81: Chapter 81 Climbing the Heavenly Ladder? Isn't that just going down a staircase?

Yunmeng City, Tiandao Plaza.

Today, Yunmeng City was a ghost town, as everyone had flocked to the event.

As the venue for the Saintess Selection, the square, which could accommodate hundreds of thousands of people, was already packed to the brim.

In the sky, five-colored auspicious clouds swirled, and hundreds of floating spectator stands were arranged by rank, filled with the leaders of the major powers in the Central Continent.

On the main stand in the very center sat three Elders with unfathomable auras.

The Big Three of the Zhengdao Alliance: the Sect Master of the Qingyun Sword Sect, the Valley Master of the Heaven Burning Valley, and... the Ye Family Patriarch.

They were all Nascent Soul Stage powerhouses!

"The Su Family people are here."

Someone shouted from the crowd.

The Su Family's spirit boat slowly descended.

Elder Su Moyun's face was tense as he led Su Qingyu and Lin Que off the boat. Although he had confidence in Lin Que's methods, this was, after all, a grand event watched by the entire Central Continent. If they messed up, the Su Family would become a complete laughingstock.

"Oh, isn't this Elder Su?"

A sarcastic, mocking voice rang out.

A handsome young man wearing a purple-gold python robe and a jade crown strode over, surrounded by a group of prodigies. Dragon Qi faintly swirled around him, and with every step he took, the ground trembled slightly.

The Ye Family Divine Son—Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect!

Cultivation: Golden Core Early Stage Peak!

His gaze swept over Su Qingyu, a flash of amazement crossing his eyes before it turned into contempt: "Sister Qingyu, I heard that in order to escape our marriage, you didn't hesitate to defile yourself by becoming a beggar? Heh, why bother? You're going to lose the selection anyway, and then you'll obediently marry into my Ye Family as a concubine."

Su Qingyu's body trembled, and she subconsciously grabbed Lin Que's sleeve.

Lin Que snapped open his folding fan, blocking the space between the two of them, and looked at Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect with a smile: "This brother who's dressed like a red envelope, did you not brush your teeth this morning? Why is your breath so foul?"

"What kind of thing are you?"

Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect's eyes turned cold, and a powerful Divine Sense pressure crushed directly toward Lin Que: "Is this a place where you have a say?"

Lin Que's expression remained unchanged. He even fanned himself, silently neutralizing that Divine Sense pressure: "I am Lin Que, the Eldest Miss Su's... creditor and Dao Protector."

"Creditor?"

Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect sneered, "Is the Su Family out of people? Finding a False Core Loose Cultivator to be a Dao Protector? Su Moyun, are you here to be a joke?"

Su Moyun snorted coldly and didn't respond, but his fists were already clenched inside his sleeves.

"Silence!"

Just then, a voice like a great bell rang out from the main stand.

The Leader of the Zhengdao Alliance (the Sect Master of the Qingyun Sword Sect) stood up and waved his hand:

"The auspicious hour has arrived! The Saintess Selection, First Trial—[Climbing the Heavenly Stairs]!"

Rumble!!

The ground in the center of the square split open.

A massive staircase made of nine hundred and ninety-nine white jade steps rose from the ground, reaching straight into the clouds!

"This is the **'Heart-Inquiry Heavenly Stairs'**. With every level you ascend, the gravity doubles, and it is accompanied by Heart Demon illusions."

"Within the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the one who reaches the highest level wins! The top ten will advance to the next round!"

"Begin!"

With the order, hundreds of heavenly daughters from various clans, accompanied by their respective Dao Protectors, scrambled to rush toward the stairs.

"Sister Qingyu, I'll wait for you at the finish line. Oh, wait, you probably won't even be able to climb halfway up."

Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect smiled confidently. His figure was like a dragon as he took the lead, bringing the Ye Family's Saintess candidate (his cousin) with him. His speed was extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, he had reached the fiftieth level.

"Let's go too."

Lin Que patted Su Qingyu on the shoulder.

Su Qingyu looked at the stairs towering into the clouds and swallowed hard, her legs feeling a bit weak: "Young... Young Master Lin, these stairs look terrifying... I'm scared..."

"What are you afraid of? I'm here."

A mischievous smile curled on Lin Que's lips: "Just think of it as... walking downstairs."

"Walking downstairs?"

Su Qingyu was completely bewildered.

The two of them stepped onto the first step.

Buzz! A wave of gravity hit them.

[Detected Formation Gravity Suppression!]

[Current Intensity: 1.5x Gravity.]

[Transfer initiated! Logic Reorganization—Remote Delivery!]

[Target Locked: The fastest-running red envelope (Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect).]

[Multiplier: Full Transfer!]

