Ancient Mount Shu indeed possessed numerous legacies, standing at the very pinnacle especially in matters of sword divine abilities.
Lu Yuan was naturally well aware of this. In particular, the higher a sword stele stood, the more formidable it was.
In his previous life, many Awakened had entered Ancient Mount Shu to sit cross-legged in silent meditation, all to comprehend the fortunes within and thereby advance further along the path of evolution.
For most people, though they had gained extraordinary power, the road ahead remained shrouded in fog. Only by acquiring a breathing method and a visualization method could they continue moving forward.
Yet such treasures were exceedingly rare and precious. Only the major factions might possess a few.
Thus, ordinary Awakened did not demand something peerless; they merely hoped to obtain anything at all. The sword steles of Ancient Mount Shu were the sole opportunity for most Awakened.
Even so, Lu Yuan knew that even under these circumstances, no one had ever succeeded in comprehending the legacy of the highest sword stele.
It was simply too difficult, demanding an extraordinarily high level of comprehension. Had he not merged with the Ancient Bodhi Tree, he would not have chosen to come here either.
"Mr. Lu, long time no see."
Soon, a crisp, gentle voice carried over.
It was the Ice Fairy, approaching with a smile.
Beside him, Zhu Qingyu and the others could not help but take a step back. The Northern Emperor was their senior fellow student, so conversing with him was natural, but this woman was different. It was better to keep some distance. Of course, they did not know that Beidou Biology and Zhendan Academy were one and the same—that was a secret held by the higher-ups.
"A long time?" Lu Yuan chuckled. "Hasn't it been less than half a month?"
As the saying went, one did not strike a smiling face. She had shown goodwill toward him repeatedly, and regardless of her motives, it was clear she was sincere. Engaging in conversation was only proper.
"Half a month is quite a long time too." The Ice Fairy's eyes brightened slightly. Seeing him adopt such an attitude, she figured her previous efforts had not been in vain.
She gave a light laugh, then looked toward the crowd not far away. "Mr. Lu, look over there. That young Taoist is Mount Longhu's Little Celestial Master, and the other is Monk Huikong from Mount Jiuhua. Both are prodigies of extraordinary talent. Now that the sword stele legacies have opened, they will surely reap immense rewards.
"I imagine the two of them can ascend to the sword steles above the thirtieth tier to meditate. I wonder if you are confident in surpassing them, Mr. Lu?"
Every sword stele legacy required passing a threshold, growing increasingly difficult the higher one went—a fact known to all.
The Ice Fairy did not bring this up to incite competition among the three; she simply wanted more opportunities to interact with Lu Yuan.
"I have no intention of competing with anyone," Lu Yuan answered upon hearing her question.
His response deepened her smile, as she took it as a sign of modesty, assuming he felt his comprehension could not match those two.
Yet that was nothing to be ashamed of; neither could hers.
Just as she was about to expand on another topic, Lu Yuan's next words froze her in place.
"My goal is merely the highest, the ninety-ninth sword stele."
Lu Yuan's voice was quiet, yet laden with confidence and resolve.
The Ice Fairy, who had just been about to speak, froze completely. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.
She acknowledged that he was powerful and somewhat unfathomable, but sheer strength was one thing, while comprehension was entirely another.
Not knowing how to respond, she could only look at the Northern Emperor beside him and nod in greeting.
Zhu Qingyu and the others naturally heard Lu Yuan's words as well, exchanging glances in disbelief.
*He truly is arrogant.*
In the distance, Little Celestial Master Chunyang also cast glances toward them from time to time.
He felt he had seen Lu Yuan before, yet the man did not quite match the image in his memory.
"Everyone!"
At that moment, Dean Chen of Shuntian City's Zhendan Academy stepped forward.
All conversations ceased, and expectant gazes turned toward him.
"The hour grows late, and the sword stele legacies of Ancient Mount Shu are about to open. Before we begin, however, this old man has a few words of caution. There are ninety-nine sword steles in total. The higher you climb, the harder comprehension becomes. I hope all of you will act within your capabilities and never let greed get the better of you.
"Furthermore, once you step onto the stairs, they will emit an aura targeted at the soul. If you can withstand it, you may continue forward.
"However, if you feel a sharp, piercing pain in your mind, you must stop. That signifies you have reached your limit. Forcing your way upward will only harm you."
Dean Chen's voice boomed across the crowd as he looked at everyone present. "I repeat: act within your capabilities."
He laid out all the precautions needed for climbing the mountain to comprehend the legacies, offering them as sound counsel.
The gist of his words was that the higher one ascended, the stronger the aura emitted by the steps would become.
It disregarded raw strength, testing only a person's soul and flesh—which was to say, their comprehension.
"Understood!" everyone present replied, taking the words to heart.
In truth, they had already done their research before coming and knew what to expect.
"Very well," Dean Chen said with a nod. "Now, let the sword stele legacies of Ancient Mount Shu begin!"
