Witch-Demon Prelude

After the 9,500th step, each one felt like crossing an impassable chasm.

The illusions of the ancient battlefield grew more real, their attacks sharper, and the pressure of the Great Dao laws was almost suffocating.

Cracks appeared more and more on Li Su's bamboo body, the Profound Star Swirl Body Protection flickered unstably, and his divine sense was greatly depleted.

But his eyes remained bright, his will like steel tempered a thousand times, growing ever more tenacious.

He pushed the Bedrock Rune and the Guardian Dao Rhyme to their current limits, the Eight Nine Mysterious Art circulating ceaselessly, constantly adjusting his structure to adapt to the terrifying pressure.

One step, two steps, three steps...

He surpassed two early True Immortal disciples whose magical power was insufficient and who were forced to stop and recuperate.

9,700th step! 9,800th step!

Ahead, including Yang Jian, only five people remained! Three mid-stage True Immortals, two late-stage True Immortals!

Despite being an early True Immortal, Yang Jian's combat power was heaven-defying, and he still held firmly in the first tier!

9,900th step!

Li Su felt he had reached his limit; his bamboo body seemed on the verge of shattering at any moment.

But he saw the final ninety-nine steps ahead, and the faintly visible, chaotic-aura-emitting light gate at the end. A surge of unwillingness and stubbornness welled up in his heart.

"The path to transcendence, how can it stop here!" he roared inwardly, even actively drawing upon a trace of the ancient "Bedrock" origin from the unrefined, dark yellow stone he obtained from the battlefield!

Buzz! His bamboo body trembled violently, more complex and ancient patterns appeared on its surface, and its defensive power instantly increased! He surged upwards fiercely!

9,950th step! 9,980th step! 9,990th step!

He successively surpassed the two mid-stage True Immortal disciples, causing gasps from the entire audience!

Finally, he stepped onto the 9,999th step! Arriving almost simultaneously with Yang Jian and the other two late-stage True Immortal disciples!

The moment he stepped onto the final step, all pressure and illusions vanished abruptly.

An incomparably pure chaotic spiritual energy descended from the heavens, pouring into the bodies of the four, rapidly healing their injuries and replenishments.

Ahead lay the Chaos Secret Realm light gate, exuding a tempting aura!

The elder presiding over the grand competition appeared. Looking at the four, his gaze lingered on Li Su for a moment before he announced loudly:

"Yang Jian, Mo Xing, Qingxu, Yuding, the four of you are tied for the top three places in this Heavenly Stairway (due to arriving simultaneously, an exception is made to count all as top three). You are granted the qualification to enter the Chaos Secret Realm and comprehend for three days! Enter immediately!"

Four people tied for first? The crowd below erupted in an uproar, but no one questioned it. Li Su, at the peak of Earth Immortal cultivation, had created such a miracle, earning everyone's respect.

Li Su was excited. He exchanged glances with Yang Jian and the others, seeing the fighting spirit and recognition in each other's eyes.

Without further words, the four stepped forward simultaneously, entering the chaotic light gate.

As if passing through a film of water, the next moment, Li Su found himself in a wondrous space indescribable by words.

There was no up, down, left, or right; no concept of time or space, only endless chaotic currents flowing slowly, giving birth and perishing.

Fragments of Great Dao laws of all colors and forms were visible everywhere like ribbons of light, yet ethereal and elusive.

Here, divine sense seemed to lose its function; one could only feel with the heart, drawing close to the most fundamental traces of the Great Dao.

Just by inhaling a breath of chaotic energy, Li Su felt his cultivation bottleneck loosen, and his understanding of all things in heaven and earth became clearer and deeper.

He immediately sat cross-legged (his bamboo roots anchoring into the void), circulated his cultivation technique with all his might, absorbing the chaotic energy, and simultaneously sinking his mind into this chaos, striving to capture those fragments of Great Dao laws.

Here, the various powers he cultivated became exceptionally active.

The power of stars greedily absorbed the chaotic energy, becoming purer and more vast; the Soul Devour origin was particularly sensitive to those law fragments representing "end" and "abyss";

The Bedrock Rune and Guardian Dao Charm resonated with the laws representing "solidity," "eternity," and "protection";

The Eight Nine Mysterious Art circulated on its own, guiding the chaotic energy to temper every minute structure of his bamboo body...

His cultivation was rapidly increasing, charging towards the barrier of the Celestial Immortal realm!

More importantly, his understanding of his own "Dao" deepened at an unprecedented speed.

Though myriad laws are different, their origin is one.

Chaos was that initial "one."

Comprehending here allowed him to break free from specific spiritual powers and spells, directly understanding the true meaning of power from the origin, and seeking the possibility of truly merging those many powers.

He saw the birth and death of stars, the reincarnation of souls, the solidity and flux of matter, the order and change of formations...

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

When Li Su was sent out by the secret realm's power, his aura surged around him. He had reached the absolute limit of Earth Immortal, only one opportunity away from becoming a Celestial Immortal on the spot!

