2278 Continuous Climb
The outcome of the fight between Perfected Immortal Jade Toad and Su Zimo was decided.
However, the tens of thousands of inner sect disciples present had no intention of leaving.
Everyone's gazes landed on the green-robed cultivator on the fourth stone step—they wanted to see how much longer this junior brother who had just joined the inner sect could last!
After Old Xuan saved Perfected Immortal Jade Toad, he did not leave either. Instead, he stood on the sacrificial platform and watched Su Zimo quietly.
"His endowment is indeed extraordinary. To think that his Dao Heart would be so strong as well."
Old Xuan murmured softly.
Back outside the Earth-grade Secret Pavilion, the first time he saw Su Zimo, he could tell that the latter had outstanding talent and he had a high evaluation of the latter.
However, he had not expected that Su Zimo would be able to reach the fourth stone step and last so long!
Old Xuan's evaluation of Su Zimo rose once more.
"After so many years, the academy has finally recruited a decent seedling."
He nodded to himself with a hint of admiration in his eyes.
Dao Heart Stairs, fourth stone step.
Su Zimo did not move at all. He closed his eyes and experienced the will of nature on the fourth stone step.
"The Dao of nature, the union of heaven and man."
"All living beings in the world have their own way of survival and are nurtured together without harming one another. The Dao is parallel but not contradictory."
"When we cultivate, we should be peaceful and follow the Heavenly Dao."
"As the saying goes, man relies on earth, earth relies on heaven, heaven relies on the Dao and the Dao relies on nature!"
Unlike the ferocity and bloodthirst of the will of killing, the will of nature was like a gentle rain in early spring, infiltrating with the wind and nourishing everything silently, subtly affecting Su Zimo's Dao Heart.
The moment he broke free from the blood swamp of the killing intent, he was bathed in a warm and gentle spring rain, as though he had encountered dew after a long drought.
In this drizzling rain, Su Zimo's essence, qi and spirit received immense comfort and consolation, causing him to fall into it uncontrollably and linger.
This was even more difficult to defend against than the killing intent he experienced earlier on!
Su Zimo paused on the fourth stone step for a longer time than the previous three stone steps combined.
For a moment, the Dao Heart of the Green Lotus True Body almost sank.
However, a blazing flame rose in the Dao Heart of the Martial Dao Prime Body!
It was a flame of war!
This was the fearless flame of war that fought against the heavens unyieldingly!
At that moment, the Martial Dao Prime Body was telepathic with Green Lotus True Body and resisted the corrosion of the will of nature together. The flame of war incinerated the fine rain and dispersed the spring breeze!
Peace and submission to the Heavenly Dao?
If he wanted to obey the Heavenly Dao, Su Zimo would not have stepped onto the path of cultivation. He would have died a long time ago in that small town in that corner of Tianhuang Mainland!
Although the Martial Dao was difficult, he was fearless.
He was willing to advance alone on the arduous path of the Martial Dao!
On the fourth stone step, Su Zimo suddenly opened his eyes and took a step forward!
Piak!
Su Zimo's feet were already on the fifth stone step!
"Heavens, another stone step!"
"Hurry and inform Senior Brother Lin that someone has ascended the fifth stone step!"
"What a powerful Dao Heart!"
"How can a Grade 1 Heaven Immortal who ascended from the lower worlds condense such a powerful Dao Heart?"
A commotion broke out from the crowd.
Old Xuan nodded slightly with even more admiration in his eyes.
Fifth stone step, Fearless Step.
Su Zimo stood on the fifth stone step for less than ten breaths.
Before everyone's discussions subsided, Su Zimo took another step forward and ascended the sixth stone step!
"Ah!"
"Look!"
A series of exclamations sounded as many cultivators looked at the green-robed figure on the Dao Heart Stairs with dumbfounded expressions, as though they had seen a ghost!
"Sixth stone step? I-Impossible!"
"If I'm not wrong, he's only just ascended the fifth stone step. How did he ascend another stone step so quickly?"
Many cultivators looked on in disbelief.
"That's impossible!"
Finally, a cultivator could not hold it in any longer and sped towards the Dao Heart Stairs in a flash, muttering, "There must be a problem with the Dao Heart Stairs. I'll give it a shot too!"
After the cultivator stepped onto the first stone step, he stumbled down without even ascending the second stone step.
That scene dispelled the thoughts of the other eager cultivators.
Old Xuan had a calm expression.
The Dao Heart Stairs had existed for countless years and every single stone step was condensed from the Dao Heart wills of supreme experts—there was definitely no problem.
However, even Old Xuan did not know how Su Zimo could cross the fifth stone step so quickly.
The fifth stone step was the Fearless Step.
The will of this step's Dao Heart was extremely similar to the will of the Martial Dao Heart.
Therefore, it was completely easy for Su Zimo to pass the Dao Heart Trial on the fifth stone step with the Martial Dao Heart.
"Senior Brother Qingyun, Su Zimo is indeed very powerful."
Yan Bingying could not help but exclaim when she saw that.
Although she was ranked in the top ten of the inner sect, even she had not broken through the fourth stone step.
"Fufu."
A hint of jealousy flashed through Fang Qingyun's eyes but disappeared quickly as he chuckled. "Don't worry, he'll definitely stop at the sixth stone step."
"That's right."
Yan Bingying nodded. "The sixth stone step is the Sword Dao Step. The impact on one's Dao Heart is even stronger than the Killing Step."
"This was where you stopped the previous time as well, Senior Brother Qingyun."
Fang Qingyun said indifferently, "During this period of time, my Dao Heart is close to perfected. Once I cultivate for another hundred years, I'll definitely be able to cross the sixth stone step and reach the seventh! At that time…"
The moment he said that, the figure on the Dao Heart Stairs moved once more!
It was yet another simple step forward!
Bang!
The seventh stone step!
Fang Qingyun's expression froze and he could not continue.
Yan Bingying's red lips were agape and her charming face was filled with shock and disbelief.
The seventh stone step!
Among all the disciples of Heaven and Earth Academy, including legacy disciples, there seemed to be less than five people who could step onto the seventh stone step!
This Su Zimo who had just joined the inner sect had actually reached this stage!
This time round, there was not much noise from the crowd.
On the contrary, the surroundings of the sacrificial platform gradually calmed down and became so silent that a pin drop could be heard!
Tens of thousands of cultivators gathered and everyone held their breaths in shock as they looked at the figure on the Dao Heart Stairs.
Many cultivators forgot to breathe and speak.
There was only a single thought in everyone's minds.
How many steps could this person climb?
"Could Su Zimo be able to reach the eighth stone step of the Dao Heart Stairs?"
A question crossed Elder Zhong's mind.
However, he shook his head furiously immediately after and muttered in a soft voice, "I-Impossible!"
"What's impossible?"
Princess Scarlet Rainbow asked.
Elder Zhong said, "I heard that in the entire academy, only Sword Immortal Yue Hua could ascend the eighth stone step of the Dao Heart Stairs. Su Zimo is only a Grade 1 Heaven Immortal, he shouldn't be abl—"
The moment he said that, a figure on the Dao Heart Stairs moved.
Piak!
Although the sound of his feet landing on the stone step was light, it rumbled like thunder in the ears of everyone!
Su Zimo had ascended the eighth stone step!
