Witch-Demon Tribulation Rises

Above the Cloud Sea Plaza, the crowd had long been immense. Tens of thousands of Kunlun disciples gathered here, their auras varying in strength, from Earth Immortals to True Immortals, with a few Golden Immortal-level divine senses faintly sweeping across the entire area.

All eyes were focused on the faintly discernible, ascending towards the endless heights in the center of the plaza – the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Stairway!

The stairway was not physical but woven from countless runes and dao markings, exuding an aura of chaos, antiquity, and majesty.

Each step seemed to be a small world, containing different trials. The end of the stairway disappeared into the depths of the vast cloud sea, connecting to the mysterious Chaos Secret Realm.

The bell rang again, and a Great Luo Golden Immortal elder presiding over the grand assembly appeared, announcing the rules: "The Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Stairway is now open, with a time limit of three days.

The height reached will be determined by one's own strength, dao heart, and destiny. Malicious interference with others is forbidden; violators will be severely punished! Begin!"

As the words fell, the disciples, who could no longer contain themselves, immediately transformed into streams of light and surged towards the stairway!

Leading the charge were naturally those True Immortals and peak Celestial Immortals with powerful auras. They moved at incredible speed, reaching hundreds of steps in the blink of an eye, their figures disappearing into the clouds and mist.

Li Su was not in a hurry to take the lead. He carefully observed the path ahead. He saw many disciples significantly slow down after stepping onto a certain number of stairs.

Some wore expressions of pain, while others' bodies flickered with light, clearly enduring immense pressure or illusory trials.

He took a deep breath and stepped onto the first step of the Heavenly Stairway.

Instantly, a heavy pressure descended upon him, as if he were carrying a mountain. At the same time, seductive sounds filled his ears, disturbing his mind.

However, this level of pressure had almost no effect on him. The Profound Star Swirl Body Protection flashed with a faint light, neutralizing the pressure, while his Bedrock Dao Heart remained steadfast, impervious to all evils.

He moved upward steadily, not quickly, but with exceptional stability. With each step he ascended, the pressure, illusions, and occasional elemental attacks intensified, but he easily resolved them all.

Soon, he surpassed many Earth Immortal disciples who were panting and struggling.

One thousand steps, two thousand steps, three thousand steps...

The higher he climbed, the more bizarre the trials became. Sometimes he would fall into an endless cycle, experiencing the myriad forms of mortal life;

Sometimes he had to confront his deepest fears and desires; sometimes he had to decipher complex formations or daoist problems in an extremely short period;

Sometimes he even had to fight against "Dao Soldiers" conjured by the Heavenly Stairway, whose cultivation was comparable to his own!

Li Su's dao heart was tenacious, his divine sense was powerful, and coupled with his mastery of formations and the wonders of the Eight Nine Mysterious Art, he handled the challenges with relative ease, though not without effort.

He did not simply rush forward but channeled a portion of his mind into these trials, using them to temper himself and verify his learning.

[Passed through the illusionary heart demon, dao heart slightly improved.]

[Deciphered remnants of an ancient formation, formation mastery increased.]

[Defeated a Heavenly Stairway Dao Soldier, combat experience increased, Eight Nine Mysterious Art application became more proficient.]

By the time he reached five thousand steps, only a few hundred people remained around him, almost all of them cultivators at the Celestial Immortal level or above.

At this height, the pressure was almost tangible, requiring significant spiritual power and mental effort for each step. The conjured Dao Soldiers had also become late-stage or even peak Celestial Immortals!

Li Su also began to feel the strain. His bamboo body hummed, the Profound Star Swirl Body Protection's halo flickered steadily, and the Soul-Devouring Dark Light and Star Spirit Bamboo Leaf Blade occasionally appeared, defeating incoming Dao Soldiers or solving challenges.

He even had to occasionally use the "Bedrock Rune" and the "Guardian" dao rhythm to stabilize his mind and resist the pervasive erosion of the Great Dao's laws.

Six thousand steps, seven thousand steps...

The number of people dwindled again, now less than a hundred. Reaching this point, each step was exceptionally difficult.

Li Su saw several peak Celestial Immortal disciples ahead who had to deploy powerful magical treasures just to barely hold on.

Despite his cultivation being only at the peak Earth Immortal stage, his profound foundation, pure spiritual power, strong divine sense, and potent divine abilities were not inferior to those of an ordinary late-stage Celestial Immortal. Coupled with his various techniques, he managed to stay at the tail end of the leading group.

Eight thousand steps!

The pressure surged again! Several muffled groans came from ahead, and another dozen disciples could no longer endure, being flung out by the power of the Heavenly Stairway and eliminated from the competition.

Fewer than thirty remained, all of them the elite of the elite!

