Chapter 1250: Chapter 1250: Monster’s Difficult Path
Cloud Ascending Path, on the 109th step.
Xiao Yi’s Sword Shadow danced, impenetrably.
The pressing force and Formation Wind couldn’t harm him.
But that’s all he could achieve.
He couldn’t break through these forces to cross the 109th step.
To traverse the Cloud Ascending Path, one relied on their own skills.
Sword Dao, and the sword to wield it, all belonged to one’s own skills.
In contrast, Martial Techniques, Secret Techniques, and other methods were external aids.
Thus, even though he wielded the Cold Flame Sword before, continuously advancing against the force, he never used Martial Techniques like the Blood Realm Four Forms.
His cultivation was, after all, only at the Third Layer of the Saint King Realm.
The reason for his astonishing combat achievements and his ability to slay a Saint Emperor largely rested on possessing various formidable methods.
At present, he wasn’t using those methods.
Simply relying on his cultivation, Primordial Power, and the sword in his hand, passing the 109th step was unimaginably difficult.
"If I can defend, then I certainly can break through."
With the sword in hand, Xiao Yi spoke to himself while continuing his movements.
The next second, he closed his eyes.
In the distance, Qing Lin’s face changed, "What is he doing, is he courting death?"
"The oppressive power of the 109th step is terrifying."
"The Formation Wind could easily severely injure even a Martial Arts Emperor."
"To meditate with eyes closed now, wouldn’t that be suicidal?"
The Vice Dean also frowned but remained silent.
...
Time passed gradually.
For a whole month, Xiao Yi remained on the 109th step, meditating with closed eyes.
The only motion was his hand, constantly wielding the sword.
In the distance, two figures appeared out of thin air.
It was the Vice Dean and Qing Lin.
"An entire month gone, and still lost in thought?" Qing Lin frowned deeply.
The Vice Dean, watching Xiao Yi’s figure, gradually revealed a look of surprise.
"This kid is indeed as abnormal as you said."
"If I’m not mistaken, he’s not contemplating but gaining insight."
"In a state of enlightenment, the mind focuses, not distracted."
"Yet, he can still wield the Sword Shadow so tightly, proving wielding a sword and maintaining combat awareness continuously has become second nature to him."
"Most importantly, he fully commands this level of Sword Dao with no flaw."
"Remarkable, truly remarkable." The Vice Dean praised profoundly.
"I initially thought he wouldn’t last long before failing, but he persevered till now."
At this moment, on the Cloud Ascending Path, Xiao Yi, who had been meditating with closed eyes, suddenly opened them.
A sharp light shot out from his eyes.
Clang...
The Cold Flame Sword in his hand tightened, and the crisp sound of the sword reverberated around.
Xiao Yi’s Sword Shadow paused, then instantly moved again.
"If one sword can’t break you, then two, three, or even ten or twenty, I refuse to believe I can’t break you."
Xiao Yi shouted in a low voice and struck heavily with a sword.
With one stroke, he blocked the overwhelming pressure instantly.
However, there was a faint tremor retreating along the sword body.
At the same time, sword momentum no less powerful than Xiao Yi’s full force fell continuously.
Boom...
As the 10th sword momentum fell, the overwhelming pressure instantly dissipated.
The surrounding Formation Wind also shattered instantly.
"It worked." Xiao Yi’s eyes lit up with joy.
If one sword couldn’t break it, ten swords could.
This seemed only natural.
But achieving the combined might of ten swords with one stroke is no easy task.
Xiao Yi stepped across the 109th step onto the 110th step.
Boom... The surging pure power rushed in instantly.
However, to Xiao Yi, these rewards of pure power were nothing exceptional.
On the contrary, this month’s extreme self-pressure and enlightenment, resulting in the sword technique of unleashing ten sword powers with one stroke, brought him more joy.
In the distance, the Vice Dean’s face turned extremely shocked.
Shock mixed with deep joy.
"He crossed it, crossed the 109th step."
"The Cloud Ascending Path record has been broken."
