Chapter 875: Qi Deng

On the Heaven Ladder, an Azure Dragon let out a long cry.

Zhou Yuan ascended, riding the Azure Dragon, moving with lightning speed, hot on the heels of Lu Xiao, who was currently in the lead. Lu Xiao, too, was enveloped in purple qi, with afterimages appearing beneath his feet.

At this moment, both sides had clearly pushed their speed to the absolute limit. Their state suggested that the immense pressure cascading down from the mountaintop simply didn't exist for them. Such formidable Genesis Qi reserves left many spectators secretly astounded.

However, as time rapidly passed in their intense struggle, waves of cheers suddenly erupted one after another from outside, the atmosphere becoming feverish.

This was because everyone had noticed that in this full-throttle contest between Zhou Yuan and Lu Xiao, the distance between them was gradually closing!

This undoubtedly stirred up a huge commotion. No one had expected that on this Heaven Ladder, which relied purely on one's Genesis Qi foundation, Zhou Yuan, the newly appointed Pavilion Master, would actually dare to challenge Lu Xiao, the most seasoned Pavilion Master. And by the looks of it, this challenge was no mere boast! Consequently, countless people became excited; after all, they loved a good spectacle. They would rather Zhou Yuan truly pull off an upset, as that would at least guarantee an exceptionally thrilling contest for the Grand Pavilion Master today!

Lu Xiao also heard the sounds from outside, and his expression immediately turned somewhat grim, with a hint of annoyance deep within his eyes. At this moment, he felt like a beast king in the forest whose tiger whiskers had been tampered with by a mouse.

He had never imagined that anyone would dare to challenge him on this Heaven Ladder! Even Han Yuan and Mu Liu wouldn't dare! What truly shocked and angered him was that Zhou Yuan's challenge was gradually becoming a reality... The distance between them was continuously closing. At this rate, it was entirely possible he could be caught.

"This fellow's own Genesis Qi foundation should be inferior to mine, but that Azure Dragon Genesis Qi is exceptionally strange," Lu Xiao fumed inwardly. In his perception, the Genesis Qi, resembling an Azure Dragon, exuded a mysterious and dominant aura. Its power was absolutely no less than his own Eastern Purple Qi. Clearly, Zhou Yuan was able to quickly close the gap in their foundations precisely because of the formidable nature of that Azure Dragon Genesis Qi.

"Forget it, there's only one last stretch left. I'll reach the summit first," he thought. Lu Xiao took a deep breath. His Genesis Qi foundation wasn't a major issue; after all, in a true fight, with a small difference in foundation, it ultimately came down to individual techniques. And Lu Xiao clearly had great confidence in his own techniques. Therefore, there was no need to bother with Zhou Yuan now. Once he reached the summit, there would naturally be plenty of opportunities to deal with him.

With this thought in mind, Lu Xiao stopped paying attention to Zhou Yuan, who was catching up behind him. He maintained full speed, intending to reach the mountaintop before Zhou Yuan could catch up.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Yuan naturally understood Lu Xiao's intention. However, since he had started the pursuit, how could he allow Lu Xiao to reach the summit first? Although this Heaven Ladder competition wasn't directly related to the Grand Pavilion Master's contest, Zhou Yuan knew it was a process of accumulating momentum. The one who reached the summit first would have their aura condensed to the extreme during this process, and their own state would reach near perfection. This would undoubtedly be beneficial for the upcoming great battle. Zhou Yuan had never underestimated Lu Xiao. He knew this was an extremely formidable opponent, and precisely for this reason, he had to fight for this advantage! If he didn't contend, he would simply allow Lu Xiao to seize a slight initiative and advantage. Zhou Yuan wasn't foolish; naturally, he wouldn't give way.

So, he took a deep breath, formed a hand seal, and activated his World-Suppressing Sky Dragon Qi without reservation.

Roar! Roar!

An Azure Dragon roared forth between heaven and earth. Its roar carried an ancient, mysterious majesty. Around Zhou Yuan, azure qi converged, supporting the phantom image of an Azure Dragon, as if a flood dragon was ascending on clouds. Zhou Yuan then stepped onto the phantom Azure Dragon, and his speed surged dramatically!

