Chapter 787

“So all the white jade staircases really do converge into one.”

Lin Yuan’s expression shifted—part surprise, part realization.

It was unexpected, yet it made perfect sense.

If the white jade staircases represented the path to transcendence, then could it be that all thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three staircases represented thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three chances at transcendence?

How was that possible?

Since the beginning of the endless dimensional layers, transcendence had always been the ultimate pursuit of every Time Lord. And throughout history, not a single lord had been known to transcend.

Even if the white jade staircases truly formed a path to transcendence, only an extremely rare few would ever achieve it. It could never be as many as thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three.

This wasn’t just Lin Yuan’s speculation—other legendary lords thought the same. They just didn’t know how the transcendent would eventually emerge.

“Keep going.”

Lin Yuan pulled back his thoughts and resumed climbing.

He was still on one of the separate white jade staircases. There was still a long distance before reaching the point where they converged into one. At his current position, he could only barely see it from afar.

Climbing the white jade staircases had to be done step by step. There was no way to leap or transmigrate ahead.

Rumble—

With every step forward,

A vast force of crushing and twisting pressure swept toward Lin Yuan.

At his current height, this pressure had become unimaginably intense. An ordinary legendary lord who had endured a hundred million tribulations wouldn’t last long here.

But for Lin Yuan—who had just achieved a qualitative leap by creating the complete “Innate Five Tai”—this pressure was like a spring breeze, not threatening in the slightest.

“Chaotic Origin Tai Yi Dao…”

With each step, Lin Yuan’s mind sparked with insights. It had taken him over a hundred thousand years to comprehend the Chaotic Origin Tai Chi Dao, but now, starting anew to comprehend the Chaotic Origin Tai Yi Dao would take far less time.

From such a high vantage point, his progress in the Tai Yi Dao was rapid. With the white jade staircase’s guidance, his breakthroughs could only be described as meteoric.

“I’ve arrived.”

Several months later, Lin Yuan finally halted again—before him stood the single white jade staircase formed from the convergence of all thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three.

Compared to the individual staircases before, this unified one felt even more real, and the patterns carved into it were more mysterious and profound.

“I should be far ahead of the other legendary lords now.”

Lin Yuan looked down. Mist drifted below, and even at the edge of his vision, not a single legendary lord could be seen.

The strongest legendary lords of this era—Haotian Lord, Fantian Lord, and others who had endured 300 million tribulations—weren’t even close to catching up to Lin Yuan. They weren’t even qualified to look up at him.

“Originally, all the staircases were meant to merge into one, likely prompting a brutal battle for the leading position on this single staircase…”

Lin Yuan thought to himself.

Legendary lords like Fantian and Haotian had similar levels of strength and deep foundations. Their climbing speed wouldn’t differ too greatly.

They would likely arrive at this staircase around the same time.

And when they did, a clash would be inevitable.

Previously, with all thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three staircases existing separately, legendary lords weren’t really in direct competition.

But now, with only one left, that balance would be shattered.

However, given Lin Yuan’s overwhelming lead, by the time Haotian and Fantian arrived, he would have already climbed far beyond.

Compete?

Haotian and Fantian weren’t even qualified to compete with him now.

Of course, that was a good thing for them.

With Lin Yuan’s strength after completing the “Innate Five Tai,” the gap between them was vast. If they were forced into a direct contest, even if they teamed up, they would be crushed.

They wouldn’t even get to step onto the merged staircase. They might have to start from scratch.

“This unified staircase… the difficulty of climbing it must skyrocket.”

Lin Yuan observed the staircase before him, quietly thinking.

It was clear—the white jade staircase, this path to transcendence, was divided into two phases.

The first phase: the thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three individual staircases.

The second phase: the single, unified staircase.

The difficulty between the two phases was likely completely different.

“Perhaps the first stage held no danger, but the second stage will be different.”

Lin Yuan speculated.

Up to now, climbing the individual staircases hadn’t posed any real threat to legendary lords. The greatest danger came from other climbers—

Other legendary lords.

“Let’s try it.”

