"If we manage to go there, we'll become direct disciples!" the crowd was clenching their fists. Direct disciples… that was their dream. They would have the opportunity to receive the emperors' direct teachings. They would also be able to practice cultivation in much better conditions.
"I can only make it to the third level now so I still have to progress. I have to manage it as Lin Feng did and climb up the first nine groups of steps." thought many people. Indeed, the higher levels were difficult to climb. They were a bit envious, why could Lin Feng do it and not them?
"Brother, will we have the opportunity to become disciples of the first batch?" asked someone of the second batch.
"Of course you will. In Tiantai, everybody is treated fairly. If you are talented, there's nothing you can't do, but if you're weak, you will be eliminated. If someday, you manage to climb three groups of steps, you'll be able to eliminate those who can only climb the second group of steps and replace them. You will also be able to take over their palaces. If there are several people on one level, then their cultivation level will be compared and the weakest ones will be eliminated." said Mu Chen.
They had become imperial cultivation disciples of the first batch and could benefit from better things, but it wasn't fixed. They could be replaced if they didn't progress, then they would be eliminated.
"It's the same for everyone. Nothing is fixed. Things can change if you remain unchanged." continued Mu Chen.
How intense. What pressure.
But the pressure was the only way to progress. In order not to be surpassed and not to feel humiliated, they had to become stronger.
"Lin Feng had managed to climb up the ninth group of steps. Not only would he get better things to study, but also, it would be difficult for others to catch up with him and replace him.
Everybody looked at Lin Feng. Behind him was Meng Ba who had only climbed five groups of steps. Would he be able to catch up with Lin Feng at some point?
"Alright, take your keys out and go up without worrying. Lin Feng, you go first. Disciples of the Zun Qi layer, wait, you'll go up later." said Mu Chen.
Lin Feng took out his key and started going up the stairs. On the first level, he sensed nothing at all.
Thanks to his key, he was able to go up the stairs easily.
Lin Feng sensed nothing at all. Behind the second group of steps, there was no palace, only a road. On that road were many palaces. It looked like Tiantai. Those palaces were for people to practice cultivation. In those numerous palaces, there were probably many treasures to practice cultivation. Lin Feng could sense their energies.
The 81 palaces all had an incredible Qi. There were large differences between all those Qi though. The highest palace had the thickest and the richest Qi. Lin Feng could choose first because he had ranked first.
There was a lock, with his key, he could open it with the key he had obtained when going up the ninth group of steps.
He slowly opened the door. It was magnificent and luxurious. In a flash, golden lights surrounded Lin Feng and he could sense an extraordinary Qi. He suddenly thought about many things.
Lin Feng smiled. He knew that that palace was his. Besides, no matter what, he just had to think about it and that palace could appear on any floor.
The other students chose their palaces too and decided to then all practice inside their palace.
The students of the second batch had to wait. They didn't have those palaces, so they were even more determined. They had to climb up the stairs and replace someone.
"Alright, practice here and make efforts to become stronger. You're students of the first batch, many people are observing you now. I hope that when you come back down, you'll have become incredible. Don't let Tian Long Divine Castle's disciples think they're right when they said you are weaklings." said Mu Chen seriously. They couldn't afford being humiliated because they were imperial cultivation disciples now.
"We understand."
Everybody nodded. They were now imperial cultivation disciples, everybody in Ba Huang Province thought they were strong and powerful. They couldn't disappoint those people.
"You follow me!" said Mu Chen to the Zun Qi layer of the first batch. They were already Zun cultivators so they had to go somewhere else. They didn't practice cultivation in the same way as Tian level cultivators.
Tiantai was now the imperial cultivation disciples' territory. They could benefit from everything there was to become stronger.
"Hehe, I'm coming too," said Yuan Fei trying and he stepped on the group of steps. Yuan Fei was very, very strong and his grandfather was the Great Ape Emperor. He had broken through to the same Tian Qi layer as Xuan Yuan, but he was infinitely stronger.
Yuan Fei went up to the third group of steps and didn't sense anything. Many people looked at him impressed. That was already the difference between them and him.
Everybody was captivated because of his social status. They wanted to see how many groups of steps he could climb.
At the fourth group of steps, Yuan Fei started sensing something. But he continued without hesitating.
The fifth group of steps, Yuan Fei roared and released energies, people who weren't far could sense those energies.
The sixth group of steps, Yuan Fei lived up to his status, he released an insane amount of Qi. He roared so loudly that the atmosphere became distorted, but it didn't stop him.
At the seventh group of steps, he looked like a gigantic gorilla, as heavy as a mountain. The crowd looked at him, astonished and their hearts were pounding violently.
At the eighth group of steps, Yuan Fei's blood started boiling. He was holding his wooden stick firmly and looked determined. The Earth and sky were emitting rumbling sounds from the pressure. His energies turned into bestial clouds. Mu Chen turned around and saw him, he was surprised. Like Lin Feng, he was defying the skies. Finally, he stepped on the ninth group of steps, completely relaxed!
His Qi disappeared and the atmosphere became calm again. The crowd was astonished, their hearts were pounding violently. They could still see him in their thoughts!