Supreme Star Card Master

Chapter 368: Chapter 289: Protagonist

Nine hundred seventy, nine hundred eighty… nine hundred ninety!

At this moment, Luo Bingtong had already stepped onto the nine hundredth and ninetieth step. However, she was panting, unable to take another step.

Su Yuan’s expression became grave. As he had expected, Luo Bingtong was also nearing her limit.

It just depended on whether there were more means available…

Just then, accompanied by a shocking pressure that reached the heart, a strong chill erupted from Luo Bingtong!

Frost surged, ice crystals danced!

Within the dense cold aura, a blue rune lit up on Luo Bingtong’s forehead. Two pure white dragon horns grew from her head, and an ice dragon tail emerged behind her.

In an instant, Luo Bingtong turned extremely cold. The chilling aura continually emanated from her body.

The Ice Bone Wings slightly flapped. At this moment, Luo Bingtong seemed to disregard the pressure of the Heavenly Ladder. She stepped up one step at a time, reaching the nine hundred ninety-ninth step unimpeded and walked up to Su Yuan.

Seth stared wide-eyed at Luo Bingtong, who had reached the top of the Heavenly Ladder and stood before Su Yuan. Other than astonishment, he had no other thoughts.

Those emotionless pupils made even himself, who had entered Bright Star, feel an inexplicable bone-chilling coldness.

Coming to the south, once thinking the Qiguang Empire was invincible, Seth now had some doubts.

Could it be that Great Flame’s level was truly higher than Qiguang’s?

Within Qiguang’s top academies and families, he had rarely seen such monsters as Su Yuan and Luo Bingtong.

But after only being in the south for a dozen days and not even entering the Great Flame Country, he had already encountered two top-level monsters…

Compared to Seth’s shock, Su Yuan was not that surprised in his heart.

Looking at Luo Bingtong in front of him, Su Yuan’s gaze fell on the two ice dragon horns on her head.

Was it the effect of the Ice Soul Transformation or her true form?

With a hint of curiosity, Su Yuan reached out and gently touched them.

“Cold, very hard…”

Su Yuan thought this, not noticing Luo Bingtong’s slight tremble.

“Impressive, Bingtong!”

Su Yuan withdrew his hand, smiling in praise.

Luo Bingtong looked at Su Yuan, blinking her eyes, not knowing what she was thinking. Amidst the surging frost, her dragon horns, dragon tail, and ice wings all disappeared.

At this moment, a deep blue light gathered, enveloping Luo Bingtong instantly.

In the Sky Dragon Palace, many big shots argued endlessly about Luo Bingtong reaching the top.

A Gold Early Stage who directly reached the nine hundred ninety-ninth step of the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder… this was even more astonishing than Su Yuan earlier!

However, whether it was Qin Xiangyang or Xiao Jian, looking at the white-haired girl enveloped by Transcendence Power, both were thoughtful.

Although Luo Bingtong had concealed her breath very well now, with the keen eyes of individuals like Xiao Jian, combined with the partial true power Luo Bingtong had just erupted with, they had already seen that her true form was that of the Dragon Clan.

An Ice Dragon Clan, with such stunning talent and performance, and being with Su Yuan of Demon Capital Academy…

Xiao Jian quickly deduced that the other party was the offspring of the Demon Emperor from the Ice Pearl Mysterious Cliff.

At this moment, a heroic, middle-aged man wearing a Golden Dragon Robe walked over from a distance.

Although this middle-aged man was only at the Burning Sun Level, Qin Xiangyang, sitting in the primary seat, stood up to show respect.

The man in the Golden Robe handed a ring to Qin Xiangyang and whispered something in his ear.

Qin Xiangyang took the ring and replied, “I understand, Brother Ao Yun.”

The man named Ao Yun nodded, cupped his hands towards Qin Xiangyang, and then turned and left without looking at others.

“Lord Qin, that gentleman just now was the previous Golden Dragon, right? If my guess is correct, he is a master from the Dragon Palace?” Xiao Jian looked at the figure of the man in the Golden Robe and asked.

Qin Xiangyang smiled and nodded, “Exactly, you have good eyes, Xiao Imperial Envoy.”

Xiao Jian’s eyes flickered. If this were true, it meant Qin Xiangyang was likely not only connected with the Dragon Clan but also associated with the Dragon Palace, making it more worthwhile to recruit him.

The Dragon Palace, located southwest of the East Continent, was no ordinary force but a top-tier power with an Emperor Level presence.

Moreover, despite being near the East Continent, the Dragon Palace could easily cross the Star Sand dividing the continents through the sea and enter other continents.

At this moment, Xiao Jian’s evaluation of the Dragon Sect rose again.

Qin Xiangyang then inspected the ring given by Ao Yun, and even he was shocked by what he saw inside.

It was actually a Dragon Ball, and an epic-grade one left behind by a pure-blood Dragon Clan member after achieving Burning Sun Level!

Such a Dragon Ball could directly evolve a typical Gold Level Sub-Dragon Species into a pure-blood Dragon Clan.

