The Azure Stairs Trial Begins

The first rays of sunlight bathe the Blue Sky Sect, illuminating a vast crowd of eager and eager disciples.

The air was thick with anticipation.

Thousands of Outer Sect disciples filled the trial grounds, their gazes locked onto the massive stone stairway before them.

The Azure Stairs.

Heaven-Grade Artifact, damaged but yet still powerful, its hundred steps stretched skyward. Climbing its steps is a test of willpower, resilience, and foundation.

For some, this was a moment of opportunity. A chance to step beyond the outer sect's mediocrity and prove themselves.

For others, it was their last chance to avoid fading into obscurity.

And for most… it was the most nerve-wracking moment of their cultivation journey.

"This is it," one disciple murmured, clenching his fists. "The path to the Inner Sect."

Another exhaled with nervousness. "The Azure Stairs… how many do you think will fail before the 10th step?"

"Probably a hundred at least," a third whispered. "The pressure increases every step, and if your foundation is unstable…"

"Silence!"

A voice boomed across the trial grounds, instantly cutting through the murmurs.

The temperature seemed to drop.

A powerful spiritual pressure washed over the crowd, pressing down on them like an invisible force.

Even without looking, everyone knew…

Elder Sun had arrived.

A tall figure in flowing deep blue robes descended onto the jade platform, his expression unreadable. 

A Golden Core cultivator.

To the disciples, he was an unreachable existence. A wall separating the weak from the truly strong.

His eyes swept over the gathered disciples, sharp and cold. He saw their ambition and their fear.

Then, finally, he spoke.

"The Azure Stairs Trial begins today."

A simples sentence.

Yet it carried a weight that settled into everyone's bones.

Some disciples straightened their backs instinctively.

Others swallowed hard, their palms slick with sweat.

Elder Sun continued, his voice steady and unwavering.

"This is not merely a trial of strength," he said. "It is a test of your foundation, your willpower, and your qualifications."

He raised a hand, and a scroll materialized within his grasp. With a flick of his wrist, golden text unraveled in mid-air.

"The rules are simple."

His gaze sharpened.

"Only the first fifty who reach the 50th step will qualify."

A ripple of tension spread through the crowd.

Elder Sun ignored their feelings and continued.

"With each step, the pressure will increase. The higher you climb, the stronger the force pressing against your body, your Qi, and your mind."

The murmurs grew.

"I heard people collapse by the 20th step!"

"Someone broke their meridians last time…"

"If I don't at least reach the 50th step, I…"

"Silence."

Elder Sun's voice cut through the anxious whispers, commanding attention once more.

He let the silence stretch before continuing.

"There will be no second chances. If you fall, you are eliminated. If you stop for too long, you are eliminated."

His voice remained calm, but the weight behind his words sent a chill down many spines.

"Finally," Elder Sun's expression darkened ever so slightly "no external artifacts, no outside assistance. Only your own strength will decide your fate."

Lu Chen, standing among the crowd, remained silent.

The rules were harsh and simple.

But this was the Azure Sky Sect.

Elder Sun lowered the scroll.

His gaze swept over them one last time.

"This is your chance to change your destiny," he said.

Then, he raised his hand…

And brought it down.

"BEGIN!"

The moment Elder Sun's voice rang through the trial grounds, a surge of movement erupted.

Thousands of disciples rushed forward, their eyes filled with determination.

The Azure Stairs loomed ahead, stretching toward the sky, each step seemingly ordinary… Yet every disciple knew the true challenge lay not in climbing, but in enduring.

The first wave of disciples stepped onto the stairs without hesitation.

Then.

Boom!

A crushing invisible pressure descended upon them.

Some gasped. Others staggered as if their bodies had suddenly doubled in weight.

"Is it already this strong on the first step?" A disciple gritted his teeth.

Lu Chen, who had taken his first step, felt it immediately.

It wasn't just physical weight, his Qi flow trembled, his bones tensed, his meridians subtly strained.

The Azure Stairs weren't just a test of endurance. 

They refined a cultivator's very being.

Those with unstable foundations would be exposed instantly.

...

Within moments, the weakest disciples began to fall.

"Argh!"

A young man collapsed after the second step, blood rushing to his face.

His legs trembled violently.

"I-I can't move!"

A friend reached for him, but the disciple shook his head in despair.

His cultivation base was too weak. His body couldn't withstand even the first layer of suppression.

He had lost before the trial even began.

One of the sect officials watching from the side waved a hand.

"Disqualified."

Two outer sect enforcers carried the disciple away, his face pale with humiliation.

But no one had the luxury of thinking about that, because the pressure was only increasing.

...

By the 10th step, the crowd had already thinned.

Those with weak foundations were pushed out early, unable to keep going.

"I-I can't breathe!" A disciple stumbled and fell backward, rolling down several steps before coming to a stop.

A friend of his was barely holding on. "Damn it… I trained for this! Why is it so difficult?!"

