NOVEL NEXT Ch. 7
Chapter 7: Even Deceiving Himself
Indeed, under the System’s scan, it had already discovered the reason why Li Tianwei was able to withstand the Heart-Questioning Steps.
It was because, under Li Tianwei’s absolute self-hypnosis, his consciousness, instincts, and very body all acknowledged himself completely.
What did the Heart-Questioning Steps ask? It questioned one’s heart! It tested whether you possessed the heart that sought strength despite lacking talent.
And Li Tianwei was an existence of absolute selfhood.
It was precisely for this reason that, in his heart, he believed himself to be supreme, the strongest—and therefore, he was the strongest.
As the Heart-Questioning Steps probed deeper into Li Tianwei, it continuously applied pressure. Yet, because of Li Tianwei’s extreme self-affirmation,
he successfully deceived the Heart-Questioning Steps—or rather, it could hardly be called deception.
After all, what the Heart-Questioning Steps sought was for those of poor aptitude to possess an indomitable will, a heart so resolute that it could resist everything.
However, Li Tianwei was a bug. His mind was overwhelmingly idealistic, purely self-centric; under such circumstances, he utterly resisted all pressure from the Heart-Questioning Steps.
Thus, he ascended the Heart-Questioning Steps with ease, step after step, as though riding the wind itself.
【Ah! Th-this…】
At that moment, even the System was speechless.
No matter how it thought, it could never have imagined that Li Tianwei’s self-centeredness and subjectivity would reach such a level.
In Li Tianwei’s own eyes, however, this was only natural.
He believed himself to be a possessor of the Five-Colored Heavenly Root, and that the Questioning Heart Ladder’s error was perfectly reasonable.
With his supposedly unparalleled innate talent, the difficulty of the ladder was nothing to him.
As Li Tianwei reaffirmed his self-belief, the pressure from the Heart-Questioning Steps could no longer invade his consciousness—it was as calm as a still lake.
Upon the ladder, only his solitary figure remained, steadily walking upward step by step toward the summit.
Three hundred steps, five hundred, six hundred…
Those below looked up at the figure steadily climbing the Heart-Questioning Steps. His silhouette grew smaller in their sight, yet all the more awe-inspiring.
Even Li Tianchen, relying on his top-grade dual Fire-Wood Spiritual Roots, had been left far behind.
Though he knew from the Remnant Soul in the Ring that Li Tianwei was being shielded by an elder of the Sacred Land of Lingxu, being surpassed and left behind still felt bitter.
He quickened his pace to catch up.
Soon, he reached the third position.
Ahead of him, one person closely followed behind Li Tianwei—only ten steps apart.
That person was none other than Fang Mochen, the disciple tested to possess a Heavenly Root besides Li Tianwei.
At this moment, they had already reached the eight-hundredth step.
Even with a Heavenly Root, Fang Mochen could feel the terrifying pressure.
He couldn’t help but raise his head, staring at the figure above who appeared so unbothered and calm.
Swallowing hard, he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, refusing to admit defeat as he continued climbing.
Meanwhile, atop the Questioning Heaven Ladder, several faint yet awe-inspiring auras were observing the figures below on the Heart-Questioning Steps.
These were none other than the Peak Masters and Elders of the Sacred Land of Lingxu, every one of them in the Nascent Soul or Spirit Transformation Realm…
Such was the foundation of the Sacred Land of Lingxu.
“This batch of disciples is unexpectedly outstanding.”
“There are even two with Heavenly Roots. I wonder if Junior Brother Lin has taken a liking to any of them?”
The Cloudsky Peak Master, Daoist Master Lan Yu, dressed in purple Daoist robes, gently stroked his beard as he spoke.
The addressed Woodbeard Peak Master, Lin Moyang, had his gaze fixed upon Li Tianwei, who led at the forefront of the Heart-Questioning Steps.
A thoughtful expression crossed his face.
