I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

"Let's go." Qin Yuan said, and the Xuan Yuan Sect members rushed out at the same time.

The moment Qin Yuan stepped through the first doorway, he felt a sudden heaviness around him, as if he were sinking into an invisible quagmire. At the same time, he heard seductive music and saw a flurry of light and shadow before his eyes, with countless treasures, cultivation techniques, and even the phantoms of stunning beauties appearing and stirring his mind.

His soul was stable, and the divine sense bestowed by the Nine Revolutions Nascent Soul was even more resilient. This illusion was like a gentle breeze on a mountain ridge, and it could not shake his will in the slightest.

The Nine Revolutions Profound Origin Technique within his body circulated on its own, its powerful spiritual energy surging and easily offsetting the spatial pressure. His steps were steady, his speed undiminished, and he passed through the doorway in just a few steps.

Chu Wuyue let out a low shout, his white pupils burning with fighting spirit, and he strode forward despite the pressure and illusions.

Yun Qingyao was surrounded by clouds and mist, her figure ethereal and dreamlike, and those illusions had little effect on her.

Han Bing's footwork subtly aligned with the formation, skillfully deflecting the force. Ye Guying, on the other hand, moved like a ghost, his figure blurring and flashing several times before he passed through the gate.

The group was quite fast and kept a steady pace in the first group.

The nine Dragon Gates are each more difficult than the last. The spatial pressure increases layer by layer, and the illusions become more and more realistic and powerful, even beginning to stir up the fear and desire deep within the cultivators' hearts.

People were constantly crushed, their minds lost, screaming as they were thrown out of the game by an invisible force, or frozen in front of a door, watching helplessly as the incense burned.

Qin Yuan remained calm throughout. By the seventh gate, the pressure was enough to make even ordinary late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators struggle, and the illusions even showed scenes of the Xuan Yuan Sect's destruction and the tragic deaths of his old friends.

His eyes flashed coldly for a moment, then quickly regained their clarity, his Dao heart remaining completely undisturbed.

The pressure increased again at the eighth gate, and he began to subtly mobilize his spiritual power.

The ninth gate, with its overwhelming pressure, presents illusions that directly point to the flaws in one's Dao heart.

His nascent soul trembled slightly, and pure spiritual energy flowed throughout his body. His steps remained steady as he calmly stepped out with the last distorted light and shadow.

Suddenly, the view opened up before them, revealing the other side of the nine dragon gates. Nearly half the number of people remained. Looking back, many cultivators were still struggling within the gate openings, some being repeatedly thrown back. The incense sticks were about to burn out.

The first round eliminated nearly half of the participants.

After a brief rest, the cultivators who were not eliminated were guided to the other side of the training ground. The ground here had changed, and the phantom of a majestic mountain appeared. In front of the mountain, a white jade staircase went straight up into the clouds, with a total of ninety-nine steps.

"Second challenge: Ascend the Heavenly Ladder," the voice announced. "Those who reach the top may proceed to the next round. Time limit: half an hour."

This heavenly ladder may seem ordinary, but everyone knows it's far from easy. Sure enough, when the first group stepped onto the first step, their expressions changed. A tremendous weight came from the steps, and a pressure that penetrated straight to the soul descended, testing not only the strength of their physical bodies but also their willpower.

Qin Yuan ascended the steps. For the first thirty steps, the gravity and pressure gradually increased, but he could still bear it. After the thirtieth step, the pressure increased sharply; each step felt like carrying a mountain on his back, and his soul felt as if it were being struck by an invisible hammer. Many cultivators began to sweat profusely, their speed greatly reduced, and some even had blood trickling from the corners of their mouths, forcing them to stop and recuperate.

Level 50—the pressure was beyond what ordinary people could imagine. Qin Yuan felt the powerful physical body brought about by the perfected first level of the "Undying Body of the Universe Stars" taking effect. His bones shimmered, and the star power beneath his skin subtly circulated, dissolving most of the pressure. Supported by his Nine-Turn Nascent Soul, his divine sense remained as steady as a rock. He maintained his pace, steadily ascending.

