Sect Disciple Trial, Ascending the Heavenly Ladder

"..."

Several hundred Handyman Disciples erupted like a boiling pot, gathering in threes and fives as they chattered heatedly.

The next day.

A white jade staircase wreathed in hazy immortal aura stretched down from Heaven-Defying Peak.

It was none other than the Cosmos Heavenly Ladder.

At the foot of the Cosmos Heavenly Ladder stood several hundred Handyman Disciples in neat formation.

At the very front of the crowd, three figures were especially eye-catching.

The other Handyman Disciples looked at those three figures with undisguised fervent admiration.

Those three figures were Yuwen Shengxin, Ye Jingyun, and Ye Xuan.

"Senior Brothers Ye, how about... we have a contest? Let's see who can climb the Heavenly Ladder the highest?" The moment Yuwen Shengxin saw the Cosmos Heavenly Ladder, rich with Dao resonance, her interest was piqued, and she made the suggestion to Ye Jingyun and Ye Xuan.

Upon hearing this, the corners of Ye Jingyun's and Ye Xuan's mouths twitched uncontrollably.

A contest?

Contest my ass!

You were the reincarnation of a Great Emperor, a peak True Immortal Realm powerhouse. Your strength was beyond question—aside from the Esteemed Sect Master, you were the most badass one around.

You were plainly bullying your senior brothers!

Was it fun for a king to crush bronze?

Though they could not stop themselves from grumbling inwardly, a flicker of fighting spirit burst forth in both Ye Jingyun's and Ye Xuan's eyes.

They were both Sons of Destiny, and naturally possessed their own pride.

Even though Yuwen Shengxin was the reincarnation of a Great Emperor, they still wanted to give it everything they had and compete with her.

Even in defeat, they would lose with pride soaring to the clouds.

"Fine, let's compete," Ye Jingyun and Ye Xuan said in unison.

"Since that's the case, then this junior sister won't hold back." A smile appeared on Yuwen Shengxin's pretty face. With a flash, she stepped onto the Cosmos Heavenly Ladder.

Seeing this, Ye Jingyun and Ye Xuan followed close behind.

The remaining Handyman Disciples did not hold back either, rushing toward the Cosmos Heavenly Ladder one after another.

The Cosmos Heavenly Ladder was a supreme treasure used to test sect disciples' cultivation, temperament, and talent.

At the same time, it was a great path through which sect disciples could temper themselves and comprehend Dao resonance.

The higher one climbed, the greater the pressure released by the Cosmos Heavenly Ladder, and the more benefits the disciples gained.

As time passed, the beginnings of survival of the fittest emerged.

Several dozen Handyman Disciples were already drenched in sweat, their faces twisted in pain and their entire bodies trembling, as though an invisible force were suppressing them.

In the end, unable to endure any longer, they were teleported away by the Cosmos Heavenly Ladder.

Though a trace of disappointment could not be concealed in their expressions, they were even more thrilled and excited. They could clearly sense the tremendous improvements in their bodies.

On Heaven-Defying Peak, Lin Feng watched the several hundred Handyman Disciples climbing the Cosmos Heavenly Ladder. The corners of his mouth curved slightly upward in a satisfied smile.

"My Divine Sword Sect is looking more and more like a proper sect."

Upon the Cosmos Heavenly Ladder.

Several hundred Handyman Disciples were using every ounce of strength they had to climb upward.

They could clearly sense that the higher they went, the more powerful the pressure emanating from the Cosmos Heavenly Ladder became, accompanied by all manner of phenomena descending upon them.

It was simply unbearable.

Walking at the very front was Yuwen Shengxin.

At this moment, she ascended one step at a time, her pace unwavering and her expression calm and composed, as if she were merely strolling and chatting.

Even as wind, rain, thunder, and lightning raged across the Cosmos Heavenly Ladder, the power of the five elements crisscrossed it, and the pressure multiplied, none of it could stop her ascent.

