Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

Just as his thoughts reached this point, Moana sauntered towards Yan Zaizen. Her every step caused her round bottom and foxy curves to be displayed to its fullest. "Congratulations, Mister Zai," she called out with a sweet voice.

Yan Zaizen was taken aback. He was reminded of Yao Wuhen and how she used that exact form of address towards him. Typically, normal greeting or addresses would include his full name - Yan Zaizen - with the clan, his own, and family name. While intimate addresses of familiarity would be a title and personal name.

Unless the title was an official one, such as a royal title like the Xiantu Emperor.

He understood Yao Wuhen’s intentions a little, attempting to get closer to draw further upon his influence, but seeing Moana, a divine beast that could rival a first-floor Heavenly Genesis expert, do the same felt abnormal.

"You know..." Pinaka suddenly spoke, "if you wished to dual cultivate with this fox, she’ll do so in a heartbeat." Her words were completely true. In truth, every woman, EVERY ONE, in this hall wouldn’t object. Dual cultivation is dependent on body and soul cultivation bases, it does very little good for the Essence or Heavenly Path.

However, having a stronger body leads to a better foundation and soul typically meant an easier time in comprehending laws and greater senses. With his profound cultivation base, it would be easy to lure them all, especially divine beasts.

Yan Zaizen chuckled after realizing this. "Thank you, Miss Moana." His eyes lit up with an evaluating light, his eyes subtly checking her from head to toe, being sure to linger on her bountiful chest area. She truly was foxy.

Seeing this, Moana got closer. They started engaging in vivid conversation. Before long, many started to engage with Yan Zaizen, asking him questions about Shin Xuanji or his true origins. No one believed the cockamamie background of originating from a second-tier force and being less than a hundred years old.

Who would? Many believed he had posed as a youth who had died prior. In truth, everyone believed similar things. Even Lin Feilin and Shin Xuanji.

Yan Zaizen was enjoying being surrounded by powerful, influential, and beautiful people while enjoying great wine and food.

In a part of the room, Xiantu Emperor also had a bevy of people surrounding him. Many were shining his ego with flattery at his new breakthrough and grand reign. As for the Xiantu Emperor himself, his blue eyes contained traces of an emperor’s warmth, but when he looked towards Yan Zaizen, his eyes would flicker imperceptibly for a moment before resuming conversation with others.

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Shin Xuanji was shocked at his results. At the 30th Step, he stood with an exhausted expression. The 33 Heavenly Steps measured age, body, soul, and qi cultivation. Normally, Shin Xuanji should’ve been weaker in all these aspects in comparison to those elites with Heavenly-tier forces.

However, he was under seventy years, had a Perfect Nascent Soul, a body cultivation tempered by the regalia of heaven’s aura and his own blood qi, while having an initial-Origin Core cultivation base. He truly had an exceptional foundation as a cultivator.

In comparison, Xiantu Yu was two hundred years old, an Initial Aurora Soul, a body that could rival the mid-Origin Core Realm, and a late-Origin Core cultivation base. The two main difference that truly decided how far they’ll reach was age and qi cultivation.

Conceptual laws can be integrated with qi-essence to exhibit further power. While Xiantu Yu may have an advantage in raw cultivation base, he severely lacked in law comprehension. Shin Xuanji had reached the initial-Manifestation level while Xiantu Yu comprehended to the major-Force level despite the vast age difference

This alone, by a single level, led to a massive difference in strength. If they were to fight, Shin Xuanji would obviously lose, but if they were testing potential? Shin Xuanji dominated unquestionably.

After the first trial was over, a spatial slit appeared above the steps as the pressure from the 13th step upwards faded. "All those who’ve exceeded the 13th rise. All those who’ve failed, LEAVE!" With a tyrannical tone, a grand voice resounded.

Before long, all members reached the second trial. Shin Xuanji had his oni-mask on making his identity impossible to discover so the other participants could only speculate and throw curious gazes at him.

Shin Xuanji ignored them all.

In the second trial’s sub-dimensional space, a single dilapidated bridge that connected to an ordinary looking gate at the far end. It was wide enough to contain a hundred people and gave off a rare feeling of heaviness. It seemed to extend exactly 999 steps forward, with the 1000th allowing entry into the gate.

"This is?" Shin Xuanji was shocked, his eyes scanning the bridge with a careful gaze.

Ya Qinqan had succeeded, but she didn’t feel proud. The other felt disadvantageous to those in her circumstance. She felt, if she was given her current treatment and a hundred years, she could conquer all 33 steps. "Others just started sooner." She rationalized, her belief in her potential never faltered.

The voice explained the rules, ignoring everyone’s thoughts. "Traverse the Mortal Bridge, comprehend the mortal. As you do, the further you’ll reach. Enter the gate before thirty days or fail." With that, the voice went silent.

Many in the crowd were shocked, but a few others had their eyes brighten. Yan Qiu in particular, the granddaughter of Broad Creed Palace’s Yan Clan Ancestor, had her eyes shine so brilliantly that it could blind others. "The Mortal Bridge! Stepping onto the bridge, you’ll be given a random Mortal Law. The goal is to comprehend the law, develop a concept, and reach a sufficient level to enter the gate. However, the Mortal Bridge allows one to better perceive laws and concepts! It’s an exceptional opportunity! A day here is like a year in the outside world."