Level 70, level 80, level 90… fewer and fewer companions remained by her side. Chu Wuyue's bones cracked all over as she gritted her teeth and persevered. Yun Qingyao's face paled slightly, and the mist around her almost solidified. Han Bing's steps became heavy, and Ye Guying's breathing was somewhat disordered.

After the ninety-fifth step, each subsequent step became extremely difficult. Qin Yuan took a deep breath, his spiritual energy surging within him. He took a step forward, ascending four steps in a row, and stood firmly on the ninety-ninth step, on the mountaintop platform.

The mountain wind howled, and only a hundred or so people were on the platform. Each of them possessed an extraordinary aura, the lowest being at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, with about thirty percent at the Divine Transformation stage. Qin Yuan saw You Wuying, Liu Mubai, Liao Chen, Miaoyin, Chen Xingzi, and others. Li Han had already reached the summit and stood alone at the edge of the platform, gazing at the sea of ​​clouds, indifferent to those who came later.

In the Xuan Yuan Sect, Chu Wuyue and Yun Qingyao eventually succeeded in reaching the top. Han Bing stopped at level 97, and Ye Guying was eliminated at level 96. However, it was not easy to reach this point among tens of thousands of geniuses.

The second stage will eliminate another large number of cultivators; those who reach the top are all outstanding individuals.

Next up is the third challenge.

At the center of the mountaintop platform, the array patterns changed again, and a jade platform, hundreds of feet in diameter, rose up. The jade platform was crystal clear, with what appeared to be flowing clouds and mist inside.

"The third test reveals your cultivation level," the voice said. "This test is not about victory or defeat, but only about the foundation of your cultivation. Everyone should sit cross-legged on the jade platform, circulate their cultivation techniques, and release their aura. The jade platform will then reflect and judge your abilities."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere on the platform subtly shifted. This stage, while not eliminating anyone, was a true "revealing" test, a "talent display" for the powerful figures of the upper sects on the cloud. Their cultivation levels and the depth of their foundations would be immediately apparent. For geniuses aspiring to join the upper sects, their performance in this stage was crucial.

Everyone followed the instructions and went up to the jade platform, where they each found a place to sit cross-legged.

Some Nascent Soul peak cultivators already showed resentment and frustration. They had managed to pass the first two trials, demonstrating both strong combat power and willpower, but their cultivation level was indeed at a disadvantage in this situation. The attention garnered by cultivators at the Deity Transformation stage, even those at the early stage, far surpassed that of Nascent Soul cultivators.

You Wuying glanced at Qin Yuan, a cold smile curving his lips. He no longer concealed his aura; the spiritual energy fluctuations of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator slowly rippled outwards. Though not as domineering as Li Han's, it was still chilling and solid, drawing attention. He deliberately chose a spot not far from Qin Yuan, the meaning clear—in terms of cultivation, I am a level above you.

Other Nascent Soul stage cultivators, including Liu Mubai, Liao Chen, Miao Yin, and several Nascent Soul geniuses from other powerful sects, also released their auras, causing spiritual energy to ripple and Daoist charm to faintly appear on the jade platform.

In contrast, the atmosphere in the Nascent Soul area was inevitably somewhat oppressive. Even though some peak Nascent Soul cultivators possessed extremely powerful auras, comparable to those newly entering the Divine Transformation realm, they still appeared lackluster in the face of the inherent difference in their cultivation levels.

Qin Yuan seemed oblivious to the gazes and atmosphere around him. He sat calmly cross-legged in a corner of the jade platform, his eyes slightly closed.

The next moment, he did something that instantly stunned the people nearby.

Unlike others, he didn't start circulating his cultivation technique, adjusting his aura to its peak, and then releasing it.

Instead, his thoughts sank into his body, triggering the cultivation storage that had been dormant on the system panel for a long time.

Since the system upgraded to level five, he automatically gains 160 years of cultivation power daily. Combined with his previous reserves, he now has a considerable amount of unused cultivation power. His original plan was to break through to the late-stage or even peak of the Nascent Soul realm under more secure conditions, but now…