Chapter 534 - 533: At Spirit Peak, I Alone Reign Supreme

Chapter 534: Chapter 533: At Spirit Peak, I Alone Reign Supreme

Ximen Chuihuo was somewhat surprised. He hadn’t expected to find something like this here.

But the All-Things Cut in the stone statue’s hand was resonating with the one he held, making him hesitate.

He didn’t know what would happen if he got closer, and he still had to find the Spirit Beast.

A part of Ximen Chuihuo wanted to leave, but his feet felt rooted to the spot.

All-Things Cut had been left behind by an ancestor of the Spiritual Control Sect. According to Po Xiao, the thing was a Dao Artifact.

Now that it was suddenly resonating, it was highly likely related to that very ancestor of the Spiritual Control Sect.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If he passed it up, he might regret it forever.

’So, what’s more important? Avoiding a three-month-long beating, or getting a glimpse of my ancestor’s secrets?’

’Is that even a choice?’

Without a moment’s hesitation, Ximen Chuihuo approached the statue and placed his All-Things Cut next to the one in its hand.

The next moment, the resonance reached its peak, and Ximen Chuihuo was sucked into the statue.

The instant Ximen Chuihuo was pulled into the statue, Jiang Zuo stopped in his tracks.

He noticed the stone steps beneath his feet were beginning to change.

The once-dim stone steps began to glow with a brilliant white light.

In an instant, the sky-piercing staircase transformed into a grand, luminous path before Jiang Zuo’s eyes.

"Oh? So this place has finally found the right person?" Jiang Zuo said, his interest piqued.

The Jinling Loach said, "That must be it. The entire place has been activated. That Spirit Beast must have sensed it, too. I just wonder if it will try to intervene.

"If it does, I’ll have to make a move myself. After all, this place waited so long to find the right person. It would be a shame if something went wrong."

Meanwhile, before the mountain peak, Sect Leader Ximen was frowning at it.

He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt as if the entire mountain had changed.

The mountain seemed to have come alive.

The Spirit Beast was also startled. "Something’s not right," it said. "It’s as if the mountain has awakened."

’Awakened?’

Hearing the Spirit Beast say that, Sect Leader Ximen felt the same way. The mountain was indeed like it had awoken, completely different from before.

It was much more conspicuous now.

Lady Ximen arrived just then. She immediately asked, "Did something happen? Has that young friend come out yet?"

Sect Leader Ximen glanced at his wife. "Something’s happened, yes, but the main issue isn’t Po Xiao... it’s that rebellious son of ours."

"Rebellious son?" Lady Ximen didn’t understand for a moment, then she exclaimed, "Are you saying something happened to Chuihuo? What did you do to him this time?"

Lady Ximen felt a wave of helplessness. ’That’s just how my husband is. The moment something displeases him, he’s liable to lash out.’

’He dotes on his precious daughter, but all he knows is how to beat his own son.’

"Does it look like I did anything to him?" Sect Leader Ximen retorted.

This left Lady Ximen stunned. ’It doesn’t?’

’Hasn’t it always been like this in the past?’

Then Sect Leader Ximen said, "Look at the mountain. See any changes?"

Lady Ximen was surprised. ’Why bring up the mountain for no reason?’ she wondered. She looked at it, but couldn’t see anything different.

But after watching for a moment, she frowned. The mountain did seem different from how it used to be—precisely because it looked too normal.

Before, the mountain had never looked so clear or distinct.

Then she asked, "Did something happen here? It feels different."

Then it hit her. "What does this have to do with Chuihuo?"

"He just went inside," Sect Leader Ximen said directly, not keeping her in suspense.

"He just went in, it’s not a big—Wait, what did you say?" Lady Ximen, who had been about to reply dismissively, suddenly cried out in shock.

’Her son entered the mountain that no one has been able to enter for countless years?’

The news was shocking, but it was also a wonderful thing.

"Is that true? In that case, hasn’t Chuihuo brought honor to your name?" Lady Ximen was delighted. ’What parent doesn’t hope for their son’s success?’

Then Sect Leader Ximen added, "He first went in six years ago."

Lady Ximen was speechless.

’That unfilial son! He actually hid it from us for so many years.’

"He still thinks this is a normal mountain, the kind anyone can just waltz into," Sect Leader Ximen said.

Lady Ximen was at a loss for words. "Can’t you just explain everything at once?"

Sect Leader Ximen snorted. "Just remember this: ignore that rebellious son. We’ll pretend we don’t know anything."

Lady Ximen was taken aback for a second, then a faint smile touched her lips. She said no more.

’Now that something’s happened to the mountain, I wonder how my son is doing.’

————

Inside, Ximen Chuihuo also saw the stone steps. But unlike Jiang Zuo, he also saw a stele.

"Celestial Ascension Ladder?" Ximen Chuihuo said in surprise.

He then noticed smaller characters engraved beside it: "Atop the Spirit Peak, I alone reign supreme. My All-Things Cut cleaves the world. Welcome to my inheritance."

’So cringey,’ Ximen Chuihuo thought. ’But if this really is the ancestor who created All-Things Cut, I guess it’s somewhat fitting.’

Ximen Chuihuo muttered to himself as he looked at All-Things Cut.

He just never imagined that this place would actually be that ancestor’s domain of inheritance.

’And my father never mentioned such an important place.’

’Besides, shouldn’t an inheritance like this be open to certain disciples?’

’My sister is a genius with a natural affinity for Spirit Beasts. It’s a real shame she isn’t here.’

’As for me... I’m really not suited for the Spiritual Control Sect’s inheritance.’

’I’m just in it for the food.’

’So, should I go up and take a look?’

Ximen Chuihuo looked around. Seeing no other path, he realized that climbing the stone steps was his only option.

Without further hesitation, he stepped onto the Celestial Ascension Ladder.

The moment his foot touched the first step, a powerful pressure instantly washed over him.

The pressure was terrifying in nature, yet faint in intensity.

It would weigh heavily on anyone who held Spirit Beasts in great awe, bogging them down until they could barely move.

Ximen Chuihuo, however, barely felt a thing. ’They’re just Spirit Beasts. Aren’t they meant to be eaten?’

And so, he started up the steps, pushing against the pressure.

The instant the pressure appeared, Jiang Zuo sensed it as well.

"The sealed Spirit Beast is making a move. How despicable! Watch me crush it," the Jinling Loach said, preparing to strike.

But Jiang Zuo stopped it. "Don’t move."

The Jinling Loach was confused. "Why not?"

"The pressure is within a tolerable range. It’s not going too far," Jiang Zuo said calmly.

The Jinling Loach was displeased but ultimately said nothing more.

’Once this person has spoken, it’s best not to disobey.’

’If he were just some ordinary person, I wouldn’t have listened.’

The pressure affected Jiang Zuo and the Jinling Loach as well, but unfortunately for it, neither of them was ordinary.

To say nothing of the Jinling Loach, Jiang Zuo’s own aura was something this pressure couldn’t even compare to. It had no effect on him whatsoever.

If the pressure had a will of its own, it would have long since fled as far away from Jiang Zuo as possible.

Jiang Zuo walked along the stone steps. ’These stairs are really something else,’ he thought. ’They’re absurdly long. I wonder what the person who built this was thinking.’

The staircase was genuinely, physically long—not the product of some Array or Illusion Realm. ’What a waste of space.’

’Even if you have Spatial Techniques, this isn’t how you use them.’

’Good thing I have time to kill, or I really wouldn’t bother climbing this.’