My little sect, which disappeared a thousand years ago, has become a sacred site!

"Hiss—Fifty steps already!"

When Yun Fan appeared at the fiftieth step, the cultivators who had been whispering below the stage gasped in shock, their mockery and disdain replaced by astonishment.

Everyone knows that the elimination rate at the Ascension Platform is much higher than that of the previous Three Trials of Heaven and Man.

But this Qi Refining stage cultivator who looked like a beggar actually did it.

The pressure of the Ascension Platform increases step by step, with the fiftieth step being a clear dividing line. Many cultivators with higher cultivation levels and more respectable appearances stop at the thirtieth or fortieth step.

Yun Fan's performance at this moment has exceeded the expectations of most people.

However, he himself was clearly not satisfied with this.

Standing on the fiftieth step, the invisible pressure made his legs tremble uncontrollably, and his back was bent slightly under the weight.

But he only paused briefly, took a few deep breaths, and then continued climbing upwards.

His movements became more difficult, and he was almost "moving" in a clumsy posture, half-bent over and using both hands and feet.

Each time he lifted his foot onto the next step, he had to try several times, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

Sweat had already soaked through his tattered clothes, mixing with dust and leaving streaks of mud on his face.

At this moment, he looked extremely disheveled, even downright ugly.

But he seemed to have completely blocked out all outside attention, his eyes only fixed on the seemingly unreachable height ahead.

Fifty-eight...fifty-nine...sixty!

When he used an almost prone position to force his body up to the sixtieth step.

The crowd at the edge of the square, watching the Dengxiantai area, fell silent for a moment, then erupted in even greater amazement.

The way he looked at Yun Fan had completely changed.

What began as initial disdain and curiosity transformed into unbelievable awe and profound respect.

Sixty steps.

This means that if he wanted, he could immediately become an inner disciple of the Celestial Holy Land and enjoy resources and instruction far exceeding those of the outer disciples.

For a rogue cultivator of humble origins and low cultivation level, this was a leap that could change his fate.

Yun Fan lay on the sixtieth step, as if he had exhausted his last bit of strength.

His legs were slightly cramped from overexertion, making it impossible for him to stand up. He could only barely support his upper body with his arms, panting heavily.

Every breath he took was excruciatingly painful, and a trickle of blood even escaped from the corner of his mouth.

He looks like he's reached his limit.

Most people had already concluded in their minds: That's enough, that's enough. Sixty levels, inner disciple, a meteoric rise.

However, just when everyone thought he was about to give up or be taken down by the disciples, Yun Fan's bloodshot eyes were fixed on the top—the position of the sixty-fifth step.

His lips moved silently, as if he were saying to himself: Go there... as long as I go there... I can become an elder's disciple.

That's a higher starting point than ordinary inner disciples, meaning more systematic teaching, more abundant resources, and stronger backing.

He is aware of his talent and also understands his own limitations.

To dream of ascending to the seventieth step and becoming a disciple of the Taiyin Elder is simply a pipe dream.

But... the sixty-fifth step, this seemingly five-step-more goal, was like a lighthouse in the darkness, burning the last embers of his heart.

"Uh... Ah!"

A suppressed growl squeezed out of his throat.

With his trembling arms, he managed to lift his heavy upper body a little more.

Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, he gave up the possibility of standing and instead knelt on the cold stone steps, relying on the support of his knees and hands to begin "kneeling" forward inch by inch.

The sixty-first step, the sixty-second step... he climbed up on his knees, dragging his body along.

His knees rubbed against the hard stone surface, making a teeth-grinding, subtle sound. His trousers were quickly worn through, revealing the flesh underneath that was rapidly turning into a bloody mess.

The sixty-third step, the sixty-fourth step... His stamina seemed to be completely exhausted. He could hardly even maintain crawling on his knees, and his body was almost completely lying on the steps.

He could only grip the cracks at the edge of the stone steps with his ten fingers, using the slight leverage from his fingertips, and with the trembling of his whole body, he slowly "dragged" and "writhed" his heavy body upwards.

That could no longer be called "walking" or "crawling"; it was more like an instinctive struggle for survival, like someone on the verge of death.

His fingernails snapped, and blood stained the stone steps, leaving a glaring and resolute trail of blood behind him.

Finally, his finger reached the edge of the sixty-fifth step.

When he used the last bit of strength to "throw" his entire body onto that platform, he felt as if all his bones had been removed, and he collapsed to the ground, too weak to even move a finger.

His chest was still heaving violently, proving that he was still alive.

Sixty-five levels! Qualification to be personally taught by an elder!

The entire room was completely silent; you could hear a pin drop.

All the gazes directed at Yun Fan were filled with shock, awe, and even a hint of horror.

That reckless madness, that unwavering determination that seemed to burn away even the soul, deeply stung the hearts of many self-proclaimed geniuses and privileged cultivators present.

They asked themselves if they could have done the same.

The answer left many people speechless.

Even the most knowledgeable and resolute disciples of the Holy Land looked at Yun Fan with genuine admiration.

This child's unwavering will and terrifying perseverance are truly rare!

As expected, the name Yun Fan will undoubtedly become the most talked-about topic at this sacred ceremony, and may even become a learning target for many disciples on their future cultivation path.

Gu Changyuan looked down at the figure collapsed on the sixty-fifth step, nodded slightly, and showed a hint of approval in his eyes.

"You have great perseverance."

He made his own assessment.

This performance not only proved Yun Fan's own value, but also acted as a shot in the arm, activating the "spirit" of the entire Holy Ceremony venue.

It allows all participants and onlookers to truly feel that indomitable, life-or-death fighting spirit can create miracles.

This will allow all the cultivators participating in the assessment to better demonstrate their abilities.

This is exactly what Gu Changyuan wanted to see.

After all, this is related to the improvement of his own cultivation. Although he is still invincible in the Nine Heavens Realm, there is still the Immortal Realm behind him.

With a gentle wave of his right hand, an invisible yet extremely gentle force crossed space and landed on Yun Fan.

Yun Fan, who was still in excruciating pain and exhaustion, suddenly felt a lightness all over his body, as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

Immediately afterwards, a warm and powerful force of life surged into his limbs and bones, and the wounds on his legs, knees, and hands healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Even the broken fingernails grew back, and the meridians damaged by overexertion in the body, and even the fatigue in the spirit, were quickly soothed and nourished.

In just a few breaths, apart from his clothes still being tattered and the bloodstains still wet, he had recovered most of his condition.

Before he could react, the scenery around him changed, and he found himself disappearing from the Ascension Platform and appearing on a higher platform.

It was the open space in front of the elders' seat.