Chapter 126 Sword Intent Heavenly Ladder! Junior Brother, your back is so broad, you give me such a sense of security!

"Splash—"

Hongxiu hid behind the temporary wall of fire built by Gu Lan using fentian sword Qi, and quickly changed into a brand-new violet flowing fairy dress.

Although it lacked the flamboyant bright red of the previous one, the waist-cinching design accentuated her breathtaking curves even more.

Paired with her slightly damp, slightly wavy long hair, her whole person exuded a lazy, mature woman charm.

"All right."

Hongxiu walked out, glared at Gu Lan, and still had a lingering blush on her face.

"What are you looking at? Look again and I will dig your eyeballs out!"

"I am wronged, I am just appreciating art."

Gu Lan talked nonsense with a straight face, and casually stowed the sword marrow crystals Lyluo just picked up into his storage ring (of course, to help her keep them safe).

"Let us go. After passing through this Xijian Pool, ahead should be the core area of the Sword Tomb."

Everyone collected their moods and continued forward.

Passing through the dried-up Xijian Pool, before them was a huge, winding stone staircase leading all the way to a suspended floating island deep within the clouds.

There were nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps on the stone staircase, and a broken sword was inserted into each step, exuding a biting pressure.

At the bottom of the stone staircase, quite a few Cultivators had already gathered, each with a pale complexion.

Some were panting heavily after climbing just a few dozen steps, and some were even directly shaken by the terrifying pressure, vomiting blood and rolling down.

Four large characters were engraved on the stone tablet—

[Myriad Swords Heavenly Ladder].

"This is… Sword Intent suppression?"

Lanyu looked up at the heavenly ladder, a hint of solemnity flashing in her eyes.

"This heavenly ladder not only has gravity Restrictions, but also the mental oppression of the intent of a myriad swords."

"The higher the cultivation, the stronger the oppression received. Only those with a clear sword heart and a firm will can reach the summit."

"Ah? We still have to climb stairs?"

Lyluo looked at the towering steps, her small face collapsing instantly, and rubbed her short little legs.

"I hate climbing mountains the most…"

"Less nonsense, move!"

Jiang Wanqing took the lead and stepped onto the first step.

"Hum—"

An invisible ripple dispersed, her figure swayed slightly, and then she stabilized.

Her spine straightened, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, walking upwards step by step.

Lanyu followed closely behind; although her speed was not fast, every step she took was extremely steady.

Both of them were Sword Cultivators, so this kind of test was instead a sharpening for them.

But for the other two… it was not so friendly.

"Ouch… No way, no way…"

Having climbed less than a hundred steps, Lyluo was already so tired she stuck out her tongue, lying flat on the steps and refusing to move no matter what.

"The gravity here is too abnormal! It feels like carrying a pig on my back!"

Although Hongxiu's cultivation was higher than Lyluo's, being in the Late Foundation Establishment, she practiced charm and illusion arts, and her physical strength was inherently a weak point.

At this moment, she also had sweat on her forehead and rapid breathing.

Her pretty face was deathly pale, and she panted straight while holding her knees.

"What kind of crappy ladder is this… Is it specially targeting weak women like us?"

She gritted her teeth, looked up at the stairs with several thousand levels left, and wanted to cry in despair.

Just at this moment.

A relaxed and leisurely figure walked up from behind.

Gu Lan walked with his hands behind his back, strolling leisurely as if he were not climbing a gravity heavenly ladder, but strolling through his own back garden.

After Master's session of the Ice and Fire Refined Golden Body, the strength of his Physical Body was already comparable to a Body Cultivator of the Golden Core Stage, so this bit of gravity was practically a drizzle to him.

"Two Senior Sisters, do you need special services?"

Gu Lan looked smilingly at the two panting beauties.

"Special services?" Hongxiu looked at him vigilantly, "What do you want to do? Trying to take advantage of a crisis again?"

"How could that be."

Gu Lan walked in front of Lyluo and squatted down.

"Come up, short legs."

"Wow! Senior Brother, long live!"

Lyluo cheered, unceremoniously pounced onto Gu Lan's back, wrapped her hands tightly around his neck, and crossed her legs around his waist.

"Giddyup! Senior Brother, run fast!"

Gu Lan: "…"

Am I a mount?!

