Continuous destruction and rebirth. Although Liu Bai had not cultivated a powerful body-refining technique like Mu Chen's Thunder God Body from the original story, his physical body had still been elevated to an astonishing level.
Among all the factors that contributed to this transformation, the Heavenly Sovereign's Bone and the Heavenly Sovereign's Blood Essence played an absolutely vital role.
Slowly opening his eyes, Liu Bai examined his current condition.
Although his spiritual cultivation was still at the mid-phase of the Heaven Completion Realm, his body had undergone earth-shaking changes. Perhaps now, he could easily pass through the Human Body Disaster even without the Divine Spiritual Baptism.
Of course, the Divine Spiritual Baptism was still necessary. Its effect was not limited to the physical body alone but also extended to the spiritual energy and the Spirit(Divine Soul).
However, what pleased Liu Bai the most was not just this. The five lightning bolts that had previously slumbered within his Five Elemental Spirit Apertures were now fully awakened. Although he could not yet control them freely, he could at least draw upon their power to a certain degree.
Moreover, Liu Bai could sense that the power of these lightning bolts would give him a tremendous surprise.
"It's time to head for the Baptism Grounds."
After organizing his gains, a satisfied smile appeared on Liu Bai's face. His gaze turned toward the distant horizon.
Although he hadn't accumulated much experience during this expedition in the Divine Spiritual Mountain, his harvest was enormous—far more thrilling than gaining a million experience points. After all, experience could always be earned again, but treasures like the Heavenly Sovereign's Bone and Heavenly Sovereign's Blood Essence were opportunities one might never encounter again.
Meanwhile, deep in the heart of the Divine Spiritual Mountain Range, at its very center.
The place was already flooded with people. Violent spiritual energy soared into the skies as countless figures battled both on the ground and in midair. Waves of spiritual power collided, filling the world with dazzling radiance.
This was the final destination of the Divine Spiritual Mountain, and it was where all the great battles would reach their end.
The various powerful experts from every corner of the Northern Heavens Continent had gathered here. Anyone who wished to stand out from the crowd and earn the right to ascend the Nine Heavenly Steps had to prove their true strength.
Here, only power spoke. Even if one possessed an extraordinary background, facing countless experts driven mad by the allure of the Divine Spiritual Baptism, no one would hold back. If they wanted to kill, they would kill.
Such were the rules of this place. Otherwise, why would that senior from the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy have left his bones buried here in years past?
Countless geniuses and heirs of top sects had proven one thing with their lives—without strength, you could only cower and hide like a turtle.
At the center of the battlefield stood a small mountain peak. Above its summit shone a blinding light, and if one looked closely, they would see a vast staircase formed of clouds.
That was the Nine Heavens Steps.
The ladder had nine levels, each consisting of several stone platforms. The higher one ascended, the fewer platforms there were, with only five or six at the very top.
This was the goal that countless people fought for—the Nine Heavens Steps.
The sole reason everyone fought so fiercely was that only by standing upon this Steps could one receive the Divine Spiritual Baptism.
To set foot on the Nine Heavens Steps, one needed sufficient strength. Countless eyes watched below, and anyone weak who dared take a high position would inevitably be blasted down.
Only true powerhouses were qualified to stand upon the Nine Heavens Steps.
When Liu Bai arrived, what he saw was both chaotic and orderly.
The chaos lay in the battlefield below, while the order came from the Nine Heavens Steps itself.
Many figures already occupied the Steps. From the bottom to the top, their numbers gradually decreased. By the time one reached the third level, only about twenty people remained, and on the second level, there were merely a handful.
As for the very first level, only a single solitary figure stood there.
Seeing this, Liu Bai's eyes narrowed slightly.
That person was undoubtedly Ding Xuan. Below him, seven others occupied the second level—heirs of the most powerful sects mentioned by Zhou Jian earlier.
Liu Bai gave them a glance, then transformed into a streak of light and shot toward the mountain peak. He ignored the ongoing battles around him and began ascending at lightning speed.
