---
Arthur moved like a phantom, his steps barely making a sound as he ascended the platform with incredible speed.
The sheer pressure emanating from the stairs, which crushed the weaker competitors, seed non-existent to him.
Each step he took sent ripples through the air, causing shockwaves that disrupted the energies around him.
In the distant shadows, several figures cloaked in dark robes whispered among themselves. Their gazes remained fixed on Arthur, their eyes flickering with ominous intent.
"This is problematic," one of them muttered, his voice hoarse with concern. "He’s climbing too fast. If he reaches the top, the situation will spiral out of control."
Another figure, taller and exuding a sinister aura, responded in a cold tone, "Then we act sooner than planned. The Hartfield Empire must fall under our before he gains full control of the realm."
The others nodded in agreent.
They had been waiting for the right mont to make their move, but Arthur’s rapid rise forced them to accelerate their plans. If they did not act now, it would be too late.
"Has the sects and clans made their preparations?" One of them asked as his gaze lingered on the seats of the various sect leaders.
"They have and are ready to act at any mont."
However, in the vast sky above them, an unseen presence watched over them silently.
A man stood atop the clouds, his arms crossed as he gazed down at the schers with indifferent eyes. His aura was concealed, but if released, it would shake the entire Mortal Emperor Realm.
This was Arthur’s hidden dragon clan elder.
After having a conversation with Arthur, if before he was only acting on instructions now he truly sees Arthur as soone worth following so he has to do his part.
Arthur had told him a few things but he was wise enough to know that Arthur wanted to see his worth and right here is an opportunity to show it!
His eyes glead with a cold light as he listened to their every word. ’Insects buzzing in the dark... If they dare make a move, I will erase them.’
At the sa ti, within Arthur’s mind, Aixen, the spirit of the Nine Heavens Palace Artifact, whispered, "Master, several beings are plotting against you. Their killing intent is faint but unmistakable."
Arthur’s expression remained calm as he continued his ascent. Without hesitation, he responded, "I know. But I won’t interfere. Soone else will deal with them."
Aixen paused before replying, "Understood, Master."
---
Arthur’s figure was already far ahead, having crossed the 666th step, while the other competitors remained in the early 300s.
Back below, the intense competition among the strongest challengers continued to unfold.
Thomas, who had held second place for a long ti, now found himself in a heated battle against four others: Sun Wukong, Prince Julius, Anastasia, and Prince Kalius. Each of them possessed monstrous potential, and none were willing to back down.
Thomas took a deep breath as he climbed, his aura flaring with an intense golden light.
The orb of fortune behind him pulsed violently, sending waves of energy that disrupted the air. His steps were steady, unwavering, as he pushed himself past the 320th step.
However, just as he thought he would maintain his lead, a loud burst of laughter echoed from behind him.
"Hahaha! I finally caught up!"
Thomas’s eyes narrowed as he turned to see Sun Wukong leaping up the steps with astonishing speed.
Unlike the others, Sun Wukong wasn’t walking—he was jumping from step to step, his unique robe shined with golden light as he moved.
Every ti he landed, cracks ford beneath his feet, but he remained completely unaffected by the crushing pressure.
’Tch, people blessed by fate, unlike ’ Thomas thought, gritting his teeth.
Sun Wukong flashed a grin as he caught up. "You’re not the only one with talent, Thomas. Let’s see if you can keep up with !"
As Thomas prepared to respond, another powerful aura flared up beside them.
Prince Julius stepped forward, his royal robes billowing as an imperial dragon aura surged around him.
Unlike Sun Wukong’s wild and chaotic movents, Julius moved with grace and precision, each step perfectly controlled.
His voice was calm but carried a sense of authority. "There’s no point in talking. If you have ti to boast, use it to move forward."
Sun Wukong rolled his eyes but did not reply, instead focusing on his next jump.
Behind them, Anastasia climbed in complete silence, her fiery-red hair flowing in the wind.
A chilling white fla that brought great cold at the sa ti surrounded her, forming a protective barrier that reduced the pressure of the steps.
With every step she took, the temperature around her dropped slightly, making it difficult for others to approach.
’Arthur has gone far ahead,’ Anastasia thought as she glanced ahead of her. ’He feels a lot different since he ca out of seclusion.’
She increased her pace, swiftly closing the distance.
