Chapter 1168: Commotion in the Sacred Academy
Translator: Lordbluefire Editor: Lordbluefire
Gu Xiao was at the 76th step. As his foot landed, a million sword hums filled the air as the bell chimes reverberated intensely. As long as Gu Xiao is willing to, he was able to allow the bell chimes to drift indefinitely far.
And as for Qin Wentian now, he was only at the 64th step.
Although there was only a difference of 12 steps, everyone in this sacred academy knew that for the last few stretches of footprints in the Stonebell Rampart, wanting to move forward to the next step was akin to ascending the stairway to the heavens. Incomparably difficult and dangerous.
Qin Wentian stood there, and when he saw Gu Xiao's domineering manner in taking one more step in response to him, a smile appeared on his face. He exuded a carefree manner and seemed to calmly stand in the midst of the violent storm, allowing the boundless energy to smash into his body, rushing into his bones, sinews and blood. Despite the mounting pressure, Qin Wentian stood with his arms clasped behind his back, exuding grace and charm.
Just like what he has said. Regardless of Ying Teng or Gu Xiao, he didn't need to compare himself with either of them. His purpose here was to seek out Qing`er but since people like Ying Teng wanted to initiate a provocation against him, he naturally wouldn't mind to give such characters a good lesson.
As an innate sword king of the Paragon Sword Sect, Gu Xiao was evidently many times more outstanding compared to Ying Teng.
But so what? Even if Gu Xiao wanted to challenge him, he would just accept it.
"Is 76 steps very awesome?" Qin Wentian seemed to be mumbling to himself. As the sound of his voice faded, everyone immediately turned to him with shocked gazes. Was 76 steps very awesome?
Of course it was awesome, it was more than awesome. In front of the Stonebell Rampart, those who could exceed the 'eight upon nine' level of 72 steps was already extremely scarce, one in a hundred. Every step after that was as tough as ascending to the heavens. For someone to achieve 76 steps, this person definitely wouldn't be just a regular expert.
Qin Wentian's words were simply ridiculous.
"This fellow daring to provoke Gu Xiao, yet he have no idea how terrifying the 76th step is."
"Right now he is at the 64th step. This difference of 12 steps is sufficient to cause him to die several times." Everyone didn't mince words and spoke directly. They have all attempted before and knew how fearsome the Stonebell Rampart could be.
However while they were discussing, Qin Wentian already stepped forward, moving to the 65th step. His entire body glowed with immortal light. The terrifying pressure slammed into Qin Wentian causing his bones and sinews to grumble while his blood churned wildly. The immortal might radiating from him grew stronger and stronger.
"He steadied his step." The eyes of everyone flashed. However, even before they could recover from their shock, Qin Wentian once again already took the next step, moving on to the 66th footprint. A seven-colored glow covered his body as a powerful blast of energy blasted over wanting to destroy him. However, he was as steady as a rock. His handsome features and seemingly thin-looking body was as immovable as a mountain, unable to be knocked down.
"Is he seeking death?" The eyes of everyone turned heavy. Those years ago, that terrifying expert was jolted to death from the pressure at this step. That supreme genius walked over 60 steps in the span of a single breath and he failed to endure the pressure and died in the end. Now, Qin Wentian was seemingly repeating that genius' footsteps, walking so many steps in a single breath. The accumulated violent energies wrecking havoc within his body was definitely already unbearably agonizing. Did he truly want to die?
"BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!"
He continuously took three steps, and the deafening rumbling sounded akin to the trembling of the Great Dao. The violent storm of pressure slammed into Qin Wentian ruthlessly as the bell chimes reverberated with the ringing of thunder. However, the immortal light glowing around Qin Wentian grew increasingly resplendent, unexcelled in this world, frenziedly suppressing those violent energies intent on ravaging the interior of his body.
At this moment Qin Wentian was already on the 69th step, breaking through the record of the most number of steps traverse with the span of a single breath, walking further compared to the genius who was jolted to death from the pressure back then. However, as for Qin Wentian, he was naturally clearly still alive.
