Chapter 80. He Who Ascends the Peak! How Profound is His Comprehension?

Dean Zheng could no longer maintain his composure. His face was suffused with utter shock.

Lu Yuan's strength had already left him reeling before this, but to think that his comprehension had actually surpassed even that of the Northern Emperor and the Ice Fairy?

"Dean Zheng, this is the Mr. Lu you personally invited, correct? He truly lives up to his reputation!"

"Indeed. To walk past the thirtieth stele just like that... his comprehension is extraordinary."

"Looks like Dean Zheng is bound for commendation this time."

The other deans were equally astonished by the sight.

At first, everyone had assumed Lu Yuan's strength stemmed from a powerful bloodline, or perhaps he had consumed some rare spiritual fruit or exotic herb.

As for his comprehension? It might've been decent, sure. But definitely not far beyond that of the Northern Emperor or the Ice Fairy.

Yet now... that assumption clearly didn't hold.

The thirtieth stele.

Across all of Aurora Academy's branch campuses, the highest anyone had ever reached was that level. And even then, it was only thanks to the old Daoist cultivator who came purely out of respect for official affiliations.

And now, someone had walked straight up to that very same height, effortlessly, and it wasn't some famous elder.

It was Lu Yuan.

Naturally, this came as a shock. Moreover, this was the very man Dean Zheng had personally invited. Judging from the way things were progressing, he was certain to comprehend the legacy beyond the level 30 stele.

If he truly managed that... and submitted the record of the legacy within... the upper echelons would be ecstatic. Now, how wouldn't that count as a massive achievement worthy of commendation?

"Haha...hah..." Dean Zheng could only let out a couple of awkward chuckles in response to the comments around him. He wasn't about to bring up the promise he made earlier to Lu Yuan—not now.

If the other deans knew... they'd probably lose their minds.

Please. Please don't go any higher, Lu Yuan. Just fall short of Chunyang and Huikong. That would be ideal.

Dean Zheng prayed in silence. That way, it'd be easier for him to accept his losses, and explaining things later would be much simpler too.

Unfortunately for him, that wishful prayer was doomed to be shattered.

Because at this moment, all eyes were locked on Lu Yuan. There was no helping it, for his performance was just too shocking.

He had barely used any time at all to ascend past the thirtieth stele, and what's more, he was fast and showed no signs of slowing down.

Except for those already seated and immersed in comprehension, everyone else was watching him now, the Northern Emperor, the Ice Fairy, and the Asura included.

They temporarily set aside their chosen steles, all because they too wanted to see just how far Lu Yuan would go.

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

After all, they were all part of the Five Supremes. It was only natural to feel a little competitive.

Meanwhile...

On the thirty-eighth stele of the Sword Mountain, two figures stood side by side. One was the Young Celestial Master Chunyang of Mount Hulong. The other was Monk Huikong from Mount Jiuhua.

Both their faces were slightly pale, their expressions strained.

Even with their remarkable talent and comprehension, the immense, unseen force of Sword Mountain was beginning to wear them down.

Still, neither of them stopped.

One stood for Daoism.

The other for Buddhism.

And now, both carried the honor of their respective sects.

"Amitabha... You should still be able to go a little further, yes?" Huikong finally broke the silence, his palms pressed together as he chanted a soft Buddhist verse.

Truth be told, he was already near his limit. Even if he could climb another step or two, there wouldn't be much strength left in him to comprehend the stele's legacy.

"Mm. Maybe two more steles," Chunyang nodded. "Level 40. That's my limit."

His tone was calm and honest; he laid out his boundary without pretense.

"In that case, the highest we'll reach this time is the legacy of the fortieth stele," Huikong sighed with regret as he looked upward.

There were still so many steles above, countless legacies left to comprehend.

He had once imagined that he could go far, or perhaps even reach the summit. But now it seemed he had overestimated himself.

"Indeed. After all, this is Ancient Mount Shu, land of sword immortals," Chunyang replied with a faint nod.

"To have reached this point at all... it's already no easy feat."

