Taixuan Sect

The two soon entered the spaceship. It turned into a streak of light across the sky and flew toward the Taixuan Sect.

Before long, the spaceship reached the vicinity of the mountain range where the Taixuan Sect stood.

"Brother Jiang, just stop around here. There's only a little way left. I can walk the rest myself," Ye Fan said.

"All right." Jiang Xian had the spaceship gradually slow to a stop, and the hatch opened.

After they said their goodbyes, Jiang Xian returned to the Swallowed Star World.

Ye Fan walked on for a while and saw towering mountains ahead. One hundred and eight main peaks stood arrayed like a formation, their slopes sheer as if carved by a blade. White mist wreathed their waists, immortal cranes cried from time to time, and sacred halls appeared and disappeared from view. The mountains were vast and imposing, bearing the profound heritage of a great sect.

His purpose in coming here was clear: he would mingle with the people seeking masters and join Clumsy Peak directly. So he bypassed the popular main peaks along the way and headed straight toward a seldom-visited mountain.

Clumsy Peak-from a distance, the mountain resembled a taciturn old man standing in a corner of the mountain range, making no attempt to rival the other peaks in splendor.

He had only just stepped onto the path at the foot of the mountain when he saw an old man standing a short distance ahead. The old man had graying hair, a thin face, and calm eyes. At first glance, he looked no different from an old farmer in the mountains or fields. Yet when Ye Fan's gaze fell on him, he could faintly sense a restrained aura that revealed nothing.

This should be Li Ruoyu, Clumsy Peak's only elder.

Li Ruoyu looked up at Ye Fan. "Young man, this place is remote, and its legacy has all but died out. Few disciples are willing to cultivate here. Coming here may mean wasting your years."

Ye Fan bowed. "Senior, I naturally have my reasons for being confident in coming here. I shouldn't end up wasting my years. May I ask what trial I must pass to join Clumsy Peak?"

Hearing this, Li Ruoyu said nothing more. He merely stepped aside and pointed toward the stone steps in the distance. "This Nine-Step Heavenly Ladder used to be the trial for joining Clumsy Peak. But no one has come here for many years now, so you may join Clumsy Peak whether you pass the trial or not."

Ye Fan looked in the direction the old man indicated and saw nine ancient stone steps atop Clumsy Peak.

He heard a few other disciples' disdainful remarks, but paid them no heed.

Ye Fan soon reached the heavenly ladder. He looked up at the nine jade steps before him and thought, In the original timeline, I hid my abilities the moment I arrived and couldn't even climb a single step. This time, I can really show off.

He raised his foot and planted it firmly on the first step, feeling nothing in particular. His expression unchanged, Ye Fan continued forward onto the second step. The pressure here was somewhat heavier than on the first, but to him, it still felt like nothing.

The third step.

The fourth step.

The fifth step.

Ye Fan walked upward slowly, his steps unhurried and composed, neither fast nor slow, as though he were strolling through his own courtyard.

The eighth step.

The ninth step.

When he stepped firmly onto the final step, all of Clumsy Peak trembled slightly, as though someone had suddenly knocked on a door sealed away for ages. Then wondrous phenomena arose throughout the mountain, radiant light swirling as though all heaven and earth were cheering for it.

Ye Fan stood on the final step, his expression calm, though inwardly he felt a little smug satisfaction.

Meanwhile, the elders of the other peaks were rushing over. They had all sensed the disturbance caused by the activation of the Nine-Step Heavenly Ladder and hurried over to investigate.

"Someone actually managed to climb the Nine-Step Heavenly Ladder."

"Hurry, let's see who it is!"

Several Divine Rainbows landed atop Clumsy Peak. When one of the elders saw Ye Fan on the Nine-Step Heavenly Ladder, his eyes gleamed. After obtaining Li Ruoyu's consent, he spoke eagerly. "Young man, would you be willing to cultivate at my Star Peak? Our Star Peak is the foremost peak of Taixuan. And if you wish to obtain the legacy here, you can return in the future when it appears."

Ye Fan looked at the elders before him and cupped his hands, his tone calm. "Thank you for your kindness, elders. I came to the Taixuan Sect specifically for Clumsy Peak. I'm interested only in Clumsy Peak's legacy and have no intention of going to any other peak."

The elders tried persuading him for a while longer, but seeing his firm expression and that he showed no sign of wavering, they could only leave in the end.

After they left, Li Ruoyu gave Ye Fan a few instructions, then returned to the dilapidated hall.

Ye Fan stood alone atop Clumsy Peak. The mountain breeze blew against his face and stirred his robes, with the mountain beneath his feet and the sky above his head.

He found a flat bluestone at the summit and sat cross-legged on it, closing his eyes as he prepared to activate cheat mode.

Ye Fan slowly began circulating the Yellow Emperor Earth Yellow Way. After mastering this divine ability to perfection in the Bronze Immortal Palace, his perception of terrain and earth veins had reached an indescribable level. As he sat on this mountain that had lain silent for untold years, the contours of the entire mountain slowly resonated with his aura. With each breath, he could clearly sense the ancient mountain's pulse.

He simply sat there in stillness as the Yellow Emperor Earth Sovereign Way silently mingled with the Dao resonance the mountain had held for untold ages. The two resonated, as though the earth were gently passing its most ancient memories into his heart.

The Nine-Step Heavenly Ladder began to tremble slowly. The ancient stone steps gradually expanded, finally becoming nine enormous platforms suspended in the air. Above the summit, a stretch of void slowly unfolded.

That expanse of void was utterly tranquil, like a newborn world evolving in silence. Plants flourished and withered within it. One moment, the leaves were lush green and brimming with life; the next, they wilted into desolation and returned to dust. The cycle repeated endlessly.

At that moment, deep within the hall, Li Ruoyu sensed this phenomenon. He seemed to become one with heaven and earth, his entire being merging into Clumsy Peak.

Ye Fan suddenly opened his eyes. In his mind, he had simultaneously obtained Clumsy Peak's fundamental cultivation method and Nine Secrets: Jie, one of the Nine Secrets.

[Ye Fan uploaded a file: "Nine Secrets: Jie"]

[Ye Fan uploaded a file: "Way of Nature"]

[Jiang Xian: "Ye Fan, you're fast! You've already obtained Nine Secrets: Jie!"]

[Ye Fan: "Hehe, the Yellow Emperor Earth Sovereign Way Fang Han uploaded was so useful. I didn't need the Clumsy Bow at all-I comprehended it directly. That's why it was so fast."]

[Ye Fan: "Everyone can take a look at Nine Secrets: Jie. It should be somewhat useful, since it can trigger a tenfold increase in combat power. As for the Way of Nature after it, you're all into the thrill of fighting, so you probably won't have much use for it."]

[Xiao Yan: "Tenfold combat power? Then I need to study it properly. If my Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus becomes ten times as powerful, won't that be incredible?"]

[Fang Han: "This secret art does look very useful in battle. I feel it has quite a lot of merit."]

[Shi Hao: "I really want to learn this secret art, but after I learn it, what if it activates and I can't control my strength and accidentally smash up a vicious beast?"]