568: First to reach the summit

The people of the Godfall Di Clan did not charge immediately.

"This heavenly ladder pressure contains space folding and time turbulence."

Di Wushang's Asura Demonic Eyes flowed with blood-red light, seeing through the distorted folds in the void that ordinary people could not perceive.

The higher one went, the more chaotic the space became, and the passage of time was abnormal; this was the true killing move.

"What's there to fear! It's the perfect time to stretch my muscles!"

Di Lingxiao let out a long cry, the golden patterns all over his body glowing brightly. Immortal Battle Intent erupted as he, like a golden god of war holding the dragon fall spear, stepped fiercely onto the steps!

Boom! Heavy pressure fell upon him, making a sound like clashing metal, but it was forcefully withstood by his tyrannical physique, his footsteps as steady as a mountain.

Di Jintian and Di Qingge exchanged a look. The God-Demon Nirvana Body and Chaos Pure Flame circulated simultaneously as the brother and sister ascended side-by-side. Their auras blended, faintly forming a cycle of Yin and Yang, sharing and neutralizing the pressure.

Di Jiangyue's Primordial Chaos Demonic Mark flashed, and thick Devilish Qi enveloped her body like a mobile miniature demonic domain. The heavenly ladder's pressure was swallowed by the Devilish Qi as it approached. Her steps were light, seemingly unaffected.

Di Xuanfeng gave a low shout, activating his Profound Wind Spirit Body, his figure becoming elusive as he tried to deflect the pressure with extreme speed. Di Yushan roared, his Monolith Spirit Body operating at full power, his muscles bulging like granite as he left a footprint with every step, making the stairs hum.

Di Qianjie looked at Ye Qingtian and Yu Qingchen: "Brother Ye, Brother Yu, together?"

"Precisely my intention!" Ye Qingtian laughed heartily.

The three transformed into three sharp rays of sword light, piercing straight toward the heavenly ladder.

Di Shiyu also led the Tianxu Di Clan Prodigies toward the heavenly ladder.

On the heavenly ladder, battle had already erupted.

"Roar!"

A Prodigy at the first level of the Profound Venerable Realm, whose Cultivation Technique seemed related to Evil Qi and blood energy, was now being severely suppressed by the brilliant Righteous Path pressure contained within the heavenly ladder.

His eyes were crimson, blood-red evil aura rolling around him like a madman. He brandished a blood-saber, slashing indiscriminately at nearby climbers in an attempt to plunder blood energy to replenish himself.

"Get lost!"

Beside him, a burly man from Zhongyue Prefecture who practiced earth-attribute techniques roared. His fists smashed out like giant hammers, his earthy yellow fist-qi as heavy as a mountain.

Boom! The blood-evil aura collided with the earthy qi, and airwaves exploded.

That Prodigy was shaken and stumbled back, landing right in front of Di Lingxiao.

"In the way!"

The Battle Intent in Di Lingxiao's eyes burned like fire. He didn't bother with words; the dragon fall spear transformed into a bolt of golden lightning that tore through the air in a simple, direct thrust!

Puchi!

The spear tip pierced through his chest with absolute precision! Violent power instantly destroyed his internal organs! The madness in that Prodigy's eyes faded, replaced only by unbelievable terror. His body was flung by the spear and fell heavily off the heavenly ladder, his fate unknown.

"Hiss!"

The Prodigies nearby who saw this scene all sucked in a breath of cold air.

A first level Profound Venerable was actually killed in one strike by a Law Realm Tenth Level! This Di Lingxiao of the Godfall Di Clan—his physical strength and explosive power were truly terrifying!

Di Lingxiao didn't even look. He retracted the dragon fall spear, its tip unstained by blood, and continued to stride upward, each step making the stairs tremble.

"Refreshing! This heavenly ladder pressure is perfect for tempering my battle body!"

Higher up, around the three-hundredth step, space had become extremely distorted.

Visible transparent spatial folds rippled like water. Stepping into them could result in being teleported to lower steps at best, or being torn apart by chaotic space at worst.

Time turbulence was also more apparent; sometimes footsteps felt heavy as if stuck in a swamp, and other times pressure spiked so sharply it was hard to breathe.

"Damn it! Open up!"