Between the two of them, they had to admit that even among their peers, their comprehension stood a cut above the rest.

While bloodlines had the upper hand during the early stages of the Awakening and allowed one to grow stronger in short bursts, the depth of one's comprehension was what determined how far one could walk down the path of cultivation.

Breathing techniques, visualization methods, divine arts... these were the pillars of every Awakened's foundation.

They exchanged a glance, both silently admiring the other. There was no rivalry now, only mutual respect and shared understanding.

"I imagine it'll be a long time before anyone else climbs beyond the fortieth stele," Chunyang said with evident confidence in his voice.

Huikong agreed. He let out a soft laugh and responded, "Amitabha... To make it this far, one must truly be extraordinary. Just look behind us—"

Just as Huikong was about to say something more, his words were cut short by a sudden blur of movement that swept past them.

A figure soared by at astonishing speed, and in the blink of an eye, he had already stepped onto the step leading to the fortieth stele.

Huikong froze. His gaze sharpened, and when he got a clearer look, he realized it was him—the Human Sovereign, one of the newly crowned Five Supremes.

Even Chunyang was stunned speechless.

They had just been standing there, exchanging words of mutual admiration, quietly proud of their own comprehension. And then—just like that—they were surpassed?

"Master Huikong, you were about to say something?" Chunyang eventually came around and asked.

"I... I was going to stop here and begin comprehending the stele," the monk responded with apparent awkwardness. He had swallowed his intended words. Without another word, he walked over to the thirty-eighth sword stele and sat down cross-legged.

But as a monk, even he couldn't help the flush rising to his face.

It was too awkward.

And too humiliating.

Thank goodness not too many people saw that. By this point, his mind had gone blank, and he didn't even want to look upward again.

"Mhm, I'll stop when I hit the level 40 stele," Chunyang muttered to himself, trying to play it cool, conveniently forgetting the conversation they'd just had.

So much for worldly detachment.

But just as he finally lifted his gaze to continue upward, he saw that Lu Yuan had already ascended far beyond.

The man was already at the fiftieth stele.

What...in...the...

Chunyang fell silent. Without another word, he lowered his head and walked quietly upward.

As for Lu Yuan?

Of course, he had heard the conversation between Chunyang and Huikong just now. But he said nothing.

To be fair, if he hadn't shown up, the two of them would indeed have been the highlights of this Sword Stele Legacy. No one else would've walked farther than them.

But unfortunately...

Still, Lu Yuan didn't dwell on it. He simply chose to continue ascending.

And the higher he climbed, the more sword steles he passed, the more crushing that invisible force became; it was pressing down on him like the will of the heavens itself.

Even Lu Yuan began to feel it. But just as that pressure touched his soul, the tiny figure that represented the god of wisdom seated within his sea of consciousness stirred.

And with that, all discomfort vanished.

It was as if he had just stepped on the very first step—light, effortless, unburdened.

As for how many sword steles he had passed? He didn't bother counting.

After all, he had but one goal: the ninety-ninth sword stele at the very summit of Sword Mountain.

The very stele that held the strongest divine sword art of Ancient Mount Shu.

"He... he's already passed the sixtieth stele."

"My god, the Human Sovereign still isn't stopping?"

"How high is he planning to go? Is he aiming for the summit itself?!"

Down below, the crowd that had been quietly observing now erupted in shock. A collective scalp-tingling chill ran through them.

They had felt intense pressure just reaching the tenth stele. It felt as though their skulls were about to split open. And yet Lu Yuan had casually strolled past the sixtieth stele?

How wide was the gap between them?

They all knew that past a certain point, the pressure didn't just increase. It multiplied exponentially with every step.

Did Lu Yuan truly not feel a hint of strain?

The Ice Fairy was dumbfounded.

The Northern Emperor's eyes flickered violently.

As for the Asura, he simply stood there, staring as if he'd just seen a monster.

How could he climb so high? Is this some kind of joke beyond human comprehension?

"Dean Zheng... you... you..."