As soon as his voice fell, the military unit guarding the stairs turned and cleared the path.
Seeing this, the crowd's eyes flared with delight.
Without the slightest hesitation, they surged forward in a massive wave toward the stairs, the vast majority aiming for the very first sword stele.
With more than twenty thousand people moving at once, the spectacle was immense. Fortunately, the stairs of Sword Mountain were wide enough that they remained completely unobstructed.
The legacies had begun.
Everyone was thrilled.
Most of these Awakened had no faction backing them, having set foot upon the extraordinary path solely by consuming spiritual fruits or strange herbs.
Breathing methods, visualization methods, divine abilities, and the like held immense attraction for them.
Yet just as Dean Chen had warned, the moment they stepped onto the stairs, an aura abruptly manifested, affecting their souls. Thousands of those who rushed up felt it instantly, their faces turning slightly pale.
The higher they climbed, the more pronounced the pressure became, until it grew difficult to endure.
Clearly, for them, the first stele was already the limit of their comprehension.
Before the second stele, several thousand more ground to a halt.
Before long, by the time the crowd reached the fifth stele, only a few hundred people were still able to press upward.
Their cultivation strengths varied wildly—some were formidable, while others were merely at the first stage of the Initial Realm.
In truth, this was a good thing. At the very least, it placed everyone on the same starting line; one would not be denied a better legacy simply because their cultivation was weaker.
Seeing this scene, the five deans could not help but sigh softly. It was just as expected.
The sword stele legacies truly placed extremely high demands on comprehension.
"Mr. Lu, I shall take my leave as well." Seeing this, the Ice Fairy nodded politely and walked toward the stairs.
At the same time, the Northern Emperor led Zhu Qingyu and the others forward, followed by Asura and the remaining students of Zhendan Academy. Their targets were high—at least the sword stele legacies above the tenth tier.
Thus, within moments, only a few dozen people remained on the vast clearing beside the deans.
Among them, of course, were Little Celestial Master Chunyang and Huikong of Mount Jiuhua.
The two of them were observing and had not moved rashly.
Lu Yuan did the same.
After all, this was his first time attempting to comprehend the sword stele legacies of Ancient Mount Shu.
Having fused with the Ancient Bodhi Tree, he had unlocked his innate spirit and possessed the spirit of wisdom, allowing him to perceive far more.
"Mr. Lu, do your best in this trial of sword steles, and that will be enough." Seeing this, Dean Zheng walked over.
In his eyes, Lu Yuan was holding back to measure himself against Chunyang and Huikong, which was why he had not stepped onto the stairs.
Yet there was no need for that. Comprehension was something difficult to compare directly.
"I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Dean Zheng." Lu Yuan was taken aback, quickly realizing he had been misunderstood. He had no intention of explaining himself, simply replying before turning his attention back to sensing the stairs of Sword Mountain.
"Sigh." Dean Zheng sighed, saying no more.
He knew that every powerhouse possessed their own pride.
So he returned to the other four deans to observe the progress of the trial.
By now, people had already passed the tenth sword stele, and some even stood beneath the fifteenth.
However, their faces were pale, clearly bearing significant pressure, and they finally stopped.
Meanwhile, the Northern Emperor, Asura, and the Ice Fairy had all passed the fifteenth sword stele.
Judging by their expressions, they showed no discomfort and seemed capable of continuing higher.
Surprisingly, Zhu Qingyu kept pace right alongside them.
This brought joy to Dean Zheng.
He had known the girl had a fine bloodline, but he had not expected her comprehension to be so outstanding as well. Her future potential was boundless.
"They're moving. Little Celestial Master Chunyang and Monk Huikong have started," Dean Chen said at that moment.
Everyone turned to look as the two moved in unison, stepping onto the stairs.
Their speed was remarkable.
With virtually no intention of lingering, they climbed straight upward. In just a short while, they had already passed the tenth stele without slowing down, promptly reaching the twentieth tier right behind the Ice Fairy and the others.
"Indeed, the true surprises of this sword stele legacy will come from the two of them."
"I wonder who will achieve a higher ranking?"
The deans beamed with delight.
Opening the sword stele legacies was intended to let someone comprehend superior legacies. Once written down, it would bring immense benefits to Zhendan Academy.
The higher the tier, the better the legacy, which naturally made them pleased.
In the end, the Ice Fairy came to a halt before the twenty-fifth sword stele. Feeling the pressure bearing down upon her soul, her complexion turned slightly pale.
She could certainly have pushed higher, but she needed to reserve strength to comprehend the legacy, so she chose to sit cross-legged.
The Northern Emperor stopped at the twenty-sixth sword stele, deeming it sufficient.
Asura harbored a competitive spirit, pushing straight to the twenty-eighth sword stele.
As for Zhu Qingyu, she actually surpassed him by two tiers, reaching the thirtieth!
