Nine Star Hegemon Body Art

The four of them were miserably blown back to the 998th stair. They were wildly vomiting blood and filled with horror.

They hastily circulated their Heavenly Dao runes to heal. Just now, they had been the slightest bit away from being completely crushed. In that instant, they had smelled the scent of death. It was like the Grim Reaper's sickle had brushed right up against their throats.

The Xuantian Dao Sect’s experts were all shocked. They had never expected this situation.

This was the Eastern Wasteland’s Xuantian Branch Sect’s strongest batch of geniuses in all of history. But they were all stopped in front of the 999th stair.

Although the experts were still far away, they had sensed just how terrifying that killing mechanism was. Even they felt a chill.

“Is it trying to force them into despair? Why does the trial refuse to allow them to pass even though they’ve reached that point?” complained one monastery head.

“What is going on? Has something happened with the 999th stair? In previous generations, weren’t there disciples who managed to reach the 999th stair? Why can’t I remember anything from then?” questioned one of the older experts.

“That’s because the memories regarding the final stair have all been erased. All of you are the same. Once this trial is over, the memories about the final part will disappear,” said the vice sect master.

Their hearts shook. It was no wonder they clearly remembered that there had been disciples to reach the 999th stair, but when they tried to recall that scene, they weren’t able to recall it in the slightest.

Whether it was the Xuantian Sea, the Nine Netherworld Path, or the Netherworld Heaven Staircase, they were all activated by the head sect. Even they didn’t have the qualifications to interfere.

If they tried, the laws here would immediately kill them. Even the vice sect master wasn’t an exception.

“But, this abnormal difficulty isn’t even a trial, it’s just murder!” cried a monastery head.

A single flying sword had the power to kill a Celestial. Just now, tens of thousands of them had shot out at the same time, almost killing the four of them. It was lucky they had brought out their strongest defense beforehand, or they would have already died.

“This is a trial. It shouldn’t kill our elite disciples. There should be some unknown method to pass!” The vice sect master frowned. Although that was what he said, even he wasn’t sure.

Furthermore, the Netherworld Heaven Staircase had its own laws. There was no way for them to transmit their voices to the disciples on it.

BOOM!

The Netherworld Heaven Staircase shook everyone. Everyone jumped, thinking the Four Heavenly Geniuses had attempted to attack the 999th stair again.

However, they found out that the four of them hadn’t moved. They were still healing. This rumbling was from a certain figure stepping onto the 998th stair.

“It’s Long Chen!”

“Heavens, he really is not using any technique! He’s crazy!”

There were no fluctuations coming from Long Chen’s body. He was clearly using just the power of his physical body.

It had to be known that the Four Heavenly Geniuses had had to use their full strength to just barely reach the 998th stair. 

“Is he stupid? Is this worth it? He’ll be directly crushed to death by the pressure!” 

“What is his reason? Does he really need to care so much about his face?”

None of them knew that it wasn’t the case of him caring so much about his face, but that he really had no other option. The divine ring would only bring him down.

As for the Three Star Battle Armor, it was connected to the divine ring. The principle was the same, and once he activated it, although his power would multiply, the pressure would also be absorbed. It wasn’t worth it.

His previous words were just to give himself an excuse, to make others think he was posing. It was to conceal the bitter truth.

He was already doing his absolute best. One foot was just barely on the edge of the 998th stair, but the surrounding pressure crashed down upon him.

He was like a small boat trying to stay afloat on wild waves. He might capsize at any moment.

Meng Qi and Tang Wan-er had already stopped at the 900th stair. They had reached their limit. Although their wills were strong enough, their physical bodies were unable to continue.

They watched Long Chen attentively. Gu Yang and the others were right behind them. They had also reached the 900th stair.

“Boss really is boss. He’s too strong.” Gu Yang couldn’t help sighing. Even against rank two Celestials, he didn’t rely on any outer force and still reached the same level. 

The Dragonblood warriors had reached the 880th stair. Whether it was in terms of will or physical body, they had reached an absolute limit. There was no way for them to advance any further.

“Brothers, do you see? That’s our boss! He’s using his own power to tell us a person’s potential is limitless. As long as you are determined enough, you can surpass yourself. In truth, your strength surpasses your imagination. So brothers, what are you still waiting for?

