Chapter 43: The Immortal Ascension Order Appears at Qi Mountain – Climbing to the Heavens Step by Step
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/
High in the sky, the twelfth-grade Immortal Ascension Order suddenly surged forward at terrifying speed!
The two disciples of the Feather Transformation Sect, who each held a fourth-grade Immortal Ascension Order above their heads, changed expressions dramatically. They fled with all their might.
They had never imagined that Yu Xian wouldn’t fully focus on chasing them down!
With his cultivation at the peak of the Foundation Establishment early stage, Yu Xian could already fly with his sword—and at astonishing speed!
Before the two could escape, he had already spotted the two fourth-grade orders from afar.
And the moment he saw them—he locked on.
They could no longer escape.
A cold glint flashed across Yu Xian’s eyes. Sword Qi roared as it tore through the air like thunder, rushing toward the two.
The two Feather Transformation Sect disciples fled in desperation. Though empowered by the fourth-grade Immortal Ascension Orders, and their cultivation had grown significantly, they were still only at the peak of the Qi Condensation Realm.
Even though they were much stronger than before, how could they compare to Yu Xian, a Foundation Establishment cultivator?
One of them shouted, “Senior Brother! We have to split up! If we keep both our orders together, we’ll be too obvious—he’ll catch us for sure!”
The other’s expression changed rapidly. A moment later, he shouted back, “Junior Brother! If we split, one of us is guaranteed to die! But if we stay together, even if he catches up, we might stand a chance! Do you understand!?”
The junior brother frowned. What the senior brother said made sense…
But could they really withstand someone empowered by a twelfth-grade Immortal Ascension Order?
Against a Foundation Establishment cultivator?
What a joke. The only choice was to run!
Still hesitating, the junior brother suddenly looked solemn and said, “You’re right, Senior Brother! Together we live, divided we die!”
The senior brother looked relieved and nodded. “It’s good that you understand. Together, we—AH!?”
Before he could finish, the senior brother cried out in pain, his speed plummeting.
A sharp dagger had pierced his thigh!
“Together my ass! You’re staying behind to die for me!”
With a cold snort, the junior brother—named Liang Kun—fled to the side at full speed.
“Liang Kun! You bastard! You’ll die horribly!!”
The dagger was a second-tier magical weapon, and it had been laced with deadly poison!
The venom quickly spread toward the heart meridian, rapidly draining his spiritual power and crippling his speed.
He let out a furious and pained scream, swallowing pills in a desperate attempt to catch up.
But what’s lost cannot be regained.
He had no hope of catching up to Liang Kun, who already had a similar cultivation level to him.
“Hahaha! Sun Mu! Once you’re dead, there’ll only be ten left on the island! Why would I be the one to die!? Hahahaha!”
Without even turning back, Liang Kun’s delighted laughter echoed behind him as he vanished into the distance.
Meanwhile, the overwhelming twelfth-grade Immortal Ascension Order caught up to Sun Mu.
“AAHH! DAMN YOU!!”
Sun Mu shrieked, eyes bulging with rage.
Back at the sect, he and Liang Kun had been close friends for over ten years. He had always thought Liang Kun was his best brother.
But now, faced with life and death, that one backstab had destroyed all hope of survival!
Sword Qi howled. Yu Xian arrived, expressionless.
He had heard every word of their conversation.
It wasn’t surprising. Betrayal was to be expected.
If one sought alliances, one should be ready to be betrayed.
In the cultivation world—who is a good person?
…Except his master.
“Hahahaha! Hahaha…”
Sun Mu, now desperate, let out a crazed laugh as he turned to face the incoming Yu Xian.
“I won’t resist! But you must promise me—kill that bastard Liang Kun!”
Sword Qi surged. The Bi-Ling Sword sliced cleanly across Sun Mu’s neck without hesitation and returned to float at Yu Xian’s side. The blade wasn’t even stained with blood.
With a wave of his hand, Yu Xian collected the four storage pouches and several second-tier magic weapons from Sun Mu’s body.
Only then did Sun Mu’s head slowly fall, blood spurting skyward.
“You… aren’t qualified… to bargain with me.”
With a soft murmur, Yu Xian turned and walked away.
BOOM—
The fourth-grade Immortal Ascension Orders merged into Yu Xian’s twelfth-grade one, erupting in a bloody light that stretched ten thousand meters high—now a seventeenth-grade Immortal Ascension Order!
“The ten Immortal Ascension candidates have been chosen. The battle for the Immortal Orders has ended.”
With this final merge, a thunderous voice echoed from the heavens once more.
All those still fleeing or chasing sighed in overwhelming relief.
They were safe. They had survived!
But the restrictions around the island hadn’t dissipated.
Yu Xian looked at the lightning-wreathed barrier and frowned.
It seemed… this restriction still had another purpose?
“Ten Immortal Ascension candidates—begin climbing the Heaven-Reaching Staircase. The top three shall live. The rest—die.”
Just as everyone was breathing easy, a new voice boomed from the sky.
At the same time, the central mountain began to tremble, revealing its true form—a massive staircase stretching into the clouds.
Wasn’t this the very mountain they had first climbed upon entering the island?
“No wonder I couldn’t find it before…”
Yu Xian’s eyes gleamed as he took a step toward it.
