Cultivation Online

After taking his medallion, Yuan waited about fifteen minutes before the challenger failed to climb the staircase.

"It's our turn," Yuan said as he calmly approached the Stairway to Heaven with Meixiu and the others followed him from behind.

The area immediately became rowdy the moment the spectators saw Yuan and his group.

"Why are there five of them? I thought only one person could challenge the Stairway to Heaven at a time," asked someone who didn't know about the carry system.

"A challenger can bring up to nine people with him through the Stairway to Heaven, but each additional person will drastically increase the difficulty. I have never seen anyone successfully carry one person, much less four. He'll definitely fail at the first step."

"What an arrogant brat."

"I don't blame him for wanting to show off to those fairies with him, but he's biting far more than he can chew. He'll only end up embarrassing himself now."

While the spectators continued to mock him, Yuan took his first step onto the staircase.

'I don't feel anything…' Yuan thought to himself as he effortlessly walked to the next step.

In the blink of an eye, Yuan reached the second step.

"Huh?"

Yuan ascended the first step so swiftly that spectators began to doubt their eyes. However, even upon reaching the second step, Yuan felt no pressure, as if the challenge held no weight. Without hesitation, he leaped to the third step.

"What?! How is he already at the third step?! It hasn't even been a minute since he started the challenge!"

"Fuck! It's as if the Stairway to Heaven isn't functioning properly!"

The spectators were in disbelief. They have never seen anyone ascend with such minimal effort before.

Yuan jumped to the fourth step the moment his foot touched the third step, his movements as light as a feather, and he continued to climb the steps without stopping.

In the blink of an eye, Yuan reached the ninth step without a single break and without a drop of sweat on him.

The entire area fell into a hushed silence as everyone struggled to comprehend what they had just witnessed. Yuan had ascended to the door faster than Meixiu and the others, who were unaffected by the pressure. It was an inexplicable outcome.

Xi Meili, who was new to the Stairway to Heaven, noticed the dumbfounded gazes of the crowd and wondered to herself, 'Why do they look so surprised? Is it really that hard to climb these steps?'

Upon reaching the door, Yuan and the others placed their medallions into the slots, opening it.

The spectators watched as Yuan and his group disappeared into the void beyond the door.

"E-Even if he managed to enter the Stairway to Heaven, it'll only be a matter of time before he fails and returns."

"Yeah… I think so too…"

The door to the Stairway to Heaven suddenly opened again only a few minutes after Yuan and his group entered, and the first challenger who made it to the door emerged from it with a defeated look on his face.

Meanwhile, inside the Stairway to Heaven, Xi Meili and the others were transported to the spectators' room the moment they entered.

"Welcome back, Master." Tian'er greeted Yuan.

"It's been a while."

Tian'er nodded and said, "Master, you have become a lot more powerful since your last visit."

"I'm glad you think so."

"Because Master's current strength far surpasses the Stairway to Heaven's expectations, you may choose to skip the challenge and go straight to the Fourth Heaven," Tian'er suddenly said.

"Eh? Really?" Yuan didn't expect to be able to skip the trials entirely. "I thought it wasn't possible to skip these trials even as the Master of this place."

Tian'er nodded in confirmation, "It's only possible when the challenger's strength far surpasses the current requirements. With Master's current strength, you'll pass the trials with ease. It would be pointless to make you take the trials."

Yuan smiled and responded without any hesitation in his voice, "No matter how easy the trials are, I will still do them. After all, they are related to my past."

Tian'er nodded, "Then I will immediately begin Master's trial."

"Wait a second." Yuan suddenly stopped her.

"You have the ability to change the trials' difficulty, correct? Can you make it more difficult for me?"

Tian'er nodded, "Yes, I have the power to do that. Do you wish to increase the difficulty, Master?"

"Yes, make it suitable for my current strength." Yuan nodded with a confident smile.

A profound smile appeared on Tian'er's face as she thought to herself, 'As expected of Master.'

She had a feeling that Yuan would increase the difficulty, and giving him the option to skip the trials was actually a trial in itself. However, it was also true that Yuan's current strength would render the trials child's play.

"I understand. I will adjust the difficulty of the trials to match the Master's current strength."

Tian'er proceeded to close her eyes and stood there in silence.

She opened her eyes a few moments later and said, "Okay, I have adjusted the difficulty. Are you ready to start, Master?"

"I am."

The scenery swiftly transformed, and within moments, Yuan found himself standing on an empty stage, encircled by a colossal crowd of giants.

"This place is… the Tournament of Strength?" Yuan quickly recognized his location, as he still remembered that the previous trial had ended right before he could participate in the tournament.

He quickly looked around, and sure enough, he could see Huang Xiao Li and her family in the crowd, as well as Princess Meiya and Giant Emperor Kulas at the royal family's spectating area.

BOOM!

A massive figure suddenly jumped onto the stage, landing right before Yuan.

"I'll give you a chance to surrender, human, unless you want to become human meat paste."

The giant before Yuan said with an arrogant look on his face.

Yuan immediately peeked at the giant's cultivation base, his heart skipping a beat after seeing the results.

'First level Divine Warrior?!' he cried inwardly.