A thousand steps behind her were Ye Jingyun and Ye Xuan.

The gap between the other Handyman Disciples was quite obvious. Among them, only three performed relatively well, belonging to the third tier.

About an hour later.

The Divine Sword Sect's first disciple assessment came to an end.

The Cosmos Heavenly Ladder had a total of ten thousand steps.

The final results were plain to see.

Yuwen Shengxin took the undisputed first place, reaching the nine-thousand-nine-hundred-and-ninety-ninth step.

As expected, Ye Jingyun and Ye Xuan tied for second place, climbing a full eight thousand steps.

On Heaven-Defying Peak, Lin Feng looked at everyone's final results, a gratified expression appearing on his face.

"Ye Jingyun and Ye Xuan performed fairly well. Reaching this level is only to be expected."

"The other Handyman Disciples did reasonably well too. Quite a few of them had commendable points, and the overall quality is decent."

"This Yuwen Shengxin truly defies the heavens. She was only one step away from reaching the summit. As expected of an unparalleled heaven's chosen girl reincarnated from a Great Emperor—she has directly set a record that will be difficult to surpass. For a long time to come, no disciple will be able to break it."

Lin Feng murmured in surprise.

"In today's assessment, Yuwen Shengxin ranks first. She is a model for the Divine Sword Sect's disciples and may be exceptionally promoted directly to an Inner Prodigy Disciple."

"Ye Jingyun and Ye Xuan have achieved outstanding assessment results and may be promoted to inner disciples."

"From this day onward, Yuwen Shengxin shall move into the exclusive cave abode of an Inner Prodigy Disciple and enjoy the treatment of a prodigy disciple."

"Ye Jingyun and Ye Xuan shall move to the mountain peaks designated for inner disciples and enjoy the treatment of inner disciples."

Lin Feng's majestic voice resounded throughout the entire Divine Sword Sect like rolling thunder.

At the same time, two mysterious radiant lists appeared in the sky above the Divine Sword Sect.

Heaven Ranking: First Place, Yuwen Shengxin.

Earth Ranking: First Place, Ye Xuan.

Earth Ranking: Second Place, Ye Jingyun.

It was believed that as the number of inner disciples gradually increased in the future, the Earth Ranking would likewise gain more rankings, and people would eventually appear on the Heaven Ranking as well.

Although Ye Jingyun ranked second on the Earth Ranking because his Luck Value was slightly lacking, he was one who had risen against the odds from being a good-for-nothing. His temperament was resilient, and if they truly fought to the death, he might not necessarily lose to Ye Xuan.

After Yuwen Shengxin, Ye Jingyun, and Ye Xuan saw the two rankings in the air, a trace of joy appeared on all their faces.

Within the Divine Sword Sect, even the treatment of Handyman Disciples far surpassed that of inner disciples from other great sects.

Now, the treatment for inner disciples and prodigy disciples likely went beyond anything they could imagine.

They could hardly wait to move into their respective territories.

The other disciples looked at them with deep admiration and envy.

Yuwen Shengxin in particular had already become a goddess they could only look up to.

Just then, the hidden Circle of Stars Diagram above the Divine Sword Sect suddenly revealed itself.

Glittering stars filled the heavens, dense fortune surged and billowed, and mountains, rivers, and streams unfolded one after another. It looked dreamlike and illusory, like a magnificent painting encompassing heaven and earth.

Immediately afterward, a Seven-Clawed Golden Dragon stretching ten thousand li swam out from the Circle of Stars Diagram.

The Fortune Golden Dragon's domineering and arrogant eyes swept majestically over Yuwen Shengxin and the other two below, and it let out a dragon's roar.

Then it opened its massive jaws and spat out three streams of incomparably dense purple fortune aura.

This purple aura was extraordinary and profoundly mysterious, instantly merging into the bodies of Yuwen Shengxin and the other two.

"Gasp—"

"This... this is fortune?"

"My fortune has increased?!"