Just luck?

At the sound of that voice, Yun Nianshan froze and instinctively raised her head.

Who else could that voice belong to but Lin Yu?

At that moment, Yun Nianshan was very close to Lin Yu.

She could even feel his breath.

But why did he look so relaxed?

Yun Nianshan was utterly dumbfounded.

Because she finally realized that Lin Yu was standing almost exactly where she was.

That meant it should have been impossible for Lin Yu not to feel the pressure weighing on her!

So Lin Yu had not cheated. He truly possessed the strength to ascend the Heaven Rank Sacred Stairway!

It seemed she really had wronged him!

At that thought, shame immediately appeared on Yun Nianshan's face, and a blush rose across her pretty cheeks.

Those things I said earlier... we were so far apart. He probably didn't hear them, right...?

Yun Nianshan was flustered. She had been so certain of her judgment before, and only now did she realize how outrageously wrong she had been!

"Do you need any help?"

The gentle voice rang out again.

That voice, which had sounded so irritating to Yun Nianshan before,

now made her heart pound.

"N-no... I'll do it myself..."

There was a hint of panic in Yun Nianshan's voice. She had already reached her limit.

Lin Yu nodded at her answer.

But in the next second.

Yun Nianshan suddenly let out a startled cry!

She was trying to slowly retreat from the sacred stairway.

But her spiritual power was almost exhausted, and she truly could not hold on any longer!

In her momentary panic, the sacred stairway's pressure actually squeezed her out, and her whole body began to topple backward!

Yet at that critical instant, Yun Nianshan felt a gentle force supporting her from behind.

At the same time, a gentle stream of spiritual power flowed into her body.

Though there was little of it, and it was not powerful, it seemed exceptionally pure!

With the help of that spiritual power, Yun Nianshan finally managed to steady herself.

But by then, she had already fallen clear of the sacred stairway!

With her spiritual power so weak, she could no longer keep herself in the air.

She was about to plummet!

"Ah..."

Just then, a soft sigh suddenly rang out.

Then, to everyone's surprise, they saw it.

A streak of light enveloped Yun Nianshan's body, which had been about to plummet, and slowly lowered her to the ground.

A middle-aged figure also appeared beside Yun Nianshan.

"The sect master has stepped in!"

A disciple shouted excitedly. That middle-aged man was none other than the Qianyuan Sect's sect master, Yun Tianci!

A supreme expert of the Spirit Transformation Realm!

"Greetings, Sect Master!"

Many disciples excitedly greeted Yun Tianci.

Their sect master was like a divine dragon whose head appeared but whose tail remained unseen. They rarely saw him more than a few times a year!

They had never expected today's events to draw even him out!

"Shan'er, are you all right?"

Yun Tianci looked at his daughter beside him and asked with some concern.

Earlier, when Yun Nianshan had suddenly headed for the Heaven Rank Sacred Stairway, he had wanted to stop her, but it had already been too late.

Yet he had not dared act rashly then, because Lin Yu was still on the sacred stairway!

Others might not know Lin Yu's true strength, but Yun Tianci knew it very well.

Even with his Spirit Transformation Realm cultivation, he could not fathom Lin Yu's depths!

Lin Yu's true strength was at least that of a supreme expert of the Body Integration Realm!

If he had acted rashly earlier and displeased Lin Yu, the consequences would have been serious!

But now, with his daughter in danger, Yun Tianci could no longer concern himself with so much in his urgency!

Fortunately, judging by Lin Yu's earlier reaction, there probably was not much of a problem.

"Father, I... I'm fine."

By then, Yun Nianshan had finally caught her breath and spoke in exhaustion.

Earlier, if that gentle force had not supported her when her strength gave out, she probably would have at least been injured, even with Yun Tianci coming to her rescue.

But that gentle force did not seem to belong to her father, Yun Tianci...

Could it have been him...?

"Father, I'm sorry. This time... I was wrong..."

Yun Nianshan lightly bit her red lip with her pearly teeth. She knew she had indeed acted impulsively this time.

Not only had she caused so much trouble, but she had also put herself in danger...

Thinking of how she had doubted Lin Yu and Xiaobai, and even her own father, Yun Nianshan could not help feeling her cheeks grow hot.

At the same time.

Lin Yu also leaped down from the Heaven Rank Sacred Stairway.

"Senior Sister Nianshan, how did your investigation go?"

"Yes, Senior Sister Nianshan, we're still waiting for you to announce the results!"

Seeing that both had finally landed safely, the watching disciples urged her on.

"I was wrong this time..."

Yun Nianshan took a deep breath, her tone clearly apologetic.

"Everyone, there is nothing wrong with the pressure on the Heaven Rank Sacred Stairway!"

"Junior Brother Lin Yu's and Junior Sister Xiaobai's trial results are both genuine!"

"I'm sorry, everyone. I've caused you all trouble!"

Hearing Yun Nianshan's answer, the disciples immediately cheered!

After addressing the disciples, Yun Nianshan turned to Lin Yu, her pretty face slightly flushed and her beautiful eyes lowered.

"Junior Brother Lin Yu..."

"Earlier... I wrongly accused you both. I'm truly, truly sorry..."

As she spoke, Yun Nianshan barely dared meet Lin Yu's eyes, her cheeks growing slightly hot.

Even her words came out somewhat incoherently.

Because she understood just how serious it had been to question Lin Yu over something like this!

And now, it was clear that she had wrongly accused him!

There was no pressure on the sacred stairway?

She herself had nearly been crushed breathless by that pressure just now!

At that moment, even if Lin Yu flew into a rage on the spot, she was prepared to bear it in silence.

Acknowledging her mistake and correcting it was the only thing she could do now.

"It was just luck." Lin Yu shook his head with a faint smile.

At Lin Yu's words, Yun Nianshan froze for a moment.

The scene she had imagined, of Lin Yu getting angry over this, did not seem to have materialized.

But to reach the highest step of the Heaven Rank Sacred Stairway and still call it luck...

Wasn't this guy making it sound far too easy?

That Heaven Rank Sacred Stairway had put her through quite an ordeal just now!

Still, he really was impressive...

For the first time, Yun Nianshan looked at Lin Yu carefully.

He was not particularly tall or imposing, but he stood very straight.

His face was also refined and handsome.

They were not far apart, and Yun Nianshan could even smell his scent.

"Shan'er, what are you thinking about?"

Yun Tianci's voice suddenly sounded beside Yun Nianshan's ear.

"N-nothing..."

Yun Nianshan answered in some alarm, a faint blush quietly rising across her pretty face.