Stellar Transformation-Chapter 575 - 16 episodes 36 - s Staircase
From high above, the three thousand islands clustered together resembled pebbles, among which the central and most expansive island, "Floating Island," stood out like a pearl amidst thousands of pebbles.
Radiant light burst forth in all directions from the center of the Floating Island.
Upon landing on the Floating Island and gazing at the distant "Mountain and Sea Palace," Qin Yu’s eyes shone as he exclaimed, "Truly worthy of a palace built by the Three Great Venerable Sovereigns. Although it’s not extravagant, this grandeur far surpasses that of Holy Emperor Hall."
The Mountain and Sea Palace towered nearly thirty feet above the Floating Island’s ground level.
It was because of the staircase.
At a glance, the line of simple and ancient steps led continuously upward, heading straight to the main hall of the Mountain and Sea Palace. On the landing above the stairs, just in front of the main hall, a middle-aged man and woman were slowly sweeping the ground.
"Brother Qin Yu, speaking of grandeur, this Mountain and Sea Palace is a palace personally refined by the Three Great Venerable Sovereigns. How could its presence be anything but imposing? Have you seen those stairs?" Duanmu Yu said with a light chuckle, extending her slender finger toward the terraced steps in the distance.
Was there something special about these stairs?
After a careful observation, Qin Yu noted that there were as many as ninety-nine levels to the staircase. Each step was an ancient brown-black color, with engravings of grass, trees, and other images on their surfaces.
The more he looked, the surer Qin Yu became that there was something peculiar about these stairs, yet he couldn’t unravel their secret.
Seeing Qin Yu’s thoughtful frown, Duanmu Yu said with a smile, "Brother Qin Yu, those steps are the legendary ’Heavenly Ascending Steps’ of the Mountain and Sea Palace."
"Heavenly Ascending Steps? Why are these steps known as the Heavenly Ascending Steps?" Qin Yu asked with curiosity.
Although Qin Yu had been in the Divine World for some time, he had spent most of it in cultivation. He only knew most of the general affairs, and was not privy to the intricate secrets of the Divine World.
Duanmu Yu smiled and explained, "The Northern Pole Holy Emperor told us that to move the Heavenly Venerables, we must show our sincerity. How to do it? The only way I can think of is through these ’Heavenly Ascending Steps’."
Qin Yu had also been puzzled about how to move the Heavenly Venerables.
Hearing Duanmu Yu speak thus, he couldn’t help but ask further, "Using these Heavenly Ascending Steps, how does one make use of them?"
"I know of a legend. It is said that any cultivator below the level of Divine King, should they ascend these ninety-nine Heavenly Ascending Steps, will... surely be granted an audience with a Heavenly Venerable," Duanmu Yu unveiled the mystery.
Qin Yu looked with astonishment toward the ancient-looking staircase in the distance.
The staircase had layer upon layer, each at least ten meters wide, with ninety-nine levels in all.
"Brother Duanmu, does this staircase possess some peculiar ability? Is it that even Upper Heavenly Gods are not able to climb it?" Qin Yu found it somewhat unbelievable.
What was so extraordinary about a staircase?
"Throughout history, among those experts who haven’t reached the God King Realm, not a single one has been able to step by step reach the top of the Heavenly Ascending Steps," Duanmu Yu said resolutely.
At that moment, the man and woman who were sweeping at the very top of the staircase took a step forward and immediately flew to the front of Qin Yu and Duanmu Yu.
"Brother Duanmu, it has been a long time," the middle-aged man said with a smile as he greeted Duanmu Yu.
Upon seeing the expressions on Duanmu Yu and the middle-aged man’s faces, Qin Yu knew the two were old acquaintances. Duanmu Yu also spoke at the moment, saying, "It’s been a long time, indeed. It has been a full eight million years since we last met. By the way, Hao Jun, since you are a disciple of Xiao Yao Heavenly Venerate, have you seen Xiao Yao Heavenly Venerate in these eight million years?"
At the same time, Duanmu Yu continued to Qin Yu, "Brother Qin Yu, these two are disciples of Xiao Yao Heavenly Venerate, Hao Jun, and of Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerate, Yao Lin."
"Qin Yu pays his respects to Hao Jun and Yao Lin." Qin Yu slightly bowed as he spoke.
With the vision Qin Yu possessed now, he could tell that the two before him were already in the Upper Heavenly God Realm. Hao Jun gave Qin Yu a slight smile, then helplessly answered Duanmu Yu with a smile, "Brother Duanmu, Heavenly Venerate is carefree and roams everywhere. Ever since I became a disciple of Heavenly Venerate, he guided my cultivation only for a while, and afterwards, he left me to my own devices. From the last time you left to now, eight million years, I haven’t seen Heavenly Venerate once."
As Hao Jun spoke, he looked toward the middle-aged beautiful woman, "This Yao Lin is luckier than me, having seen Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerate once a few years ago."
