Chapter 754: Chapter 754

A streak of light tore through the sky.

While Li Pin was challenging the Supreme Ladder, figures began to arrive one after another.

Every arrival among these figures sparked gasps from the crowd.

"That's Tyrant Dymor! Eight thousand six hundred years ago, a Sky Clan's Tyrant broke the rules and entered Battlefield 182, killing our Cosmic Radiance. Tyrant Dymor faced him head-on, and after a ten-day-and-night bloodbath, he slayed the Sky Clan's Tyrant right there!"

"That's the Sacred Monarch Zhu Tian! He entered the Divine Race's territory alone to avenge his disciple. He went deep into the Three Great Star Abysses, slayed twenty-six Divine Race Cosmic Radiances and three Tyrants, then finally escaped unharmed with unparalleled mastery of space!" ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ NoveI-Fire.ɴet

"Even Sacred Monarch Zhi Qi is here! This Sacred Monarch is a powerful special lifeform who isn't a Heavenly Emperor, yet is mightier than one! He once reached the Supreme Ladder's ninety-fifth step!"

"Heavens! I've seen more Tyrants and Sacred Monarchs in one day than in my entire hundred and eighty thousand stellar years of life as an Astral God!"

Exclamations rang out one after another.

The normally elusive Tyrants and Sacred Monarchs, who were powerhouses in different domains, appeared in the Sacred Flame Hall, leaving the Astral Gods and Solar Flares in awe.

Yun Lai, Wang Fuyun, Yu Xuexian, and the others finally understood just how renowned and influential Li Pin had become in the Sacred Flame Hall just by seeing the number of Tyrants and Sacred Monarchs coming to witness him.

When the people present heard the news that the two Heavenly Emperors, Ji Shun and Yan Hao, had descended in boundless divine brilliance, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch.

No one could believe that a mere Solar Flare could cause so many Heavenly Emperors to appear. Even a direct disciple of a Highlord or Supreme might only receive a Tyrant-level reception at the Sacred Flame Hall. Yet Li Pin, who didn't seem to be one, drew out Heavenly Emperors.

Only a Supreme's direct disciple at the Sacred Monarch Realm could merit such attention, alarming even Heavenly Emperors.

"White Emperor, Crimson Emperor," Mystic Emperor Mo Xuan greeted the two who arrived in glowing radiance.

"The eightieth step?" Western Heavenly Emperor, also known as the White Emperor, Ji Shun, immediately sent a telepathic message.

Mo Xuan gave a slight nod. "The eightieth step. We'll see if he can pass it."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "But anyone who's cultivated to this stage wouldn't take such a risk without confidence. Otherwise, under so many watchful eyes, failure would bring nothing but disgrace."

"Has he succeeded in becoming a Cosmic Radiance?" The Crimson Emperor, Yan Hao, asked.

"I don't know," Mo Xuan replied. "Li Pin is accompanied by the intelligent lifeform Sasha. If we projected our True Spirits, she'd notice. Out of respect for Li Pin and the Black Abyss Highlord behind him, I restrained my True Spirit Light when I met him."

"If he truly passes the eightieth step, then he has likely achieved Cosmic Radiance," said Crimson Emperor Yan Hao solemnly.

Apart from becoming Cosmic Radiance, it was hard to imagine how else Li Pin could've advanced so far on the Supreme Ladder.

"I remember when you contacted us, you mentioned that the Black Abyss Highlord and Li Pin were walking different paths, so Li Pin was not taken in as his disciple, nor was he given any test. The reason the Black Abyss Highlord transferred the authority of the intelligent lifeform Sasha to him was partly as a reward for completing the Heavenly Prison World trial, and partly... out of a fondness for talent?" Ji Shun said.

"That's indeed the case." Mo Xuan spoke with some emotion. "Li Pin's talent is undeniably high. He's fully qualified to become a Supreme's direct disciple. It all depends on which of the Supreme in the Supreme Council has the time and inclination to take on a disciple."

"Take on a disciple..." Ji Shun repeated the words under his breath, clearly deep in thought.

Seeing his expression, Mo Xuan and Yan Hao both seemed to think of something and stirred inwardly.

After a moment, Mo Xuan looked at him. "Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War?"

Ji Shun met his gaze and nodded slightly.

He suppressed his soul fluctuations, keeping the information confined to their circle of three Heavenly Emperors, and said, "Everyone should be aware that not long ago, the Supreme Council passed the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations Proposal. After our Human Race also approved it, its implementation became inevitable.

"However, there was debate among the races regarding the initiation location for the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations Proposal. In the end, it was decided that this dispute would be resolved through the Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War."

A hint of solemnity appeared in both Mo Xuan and Yan Hao's eyes.

What were the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations? It was a burden-reduction proposal formulated by Supremes, Highlords, and Transcendents after they sensed that the number of immortals within the current Astral World, and even the entire universe, had grown excessive and unsustainable.

And the method of reducing the burden was to reduce the number of immortals by using the tribulations of the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations to cull immortals.

Compared to the other eight Supreme races, the Human Race's advantage lay not in quality but in quantity. If immortals were to be culled, the Human Race would undoubtedly suffer the greatest loss. As a result, the proposal had long been vetoed solely by the Human Race and had been stalled repeatedly.

But now, the proposal had reached a point where it could no longer be delayed.

It was foreseeable that once the tribulation system of the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations was implemented in the Astral World, countless Astral Gods would fall.

