Chapter 44: Jade Pendant Rescues from Great Peril, Return to Reality in an Instant
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At that moment, both Liu Qinghe and Liang Kun awoke with a jolt and sharply looked toward the mountain steps.
Yu Xian’s entire body was stained with blood, his steps staggering, and his face pale.
Yet within his eyes gleamed a brilliance more radiant than ever before!
Three days and three nights.
Thirty-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine steps.
He had finally reached the summit!
“He… this…”
Seeing Yu Xian’s miserable appearance, Liu Qinghe and Liang Kun both clearly noticed.
His body drenched in blood, aura faint, and movements feeble—he seemed severely injured.
Both of them were stunned at first, then exchanged a glance.
In each other’s eyes—they saw murderous intent.
They didn’t know why Yu Xian arrived so late, nor how he ended up in such a state, but now—his cultivation appeared gone, his energy weak.
This was the best time to kill him and seize his Ascension Token!
A sudden wave of heat surged in both their hearts.
“I finally made it.”
Yet Yu Xian didn’t even glance at them.
Instead, he looked at the great palace and softly muttered to himself, exhaling a long breath.
In the next moment—
Whoosh!
Vast spiritual energy, once sealed within his dantian, suddenly erupted throughout his body!
The fatigue in his flesh was swept away, and his aura rapidly surged!
In just a blink, he had recovered to his mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation, radiating powerful pressure!
Liu Qinghe and Liang Kun’s expressions instantly changed.
They jumped to their feet, warily watching Yu Xian, afraid he’d strike them down the next second.
But Yu Xian didn’t even look at them.
Calmly, he cast a Water Technique spell to cleanse himself, changed into fresh clothes, and strode confidently toward the palace entrance.
The two of them quickly stepped aside, still highly alert.
Liu Qinghe forced a smile as he saw Yu Xian examining the palace gate.
“Junior Brother Yu… this palace door is strange. No matter what method we tried, we couldn’t open it. But surely, with your skill, you’ll succeed!”
Liang Kun quickly nodded with a flattering grin.
“Yes, yes! With Brother Yu’s abilities, you’ll certainly be able to open it!”
Yu Xian turned to them and asked, “What methods have you tried?”
Since they had already made their attempts, there was no need for him to repeat them.
Liu Qinghe hurriedly replied,
“I tried brute force at first, then spells… Later, Liang and I tried together—brute force, spells, everything… but it won’t budge. Truly strange.”
Three days they had tried, to no avail.
Yu Xian pondered for a moment, then said,
“Perhaps it’s because not all three of us were present. Now that we’re here, let’s push together.”
“Alright!”
“Great idea!”
Relieved by Yu Xian’s words, the two nodded eagerly.
All three lined up and simultaneously placed their hands on the massive palace gate.
As they pushed, red light beamed down from the Ascension Tokens above their heads.
“Three have reached the summit. The Immortal Palace opens!”
A thunderous voice rang out as the grand gate rumbled and began to open—inch by inch!
Yu Xian calmly retracted his hand.
Liu Qinghe’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, though he dared not be the first to enter.
Liang Kun was equally excited, but with two stronger cultivators nearby, he remained cautious.
The ten-zhang-tall, ten-zhang-wide gate finally swung open.
A violent gust surged out from within, revealing the palace interior to the three.
The Immortal Palace!
In that instant—
Golden-armored Immortal Generals, elegant Immortal Scribes lined both sides, emitting overwhelming auras.
A golden path ran straight through the center, leading to an enormous throne at the end.
Immortal light shimmered, and immortal energy drifted in the air.
Hundreds of immortals—generals, scribes, ministers, servants—instantly knelt, their voices booming like thunder:
“We welcome Immortal Emperor Yu!”
“We welcome Immortal Emperor Yu!!”
A surreal feeling surged in Yu Xian’s heart.
Right now, if he simply walked that golden path and sat on the grand throne—he would become the Immortal Emperor.
