Chapter 79. Open! The Trial! Ascending with Ease (2)

This was his first time attempting to comprehend the legacy of the Sword Steles of Ancient Mount Shu. And ever since fusing with the ancient Bodhi Tree, he had awakened his Innate Spirit—one that granted him deeper perception and insight.

Now, with that spirit of wisdom, he could sense far more than ever before.

"Mr. Lu, just do your best in this trial," Dean Zheng approached and spoke softly.

To him, it seemed Lu Yuan was deliberately waiting, perhaps aiming to challenge the likes of Chunyang and Huikong. It was the only explanation for his delay.

But Dean Zheng knew that comparing comprehension was ultimately meaningless. True insight existed in a realm beyond comparison.

Lu Yuan blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the misunderstanding. But he quickly grasped what Dean Zheng meant.

"I understand. Thank you for your reminder, Dean Zheng," he replied with a faint nod.

He had no intention of explaining himself. Instead, he focused once more on sensing the aura of the Sword Mountain steps.

Dean Zheng exhaled quietly but said no more. He understood. Every powerful Awakened carried their own pride. Without another word, he turned and rejoined the other deans to continue observing the trial.

By now, several Awakened had already passed the tenth stele. A few even stood before the fifteenth.

But their faces had turned pale from the overwhelming qi pressure. They had reached their limit, unable to move forward.

Meanwhile, the Northern Emperor, the Ice Fairy, and Asura had all crossed the fifteenth stele.

Their expressions remained calm, without the slightest hint of strain. Clearly, they still had the strength to keep ascending.

What came as a surprise was Zhu Qingyu who managed to keep pace right alongside them.

A flicker of delight surfaced in Dean Zheng's eyes.

He had long known that Zhu Qingyu carried an extraordinary bloodline. But he hadn't expected her comprehension to be just as exceptional.

Clearly, her potential was far greater than he had imagined.

"They're moving! Young Celestial Master Chunyang and Master Huikong are setting out!" Dean Chen exclaimed.

At once, all eyes turned toward the two figures as they stepped onto the first stone step—at the exact same time.

Without a hint of hesitation, the two advanced steadily, each step firm and unwavering.

In the blink of an eye, they had already passed the tenth sword stele.

Their pace didn't slow in the slightest. Sharp and resolute, they pressed onward and soon reached the twentieth sword stele, trailing just behind the Ice Fairy and the others.

"As expected, the true highlight of this Sword Stele Legacy lies with those two," someone murmured.

"I wonder who among them will secure the higher-level inheritance..."

The five deans looked on, visibly pleased with the progress.

After all, the very purpose of opening up Ancient Mount Shu was to uncover Awakened capable of comprehending the profound legacies. If even one of these Awakened managed to fully decipher a cultivation technique and record it, the benefit to Aurora Academy would be immeasurable.

The higher the stele, the stronger the legacy hidden within. Naturally, the deans were thrilled.

At last, the Ice Fairy came to a stop before the twenty-fifth sword stele. Her face had grown slightly pale, her soul clearly burdened by the mounting pressure. Though she still had strength to climb higher, she chose to conserve her energy for what truly mattered: comprehending the legacy sealed within the stele.

Without delay, she sat down cross-legged, closing her eyes and prepared to begin her comprehension.

The Northern Emperor stopped one level above her, at the twenty-sixth stele. This, to him, was the edge of his current limit.

Asura, driven by greater ambition, continued onward, climbing straight to the twenty-eighth sword stele.

But what truly caught everyone by surprise was Zhu Qingyu.

She pushed even further, surpassing Asura to reach the thirtieth sword stele!

Meanwhile, two figures, Young Celestial Master Chunyang and Master Huikong, continued their steady ascent.

With that, the rankings for this round of the Sword Stele Legacy were more or less established. The majority of Awakened had gathered around the first five sword steles, with over ten thousand of them attempting to comprehend the same legacy.

The higher the level, the fewer the challengers. With each successive stele, the crowd thinned. And now, the thirtieth sword stele had been claimed—by none other than Zhu Qingyu.

What shocked everyone was that she wasn't even one of the Five Supremes. Naturally, her performance took many by surprise.

"I see..." Lu Yuan murmured, his gaze fixed on the winding staircase of Sword Mountain.

From his earlier observations and sharp perception, he had already unraveled the hidden secret of this place. The entirety of Sword Mountain was cloaked in an invisible, suppressive force. Upon reaching a sword stele, that force would directly strike the soul, testing an Awakened's comprehension.

If one failed to meet the threshold, they would be forcibly repelled and suffer soul damage.

