Infinite transcendence began with Covering the Sky.

Chapter 5 Confidence or arrogance? A test will tell.

Boundless clouds and mist swirl for thousands of miles, and green willows sway in the breeze, making this floating fairy mountain look like a fairyland.

Once you delve deeper inside, you can feel that even the essence of heaven and earth is more concentrated than in the outside world, which is truly amazing.

Deep in the mountains, behind the endless rows of magnificent palaces, a mountain path leads directly to the peak inscribed with the words "Yaoguang".

As you climb to the mountainside, several pavilions stand prominently, among which a Yao Guang monk is lingering, seemingly enjoying the scenery.

Not far away, a white jade staircase leads straight to the summit. Its surface is so smooth that it reflects one's image. Several cultivators are sitting cross-legged on the staircase with their eyes closed.

Zhao Youshu, along with several rogue cultivators who had come to seek apprenticeship, had already ascended to the mountain pavilion, arousing great curiosity among the Yao Guang disciples.

Some people looked at the group of people who had come with Zhao Youshu, their expressions somewhat puzzled, and they had already guessed what it was about.

Then someone spoke up: "Senior Brother Zhao, do these people also want to ascend to the Enlightenment Stage?"

“That’s right.” Zhao Youshu nodded upon hearing this, and continued, “This is the seventh batch this month. Let them give it a try, so they can give up.”

The Ninefold Enlightenment Steps were originally left by a great figure from the Yao Guang Sect, both to prevent cultivators from reaching the summit and to temper disciples.

Although its purpose has been changed, it is still not something that ordinary people can pass through; even disciples of the Yao Guang sect may not be able to get through it.

Neither Zhao Youshu nor the Yaoguang disciples who remained in the mountains believed that the few rogue cultivators were capable; they were all useless mediocre talents below the Enlightenment stage.

"This is a bit troublesome!" Upon hearing this, the expressions of the people who had come with Zhao Youshu varied. Several of the teenagers showed solemn expressions, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Qi Zhe, however, remained calm, looking thoughtfully at the enlightenment stone steps, and couldn't help but wonder, "Do all sects in the Eastern Wilderness have this kind of trial?"

As far as Qi Zhe knew, there was also a stone staircase on the peak of the Tai Xuan Sect, a major sect in the Southern Region, which was quite similar to the one in front of him.

However, he was not afraid. It was just a stone step; he didn't believe it could stop him.

A moment later, Zhao Youshu turned around and glanced at the group of teenagers. After observing their reactions, he revealed an expression of surprise.

Then Zhao Youshu casually asked, "Who wants to go first?"

Upon hearing this, the teenagers exchanged glances, looking around cautiously, none daring to be the first to step forward, each hoping someone would scout ahead.

Upon seeing this, the disciples of Yaoguang couldn't help but laugh, and eventually even mocked him.

"Hahaha, they're all mediocre talents, just as I expected!" Someone in the pavilion laughed loudly, pointing at the group of teenagers with a contemptuous expression.

Then someone chimed in, "What Senior Brother Li said is true. If this wandering cultivator in the mountains were a genius, he would have been taken in as a disciple by a master long ago. Why would he need to become a disciple halfway through his life?"

The mockery from the Yao Guang disciples made the faces of the teenagers flush red, but they dared not retaliate directly and could only stand there with their fists clenched.

The atmosphere at the scene was extremely strange. Zhao Youshu glanced around and saw Qi Zhe's calm expression. He was surprised and astonished that Qi Zhe was so composed.

He then said directly, "I can tell you're very confident, so why don't you give it a try!"

Qi Zhe instantly became the focus of attention in the mountains, with more than a dozen pairs of eyes turning to him. Several disciples of Yao Guang also noticed Qi Zhe's composure and couldn't help but show strange expressions.

"He certainly has a good appearance, but I'm afraid this composure is just a facade; he'll show his weakness once he steps onto the stone steps!" Someone in the pavilion scoffed, thinking the young man before him was no different from the others around him.