"Regardless of whether Xiao Yi can genuinely reach the 144th step later, or fully traverse the Cloud Ascending Path, he will undoubtedly be recorded in Black Cloud Academy’s history."
"How far can you go?" The Vice Dean stared at Xiao Yi’s back, full of expectation.
....
On the Cloud Ascending Path, after crossing the 109th step, Xiao Yi climbed continuously.
Now, his speed increased as if in a leisurely stroll.
In a few minutes, Xiao Yi had crossed dozens of steps, reaching the 135th step.
In his ascent, he encountered no steps too challenging to handle.
"135 steps, just 9 stone steps left." Xiao Yi muttered to himself.
He slowly turned around, glanced at each step, and smiled in satisfaction.
At this point, the first stone step at the bottom of the Cloud Ascending Path was far behind him.
Unknowingly, he had crossed 135 steps.
"Let’s go again." Xiao Yi spoke joyously as he started moving again towards the 136th step.
Upon stepping onto the 136th step, he absorbed the overwhelming pure power thoroughly.
What followed was the terrifying pressure.
"Hmm? Here it comes again." Xiao Yi’s face changed once more.
Step... A steady footsteps sound echoed.
However, Xiao Yi didn’t advance but retreated one step back to the 135th step.
"Increased tenfold again." Xiao Yi muttered seriously.
He gazed ahead, with only 9 stone steps remaining.
Then, there stood a pavilion at the mountain top.
"Beyond the clouds, does it mean ascending the sky?"
"Traversing the Cloud Ascending Path grants a true opportunity to soar into the skies?"
Xiao Yi smiled faintly.
Now, he was no longer concerned about these.
Instead, these days of climbing, this journey along the Cloud Ascending Path, the path of trials, had been immensely rewarding for him.
His intuition told him that the remaining 9 steps would rapidly escalate in difficulty.
The final 9 steps were only slightly less challenging than ascending the sky.
"The Cloud Ascending Path was not in vain." Xiao Yi murmured to himself, then closed his eyes again.
In the distance, Qing Lin widened his eyes, "In enlightenment again."
The Vice Dean nodded and shook his head, "Only 9 steps left."
"But these 9 steps are celestial barriers, halting Heavenly Talents, challenging even Monsters."
...
Time passed steadily.
Another month later.
The Vice Dean and Qing Lin returned; however, on the Cloud Ascending Path, Xiao Yi remained still with his eyes closed.
"Seems this insight will take long." Qing Lin shook his head.
The Vice Dean also shook his head, "You seem too confident in Xiao Yi."
Another month later.
Xiao Yi on the Cloud Ascending Path seemed to be a statue, utterly motionless.
The Vice Dean shook his head once more.
By the third month.
The two returned again.
Qing Lin showed an anxious look, "What’s happening, it’s been three whole months, Xiao Yi hasn’t moved at all, is something wrong?"
"No." The Vice Dean shook his head, looking solemn, "He might as well give up the remaining 9 steps."
"Why?" Qing Lin frowned.
The Vice Dean shook his head, "Three months ago, I said that the remaining 9 steps are celestial barriers halting Heavenly Talents, challenging even Monsters."
"While a Supreme Monster might easily rise on the Martial Arts Dao, placing them on the final 9 steps of the Cloud Ascending Path will turn clouds into mist, accumulating dark clouds."
"Black clouds form an abyss, layer upon layer of celestial barriers; a Supreme Monster can only look but never reach; forcefully climbing would cause one to fall back to the mundane from the 9 levels of black clouds."
As the Vice Dean’s voice fell.
On the Cloud Ascending Path, Xiao Yi, who hadn’t changed in three months, suddenly moved.
A surge of overwhelming Sword Intent suddenly trembled the entire Cloud Ascending Path.
Xiao Yi’s figure seemed to transform into a sword reaching the heavens, advancing all the way.
Under the sword’s dominance, the remaining 9 steps couldn’t stop him in the slightest.
The proud figure stood firmly at the mountain peak, within the pavilion.
"The Cloud Ascending Path has been crossed." Xiao Yi smiled proudly.
...
Third update.
