Ji Wujiang no longer looks like any kind of mentor, his face full of shock as he gazes at the black-clothed Chu Ming.
"Really." Chu Ming says with a hint of helplessness, "Mentor, you’ve asked seven times now."
"The seventh time? Oh... oh..." Ji Wujiang sighs again.
He reflects that he has cultivated for over six hundred years, yet has barely touched the Late Stage of the Sixth Realm, Qi Sea Realm.
But his disciple-grandson, not yet twenty years old, has already become a Seventh Realm, Divinity Opening Realm powerhouse!
Previously, at the Sixth Realm, he slew several Seventh Realm experts. Now that he has broken through to the Seventh Realm, what will his power reach?
Ji Wujiang doesn’t dare imagine.
"Mentor, earlier I heard you discussing the Heart Inquiry Celestial Ladder?" Chu Ming asks, getting to the real reason Ji Wujiang came here.
"Yes, the Celestial Veil Kingdom’s Heart Inquiry Celestial Ladder is an extremely special trial, rumored to have a hundred levels, with the first thirty testing disposition and comprehension."
"From thirty to sixty, it adds comprehensive strength on top of disposition and comprehension, and sixty to ninety requires even more."
"As for ninety to a hundred, it’s said that in the entire Celestial Veil Kingdom, only a handful of people have ever stepped foot there."
"Chu Ming, based on discussions with Wuding Sheng and others, this opening of the Heavenly Inquiry Celestial Ladder is likely related to the Langhuan Book Realm."
"Are you planning to participate?"
Chu Ming thinks for a moment, then nods lightly: "There’s only one year until the Langhuan World opens. Using conventional methods, it would take at least five to ten years in the Confucius Temple to possibly enter the Literary Residence."
"This opportunity with the Heart Inquiry Celestial Ladder is rare, I think I can participate."
"But... your strength..." Ji Wujiang is worried about Chu Ming being exposed.
"The first thirty levels test disposition and comprehension; it shouldn’t be a problem."
"The first thirty levels of the Heart Inquiry Celestial Ladder indeed have no significant danger, but many people can attempt the ladder together, and there’s no limit on the number of attempts."
Ji Wujiang ponders a bit, then speaks again:
"The true danger of the first thirty levels isn’t the ladder itself, but those climbing it. While the ladder prohibits killing, it doesn’t ban fighting; as long as you’re not dead, injuries don’t matter... Chu Ming, maybe consider other options."
Chu Ming hears this, furrowing his brow slightly.
The strength he’s currently displaying at the Confucius Temple is only the Martial Arts Second Realm, Strong Bone Realm, and in terms of Primordial Qi Warrior, he hasn’t even achieved Primordial Qi Introduction.
With strength this weak, going together with the entire Celestial Veil Kingdom to challenge the so-called Heart Inquiry Celestial Ladder, without revealing his true power, is indeed troublesome.
After pondering for a moment, he thinks of several solutions.
"Mentor, the Heart Inquiry Celestial Ladder doesn’t forbid the use of artifacts, right?"
"It shouldn’t ban... let me ask..." Ji Wujiang pauses, taking out a communication device to inquire from his friend Wuding Sheng, "Confirmed, no methods are prohibited."
"Are you thinking..." Ji Wujiang immediately guesses Chu Ming’s plan, "to use artifacts to force through?"
"Hmm, I can only use artifacts."
Chu Ming considers using artifacts to climb the ladder, but also not entirely; he needs some assistance from the temple priest of the Confucius Temple.
"Mentor, when does the Heart Inquiry Celestial Ladder start?"
"In three days."
Three days, the time should be enough.
"Mentor, I need to visit the Confucius Temple."
"..."
...
Parting ways with Ji Wujiang, Chu Ming first discreetly returns to the residence Ji Wujiang rented, then walks out of the residence in front of Wuding Sheng and others.
Instead of going directly to the Confucius Temple, he searches for a secluded spot, conceals his form, and steps on Primordial Artifact, flying out of Celestial Curtain City.
There’s something he hasn’t had the chance to try.
Flying a hundred miles away from the Celestial Veil Kingdom, he chooses a deep mountain to land.
The mountains stretch endlessly, towering trees rise from the ground, exotic beasts quietly roar, danger lurks everywhere.
Chu Ming descends into the mountain, looks at a tall tree ahead, and waves a mighty hand.
Crash——
In front of the tall tree, suddenly a golden void crack appears.
The golden void crack is like a fierce beast’s wide-open mouth, its devouring power astonishing, and the tall tree is uprooted almost instantly, absorbed into the crack.
Simultaneously, within the Book collection Lake of his Sea of Consciousness, a high tree abruptly appears in the Golden House in the Book.
His heart spirit immerses in the Golden House, Chu Ming calmly gazing at the tall tree before him.
A breath... two breaths... three breaths...
The tall tree doesn’t show any abnormality.
But at the tenth breath, the leaves on the tree suddenly turn yellow, the speed almost instantaneous, then they fall one by one.
Before long, all the leaves on the tree turn to yellow and withered leaves, falling down.
But it’s not over yet; after a few more breaths, the branches also show signs of drying.
"About twenty breaths, withered and died..."
Chu Ming’s heart thought moves, removing the dead tree from the Golden House.
Through this observation, he can roughly confirm that the newly derived Golden House from the Book and Painting Realm is likely able to store living things.
"However, the space of the Golden House is unstable; not all living things are suitable. The life strength of living things can’t be too weak, nor too strong..."
"The tall tree is just an ordinary plant; it can’t survive in the Golden House space. What about exotic beasts?"
The Sword Gourd Spirit instantly spreads, covering the entire mountain range.
In the deepest part of the mountain range, there’s a Cold Pool, where a late Tier Five Cold Flood Dragon is coiled.
"Hiss——"
The Cold Flood Dragon hisses once, and nearby birds and beasts flee in fright, its vertical pupils turn, tongue flicking out, seemingly pleased with the effect of its intimidation.
But just as it’s about to dive into the pool for sleep, it sees something slowly approaching beside the pool.
What dares to challenge its authority?
The Cold Flood Dragon immediately bursts from the Cold Pool, its dozens of meters long scaled armor body coils in the air, its flat dragon head coldly gazing at the tiny figure below.
Chu Ming raises his head, his face calm as he looks at the Cold Flood Dragon: "Tier Five is Tier Five, let’s test it first."
He gently lifts his hand, the clearly defined joints of his index finger pointing out, drawing a line in the void.