Back at the plaza, Dean Chen of Shuntian Branch was so stunned he couldn't form a full sentence. His hands were trembling visibly. As for the other deans beside him, they were all frozen in place, mouths agape.

They too, as heads of the various Aurora Academy Branches, were at the Awakened Realm. These were people who had seen all manner of genius in their lifetime, and yet none had ever worn this expression before.

Originally, they had assumed the best outcome would be someone reaching the thirties range and comprehending the legacy within those higher-level sword steles.

But now?

The outcome had surpassed everyone's expectations.

"I... I..."

And no one was more devastated than Dean Zheng himself.

At this moment, he wished he could slap himself—twice, hard.

Why had he dared make such a bold promise?

Why had he so confidently declared that Lu Yuan wouldn't need to hand over whatever comprehension he gained?

Had he not seen how far Lu Yuan had gone?!

The legacy hidden beyond the sixtieth stele... what sort of divine power must it hold?

And he had just... let it go down the drain?!

His throat went dry. Regret gnawed at his gut. But as he stared at the mountain, Dean Zheng suddenly realized this was only the beginning.

On the stone staircase of Sword Mountain, Lu Yuan was still ascending at the same calm, steady pace.

Level 65.

Level 71.

Level 83.

Level 91.

Yes. Lu Yuan had walked all the way to the level 91 step and beside him now stood yet another sword stele.

If the legacies within Ancient Mount Shu were ever to be ranked, then this particular one would undoubtedly stand among the top ten.

However, the mountain only opened once every three years. And clearly Lu Yuan wasn't going to be satisfied with this.

A light chuckle escaped his lips, and once more, he stepped forward.

"Level 95!" someone cried out in alarm.

Though the peak was a great distance away, all present were Awakened; their eyesight far exceeded that of ordinary mortals. They could just about make out the count.

"He's still going?! Don't tell me... he's aiming to reach the very summit?"

"This is insane. Absolutely terrifying!"

"The Human Sovereign is definitely the strongest among the Five Supremes. I'm calling it now!"

The battle where Lu Yuan had crushed the Southern Sovereign had already spread far and wide, proving his strength and combat prowess beyond a doubt.

Now, he was once again displaying an unparalleled level of comprehension.

Some began to draw conclusions that among the Five Supremes, the Human Sovereign stood at the top.

Even putting aside bloodline advantages, just this level of comprehension alone was enough to inflict fear to all.

Of course, Lu Yuan himself remained oblivious to all the murmurs below.

He simply took another step forward and arrived before the ninety-ninth sword stele.

Standing atop Sword Mountain's peak, a vast sea of clouds rolled beneath him, distant summits piercing through the mist like islands rising from an ocean. It was a scene worthy of poetry.

A feeling welled up within Lu Yuan.

To stand atop the world and behold all beneath.

Yet at the same time, an unseen force surged from all directions, storming toward his mind like a great flood.

It was as if the entirety of the Sword Mountain were crashing down upon him.

Still, within his sea of consciousness, the golden figure sat in tranquil meditation beneath the ancient Bodhi Tree. Golden radiance spilled from its form, purer and more vibrant than ever before.

As soon as the force came into contact with the golden light, the oppressive pressure gradually faded, like it had never been there to begin with.

That also meant Lu Yuan was still far from the limit of his comprehension. Way far from it.

"The Bodhi Tree... With its support and billionfold talent, it truly is an unfathomable force." Even Lu Yuan couldn't help but sigh in awe.

It was this ancient tree that had guided him onto the path of transcendence and became an Awakened. And even now, it continued to empower him with every breath and step.

Whether it was fully grasping the Dao De Jing or mastering the Primordial Dragon Breathing Technique, he had accomplished it all in record time.

And all of that couldn't have been possible without the aid of the Bodhi Tree.

All that time and effort he had once poured into obtaining it had not been in vain.

Lu Yuan knew with absolute clarity that the Bodhi Tree fused within his sea of consciousness was one of his strongest foundations.

