350 Three Thousand Cloud Ladders

A moment later, the assessment officially began.

The elder said no more, merely waving his wide sleeves with a gentle motion.

Every light and shadow in the hall—the star debris and the shimmering, galaxy-like glow—contracted, swirled, and reorganized in the wake of that single wave.

Everything before their eyes seemed to be kneaded into a ball by an invisible hand, only to be spread out anew.

The hall vanished.

In its place stood a stone staircase that stretched into infinity.

The stairs hung suspended in the void, each step forged from stardust and the rhythm of the Dao. Within the translucent material, faint points of light flowed, as if countless miniature galaxies had been sealed inside the stone.

The staircase began at their feet and extended upward, climbing higher and further until it finally disappeared into a haze of indistinct light.

Chen Yan made a rough count; there were at least several thousand steps.

"These are the Three Thousand Cloud Ladders, which have existed in the Cloud Ruins for who knows how many ages," the elder's voice drifted from the void, unhurried and steady. "Those who set foot upon the hundredth step shall become external members of our Cloud Ruins Alliance. At that time, you will be qualified to receive the Alliance's aid and awaken your own Void Star Sign."

As the words fell, the last remnants of noise in the hall vanished entirely.

Ten thousand gazes fell in unison upon the suspended stone stairs; some held their breath, while others subconsciously clenched their fists.

"Climbing the Cloud Ladders? What kind of test is this?" a woman with a fish tail asked her companion in a low voice, her tone laced with confusion.

Beside her, a four-armed Giant explained in a muffled, rumbling voice: "The Three Thousand Cloud Ladders—each step