Chapter 2003: The Saint Emperor's Throne
On the Saint Dao Platform, Chu Chunqiu stood proudly like an ancient king, yet there was no trace of arrogance in his eyes. He simply stared ahead, where a throne slowly materialized on the platform. This throne was coiled with dragons, lifelike as if carved from true dragons, their heads facing Chu Chunqiu, exuding an aura of swallowing heaven and earth.
"What is that?" The crowd's hearts trembled. A dragon throne had appeared on the Saint Dao Platform, as if from ancient times, meant for those with true destiny to sit upon—a throne of saints.
"This throne only appeared after Chu Chunqiu stepped onto the Saint Dao Platform. Could it be that his ascent triggered some ancient power?"
"That is the Saint Emperor's Throne. In ancient times, the Saint Emperor, a true saint, once sat upon this very throne," someone said. The crowd's gazes turned to the speaker, a youth exuding an imperial aura. His eyes revealed shock as he stared fixedly at the throne that had appeared.
The Saint Dao Platform... He seemed to understand something.
"How do you know?"
"I've seen a statue similar to this throne in my dynasty, carved on an ancient stone wall. It was the throne of an ancient Saint Emperor. This throne before us is very similar, likely also inherited from an ancient Saint Emperor." This person was a prince of a dynasty, which explained his shock and awe.
Hearing his words, the crowd's gazes turned to the women of the Holy Spirit Dynasty. Their expressions were solemn as they stared at the Saint Dao Platform, no longer calm. They looked at the throne with excitement.
"On the Saint Dao Platform, the Saint Emperor's Throne appears."
On the Saint Dao Platform, Chu Chunqiu's gaze was sharp as he stared at the Saint Emperor's Throne ahead. His kingly aura surged forth. The Saint Dao Platform was by no means the end; the pressure he bore now was terrifying to the extreme.
His robes fluttering, Lin Feng watched the Saint Emperor's Throne and slowly took a step forward. But after that single step, he grunted, his face as red as blood. It wasn't just him—everyone in this immortal realm felt an oppressive pressure, a terrifying aura howling through the air. Chu Chunqiu stepped forward again, but this time, his body could no longer bear it. He slid backward, his momentum dissipating, and he flew off the Saint Dao Platform like the wind, leaving the crowd with a sense of melancholy.
He had failed. Though Chu Chunqiu had stepped onto the Saint Dao Platform, he still couldn't touch the lofty Saint Emperor's Throne.
Chu Chunqiu landed steadily on the ground. He glanced at the Saint Dao Platform, his expression unreadable, and the proud kingly aura around him gradually faded.
"It's gone."
At that moment, everyone's pupils constricted. On the Saint Dao Platform, the Saint Emperor's Throne had vanished.
"It seems the Saint Emperor's Throne only appears when someone steps onto the Saint Dao Platform," the crowd thought to themselves. A gust of wind swept by as others began to ascend the steps of the Saint Dao Platform, their hearts filled with fervor. Since Chu Chunqiu could step onto the platform and summon the Saint Emperor's Throne, they too wanted to try. Even if they couldn't make it, they wanted to see how many steps they could climb.
None of these people believed they were inferior to others. Even if they couldn't climb the steps, their martial hearts would remain unbroken, as firm as ever. They would only train harder, push themselves further, and become better. For now, at least they could see where they fell short.
But no one could replicate Chu Chunqiu's madness. Though he had failed, he had undoubtedly proven himself. Stepping onto the Saint Dao Platform meant he already possessed the potential of a Saint King—something even Zhuo Qing had failed to achieve. Yet Chu Chunqiu had done it.
"So many geniuses," Lin Feng thought, watching the unyielding roars and domineering figures. He was quite surprised. From the first step, the trial was already extremely difficult. The potential of a saintly body was no simple matter. Yet among these geniuses, a few had even reached Zhuo Qing's level, stepping onto the fifth step, exuding an aura of dominating the world.
"Princess, won't you try?" Lin Feng asked Piaoxue Princess beside him.
"I'll pass. I probably don't have much hope. But I'm looking forward to seeing you perform well—at least step onto the fourth step," Piaoxue Princess said with a smile.
"Maybe," Lin Feng replied noncommittally. Just then, a flash of light shot by as Sword Blind charged forward, clearly wanting to test how many steps he could climb. But on the first step, he was nearly blasted off, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He barely managed to endure it. The second step's trial of saintly blood and bones was also extremely difficult, but on the third step, he stood as steady as a mountain. On the fourth step, the intangible force that shook the soul finally made Sword Blind waver. After holding on for a brief moment, he was thrown off. Still, it was a proud achievement, earning him newfound respect. This was a blind man, and only a peak-rank Emperor at that, yet he had reached the fourth step. It seemed that those peak-rank Emperors who followed Lin Feng were all formidable.
