The Golden Roc was startled and whirled around, seeing Chen Lan as if witnessing a devil, it staggered back repeatedly, accidentally tripping on the stairs and tumbling down, landing at Chen Lan's feet.

"You... why are you here!" The Golden Roc hurriedly scrambled up, crawling backward continuously, pointing at Chen Lan in fear.

It was terrified. If other Daoist Venerables were present, it might not be, but now, it was alone!

"Why shouldn't I be here? But you, are you here for the Jiuyou Minghuo as well?" Chen Lan smiled gently, stepping towards it.

"Don't come over, don't come over!" The Golden Roc continued to crawl backward, shouting in terror.

It was scared. It couldn't match Chen Lan; this person's strength was unfathomable.

Ever since last time, it had had a shadow in its heart about Chen Lan. It came to acquire the Jiuyou Minghuo with thoughts of growing stronger and seeking revenge, only to encounter Chen Lan again.

If it had known, it wouldn't have split from the main group.

Seeing the Golden Roc so afraid of him, Chen Lan wanted to laugh; he hadn't expected he had become a psychological shadow for the other.

"Don't be afraid. I won't harm you." Chen Lan spoke gently, but a Thunderbolt Divine Spear appeared in his hand, sparking with electricity, causing the Golden Roc's eyes to widen.

"Curse it, I'll fight you!" The Golden Roc yelled angrily, stood up, fiercely flapping its wings, and hundreds of golden feathers flew out like arrows, rushing towards Chen Lan.

Chen Lan swung the Thunderbolt Divine Spear with one hand, gradually closing in on the Golden Roc.

Seeing its attack having no effect on Chen Lan, the Golden Roc panicked, resorting to all kinds of Spirit Techniques, Divine Techniques, and Magical Treasures, using everything it could.

Ten minutes later, Chen Lan stood before the exhausted Golden Roc, lying on the ground, looking utterly despairing.

"Any more Spirit Techniques or Divine Techniques? Feel free to use them." Chen Lan smiled gently.

"No, do as you wish, kill or torture." The Golden Roc was drained, collapsed on the ground, panting heavily, its Spiritual Qi long depleted, in utter despair.

The human before it had grown stronger again, with Thunder Dao Perfection, able to effortlessly counter its attacks.

Both being Daoist Venerables, if one had perfected their Dao, they would surpass all, and in the same realm would be unbeatable!

But it didn't know that Chen Lan hadn't achieved Thunder Dao Perfection; he was always just short of it, no matter how hard he tried, always lacking a bit, constantly feeling that he needed an opportunity to achieve perfection.

As for this opportunity, he didn't know where to find it; perhaps he needed to comprehend it himself, or maybe he would naturally break through when the time was right.

"Submit to me, or die." Chen Lan spoke softly.

The Golden Roc was a Daoist Venerable, a perfect subordinate, killing it would be such a waste.

The Golden Roc hesitated, looking up at Chen Lan. As a Daoist Venerable, it certainly didn't want to submit, but it also didn't want to die. After living for tens of thousands of years, it had painstakingly cultivated to this realm; it couldn't possibly want to die.

After hesitating for a long time, the Golden Roc lowered its head, sighed, and knelt down with its forehead tightly pressed to the ground: "The Golden Roc clan, Jinpeng is willing to submit to the master."

Boom, the world trembled, roaring loudly, seemingly responding to Jinpeng's vow.

Seeing this, Chen Lan smiled, pointed out a finger, planting the Soul Brand in the Golden Roc's soul, from now on it would be a mere servant.

Jinpeng's eyes sparkled with a hint of purple light, thoroughly submitted, filled with loyalty towards Chen Lan.

"You stay here and guard." Chen Lan spoke gently.

He didn't want anyone else to interrupt him obtaining the Jiuyou Minghuo.

"Yes, master." Jinpeng nodded heavily.

Soon after, Chen Lan looked up towards the ladder resembling the Celestial Road and stepped up.

The moment he took a step, he felt a massive weight pressing down on him, causing his body to shudder, and his straightened back instantly bent, knees buckling, almost collapsing.

"Master, this ladder is called the Battle Power Ladder. The higher your battle power, the heavier the pressure. Even your first step is so difficult; your battle power is already heaven-defying." Jinpeng observed, openly shocked.

It should be noted that its first step wasn't so difficult, not even having to bend its body, while the master almost knelt on the first step; how high exactly was his battle power?

Chen Lan smiled bitterly; he hadn't expected this ladder to be based on battle power. It seemed that having too high a battle power wasn't necessarily a good thing.

Now the pressure was no less than when he was suppressed by Thunder Dao Power and Law; equally formidable.

But such challenges wouldn't faze him!

In an instant, thunder surrounded his body, armor appeared, and he straightened his back, gritted his teeth, and stepped forward.

With each step, the pressure doubled, making progress difficult.

After half an hour, Chen Lan had only walked half the ladder, already drenched in sweat, his clothes under the armor soaked, unable to lift his head, or straighten his back, like a walking corpse, grinding his way up.

Heavy, very heavy, increasingly so; this pressure wasn't just physical, but felt like his soul was being tormented, agonizing, suffering not just his body but also his soul.

But he wouldn't give up; he had to reach the end to obtain the Jiuyou Minghuo.

At this moment, Chen Lan heard a commotion from behind.

"My master is climbing the Battle Power Ladder, outsiders mustn't enter!"

It was the Golden Roc's voice.

"Haha, trying to claim the Jiuyou Minghuo, have you asked us? Everyone, let's go, we absolutely can't let anyone else take the Jiuyou Minghuo!"

"Alright, charge, the Jiuyou Minghuo is ours!"

Chen Lan couldn't turn around but knew many people had entered. But it didn't matter; the Golden Roc was there.

Indeed, the Golden Roc unleashed its Daoist Venerable aura, swiftly overpowering the crowd with force, silencing them forever.

"Master, rest assured, I will try my best to guard this place."

Chen Lan said nothing, continued stepping forward, gritting his teeth, accelerating.

Soon, only ten steps away from the top; these ten steps were exceedingly difficult. By now, Chen Lan was utterly exhausted.

Could he be made to give up?

Impossible!

Chen Lan gritted his teeth, lifted his foot, stepped heavily, advancing another step!

And as he advanced, he heard his bones emanating cracking sounds, like they were shattering.

With each step, bones would crack, the noise growing louder, making the Golden Roc break out in cold sweat.

The sensation of bone shattering was hardly pleasant; listening to this, it was feared its master had no intact bone left.

Until Chen Lan finally reached the end, the final burst echoed within his body, and he collapsed to the ground, like a puddle of mud, weak and unable to rise.

[To walk the Battle Power Ladder to its highest limit, your willpower and physical body are the strongest I've ever seen; so I will bestow upon you another fortune.]

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