“Currently, this is our limit. But do you see it? Boss is currently fighting his own limits, but us? Are we not capable of surpassing our limits as well? If we can’t surpass ourselves, how are we supposed to follow boss?

“Remember our oath? We will make the name of our Dragonblood Legion reverberate throughout the world. Do you still remember?” roared one of the squad leaders. Seeing Long Chen going all-out without any intention of giving up, his own passion was ignited.

Long Chen was fighting with all his might, but he still heard what they were saying. Despite how thick his face was, his cheeks became burning hot. “Your boss has no way around this, which is why he has to do this… Do you really think I would be that stupid?”

But hearing that speech made the pressure on Long Chen increase even more. Even if he had to die, he had to charge up there. Otherwise, how would he have the guts to face his brothers?

“Fuck it!” Long Chen clenched his teeth, and he suddenly charged forward.

His shoulders dislocated and the immense pressure almost sent him flying. He hastily pulled one foot back to the lower stair, maintaining an equilibrium.

Seeing that he didn’t succeed, Shui Guanzhi and the others sneered. Obviously, they thought that he was just posturing. But his big words had made him seem like an idiot now.

Seeing how miserable Long Chen appeared, they felt much more comfortable inside. He appeared even more miserable than they did.

Meng Qi and the others’ hearts clenched. Although they hadn’t reached that height, it was obvious that the pressure was unimaginable just from the fact that the Four Heavenly Geniuses had had to summon the Cries of the Heavenly Daos to just barely get to that level.

“Fuck, what is this ridiculous pressure?! Is it trying to break my confidence?!” Long Chen snorted inside. Just now, he had truly had an urge to give up. That was a sign his negative emotions were getting out of control. 

“Idiot, who do you think I am? I still have countless problems to deal with, and this little bit can’t count as anything. If this minor setback could stop me, how would I walk to the peak of the martial path? How would I find out about my origins? How would I find my parents? How would I get revenge against whoever stole my Spirit Bone, Blood, and Root?”

The more he thought about it, the more furious Long Chen became. That was especially true when he recalled what he had seen in Future Lake. He had watched those hands take his Spirit Blood, Spirit Root, and Spirit Bone.

Those negative emotions were all expelled by him. The only thing remaining was a gushing killing intent.

“Break!”

Long Chen’s furious roar was like thunder. The space in front of him trembled, and he finally reached the 998th stair.

“He did it! Do you see, brothers? Boss has already shown us what we have to do! Continue charging, surpass your limits and surpass yourselves!” cried the squad leader.

“Surpass our limits, surpass ourselves!”

The Dragonblood warriors’ cries rang out louder and louder. It reached a level that seemed like even the sky was shaking.

It was like they had been completely revived. Despite already having reached their limits, they continued pushing forward.

The Xuantian Dao Sect’s higher-ups were all stunned. Just what kind of people were they? Was a person’s potential truly unlimited?

When the Dragonblood warriors had reached the 830th stair, they had thought they would definitely not be able to reach the 840th stair.

When they had reached the 840th stair, they would have bet their heads that they had reached their limits and wouldn’t be able to reach the 850th stair.

Even so, now they had already reached the 880th stair. The majority of them were covered in blood, with daggers stabbed throughout their bodies in the most painful places. They used pain to force back their negative emotions.

However, despite having truly reached the limit, they once more continued forward with Long Chen’s encouragement.

“If they don’t fall, they will become this world’s most terrifying warriors,” said the vice sect master.

With his vision, he could clearly see that they had truly reached their limits, whether it was mentally or physically. But now they were surpassing those limits.

In truth, this was just a saying as it was fundamentally impossible. The limit people spoke of was usually only eighty percent of their true power.

Surpassing your limits was excavating that remaining twenty percent. But the Dragonblood warriors had already excavated all that potential. The only thing allowing them to continue was willpower.

If they had been in the outside world, they would have long since collapsed. But on the Netherworld Heaven Staircase, as long as a person’s will was strong enough, they could constantly break through their own limits. This was the strongest aspect of the Netherworld Heaven Staircase, one that made it worthy of being the final trial.

“What, do you want to fight?”

As soon as Long Chen got up, Shui Guanzhi glared at him.

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