blogombal Chapter 1365 Ascending the Heavenly Ladder to Yaochi, Testing Talent
Chapter 1365 Ascending the Heavenly Ladder to Yaochi, Testing Talent
Li Wentian kept his word. After Chen Yang left with him, he actually showed Chen Yang the map of Lingxu.
Li Yuchan didn't say anything, after all, such high-precision maps weren't exactly secrets, and all the major sects had them.
If her initial intention in befriending Chen Yang was merely to use him as cannon fodder, to shield her from danger during the trial, then now she intends to use him as a powerful backer.
However, there is a prerequisite for having a powerful backer: Chen Yang must be able to enter the Spirit Ruins Secret Realm alive.
After all, Chen Yang offended the Golden Dragon Clan, and he will definitely face their retaliation. Whether he can enter the Spirit Ruins Secret Realm alive is still unknown.
Leave the tavern, walk through the wide and bustling streets of the holy city, from the front gate all the way to the back gate.
Outside the back gate is a huge plaza, entirely constructed of white marble, with exquisite railings and intricate reliefs.
The square separates Yaochi Holy City from Yaochi Holy Land.
Normally, ordinary people are not allowed to enter this square; it is a forbidden area of the Yaochi Holy Land.
But today is different from the past. It is the 666th birthday of the Holy Mother of Yaochi, and the whole world is celebrating. The square is decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations and is open to the general public.
However, the area is heavily guarded, with cavalry patrolling, and no one is allowed to start a fight here; otherwise, they will be killed without mercy.
One side of the square is the Yaochi Holy City, and the other side is the Yaochi Holy Land.
Yaochi Holy Land is much larger than Yaochi Holy City. The core area alone covers tens of kilometers in circumference, with a tall mountain gate standing there, bearing the four gilded characters "Yaochi Holy Land".
Within the sacred land, one after another sacred mountains and great rivers stretch out, with many peaks perpetually covered in snow, shrouded in clouds and mist, and teeming with dragon energy.
Ancient trees, both above and below the mountain, are lush and verdant, reaching into the sky. Old vines cover the mountainside, creating a verdant landscape as far as the eye can see.
The towering palaces stretch out in a continuous line, some built at the foot of the mountain, some halfway up the mountain, and some on the mountaintop.
There are also many large waterfalls cascading down the mountain, some hundreds or even thousands of feet long, creating a vast expanse of white, an incredibly magnificent sight.
Of course, there are also rare birds and mythical beasts, monkeys, cranes, seven-colored divine deer, dragon-scaled horses, qilin beasts, and more...
The legendary fairyland is nothing more than this!
Only a select few can be invited by the sacred Jade Pool.
Therefore, a large number of people gathered in the square of Yaochi Holy Land, all there to watch the excitement. They peered into Yaochi Holy Land with great anticipation.
It must be said that many people come specifically to see the Holy Maiden of Yaochi, hoping to catch a glimpse of her beauty.
Legend has it that the Holy Maiden of Yaochi was a woman of unparalleled beauty, possessing a charm that could topple kingdoms.
Unfortunately, the Holy Maiden of Yaochi rarely appears in public and has yet to show herself.
Right at the towering entrance of the Yaochi Holy Land, many female disciples of the Yaochi Holy Land stood on both sides. They were all beautiful women, dressed in white as snow, with flowing hair, graceful figures, and peerless beauty, as if they were untouched by worldly affairs.
Some held pipa (a type of Chinese lute), some played string and wind instruments, some stroked the zither...
The melodious music was soothing and calming, bringing a sense of tranquility and peace, like a gentle spring breeze.
These beauties are already peerless beauties in the mortal world. If they were in the secular world, they would be school beauties, one in a hundred, or even one in a thousand. But compared to the Holy Maiden of Yaochi, they are not worth mentioning at all.
One can only imagine how beautiful the Holy Maiden of Yaochi must have been.
Chen Yang learned from Li Wentian that the current Holy Maiden of Yaochi was named Yao Xi. She possessed an innate spiritual body and was exceptionally beautiful. Several years ago, she successfully condensed her core, but she did not undergo the Golden Core Tribulation and was definitely waiting to undergo it in the Spirit Ruins.
Therefore, as long as you participate in this trial, you will have a good chance of meeting Yao Xi, the Holy Maiden of Yaochi.
"The Valley Master of Shennong Valley has arrived, bringing a thousand catties of spirit rice and six hundred and sixty-six hundred-year-old spirit herbs..."
"The master of Cloud Mist Manor has arrived, bringing with him one hundred top-grade spirit stones and one piece of divine blood jade."
"The leader of the Mad Blade Sect has arrived, and the gifts have been delivered..."
"Kongo Temple..."
……
Important figures kept arriving at the gates of the sacred Yaochi, carrying invitations and presenting generous gifts.
Without an invitation, even a generous gift won't suffice; the sacred Yaochi Temple simply won't let you in.
Unfortunately, these guests were not of high enough status; only the elders of the Yaochi Holy Land came out to greet them, while the Holy Mother and Holy Maiden of Yaochi did not show up at all.