“Though that boy’s Heavenly Root ranks toward the lower end—being a Pure Yang Heavenly Root—the fact that he can progress unhindered on the Heart-Questioning Steps shows that his temperament is extraordinary.”
When Lin Moyang finished, the surrounding figures all nodded in agreement, seemingly approving of his words.
“In that case, I’ve decided to take him as my disciple.”
At that moment, a tall and burly man in the hall spoke up.
The moment his words fell, everyone turned their gaze toward him—as if saying, You shameless fellow.
“Hong Taolang! The moment you open your mouth, you claim him as your disciple? His Pure Yang Root is clearly best suited for my Burning Void Peak’s ‘Flame of Heaven Incineration Art!’”
Someone immediately shouted in protest.
“The Heavenly Root hasn’t appeared for many years. The Sacred Land of Lingxu now has only five Heavenly Roots. Since each of your peaks already has one, it stands to reason that my Woodbeard Peak should take him.”
Lin Moyang also joined the dispute.
Meanwhile, Xu Yuanwen, who knew Li Tianwei’s true situation, remained especially quiet.
In his eyes, Vice Leader Hun Yuan’s plan was indeed brilliant.
Following this course, pouring resources into this False Spiritual Root disciple pretending to be a Heavenly Root could drain a vast amount of the Sacred Land’s resources—and even throw the righteous sects into imbalance.
At present, including all the elders, the Sacred Land of Lingxu already had five Heavenly Roots.
Adding these two new ones made seven—enough to disrupt the equilibrium among the three major sacred lands of the Southern Region.
“The Pure Yang Heavenly Root should be taken by me. I, too, possess a Heavenly Root—teaching such a disciple would be most fitting.”
At this time, a man who had been quietly standing in the corner slowly stepped forward.
He wore a black-and-white yin-yang Daoist robe, bore a longsword on his back that radiated sharpness,
and most importantly—he was young, handsome, and one of only two Spirit Transformation elders present.
With his entry into the dispute, the other elders’ expressions changed visibly; it was clear how great a threat Bai Muxu posed.
“Bai Muxu, it’s not up to you alone. Why not let the boy choose for himself?”
Still unwilling to concede, one elder proposed an alternative.
Hearing this, the others nodded in agreement.
“Yes! Let the disciple choose for himself.”
In an instant, the earlier argument subsided, all eyes focusing again on the figures ascending the Heart-Questioning Steps.
After surpassing eight hundred steps, Li Tianwei continued forward as if walking on flat ground, unaffected by the ladder’s pressure. His pace even quickened.
Before long, he left Li Tianchen and Fang Mochen far behind.
Without the slightest surprise, after the eight-hundredth step, Li Tianwei ascended all the way to the top.
Behind him, Fang Mochen and Li Tianchen could barely take another step.
Standing atop the Heart-Questioning Steps, Li Tianwei clasped his hands behind his back and looked down at the struggling climbers below.
“Difference—this is the difference. The difference between them and me.”
Not a hint of modesty colored his tone.
As Li Tianwei reached the summit, the Heart-Questioning Steps shone with a radiant halo.
Countless runes and ancient symbols wove together in the air, descending in brilliance.
Thus, since the founding of the Sacred Land of Lingxu, the third disciple to reach the summit of the Heart-Questioning Steps appeared.
Amid the intense resonance, several illusory figures manifested before Li Tianwei, each exuding an overwhelming and majestic aura.
“Li Tianwei, Pure Yang Heavenly Root—has ascended the Heart-Questioning Steps.”
A long, deep voice echoed throughout the entire Sacred Land of Lingxu.
As this voice resounded, disciples on every peak of the Sacred Land halted their tasks, turning their gazes toward the Heart-Questioning Steps at the sect’s grand gate.
Exotic beasts, rare flowers, and various ethereal illusions appeared in the air…
It was as if an immortal had descended upon the mortal realm.