Three words.
Light and airy.
But this plunged the entire Immortal Ladder into a deathly silence.
No one spoke.
Nobody dared to move.
Those cultivators standing on the middle and lower levels of the Immortal Ladder subconsciously took a small step back, as if by taking just a little step back they could get away from the figure sitting at the highest point, looking down on all living beings.
No one present dared to challenge him!
Lin Fan withdrew his gaze, walked back to the highest prayer cushion, and sat down.
He leaned against the edge of the golden futon, crossed one leg, and lazily glanced down at the still dazed figure below.
Let's watch the show!
The Five-Crown King stood at the edge of the second-tier prayer mat, glanced at Lin Fan, then looked down at the cracked longsword in his hand. He then silently put away the broken sword, sat cross-legged on the second-tier prayer mat, and closed his eyes.
He didn't speak.
But his actions have already said it all.
The three prayer cushions in the third tier were also gradually occupied.
A cold and beautiful woman holding a silver spear, her whole body shrouded in holy white light, landed on the third futon like a female war goddess. She glanced around and then closed her eyes to rest.
A phantom shrouded in dark purple flames solidified on the other side of the third futon, its true form concealed, yet its aura was equally terrifying.
A burly man carrying a giant sword, his body still covered in blood, grinned and plopped down on the last prayer mat.
The dust settled on the six prayer cushions.
Lin Fan sat at the highest point, surrounded by Chaos Immortal Qi, like a golden sun, illuminating the entire sky above the Immortal Ladder in a golden hue.
Just as he closed his eyes to comprehend the Immortal Dao principles within the golden futon, a slight commotion suddenly arose below the Immortal Ladder.
A figure was slowly walking up from the bottom of the Immortal Ladder.
He walked slowly, but each step carried a composure and sharpness that came with the passage of time.
He wore a gray-blue robe, his face still young, but his eyes seemed to hold countless cycles of time and sword scars.
Triple Crown King
He stopped at the very bottom of the Immortal Ladder and looked up at the white-clad figure sitting at the very top.
His gaze held no hostility, no fighting spirit, only a complex mix of emotions that had transcended several eras and a burning desire for battle.
Lin Fan.
He spoke, his voice neither loud nor soft, yet clearly reaching everyone's ears. "Back then, in the Sword Forest, I lost to you by half a move."
I told you I would come back to find you!
"Do you still dare to take a blow from my sword today?"
The voice was clear and resonant, echoing in all directions.
At the top of the Immortal Ladder, Lin Fan's lips curled into a slight smile, "Are you sure?"
That's interesting!
He had noticed the emergence of the Triple Crown King long ago, but seeing the Five-Crown King defeated by him, he still dared to challenge him...
"Um."
The Triple Crown King nodded. "Just one sword strike. Not to decide a winner, but to put an end to a regret."
Lin Fan remained silent for a moment, then stood up, walked to the edge of the futon, and looked down at the Triple Crown King: "Alright, draw your sword."
The Triple Crown King raised his hand, his fingertips together, and a sword light burst forth from his fingertips.
There were no fancy phenomena, no overwhelming pressure of laws, only a sword light that was simple and pure to the extreme.
The sword light silently slashed through the void, heading straight for Lin Fan's chest.
It wasn't fast, nor was it forceful, yet it carried an indescribable sense of completeness.
It was as if he had practiced this sword technique for three eras.
Lin Fan looked at the sword light, his gaze shifting slightly. Then he raised his right hand, forming a sword shape with his fingers, and made a gentle slash.
A wisp of chaotic Immortal Qi emanated from his fingertips, meeting the sword light head-on.
The two sword lights collided in the void, illuminating the space. There was no boom, no explosion, only a very faint hum!
Like two leaves brushing against each other in the wind.
Then, the Triple Crown King's sword light shattered.
Like smoke and dust blown away by the wind, it silently dissipated into the air.
Lin Fan withdrew his fingers and stood with his hands behind his back. "Your sword strike is much more refined than it was back then."
The Triple Crown King winner glanced down at his bare fingertips, remained silent for a moment, and then... smiled.
The smile was gentle, yet it carried a sense of serene understanding. "Yes."
"Unfortunately, it was still just a little short."
"Then so be it. The Immortal Stele is not my destiny. What I seek... is simply to witness the moment when this sword is caught on you."
Congratulations, Lin Fan.
He turned and walked down the Immortal Ladder, his figure gradually blurring in the celestial light, eventually disappearing at the entrance of the ancient pass.
Lin Fan stood at the highest point, watching his figure disappear into the light.
He paused for a moment, then sat back down on the futon. Chaos Qi slowly circulated around him. The discussions below the Immortal Ladder continued, but the voices had faded into the distance.
"Holy crap! The Triple Crown King is a ruthless guy who became famous with a single sword strike!"
"Legend has it that he spent an entire era comprehending swordsmanship in a sea of swords! Yet, the Emperor's son shattered his understanding with a single, casual sword strike?"
"A casual sword strike? That was a Immortal Qi!"
" Immortal Qi can overcome all laws... The Triple Crown King's defeat was not unjust."
"To be honest, the Triple Crown King didn't come to compete for the Immortal Stele; he came to settle a matter on his mind with the Emperor's son. What he wanted was for someone to catch his sword strike. Once the Emperor's son caught it, he would be at peace."
"This level... is higher than mine."
"Stop talking, I also feel like I can't even reach their heels."
Lin Fan sat cross-legged on the highest futon, closed his eyes, and felt the Daoist essence contained in the golden immortal light.
At that moment, a system notification sounded in my ear:
[Ding! The ultimate battle mission is complete!]
[The host, with unparalleled power, suppresses his peers' monstrous talents, seizes the highest meditation cushion, and gains the qualification to comprehend the Immortal Stele!]
[Quest Completion Rewards: Immortal Stele Enlightenment Right x1, Villain Points x1,000,000, Hidden Reward x1]
[Hidden rewards are being distributed...]
[Congratulations, host, you have obtained: [ Emperor Pass Ancient Token ] ×1]
[ The Emperor Pass Ancient Token: A mysterious token from the Emperor Pass, rumored to be connected to a lost chapter of history.]
Lin Fan raised an eyebrow and put the dark gold ancient token into his palm.
It feels cool to the touch, and its surface is engraved with a very shallow line, like a variant of some ancient script, or like a sword mark that has been worn away by time.
" The Emperor Pass Ancient Token?"
He examined it from all angles, but didn't sense anything special. He just thought it felt nice to the touch, so he casually hung it on his waist.
Then, he glanced at the eight million Villain Points again, and a smile crept onto his lips.
This ultimate battle not only granted me the right to comprehend the Immortal Stele, but also netted me a bunch of Villain Points and a token that seemed to have some interesting origins.
"A huge profit."
He murmured something, then closed his eyes again, feeling the ethereal light slowly swirling on the golden futon.
The entrance to the Immortal Stele is located deep within this futon.
He could sense that an extremely ancient door was slowly opening deep within his consciousness.