Chapter 56

After about half an hour, all the contestants' tokens were inspected. Apart from the incident with the young master of the Qian family, there were no further disturbances. Lu Tianyu and the other seven hundred plus people stood on the high platform, waiting for further instructions.

"You have all qualified to participate in the selection of disciples for our Flowing Cloud Sect. In a moment, a path to the heavens will descend from the peak of our mountain, so please prepare to climb the mountain," the lead disciple in white robes slowly scanned the crowd and shouted.

As soon as he finished speaking, a massive "rumbling" sound came from the peak of the mountain where the Flowing Cloud Sect was located, echoing in everyone's ears.

Everyone couldn't help but look up in shock, following the sound. They saw the clouds at the peak swirling wildly, as if a giant hand had reached out and torn them apart, instantly creating a huge crack. Countless golden lights surged out, gradually forming a wide golden path that extended from the peak to the high platform.

Although this path was entirely made of golden light, it seemed almost tangible, with each step clearly visible.

Lu Tianyu infused his eyes with battle qi and, upon focusing, immediately noticed that the golden path from the high platform to the peak had thirty steps, layer upon layer, quite spectacular, as if paved with countless gold bricks.

At the top of the golden path was a massive stone gate, faintly visible through the clouds, which was the entrance to the Flowing Cloud Sect.

"This golden path before you is the path to the heavens I mentioned. Now, everyone, start climbing the mountain," the white-robed disciple, with excitement in his voice, called out.

This golden path was created by a powerful figure in the Flowing Cloud Sect with a great supernatural ability, and such terrifying strength was enough to shock the world. How could anyone not be excited?

Upon hearing this, Lu Tianyu and the others immediately nodded and stepped forward, their faces filled with excitement as they walked onto the golden path.

"Ah!" But the first three people, as soon as they stepped onto the first step, couldn't help but change their expressions in shock and exclaim, for they discovered that there was an abnormally strong repelling force on the steps.

One of them, due to carelessness, lost his balance and quickly rolled down the steps, landing with a thud on the platform below, his face red with embarrassment.

"What's going on?" The people behind them all looked at the one who had fallen in confusion.

"These steps are very strange, with a powerful repelling force. Everyone, be extremely careful," the person who had fallen got up and immediately warned everyone, then continued to step onto the first step.

Having learned from the previous lesson, this time he was particularly cautious, infusing his feet with battle qi, and finally stood steadily on the first step.

Hearing the warning, the people behind him did not dare to be careless. Like him, they all infused their feet with battle qi and carefully stepped onto the steps.

Each step of the golden path was about several hundred meters wide, enough to accommodate over a hundred people standing together.

The first batch of over a hundred people stepped onto the steps and began to climb, one step at a time, while the rest slowly followed.

"You have only half an hour. If you haven't reached the top within half an hour, this path to the heavens will disappear. Please take care," the lead white-robed disciple reminded them again, then immediately leaped onto the platform with his fellow disciples, looking up at the golden path to observe the contestants' performance.

As soon as Lu Tianyu stepped onto the first step, he immediately felt a powerful repelling force, like a tidal wave, surging towards his feet, trying to push him off.

His body swayed slightly, but he quickly regained his balance. He was grateful for the warning from the person earlier; otherwise, he might have been pushed off the steps by the powerful repelling force.

After stabilizing himself, Lu Tianyu slowly lifted his right foot and stepped onto the second step.

But as soon as his right foot touched the second step, a repelling force nearly twice as strong as before erupted, striking his foot.

Lu Tianyu's body trembled violently, and he almost rolled down from the first step.

However, his left foot remained firmly planted on the first step, allowing him to quickly bounce back and stand steadily on the first step again.

After a moment's thought, Lu Tianyu infused most of his battle qi into his right foot, gritted his teeth, and lifted his right foot again, stepping onto the second step.

A faint rumbling sound came from his feet, and Lu Tianyu's right foot finally landed steadily. Then he lifted his left foot and placed it on the second step.

"Phew," he couldn't help but take a deep breath and quickly scanned the surrounding people, only to find himself blushing with embarrassment.

He saw that of the over a hundred people who had stepped onto the first step with him, nearly ninety had already successfully reached the third step, while he and a few others were still on the second step.

Lu Tianyu's divine sense quietly spread out, and he immediately discovered that the few people who were still on the second step with him were of similar strength, all at the late-stage Warrior level. The ninety people who had reached the third step were all at the Battle Master level or higher.

This was the difference in strength.

Lu Tianyu lifted his right foot again, preparing to step onto the third step.

"Hey, buddy, can you hurry up? You're dawdling like a woman. Not to belittle you, but at this speed, can you reach the top in half an hour? If not, don't force it. Stand aside and let me go first," a contemptuous voice came from behind Lu Tianyu.

Lu Tianyu's face immediately darkened. Turning his head, he saw a man in a brocade robe, about twenty years old, looking up at him arrogantly. Lu Tianyu was standing on the second step, blocking his way.

"What are you looking at? Quickly move aside for me. If you don't, don't blame me for being rude," the young man narrowed his eyes and shouted fiercely.

After a moment's thought, Lu Tianyu immediately suppressed his anger and slowly moved aside, letting the young man go first.

