Everyone present on the scene was staring at the ten people in the Gravitational Stairs with utmost concentration.
After the ten of them had reached the blue zone of the Gravitational Stairs, every step was difficult for them. Every step they took was extremely difficult that it seemed unlikely for them to make it through.
“Just a little bit more before that guy makes it through.” Soon after, everyone present on the scene noticed a man who had almost passed through the blue zone to enter the indigo zone.
Once he entered the indigo zone, he only needed to go through the violet zone before he would be regarded as passing the entire Gravitational Stairs.
The reason this guy almost made his way out of the blue zone was due to the fact that he was using his Spirit Weapon, on top of the Origin Energy and Profundity he had unleashed, to withstand the great gravitational force.
Both of his arms were raised over his head as he held the Spirit Sword tightly in his hands. The Origin Energy on his body that had merged with many Profundities made him seem like he had transformed into a gigantic sword.
This sword had its tip pointed up as he did all he could to dispel the uninterrupted flow of gravitational force inside the Gravitational Stairs to help reduce the pressure.
Whoosh!
At the same time, he relied on his force to soar up into the sky and enter the indigo zone of the Gravitational Stairs in one breath.
Just as everyone’s eyes brightened because they thought this man stood a chance of passing the Gravitational Stairs—
Boom!
The indigo zone of the Gravitational Stairs suddenly released an even more powerful gravitational force. It slammed into the man, causing him to fall like an arrow that left its bow.
Barf!
Under the watchful eyes of the others, the man threw up a mouthful of blood before he was sent flying by the gravitational force, causing him to lose the chance of becoming the Martial Emperor’s disciple or follower.
“I’m too careless.” After he was sent flying, he sighed and wiped the blood off his mouth. He left quietly after that.
It was precisely because he was happy that he had made it into the indigo zone of the Gravitational Stairs that he became careless. It resulted in him being sent flying by the gravitational force of the Gravitational Stairs.
Otherwise, he would not be so wretched even if he did not manage to enter the violet zone of the Gravitational Stairs.
Although he was eliminated by the Gravitational Stairs, he served as an example to the people after him. Based on his experience, the others learned they could use their Spirit Weapons to dispel the uninterrupted flow of gravitational force inside the Gravitational Stairs.
The remaining nine people took out their Spirit Weapons one after another. With the help of the strength from their Spirit Weapons, they were able to make it to the indigo zone of the Gravitational Stairs.
Unlike the other man who was careless, they advanced slowly, making sure their steps were firm and successfully withstood the gravitational force in the indigo zone.
“Duan Ling Tian, they’ve made it up to the indigo zone. Do you think they’ll be able to reach the violet zone and make it through the Gravitational Stairs?” A voice suddenly resonated by Duan Ling Tian’s ears. It was Nangong Yi.
After Duan Ling Tian, who was keeping an eye on the situation inside the Gravitational Stairs, heard Nangong Yi’s question, he replied, “They’ll not be able to make it through the Gravitational Stairs… As for going into the violet zone, well, maybe one of them will able to.”
There was one among the remaining nine who was quite powerful. He could be considered as the best among Sixth Level Martial Monarch Stage martial artists.
“Only one person will make it to the violet zone? Nobody will be able to make it through the Gravitational Stairs?” Nangong Yi’s face turned glum when he heard Duan Ling Tian’s words.
He had some impression of the ten people who entered the Gravitational Stairs. They were all people from the same cultivation place with him in the past six months. They were all above Fourth Level but below the Seventh Level Martial Monarch Stage.
Some of these people were even more powerful than him.
“Then, does this mean that I have no hope of passing the Gravitational Stairs?” Nangong Yi’s face turned glum. Despair could be seen in the depth of his eyes.
Soon after, another person was sent flying from inside the Gravitational Stairs.
This person actually wanted to rely on the Spirit Weapon in his hand and charged into the violet zone of the Gravitational Stairs by force in one breath. However, as soon as the Spirit Weapon in his hand touched the violet zone, it triggered an even more powerful gravitational force that sent him flying.
After he was sent flying by the Gravitational Stairs, he sighed. He left in a daze, slightly battered.
As time went by, more people were eliminated.
In the end, only one person was left.
He was also the person whom Duan Ling Tian had a better impression of.
This person forcibly charged into the violet zone of the Gravitational Stairs with the help of his Spirit Weapon and entered it completely.
When most people thought he was going to pass the Gravitational Stairs, he was sent flying downward. His body slammed down on the vast stone platform with a loud ‘Bang’.
By the time he stood up, his entire body was covered in blood. His appearance was wretched.
Before he left the vast stone platform, he announced to the crowd, “I’m giving all of you a piece of advice. If your cultivation base is not at the Seventh Level Martial Monarch Stage or above, it’s better not to overestimate your strength.”
His words left a dark shadow in many people’s hearts. These people were all below the Seventh Level Martial Monarch Stage, including Nangong Yi. The only exception was Duan Ling Tian.
“Hurmph! You don’t have a cultivation base at the Seventh Level Martial Monarch Stage and above, and yet, you still dream of becoming a Martial Emperor’s disciple or follower in Ling Xuan Peak? You guys really overestimated yourself!” At this moment, a disdainful snort broke the silence on the vast stone platform. It was the silver-robed middle-aged man who had provoked Duan Ling Tian and the other two earlier.
Many people, including Nangong Yi, were infuriated when Duan Ling Tian suddenly said at a speed that was neither fast nor slow, “How smelly… Whose mouth is so stinky?”
“Pssst!”
“Hahahaha… Indeed it’s stinky! I can also smell it!”
