Unrivaled Martial Emperor

"Look, Chen Fan is climbing again!"

The crowd erupted. Chen Fan, who had been on the brink of failure, suddenly moved, resuming his ascent and igniting a storm of emotions across the watching masses.

"My god, how is that possible? He was just... He was just about to fall into it completely and fail. Clearly! How did he break free and continue making the climb?"

"You're saying he cheated?"

"Impossible! This is an immortal sect's trial. Who dares to cheat? Although Chen Fan isn't weak, he's nothing in front of an immortal sect. If he tried anything underhanded, they'd detect it instantly."

"Exactly. Which means there's only one explanation. His will broke through at the last moment, cut through the illusion, and let him move forward."

"Yes, that's exactly it! This trial is also an opportunity to temper one's will."

"If I'd realized that earlier, I would've forced myself to take the trial. Even failure would've helped sharpen my mind."

"That's right. The first stage of the Immortal Draft Assembly is a willpower trial for a reason. We missed our shot by treating it like a normal test. Our chance is gone."

"Regardless, Chen Fan's breakthrough just now was real. Who knows how far he will go now?"

"Keep watching and we'll find out soon enough."

As Chen Fan pushed forward step by step, the crowd buzzed with discussion.

In the Sun Moon Divine Sect, Beishan Hong's exhilarated smile had turned hideous, his face twisted like an evil ghost, roaring furiously at Chen Fan's back.

"Damn it! Damn it! How is this possible? How could that little bastard continue? I don't believe it. I don't believe it! The Featherlight Immortal Envoy must have helped him in secret. It's not fair. It's absolutely not fair!"

Beishan Hong had believed Chen Fan was about to fail; to his shock, Chen Fan recovered at the last moment. His joy crumbled in an instant, leaving him unable to accept what had just happened.

"Shut up!" Beishan Ling shouted coldly, shaking Beishan Hong's soul.

His earlier outburst had practically accused the Featherlight Immortal Envoy, which was the same as doubting the Featherlight Immortal Sect. At its worst, it bordered on slander.

Would the envoy dare to help Chen Fan at such a moment?

Anyone with a little bit of brain would know that it was absolutely impossible!

This was a test hosted by the Featherlight Immortal Sect, not the envoy.

If Beishan Hong offended the envoy with his words, their Sun Moon Divine Sect would not have easy days ahead.

"Phew." Seeing Chen Fan continue making his way up, Xuan Shitong finally exhaled. It felt like a tight string inside her had snapped. Exhausted, she muttered, "This damned guy... he's going to kill us with stress. We worried for nothing."

Demon King Xuan Ting said in a deep voice, "You can't say that. Just now, Xiaofan truly was on the verge of collapsing. But clearly, his will had broken through at the last minute."

Chen Zhengqing, Nangong Yue, and the others also sighed in relief.

......

On the Heavenly Staircase of Will, Chen Fan pressed forward.

Sixty-seventh step.

Sixty-ninth step.

Seventy-second step.

Seventy-seventh step.

......

The prison of darkness that trapped his consciousness shook violently, his sharpened will slashing away at its boundaries. The walls of that cage weakened, close to collapse, no longer able to restrain him.

Light poured in—stronger, brighter, more radiant.

With Chen Fan as the center, the glow expanded outward like ripples, steadily driving the darkness back.

"Break, break, break!"

His will grew increasingly firm. Finally, he broke through the prison of darkness and the layers of illusions.

He kept ascending, surpassing person after person.

If he had previously been in the middle of the upper ranks, he was now firmly among the top contenders, with only ten or so people ahead of him.

These ten or so people were all close to five hundred years old. They had experienced all kinds of trials and tribulations, and their wills were strong, able to withstand all sorts of temptations, unshaken, and still climbing with determination.

But Chen Fan was closing the gap.

At the eighty-third step, he surpassed one person.

At the eighty-fifth step, he surpassed two people.

At the eighty-sixth step, he surpassed one person.

His heart grew brighter, as if it would shine into the real world.

Although more black fog would assimilate into Chen Fan with every step, its effect didn't intensify.

On the contrary, his will kept growing stronger; the illusions lost their grip on him.

The light in his heart was about to shine into the real world.

Ninetieth step.

Only three people were ahead of Chen Fan. They were in the Greater Legendary realm, hardened by time, unmoved by illusion, their wills like stone. The illusions couldn't influence them in the slightest.

Countless eyes followed Chen Fan's ascent, watching him surpass opponent after opponent.

Many were speculating and discussing.

"He's at the ninetieth step now. My god, ever since his will broke through at the sixty-sixth step, it's like he's been blessed. He is utterly unaffected by the illusions. And his speed is only increasing. He has already overtaken many and now is in fourth place."

"At this rate, he'll catch up to the final three as well."

"I'm guessing that Chen Fan has already broken through the illusions and is no longer affected by them. He should be completely lucid right now."

"Hiss, hiss. You don't say, there is such a possibility?"

Chen Fan didn't stop. He continued to overtake his competitors.

At the ninety-fifth step, he overtook the last person.

Now, his mind was completely bright. The prison of darkness had completely crumbled. The light had shone into reality.

He had completely regained consciousness.

He had broken through the test of the Heavenly Staircase of Will and the prison of darkness.

"Hmm?" The Featherlight Immortal Envoy's irises contracted, then a smile formed slowly.

"Good, good, good. He broke through the prison of darkness, and his inner light has pierced into reality. His consciousness had broken free from the illusions. Nothing can stop him now," muttered the Featherlight Immortal Envoy, very satisfied.

Chen Fan had indeed not disappointed him.

His consciousness was clear. The illusions had vanished entirely. Though black fog still seeped into him, it no longer held any power.

Ahead stood the Door of Immortality. Only four steps away, within reach.

Taking a deep breath, he took four steps forward in a row.

Boom!

Chen Fan appeared on the ninety-ninth step. Just one step more, and he would cross the threshold.

At this time, countless gazes were gathered on him. The crowd held their breath, not daring to blink, afraid to miss the moment he stepped through.

And then, he moved.

He stepped forward, crossing the door of immortality that was shut one-fifth of the way.

At that instant, a grand, resonant voice echoed in his ear:

"Chen Fan has passed the test of the Heavenly Staircase of Will, first person of the Tianwu Continent. Awarded immortal affinity: one hundred feet."