With that thought, he cleared his mind. Then, his gaze slowly fell upon the ninety-ninth sword stele.

At first glance, it didn't look any different from the others before it. However, an indescribable pressure radiated from it.

Especially the sword-shaped engravings etched upon its surface, they now pulsed with threads of overwhelming sword intent. It was so intense that even his tempered body felt a hint of threat.

"As expected of the strongest sword art in all of Ancient Mount Shu. This power is truly strong."

Lu Yuan's eyes lit up ever so slightly with a trace of delight.

His physique alone was enough to make even an Awakened at the Golden Body Realm wary, but now, the aura from the sword stele alone was enough to stir a sense of crisis within him. That was a sign of its terrifying strength.

Then again, it was only natural. After all, Ancient Mount Shu was a place rumored to have birthed sword immortals.

With a hint of curiosity in his heart, Lu Yuan sat down cross-legged without hesitation.

Even back in his past life, no one had ever successfully comprehended the divine sword art sealed within this stele. He had only heard words that the art was supposedly highly compatible with the Great Luo Sword Embryo.

This alone made him more eager to find out for himself about this divine sword art, and how it fare against the Jade Emperor's Divine Thunder Art and Buddha's Palm Domain.

"Level 99. He has really reached the summit..."

"Is this... is this even something a human being can achieve?"

Questions echoed in everyone's mind, and especially so when the next closest contender—Young Celestial Master Chunyang of Mount Hulong—was only standing at the level 40 stele.

Compared to the ninety-ninth? The gap between them was just too vast to measure.

"Mr. Lu is going to start the comprehension," Dean Chen muttered, his throat dry as he gulped.

Even at this point, part of him couldn't quite tell if this was real. It was simply too astonishing, and his mind was adrift in disbelief.

An elder at the Academy had said that climbing to the ninety-ninth sword stele was a feat that even the word "difficult" could hardly do justice to.

But what was this sight unfolding before them?

"Still, ascending is one thing... but actually comprehending it is another. That will be far more difficult," the female dean from Hu City branch finally spoke. Her voice was calm despite the shock she felt at Lu Yuan's extraordinary performance.

After all, it was never going to be easy to comprehend the sword stele at the summit that held the most powerful inheritance in all of Ancient Mount Shu.

"Y-Yes, I wonder if he'll truly succeed..." Dean Zheng added with a complicated look in his eyes.

If only he hadn't made that promise back then, then once Lu Yuan comprehended the sword stele's legacy, the strongest inheritance would've belonged to Aurora Academy...

But then again, if he hadn't made such a promise, would Lu Yuan have even agreed to come to Ancient Mount Shu in the first place?

"I'm doubtful about it," another dean replied. "The strain from climbing that high is already immense. And to then begin comprehending on top of that—"

Before he could finish his words, a buzz echoed through the air, and the entire Sword Mountain began to tremble violently.

A vast surge of sword intent burst forth from the very peak and rolled downward.

In that instant, everyone, regardless of whether they were currently in the midst of comprehension, felt their bodies grow cold.

All of them lifted their heads, and without exception, their expressions froze in utter disbelief.

At the mountain's summit, the ninety-ninth sword stele suddenly bloomed with rays of divine light, illuminating the entire heavens, piercing through the clouds. It outshone even the sun itself.

Then, the sea of clouds parted. The radiant glow condensed into the shape of an enormous golden divine sword, which descended and hovered above the crowd.

Looming overhead, it radiated a pressure of unimaginable sword intent.

Rumble!!

Even the skies groaned under the pressure. The mountain itself trembled in response, as if bowing to the will of the sword.

The phenomenon was too earth-shaking.

And in the center of it all sat a solitary figure with his back to the world.

Lu Yuan.

That could only mean one thing: the most powerful sword art legacy sealed within the ninety-ninth stele had been comprehended.

But it had only been a few short minutes since Lu Yuan first sat down.

At this moment, a singular thought plagued the mind of everyone:

Just how profound is Lu Yuan's comprehension?