Chaotic Times and Disasters: I Hunt Down Martial Arts Masters and Become a God

After crossing the snow-capped mountains, the group arrived at a wide-open plain.

The scene before us is a completely different world from the snow-capped mountains. Behind us are snow-covered, barren ice peaks, while in front of us is a lush green plain with wildflowers swaying in the wind and streams meandering down the mountainside.

An Sheng stood on the boundary between the snow-capped mountains and the grassland, looked back at the vast white world of ice and snow behind him, and then looked at the lush green grassland in front of him, his face full of confusion.

"Next to the desert are snow-capped mountains, and next to the snow-capped mountains are grasslands. What was this Qingming Hermit thinking when he painted this hidden realm?"

"The realm of the second grade in painting cannot be understood using common sense."

Ling Yuxi bent down, picked a blade of grass, and smelled it.

"The grass is real, the soil is real, the wind is real, but it's all painted."

At the horizon, amidst swirling clouds and mist, a majestic mountain rises abruptly from the ground.

The mountain peak was not cone-shaped, nor camel-hump, but a huge stone pillar, thrusting straight up into the earth, like a giant sword piercing out of the ground.

The area above the mountainside is shrouded in clouds and mist, through which the outlines of palaces and pavilions can be faintly seen. Golden glazed tiles appear and disappear through the gaps in the clouds, as if floating on a sea of ​​clouds.

Ling Yuxi looked up at the faintly visible eaves of the palace, her voice filled with barely concealed excitement.

"That is the core of the secret realm—the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top, where the Qingming Hermit passed away. Our final destination in the secret realm is there. I never thought we would actually find it."

"Rush!"

Fu Qing called out and strode forward, with the others following.

After walking for another hour, we arrived at the foot of the mountain.

At the foot of the mountain stands a stone gate, above which are carved two ancient characters: "Heavenly Steps".

Behind the door is a straight stone staircase, each step neatly arranged and over a foot high, stretching from the foot of the mountain all the way to the horizon, piercing through the clouds and leading directly to the heavenly palace at the summit.

Fu Qing stopped in front of the stone gate, took a deep breath, and then stepped through the gate with his left foot.

An invisible pressure pressed down from all directions; it wasn't gravity, but rather the lingering aura of that powerful being on the stone steps—

His insights, battles, and breakthroughs during his lifetime have all become tangible pressures attached to every stone step, and climbers must bear the weight of these insights.

The higher you go, the deeper your understanding becomes, and the greater the pressure becomes.

The group began to climb the ten thousand stone steps. Most people could manage the first two or three thousand steps.

As Yu Fu climbed, he took chestnuts out of his bundle and ate them, muttering to himself.

"It's not much different from climbing the Jingjing city wall, what's so difficult about it?"

An Sheng strode forward carrying his silver spear, while Xiahou Jun wielded his double maces as if walking on flat ground.

When they reached the fourth thousand steps, Yu Fu stopped talking. The chestnuts in his hand fell onto the stone steps and rolled down. He didn't even have the strength to pick them up.

When they reached the fifth thousand steps, An Sheng changed from carrying his silver spear on his shoulder to using it as a crutch in his hand.

When they reached the six thousandth step, Yu Fu plopped down on the stone steps, leaning against them and panting like a bellows, his round face trembling.

"Brother Fu, I really can't walk anymore. You guys go first, I'll rest for a while before chasing after them."

"Didn't you say it was similar to climbing the Jingjing city wall?"

"I take back what I said. How tall is the Jingjing city wall? This thing is climbing towards the sky! I can't do it, I really can't!"

Yu Fu rolled over and lay face down on the stone steps. "You guys go first, I'll climb slowly, I'll climb as far as I can."

Fu Qing patted his shoulder and continued upwards.

When she reached the seven thousandth step, Su Xue could no longer hold on. Leaning against the stone steps, she closed her eyes to regulate her breathing, her face pale.

"My medicinal energy has been exhausted. If I go any further, my meridians will be damaged. You go first, I will wait for you to come back here."

Su Wen paused as she passed by, placing the last bottle of restorative medicine from her medicine box into Su Xue's hand.