Along the long Heaven Ladder, it was as if a streak of azure light flashed past.

Outside, countless gasps of shock immediately echoed. Such speed would be astonishing even under normal circumstances, let alone under the immense pressure present now?!

With Zhou Yuan's increased speed, the distance between him and Lu Xiao rapidly closed. In just a few breaths, they were only dozens of steps apart.

Lu Xiao's pupils also sharply constricted at this moment. He knew this was Zhou Yuan's final burst, and immediately he frantically circulated the Genesis Qi within his body. The purple qi around him grew even denser, and phantoms appeared beneath his feet as he surged toward the not-too-distant mountaintop.

Outside, countless eyes were fixed intently on these two rapidly soaring figures. Waves of shouts and cheers erupted like a surging tide. As for Mu Liu and Han Yuan, who were behind, few paid them any attention. Clearly, without realizing it, they had become mere backdrops.

Purple qi and azure qi whistled, and the distance between the two continuously shortened.

Fifty steps... thirty steps... ten steps...

And when they were ten steps apart, the mountaintop ahead was already within sight, less than a hundred feet away. Lu Xiao could even seemingly hear the rush of wind behind him, which made his eyes grow even more annoyed. However, at this point, he too had pushed his Genesis Qi to its absolute limit, and his speed could no longer be increased. He could only stare straight ahead. The mountaintop was getting closer; in a few breaths, he would reach the summit! As long as he reached the summit first, all of Zhou Yuan's efforts would be in vain!

Three breaths later, Zhou Yuan was only two steps behind Lu Xiao!

The uproar from outside almost froze at this moment. Everyone watched the two figures without blinking, holding their breath. No one had expected that merely climbing the Heaven Ladder could be so thrilling and heart-stopping for these two!

Another breath passed!

Lu Xiao took one more step, finally setting his foot on the last rung. In that instant, the purple qi swirling around Lu Xiao dissipated, and his tense body relaxed. However, he found his back soaked with cold sweat and immediately felt annoyed. He had actually been forced into such a disheveled state by Zhou Yuan?! But thankfully, he must have reached the summit first, right?

Lu Xiao took a deep breath. Then he suddenly felt that the outside seemed a little too quiet. His brows furrowed slightly, and a faint sense of unease crept into his heart.

Meanwhile, in the void above, the five elders were also observing this scene. A moment later, they all retracted their gazes. With their abilities, they naturally knew the outcome of that final instant. Sect Master Xuankun's face was as calm as water, and Xi Jing's expression was equally serene. Neither spoke, so the clan leader of the Wood Tribe, Mu Ni, cast her gaze downwards, and a gentle voice resonated.

"For this Heaven Ladder ascent, Lu Xiao and Zhou Yuan... reached the summit simultaneously!"

As this announcement spread, a tremendous uproar immediately erupted across the outside world. Countless people marveled. Although there had been no overt combat on the Heaven Ladder, the level of suspense had been equally breathtaking. What astonished them most was that Lu Xiao had not claimed sole glory! Instead, Zhou Yuan had snatched half of it at the very end! And for Lu Xiao's reputation, such a tie was actually more like a subtle defeat... After all, everyone had expected Lu Xiao to achieve a crushing victory beforehand.

Countless cheers resounded from outside. On the cloud-shrouded mountaintop, Lu Xiao's face turned ashen. He, too, knew very well that for him, anything less than a complete victory was a defeat, let alone sharing the glory with someone?! For the proud Lu Xiao, this was nothing short of an insult! Zhou Yuan, whom he once couldn't even be bothered to glance at, was now sharing his glory?! What right did he have?!

"Fine, Zhou Yuan!" A cold voice escaped Lu Xiao's clenched teeth. However, he ultimately suppressed the furious anger in his heart, for he knew that the true contest for the Grand Pavilion Master had only just begun today! And washing away this setback would be simple... As long as he seized the position of Grand Pavilion Master, all glory would once again descend upon him. This time, he would make Zhou Yuan understand who truly was the foremost Divine Palace realm expert in Tianyuan Region!