Many people had heavy expressions on their faces. For those geniuses who were surpassed by Qin Wentian, they all opened their eyes to stare at him. There was actually someone so terrifying where he could depend on the tyranny of his physique and bloodlines to withstand and suppress the energy from the Stonebell Rampart?
But of course, this was merely the start of everyone's amazement.
Because, Qin Wentian didn't elect to take a rest at all. His body moved forward as he continued advancing, seemingly so natural as though he was just walking on ordinary ground, there was no hesitation. This step, was already the 70th step. As his foot landed, the luster from God's Hand shone out, bathing his body in protective light. Despite the powerful bell chimes, the rush of violent energies from the rampart were all suppressed.
The Stonebell Rampart was very powerful. Qin Wentian could clearly sense that it was an extraordinary cultivation tool. During the first nine steps he took, the Stonebell Rampart already locked onto him, cloning the attribute energies he was proficient in and shooting pressure blasts at him formed of the essence of his own attribute energies to cleanse his bones, flesh, sinews and blood, refining his immortal foundation with the price being close to that of total destruction. However, if one could endure all of that, they would evidently be able to improve their strength further by a vast amount.
However although the Stonebell Rampart is powerful, how many Qin Wentian's did this sacred academy have?
A perfect saint-grade immortal-foundation, a supremely strong physique, the power of God's Hand… Simply, his fleshly body could be said to be strong to the extreme and as for the power of his bloodlines, they were naturally also incomparable.
He stood there as his long robes fluttered. The terrifying bell chimes reverberated violently within his body. He then lifted his foot and stepped onto the 71st step.
As this step landed, the distance to the end was only 10 steps.
As this step landed, the distance between him and Gu Xiao, was shortened to 5 steps.
As this step landed, he created a new record.
As this step landed, the hearts of everyone also began to tremble.
He stepped over to the 71st step in a single step. Even if Qin Wentian was pressured to death here, this incident was sufficient to stun the entire sacred academy. Simply being able to reach the 71st step was already a thing worthy of pride.
The gazes of many people slowly started to change as they regarded Qin Wentian, turning somewhat heavier.
Was 76 steps very awesome?
That was what Qin Wentian said. Before this, he sounded arrogant and ignorant. But now, didn't it simply seem that it was because he had immense confidence in himself?
Maybe, Qin Wentian might truly be able to accomplish it.
If he could do so, there was no doubt that that would be a harsh smack on Gu Xiao's face.
Gu Xiao stabilized his step. He evidently also noticed Qin Wentian who was domineeringly advancing forward. Taking 71 steps using only one attempt, Gu Xiao knew he probably wouldn't be able to accomplish it. However, this didn't mean that he would think himself as inferior compared to Qin Wentian just because of this. He just felt slightly jealous. This was just human nature.
The Qin Wentian right now didn't think about Gu Xiao. He sensed the accumulated energies in his body which resembled a violent storm that was able to cause everything to collapse. He was only thinking about continuing his advance and at the moment his foot landed, it was a response to both Ying Teng and Gu Xiao. Both of them were merely external factors that didn't affect him. In fact he never had Ying Teng in his eyes at all. Ying Teng was someone who was already inferior to him those years ago, how can Ying Teng still surpass him now? If Ying Teng could manage to do so, it would mean that Qin Wentian has wasted his years in cultivation. And although Gu Xiao was strong. Qin Wentian didn't see him as a powerful enemy. Maybe in his subconsciousness, he felt that Gu Xiao wasn't qualified.
The 'eight upon nine' level was the last stretch of steps. After stepping on the 72nd step, the heavens and earth here let out a rumbling sound, causing the entire space to tremble as the bell chimes reverberated ceaselessly throughout. An incomparably resplendent beam of light shot up from the Stonebell Rampart into the skies, causing even experts from faraway to be able to see the phenomena. It was an indication that someone made it to the last stretch.