Su Xue took the medicine bottle, looked up at her, and smiled.

"Junior Sister, you should continue with General Fu. Tell me about any good things you see up there later."

Suwen nodded and turned to follow the group.

When he reached the 8,000th step, Song Zhiwen sat cross-legged with bamboo slips spread out on his lap, activating the Confucian and Taoist mental techniques to resist the pressure of the mental state.

His forehead was covered in sweat, but his voice remained steady.

"General Fu, my righteous energy can only last this far. Any higher and the pressure of this realm will damage my sea of ​​consciousness. You continue, I will wait here for your triumphant return."

As Ling Yuxi walked past him, she gently patted Song Zhiwen on the shoulder. Song Zhiwen nodded, closed his eyes, and continued chanting.

As Ling Yuxi reached the nine thousand steps, her pace slowed down, each step feeling like she was wading through mud, and her calves trembled slightly when she lifted her feet.

He finally stopped, bracing himself on his knees and panting heavily.

"General Fu, I... I can't go on either. These ten thousand stone steps are a trial left by Qingming Jushi for future generations. How far you can go depends on your own ability. You go first, don't wait for me. We'll get back the face of the royal family later. I really can't go on now."

Fu Qing glanced back at him, and Ling Yuxi waved her hand, signaling him to hurry up and leave.

Yunnan Zhihe Suwen reached its limit at more than 8,000 steps and nearly 9,000 steps respectively.

Although the swelling in Yunnan's foot had subsided, the injured area began to ache under pressure, making each step feel like stepping on needles.

She gritted her teeth and, holding onto the stone railing at the edge of the steps, slowly moved up, her forehead covered in cold sweat.

When she reached the 9,000th step, her legs gave way and she fell forward. Fu Qing grabbed her arm.

She looked up at Fu Qing and smiled slightly, "It's okay, I can continue after resting for a while."

Fu Qing did not let go.

Suwen collapsed onto the stone steps at the 9,300th step. She was usually not talkative, and at this moment she didn't want to say a single word, because she knew that every word she spoke would consume her strength, and all her strength had to be used to fight against the power of the intent pressing on her shoulders.

She forced herself to walk a few hundred more steps, but finally couldn't hold on any longer. She knelt down and braced herself on the stone steps to avoid falling.

Fu Qing turned around a few steps ahead of her, bent down and grabbed her wrist.

Seeing that neither of them had any chance, Fu Qing hung the Cold Iron Blade on his waist without saying a word, pulled up Yunnan Zhi with his left hand and Su Wen with his right hand, and put their arms on his shoulders.

He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and took a step forward.

The stone steps beneath his feet exerted a pressure several times greater than before; he was bearing the combined force of three people's intents.

The memories of Qingming Jushi's struggles, his breakthroughs, and his reflections on life and death weighed on his shoulders like a small mountain.

With each step they ascended, the pressure of the stone steps beneath their feet felt like an invisible hand pulling them down, but Fu Qing gritted his teeth and moved upward step by step.

His footsteps left a shallow damp mark on the stone steps, a mixture of his sweat and blood from the previous battle.

Yunnan leaned on his left shoulder, feeling the muscles in his shoulder taut as hard as stone, and feeling the veins throbbing.

Suwen spoke softly from his right.

"I came up here to gather herbs, not to owe you a favor. Don't flatter yourself; I won't repay your favor."

Fu Qing, panting heavily, gritted her teeth and said, "Don't...don't worry, I don't need your...your favor, just...heal me!"

Yunnan glanced at Su Wen through Fu Qing's chest.

Su Wen glanced back at Fu Qing expressionlessly through his chest.

The two stared at each other across his chest for several breaths.

Fu Qing could feel the subtle and delicate atmosphere created when the gazes from his left and right met on his chest.

Then the two of them turned their heads at the same time, one looking at the mountain wall on the left and the other looking at the cliff on the right.

Every few hundred steps on either side of the stone steps stood a stone statue. When Fu Qing dragged the two of them to the nine thousand five hundredth step, the two stone statues closest to the steps suddenly came to life.