Chapter 1024: Above the Heavenly Terrace
"Nine Heavens, a symbol of glory!"
The crowd lifted their heads, gazing at Lin Feng standing at the highest point, their hearts far from calm.
This recruitment of Martial Emperor's Disciples by the Stone Emperor and Yu Emperor was a grand event that shook the Eight Wastelands Realm, stirring up the Northern Wasteland like a surging storm, drawing countless powerful experts.
Setting aside the geniuses from noble families and major forces of other regions in the Northern Wasteland, even within the Eight Wastelands Realm itself, there were countless prodigies. With so many experts arriving, most could only ascend the first three heavens. Those who reached the Fourth Heaven and obtained the Green Light Key were few and far between, and those who stepped onto the Fifth Heaven to claim the Cyan Light Key numbered no more than two: Meng Ba, the genius disciple of the ancient physical cultivation Meng Clan, and Xuanyuan Potian, the descendant of an emperor.
Yet, just as everyone thought no one could surpass these two, a man who was previously unknown crossed the Fifth Heaven, then, with his unyielding will, stepped onto the Sixth, and with a heart that dared to challenge the heavens, ascended the Seventh. He turned adversity into advantage, forcing even the heavens' momentum to bow as he crossed the Eighth Heaven. Finally, with a fearless heart, he stepped onto the Ninth Heaven.
This man was already known to some: Lin Feng. First, he gained notoriety for saving Yang Zilan only to be humiliated by the Yang Clan, and later, he became known because of Qiu Yuexin's affection. But this time, by ascending the Nine Heavens during the recruitment of Martial Emperor's Disciples by the Stone Emperor and Yu Emperor, the name Lin Feng was destined to spread across the entire Northern Wasteland.
Upon hearing the ascetic monk's explanation, a smile appeared on Lin Feng's face. He bowed slightly to the monk and said, "Lin Feng was fortunate to ascend the Nine Heavens."
"You relied on your own strength, unyielding will, courage to challenge the heavens, formidable comprehension, and a fearless martial heart to ascend the Nine Heavens. There is no fortune in it. Enough, time is short. Ascend the Heavenly Terrace," the ascetic monk said to Lin Feng with a smile.
"Mm." Lin Feng nodded, then turned his gaze to the Fourth Heaven. He sneered coldly at Yang Zilan, whose expression froze. In his eyes, Lin Feng's smile was filled with nothing but mockery, making him feel humiliated.
"Yuexin, let us ascend the Heavenly Terrace," Lin Feng said to Qiu Yuexin with a smile. She nodded, a smile also gracing her eyes. Lin Feng's ascent to the Nine Heavens would surely make his name resound throughout Tianjing City. The Qiu Clan would also begin to take Lin Feng seriously.
Lin Feng slowly turned his body, looking at the Supreme Emperor Key right before him. This illusory key radiated a golden light.
The ascetic monk had said that the further the key, the more useful it was. Now that he had ascended the Nine Heavens and obtained this Golden Light Key, he wondered what surprise awaited him.
Reaching out, Lin Feng grasped the Emperor Key. In an instant, a wisp of golden imperial light enveloped his body, seeming to merge into it. Then, he felt his body shake, and the next moment, he found himself in a different place.
This was an extremely vast and ethereal place, surrounded by crowds of people everywhere.
Turning his gaze, Lin Feng looked toward the edge of this open space. He saw the ascetic monk sitting cross-legged in the void. Below was the Nine Heavens and the eighteen thousand heavenly steps. Ascending the Nine Heavens indeed led to the Heavenly Terrace.
Lin Feng then looked in another direction. This was an incredibly vast and misty expanse. Ahead, besides this endless open area, there was a broad, seemingly infinite road. On both sides of this road, which was even wider than the heavenly steps, scattered palaces stood, ethereal and indistinct, as if they existed and did not exist.
Grand, like a celestial realm, it resembled the heavenly palace where the Jade Emperor resided in the silver screens of his past life, exuding immense majesty.
"Heavenly Terrace, the land of emperors," Lin Feng murmured softly. What vast divine abilities did a Martial Emperor possess? How powerful were they? Without those eighteen thousand heavenly steps, the Heavenly Terrace would likely be illusory, unreachable by anyone. It was only because of this recruitment of Martial Emperor's Disciples by the Stone Emperor and Yu Emperor that the Heavenly Terrace had been opened.