"It's someone from the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy!"
As one of the most well-known figures of this expedition, Liu Bai was instantly recognized upon appearing. The people on the lower levels did not even attempt to stop him. They simply watched as he flashed past, too fast to react.
Liu Bai's speed was simply overwhelming. Even those who wanted to intercept him had no time to respond before his figure vanished like a bolt of lightning.
This was one of the greatest benefits of his physical enhancement—his body could now contain far more lightning energy, and lightning itself was the fastest force in existence. It granted him an incredible boost in speed.
Without even using a movement technique, Liu Bai's short-distance bursts already surpassed those using top-tier spiritual arts.
His actions were quickly noticed by those on the upper levels. The seven individuals on the second level watched the rapidly approaching lightning figure, their eyes flickering. Only Mo Xingtian, the puppet-like man among them, remained expressionless.
As for Ding Xuan on the first level, he paid no attention to the events below, his gaze fixed on the terrifying spiritual energy mass above him.
Finally, just as Liu Bai was about to reach the third level, someone could no longer hold back.
"What kind of trash dares to stand on the same level as me? Get down!"
A plump figure's eyes turned sharp as he thrust out his palm toward Liu Bai.
Violent spiritual energy roared forth. Liu Bai frowned slightly but did not counterattack. Instead, twin bolts of lightning shot from his eyes, piercing through the spiritual energy palm and striking the attacker directly.
A muffled sound rang out.
The fat man, whose expression had been full of disdain, had no time to react before his entire body convulsed as lightning surged through him. His body went limp, and he tumbled from the Nine Heavens Steps like a struck bird.
This scene shocked everyone watching.
"Defeated with a single glance? That man was at the Late-phase of the Heaven Completion Realm!"
"Too terrifying!"
"Lightning attribute... That man was careless. Even if he couldn't stop Liu Bai with full power, he wouldn't have been defeated that easily," murmured Xi Qinghai, the heir of the Western Extreme Palace, who also cultivated lightning spiritual energy.
Although he spoke quietly, everyone else on the second level heard him clearly.
Since Xi Qinghai specialized in lightning as well, the others believed his words. Yet even so, the sudden appearance of this genius made them more cautious. Someone who could so easily defeat Jia Bing was not to be underestimated. Perhaps only the one standing on the first level could rival him.
Their gazes simultaneously turned upward.
There, a solitary figure stood quietly, like a drawn blade. The sharp aura surrounding him was so fierce that no one dared stand by his side.
Compared to their shock, some below were actually delighted. The instant Jia Bing, the chubby youth, was knocked down, a quick-witted individual rushed up to the third level and seized the position Jia Bing had just vacated.
His action immediately stirred up chaos again. Several other youths who had also been eyeing that position attacked almost simultaneously, and a storm of violent spiritual energy spread out at once.
However, Liu Bai no longer paid attention to any of that, for he had already reached the second level, standing alongside seven others.
Sweeping his gaze across, Liu Bai met the eyes of each person in turn. Apart from the beautiful and graceful Xia Youran, who smiled and nodded at him, the others chose to look away.
From their eyes, Liu Bai could sense a deep wariness—even Mo Xingtian was no exception.
Outside the Divine Spiritual Mountain, when Liu Bai ascended to the second level, Elder Zhu Tian and Hall Master Mo You both let out a visible sigh of relief, smiles spreading across their faces.
Years ago, the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy's prodigy had perished in defeat on the Nine Heavens Steps, so when they saw Liu Bai recklessly charging toward the upper layers, they had been frightened out of their wits.
Especially when Jia Bing tried to stop him, their hearts nearly sank to the bottom.
After all, Jia Bing was a proud son of heaven from a first-rate force on the Northern Heaven Continent. His strength had already reached the Late-phase of the Heaven Completion Realm, ranking just below the very top among the younger generation.
Moreover, with so many people on the third level, if Liu Bai had truly been delayed by Jia Bing for even a moment, no one could guarantee that others wouldn't have intervened.
