Chapter 274 - 166: Endless Shock, Invincible ’Dao Heart

Chapter 274: Chapter 166: Endless Shock, Invincible ’Dao Heart

"My god! Five bell tolls and the Flower of the Great Dao! Someone has ascended to the ninety-fifth step of the Holy Ladder!"

"Who is it? Who climbed to the ninety-fifth step?"

"The Beardless Sect! It’s the Beardless Sect! Today seems to be their investiture ceremony for the Eldest Senior Brother."

"The Beardless Sect?"

Countless Cultivators across Thousand Sects Island looked up at the Saint Realm Dharma Aspects in the sky, their eyes filled with shock and their faces etched with absolute astonishment.

At the Holy Ladder Altar.

Hundreds of thousands of people felt as if they had been struck by lightning. The gazes they fixed upon the white-clad youth were brimming with disbelief.

At that moment, a voice echoed, "The ninety-fifth step... To think that our Thousand Sects Island has welcomed an unparalleled, peerless figure."

"Little friend, you are truly impressive."

"Sir, could it be that you came to our Thousand Sects Island for the ’Three Flowers Gathering at the Top’?"

"To hold nothing back just for the reward of a martial skill... Your courage, little friend, puts us all to shame."

Voices carrying the might of the Saint Realm echoed from all directions, shaking the entire Thousand Sect Island Realm.

Watching more and more Saint Realm Powerhouses appear, Master Beardless’s expression grew exceedingly grim.

However, facing the intense scrutiny of the sky full of Dharma Aspects, the youth’s expression remained completely unchanged.

"You flatter me, Seniors. I, Qin Fan, am but a Wuwei youth. What virtue or ability do I possess to warrant the personal arrival of so many Saints? You all think far too highly of me."

"Haha, we cannot bear to be called ’Seniors’ by you, little friend. As the Eldest Senior Brother of a Holy Sect, according to the hundred-thousand-year-old rules of Thousand Sects Island, we must respectfully address you as ’Daoist Brother.’"

"Ninety-five steps on the Holy Ladder. You indeed came to our Thousand Sect Island Realm for the ’Three Flowers Gathering at the Top.’ You have certainly earned the qualifications to compete for it. This old Saint greatly admires your talent and potential."

"Daoist Brother, why not join my Divine Sword Sect and become our Eldest Senior Brother? How can the title of Eldest Senior Brother in a declining Holy Sect be worthy of your talent?"

RUMBLE—!!!

As soon as these words were spoken, countless Cultivators across Thousand Sects Island shuddered, feeling as if they had been struck by lightning.

Although they were not present at the Holy Ladder Altar, the voices of the Saint Realm echoed throughout the entire Thousand Sect Island Realm, ringing as loud as thunder in their ears.

Master Beardless and Master Wuchen turned deathly pale. The scene the former had feared the most had finally occurred.

In truth, aside from wanting to avoid unnecessary trouble, Master Beardless had a selfish reason for not wanting Jiang Hao to ascend past the ninety-first step of the Holy Ladder.

That reason was simple: once the youth exposed his world-shocking potential, he would inevitably attract recruitment offers from countless top-tier Holy Sects.

Compared to these currently resplendent Holy Sects, the Beardless Sect paled into insignificance. The moment a first-rate Holy Sect—or even one of the Six Great Celestial Vein Saint Sects—spoke up, it was highly likely that the youth would abandon the Beardless Sect.

However, before the previous voices could even fade, and without even giving Jiang Hao a chance to respond...

"Beardless!"

An extremely loud voice abruptly echoed from the Celestial Universe as a world-shocking figure slowly revealed himself.

Unlike the sky full of Saint Realm Dharma Aspects, the towering figure appearing at the pinnacle of the Celestial Universe had descended in his true body. A peerless saintly might cascaded downward, instantly devouring all the other saintly auras.

Feeling that overwhelming saintly might, the expressions of everyone on Thousand Sects Island changed drastically.

"The Evergreen Saint Venerable?"

Indeed! The one who had personally descended in his true body was the current Sect Leader of the Cyan Mist Sect, one of the Twelve Saint Venerables of Thousand Sects Island—the Evergreen Saint Venerable, Di Changqing!

Di Changqing looked down from above, but he did not speak directly to the youth standing upon the Holy Ladder. Instead, his words were directed at Master Beardless, who was standing in front of the Holy Ladder Altar.

Hearing Di Changqing call out to him, Master Beardless abruptly snapped back to reality. He immediately bowed respectfully and said, "Junior Brother Beardless greets Senior Brother, the Evergreen Saint Venerable."

"Mm."

Seeing this, Di Changqing nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction appearing on his face. Then, with a voice that shook Thousand Sects Island, he declared, "Beardless, this child Qin Fan’s talent is world-shaking. He is not someone your Beardless Sect can handle. Effective immediately, strip him of the title of Eldest Senior Brother of the Beardless Sect. Allow this Saint Venerable to take him back to Cyan Mist."

CLAMOR—!

As soon as these words were spoken, the entirety of Thousand Sects Island erupted into a boiling uproar.

Especially for the hundreds of thousands of Cultivators at the Holy Ladder Altar, it felt like a bolt from the blue.

Some Cultivators even wore rather peculiar expressions.

"What’s going on? Didn’t you guys say that this Qin Fan was a genius discarded by the Cyan Mist Sect? Why has the Evergreen Saint Venerable personally come to claim him?"

The words spoken not long ago still seemed to echo in their ears.

Especially the phrase, "Do you think the people of the Cyan Mist Sect are blind?" Now, it sounded incredibly grating.

However, the moment they heard Di Changqing’s words, the many Elders of the Beardless Sect and the hundreds of thousands of Beardless Sect disciples all turned deathly pale.

Master Beardless shuddered violently. They had finally seen a glimmer of hope—were they really going to have to hand it over on a silver platter?

Master Beardless wasn’t the only one with a grim expression. The moment Di Changqing demanded the youth, terrifying figures within countless Holy Sects slightly furrowed their brows.

The Cyan Mist Sect already had Mu Wanli. If they were to add another peerless genius qualified to compete for the "Three Flowers Gathering at the Top," the situation for everyone else would become much more difficult.

In front of the Holy Ladder Altar.

Perhaps out of sheer unwillingness to yield, Master Beardless subconsciously spoke up, "Saint Venerable, I cannot make the decision on whether he stays or leaves. Although Junior Brother Qin is the Eldest Senior Brother of my Beardless Sect, he is only an honorary one. Whether or not he returns to Cyan Mist with you, Saint Venerable, must be decided by Junior Brother Qin himself."

As soon as he said this...

"Hm?"

Di Changqing’s face instantly darkened. He let out a cold snort and said, "Beardless, you’ve grown some nerve, haven’t you?"

Facing Di Changqing’s oppressive aura, Master Beardless looked unwell, but he bit the bullet and remained silent.

Seeing Master Beardless refusing to budge, Di Changqing felt displeased, but with so many Saint Realm Dharma Aspects watching, it wasn’t appropriate for him to lash out in public.