"Lin Feng, my uncle made me come here. He told me that the Celestial Evolution Holy Dynasty's Celestial Branch should help with you as much as they could. No matter what you do, we stand on your side. If you succeed, great; if you fail, the Celestial Evolution Holy Dynasty will bear the responsibility for their actions too," Yan Di said to Lin Feng telepathically. He was quite solemn.
Lin Feng stared at Yan Di, astonished. Why was the Celestial Branch so kind to him? Lin Feng trusted Yan Di, the Celestial Branch wouldn't plot against him.
"Old bastard, you gave me your talisman, how did you get in?" Lin Feng asked Yan Di telepathically.
"Hehe, a cultivator of the fourth Godly Emperor Layer is more useful than talismans. How could those people behead and dismember a cultivator of the fourth Godly Emperor Layer? Who would dare and try?" replied Yan Di, smiling coldly. The middle-aged man Yan Di called Third Uncle was probably much older than Yan Di.
"I see," said Lin Feng. He wasn't too surprised. As usual, strength mattered the most. Nobody dared offend strong people.
"Brother Lin, I had no idea that you were Yan Di's friend," said Si Ma Yan smiling broadly. He clapped Yan Di's shoulder. They seemed to know each other quite well.
Yan Di pushed Si Ma Yan's arm disdainfully and said, "You old grouch, you're much older than me, and now you look so young, you trying to get some young women to sleep with you?" Lin Feng was stupefied. Si Ma Yan was older than Yan Di?
Si Ma Yan looked at Yan Di angrily, then smiled at Lin Feng, "Don't listen to him. I'm just a hundred years older than him."
"Well, yes, that still makes you older. How come you look so young? And why would you need to look so young?" sniffed Yan Di disdainfully.
Si Ma Yan clenched his fists, wanting to punch Yan Di, but then he glanced at the middle-aged man who was with Yan Di and gave up on the idea.
"Stop joking now. It's time to climb the mountain. I'm sure everyone is excited to feel the pressure of the earth and the sky," proclaimed Si Ma Yan, turning around.
Everybody looked glum. They were initially about to start climbing the mountain, but then Yan Di had arrived. Nobody would dare making fun of Lin Feng anymore now….
Bai Fu Nü pulled a long face, looking at Yan Di darkly. He had just called her a spinster, even though she was young and beautiful…
She was furious. She hated Yan Di. She would definitely get her revenge at some point, definitely!
"Everybody, those who want to participate in the mountain climbing competition, get ready. It'll help you get ready for the three-party competition, too," said Bai Fu Nü, sighing and controlling her anger. She sounded gentle and soft again. However, at that moment, nobody felt like talking anymore.
Everybody kept glancing at Yan Di and the cultivator of the fourth Godly Emperor Layer. They were afraid that if they did or said anything wrong, they'd get crushed. They followed Bai Fu Nü, including Si Ma Yan, Lin Feng, Tian Fan, and Yan Di…
—
The middle-aged man glanced at Yan Di, wanting to stop him, but the other cultivators of the Celestial Evolution Holy Dynasty stopped him.
"Our young master wants to participate, why prevent him from participating? Have you forgotten that the law enforcement elder said we should support Yan Di and Lin Feng?"
The two strong cultivators of the Celestial Evolution Holy Dynasty looked at the middle-aged man. The man nodded, but didn't understand why the Celestial Branch wanted to support Lin Feng, who was just a cultivator of the first Godly Emperor Layer, after all. Even if he was their young master's best friend, did they need to do that? There were probably some mysterious things going on…
————-
Lin Feng and the others crossed the Long Yun Pavilion, walked along a cobbled path with mountain streams on both sides, the water so clear that they could see the bottom. In front of them, there was a gigantic mountain which blotted out the sky and covered the sun. When looking at it, everybody felt a heavy pressure. Lin Feng could barely breathe.
They hadn't even started climbing the mountain that they already felt under pressure. Lin Feng was amazed. No wonder it was the most majestic mountain of the continent.
It was incredibly lofty, and the green energy of the earth and the sky was extremely thick and dense there. They couldn't see the top. Nobody had been able to get to the top since the ancient times.
Later on, the Four Temples, the Gods Government, and the Three Dynasties had decided to join hands to build the Long Yun Pavilion and a park at the foot of this mountain. They hoped that someday, someone would manage to get to the top and discover what was there.
"Everybody, you see there? The flashing white stones? It's a flight of stairs. The Celestial Emperor, as well as some other extremely strong cultivators, created it back in the days. There are thirty-six thousand steps. Each step is ten meters high. It only goes halfway up the mountain. Nobody has ever managed to get higher than the flight of stairs, that's why it stops there."
"If you manage to climb up ten thousand steps, it's an incredible accomplishment. Who will manage to stand last on it? The one who manages to stay longer than everyone else is also stronger because it means they can stand the pressure," said Bai Fu Nü. "Now, please announce your name, and you can start climbing the mountain," Bai Fu Nü smiled at the men sweetly.
Zhao Yang Chang immediately shouted, "Zhao Yang Clan, Zhao Yang Chang!"
He glanced at the middle-aged man, who was ignoring him in favor of Yan Di and Lin Feng. Zhao Yang Chang was relieved. He flashed out and instantly reached the 100th step. He had the impression he was being crushed, but he endured the pain.
"Elixir Temple, Dan Qing Yang!" declared Dan Qing Yang. He turned into a beam of light and flashed to the 300th step. There was an explosion, a beam of light appeared and crashed into Dan Qing Yang. Dan Qing Yang groaned with pain and slipped backwards. He fell back onto the 290th step.
It seems difficult, thought Yan Di when he saw Dan Qing Yang. Dan Qing Yang was extremely talented and had nearly been blown away. No wonder nobody had ever managed to climb the stairs!
"Zhao Clan, Zhao Yun," said a middle-aged man in golden clothes holding a spear. He flashed towards the mountain and landed on the 200th step. He sensed a pressure on his chest, but it wasn't unbearable.
"My turn," said Gan Cheng, smiling at Yan Di and Lin Feng. He turned into a beam of light, flying past the 300th step and landing on the 400th step. A beam of light appeared and shot in his direction, but Gan Cheng managed to dodge it.
When Dan Qing Yang saw that, he was furious and grunted coldly. He flashed towards the 400th step; energies struck him, but managed to stand there steadily.
"My turn," said Yin Jiu. He glanced at Lin Feng, couldn't see what he was thinking, then glanced at Tian Fan. Yin Jiu looked glum, but what could he do? Nothing, so he flashed towards the flight of stairs and landed on the 200th step.
"You and me together," said Si Ma Yan to Lin Feng and Yan Di. Si Ma Yan rolled up his sleeves, burst into laughter and flashed out, flying past the 400th step and landed on the 500th.
Yan Di glanced at Lin Feng, and flashed away. He landed on the 500th without any problem at all.
Tian Fan also flashed out, without glancing at Lin Feng. He also landed on the 500th step. The strength of the earth and the sky didn't seem to influence him at all.
"What about you?" asked Bai Fu Nü angrily.
Lin Feng didn't look at her, and smiled at Little Huang. "You try too. Since we've been together, you have rarely shown how strong you really are."