Right after Hun Yu entered the sky screen, Bai Lu and her group were also waiting in line nearby.
She stared at Hun Yu’s figure with a thoughtful expression. Back in the demonic beast mountain range, although she hadn’t caught up to that familiar silhouette, she still vaguely remembered it. If she wasn’t mistaken, the man wearing the bronze mask just now was the same one she had sensed back then. But why had his aura changed?
What she didn’t know was that the bronze mask could alter a person’s aura, even their temperament, leaving her completely puzzled.
Though doubtful, it didn’t stop her from paying close attention to him. After entering the sky screen, she spotted that figure at once.
Hun Yu naturally sensed Bai Lu’s aura too, but with the bronze mask concealing him, he wasn’t worried about being recognized.
At the center of the plaza, four massive pillars rose up, suspending a platform in the air. Five figures sat cross-legged atop it, each radiating a powerful aura that was enough to make others tremble.
The suspended stairway extended upward. It wasn’t wide—at most five people could walk side by side without falling off.
After the climb began, the powerhouses above would unleash the pressure of the 7th stage Spirit Emperor Realm with full force. Rankings would be based on the number of steps climbed and the speed.
As soon as the first brave soul stepped onto the stairs, others followed. The moment they did, the cultivators above suddenly released their pressure. Spirit Emperor Realm pressure poured down like a tidal wave, almost taking physical form.
The people in front were instantly overwhelmed. Some were blasted off the steps on the spot. Others weren’t thrown off but were gravely injured, coughing up blood from internal wounds.
“This is insane! Who can even climb under such intense pressure?”
“This can’t be happening… I’m a Peak Spirit Pill Realm cultivator, and I still got knocked off so fast. How is this even a fair test?”
“Spirit Emperor Realm is terrifying… I don’t believe anyone can get through this.”
Some wanted to mock, but the fear of being struck down mid-sentence kept them silent.
Seeing him stand still, Bai Lu frowned. She knew this strange youth had once escaped her pursuit. He couldn’t possibly be afraid of the stairway. But she had no idea what he was waiting for. Her fellow sect members kept urging her, leaving her frustrated.
“Bai Lu, what’s going on? Why aren’t you moving?”
Bai Lu frowned and said, “That masked man is the one we chased in the demonic beast mountain range a few days ago. Though his aura’s changed, I still felt a sense of familiarity. I recognized him at a glance. I’m watching to see why he hasn’t started climbing—what’s he waiting for?”
Xing Yuan frowned and said, “Really? You mean that guy who looked like your trash Junior Brother? We’ve already discussed this—your trash Junior Brother can’t possibly be cured, let alone enter this place. Stop overthinking. And weren’t you going to meet your sect people yesterday? You didn’t say anything about it afterward!”
Bai Lu sighed and forced a bitter smile, “Maybe I really am overthinking it. He probably isn’t. I did go back to the sect, but I only watched from afar. I never had deep connections with them. After all these years, it’s become even more distant. I didn’t know what to say if I met them… so I didn’t. The only one I still care about in the sect is my Junior Brother. After this secret realm trial, I’ll go visit him and leave him some resources. He was the only one who was ever truly kind to me there. And I’ve hurt him over and over again. After all these years, I truly regret it.”
Xing Yuan said helplessly, “Fine, I’ll go with you then.”
Hearing that, Bai Lu raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She actually didn’t want him to come. Every time he called her Junior Brother trash, it made her very uncomfortable.
She glanced again at the masked Hun Yu, then started climbing the stairway.
Hun Yu had heard their conversation clearly. His eyes filled with complicated emotions, and he sighed inwardly. At least Bai Lu still remembered his kindness—that was enough to warm his heart.
Bai Lu’s group moved quickly. Under the pressure of Nascent Soul Realm powerhouses, they climbed to the middle of the stairway in no time. At that point, Hun Yu noticed their speed slowing—it seemed they’d reached a barrier.
“Sigh… looks like we have no chance. We can’t even step onto the stairs.”
“Hey, who do you think will take first place in this test?”
Just as Hun Yu was about to step forward, he paused and moved closer to listen. He wanted to know which names were under discussion.
“If we’re talking about number one, it’s undoubtedly Shui Yuntian from the Mercury Sect. For years, the second spot on the Dragon-Tiger Ranking has changed hands, but no one has ever touched the top. But given his pride, there’s no way someone like Shui Yuntian would bother with a small secret realm event like this.”
“As for those climbing the stairway now, the one most likely to take first place is Yang Xiao.”
“What? Yang Xiao, ranked nineteenth on the Dragon-Tiger Ranking? Tsk… the man right under the Saint Son of Hua Qiangu? He’s actually participating in the Abyss Secret Realm test?”
“The second would be Kuang Zhan. You’ve heard of him, right?”
“Of course! That battle maniac ranked twenty-fifth on the Dragon-Tiger Ranking? No wonder he’s here. That guy loves challenging people—there’s no way he’d skip this.”
“The third place is definitely Yun Shan from the Yunlan Sect.”
“Yun Shan? Ranked thirtieth? His Misty Cloud Sword is nearly flawless.”
Hearing these names, Hun Yu quietly nodded. In his previous life, these individuals had already been extremely famous, their cultivation reaching peak realms.
“Look—how is that guy climbing so fast? He’s already near the 2,000th step!”
“Hah, clearly you’re ignorant. That’s Yang Xiao. But look at the one just behind him, about twenty steps back—that’s Kuang Zhan. And the one chasing closely is Yun Shan from Yunlan Sect.”
“Tsk tsk, no wonder they’re in the top thirty of the Dragon-Tiger Ranking… truly impressive!”
“Obviously. Anyone who made it onto the Dragon-Tiger Ranking is no weakling.”
Watching them, Hun Yu said softly, “With their cultivation, climbing this fast will exhaust their strength later. The higher they go, the stronger the pressure becomes. Yang Xiao will max out at 2,735 steps before burning out. Kuang Zhan will hit 2,590—he won’t break through the 2,600 barrier. As for Yun Shan, 2,499 at best.”
“Haha! You don’t even have the qualifications to climb, yet you dare to comment on those powerhouses? You’re even giving precise predictions down to the step? What a joke!”