Not long ago, Hou Qinglin had not only stepped onto the fourth step but had also used that power to break through from mid-rank Emperor to high-rank Emperor.
"Meng Qing, do you want to try?" Lin Feng looked at Meng Qing beside him and asked softly.
"No need. I should be able to reach the fifth step," Meng Qing said softly, surprising Lin Feng. He smiled and said, "Maybe you could even step onto the Saint Dao Platform."
"Still, I won't go," Meng Qing shook her head. Lin Feng shrugged, not forcing her. This girl had no interest in such things.
"Lin Feng, go. Sit on that Saint Emperor's Throne," Meng Qing said with a radiant smile. After another person came down, Lin Feng's figure flickered like the wind, landing at the base of the Saint Dao Platform.
"Lin Feng." Many people noticed him, paying close attention. Lin Feng was quite special to them—a peak-rank Emperor who had defeated Ji Shang to become the second strongest in Holy City Province. Combined with the shock Chu Chunqiu had just delivered, they wanted to see the gap between the first and second on the Emperor's List of Holy City Province.
"The Saint Dao Platform doesn't care about cultivation level. It tests whether one has the potential of a Saint King. How many steps do you think Lin Feng can climb?"
"This guy has a formidable physical body. His bloodline and bones should be fine. The first two steps won't pressure him. Since he defeated Ji Shang, the third step's will trial won't stop him either. The fourth step tests the soul, so he might stop there, like his two friends," someone analyzed, holding Lin Feng in high regard. The fourth step wasn't easy; many had been left behind on the lower steps, unable to ascend.
"Maybe. Since he could defeat Ji Shang at the peak-rank Emperor level, he clearly has something special. He has the potential to reach the fourth step, and maybe even a chance at the fifth."
As they discussed, Lin Feng's foot had already landed on the first step. In that instant, a fierce, intangible force slammed into his body, as if hammering him violently. But he didn't stop; he directly stepped onto the second step.
His blood roared, his bones cracked, and his meridians seemed to endure a crushing pressure. An invisible, mighty force from the Saint Dao Platform enveloped him, leaving no part of his body untouched.
Lin Feng stood like an ancient pine, weathering the terrifying gales without wavering. He stepped forward again, onto the third step.
"Boom!" A terrifying pressure descended from the heavens, shaking his will. His head throbbed with pain, and a sense of powerlessness surged within him. He felt like an ant beneath the vast sky, with a colossal hand reaching down to crush him, easily destroying his will.
But the ant raised its head, facing the supreme pressure without the slightest falter. His feet seemed rooted to the ground, steady to a terrifying degree. His aura turned pitch black, and demonic intent began to churn around him.
"The third step. He looks quite relaxed. Lin Feng's saintly body, bones, blood, and will are all fine. The fourth step won't be a problem for him."
Seeing that Lin Feng didn't seem too strained, the crowd thought to themselves. Then they watched as Lin Feng stepped onto the fourth step. A silent, soul-crushing pressure descended like a storm, threatening to grind his fragile soul to dust. Lin Feng felt his own insignificance, as if facing a giant. Only by standing on the steps of the Saint Dao Platform could one truly feel this despairing pressure. In truth, the trial of will had begun from the first step, which was why some could use their strong will to pass the first and second steps.
"He's holding steady!" The crowd's expressions tightened. Lin Feng was very close to having the potential of a saint. The two most formidable Martial Emperors of Holy City Province were both extraordinary.
When Lin Feng lifted his foot again, it stirred everyone's hearts. He stepped onto the fifth step. In that moment, an ancient sigh seemed to echo in Lin Feng's mind. An intangible Dao pressure pierced through time and space, through past and present. Countless forces roared at him simultaneously, and he, this insignificant ant, had no room to resist.
But Lin Feng refused to yield. How could he be content as an ant? He raised his head, proud and unyielding. His robes billowed as the intent of Life and Death Dao, accompanied by demonic energy, shot straight into the heavens. He would contend with the heavens, with the earth, with the saints themselves.
"He's actually holding steady!" The crowd's hearts churned violently. This Lin Feng was incredibly strong. Two people from Holy City Province, both formidable.
But as they marveled, Lin Feng's foot directly stepped forward. A rumbling sound echoed in their hearts, shaking their minds. The intangible Dao pressure enveloped heaven and earth, crashing against his body and soul. It was Lin Feng's second step.
"No..." The crowd watched as Lin Feng, wild and unruly, transformed into a demon lord, like an ancient demon god, and took a third step.
"Boom..." A destructive storm raged. Cracking sounds rang out continuously. Many people looked up, their faces stiff and incredulous, as if they couldn't believe it. Lin Feng had taken a third step, achieving what even the King Body Zhuo Qing could not!
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