"Off you go!"

At this moment, Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect, who had already rushed to the hundredth level, suddenly felt his feet sink.

"Huh? Why did the gravity on the hundredth level suddenly increase?"

He frowned but didn't pay it much mind; after all, he was a Golden Core Prodigy, so what did this bit of weight matter?

However.

As Lin Que and Su Qingyu continued to walk upward.

"Fifty levels... one hundred levels... two hundred levels..."

Su Qingyu discovered to her surprise that walking on these stairs felt as light as a swallow! She couldn't feel any gravity at all! Not only was there no gravity, but there was even a force pushing her upward!

"Young Master Lin, are these stairs broken? Why is it so easy?"

Su Qingyu lifted her skirt like a happy little butterfly and even started to jog.

"Maybe."

Lin Que followed behind her with his hands behind his back, strolling leisurely, hiding his contribution and fame.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect, who was in the lead, began to change expression.

"What's going on?! Why does the gravity at the three-hundredth level feel like ten thousand tons?!"

Veins popped on Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect's forehead, and with every step he took, the jade steps beneath him cracked. He felt as if he weren't carrying a person, but a massive mountain!

That was the gravity from Su Qingyu's body, plus his own gravity, double-stacked!

"Damn it! Is this staircase targeting me?!"

Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect gritted his teeth and had to circulate his Golden Core spiritual power to resist, causing his speed to instantly slow down.

The spectators in the square were dumbfounded.

"Look! That Eldest Miss of the Su Family! She... she's running?!"

"Heavens! Three hundred levels! She's still running?! She's not even out of breath?"

"On the other hand, look at Godchild Ye. Why is he covered in sweat and red in the face? Is he weak?"

Hearing the discussions below, Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect was so angry he almost spat blood.

Weak? I'm moving forward under a heavy burden, okay!

"Five hundred levels!"

Lin Que led Su Qingyu and easily caught up to Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect.

By now, Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect was panting like an ox, drenched in sweat, his legs trembling. Meanwhile, Su Qingyu hadn't even messed up her hair, and she even held half an unconsumed Spirit Fruit in her hand.

The two parties passed each other.

"Oh, Godchild Ye."

Lin Que stopped and looked at Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect with a face full of concern: "Why are you so tired? Is it because you're usually too overworked? You need to be moderate."

"Look at my Qingyu. Her Physique is so weak, yet she's walking faster than you."

Su Qingyu also blinked her large eyes and added innocently: "Brother Ye, did you not eat? Do you want me to give you half of my fruit?"

"You... you guys..."

Seeing the two of them acting as if they were strolling through a back garden, Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect's mental state completely collapsed.

"Cheating! You're definitely cheating!!"

He roared, wanting to forcibly burst his spiritual power to sprint.

[Detected target emotional loss of control, attempting to burst!]

[System Operation: Increase intensity!]

[Advance the gravity for Su Qingyu's next hundred levels and send it in a single package!]

Boom!

Just as Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect was preparing to gather his Qi.

A terrifyingly extreme gravity pressed down without any warning!

“Pfft—!!”

Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect spat out a mouthful of blood three feet high.

Crack!

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, his knees buckled, and he knelt directly on the five-hundredth step! Moreover, it was a standard "sliding kneel," face-first, sliding all the way to Lin Que's feet.

The entire venue fell into a dead silence.

On the stands, the Ye Family Patriarch suddenly stood up, crushing his teacup to powder: "Chen'er?!"

Lin Que looked down at Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect lying at his feet and sighed helplessly: "Godchild Ye, although I am handsome, you don't need to perform such a grand salute, do you?"

"Get up quickly. So many people are watching; it's so embarrassing."

Su Qingyu covered her mouth, trying hard not to laugh out loud.

Lying on the ground and hearing Lin Que's words, Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect was filled with shame and indignation. His eyes rolled back, and he actually... fainted from anger.

“Tsk tsk, young people these days really have poor psychological resilience.”

Lin Que shook his head, stepped over Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect's body, and waved to Su Qingyu:

"Let's go, to the top."

A stick of incense later.

Su Qingyu was the first to step onto the nine hundred and ninety-ninth level, standing at the edge of the clouds and looking down upon all living beings.

At that moment, sunlight bathed her, and her Innate Dao Body shone with a thousand rays of light. The former Little Beggar Girl had, at this moment, become the most dazzling existence in the entire Central Continent.

And the creator of all this, Lin Que.

Was standing in the shadow behind her, silently counting the feedback he had just gained from Ye Chen, Sacred Son of the Eternal Evergreen Sect.

"This Ye Family Divine Son is quite the fat sheep."

"I wonder if he can handle... the next round?"