Nearby, a girl with sharp eyes and an elegant posture stood firm. Xu Yan, one of the stronger outer disciples.

She watched the chaos unfold and exhaled steadily.

"They're forcing our Qi to circulate under extreme conditions. If your foundation is unstable, your own Qi will rebel against you." She murmured. 

Then, without another word, she took her next step.

...

By the 20th step, the true challenge became apparent.

The pressure didn't just increase in weight, it began refining.

Lu Chen could feel it in his very bones. Each step sent a subtle shock through his body, forcing his meridians to strengthen, his Qi to flow more smoothly.

For those with weak foundations, it was agony.

For those with strong ones, it was a blessing in disguise.

"Ugh…!"

A disciple ahead of Lu Chen dropped to one knee, gasping for air. 

His Qi was scattering.

Another disciple next to him groaned as his muscles spasmed.

"It… hurts…"

Lu Chen remained calm.

"It's breaking down impurities," he realized.

The Azure Stairs were refining their bodies and Qi flow.

For those strong enough to endure, this was a rare opportunity.

...

By the 30th step, the competition turned ruthless.

"Move aside!"

A burly disciple shoved another down, sending them tumbling backward.

"Y-you bastard!" The fallen disciple roared in fury but couldn't retaliate. The pressure alone kept him pinned down.

Others had no choice but to fight back.

"If I don't make it past the 50th step, I'll be stuck in the outer Sect forever!"

Desperate disciples lashed out, trying to weaken their competitors.

Fists clashed. Elbows jabbed. Someone even used their spiritual pressure to try and knock down others.

Elder Sun, standing above, watched silently.

He did not intervene.

This was part of the test.

If a disciple couldn't handle even this… they had no place in the Inner Sect.

...

By the 40th step, the number of participants had dwindled drastically.

Even some stronger disciples trembled with effort.

Xu Yan, now at step 42, wiped sweat from her brow.

"The suppression is too intense… my Qi flow is slowing down…"

She gritted her teeth and forced herself forward.

Behind her, a disciple tried to push past.

She turned sharply, her eyes cold.

"Try it, and I'll make sure you don't take another step."

The disciple hesitated… then backed off.

—

At the 45th step, the true battle began.

The pressure was suffocating.

Some disciples had frozen in place, unable to move forward or retreat.

Others collapsed where they stood, unable to continue.

Only those with strong foundations, deep reserves of Qi, or sheer willpower were still moving forward.

And Lu Chen?

He was still climbing.

Step by step.

Steady and controlled.

His breathing remained even, his expression was one of pain and extreme effort, but inside he was calm.

He did not rush, nor did he hesitate.

As he steadily reached step 47, a figure just ahead of him suddenly slipped.

"Ahhh!"

The disciple stumbled backward, crashing into Lu Chen's shoulder, nearly sending him tumbling down.

Lu Chen's instincts screamed.

At the last moment, he twisted his body, stabilizing himself on the edge of the step.

He needs to be careful even with others.

Then…

It happened again.

Another disciple, this time a few steps above, lost their balance in an eerily similar fashion. Their arms swung out, as if trying to catch themselves, only to collide directly with Lu Chen.

Once again, Lu Chen narrowly avoided falling.

His eyes narrowed.

This doesn't seem random.

His eyes flickered to the crowd, catching a group of disciples exchanging subtle glances.

The Seven Peaks Alliance.

Lu Chen had expected some foul play.

After all, there were no sect elders watching their every move up close, and in a trial where only fifty would pass, disciples would do whatever it took to improve their odds.

But he hadn't expected them to be this sloppy about it.

Lu Chen clenched his jaw but didn't overreact.

Instead, he adjusted his footing, softened his steps, and remained hyper-aware of his surroundings.

By the 50th step, dozens of disciples had collapsed.

By the 55th step, those with weak willpower had begun turning back, unable to endure further.

By the 60th step, only the strongest remained.

And Lu Chen?

He stopped at step 63.

Not too high. Not too low. Just enough to be noticed—but not enough to stand out.

...

The Azure Stairs Trial was not just being observed by the Outer Sect.

High above, within a concealed observation pavilion, figures clad in shadowed robes watched the trial unfold.

Among them, a man sat with his arms crossed, his sharp eyes locked onto Lu Chen.

One of his subordinates, standing nearby, frowned. "Is he worth noting?"

The man's gaze lingered for a moment before he shook his head.

...

Further away, in another section of the pavilion, a group of Seven Peaks Alliance members observed the results with mild irritation.

Jiang Xuan clicked his tongue, a look of displeasure crossing his face.

"He made it through," one disciple muttered.

"But look at his rank," another sneered. "Only step 63. He's nothing special."

Jiang Xuan's irritation faded slightly.

"Hmph. Let him enjoy his small victory. He won't make it past the next round."

The alliance's focus shifted to other targets.

As far as they were concerned, Lu Chen wasn't worth wasting too much effort on.