These people had all passed through the heavenly steps, ascended the Nine Heavens, and obtained the illusory light keys. Now, they sat in their respective positions, unusually quiet, without any clamor. This was the Heavenly Terrace, the domain of the Stone Emperor and Yu Emperor. No one dared to act recklessly here. Their hearts were filled with deep reverence. All they had to do was wait—wait for the true disciple assessment.
However, Lin Feng noticed something was off. Everyone's eyes were fixed on him.
He realized that his position was at the very front and center of the crowd, as if it were the seat of honor.
The closest to him were only two people: Xuanyuan Potian and Meng Ba.
Further back were a few others, including Qiu Yuexin, Lin Ruotian, and Yang Zilan among them.
Behind them were more people, their numbers increasing in a trapezoidal pattern.
"This is arranged according to which heaven one ascended," Lin Feng's expression stiffened. He also noticed something unusual: here, there were only Heavenly Martial Realm cultivators, no Venerable Ones. Clearly, the Venerable Ones might be in another place.
"So cold!" Lin Feng felt a chill in his heart. He looked at the two closest to him. Meng Ba's eyes held a look of shock, while Xuanyuan Potian's gaze was filled with intense coldness.
How could this be? How?
When he had ascended the Fifth Heaven and arrived here via the Cyan Light Key, he had arrogantly declared that no one could surpass him. Later, it seemed to prove true, as everyone who came after was ranked behind him. But not long ago, someone had appeared beside him: Meng Ba.
If that were all, it would be bearable—only one person on par with him. But now, there was someone ahead of him. Clearly, that person had climbed higher on the Nine Heavens.
"It's you!" Xuanyuan Potian's expression was cold. Of course, he remembered Lin Feng—the ant he had encountered in the Dragon Palace at the bottom of the Wu River. Moreover, this man and that beast had done something unknown, opening an underground space in the Dragon Palace and obtaining who knows what treasures.
"We meet again," Lin Feng said to Xuanyuan Potian with a smile.
"I never expected an ant like you to ascend the Sixth Heaven. And that day, your cultivation was at the Second Layer of Heavenly Martial Realm; today, it's the Fourth Layer. What did you gain in the Dragon Palace?" Xuanyuan Potian said coldly. He believed that Lin Feng's ability to ascend the Sixth Heaven and his cultivation jumping two major realms must be due to treasures obtained in the Dragon Palace.
"Who told you I ascended the Sixth Heaven?" Lin Feng sneered. "As for what I gained there, isn't it pointless to ask? If I told you, would you believe it?"
"Of course not," Xuanyuan Potian snorted. "But it doesn't matter. Whatever you gained, I will take it myself. As for which heaven you ascended, what does it matter to me? No matter which heaven, in my eyes, you are still an ant."
With that, Xuanyuan Potian stood up, his aura icy cold, as if he intended to attack Lin Feng.
"Sit down!" A freezing voice came coldly, making Xuanyuan Potian's expression stiffen. He looked up at the figure in the void, his expression cold and unyielding.
This man was none other than Hou Qinglin, who had humiliated him before.
"On the Heavenly Terrace, you'd better not act recklessly. Also, you call others ants, but aren't you an ant yourself?" Hou Qinglin said coldly.
"I am a descendant of the Xuanyuan imperial family, possessing imperial blood. In the Northern Wasteland, I am invincible at the same level. You cannot judge me with the word 'ant.' Even if you dislike me, there's no need to target me specifically," Xuanyuan Potian said arrogantly.
"No matter whose descendant you are or what bloodline you possess, I only know that you ascended the Fifth Heaven, while he ascended the Nine Heavens. So what right do you have to call others ants?" Hou Qinglin said coldly. The more he looked at Xuanyuan Potian, the more he disliked him. This man was too arrogant, looking down on everyone, not putting anyone in his eyes. Those stronger than him, he believed he would trample underfoot in the future; those weaker, he regarded as ants.
"The Ninth Heaven!" Xuanyuan Potian's expression stiffened. His eyes, fixed on Lin Feng, blazed with cold light. Not only Xuanyuan Potian, but everyone on the Heavenly Terrace was shocked. The Ninth Heaven! This man had actually ascended the Nine Heavens!
"You regard others as ants only because your cultivation is higher than theirs. But when you humiliate others, aren't you yourself an ant? At least in front of me, you are!" Hou Qinglin said coldly, mocking Xuanyuan Potian.
PS: Sorry for the late update. I've been tired these past few days and also thinking about the subsequent plot. It's the last day and a half, brothers. The battle isn't over yet. Bring out your flowers. I'll work hard on writing!