Duanmu Yu turned to Qin Yu with a smile and said, "Brother Qin Yu, did you hear that? Even these two disciples of Heavenly Venerates seldom get to see the Heavenly Venerate. Our attempt to see Heavenly Venerate this time, and to receive the gifts they bestow, will be extremely difficult."
Qin Yu had to admit this.
Indeed, the first spot set by the Northern Pole Saint Emperor this time could potentially be wasted.
The Space Power Qin Yu possessed spread far and wide, having reached the Universe Realm for six thousand years now. Qin Yu’s current Space Power spanned a range of a hundred miles.
"Although I can’t cover the entire Floating Island yet, covering the ’Mountain and Sea Palace’ on it is rather simple." Qin Yu directly started to observe the Mountain and Sea Palace carefully.
Before observing, there was still curiosity.
But upon observing, Qin Yu found that there was nothing mysterious about the Mountain and Sea Palace; it was nothing more than a palace of somewhat complex construction. Moreover, there wasn’t a single person inside the entire Mountain and Sea Palace.
"Hao Jun, Yao Lin," Qin Yu addressed the two with a smile, "One of you is a disciple of Xiao Yao Heavenly Venerate and the other is a disciple of Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerate. What about Piao Yu Heavenly Venerate? Does he have any disciples?"
Hao Jun and Yao Lin exchanged a glance and both began to smile.
Duanmu Yu then said to Qin Yu, "Brother Qin Yu, you know too little about Piao Yu Heavenly Venerate. Piao Yu Heavenly Venerate is the most mysterious and the most difficult to meet among the Three Great Venerable Sovereigns. Not just you, but even the Eight Great Saint Emperors, the times they have seen Piao Yu Heavenly Venerate are probably very few."
"The two of us who have become disciples of two Heavenly Venerates, in all these years, have only seen Piao Yu Heavenly Venerate once, and Piao Yu Heavenly Venerate has a very strange temperament and has never had any disciples," Yao Lin also said with a smiling tone.
Hao Jun added in a lower voice, "Piao Yu Heavenly Venerate is extremely powerful; the other two Venerable Sovereigns often have some conflicts with each other, but they never dare to provoke a conflict with Piao Yu Heavenly Venerate."
From the mouths of these two disciples of Heavenly Venerates, Qin Yu felt even more the mystery of this ’Piao Yu Heavenly Venerate.’
Hao Jun and Yao Lin were willing to share so much with Qin Yu, largely because of Duanmu Yu’s presence.
"Hao Jun, I must see Heavenly Venerate this time, to receive the gift from Heavenly Venerate. Do you know if there’s a good way?" Duanmu Yu inquired.
Hao Jun blinked and smiled, "Brother Duanmu, to see Heavenly Venerate is easy. You simply have to climb up the ’Heavenly Ascending Steps’ from the bottom, step by step."
"Of course I know that, but to climb the ninety-nine steps, unless one reaches the Divine King Realm, how can one possibly reach the top?" Duanmu Yu shook his head as he spoke.
Hao Jun and Yao Lin looked at each other, a faint smile in their eyes,
"Brother Duanmu, I know what you all came here for. Prior to this, the Northern Pole Saint Emperor already informed me of the matter. I can’t favor anyone. Besides, even if I wanted to, I can’t help. To see the Heavenly Venerate, the only way is by climbing the ’Heavenly Ascending Steps.’" Hao Jun said teasingly.
Qin Yu and Duanmu Yu were left with no choice.
It turned out that the other party had already received the news in advance.
******
"To receive a gift bestowed by the Heavenly Venerable?" Qin Yu pondered.
To ascend the Heavenly Ascending Steps was an unavoidable option. In these days, Qin Yu had been looking for a solution on the Floating Island. In fact, the Mountain and Sea Palace had one main hall and three side halls.
The steps of the three side halls, corresponding to the courts of Xiao Yao Heavenly Venerate, Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerate, and Piao Yu Heavenly Venerate respectively, were nothing special.
Qin Yu had also spent quite some time wandering around the three side halls.
But the empty Mountain and Sea Palace, aside from himself, was only occupied by two disciples of the Heavenly Venerable and Duanmu Yu. Duanmu Yu, evidently, had made no groundbreaking progress either.
"It seems that I really have to try those Heavenly Ascending Steps!" Qin Yu muttered to himself as he sat on a big green stone.
"Brother Qin Yu."
Qin Yu looked up to see Duanmu Yu walking over with furrowed brows, "Brother Qin Yu, Marquis Kui Yin has already arrived."
"Marquis Kui Yin has arrived?" Qin Yu leaped off the green stone abruptly.
Qin Yu and Duanmu Yu had the fastest flying speed and that’s why they arrived nearly one or two months ahead of ordinary people. But now Marquis Kui Yin, who was only second to Qin Yu and Duanmu Yu, had already arrived at the Floating Island.