However, when the people from Jiuli and Jinjiao came over, both the Holy Mother of Yaochi and the Holy Maiden of Yaochi appeared.
"The people from the Shu Mountain Sword Sect haven't arrived yet, we still have a chance," Li Wentian said excitedly, full of anticipation.
As one of the top sects and on good terms with the Yaochi Holy Land, the arrival of distinguished guests from the Shushan Sword Sect will surely be greeted by the Holy Mother of Yaochi and the Holy Maiden of Yaochi. They will come to the mountain gate to welcome them, and then everyone will be able to see the beautiful face of the Holy Maiden of Yaochi.
Not only Li Wentian, but many other cultivators were also looking forward to it.
"Tch, what a loser."
Li Yuchan looked at him with disdain.
"Hey, what is that?"
Suddenly, Chen Yang saw a set of steps on one side of the mountain gate of Yaochi Holy Land, which led directly to the top of the mountain gate.
Once you ascend the mountain gate, you enter the sacred land of Yaochi.
Many people try to climb this staircase, but as they walk, they can't go any further. It feels like they have a thousand pounds on their body, and even if their muscles bulge, they can hardly take another step.
"You mean that? The Heavenly Ladder, with eighteen steps, specifically for testing talent. If you can climb all eighteen steps, it means you have exceptional talent. The Jade Pool Holy Land has also announced that those who can enter the Jade Pool Holy Land through the Heavenly Ladder don't need an invitation. They can even sit at the same table as the Jade Pool Holy Mother," Li Wentian said.
"Don't even think about entering the Jade Pool Holy Land through the Heavenly Ladder. Throughout history, very few people have been able to cross the eighteen steps." Li Yuchan immediately poured cold water on this idea.
It is called climbing the ladder to heaven, so you can imagine how difficult it is to climb.
"Oh?"
Chen Yang was taken aback.
The ladder to heaven was engraved with many profound and unfathomable Daoist runes.
"Get out of my way, everyone! I'm going to challenge the Heavenly Ladder, and I refuse to believe I can't get up there."
Just then, a tall, muscular man shouted loudly from below the ladder to heaven, swinging his arms to make way for everyone.
He was broad-shouldered and muscular, clearly a body-refining expert with a significant advantage in strength.
Bang bang bang!
Despite his tall and strong physique, he accelerated wildly from ten meters away, reaching speeds approaching the speed of sound. His stomping on the ground made a rumbling sound, and the air in front of him exploded with a bang.
Boom!
Stepping onto the ladder to heaven, he charged upwards like a bull, using all his strength.
There are only eighteen steps in total. It doesn't look difficult. You can reach the top in one sprint.
One step, two steps, three steps...
"come on!"
"Awesome!"
"Don't stop!"
……
Amidst cheers from the onlookers, this tall, body-refining expert managed to take only five steps on the Heavenly Ladder. He took his sixth step, but couldn't bring himself to land.
It was as if a tremendous force was pulling him from behind, making it impossible for him to move an inch.
Buzz!
The ladder to heaven is covered with countless Daoist marks that have revived, emanating a mysterious divine power.
"I don't believe it! Drop it!"
The muscular man roared and became locked in a stalemate with the Heavenly Ladder, determined to take the sixth step.
But in the end, he still failed, tumbling down the ladder to heaven and falling face-first into the dirt, looking quite pathetic.
"Ugh!"
"You've only taken five steps; you're not even as good as me."
"A silver-plated spearhead, all show and no substance."
……
Sighs rose from the crowd.
The Heavenly Ladder is a ladder to test talent. The higher your talent, the higher you can climb, regardless of your realm, age, or strength.
Even a three-year-old child, if possessing exceptional talent, can reach the top of the ladder to heaven.
If one lacks talent, even if one cultivates the Golden Core, one will not be able to go very far on the Heavenly Ladder.
"Let me give it a try!"
A man with a Golden Core cultivation level walked over with his hands behind his back, exuding a powerful aura.
The crowd immediately made way for him.
Bang bang bang!
One step, two steps, three steps...
Those who can attain the Golden Core stage must have exceptional talent.
The man who had reached the Golden Core stage eventually took nine steps on the Heavenly Ladder and ascended to the ninth step.
"Not bad. With this talent, he should be able to attain the lower third grade of Golden Core. His cultivation level in this life will probably be limited to this point, and he'll hardly make any further progress," one onlooker said. Although his words were harsh, they were still fair.
The lowest grade Golden Core cultivators, being the worst kind, often remain at the early stage and find it difficult to advance further.
"Shut your mother's bullshit! What kind of talent I have as a Golden Core cultivator, and what my future achievements will be, is none of your business, a junior in the Divine Realm!" The Golden Core man was furious and glared fiercely at the talkative bystander.
The talkative man immediately fell silent, fearing retaliation, and quickly made his escape.
At this moment, the Golden Core cultivator standing on the nine-step staircase suddenly took out a large seal-shaped magic artifact from his person.