Even a non-Dragon Clan could gain some True Dragon Power from it!

It was absolutely a treasure all Star Beasts dreamt of, and for a Gold Level Star Beast about to undergo a second evolution, it was the ultimate evolution material!

If this treasure were of any use to Qin Xiangyang, who was now breaking through to the King Level, he would’ve coveted it himself.

This treasure was prepared specifically for that little girl…

…

On the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder, the Transcendence Power gradually faded, and Luo Bingtong advanced in two stages, entering Gold High Stage.

However, she remained expressionless, only occasionally touching her temple, glancing at Su Yuan from time to time.

Beside her, seeing that Su Yuan and Luo Bingtong seemed yet to enter the portal, Seth spoke up, “Su Yuan, I’ll go first.”

“Alright, see you in a while.”

Seth nodded and walked straight into the portal behind.

A blue light shot into the sky, directly to Sky Dragon Palace, where Seth’s figure also disappeared.

“Well then… let’s watch Huang Xiang.”

Su Yuan took a deep breath, looking at Huang Xiang.

At this moment, Huang Xiang had already climbed over eight hundred and fifty steps.

Surprisingly, he had seemed to reach his limit earlier, unable even to maintain Boiling Blood.

But now, having already climbed over eight hundred fifty steps, his condition was almost the same as before.

No one knew where he found the energy and Star Power to not only hold on but maintain Boiling Blood at the lowest level.

Eight hundred sixty steps,

Eight hundred seventy steps,

Eight hundred eighty steps…

Slowly but surely, Huang Xiang continued his determined climb, reaching the eight hundred ninety-ninth step.

Huang Xiang lifted his right foot several times but put it down each time.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to step up, but he couldn’t!

The difficulty of this step was immense, and although not knowing the exact number of steps, he knew it was his limit.

However, Huang Xiang didn’t know that many people in Dragon Ascending Square had their eyes on him, filled with admiration and encouragement!

“Come on!”

“Step over it, the nine hundredth step!”

“You must succeed!”

“…”

A Silver Stage climbing to eight or nine hundred steps would invoke envy, jealousy.

But seeing this Silver Stage youth struggling with his torn and nearly collapsing body to the eight hundred ninety-ninth step, only encouragement remained in their eyes.

Knowing that they had already fallen on the first few hundred steps, the perseverance of this Silver Stage youth, struggling to the eight hundred ninety-ninth step, was unbelievable!

Now, many in the square, especially Bronze and Silver Stage Star Card Masters, genuinely wished the bloodied, exhausted blond youth would take one more step!

One minute, two minutes, five minutes…

Lifting and lowering his foot repeatedly, trying again and again…

“Get… up there!”

After countless attempts, Huang Xiang suddenly stamped his foot on the nine hundredth step, then his right foot brought his left foot up!

“Nine hundred steps!”

“He really did it!”

“Well done, that’s incredible!”

Unexplainably, many hearts in Dragon Ascending Square felt a mix of relief and joy.

Knowing that achieving this feat required an indomitable will nearly impossible for ordinary people, Huang Xiang also had something extraordinary.

Yet compared to “naturals,” those born with superior conditions, such tenacious and hardworking “late bloomers” were more relatable and likable.

In everyone’s eyes, based on Huang Xiang’s perseverance and effort, he truly deserved this nine hundredth step!

At this moment, upon stepping onto the nine hundredth step, Huang Xiang sensed the bottleneck of Gold Middle Stage.

“Reached my limit…”

As Huang Xiang tried to lift his right foot again, he realized this was truly the end.

“Adaptation” also had limits.

Upon reaching six hundred or so steps, entering Gold Level just barely enabled him to withstand the sudden difficulty spike at six hundred sixty-six steps, allowing him to adapt and progress smoothly.

But now, with the difficulty spike at nine hundred one steps, his current physical state surpassed “Adaptation’s” range.

Lifting his head, Huang Xiang looked towards the peak of the Heavenly Ladder at Su Yuan and Luo Bingtong, squeezing out a bitter smile.

After all, he was still a bit behind them…

“You’re already very impressive,” Su Yuan spoke from afar as Huang Xiang looked over, “If it were me, I might not have done it.”

Though far, through his lip movements, Huang Xiang understood Su Yuan’s words clearly.

Feeling a slight stir in his heart, Huang Xiang took a deep breath and stepped forward again.

But before he could step onto the nine hundred first step, the pressure overpowered him, and he groaned as he fell.

A dragon-shaped light enveloped Huang Xiang, bringing him back to the ground, where he barely stabilized himself.

Upon raising his head, Huang Xiang was stunned.

From all directions, near and far, most eyes on the square were on him.

Admiration, respect, praise…

Various gazes fell on the bloodied, battered blond youth.

In the spotlight!

The true protagonist of this Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder wasn’t Su Yuan and Luo Bingtong, who ascended effortlessly to the top, nor was it Seth, who achieved Bright Star.

It was Huang Xiang, climbing persistently step after step to the nine hundredth step against all odds!