Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Qin Family’s Treasure, Stepping Heaven Ladder

When Ye Qingchen awoke once more, he was already lying in a guest room within the Rising Sun Pavilion. As soon as he woke, he saw Qin Zhantian standing before him.

Facing Qin Zhantian, Ye Qingchen’s heart filled with guilt and self-blame. ”Elder Qin, I’m sorry,” he said. ”If it weren’t for me, Qin Yue wouldn’t have been captured by Dragon Tiger Mountain. It’s all my fault for being too impulsive!”

Qin Zhantian waved his hand. ”Ye Qingchen, there’s no need to blame yourself. If it were to happen again, I believe that with Qin Yue’s temperament, she would still choose to help you without hesitation. Besides, this incident isn’t your fault; I am the one who misjudged the situation. I thought that Dragon Tiger Mountain would give the Rising Sun Pavilion some face and not be too hard on you.”

He sighed and continued, ”According to news from the Yanyang Kingdom, Dragon Tiger Mountain has long been in cahoots with them. They’re plotting against our Rising Sun Pavilion, seeking to replace us!”

Ye Qingchen wasn’t sure if Qin Zhantian was saying this to comfort him or if it was the truth. Regardless, the pressing matter at hand was rescuing his father and Qin Yue. He struggled to sit up and asked, ”Elder Qin, what should we do now? As long as we can rescue Qin Yue and my father, I will give it my all and stop at nothing!”

Qin Zhantian shook his head and said meaningfully, ”Qingchen, rest assured, I won’t sit by and do nothing. However, I am only a first-level Martial King, and with my strength alone, it will be difficult to eradicate Dragon Tiger Mountain. I need to devise a plan and find some experts to help.”

Upon hearing Qin Zhantian’s willingness to take action, Ye Qingchen was overjoyed. ”Elder Qin,” he said quickly, ”I am willing to take the lead and join you in wiping out Dragon Tiger Mountain to rescue my father and Qin Yue!”

Qin Zhantian smiled and shook his head. ”Dragon Tiger Mountain is a two-star Sect. Not only is their chief, Black Dragon, a first-level Martial King, but their second and third chiefs are also high-level Martial Spirits. Moreover, there are quite a few other Martial Spirits within their ranks. Qingchen, I understand your desire for revenge, but with your current strength as a Grand Martial Master, you won’t be of much help in a direct confrontation.”

Ye Qingchen knew Qin Zhantian was right. With only three months until Black Dragon’s deadline, his strength wouldn’t improve much even if he cultivated day and night.

Qin Zhantian seemed to see his concern and said with a smile, ”Qingchen, my Qin Family possesses a treasured ground known as the Stepping Heaven Ladder! Only direct disciples of the Qin Family who have made significant contributions to the clan are qualified to ascend it. To deal with Dragon Tiger Mountain, I have decided to attempt another ascent. You are a benefactor of our Qin Family and my future grandson-in-law, so I can make an exception and give you one chance to climb the Stepping Heaven Ladder!”

Ye Qingchen looked at Qin Zhantian in confusion and asked, ”The Stepping Heaven Ladder? Elder Qin, what is that?”

As Qin Zhantian mentioned the Stepping Heaven Ladder, his eyes filled with pride. ”The Stepping Heaven Ladder was left by our ancestors,” he explained. ”It is because of this ladder that my Qin Family was able to thrive and produce so many powerful warriors. The Stepping Heaven Ladder has a total of one hundred and eight steps. The pressure on the first step is equivalent to the climber’s own Cultivation, and from the second step onward, the pressure doubles with each step!

”The higher one climbs, the faster their Cultivation and combat power will improve! But it also poses a greater test of a person’s Heart of Martial Dao and endurance. I myself have climbed the ladder twice, yet I only reached the fiftieth step! If I can reach a higher level this time, perhaps my Cultivation can advance once again. My combat power will become stronger, and we will have a much better chance of rescuing Qin Yue and your father.”

After Qin Zhantian finished his explanation, a look of longing appeared in Ye Qingchen’s eyes.

Who could have built such a miraculous structure? The pressure on the first step alone is equivalent to the climber’s own Cultivation, and it increases exponentially with each subsequent step. The pressure one would have to bear on the final step must be truly immense! The Stepping Heaven Ladder... If I could reach the final step, perhaps I could truly ascend to the heavens in a single bound!

Qin Zhantian gave a few more instructions, handed Ye Qingchen some Spirit Pills, and urged him to heal his injuries quickly so they could return to the Rising Sun Pavilion headquarters together.

Knowing the urgency of the situation, Ye Qingchen did not stand on ceremony. He directly swallowed the Spirit Pills and began circulating his internal energy to refine their medicinal power and heal his injuries.

As a fourth-grade Alchemist, aided by his Dual Pupil Martial Soul, Ye Qingchen had a perfect understanding of his body’s condition, making his recovery exceptionally swift. Anyone else with such injuries would have needed ten days to half a month to get out of bed, even with the help of Spirit Pills.

Yet it took Ye Qingchen only a single day and night to recover completely. His physical strength had even slightly improved.

When Ye Qingchen found Qin Zhantian, the old man was startled by his rapid recovery. After confirming that Ye Qingchen was fully healed, however, Qin Zhantian set out with him.

Using his speed as a Martial King, Qin Zhantian carried Ye Qingchen, and they sped along like lightning. After three days and nights of relentless travel, the two finally arrived at the headquarters of the Rising Sun Pavilion.

Ye Qingchen had thought the Rising Sun Pavilion in the capital city was the pinnacle of grandeur, but upon seeing the headquarters, he realized how easily impressed he had been. In terms of area alone, the headquarters was over a hundred times larger than the one in the capital of the Northern Desolate Country.

However, this was to be expected. In a place like the capital city, it was no exaggeration to say that every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. Moreover, due to the royal family’s influence, the Rising Sun Pavilion would likely not have been allowed to occupy too much space there.

As Ye Qingchen followed Qin Zhantian into the headquarters, the disciples they encountered all promptly saluted the Family Head. They also cast curious glances at Ye Qingchen, wondering about the identity of the person accompanying him.

After three days of travel, Qin Zhantian was somewhat exhausted. To attempt to climb the Stepping Heaven Ladder, one’s essence, energy, and spirit had to be tuned to their absolute peak. Thus, after arranging a room for Ye Qingchen, Qin Zhantian returned to his own residence to recuperate. Before leaving, he instructed Ye Qingchen to rest well that day, as they would ascend the Stepping Heaven Ladder together the next morning.

Ye Qingchen respectfully saw Qin Zhantian out, then closed the door to his room. Lying in bed, he tossed and turned, contemplating how to rescue his father.

He eventually drifted into a restless sleep and woke to the bright light of day.

Finally, it’s time to climb the Stepping Heaven Ladder!