Driven by magical power, the seal glowed, bursting forth with dazzling light that enveloped the Golden Core cultivator, instantly relieving the pressure on him.
This person actually wanted to cheat by using a magical artifact to take a few more steps on the ladder to heaven.
This is clearly self-deception.
Even with the help of magical artifacts, one cannot change their inherent talent.
Of course, the Golden Core cultivator knew he couldn't change his talent; he simply wanted to ascend the Heavenly Ladder to enter the Jade Pool Holy Land and attend the Jade Pool Holy Mother's birthday banquet.
Although he was a Golden Core cultivator, he was deeply hurt because he did not receive an invitation from Yaochi.
However, it didn't work at all. The Heavenly Ladder suddenly trembled, and ten thousand runes burst forth.
boom!
The Golden Core cultivator, along with the large seal in his hand, was sent flying more than a hundred feet away, crashing solidly onto the ground in a very disheveled state.
"Hahaha! Trying to cheat? How ridiculous."
"Self-deception, utterly ridiculous."
"If you could enter the Yaochi Holy Land by cheating, the Yaochi Holy Land would be overcrowded long ago."
……
Immediately, the onlookers burst into laughter, offering a barrage of criticisms.
Upon seeing this, Chen Yang smiled and gently shook his head.
The old man with the Golden Elixir blushed, feeling both ashamed and angry. After standing up, he dared not linger and quickly left.
Seeing Chen Yang watching intently, Li Wentian suddenly said to him, "Brother Chen, do you also want to take the test? With your talent, I bet you can at least take fourteen or fifteen steps."
There are only eighteen steps to ascend the Heavenly Ladder. Being able to climb fourteen or fifteen steps is already a sign of high talent, belonging to the level of divine sons and holy daughters of major sects, or chief disciples.
"You really think highly of him, considering he's only reached the fourteenth or fifteenth step? If I remember correctly, Yao Xi, the Holy Maiden of Yaochi, has only reached the fifteenth step, the Sword Master of Shushan has reached the sixteenth step, the Divine Son of Jiuli has reached the fifteenth step, and the Golden Flood Dragon Prince has reached the sixteenth step. These four are already among the best of the best in our entire Kunlun Immortal Sect. You're putting him on the same level as these four top geniuses? Do you even have the nerve to ask him? Don't you find that ridiculous?" Li Yuchan sneered, thinking her younger brother was overestimating Chen Yang.
Although she had witnessed Chen Yang's exceptional skills, which surpassed those of her and her brother, she still felt that Chen Yang was not qualified to be ranked alongside the four top geniuses of the Golden Dragon Clan.
If Chen Yang were truly that powerful, all the top sects would have been scrambling to acquire him long ago. Why would he have become a rogue cultivator?
"How will you know if you don't try? You have to have dreams, maybe they'll come true. I believe in Brother Chen, taking those fourteen or fifteen steps shouldn't be a problem," Li Wentian said with a smile, urging Chen Yang to give it a try on the Heavenly Ladder.
"And what about you guys? Have you tried it?" Chen Yang asked, quite interested.
“Of course we tried. I reached the eighth step, and my sister reached the tenth. Only those who have climbed more than ten steps are qualified to be called geniuses. I am not qualified, and my sister is barely qualified,” Li Wentian said with a wry smile.
Judging from the fact that the Body Refining expert only took five steps while the Golden Core cultivator took nine, the Li family siblings seem to have quite good talent. Especially the elder sister, Li Yuchan, who has a very high chance of attaining the Golden Core stage.
Chen Yang rubbed his chin, thinking that it wouldn't hurt to try climbing the Heavenly Ladder and test his talent.
"Has no one ever stepped over the eighteen steps?" Chen Yang asked.
“Of course there are. However, such geniuses only appear once every few thousand years, they are extremely rare. Those who can take eighteen steps are all promising candidates for the Nascent Soul stage,” Li Wentian said.
Then he changed the subject and said, "Personally, I think you shouldn't even think about taking eighteen steps; the probability is practically zero. If you can take fourteen or fifteen steps, you'll already be at the top."
As they spoke, Li Wentian pulled Chen Yang toward the Heavenly Ladder. Li Yuchan followed.
"I won't say much. If you can take twelve steps, I'll be impressed," Li Yuchan said, a hint of stubbornness in her expression.
Although she acknowledged that Chen Yang was more talented than her, she did not believe that Chen Yang's talent was significantly greater than hers.
She believed that the limit was that she could climb the tenth step and Chen Yang could climb the twelfth step.
At this moment, at the foot of the Heavenly Ladder, many people, upon hearing that Chen Yang was going to test the Heavenly Ladder, voluntarily made way and stared wide-eyed at him.
Because Chen Yang just fought against the Eighth Prince of the Golden Flood Dragon in the city, almost instantly killing him, and even escaping from the hands of a Golden Core elder of the Golden Flood Dragon Clan, his powerful combat strength has been fully displayed. He must be a prodigy, and he will surely be able to climb many steps on the Heavenly Ladder.
Everyone is speculating about how many steps he will be able to climb.