The entire place was silent for a moment before people burst out laughing after they regained their senses.
The group of martial artists below the Seventh Level Martial Monarch Stage, including Nangong Yi, laughed as they continued to joke, releasing their anger to their hearts’ content.
“Boy! You’re going to die!” The silver-robed middle-aged man finally snapped back to reality. His eyes were cold as he glared at Duan Ling Tian.
If it was not for the fact that this was not somewhere he was allowed to wreak havoc, he would have instantly killed the purple-clad young man. It would be like beating the lion before the dog to warn the others of the consequences of offending him.
“It seems like the smell is getting worse now,” Nangong Yi said sarcastically as he deliberately pinched his nose.
As the silver-robed middle-aged man glared at Nangong Yi and Duan Ling Tian, he said to incite them, “Y-You… You… You two boys! If you dare, enter the Gravitational Stairs with me right now! I’ll show you just how impossible it is for ants like you to climb the Gravitational Stairs and pass the second selection!”
Nangong Yi turned grave immediately when he heard this.
He really did not have the confidence to pass the Gravitational Stairs.
In his heart, he had already made mental preparation for getting eliminated.
However, in the face of the silver-robed middle-aged man’s provocation, he really did not know how to respond.
At this moment, Duan Ling Tian looked at the silver-robed middle-aged man and asked, “You mean you can go through the Gravitational Stairs? And pass the second selection?”
“Of course!” The silver-robed middle-aged man answered as though it was a matter of course.
“Looks like you’re quite confident in yourself.” After taking a long look at the silver-robed middle-aged man, Duan Ling Tian proceeded to look at Nangong Yi and smiled. “Since he’s so confident, let’s join him in this game then.”
“Alright.” Although Nangong Yi had no idea what Duan Ling Tian was planning, he still agreed to it in the end.
In his opinion, although he did not possess the strength to climb the Gravitational Stairs, it was not difficult for Duan Ling Tian to climb the Gravitational Stairs with his strength.
As the silver-robed middle-aged man rose up into the sky, he looked at Nangong Chen and mocked, “Nangong Chen, you’ll soon witness the scene of your two companions being eliminated by the Gravitational Stairs. Just an ant who hasn’t even stepped into the Seventh Level Martial Monarch Stage, and you still dare to challenge the Gravitational Stairs. You really have overestimated yourself too much!”
Duan Ling Tian narrowed his eyes and asked in a provocative tone, “Since you’re so confident, do you dare to make a bet with me then?”
“What bet?” The silver-robed middle-aged man snorted.
“Let’s bet whether the three of us and you will be able to pass through the Gravitational Stairs and pass the second selection or not,” Duan Ling Tian said.
“How should we bet? Bet with what?” The silver-robed middle-aged man tried to maintain his imposing manner as he glared at Duan Ling Tian before smirking.
“Bet with our lives!” When Duan Ling Tian narrowed his eyes, his eyes gleamed coldly.
‘Bet with our lives!’
The moment these words left Duan Ling Tian’s mouth, a commotion immediately broke out.
Even the two Martial Emperor’s direct disciples, Song Ting and Zhong An, instantly shifted their gaze toward Duan Ling Tian.
“Interesting.” Zhong An smiled as he looked at Duan Ling Tian with interest. “I like this guy.”
“Hurmph!” Unlike Zhong An, Song Ting merely snorted coldly. It was obvious he knew Duan Ling Tian was the person who killed Lu Yi, Lu Zhong’s younger brother.
As for the silver-robed middle-aged man, he was also taken aback the moment he heard Duan Ling Tian’s words.
After he noticed everyone’s eyes shifting to him, he regained his senses. He looked at Duan Ling Tian and asked in a deep voice, “How do you want to bet?”
Until now, he still stubbornly tried to maintain his imposing manner.
“Let’s all swear by the Tribulation Oath — the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation… If any one of us three fail to pass the Gravitational Stairs or if you successfully pass the Gravitational Stairs, the lightning penalty from the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation will strike me to death!” Duan Ling Tian looked at the silver-robed middle-aged man and enunciated each of his words clearly, “On the contrary, if the three of us pass the Gravitational Stairs, and you’re unable to pass, you’ll be killed by the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation’s lightning penalty instead!”
The second these words left Duan Ling Tian’s mouth, the entire place immediately fell silent.
“I-Is this purple-clad young man c-crazy?” When people snapped out of their shock, they began to whisper among each other. They felt that Duan Ling Tian had gone crazy.
According to Duan Ling Tian, if either him, Nangong Chen or Nangong Yi, did not pass the Gravitational Stairs, he would die.
Even if all of them passed, he would also die if the silver-robed middle-aged man managed to pass the stairs.
Only if all three of them passed the Gravitational Stairs and the silver-robed middle-aged man failed to pass will the silver-robed middle-aged man die.
“Are you sure you want to bet like this?” After hearing Duan Ling Tian’s words, the silver-robed middle-aged man looked at Duan Ling Tian with a sneer and smirked coldly.
In his opinion, this purple-clad young man in front of him was merely digging his own grave.
“Do you dare?” Duan Ling Tian asked nonchalantly.
Do you dare?!
The second these words left Duan Ling Tian’s mouth, the crowd’s eyes shifted to the silver-robed middle-aged man again. He instantly became the center of attention again.
“Interesting, interesting!” Zhong An flashed a brilliant smile.
Song Ting who was standing next to him, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes as he stared intently at the purple figure as though he was deep in thoughts.
“Why wouldn’t I?!” The silver-robed middle-aged man smirked and said, “But, your life is not valuable enough to bet with me. Unless… you count Nangong Chen’s life in as well.”