Vague Illusion

After departure, because it would take some time to reach the Yuanji Sect, several Yuanji Sect disciples distributed a Fasting Pill to everyone. After eating it, even going a month without eating or drinking would pose no problem.

Xue Fuyao ate the Fasting Pill. Although she still had quite a bit of food in her Storage Bag, eating these ordinary grains meant they would definitely be excreted, and there were no such things as toilets on this Spirit Boat.

As time passed, the children on the Spirit Boat also gradually became familiar with one another, and the atmosphere on the Spirit Boat grew increasingly lively.

Gu Nian and the other disciples of the Yuanji Sect did not try to stop them when they saw this.

Compared to the liveliness of these children, Xue Fuyao appeared somewhat too quiet.

"Aren't you going to play with them?" Gu Nian walked over and asked.

Xue Fuyao shook her head and said earnestly, "I certainly won't play with a bunch of kids. I'm thinking about important matters right now."

Hearing Xue Fuyao's words, Gu Nian could not help finding it a bit amusing. "Since that's the case, I won't disturb you then. Think it over properly."

Xue Fuyao cupped her small white chin in her hand, casting her gaze outside the Spirit Boat while her mind pondered what she needed to do next.

After entering the Yuanji Sect, she would be unable to leave for at least a few years. During these few years, those opportunities outside would apparently have to be left to Shadow One and the others.

She recalled what had happened at this time in her previous life. Aside from herself being hunted down by the Zhang Clan members, the Cultivation Realm had been quite lively these past few years. Three Secret Realms had opened, one of them a brand-new Secret Realm emerging into the world, and two Secret Treasures had appeared in the world. A major event seemed to have occurred in the Sword Tomb of the Heavenly Sword Sect during these years as well, with an peerless divine weapon breeding within its depths.

Aside from these major events, minor ones were also continuous: the number one beauty in the Cultivation Realm had her face ruined through the scheming of her fiancé's own younger sister; there were the real and fake daughters of Qing City; the son of the Black Rock City Lord was assassinated by an assassin dispatched by the Jade Moon Pavilion; the master of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion perished, and the young master succeeded him, but three months after taking the succession, this new young master of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion voluntarily abdicated to let someone more capable take over, and the newly appointed master of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion walked a mysterious path.

There were also rumors from all over.

Right, there was also the Zhang Family. The Zhang Family had discovered an upper-grade Spirit Stone Vein.

Spirit Veins, these were good things.

A middle-grade Spirit Vein was enough to allow a lineage to rise, let alone an Upper-Grade Spirit Vein.

Xue Fuyao sorted all these matters out in her mind. Other things aside, that Upper-Grade Spirit Vein, even if given away to curry favor, absolutely could not fall into the hands of the Zhang Clan members.

Half a month later, the Spirit Boat finally reached its destination.

Xue Fuyao followed the crowd in stepping off the Spirit Boat, raising her head to look at the boundless White Jade Heavenly Stairway as a trace of nostalgia flashed through her eyes.

No matter how many times she looked at it, seeing this boundless Heavenly Stairway always filled her with incomparable shock.

Once everyone had stepped off the Spirit Boat and stood firmly, Lin Qing said to all the children present, "This is the first test you need to pass to join the Yuanji Sect. This Heaven-Questioning Stairway has a total of three thousand steps. Only those who climb past one thousand steps are considered qualified. Those who fail must either leave or become menial disciples."

After hearing Lin Qing's words, the expressions of all the children present grew solemn.

Children emerging from cultivation lineages naturally knew about this matter long ago, while those children selected from ordinary households had also gained a slight understanding of the Cultivation Realm during this half-month journey, growing up rapidly.

After finishing speaking, Lin Qing left with Gu Nian. Zhou Qingxue took the initiative to make a move, walking toward the Heaven-Questioning Stairway, and seeing this, Xue Fuyao followed closely behind.

At this moment on the Heaven-Questioning Stairway, apart from those of them who had come from Cloud City, quite a few people had already begun climbing the Heaven-Questioning Stairway.

When Xue Fuyao stood on the first step, she hesitated for a moment, but ultimately took the first step out.

The instant she stepped onto the Heavenly Stairway, she felt her cultivation seal up.

This was also one of the abilities of the Heaven-Questioning Stairway. No matter what one's cultivation was, as long as one stepped onto this stairway to heaven, their cultivation would be sealed, and they could only rely on their own abilities to climb.

Because she was prepared beforehand, Xue Fuyao only felt a slight sense of discomfort, but it did not slow down her climbing speed.

Since she already had the experience of her previous life, this time she did not blindly pursue speed at the beginning, but instead walked very steadily step by step. She knew that aside from being a test of willpower, this Heaven-Questioning Stairway was also a test of physical strength.

Xue Fuyao walked step by step, her pace possessing an unprecedented firmness.

Miraculously, the Heaven-Questioning Stairway that had been arduous for her in her previous life had an effect close to zero on her at this time.

Xue Fuyao knew all of this was the function of the Heavenly Eye.

Although her Heavenly Eye had always remained in a concealed state, as the master of the Heavenly Eye, she could easily discern the flaws in certain environments even without activating the Heavenly Eye.

She was not bewildered by the illusions of the Heaven-Questioning Stairway as she had been in her previous life.

As time gradually passed, although Xue Fuyao's speed slowed down somewhat, she had never stopped along the way.

Those people who had once walked ahead of her were slowly all surpassed by her, and gradually, the people in front of her grew fewer and fewer, while her surroundings also became increasingly empty.

Right at this moment, on the Heavenly Stairway, a few steps away from Xue Fuyao, a majestic, awe-inspiring, bright yellow figure appeared.

"Twenty-five, why aren't you speaking when you see Us? Could it be that you don't recognize your Imperial Father?"

Hearing this familiar voice, Xue Fuyao only hesitated for a second before breaking free from the illusion, and then continued forward.

The Heaven-Questioning Stairway could conjure the figures of people's relatives based on one's memories, but whether in her previous life or this life, Xue Fuyao's mother had passed away early, and she had no idea what the other person looked like at all. As for her Imperial Father, it was much the same; there was almost nothing in her memories regarding the appearance of this father, with only that vague, bright yellow figure existing.

Even when he was buried, the face of the Imperial Father at that time had already become unrecognizable, leaving no trace of his original appearance.

In her previous life, although she ultimately reached the summit, because she consumed too much time, her results were mediocre and failed to cause much of a stir. This time, she should be able to achieve a rather good result.

Xue Fuyao looked behind her, where a few vague figures could still be faintly seen standing motionlessly in place, evidently trapped within the illusions.

Ahead of her, two vague figures could be faintly seen. Seeing this, she could not help quickening her pace.

This scene was watched by the Sect Master of Yuanji Sect and the various elders who were observing the current batch of disciples at the Yuanji Sect gates.

"This little girl is not bad. She is actually able to increase her speed even when reaching the two thousand five hundredth step."