Only Little Celestial Master Chunyang and Monk Huikong continued onward.
Thus, most positions in this sword stele legacy trial were settled.
The first five sword steles held the vast majority of Awakened, totaling over ten thousand people meditating on the same legacies together.
Further up, the numbers steadily dwindled. The one at the thirtieth tier was Zhu Qingyu, not one of the Five Great Sovereigns, taking many people by surprise.
"So that's how it is."
At that moment, Lu Yuan looked at the stairs of Sword Mountain.
Through his prior observation and perception, he had grasped the secret of this place.
Simply put, the entire Sword Mountain was suppressed by an invisible, profound force. Whenever one approached a stone stele, this power manifested to affect their soul, essentially testing their comprehension. If one failed to meet the requirement, they would be repelled, suffering internal injury.
As for the source of that power, it was tied to heaven and earth, extraordinarily marvelous.
Now, he understood the general situation.
"A test of comprehension?" Lu Yuan smiled without another word.
Then, he slowly took a step forward, finally beginning his ascent.
At this moment, aside from meditating on their legacies, almost everyone's attention was fixed on Chunyang and Huikong.
The two had already passed the thirtieth sword stele and were still climbing.
Of course, it was far from easy for them. Their faces were somewhat pale as the mountain's power continually stimulated their souls.
Yet to onlookers, this was already astonishing.
Smiles surfaced on the faces of the five deans.
"Indeed, bloodline strength does not equate to comprehension. In this regard, these disciples of Daoism and Buddhism far surpass me." The Ice Fairy looked ahead, shaking her head slightly. She had not begun meditating immediately, choosing to acclimatize first, which allowed her to watch the others.
She simply had not expected that Zhendan Academy student named Zhu Qingyu to reach the thirtieth sword stele.
The Northern Emperor and Asura noticed as well, shaking their heads inwardly.
Being surpassed by another never felt pleasant.
Yet it was only natural.
How could one person stand at the very peak in both bloodline and comprehension? That would simply be too disheartening.
Some of the other Awakened wore bitter expressions. In comparison, they were weak in every aspect.
Qin Lan, seated before the seventh sword stele, felt especially helpless.
She had known Qingyu was more exceptional than her, but she had never imagined the gap would be this immense.
"Hmm?"
Just then, Qin Lan suddenly sensed a familiar figure passing beside her.
Turning her head at once, she was instantly stunned. It was Lu Yuan.
"It's the Human Sovereign! Has the Human Sovereign started too?"
"He truly lives up to being one of the Five Great Sovereigns, the one who crushed the Southern Sovereign! He caught up in an instant!"
"He's so fast—he's already reached the tenth tier! I wonder where his limit lies."
"Probably not much different from the Northern Emperor and the others, right?"
"Indeed, the climb is just too difficult."
Finally, the crowd noticed Lu Yuan.
They realized he was ascending at high speed, surpassing the tenth tier in no time.
Yet no one found it strange; after all, he was one of the newly risen Five Great Sovereigns. Having higher comprehension than them was only natural.
Dean Zheng and the others also glanced his way, though they did not pay him much mind, turning their attention back to Chunyang and Huikong to see who possessed greater comprehension.
Meanwhile, as Lu Yuan climbed Sword Mountain, he felt that invisible, profound force surge forth, stimulating his soul and spirit.
The higher he walked, the stronger that power became, imparting an oppressive weight.
Yet with a slight stir of his intent, that sensation vanished completely, without even requiring him to call upon the god of wisdom residing in his mind.
Thus, Lu Yuan's ascent was effortless. Step by step he climbed, every pace firm and steady.
A few minutes later, he stood before the Ice Fairy.
Offering her a smile, he continued upward without the slightest hesitation.
"How... how can he be so at ease?"
The Ice Fairy froze, unable to comprehend what she was seeing.
She could sense that his expression had not changed in the slightest—and this was already the twenty-fifth tier!
Then, she watched as Lu Yuan walked straight past both the Northern Emperor and Asura.
The process looked as calm as when he had first begun climbing, his face completely serene.
*Hiss—*
Dean Zheng's expression shifted slightly at the sight.
*This fellow is heading straight for the thirtieth tier!*
Involuntarily, he recalled the promise he had made when inviting Lu Yuan to Ancient Mount Shu:
Whatever Lu Yuan comprehended, he would not be required to hand over to Zhendan Academy...
*I... I've taken a loss!*
*Still, at least Qingyu reached the thirtieth tier, right? It's fine, it's fine.*
Yet before long, Dean Zheng was left utterly stunned, his jaw dropping in disbelief.
Just minutes later, Lu Yuan arrived beside the thirtieth sword stele. Flashing a brief smile at Zhu Qingyu, he took another step forward, soon reaching the thirty-first tier...
And by the looks of it, his strength was far from exhausted—he could still climb higher!
Chapter 58