Though they believed Liu Bai was stronger than Jia Bing, in a chaotic competition like this, it was usually best to keep a low profile.
Yet Liu Bai's approach was completely contrary to what they had imagined—but the result was even better.
Everyone had been stunned by Liu Bai's astonishing strength, and even those on the second level had chosen to let him be.
Just as Liu Bai was contemplating whether to continue upward, he suddenly noticed someone approaching.
"This junior brother, I am Xia Youran. Congratulations on reaching the Nine Heavens Steps."
Turning his head, Liu Bai saw a flawless, delicate face. Combined with her perfect, curvaceous figure, the woman before him was practically the embodiment of beauty itself.
"Liu Bai greets Miss Xia." Since one should not meet friendliness with hostility and especially not toward such a beautiful woman—Liu Bai's tone was polite.
"Don't call me Miss Xia. I was once a student of the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy too. Judging by your expression, junior brother, could it be that you're one of this year's new students?" Xia Youran said with a bright and open smile.
Feigning surprise, Liu Bai clasped his hands. "I didn't expect Senior Sister Xia to have once cultivated at the Academy. That's quite rare. Yes, I am indeed a new student this year."
"So it's true…" Xia Youran revealed a look of genuine surprise. She had found Liu Bai unfamiliar, and her first guess was that he might be one of the prodigies personally invited by the Dean.
Such direct recruitment was common in many academies. For instance, in the original story, the Dean of the Azure Sky Spiritual Academy had personally invited a Wind Spirit Clan prodigy to join their ranks after the Spiritual Academy Tournament.
As Liu Bai and Xia Youran exchanged smiles and laughter, another person's expression grew dark.
"Tsk tsk, I didn't expect Xia Youran to be so close with that guy from the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy. They seem to be getting along quite well…"
A mocking voice suddenly rang beside Liu Ying's ear, causing his face to turn even gloomier.
The speaker, seemingly oblivious, continued, "Oh right, Liu Ying, I heard that your Umbra Chamber of Commerce has been competing with the Nine-Summer Chamber of Commerce for an alliance. Is it true that they're trying to arrange a marriage between you and Xia Youran?"
That finally pushed Liu Ying past his limit. His eyes turned cold as he glared at the speaker. "Dong Yuan, there's no need for you to speak so sarcastically. It's true that our Umbra Chamber of Commerce intends to form a marriage alliance with the Nine-Summer Chamber of Commerce. Why? Is your Heaven Yuan Chamber of Commerce afraid?"
Liu Ying, the young master of the Umbra Chamber of Commerce; Dong Yuan, the young master of the Heaven Yuan Chamber of Commerce; and Xia Youran, the eldest daughter of the Nine-Summer Chamber of Commerce—three people of similar age, talent, and strength.
Each of their chambers of commerce controlled a vast portion of trade across the Northern Heaven Continent. Their relationships were anything but harmonious, though they maintained an outward façade of peace due to mutual restraint.
After all, merchants prized harmony above all.
However, if the Umbra and Nine-Summer Chambers truly succeeded in forming a marriage alliance, the Heaven Yuan Chamber might indeed face peril.
If those two forces united, they could easily drive the Heaven Yuan Chamber entirely out of the Northern Heaven Continent.
Still, what allowed the Heaven Yuan Chamber to remain calm for now was that such alliances were not so easily realized. For forces of their scale, any decision could bring unpredictable consequences.
Moreover, one could never be certain that the other side wouldn't use the marriage as a cover to devour them from within.
Besides, Xia Youran's personality was as proud as a peacock's, and she clearly had little interest in Liu Ying, so the matter had remained mere talk.
Now that Xia Youran seemed so close to Liu Bai, Dong Yuan naturally seized the chance to provoke Liu Ying.
Of course, if Liu Ying could be goaded into attacking Liu Bai, that would be even better. No matter who won or lost, one of Dong Yuan's competitors for the baptismal energy would be eliminated—a situation that could only benefit him.
...
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