Li Su also felt his bamboo body on the verge of cracking, his divine sense pushed to its absolute limit. He let out a low roar and finally unleashed the newly refined "Profound Star Swirl Body Protection" with all his might!

The protective shield, imbued with a dark golden luster of starlight, firmly enveloped him, greatly increasing its resilience, finally withstanding the wave of pressure.

He glanced forward and saw five or six figures at the very front, still moving with astonishing speed, clearly at the True Immortal realm!

Among them was Yang Jian! He hadn't used any magical treasures, relying solely on his formidable physique and exquisite divine abilities to forge ahead, already approaching nine thousand steps!

Can't fall too far behind! Li Su gritted his teeth, fully activating the Eight Nine Mysterious Art's Sword Edict. His bamboo body's structure adjusted slightly, becoming more conducive to withstanding pressure, and his speed increased once more.

Eight thousand five hundred steps, eight thousand eight hundred steps, nine thousand steps!

The moment he stepped onto the nine thousandth step, the scenery changed again! It was no longer a single trial but felt like being on an ancient battlefield!

Evil Qi surged to the heavens, gods and demons clashed, and laws shattered! The incredibly tragic scene and the impact on his will far surpassed anything before!

"This is... a residual imprint of the Witch-Demon Great Tribulation?!" Li Su exclaimed in shock.

Could this Heavenly Stairway even simulate such a scene?

Just as his mind was impacted and he began to daze, a massive claw shadow, entwined with overwhelming demonic energy, suddenly lunged towards him from the battlefield ahead!

Its power far surpassed that of a Celestial Immortal, reaching the True Immortal level!

Danger! Li Su instantly awoke, pushing the Profound Star Swirl Body Protection to its limit. Simultaneously, his bamboo branches flicked, and a "Stellar Evil Sky-Rending Thrust," condensing all his strength, shot out fiercely!

BOOM!

The claw shadow collided with the stellar thrust, energy exploding! Li Su's bamboo body vibrated violently, shaking him into retreating repeatedly, nearly falling off the steps. The Profound Star Swirl Body Protection's halo dimmed considerably, and even hairline cracks appeared on his bamboo body!

The claw shadow dissipated.

So strong! A single strike from a True Immortal simulated by the Heavenly Stairway had nearly gravely injured him!

He looked up and saw that the True Immortal disciples in front of him were also displaying their Spiritual Powers, engaging with the terrifying existences conjured on the battlefield, their movements clearly slowing down.

Yang Jian was locked in a fierce battle with the phantom image of an Ancestral Witch, standing tall like a pillar supporting the sky, neither able to gain the upper hand!

This final trial of the Heavenly Stairway was actually simulating an ancient great tribulation, forcing him to face the imprints of those terrifying beings!

Li Su felt a solemnity in his heart, but it also ignited his fighting spirit. He circulated his magic power to repair his bamboo body while carefully observing the battlefield, absorbing the fragments of laws and combat will contained within the brutal fighting.

"Kill! For the Demon Race Heavenly Court!" "...The Witch Clan will never be slaves!" "Father God Pangu..."

Shattered shouts and majestic battle intent intertwined. Li Su seemed to see countless great demons roaring, Ancestral Witches supporting the sky, stars falling, and the earth shattering...

Under this pressure, his Bedrock Rune actually began to circulate on its own, absorbing the tenacious and unyielding combat will from the battlefield;

The tattered jade pendant also warmed slightly, emitting a protective light that shielded his mind from being eroded by the endless killing and destructive intent.

Without realizing it, his understanding of "offense" and "defense" deepened by another level.

He took another step, enduring the pressure from the battlefield phantoms and the occasional terrifying attacks, climbing upward with difficulty but determination.

Nine thousand one hundred steps, nine thousand two hundred steps...

When he stepped onto the nine thousand five hundredth step, fewer than ten people remained ahead! All were True Immortals, and they had all deployed their signature magical treasures, appearing quite strained.

Yet Li Su, with his peak Earth Immortal cultivation, relying on Profound Star Swirl Body Protection, numerous Dao rhymes, and a powerful will, had miraculously caught up, drawing the gasps and attention of the countless disciples watching from below!

"That bamboo spirit... can actually reach nine thousand five hundred steps?" "Peak Earth Immortal? How is that possible!" "His body protection Spiritual Power is so potent! It seems to contain multiple Dao rhymes!"

Even the few True Immortals ahead couldn't help but glance back at him, surprise in their eyes.

Li Su had no time to pay attention to them, his entire focus dedicated to resisting the pressure and the battlefield's encroachment. His gaze was firm as he looked towards the final four hundred and ninety-nine steps!

The finish line was just ahead!