"We can’t waste any more time. We haven’t found any other ways these days, so we only have this one foolish method left." Duanmu Yu said very seriously to Qin Yu.
Qin Yu nodded slightly.
"Let’s go to the place of the Heavenly Ascending Steps." Qin Yu and Duanmu Yu headed straight for the Heavenly Ascending Steps of the Mountain and Sea Palace, but after walking for a while, they saw Marquis Kui Yin not far from the Heavenly Ascending Steps.
Seeing Qin Yu and Duanmu Yu directly approaching the Heavenly Ascending Steps, Marquis Kui Yin couldn’t help but widen his eyes in surprise.
"Brother Qin Yu, Brother Duanmu, have you two lost your minds? Those are the Heavenly Ascending Steps, which only a Divine King master could possibly ascend. Although there is a legend that ’if someone other than a Divine King master ascends the Heavenly Ascending Steps, the Heavenly Venerable will appear and meet them,’ it is still uncertain whether this legend is true or false. And if one hasn’t reached the Divine King Realm, it’s impossible to reach the top," Marquis Kui Yin said directly to Qin Yu and Duanmu Yu.
Qin Yu couldn’t help but pause in his step.
Is it absolutely impossible?
Qin Yu looked towards Marquis Kui Yin, while at this moment, Duanmu Yu also turned to look at Marquis Kui Yin: "Marquis Kui Yin, you don’t need to persuade us. Moreover, this legend is true. If you don’t believe it, you can ask Hao Jun and Yao Lin. They are disciples of the Heavenly Venerable and are clearer about this than anyone else."
"Even if it is true, what of it?" Marquis Kui Yin retorted, "The Northern Pole Holy Emperor also told me that unless one has fully comprehended the Space Law, it is impossible to reach the top."
"Haha...
A loud laugh rang out, and Zhou Xian, standing atop a golden Heavy Sword, arrived in the air. Clad in a green robe that fluttered in the wind, Zhou Xian now carried an air of arrogance.
"Brother Qin Yu, Brother Duanmu, what are you doing in front of those Heavenly Ascending Steps? Don’t tell me you’re looking to suffer? Haha, my father said long ago that those steps can’t be ascended by anyone other than a Divine King."
No sooner had Zhou Xian finished speaking than he had alighted from the air.
Qin Yu looked into the distance and saw one person after another arriving in swift succession, a total of six people. All these six individuals possessed the cultivation of Upper Heavenly Gods, among them was the bashful youth Shen Tufan.
The six also landed.
"Brother Kui Yin, what are you arguing about?" A burly young man asked loudly after landing.
"Oh, Sky Wolf Palace Master, we’re not arguing about anything. It’s just that Brother Duanmu and Brother Qin Yu are preparing to ascend the ’Heavenly Ascending Steps,’" Marquis Kui Yin said with a smile.
Suddenly, the Sky Wolf Palace Master looked at Qin Yu and Duanmu Yu with a very surprised expression.
Qin Yu frowned slightly.
Do this group of people see us as clowns?
"Brother Qin Yu, don’t mind them," Duanmu Yu said calmly, completely indifferent to the gazes of others.
"Brother Kui Yin, I have some acquaintance with Hao Jun, a disciple of the Heavenly Venerable. Let’s go ask him together; perhaps he has some method," the Sky Wolf Palace Master laughed and said.
Marquis Kui Yin nodded and said, "That would be good." Then he turned to Qin Yu and Duanmu Yu, "Brother Qin Yu, Brother Duanmu, would you like to come along?"
"No need," Duanmu Yu said indifferently.
Qin Yu, too, said nothing more, thinking to himself: You can go if you want, I and Duanmu Yu have long since asked Hao Jun and Yao Lin.
Marquis Kui Yin and the others headed towards the side hall, ready to ascend the stairs there.
Suddenly—
"Prince Zhou Xian," a friendly voice came from above – it was Yao Lin, with a warm smile on her face.
Upon seeing it was Yao Lin, Zhou Xian immediately started to bow in greeting.
Yao Lin then said loudly, "The Heavenly Venerable has just given an order, asking Prince Zhou Xian to enter the hall." As Yao Lin was a disciple of the Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerate, the ’Heavenly Venerable’ she referred to was naturally the Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerate.
Zhou Xian was slightly stunned, and then his face burst into ecstasy.
Marquis Kui Yin and the others couldn’t help but look at Zhou Xian, envy flashing in their eyes, and they murmured under their breath, "This Zhou Xian..."
"Zhou Xian has just arrived, and the Thunder Punishment Heavenly Venerate’s order followed right after, really showing blatant favoritism," Qin Yu couldn’t help feeling very irritated.
(To be continued. If you want to find out what happens next, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM. There are more Chapters there, and by reading there you can support the author and support legitimate reading!)