"1st to 332nd step is the initial stage of the Nascent level. 333rd to 665th step is the minor stage and 666th to 999th is the major stage. 1000th is perfection! Unless you master your concept, passing that last step is impossible." She explained to one of her friends in the crowd.

Shin Xuanji happened to be nearby, his eyes behind the mask flickered. With that, he directly stepped onto the bridge. Others followed without hesitation, after all, they were only given thirty days.

As Lin Felin stepped on the bridge, she was stunned and warily smiled. The Mortal Law of Shield.

Ya Qinqan had a solemn expression. The Mortal Law of Axe.

Yan Qiu smiled softly. The Mortal Law of Softness.

Xiantu Yu stared at Shin Xuanji, his eyes filled with competitive aggressiveness. The Mortal Law of Hair.

Shin Xuanji only looked with an odd expression behind his mask. The Mortal Law of Bone.

Various expressions filled the faces of the participants. Not a single one obtained a Mortal Law they knew. The bridge could read the soul and give one an entirely different law than you’ve comprehended before.

Day 1: No one comprehended their concept. Not a single participant took a step.

Day 3: Xiantu Yu comprehended his concept before everyone else, the Hair of Steel Spikes. It was intermixed with his Metal Law, allowing it to be exceptionally powerful. It was similar to the Archery of Pure Destruction, containing both Mortal and World.

Day 4: Xiantu Yu reached his 73rd step. His comprehension into his conceptual law was faster than all others.

Day 5: Several other members comprehended their own concepts, taking their first steps. Yan Qiu was among them.

Day 10: Xiantu Yu reached his 450th step, Yan Qiu - 378th. Ya Qinqan - 296th. Lin Feilin - 283rd. Shin Xuanji - 1st.

Day 15: Many were shocked that Shin Xuanji didn’t take a single step. While Xiantu Yu had already passed the 665th step, reaching 670th. Yan Qiu - 542nd. Ya Qinqan - 413th. Lin Feilin 407th.

Day 22: Xiantu Yu - 880th. Yan Qiu - 732nd. Ya Qinqan - 727th. Lin Feilin - 733rd. Shin Xuanji - 1st.

Day 29: Xiantu Yu - 999th. Yan Qiu - 1000th. Ya Qinqan - 1000th. Lin Feilin - 1000th. Shin Xuanji - 1st.

At this day, Xiantu Yu’s eyes were bloodshot. Dozens of participants had already passed, but he couldn’t take that final step! He felt infuriated even if he had done better than 99% of the participants, this one step plagued him considerably.

In truth, he made a crucial mistake. The merging of conceptual arts made it exceptionally difficult to comprehend. This could be seen by, despite being a Non-Entity, Yan Zaizen’s comprehension into the Archery of Pure Destruction was the slowest.

This was due to one fact: the synergy requirement of mixing two very different laws. Even to this day, Yan Zaizen has only reached the perfect-Force level. This made it countless times harder to master, adding the stressful atmosphere of a time-limit and personal pride, one could imagine how that would end.

When others saw this, especially the high-ranking spectators, they could only shake their heads in disappointment. With his current mental state, it was unlikely that he’ll pass this trial. The Xiantu Emperor’s eyes when he looked at this son of his turned increasingly apathetic. This would be a major hit to his face if his own son couldn’t pass his trial.

As for Shin Xuanji, his eyes were in a misty haze. At the moment, he was comprehending the Blood Iron Bone. It intermixes blood with bone, especially his own concept of the Black Iron Blood with the bone equivalent. It was miraculous and he had a faint feeling that blood and bone were as complex as space and time despite being mortal laws.

"Last Day!" The powerful voice announced. Shin Xuanji snapped out of his state. He was confused for a second but then he realized the situation. He took a step, then another, and another. Before long, as if he was walking across a park, he passed all others.

When he reached the 999th step, his gaze stopped at Xiantu Yu. It flickered with a trace of pity. Then, he walked the 1000th step.

Xiantu Yu roared ferociously seeing the blood-red oni mask with eyes of pity looking at him. Looking at him?! At this moment, he drew upon his potential and mind, focusing entirely on the task at hand. He became lost in a miraculous feeling of absolute focus.

In this state, he felt he could reach it! He could do it! The final step was within reach and all others could only envy his talent, not pity it!

"Time’s up!" The voice announced. The bridge’s amplifying effect abruptly ended. All participants left their state of comprehension. For those who passed the 1000th step, they had gleeful gazes. But...

Their eyes drew upon a single figure that once held imperialistic aura so strong he resembled the Xiantu Emperor himself. He had eyes filled with a blankness. He stood there like a blind man with zero focus in his gaze.

Yan Zaizen saw this and he couldn’t help but shake his head. Pinaka said with deep pity, "To think he would recklessly dive into his concept like this...such potential, wasted."

In the cultivation world, one could undergo something called cultivation deviation. It’s when you lose yourself in cultivation or cultivate improperly. Normally, if done for the Essence or Bodily Path, you could suffer severe injuries, only in worse case scenarios does one suffer death.

However, laws are interconnected with the soul. If one experiences it during soul cultivation, they could lose themselves entirely. Never to return. It was far worse when trying to perceive the heavens. You can get lost in the Heavenly Domain. Unless someone can be equivalent or exceed the heavens to extract your consciousness, you were essentially dead.

"..." The crowd was silent. To think that the Xiantu Emperor’s son...died...just like that?