Yet this youth continued upward as though taking a leisurely stroll.
Such strength truly could not be underestimated.
"Who exactly is this youth? Once I reach the summit, I should pay him a visit."
With that thought flashing through his mind, Guang Chengzi ascended another step.
The immortal mist was damp like spiritual rain.
The steps beneath his feet became somewhat slippery.
The Illusionary Realm around him also kept changing.
A Yellow Turban Warrior clad in golden armor wielded a Battle Axe, slashing toward him with the force of endless gales.
Fortunately, Gu Changsheng avoided it by following the shortcut calculated by the Primordial System.
The Yellow Turban Warrior also dissipated the moment its axe came down.
The next instant, Gu Changsheng seemed to be standing within an infernal sea of flames.
Countless skeletons vanished along with it.
He focused his mind and steadied his breath as he crossed the steps.
Within the steps, the Illusionary Realm continued to evolve.
Gu Changsheng likewise climbed step after step.
Quite a few cultivators ascending the stairs revealed looks of astonishment along the way.
"How is this human so fast?"
Before the cultivator could think further, his foot slipped, and he fell from high above.
Screams rang throughout the Yuanshi Dao Field.
Some cultivators trembled without end.
There were also some steady cultivators who remained unhurried even as Gu Changsheng surpassed them.
Gu Changsheng continued upward, passing many cultivators who wished to enter under the Saint's tutelage.
Among those cultivators were naturally some who refused to concede defeat.
Seeing Gu Changsheng approach, they tried to shove him away.
Yet Gu Changsheng shifted his footing and stepped directly upward.
The man's sneak attack failed, and he fell down.
Most cultivators continued climbing earnestly.
Having already walked for so long, most of them were extremely cautious and did not dare lose focus in the slightest.
As the Illusionary Realm constantly changed, Gu Changsheng's pace also slowed.
The farther upward he went, the more slowly the Primordial System calculated compared to before.
Sometimes, it required several hours.
Gu Changsheng took that opportunity to look up the stairs.
He had caught up to many cultivators.
"Although there are no fewer than tens of thousands of cultivators climbing these steps, Saint Yuanshi has accepted only twelve disciples."
"They will be the Twelve Golden Immortals, who will display great divine powers throughout the Primordial World in the future."
"I wonder what my own fate will be in the end."
Gu Changsheng took a deep breath. Immortal mist clouded his vision.
Ding, a new route has been planned for the host!
As the mechanical prompt sounded, Gu Changsheng stepped upward once more.
Along the way, a sorrowful-looking man saw someone pass him and could not help feeling greatly puzzled.
"A human?"
The sorrowful man's expression changed slightly.
"Even one of the Three Thousand Guests of the Purple Sky Palace like me could not compare to him?"
"This youth will surely shine brilliantly."
The sorrowful man's eyes gleamed as he hurriedly followed.
Gu Changsheng was very fast, gradually widening the distance between them.
"He is not afraid of such an Illusionary Realm?"
"His speed is truly not something I can take lightly."
Seeing that he could not catch up, the sorrowful man was inwardly stunned.
Gu Changsheng crossed countless steps.
As the immortal mist grew denser, he no longer saw any other cultivators.
Only he remained upon these stairs.
Yet the Illusionary Realms produced by the steps became increasingly perilous.
Every time he crossed another step, Gu Changsheng had to calculate for a long while.
The deeper he went, the less he dared allow himself even the slightest distraction.
After an unknown amount of time, the Illusionary Realm before him suddenly vanished.
Gu Changsheng stepped into the immortal mist and felt boundless Innate Spiritual Qi surge toward him like a tide.
Not only was he not swept away, but he felt as though he had been reborn. His exhaustion was completely swept away, and his entire body felt incomparably refreshed.
This delighted Gu Changsheng, and his eyes gazed upon the vast world before him.
A towering White Jade Pavilion, entirely forged from Top-grade Innate Spirit Stones, stood between heaven and earth.
Countless Golden Lanterns and jade pendants transformed into golden light that filled the sky and cascaded down.
Auspicious clouds coiled about the place, and favorable qi surged forth. Its radiance was so dazzling that none dared look directly upon it or harbor even the slightest irreverence.
Such a boundless sacred realm was truly extraordinary.
Innate Spiritual Qi surrounded him, making Gu Changsheng feel as though he were basking in a spring breeze.
Yet throughout this vast Yuanshi Dao Field, Gu Changsheng was the only one present.
"Twelve years. I finally reached the summit, passed through the Heavenly Gate, and arrived at the Yuanshi Dao Field."
The 129,900 steps—the count of one Yuan—had taken Gu Changsheng twelve years to climb.
Gu Changsheng could not help feeling deeply moved.
At present, he was the only one to reach the summit.
Could he then become Yuanshi's First Disciple?
Gu Changsheng looked firmly toward the Dao Field.
"Passing through the Heavenly Gate and reaching the Dao Field is the first step in my pursuit of the Great Dao."
Innate Spiritual Qi permeated the surroundings. Without further thought, Gu Changsheng sat down cross-legged.
In an instant, he felt Innate Spiritual Qi enter his body. Even the insignificant arts he had learned among humans were actually improving.
"A Saint's Dao Field is indeed extraordinary. In merely a few breaths, I have already improved this much. If I receive a Saint's guidance, my path in pursuit of the Great Dao will draw another step closer."
At this time, no one had arrived, nor had Saint Yuanshi appeared.
Gu Changsheng took this chance to meditate and cultivate.
After an unknown amount of time, Gu Changsheng felt that his cultivation had improved considerably.
The Human Magic he had yet to fully comprehend also became clear to him in an instant.
"When the tribe suffered from the ravages of that great demon, if I had possessed such strength, things would not have turned out that way."
Gu Changsheng sighed softly and could not help recalling the Red-scaled Giant Python beneath Kunlun Mountain.
"This time, I have formed karma with the Red-scaled Giant Python."
"Once I enter the Chan Sect, it will not be too late to find it again!"
With that thought in mind, Gu Changsheng slowly closed his eyes.
Time flew like an arrow, and in the Primordial World, time was rather cheap.
This day marked eight years since Gu Changsheng had reached the summit.
For eight years, Gu Changsheng had absorbed Innate Spiritual Qi and meditated day and night.
His cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds.
During this period, Gu Changsheng had not seen a single person reach the summit.
Then, on this day, just as Gu Changsheng drew in his thoughts—
A figure stepped through the Heavenly Gate.
Gu Changsheng sensed that someone had arrived.
He opened his eyes and glanced over.
A trace of surprise appeared between his brows.
It was actually him?
The cultivator who had met him once had also reached the summit.
Bathed in Innate Spiritual Qi, the cultivator's twenty years of exhaustion were swept away.
He suddenly saw someone seated cross-legged within the Dao Field.
Once he looked closely, joy immediately appeared on his face.
Before you continue