A fifth level Profound Venerable Prodigy from Xuanci Prefecture, skilled in manipulating magnetic force, was now helpless against the distorted space. He sacrificed a magnetic light shield, struggling to block the cutting spatial folds. Sparks flew from the shield, and his progress was as slow as a snail.

Another female Disciple from the Heavenly Sound Sword Pavilion of Tianyin Prefecture had entered the Sword Dao through music. She was now plucking her ancient zither with all her might, the clear zither sounds transforming into tangible sonic Sword Qi, attempting to cut through the spatial folds ahead.

However, when the sonic Sword Qi hit the spatial folds, it was like a clay ox entering the sea—the effect was minimal, and cold sweat appeared on her forehead.

Di Qianjie's speed did not decrease, and he soon caught up to this area.

Looking at the chaotic spatial folds ahead, his eyes were calm.

With a thought, hum! An invisible force of time and space spread out from him, covering only about ten feet around him.

Within this space, the violent spatial folds were smoothed out as if by an invisible giant hand, instantly becoming gentle and smooth, and the chaotic time turbulence was forcibly corrected!

He was like walking on calm water, treating the spatial folds capable of tearing apart a Profound Venerable as nothing. His speed suddenly surged, easily passing the struggling Prodigies.

"This... how is this possible?!"

The Prodigy from Xuanci Prefecture stared dumbfounded as Di Qianjie strolled through the death zone, almost thinking he was hallucinating.

Di Qianjie did not stop; his gaze locked onto a figure further up. The Mysterious Sword Cultivator was also in the four-hundredth step area where space was extremely chaotic.

But for that Mysterious Sword Cultivator, reaching the four-hundredth step was effortless.

"Ah—!"

Shrill screams echoed from everywhere.

Some had arms sliced off by spatial folds; some fell into time turbulence and aged instantly or had their movements frozen and bones crushed by the pressure; others with unstable Dao Hearts had their Primordial Spirits shattered by the impact of the brilliant heavenly will, collapsing limply.

The original grand army of over a thousand people had visibly thinned out by more than half by the time they reached around the five-hundredth step.

Below the heavenly ladder, the falling figures and severed limbs were a shocking sight.

The group from the Godfall Di Clan had also spread out by now.

Di Qianjie, Di Lingxiao, Di Wushang, Di Jintian, Di Qingge, and Di Jiangyue were in the front of the first echelon, approaching the seven-hundredth step.

Di Xuanfeng, Di Yushan, Di Liuying, Di Lingyun, Di Yanfeng, and Di Jingchuan were around the four-hundredth step; although slower, they were making steady progress relying on their respective spirit body traits.

On the Tianxu Di Clan's side, Di Shiyu was leading the way, his speed second only to the very front of the first echelon.

Di Zhaohua and Di Mingzhi were also in the second echelon, while Di Yu, Di Fei, and others lagged further behind.

The Prodigies of other top forces also displayed astonishing strength:

Dragon Suppression Heavenly Sect's Long Zhan, Profound Talisman Heaven-Reaching Sect's Fu Tiangang, Nangong Clan's Nangong Mingxian, Dao Seeking Academy's Wen Haoran, Wutong Lin Clan's Lin Yanran, the Temple's Shengtu Yi, the Loose Cultivator Feng Wuji, the Sword Tomb's Mysterious Sword Cultivator, the Dawn Sword Venerable, the Long family's Long Chen, and others were all in the first echelon, second only to the Di Clan members.

When Di Qianjie stepped onto the thousandth step, the omnipresent terrifying pressure suddenly vanished!

The view ahead suddenly opened up.

This was a massive platform, as if situated atop a nebula, with the deep gates of the divine temple ahead.

Di Lingxiao, Di Wushang, Di Shiyu, and others followed closely behind.

Then came Ye Qingtian, Yu Qingchen, and the Mysterious Sword Cultivator, followed by Shengtu Yi, Fu Tiangang, the Book Geek Wen Haoran, Nangong Mingxian, Long Zhan, Wutong Lin Clan's Lin Yan and Lin Yanran, as well as the Dawn Sword Venerable and others!

Not long after, Di Xuanfeng, Di Yushan, Di Zhaohua, and the others also reached the top one after another.