More importantly, his Dao Foundation was polished to be incomparably solid. He had a clearer plan for his future path, and even initially conceived a framework for merging the Dao of stars, devouring, formations, protection, and bedrock—though just a prototype, it was of extraordinary significance!

Yang Jian and the others also had their own gains, their auras becoming deeper.

The four exited the secret realm, nodded to each other, and departed separately.

After this battle, Li Su's name, "Mo Xing," truly resounded among the Kunlun disciples.

Returning to the Listening Bamboo Abode, Li Su immediately went into seclusion to digest his gains. However, on the tenth day of his seclusion, an urgent sect decree was transmitted to all disciples through their identity jade talismans:

"The conflict between the Witch and Demon clans on the Primordial Great Land has reignited, with evil qi soaring and tribulation clouds gathering! The prelude to the great tribulation has begun!"

"All Kunlun disciples are forbidden from leaving the mountain without orders. Strictly guard the mountain gate and observe the situation!"

The Witch-Demon Great Tribulation has begun!

Li Su's "eyes" snapped open. He walked out of his cave dwelling and gazed toward the direction of the Primordial World. Even across an infinite distance, he could faintly sense the pervasive killing intent and tribulation energy filling heaven and earth!

He recalled the battlefield fragments he experienced on the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Stairway, and his heart grew solemn.

Under the great tribulation, all beings are like ants. Even the mighty Witch and Demon tribes will be submerged in the tribulation.

His own cultivation was utterly insufficient in the face of such a great tribulation. He had to improve his strength as quickly as possible!

However, the tree desired stillness, but the wind would not cease. Several months later, an unexpected guest visited the Listening Bamboo Abode.

It was none other than Fairy Yun Yao. Her expression was grave, and upon seeing Li Su, she said directly, "Fellow Daoist Mo Xing, my master (Yuqing Zhenren) sent me to relay a message to you:

The tribulation has begun, and the heavenly secrets are obscure. As a variable, you may encounter special opportunities or even greater peril within this tribulation. While Kunlun can protect you, a sapling cannot grow into a mighty pillar in a greenhouse.

Whether to lie low and cultivate in the mountains or to enter the tribulation to contend for a sliver of opportunity is your decision to make."

Enter the tribulation? Li Su's heart sank. Was the Sage hinting that he should descend the mountain and enter the tribulation?

The risk was undoubtedly immense, but as True Immortal Yun Qian had said, there might be special opportunities. During a great tribulation, although dangerous, it was also when the laws of heaven and earth were most active, and all sorts of opportunities and treasures were most likely to appear.

Should he play it safe or take a risk?

Li Su pondered for a long time, his gaze gradually firming. His Dao was, fundamentally, to strive and cross amidst hardship and danger!

Lying low in the mountains might offer safety, but the path to transcendence would undoubtedly be slow.

Only by entering the tribulation, tempered by life and death, could he possibly rise rapidly and seize that one sliver of escape!

"I choose to descend the mountain," Li Su said slowly.

Yun Yao seemed to have expected this and nodded, "Since that is the case, Fellow Daoist, please be extra careful.

This is the 'Small Teleportation Talisman' gifted to you by my master. It may save your life at a critical moment.

After descending the mountain, you may head northwest towards the 'Ten Thousand Witch City' area. There... you might find your destined encounter."

Taking the spiritual energy-filled jade talisman, Li Su expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Fairy, thank you, Senior Yuqing."

After seeing Yun Yao off, Li Su no longer hesitated. After a brief preparation, he went to the Affairs Hall to report his intention to descend the mountain for training, and then quietly left Kunlun Mountain.

Stepping onto the Primordial World's land once more, the tribulation energy and evil qi in the air were indeed several times more concentrated than before. An atmosphere of oppression and restlessness permeated heaven and earth.

In the distant sky, one could often see the phenomena of demon clouds clashing with the Witch Clan's blood essence, and it was evident that large-scale battles had already broken out in multiple locations.

Following Yuqing Zhenren's instructions, Li Su headed northwest towards Ten Thousand Witch City, which was a significant gathering place for the Witch Clan.

Along the way, he became even more cautious, avoiding large-scale battle formations. However, small-scale conflicts and skirmishes were visible everywhere, and the order of the Primordial World had begun to collapse.

One day, as he was traveling through a desolate ancient mountain range, he suddenly heard intense fighting sounds and angry beast roars coming from ahead.

He scanned with his divine sense and saw a group of Witch Clan warriors besieging a ferocious beast of enormous size, with wings on its back and covered in crimson scales – a Qiongqi!

The Qiongqi was incredibly fierce, tearing with its claws and spewing poisonous flames, having already heavily injured several Witch Clan warriors.

The Witch Clan warriors, undeterred by death, surrounded it in formation, unleashing various witchcrafts and bloodline powers that struck the Qiongqi.

However, what attracted Li Su's attention was not the battle itself, but rather, at the edge of the battlefield, within a mountain wall that had been cracked open, a trace of... faint yet incredibly pure earth-yellow spiritual light was revealed!

The aura of that spiritual light was of the same origin as the "Bedrock Rune" he obtained from the giant beast's skull, but it was even more refined and substantial!