He would possess unimaginable power, boundless authority, and supreme reverence.
What a temptation! What a dream!
Yu Xian’s eyes glowed brightly.
He couldn’t help but take step after step toward that majestic throne!
Thud… thud…
His pace quickened.
The voices faded, and all he could hear was his own heartbeat, breath, and footsteps.
His vision narrowed—focused only on the throne.
He felt his cultivation rising with each step:
Foundation Establishment → Golden Core → Nascent Soul → Soul Formation → Void Refinement → Unity → Great Ascension → Immortality!
He would be the Immortal Emperor!
“Xian’er?”
Just as Yu Xian reached the throne, about to sit and accept the worship of all immortals—
A faint, nearly inaudible voice echoed in his mind.
Yu Xian trembled violently!
All that excitement, joy, and longing—vanished in an instant.
At that moment, nothing—no Immortal Emperor status, no supreme power—mattered more than that one voice.
Yu Xian turned abruptly, tears in his eyes.
“Mother!?”
Whoosh!
Everything shattered—
The thousands of immortals vanished like a dream.
The entire illusion collapsed, revealing the true, empty palace.
Yu Xian’s eyes snapped open.
“Mother!?”
Nothing but an empty hall—cold, eerie, and silent.
Liu Qinghe and Liang Kun were both gone.
Yu Xian gasped heavily, sweat pouring down, as if his very soul had only just returned.
He was trembling, as if his three souls and seven spirits were still unsteady.
With shaking hands, he clutched the jade pendant that had always hung over his heart.
He once believed it had lost its power and kept it only as a memento.
But it was his mother’s life-saving talisman.
Though he didn’t know what would’ve happened had he sat on that throne—
The pendant clearly saved his life again.
Gripping it tightly, Yu Xian took a long time to calm himself.
He looked again around the palace.
It was empty. The illusion did not return.
Liu Qinghe and Liang Kun were gone—dead or alive, unknown.
This palace was full of danger—no one could predict what might happen next.
After some thought, Yu Xian turned away from the throne and returned to the stairway.
He wasn’t going into that palace again!
Even standing at its gate nearly cost him his life.
If he had gone in, even the jade pendant might not have saved him.
The palace, like that throne, was full of temptation and mortal peril.
No matter what incredible treasures lay within—he didn’t want them.
He would honestly train, temper his body on the Heavenly Stairway.
That was the real, tangible reward.
Yu Xian began descending the mountain.
He planned to reach the bottom and climb it again—to continue honing his body.
But as he walked down, the glow of the Ascension Token above his head grew dimmer and dimmer.
He didn’t notice.
The 39,999 steps were just as hard going down as up.
Yu Xian still used no spiritual energy—only his physical strength.
He walked for a full day and night.
By dawn the next day—he could finally see the mountain’s base.
But then, Yu Xian suddenly froze!
At the foot of the mountain stood elders from the five great sects—waiting in silence for the return of their disciples!
And in that moment—Yu Xian was struck with confusion, almost panic:
Was he still in the mirror-world Ascension Island?
Had he returned to reality?
His sudden appearance caused all five sect elders to look over in surprise—their eyes lighting up.
This had been the longest Ascension Trial in history—a full three months!
The elders had nearly given up, thinking all disciples had perished.
But Yu Xian—returned.
For a brief second, he was dazed.
Then he came to his senses and quickly looked up.
The Ascension Token above his head was gone.
He circulated his spiritual energy.
His Qi Sea remained. Deep as an emerald pool.
He was still at mid-stage Qi Condensation—just like when he arrived.
No change in cultivation realm.
But—his inferior wood spiritual root had become superior—glowing, crystalline green!
Moreover—his body’s strength had truly increased.
The storage pouches?
They were still with him—peacefully resting in his robes, belt, boots, and sleeves.
The Ascension Trial…
had ended.
So strangely.
So dreamlike.
Like a dream within a dream.
Yu Xian shook his head, wiped the sweat from his brow, and continued walking toward the mountain’s base.
