As the Great Elder's voice fell, three rules clearly spread throughout the venue.

For the Martial Artists of the Tianlan Sea Domain, there was nothing fresh to speak of. For decades, the rules were always the same each year.

Ling Feng was somewhat curious. A mere staircase of less than one thousand steps actually offered a whole day and night; it seemed passing these steps was not an easy task.

The assessment began rapidly, and Ling Feng couldn't dwell on it further. When the first batch of eager Inner Sea Geniuses rushed onto the steps, Ling Feng, unhurriedly, also started to move forward.

"Hey, brother, I shall go ahead first!"

Yang Huanzhi grinned at Ling Feng, then quickly stepped up, climbing swiftly.

Many of the participants in the assessment likely weren't here for the first time to take the test by Queen Huanxin, hence they were somewhat prepared to gain some advantage initially.

"Huh! How come there's a kid at the Divine Origin Realm early stage rushing up? These stairs contain soul illusions; going up rashly will lead to hallucinations. The further up, the greater the oppression, and the more severe the hallucinations. Quite a few people can't distinguish between illusions and reality and end up completely mad or in a stupor."

"Haha, what's strange about that? Every year, there are low-level Martial Artists who charge in without properly investigating beforehand."

"Alas, clearly they are dazzled by the allure of the Time Hourglass."

Quite a few bystanders sighed. Rushing up the steps without strength is courting death!

"Heh heh, such reckless kids would die in vain anyway!"

...

At this moment, a sharp-eyed person among the crowd recognized Murong Huang and couldn't help but exclaim: "Look quickly, that black-dressed youth leading ahead is Murong Huang from Deserted City. His talent may not match Murong Zining, but he is undoubtedly a top genius from Deserted City!"

"As expected of someone from Deserted City, Murong Huang is already leading the second place by six steps!"

"In my opinion, the genius who will take first place this time must be Murong Huang without a doubt."

Murong Huang's appearance brought significant shock to many, especially his sword-wielding figure in black attire, with a cold demeanor and a leading back view—indeed cool and boastful enough.

Behind Murong Huang, Yang Huanzhi and the mysterious person in black robe were almost neck and neck, their speed barely lagging, maintaining within a ten-step gap with Murong Huang.

In contrast, Ling Feng remained unhurried, walking at the end of the team.

He had long noticed that with each upward step, the pressure on the Divine Sense intensified by a level; the early leading was futile beyond mere show-off.

Time ticked away slowly, and soon, the first echelon of geniuses reached past four hundred stairs, and Murong Huang, who kept sprinting madly, finally slowed down.

At the over four hundred step mark, the spiritual suppression had become horrifyingly intense. Any slight neglect might cause a mental collapse, leading to rolling down the stairs.

Thus, the further one went, the slower the speed became.

Meanwhile, at more than three hundred steps, quite a few were already sitting cross-legged, restoring their spiritual power to avoid instant collapse from the abrupt surge of spiritual suppression on the next step.

"Interesting, indeed."

Ling Feng squinted his eyes. In actuality, these more than nine hundred steps were akin to a place for Cultivation of Divine Sense. The longer one lingered on the steps, the better the tempering for spiritual power.

Only, under such circumstances, none would think of using the Array on these steps to hone their spiritual power.

"It's about time to accelerate!"

Ling Feng rubbed his nose, since understanding the function of the steps, naturally, he wouldn't waste much time fumbling at the bottom of the steps.

"Goodness, that kid, despite always leisurely trailing at the back, hasn't shown any sign of exertion!"

Finally, someone noticed the peculiarity with Ling Feng; although he still stayed around the two hundred steps mark, many Cultivators at the late stage of the Divine Origin Realm faltered here, yet Ling Feng seemed unaffected.

"No way, just a show? How could this guy be so relaxed?"

"Not only relaxed, but... he's accelerating now!"

Amid countless shocked gazes, Ling Feng's speed suddenly skyrocketed, surpassing one Martial Artist after another in front, almost reaching the position of the first echelon in a few breaths.

"Darn, am I seeing things?"

"What kind of speed is this? Is this guy's power of consciousness more terrifying than Murong Huang's?"

"No, I think I remember, isn't this guy the one who walked the Soul-locking Bridge in one breath!"

"Oh my, it's truly him!"

Several Martial Artists who had previously visited Heroic Pavilion finally recognized Ling Feng's identity.

"This kid has finally exerted force."

The Great Elder, standing atop the steps, squinted and chuckled, for he knew Ling Feng possessed a power of consciousness comparable to the Human Emperor; surpassing the nine hundred ninety-nine Soul Stairs was naturally no problem.

However, he might still waste a grand opportunity.

Amid everyone's exclamations, Ling Feng had already directly surpassed Murong Huang, the number one, and continued sprinting rapidly.

Observing Ling Feng's galloping back, Murong Huang clenched his fist tightly, as a proud child from Deserted City, losing to an unknown little guy was unacceptable.

Anxious, he accelerated abruptly, almost sliding off the stairs, frightened, he immediately sat cross-legged, restoring Divine Sense, no longer hoping to compete with Ling Feng.

"This guy!"

Yang Huanzhi saw Ling Feng's back and shook his head with a grin, then continued climbing several dozen steps ahead, finally sitting cross-legged at the four hundred ninety-ninth step.

"Looks like I still can't surpass the five hundredth step this year. The pressure of consciousness above directly skyrockets threefold, I can't bear it."

Yang Huanzhi took a deep breath and then sat properly on the steps, ceasing further ascent.

As for the mysterious person in black robe, after gritting through the five hundredth step, their figure slightly swayed, and after glancing at Ling Feng's back ahead, likewise sat cross-legged meditating without chasing further.

Queen Huanxin provided twenty-four hours for these assessors to traverse the steps not considering the weak's difficulty, rather to allow true elites temper their Divine Sense.

After all, only true elites can withstand such pressure and temper Divine Sense on the Soul Stairs.

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