As the saying goes, "A step back opens up the sky."

Lu Tianyu was not a coward, but he was currently on the steps with a strong repelling force. If he fought with the young man, he would immediately lose his balance and roll down the steps. Moreover, fighting at this time was unwise, as any injury would make it impossible for him to reach the top.

So, Lu Tianyu had to endure this for now and see how capable the young man was, and who would reach the top first.

"Haha, kid, you're quite sensible. Good. Remember, I'm Qian Sanguang, the young master of the Qian family. If anyone gives you trouble, just mention my name," the young man smiled smugly and slowly stepped onto the second step, standing shoulder to shoulder with Lu Tianyu.

Qian Sanguang lifted his right foot again and easily stepped onto the third step. Lu Tianyu immediately noticed a faint yellow battle qi light emanating from Qian Sanguang's feet, indicating that his strength was indeed much higher, already at the Battle Master level.

But Lu Tianyu was not discouraged. Since his strength was inferior, he had to be even more cautious, steady, and methodical. As long as he could reach the top of the mountain within half an hour, his mission would be accomplished.

Slowly lifting his right foot, his body swayed violently, and Lu Tianyu finally successfully stepped onto the third step, while Qian Sanguang had already reached the fourth step.

Looking up, Lu Tianyu couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly. He saw that Sima Ye and the few who had stepped onto the steps first were already standing on the sixth step, and their movements seemed very relaxed, with no difficulty at all.

"Sima Ye is truly a hidden expert," he muttered to himself, quickly收回目光，低头看向脚下的第三级台阶。此时，他能明显感觉到脚下的排斥之力更为强大，比第二级台阶强了一倍不止。

看来今天要抵达最顶层的山门，确实不是一般的难了。

但无论如何，自己都不能放弃，如果连流云派的山门都上不去，那自己还有什么资格参加这次的弟子选拔大赛呢？

在众人的胆战心惊的攀登中，时间缓缓流逝，转眼便是一刻钟过去。

到了这个时候，司马业和另外三人已经成功踏上了第二十级台阶，而其他人也都踏上了第十五级台阶以上，唯独陆天羽与剩下的十一人，此刻依然停留在第十四级台阶上。

站在第十四级台阶上，陆天羽的整个身体已经像弹琴一样乱抖起来，仿佛随时都会从上面摔落。

脚下的排斥之力已经像滔天巨浪一般，一波强过一波地疯狂涌来，使得陆天羽久久难以抬起右脚，继续向第十五级台阶进发。他心中有一种强烈的预感，如果自己抬起右脚，恐怕立刻会被脚下的滔天排斥之力震飞，滚落到下方的高台上，那可就前功尽弃了。

“啊！”就在此时，陆天羽身旁的那名青袍少年终于艰难地抬起了右脚，但刚踏在第十五级台阶上，整个身体立刻失去平衡，哀嚎声中，迅速被脚下的那股狂猛的排斥之力弹飞，在半空中划过一道弧线，最终啪的一声重重摔在了下方的高台上，张嘴连连喷血不止。

“小兄弟，还有时间，你可以继续！”高台上站着的一名流云派弟子立刻好心地走上前扶起那少年，安慰道。

“不了，打死我也不上了，娘的，那台阶上的排斥之力，一波高过一波，凭我这点实力，是绝对无法爬到最顶层的，我还是呆会与你们一起上山吧。”那少年闻言，立刻拼命摇头，脸上带着惧色地说道。

---

As he looked down at the third step, Lu Tianyu could clearly feel that the repelling force under his feet was even stronger, more than twice as powerful as on the second step.

It seemed that reaching the top of the mountain today would indeed be no easy task.

But no matter what, he could not give up. If he couldn't even reach the entrance of the Flowing Cloud Sect, what right did he have to participate in the disciple selection competition?

As the climbers trembled with fear, time slowly passed, and before they knew it, a quarter of an hour had gone by.

By this time, Sima Ye and three others had successfully reached the twentieth step, while the rest had climbed to the fifteenth step or higher. Only Lu Tianyu and eleven others were still on the fourteenth step.

Standing on the fourteenth step, Lu Tianyu's entire body was trembling uncontrollably, as if he could fall at any moment.

The repelling force under his feet was like a surging tidal wave, growing stronger with each wave, making it difficult for Lu Tianyu to lift his right foot and continue to the fifteenth step. He had a strong premonition that if he lifted his right foot, he would immediately be thrown off by the overwhelming repelling force and roll down to the platform below, ruining all his efforts.

"Ah!" At that moment, the young man in the green robe beside Lu Tianyu finally managed to lift his right foot, but as soon as he stepped onto the fifteenth step, he lost his balance. With a cry of pain, he was quickly thrown off by the powerful repelling force, flying through the air in an arc and landing with a thud on the platform below, spitting blood continuously.

"Little brother, there's still time, you can continue!" A disciple of the Flowing Cloud Sect standing on the platform immediately came forward to help the young man up and comforted him.

"No, I won't go up, even if you beat me. Damn it, the repelling force on those steps is getting stronger with each step. With my strength, I can't possibly reach the top. I'll just go up the mountain with you later," the young man shook his head vigorously, his face filled with fear, and said.