At the sa ti, another figure began to accelerate—Prince Kalius, a warrior draped in crimson armor.
His aura was that of a Fla Sovereign, and his very presence radiated an intense heat that lted the frost Anastasia left behind.
With a cold glance, he said nothing and continued moving forward.
Without warning, he stomped his foot on the 320th step.
BOOM!
The impact sent a fiery shockwave outward, nearly throwing Thomas off balance.
Thomas steadied himself, eyes narrowing. "Tch. Showoff."
Sun Wukong, unaffected, rely laughed. "Oh? You’re looking down on , are you? Then let’s see who reaches the 333rd step first!"
With that, the real competition began.
Sun Wukong jumped forward, his movents resembling a golden streak of lightning.
Prince Julius responded by increasing his pace, his dragon aura surging as he matched Sun Wukong’s speed.
Anastasia, still silent, moved like a ghost, her frosty aura slowing down those near her while she advanced unchallenged.
Prince Kalius, anwhile, powered through using brute strength, the steps beneath him cracking under the sheer force of his presence.
Thomas clenched his fists, refusing to fall behind. His mysterious orb of fortune began to glow even brighter as he poured his energy into his steps, his body moving like a phantom as he advanced.
Step by step, the five of them pushed forward, drawing closer to the 330th mark. Their auras clashed, the sheer pressure of their combined energies causing distortions in the air.
By the ti they reached the 330th step, the crowd watching below had fallen completely silent, awed by the spectacle.
Then, in unison, the five of them stepped onto the 333rd step.
A wave of energy burst outward, sending cracks spreading across the platform.
For a brief mont, they all stood still, breathing heavily.
Then, they lifted their heads.
Arthur was already gone—far above them, out of sight.
-----
Arthur’s final step onto the thousandth platform sent a wave of golden light across the entire realm.
His aura surged, no longer suppressed, as a powerful dragon’s roar echoed through the heavens. The sheer force of his presence caused the clouds to swirl, forming a vortex above him.
A brilliant golden dragon phantom coiled around him, its eyes gleaming with an ancient majesty.
The mont his aura fully erupted, the entire arena trembled. The very sky seed to bow before his presence.
Down below, the elders from various powerful clans and sects, who had been secretly plotting against him, suddenly felt an unimaginable pressure descend upon them.
A middle-aged elder from the Heavenly Frost Sect tried to stand but found himself completely paralyzed. His entire body refused to move—even his fingers trembled under the overwhelming force.
A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, but even that was forced to move at a painfully slow pace, as if ti itself had been affected.
Another elder, this one from the Black Sun Pavilion, attempted to channel his spiritual energy to resist but failed.
His face twisted in shock as he realized he couldn’t even circulate his qi. ’What... what kind of power is this?!’
Across the viewing stands, whispers turned into fearful silence.
The once proud and scheming figures of authority had beco nothing more than statues, locked in place by an invisible force.
So even felt their very thoughts slow, as though their existence had been reduced to re observers in Arthur’s presence.
Far above, Arthur’s gaze remained indifferent as he looked at the horizon, unmoved by the chaos he had unknowingly caused below.
The Fate Gem of the Multiverse pulsed softly in his possession, feeding his ever-growing fortune.
His dragon aura had completely awakened, a force that no re mortal could resist.
However, in a hidden location within the void, Suo Hao observed the scene through his intricate runic array.
Unlike the elders who had fallen into complete paralysis, Suo Hao remained unaffected. His protective formations kept him hidden, shielding him from the overwhelming pressure.
Yet, his expression darkened as he studied the source of the power.
’This isn’t Arthur’s doing... this power...’
He shifted his gaze slightly and finally noticed it—a presence hidden among the clouds. It was faint, barely detectable even with his advanced formations, but Suo Hao could sense it.
A being so powerful that even the strongest figures in this realm were nothing before it.
’Its him!’ he thought as he recalled having t this person and finding out that Arthur’s background is deeper than he thought.
The realization sent a chill down his spine.
’Arthur... just what kind of background do you have?’
Despite his vast knowledge of the upper realms, Suo Hao had never encountered an aura like this.
The elders who had been so confident a mont ago were now powerless, their sches crushed before they could even begin.
And Arthur, standing at the peak, had yet to even acknowledge them.
At this ti his thoughts shifted slightly to his bloodline.
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