Chapter 94: Matriarchal Cultivation World (15) Unity of Heaven and Man

Liu Changning didn’t waste any time. With wind at her feet, she ascended the illusory stone steps of the phantom realm, facing gusts of strong wind.

As she went higher, an invisible weight on her body increased exponentially. Despite the difficult climb, she seemed to advance without any hindrance, as if taking a leisurely stroll.

The little black bird’s ink-colored feathers danced in the wind. It raised its head, looking at Liu Changning suspiciously, its bean-sized eyes showing a hint of surprise.

“The Azure Cloud Stairs are a formation created by the former sect leader of Xiaoyao Sect, Xiaoyao Zi. The ten major sects of the Spirit Realm have been using it to select disciples for tens of thousands of years. The formation contains a trace of pressure from a tribulation-transcending cultivator, which can test the temperament and potential of those climbing the stairs.”

Liu Changning lowered her head, meeting its eyes, and raised an eyebrow, saying, “So…?”

The little black bird looked her over again, its divine sense touching the spiritual power within her body, finding no trace of disorder. A peculiar expression appeared on its face.

With half-closed eyelids, it continued, “Because the Xiaoyao Sect leader who created the formation was about to transcend tribulation, even though this trace of pressure is very thin, it’s not something ordinary people can withstand. But you…”

Its voice paused again. Seeing Liu Changning unmoved, with a calm expression, it couldn’t help but curse, “Stupid thing!”

“Hmm?” Liu Changning raised an eyebrow.

The little black bird flapped its wings nervously, its voice lowering, “You’re now climbing the stairs at a speed of a hundred miles per step. Do you know what that means? If your spirit root test doesn’t show a mutated heavenly spirit root, there’s only one possibility… Only an old monster who has taken over a body can withstand the pressure of a late-stage tribulation transcending ancestor. Which do you think you are?”

Liu Changning’s gaze towards the little black bird gained a hint of amusement. She raised her delicate hand, gently patting its cowlick.

Nearing the mountaintop, gusts of wind blew, lifting her half-tied, half-loose cyan hair. Her long hair fluttered in the air, and when her cold eyes looked down, there was an untamed and spirited aura.

“Which does the senior think I am?”

The little black bird was stunned for a moment, awkwardly averting its gaze, “You shouldn’t be asking me this question.”

Its black wing pointed at the platform on the mountaintop, now visible to the naked eye.

It said in a low voice, “Those old fellows up there can see everything happening on the Azure Cloud Stairs through the water mirror, and your current performance is likely to make you the object of everyone’s competition. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. If your spirit root quality is mixed, yet you can climb the stairs at such a fast speed… Do you know that in the Spirit Realm, there’s a method of taking over bodies? Once a fallen cultivator uses such an evil method, they will be hunted down and killed by all ten major sects.”

Pei Yuanshao actually leaned more towards believing that Liu Changning was a great cultivator reborn, but he didn’t rule out the possibility that this woman might be an evil cultivator who had taken over a body.

If it were the latter, it would be going against the heavens. Cultivation itself speaks of cause and effect. Cultivators using evil methods to take over living bodies would harm their karmic merit. It would only hinder their cultivation path unless they later fall into demonic cultivation.

Having interacted with Liu Changning these past few days, the Pei ancestor naturally understood her personality. This woman appeared cold on the outside, but her heart clearly distinguished between good and evil, she was righteous, not blindly kind, and all her actions were natural and unrestrained. Such a temperament was particularly valuable for a cultivator.

Therefore, she was unlikely to take over a living person’s body.

Liu Changning looked at the little black bird’s pretentious expression and smiled lightly, her voice as cool as a clear spring on a summer day, particularly reassuring.

“Thank you for the reminder, senior. You must have seen that this junior is not an evil cultivator. There are three thousand great ways, but they all come from the same origin. What Cang Yun seeks is nothing more than one person, one thing, one handful of peace of mind. Distinguishing between good and evil is what I’ve done all my life. Climbing the Azure Cloud Stairs is not difficult. Do you know why I can climb so quickly, while those below struggle with every step?”

Pei Yuanshao raised an eyebrow, looking up with astonishment in his eyes.

“Those whose way is not firm, whose hearts are not sincere, whose intentions are not set, are all limited by the pressure exerted by this formation. But I… on the path of immortal cultivation, I am supreme! This formation cannot affect me.”

When Liu Changning said this, she didn’t use divine sense to transmit her words, but looked at the stairway reaching into the clouds.

As soon as these words fell, the white clouds in the sky suddenly rolled, auspicious clouds tumbled, and the layers of clouds parted to reveal a crane.

On the crane sat an old man with a head full of white hair. Upon closer look, the old man was actually a divine soul.

When Liu Changning first came into contact with that divine soul, even she couldn’t help but be shocked for a moment.

This was a true immortal!

The crane in the sky let out a clear and melodious cry, carrying the old man into the base of the Azure Cloud Stairs.

In front of the water mirror, the Nascent Soul stage cultivators had already widened their eyes. The Nascent Soul stage Taoist priest Cloud Firmament from the Xiaoyao Sect called out with trembling lips, shocked: “Ancestor! The one on the crane… she… she is the former sect leader of our Xiaoyao Sect, the ancestor Xiaoyao Zi who ascended to the immortal realm!”

Her entire body was shaking, completely losing composure.

The expressions on the faces of the other Nascent Soul stage elders were also filled with doubt and surprise.

If it weren’t for the restrictions set outside the Azure Cloud Stairs, preventing direct entry into the formation from the top of the trial grounds, the elders of the ten major sects would have probably already flown into the formation.

Meanwhile, the sudden appearance of Xiaoyao Zi’s divine consciousness left in the formation made the elders of various major sects in the trial grounds inwardly excited, secretly exclaiming at Liu Changning’s good fortune.

On this side, Liu Changning’s cold face had quickly resumed its usual expression, standing with hands at her sides, calm and composed.

She raised her eyes and cupped her hands towards the old man who had flown before her, her demeanor dignified, standing calmly in place under the old man’s pressure.