The Heaven-Reaching Staircase was known to temper the body. Climbing it brought countless benefits!
But this time, it was cruelly competitive.
Only three out of ten would survive.
To win a top-three spot, one would need to fly with all their might—or be the last to arrive and surely die.
Yu Xian considered for a moment, eyes narrowing.
Actually, there was a simple solution—
Kill everyone else.
If only two others remained, he could take his time climbing the stairs.
Climbing for survival—what a desperate game.
The remaining nine rushed toward the staircase with all their strength.
But how could they compare to Yu Xian?
Boosted by the seventeenth-grade Immortal Ascension Order, he had reached mid-stage Foundation Establishment.
Riding his Bi-Ling Sword, he soared ahead effortlessly, arriving first at the base of the mountain.
A ten-meter-wide staircase stretched up into the sky, seemingly endless.
Yes, it was the same one.
Yu Xian nodded and stood quietly at the base.
Soon, the tenth-grade Immortal Ascension Order holder, Liu Qinghe, arrived second.
Seeing Yu Xian standing at the staircase like a gatekeeper, Liu Qinghe grew anxious.
With a single glance, he realized what Yu Xian was planning—
To block the path and let no one else ascend!
So ruthless!
Seeing others arriving, Liu Qinghe couldn’t help but force a smile, shouting, “Junior Brother Yu! Why aren’t you climbing?”
From five hundred meters away, he wasn’t afraid. If Yu Xian attacked, he could flee.
Yu Xian responded with a faint smile, “Don’t worry, Senior Brother. You and I are from the same sect. One of the three spots is yours. Please—go on.”
And he really stepped aside.
Liu Qinghe froze.
Was this real… or a trap?
“You don’t trust me?” Yu Xian chuckled.
“If you don’t, then don’t blame me for not letting you pass.”
“…I trust you.”
Liu Qinghe nodded and, after a moment’s hesitation, carefully walked past Yu Xian and rushed up the stairs.
He vanished quickly up the steps.
Yu Xian smiled faintly and turned to the rest.
They had all arrived but were keeping their distance, not daring to approach.
Yu Xian pointed. “You—Liang Kun, right?”
Liang Kun flinched. “Yes, that’s me! What—are you trying to stop me too? You think you alone can block all of us!? Only three live! If you block our way, we’ll kill you even if we die!”
“You can go.”
That calm voice cut through Liang Kun’s speech.
He hesitated… then ran up the stairs as fast as he could.
The others panicked.
If Liang Kun could pass, they had to act now—or be left to die!
“Let me through!”
“Who made you judge!?”
“Everyone attack!!”
Seven people charged at once.
Yu Xian’s expression remained calm. The Bi-Ling Sword spun around him, Sword Qi hissing ominously.
Liang Kun’s heart pounded as he ran past Yu Xian.
“This kindness—I won’t forget it!!” he shouted, scrambling up the steps.
Yu Xian stepped back to the center of the stair entrance.
The others screamed and attacked.
They had no choice—they had to kill him or die trying.
Clang!
One sword cry silenced all spell chants and battle cries.
BOOM—
Moments later, a thirty-first-grade Immortal Ascension Order stood blazing in the sky.
On the stairs above, Liu Qinghe and Liang Kun, racing upward with all their strength, looked up and paled.
A thirty-first-grade Order!?
That meant he had absorbed seven more…
He must now be impossibly powerful.
He’d catch up easily and crush them like insects.
Now, their only hope was to outrun death—to reach the peak before he caught up.
Below, Yu Xian calmly stored his sword and gathered fourteen new storage pouches.
Then he turned to the towering staircase.
Heaven-Reaching Staircase… should be climbed step by step.
Not flown. Not skipped.
Step by step—to the heavens.
Smiling, Yu Xian set foot on the stairs, using only his body strength.
He climbed 1,800 steps in one go!
Sweat and blood soaked his body, red-tinged impurities leaking from his pores.
The pain twisted his face, but joy flickered in his eyes.
This… this was a body tempering like no other!
With each step, his blood, bones, and meridians were purified.
He climbed another 1,200 steps to reach 3,000.
Still… not even one-tenth of the way.
What insane willpower was needed to reach the top?
Looking up into the endless sky, Yu Xian exhaled, lifted his trembling leg, and took another step.
One more…
And one more…
Half a day passed.
Liu Qinghe, burning eight mid-grade spirit stones, finally reached the summit.
There stood a majestic palace hidden from view below.
He rushed to push the giant doors open—but couldn’t budge them.
No matter what technique or spell he used, it was like trying to shake a mountain.
An hour later, Liang Kun arrived, breathless.
The two eyed each other warily.
Though Liu Qinghe could have easily killed him, the looming threat of Yu Xian made him reconsider.
So they talked… and formed an alliance.
Together, they tried to open the palace doors.
If they could get inside before Yu Xian arrived, they might just survive.
But they hadn’t expected—
Three whole days passed.
And Yu Xian still didn’t come.
Had he left?
But no—the Immortal Ascension Order was still active.
Only at dawn on the fourth day, amidst thick mountain fog, as the two meditated at the palace doors…
A lone figure, battered and staggering, broke through the mist.
Step by step—Yu Xian had arrived.
