!

Third place: Heavenly Phoenix Clan, Yuan Yue Holy Maiden!

Fourth place: Heavenly Phoenix Clan, Xun Tian Dao Ren!

Fifth place: Heavenly Phoenix Clan…

He Pingsheng scanned down the list, each name making him more stunned.

Because from first to sixth place, all were from the Heavenly Phoenix Clan.

Only at seventh place did a name outside the Heavenly Phoenix Clan appear.

Seventh place: Human Race, Youming Holy Maiden.

Huh…

Seeing this, He Pingsheng couldn't help but draw a deep breath.

Human race!

He hadn't expected it to be a human.

And Youming Holy Maiden—could she be the former master of the Youming Imperial Palace? The Youming Empress?

Very likely.

After Youming, eighth place: Heavenly Phoenix Clan!

Ninth place: Heavenly Phoenix Clan!

Tenth place: Heavenly Phoenix Clan!

Until thirteenth place, still only Heavenly Phoenix Clan.

The overwhelming dominance of the Heavenly Phoenix Clan became palpable.

Too strong.

One clan monopolizing the entire list!

Even further down, Heavenly Phoenix Clan prodigies still dominated the rankings.

Half the list belonged to the Heavenly Phoenix Clan.

The power of the Heavenly Phoenix Divine Clan was terrifying indeed.

"The Heavenly Phoenix Clan is truly too powerful!"

"Of course—they're the divine clan!"

"The Heavenly Phoenix Clan has always been like this. What can our races possibly match them with?"

"By the way, I heard the Heavenly Phoenix Clan's peerless genius has arrived for this Stone Terrace Gathering—she's said to be the most likely candidate in history to claim first place!"

"I heard too—it's Feng Wanxi, right? They say she's now the Heavenly Phoenix Clan's Holy Maiden!"

"I admit Feng Wanxi is extraordinary, and she's a once-in-ten-thousand-years genius—but to claim she can challenge first place? That's pure exaggeration!"

"Impossible!"

"That's first place—the all-time champion since ancient times!"

"Don't be so sure—it's possible. First, I heard Feng Wanxi has an eight-and-a-half-grade fortune, barely short of nine-nine fortune; second, the Phoenix Emperor's combat power ranks first—if he supports Feng Wanxi by holding back the heavenly gangqi above, she might truly reach first place!"

"What? Eight-and-a-half-grade fortune?"

"Can fortune even be half?"

"I don't know the details—just know Feng Wanxi's fortune is far stronger than ordinary eight-grade fortune!"

"Look—there's Feng Wanxi, the one leading them!"

The crowd buzzed with murmurs!

He Pingsheng naturally heard them.

He looked up at the leader of the Phoenix Clan.

She was a Phoenix prodigy clad in red Dao robes, tall and beautiful, skin as white as snow, with a crimson flame burning at her brow.

She possessed both breathtaking beauty and boundless cosmic fortune.

It seemed all the blessings of the world had gathered upon her.

"Before this Stone Terrace Gathering, someone predicted the top ten individual rankings," Nan Qiqi whispered: "Unfortunately, your name wasn't among them."

As she spoke, Nan Qiqi smiled faintly.

It was just a joke meant for He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng said: "Then I'd be honored to hear them."

Nan Qiqi said: "The top ten—they believe first place is Feng Wanxi of the Phoenix Clan, followed by three other Phoenix prodigies. The other six are: 【Buddhist Moon】, 【Kong Que Holy Maiden】 of the Great Lun Peacock Clan, 【Kong Kong Prince】 of the Kong Kong Beast Clan, 【Jin Gang Prince】 Yuan Wuyou of the Tian Gang Imperial Domain, 【Bai Zhiting】 of the Celestial Fox Clan, and 【Zhu Xuanlun】 of the Golden Crow Clan."

"Of course, except for Feng Wanxi, the other nine have no fixed order."

"Disappointed?"

Nan Qiqi looked at He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng said: "I thought you'd be on it."

"No," Nan Qiqi shook her head humbly: "If I can enter the top thirty and have a chance to climb the stone terrace ladder, I'd be more than satisfied. What about you? How do you feel?"

He Pingsheng stared at Nan Qiqi for three breaths and said: "I don't know about first place—but the top ten… I'm definitely in."

"Hey!" Nan Qiqi said: "You're awfully confident!"

He Pingsheng said: "Moderately so… Also, my Master Wang must be among the top ten."

"Pfft…" For some reason, thinking of Wang Dun made Nan Qiqi burst out laughing: "Your Master Wang… he's an interesting fellow. But I've never seen his true strength—though if he can withstand a blow from the Kong Kong Prince with his body alone, his power must rival the Kong Kong Prince's!"

He Pingsheng said: "Of course."

As the two spoke, the Heavenly Phoenix Holy Maiden Feng Wanxi suddenly glided through the crowd toward He Pingsheng.

When she reached his side, she bowed respectfully and courteously.

The entire scene erupted.

Good heavens!

The Heavenly Phoenix Holy Maiden just approached He Pingsheng?

What does this mean?