Celestial Peak

Chapter 196: The Stairs that appears in every story

The last time Wang Ling got someone cheering from him in a crowd as he was about to compete in something. He could remember his master cheering for him from the spectators' seats, it was a good time.

Turning his head over to the direction of that voice, Wang Ling saw the familiar black hair and that cute and adorable face of his little sister.

Wang Hong and Xiao Fei'er was also there cheering for him. And as Wang Ling receives their encouragement and cheers, Wang Ling nodded at them with a warm and soft smile.

[Seems like Wang Hong and Yue had come out of their little seclusions. Looking at Wang Hong, he should have already broken through the Dominion Realm, he won't be one of my opponents in the Ten Year Bout then.]

Wang Ling's mind was not in the current event as he was looking into his future plans. Having Wang Hong at Dominion Realm, Wang Ling was happy that he will not be fighting his brother in that place. That would be unpleasant.

He saw Wang Yue wave her hands from the rooms that was built just right above spectators' seats. In that place, many chairs were lined up and a number of people were present, both old and young were there.

The weakest person in that place got to be Wang Yue. There were a good number of people present, and Wang Ling does not know most of them.

But as his eyes wandered, Wang Ling noticed someone familiar. It was his red-haired Alchemist, Yan Renhuo seating beside his mother, talking to one another as they spoke and laugh.

His eyes and Yan Renhuo met at one point and Yan Renhuo politely bowed at him with a bright and elegant smile. He returned the gesture ever so slightly.

But this resulted in people staring at Yan Renhuo. Wang Ling was in the middle of a colosseum with four other monstrous geniuses. And as he got the longest and most powerful introduction of the bunch, Wang Ling was at the center of attention.

Where he looks was the place where other people would curiously turn to. Smiles blossomed at such a place without Wang Ling realizing what his actions would cause. Or did he truly act in such a manner without knowing what it would cause? No one knows other than himself.

Wang Ling turned to the other candidates and just as he thought, they were looking at him with contempt and disdain.

These four talents came from Heaven's Will Academy's four Heavenly Peaks. They were the Direct Disciples of the Grand Elders that resides in the Heavenly Peaks and had been raised for the sake of gaining the right to become the Son of Heaven.

All of them were half-step Dominion Realm cultivators. But as they were all monstrous genius, they were considered as top tier geniuses of the current generation. And in their eyes, Wang Ling was nothing but a late-grand saint stage cultivator who received a little bit of smile from the heavens.

They were all looking down on Wang Ling, they not only think they are higher than him, but they know that they are higher and he is below them.

Wang Ling knew of their emotions and arrogance, yes, he wanted to smack them on the face and then take a limb from them in order to ingrain the fear in their bones. But Wang Ling can't do that.

After all, he was a righteous person with a valiant attitude, unless that certain day comes, he cannot go on a rampage for being disrespectful. Even if that certain day even came, Wang Ling knew he couldn't really act like he was some sort of killer who abides by no rules.

Such is the life of a schemer. As his head had all these thoughts enter and then come out, a loud voice suddenly came in the middle of the upper rooms his family was in and as Wang Ling turned his head over, he saw a middle-aged man looking down upon everyone with a gentle smile on his face.

Raising both hands with his palms turned to the sky, the middle-aged man spoke loudly, "All the candidates have gathered, they now stand in the presence of the current Radiant Headmaster of the Academy, Geng Wuying. Headmaster Geng, if you would please say a few words to properly start the selection."

The middle-aged man turned and then an old man who had a long white beard and a shaken, shiny, bald head rose into the air from where he sat. Overlooking everyone, Geng Wuying coughed and then said a few words.

"For a hundred thousand years the tradition of selecting the new Son of Heaven remains unchanged. Four trials will be presented that will challenge the three core of a Son of Heaven must have; Heart, Comprehension, Combat Prowess, and their Connection. With my piece uttered, I shall not hold this grand ceremony back no longer.

"As the 157th Headmaster of the Heaven's Will Academy, I hereby decree that the [Holy Light Selection] begin!"

A roaring crowd boomed, the cheers rocked the colosseum and a grand light came down from the heavens. As the cheers roared and the light descended, a golden flight of stairs began to rise from the center of the colosseum.

The old man who was still on the air spoke once more, "The Heart Rendering Stairs, a trial that had been done so many times, that stories about it had been passed down through different tales of legendary figures that we all know how it goes. One step upwards leads to heaven and each steps up will increase the pressure that will drag you to hell.

"The muddier your heart, the stronger the pressure, but the stronger your will the faster you will go up! To the one who climbs up faster than the rest in three hours, he shall be the one that will be declared as the winner of this round. Time shall start now and the one who will start this challenge would be Zhuan Jie of the Light's Will Peak!"

Geng Wuying floated down and then settled on his seat and Zhuan Jie stepped forth upon the instant he was called.

"I shall now attempt to tread this path."

Zhuan Jie bowed at the direction of Geng Wuying and then took his first step on the Heart Rendering Stairs. As soon as he got to step up, the other three disciples of the academy stepped up and followed him.

They tried to move as fast as they could, their hearts were steeled and for two hours, they climbed the stairs with grit and determination. Their hearts rendered to not be shaken in any way.

The candidates were dedicated to face the challenges that is except for one. Wang Ling watches the four youths climbed the stairs for the past two hours and saw their bodies wobble and tumble along with the 50th steps.

The four monstrous genius was on the 73rd step and Wang Ling reckoned that his heart was already as calm as it could.

So, he took a step forth. He placed one foot on the first step and then on the second step. He was flying and in mere minutes he passed the fortieth steps.

Ten minutes into his climb, Wang Ling passed Qin Lim who was at the 68th step and then Xiang Ning who was at the 70th step and then Li Yourong and Zhuan Jie at the 73rd step.

He came in by surprise, as he climbed so fast that those who were watching didn't see him act at all.

Everyone was shouting cheers and Wang Yue was laughing as she shouted for her big brother's success. The four candidates looked at Wang Ling aghast, not because they were surprised about the speed of his climb.

No, they were surprised at the heaviness of his steps. One step of his felt like Wang Ling was carrying a mountain, and as he passed Liyourong and Zhuan Jie saying "Excuse me." Wang Ling's steps seemed to have increased in weight.

The stairs reflect the heart and the weight it carries, the four candidates could only wonder what kind of weight his heart carries.

But little did they know, as Wang Ling climb the stairs, a carefree smile was on his face as he thought to himself, [Will Hong'er and Yue'er like the gift I got them?]