This was especially because the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations were not only aimed at Starshine and Solar Flare Astral Gods. Cosmic Radiance cultivators, Tyrants, Sacred Monarchs, and Heavenly Emperors were also within its scope.

It was just that Tyrants, Sacred Monarchs, and Heavenly Emperors, with their strength, would find it relatively easier to survive.

But with the Eternal Oblivion Force, and now the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, even they risked falling if they made a single misstep.

This was why even Mystic Emperor and Crimson Emperor, both being the Sacred Flame Hall's vice hall masters and pinnacle figures in the Astral World, showed fear whenever the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations were mentioned.

Ji Shun said, "Although the Supremes, Highlords, and even the Transcendents have already laid out detailed operational rules for the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, a territory must still be selected as a test site to ensure no issues arise during the process. Theoretically, with so many Supremes, Highlords, and Transcendents overseeing the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, the chances of something going wrong are slim, but..."

His tone turned grave. "To this day, we have yet to fully comprehend the Astral World's operational laws. The mystery behind the Ancient Astral World's collapse also remains unresolved. No one knows what consequences might arise from rashly establishing new operational rules for the Astral World.

"If something goes wrong... it could very well affect the fate of the entire race. At the very least, it would severely damage our collective fortune. That's why the importance of this Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War is self-evident."

"You're planning to have Li Pin participate in the Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War?" Mo Xuan asked.

Li Pin's cultivation age was barely two hundred years, fully meeting the Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War's criteria.

Ji Shun nodded. "If he truly passes the eightieth step of the Supreme Ladder and is assessed to have Tyrant-level combat power... whilst it won't be guaranteed, the odds would be close to certainty."

This statement received unanimous agreement from both Heavenly Emperors, Mo Xuan and Yan Hao.

"Eighty steps... on the Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War, that would indeed be invincible." Yan Hao spoke while turning his gaze to the Supreme Ladder. "That is, assuming he can actually pass the Supreme Ladder's eightieth..."

The Crimson Emperor had yet to finish his sentence when his eyes suddenly widened.

Li Pin's figure abruptly appeared atop the eightieth step of the Supreme Ladder.

He had not been directly teleported out by the Supreme Ladder. Instead, he stood firmly on the eightieth step. With just one more step forward, he would be able to enter the eighty-first step.

"He passed it! He passed it! He made it through the Supreme Ladder's eightieth step!" A sudden cry of surprise pierced the atmosphere surrounding the Supreme Ladder.

The next moment, an unprecedented uproar exploded in all directions.

"How is this possible!? The Supreme Ladder's eightieth step! That corresponds to Tyrant-level combat power!"

"Even if the Supreme Ladder's simulated environment lacks the power of Eternal Oblivion, it still means... if he goes all out, he might be able to drag a Cosmic Tyrant down with him!"

"This is insane! No way! A Solar Flare cultivator could never pass the eightieth step! Absolutely not! He's reached Cosmic Radiance! Li Pin has definitely condensed his True Spirit. He's achieved Cosmic Radiance!"

Countless Astral Gods began speaking, sending mental messages or releasing waves of inner spirit fluctuations.

A chaotic mix of information and psychic ripples surrounded the Supreme Ladder, forming a boiling and frenzied atmosphere.

Yun Lai, Yu Xuexian, Wang Fuyun, Yu Li, and the rest even resorted to shouting with their voices, raw and loud, to vent the turbulent emotions in their hearts.

As for the likes of Thousand Dust, Lin Tianhuang, and Sheng Xu—who had thought that Li Pin was merely qualified to challenge them—they looked at one another, bitterness flickering in their eyes.

"He's reached Cosmic Radiance, hasn't he?"

"Definitely. Otherwise, there's no way he could've made it to the eightieth step."

"But this... this is too fast."

"Too fast... This phrase sounds so familiar. Others used to say it about me. But now... I'm saying it about someone else..."

"I think I finally understand how those prodigies I surpassed must've felt looking at me back then... because now, I feel it too."

They spoke with self-mockery and helplessness.

After a moment, Lin Tianhuang, who had long been suppressed, seemed to recall something and suddenly turned his gaze toward Luo Shenxi in the distance.

Luo Shenxi was a prodigy who had long reigned supreme over the Humanity Sanctum..

"Eighty steps... how could this be..."

Luo Shenxi stood not far away, looking utterly devastated.

Before arriving at the Supreme Ladder, she had planned to compete against Li Pin. But now, watching him step onto the eightieth step with her own eyes, she was frozen in place, afraid to even move.

Now that she had seen him clear the eightieth step... An overwhelming sense of powerlessness instantly crushed her inner spirit. At this moment, her heart was filled only with despair.

It was a feeling of futility. No matter how hard she tried to catch up, even his shadow would be beyond her reach.

On the Supreme Ladder, Li Pin heard the uproar from the outside, so loud it nearly pierced the heavens and drew in the power of the Eternal Oblivion.

He had long been mentally prepared for this. Or rather, from the moment he stepped onto the Supreme Ladder, he had already foreseen this scene. That was why he didn't feel surprised.

"Congratulations, Your Excellency." Sasha's message came through, tinged with a faint trace of inexplicable emotion.

"It was only to be expected," Li Pin said calmly.

He raised his head, ignoring the noise outside.

Let me see what my current limits are.

With that thought in mind, Li Pin stepped into the void and vanished onto the Supreme Ladder's eighty-first step.