As for the origin of this mysterious force, it was clearly tied to the laws of heaven and earth themselves.

Now, Lu Yuan fully understood the nature of this trial.

"A test of comprehension, huh..." A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Without another word, he finally stepped forward and began his ascent.

At this point, however, almost everyone's attention was either focused on comprehending the legacy within their chosen stele or fixed on Chunyang and Huikong.

The two had already passed the thirtieth sword stele and showed no intention of stopping.

That said, their advance was far from easy. Both of their faces had turned pale from the relentless assault of pressure upon their souls.

Yet to the onlookers, their progress was nothing short of astonishing.

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Bright, satisfied smiles appeared on the faces of the five deans.

"As expected... a strong bloodline doesn't necessarily equate to deep comprehension," the Ice Fairy murmured, her gaze fixed on the two distant figures ahead.

She hadn't begun comprehending her chosen stele immediately. Instead, she had chosen to first acclimate to the crushing pressure, while also observing the progress of others. What she hadn't expected—what hadn't even crossed her mind—was that Zhu Qingyu, a mere student of Aurora Academy, would ascend all the way to the thirtieth sword stele.

The Northern Emperor and Asura had noticed as well. Both men could only shake their heads in quiet resignation. Being surpassed never felt good, no matter how gracious one tried to be about it.

But in truth, it was understandable.

After all, it would be far too cruel if someone stood at the absolute peak in both bloodline and comprehension. The heavens wouldn't be that unfair, at least, not often.

Elsewhere, many other Awakened wore bitter expressions. The comparisons were harsh, and their inferiority was laid bare under the weight of such contrast.

No one felt this more acutely than Qin Lan.

Seated before the seventh sword stele, her expression was tinged with helplessness. She had always known that Zhu Qingyu was more talented than she was, but she never imagined the gap between them to be so vast.

"Hm?"

Just then, Qin Lan sensed a familiar presence approaching from behind. She instinctively turned and her eyes widened in shock.

It was Lu Yuan.

"That's the Human Sovereign! He has started his ascent?"

"As expected of one of the Five Supremes, the one who defeated the Southern Sovereign and claimed his spot. Look, he's catching up so fast!"

"He's already at the tenth stele? That speed is insane!"

"I wonder how far he'll go..."

"Probably around the same as the Northern Emperor and the others. This trial's just too harsh."

At last, the crowd turned their attention to Lu Yuan.

His pace was swift, and in no time at all, he reached the tenth stele. But to the Awakened present, this wasn't surprising. After all, he was one of the newly chosen Five Supremes. His comprehension was undoubtedly beyond theirs.

Dean Zheng and the other deans glanced briefly in Lu Yuan's direction, but their focus quickly returned to Chunyang and Huikong. They were still eager to see which of the two would claim the higher legacy.

Meanwhile, as Lu Yuan continued ascending Sword Mountain, he finally felt it—the vast, unseen force pressing down on him like a tidal wave, crashing relentlessly against his soul. Every step was a trial, each one heavier than the last, as if invisible chains were coiling tighter and tighter around his mind.

But with a mere flicker of intent, that crushing sensation evaporated.

It was effortless. He didn't even need to summon the Innate Spirit slumbering within his sea of consciousness.

And so, his climb remained smooth and unhurried, every step as steady as the last.

A few minutes later, he passed the Ice Fairy.

Lu Yuan offered her a polite smile but didn't stop. He continued upward.

Why... why does he look so relaxed?

The Ice Fairy was stunned.

She could clearly see his expression. There was no trace of strain. No tight jaw. No furrowed brows. He looked completely at ease, even here, at the twenty-fifth stele!

And then... she watched as he passed the Northern Emperor. Then Asura.

His pace never faltered. His expression never changed. Calm, composed, and utterly unbothered.

Hiss—

Dean Zheng inhaled sharply, his expression shifting.

This guy... he's aiming for the thirtieth stele!

In that moment, Dean Zheng recalled the promise he had made when inviting Lu Yuan to Ancient Mount Shu—that no matter which level Lu Yuan reached, he wouldn't be required to share the legacy with Aurora Academy.

I've made a loss, haven't I?

Still, he consoled himself

At least Qingyu reached the thirtieth tier... that alone is enough to justify the event, isn't it?

But then, his mind went blank.

His jaw slackened. His eyes widened.

Because just a few minutes later, Lu Yuan reached the thirtieth sword stele without the slightest effort. He even smiled faintly at Zhu Qingyu... and then took another step.

The thirty-first stele.

And by the looks of it, he wasn't even close to reaching his limit. He could go higher. Much higher.