"Indeed, there have been precedents for this. Some people were full of confidence, but collapsed after taking only two steps up the Enlightenment Stage!"

"Seemingly confident, but actually arrogant. Young people should know that the most valuable quality is self-awareness!" Ignoring the ridicule, Qi Zhe gazed at the white jade steps and nodded, saying, "Confidence or arrogance, you'll know once you climb up."

Qi Zhe then strode towards the stone steps, causing a group of Yao Guang disciples to roll their eyes, preparing to ridicule him later.

The white jade-like enlightenment stone steps have nine levels, each with nine steps, totaling eighty-one steps to climb. In the Yao Guang Holy Land, those who can reach the top are all exceptional geniuses.

Even the Holy Lords of Yao Guang throughout the ages only ascended to the fifth level when they first entered the sect. Only a few could ascend to the sixth level, and those who could ascend to the seventh level were extremely rare.

Most cultivators cannot even climb half of the stone steps. As a result, climbing one stone step is enough to enter the Yao Guang Cultivation Hall, and climbing two stone steps allows one to find an elder to become a master within the Yao Guang.

"Da da da"

With crisp footsteps, Qi Zhe shook off the dust and stepped onto the nine-tiered white jade steps, clearly sensing their special nature.

"Something's strange!" Qi Zhe sensed the unusual sensations around him and noticed that his blood and qi were beginning to surge slightly.

However, this anomaly was still somewhat minor and did not really shake him, nor could it even be considered an obstacle.

Without hesitation, Qi Zhe strode forward and climbed the steps, leaving a line of shallow footprints on the snow-white stone steps.

The disciples of Yaoguang behind him were shocked to see this. They thought Qi Zhe would collapse after taking only a few steps, but unexpectedly he actually climbed the steps and was about to cross the first stone step.

Someone exclaimed in surprise, "How is that possible? I only went through one level when I entered the sect. Could it be that he is the same as me?"

The disciples of Yao Guang on the mountainside were of average talent; otherwise, they wouldn't have been cultivating on the outskirts of the Yao Guang Holy Land. Seeing Qi Zhe's performance today, they were quite skeptical.

"These enlightenment stone steps are nothing special. It seems we can also enter the Yao Guang Holy Land!"

The teenagers who had followed from the mountainside were thrilled by Qi Zhe's performance and inexplicably felt that they could do it too, and that the Enlightenment Stone Steps would definitely not be difficult for them.

Looking at Qi Zhe's steady steps, Zhao Youshu felt a sense of unease, knowing that Qi Zhe's behavior didn't seem like he would stop at the first step.

"It doesn't seem too difficult? Could it be that it gets harder as you go up?"

Qi Zhe looked at the nine stone steps he had stepped on and felt that there should be more than that. He then stepped onto the second set of stone steps.

As Qi Zhe stepped onto the stone steps, the strange power flowing through them caused his blood and qi to surge even more violently, far surpassing what the first step could achieve.

"Although it's even worse, this level is nothing to me!" Qi Zhe muttered to himself, then looked up at the mountain peak, wondering if he needed to climb to the top to enter the gate.

As Qi Zhe made his move, the disciples of Yao Guang in the pavilion halfway up the mountain all showed expressions of surprise, and some murmured:
"He actually reached the second level without falling. Could it be that his talent surpasses ours?"

Although the first set of stone steps was difficult, it was on a completely different level compared to the second set. Every time they stepped on it, they felt dizzy and their blood surged, making it impossible for them to stand. Qi Zhe's performance had truly surprised them.

At that moment, several cultivators sitting cross-legged on the second stone step opened their eyes in response, their faces showing surprise as they looked at Qi Zhe, whose body had not swayed at all, and they couldn't help but exclaim:
"That's not bad, perhaps he could become a disciple of my Yao Guang Sect."

But Qi Zhe did not stop there. He began to step onto the second step of the second level, intending to walk step by step to the end.

"Buzz."

At this moment, the stone steps to enlightenment emitted a buzzing sound, and strange colors began to flow on them.

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(End of this chapter)