Lin Yuan paused briefly, then stepped onto the unified white jade staircase.

Having reached this point, there was no way he’d turn back.

Danger?

What path to transcendence wasn’t dangerous?

By comparison, the endless white jade staircase was already quite merciful.

Boom!

The instant Lin Yuan stepped onto it—

He felt the difference.

Besides the immense surge in crushing and twisting force—

He was instantly pulled into layers upon layers of illusions.

These illusions were overwhelming and incredibly real.

“Even I’m slightly affected by these illusions?” Lin Yuan was a bit surprised. With the complete ‘Innate Five Tai’ circulating within him, all aspects of himself had been enhanced, including his mind and will. For an illusion to influence him at all—it must be unimaginably powerful.

“But it’s just a mild influence—nothing serious.”

Lin Yuan wasn’t too concerned.

The complete “Innate Five Tai” continuously nurtured his mind and will.

And as he comprehended the other four Chaotic Origin Daos, his mental strength would also rise.

At least for now, the illusions had little real effect on him.

“Though the difficulty of climbing has increased, so too has the clarity of the guidance.”

A smile formed on Lin Yuan’s face. Merely stepping onto the first step of the unified staircase, he could already sense that his Chaotic Origin Tai Yi Dao was on the verge of complete comprehension.

Once he possessed two of the Chaotic Origin Daos represented by the Five Tai, his strength would soar again.

And the increased difficulty of climbing was still outpaced by the speed at which his strength was rising.

Months passed.

Lin Yuan finally fully comprehended the direction pointed out by the current step.

“In the first phase, it took me only a few dozen, maybe a few hundred breaths to ascend to the next step. But now, on this unified staircase, I need several months to comprehend each step?”

Lin Yuan gently shook his head.

But the guidance provided to his Chaotic Origin Dao was far greater.

With that thought, Lin Yuan stepped onto the next step without hesitation.

Boom—the overwhelming crushing force and layers of illusions surged again.

Time passed slowly.

Fantian Lord, after a long pause, finally stepped onto the next step.

“My Chaotic Origin Dao…”

He felt another transformation beginning within his Chaotic Origin Dao and smiled.

Though it was a small change, as long as it continued, his Dao would eventually evolve into a Supreme Rule Dao.

“Can this white jade staircase really go on forever?”

Fantian Lord narrowed his thoughts and instinctively looked up the endless staircase.

It was a habit of his—he always looked upward after stepping onto the next level.

“What’s that?”

His expression turned serious. “Are the thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three staircases drawing closer together?”

From his current height, he couldn’t yet see the unified staircase, but he could see the trend of the staircases converging.

“Could it be…”

Countless speculations surfaced in his mind.

Time continued to flow.

After climbing many more steps—

“As I thought.”

“All thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three white jade staircases eventually converge into one.”

Fantian Lord’s gaze remained fixed.

With this discovery, he realized he couldn’t continue climbing at his leisurely pace.

Soon after Fantian Lord spotted the unified staircase, Haotian, Wanxiang, and the other top legendary lords also noticed.

“All staircases converging?”

“Makes sense. Otherwise, what—thirty-three thousand transcendents?”

Haotian, Wanxiang, and the others realized that a fierce battle was inevitable—everyone would fight for the chance to be the first onto the unified staircase.

And yet, they felt some relief.

If the staircases had just continued forever, endlessly pushing their Daos forward with no challenge—

That would’ve made them truly uneasy.

The higher one’s realm, the more one understood a fundamental truth of the endless dimensions:

Every gain comes with risk.

The Infinite Origin is like that. So is the Endless Tribulations. Perfect time lifeforms too.

And the new path to transcendence—the endless white jade staircase—should be no different.

In a mysterious space-time—

Fantian, Haotian, and two other legendary lords had gathered their incarnations.

“If all staircases converge—who’ll be the first to step onto the unified one?”

They all knew—

A single step ahead meant a step ahead forever.

Whoever stepped onto the unified staircase first would likely keep the lead.

And if someone truly could transcend—chances were, it would be that person.

“Right now, I’m the closest,” Fantian Lord said.