From afar, near the entrance of this academy where the two geniuses were dueling, everyone there sensed the commotion in the Stonebell Rampart and collectively glanced over there with a puzzled look on their faces.
There seems to be an extraordinary character over there at the Stonebell Rampart, currently attempting the trial.
"Could it be that fellow?" Someone suddenly recalled Qin Wentian who appeared earlier. However, they soon shook their heads. That fellow was somewhat ridiculous, how could he manage to cause such commotion in the Stonebell Rampart. In addition, he only just went there, but since he could witness such a phenomena, that Qin Wentian can really be considered quite fortunate.
Before the Stonebell Rampart, Qin Wentian was currently enduring a terrifying rush of impact. He stopped for a moment at his original location as an intense layer of light covered his body, terrifying to the extreme.
"The accumulation of the violent energies is getting stronger and stronger. It's truly very difficult if one wants to complete all 81 steps in the span of a single breath. No wonder there was someone in the past who was jolted to death from the pressure. Sometimes when one nears the end of the immortal path, it feels like being mounted on a tiger where one is unable to get down of their own will." Qin Wentian silently mused. The mounting pressure naturally grew more and more intense as the accumulated energies grew increasingly violent as one traversed further on the path.
However, he didn't hesitate. He lifted his foot as light from the art of truth shimmered around him. Boundless runes circulated his body as Qin Wentian stepped out.
The 'nine upon nine' 81 steps of the Stonebell Rampart. This was the final 9 steps. Qin Wentian took the first step of the last level, the 73rd step.
"BOOM!" A deafening blast echoed out, the sound carrying waves of power as the earth shook and the nearby ancient palaces in the surroundings shuddered violently, seemingly on the verge of collapse. Those experts spectating the duel of the two geniuses back then all felt themselves trembling as their gazes all focused on the Stonebell Rampart.
As for the other locations in the sacred academy, all the geniuses were also staring in the same direction as their eyes gleamed with sharpness. They wondered which supreme genius it was that managed to make it to the last stretch of steps, creating such an incredible commotion where even the traces of the terrifying accumulated violent energies could be felt.
"The 73rd step." The hearts of everyone before the Stonebell Rampart were all trembling violently. Qin Wentian actually stepped out once more after clearing the 72nd step. All of them couldn't help but to feel impressed with Qin Wentian.
Such a character was extremely rare in the sacred academy. There never has been someone like him in the past before.
Even that person who managed to complete all 81 steps in the past and refined his immortal foundation into a saint-grade one, couldn't accomplish this feat of walking over 70+ steps at one attempt. This was simply crazy.
The noises of discussion rang out unceasingly as the thunderous rumbling continued on. The experts everywhere in the sacred academy could feel the commotion. Their eyes turned heavy as all of them turned to glance at the Stonebell Rampart.
"How powerful." At this moment, Qin Wentian could truly sense the essence energy of the Stonebell Rampart. It was simply too overwhelmingly powerful. He felt a startling might accumulating within his body. Once that might erupted, it was really very possible that he would be destroyed.
At this moment, he felt like he was trapped in an impossible situation where it was neither possible to advance nor retreat. Right now, he could only choose to persevere forward, breaking force with force.
His supreme physique emitted an intense light as his saint-grade immortal foundation was released. The attribute energies he was proficient in continuously circulated around his body, transformed into divine light. Qin Wentian lifted his foot and advanced on the 74th step. The rumbling continued echoing, trembling the hearts of all the people here.
From afar, all the experts in all locations saw the dazzling light here. In fact, even the two geniuses dueling each other when Qin Wentian first arrived at the academy have also halted as they turned their gaze in the direction of the Stonebell Rampart. What happened there exactly?
Did that expert from the Paragon Sword Sect establish his might?
Or could it be that expert from the Myriad Devil Islands who achieved this?
Or maybe, it was that prince of the Senluo Immortal Empire who began his journey?