BOOM!

The change on the Star Ruins Celestial Pride List caused a huge uproar among the Cultivators below.

"Don’t tell me this is the Blood Demon Sword Sect’s home turf today?"

The faces of the Daqian Cultivators were ashen.

Blood dripped from the corners of their mouths as they gritted their teeth.

Under the immense gravitational pressure, forget the three hundredth step—just breaking past the one hundredth required all their strength, leaving them completely spent.

And in history, tens of thousands of prodigies had been more outstanding than them!

"From this day forward, I am also a Star Mansion Cultivator!"

Wei Qingyi laughed heartily.

Cyan Mist Sword Intent suffused the air, a faint cyan Flood Dragon coiling around him.

A powerful aura belonging to a Star Mansion Cultivator erupted from within Wei Qingyi.

However, before Wei Qingyi could savor the mysteries of the Star Mansion...

A vast gravitational force, more than ten times more terrifying than what he’d experienced while climbing, came crashing down.

"Ugh!"

Wei Qingyi let out a muffled groan. His spine bent under the pressure, the bones throughout his body cracking loudly, and the joy that had just appeared on his face turned to horror.

’The gravity past the three hundredth step... it’s this terrifying!’

Immediately after, Liu Mobai also stepped onto the three hundredth step. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Feeling the terrifying pressure aimed at Purple Mansion Cultivators, Liu Mobai’s expression changed slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

’It’s just as I thought. The Star Tier has a suppressive effect on the Qi Mechanism of Purple Mansion Cultivators. I cannot break through rashly.’

Liu Mobai took a deep breath. Unlike Wei Qingyi, he did not immediately try to connect with his Life Star.

With a SWISH, he snapped his folding fan shut and tapped it against several major acupoints. A hazy white halo bloomed around him as he forcibly resisted the crushing pressure and continued to climb.

"The three hundred and first step, and Liu Mobai still isn’t Guiding his Fate Star!" a Cultivator below exclaimed in shock.

Even a Heaven Dao Foundation Establishment cultivator like Hou Qi had only managed to reach the two hundredth step at most, yet Liu Mobai had broken past the three hundredth. How could they not be shocked?

Just as Liu Mobai reached the three hundredth step, something unexpected happened.

Those Cultivators who had opened their Purple Mansions on the one hundredth step suddenly found that the gravitational suppression on them seemed to have loosened slightly.

"I can move! Haha, I can keep climbing!" a Purple Mansion Cultivator who had just stabilized his Di Tuhao Life Star exclaimed in ecstasy.

He tried to take a step upward. Though his speed was as slow as a snail’s, he was genuinely moving forward.

Qin Xuan, at this moment, had just barely reached the one hundredth step.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was among the last.

Yet, Qin Xuan wasn’t the least bit anxious. His gaze fell upon the dark red blood left behind by the deceased Fang Mingshan. He paused for a moment and shook his head slightly.

"You reap what you sow."

With that said, Qin Xuan continued up the steps.

His pace was unhurried and his steps were steady, as if the gravity of the Star Inquiry Stage had no effect on him at all.

...

However, unlike Qin Xuan who was still at Foundation Establishment, the gravitational pressure on Purple Mansion Cultivators was far greater, making every single step excruciatingly difficult.

"The Star Inquiry Stage is named ’Star Inquiry,’ but it’s actually a test of a Cultivator’s potential and innate constitution. The higher you climb, the greater your potential!" a Purple Mansion Cultivator realized with a start.

’If that’s the case, wouldn’t possessing someone else’s body be like adding flowers to brocade?’ so thought a malicious Purple Mansion Cultivator from Daqian.

He saw a Demon Cultivator at the Tenth Level of Foundation Establishment passing by him. A vicious glint flashed in his eyes as he secretly channeled the Purple Mansion Magical Power throughout his body, intending to knock the man off the steps and then possess his body.

But the very instant he touched the Demon Cultivator, starlight flared on the Star Inquiry Stage.

"PFFT—!"

The Purple Mansion Cultivator who had attacked was struck as if by a heavy blow. He violently spat out a large mouthful of blood, his face turned deathly pale, and his aura instantly weakened.

"Idiot! The Vermilion Bird Divine General is watching from above! Fights between Cultivators of the same realm might be overlooked, but you’re already at the Star Mansion. How could she allow a higher-level cultivator to bully a lower-level one with a sneak attack!?" someone in the know sneered.

Seeing this, the other Purple Mansion Cultivators were horrified and completely extinguished any similar ideas, their hearts filled with endless regret.

’If I’d known this would happen, I would have delayed my breakthrough! I could have climbed more steps with my Foundation Establishment Cultivation and maybe reached a higher level!’

’Now, even though I’ve reached the Purple Mansion, I’m firmly restricted and can barely move. This is a catastrophic loss!’

Just then, the figure of an aloof woman emerged gracefully from the starry mist below.

The woman’s face was exquisitely beautiful and otherworldly. She wore a simple and elegant Cloud Water Gauze Skirt, its hem fluttering. A hazy mist swirled around her, making her figure seem ethereal and light.

She climbed at an incredible speed, her steps light and agile.

Under countless shocked gazes, the aloof woman, who had started later, now arrived first, quickly surpassing the group of Purple Mansion Cultivators.

She even caught up to Liu Mobai, who was slowly advancing past the four hundredth step, and moved alongside him!

Liu Mobai sensed the change in the Qi Mechanism beside him.

He glanced to the side and saw the woman’s cold, beautiful profile, a look of profound astonishment flashing in his eyes.

He made no attempt to hide his admiration.

"Daqian is truly full of hidden masters! To think there’s a female Loose Cultivator from the common folk whose aptitude can rival my own!"

Liu Mobai’s competitive spirit was ignited, and his speed suddenly increased.

Meanwhile, on another side, Xiao Dinglan was also moving extremely fast under the full protection of his attendants, Ye Danggui and Shi Nanxing.

Ye Danggui seemed to be proficient in some kind of Array, capable of weakening the effects of gravity in a small area.

Shi Nanxing, on the other hand, used his Mountain Guard Soldiers Divine Technique, which had just shown its might, to forcibly clear a path.

The two flanked Xiao Dinglan, one on the left and one on the right, protecting him as he came from behind to take the lead. He was even a bit faster than Liu Mobai and the aloof woman.

They were closing in on the five hundredth step!

Compared to them, Qin Xuan, who was still dawdling at the one hundred and fiftieth step, seemed all the more pathetic.

Not only had his speed not increased, it was actually getting slower and slower.

Before he knew it, Qin Xuan had become the very last one among all the Cultivators.

He was, in the truest sense of the word, dead last.

By now, no one was paying attention to him anymore.

Everyone’s eyes were drawn to the few monstrous geniuses up high.