“Closest doesn’t mean first.”

Haotian’s tone was calm. The closer to the unified staircase, the smaller the distance between staircases became.

And smaller distance meant they could attack each other.

Fantian Lord, being the closest, would surely be targeted.

“Then let’s see whose strength prevails.”

Fantian Lord’s eyes were sharp. He had long prepared to fight Haotian and Wanxiang.

Rumble—

In front of the unified staircase, ripples spread across time and space.

Haotian, Wanxiang, and others fought as they climbed, trying to stop one another.

“I’ll be the first onto the unified staircase!”

Fantian Lord stepped forward—but was jointly blocked by the other three legendary lords and forced back.

“You!”

Fantian Lord roared in fury, his terrifying aura shaking spacetime.

If this weren’t the white jade staircase, so solid and stable, his outburst alone would’ve triggered waves of destruction across the endless dimensions.

Crack—

Suddenly, on one of the staircases—

A figure burst out.

Their aura was no weaker than Fantian, Haotian, or the others.

Clearly, this figure had been hiding for some time, waiting for the others to clash before attempting to sneak onto the unified staircase.

“Jiulong, get back here!”

Wanxiang Lord raised a hand—layers of space-time compressed, forcibly dragging the figure back just before they could step on.

“Nice move.”

Jiulong turned and smiled.

He had hidden his aura and strength, but still failed.

“Jiulong, when did you pass your three-hundred-millionth tribulation?” Fantian Lord asked.

“You don’t need to know.”

Jiulong chuckled.

Then—

The battle escalated again. Aside from Jiulong, two more legendary lords revealed they had endured 300 million tribulations.

But compared to the sudden appearance of the Milky Way Lord, these three were already long-famous. Even if they hadn’t shown strength equal to Fantian and Haotian before, they were close.

Buzz—seven or eight terrifying auras clashed before the unified staircase.

Until finally—

“Hahahahaha!”

The Sage erupted with overwhelming power, breaking through the blockade and stepping onto the unified staircase.

“The Sage?”

Haotian stared at the aged figure now standing atop the staircase.

He’d always looked down on the Sage—an ancient lord who’d survived since shortly after the dimensions began, yet had made little progress toward transcendence.

But after that clash—

Haotian realized the Sage was every bit his equal.

Otherwise, he couldn’t have broken through their blockade.

“Looks like we all underestimated you.”

Fantian Lord also looked over.

The legendary lords one by one ceased fighting.

“My thanks.”

The Sage smiled.

Originally, he hadn’t been as strong as Fantian and Haotian.

But on this staircase, all his vast accumulation had been awakened, skyrocketing his strength to their level.

Combined with his countless years of experience and many secret techniques, he emerged victorious.

“Transcendence—I will transcend!”

Standing atop the unified staircase, the Sage was filled with ambition. His gaze swept over Fantian, Haotian, Wanxiang, and the others. “I’ve already stepped over the strongest legendary lords. If I don’t transcend—who can?”

But as his thoughts raced—

He noticed something off.

Fantian, Haotian, Wanxiang… plus the three hidden lords who had endured 300 million tribulations—seven in total—all still below.

But where was the Milky Way Lord?

He’d seen the footage of the battle where Milky Way defeated the Turbid River Lord.

He knew—he couldn’t defeat the Milky Way Lord.

Before this battle, he had always remained cautious of a hidden attack from the Milky Way Lord.

But until now—he had never appeared.

If Milky Way had planned to seize the staircase in one strike—

He should’ve acted by now.

But the Sage had already stepped on the unified staircase—and Milky Way still hadn’t appeared?

“Milky Way Lord?”

The Sage scanned the other staircases, but found no trace of him.

Then, instinctively—

He turned his gaze upward.

The staircase stretched endlessly toward the heavens.

And far, far above—beyond countless steps—

He finally saw a solitary figure, climbing silently with his back turned.

So distant that the figure was almost indistinct.

But the Sage recognized him at a glance.

It was the Milky Way Lord.

“What?!!”

The Sage’s mind went blank.

His soul trembled.

...

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