He joggled Lyluo on his back, looked at Hongxiu again, and extended his right hand.

"Senior Sister, although I also want to carry you, space is limited."

"However, I can hold your hand as we walk to share a part of the pressure."

Hongxiu looked at Gu Lan's slender and powerful hand, and then looked at the seemingly endless heavenly ladder ahead.

In the end, she bit her lip and placed her hand into his palm.

"You are getting off easy."

"Hold on tight, do not shake me off."

"Rest assured, no matter who gets lost, Senior Sister cannot be lost."

Gu Lan clenched that soft, boneless little hand, and circulated the Pure Yang True Essence within his body.

A warm current instantly passed through his palm into Hongxiu's body, helping her offset most of the pressure.

Consequently.

An extremely hatred-inducing scene appeared on the heavenly ladder.

Other Cultivators were climbing laboriously using both hands and feet, kowtowing every step, their clothes soaked with sweat.

Meanwhile, Gu Lan had a loli eating snacks on his back and held a peerless royal sister by the hand, striding like flying and even humming a little tune!

"F*ck! Who is that person?!"

"Carrying a teammate to rank up is not even done like this, right? This is too arrogant!"

"He definitely has a cheating Divine Artifact on him!"

The passing Cultivators were so green-eyed with envy that they were about to bleed, wishing they could rush up and kick Gu Lan down.

"What are you looking at? Have you not seen a handsome guy taking a kid for a walk?"

When Gu Lan passed by a Righteous Path Disciple who had mocked them outside earlier, he specifically stopped to taunt him with a sentence.

That Disciple was so angered that he failed to catch his breath, and was directly shaken down by the pressure.

"Senior Brother, your back is so broad, you give me such a sense of security."

Lyluo lay on Gu Lan's back, her face pressed against his broad and thick spine, her voice soft and tender.

"That is for sure, look who Senior Brother is."

Gu Lan smiled smugly and pinched Hongxiu's palm again.

"Senior Sister, are you tired? Shall I hold you?"

"No need!"

Although Hongxiu was stubborn in words, her body unconsciously leaned closer, almost snuggling against Gu Lan's arm.

Feeling the heat transmitted from his palm, her heart, which had been hanging all along, inexplicably settled down.

This kid… has truly grown up and can be relied upon.

Soon, the three caught up with Jiang Wanqing and Lanyu ahead.

At this point, they had reached the eight-thousandth step.

The pressure here had reached a terrifying degree; even on the forehead of Jiang Wanqing, fine beads of sweat seeped out, and her footsteps became heavy.

"Great Senior Sister, do you need help?"

Gu Lan walked easily to her side and asked with his head turned sideways.

Jiang Wanqing turned her head, saw Gu Lan's dragging the family along style, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly.

"No need."

She stubbornly turned back, took a deep breath, and the cold air around her erupted, forcing her to take another step upward.

"I am a Sword Cultivator; if I have to rely on others for even this bit of difficulty, how can I testify to the Dao?"

"All right."

Gu Lan shrugged, but still slowed down his pace, always maintaining a half-step position beside Jiang Wanqing.

Once she showed any signs of failing, he could make a move at any time.

Jiang Wanqing seemed to sense his intention, and a warmth stirred in her heart.

Although she did not speak, her originally tense mouth corners softened a bit.

Finally.

When the last step was taken.

The mist before their eyes suddenly cleared away.

Everyone finally climbed onto this suspended floating island—[Zangjian Hill].

This was the core area of the Sword Tomb.

The ground was no longer soil, but a steel earth paved with countless broken swords.

In the exact center of the floating island, there was a sword formation surrounded by nine giant swords.

At the center of the sword formation hovered a long sword that was pitch-black throughout and exuded an eerie purple glow.

It had no scabbard, and the sword body was carved with distorted demonic patterns, as if one eye after another was blinking on the sword body.

Even from far away, Gu Lan could sense an evil Aura that made the Divine Soul tremble.

"That is…"

Gu Lan's pupils shrank violently, and he instinctively covered his chest.

There, the dark patterns left by the Female Demon Lord were slightly burning hot.

"Ancient Demonic Sword—Soul Devourer!"

"Hahaha! Finally found it!"

Just at this moment, a burst of wild laughter came from the opposite side.

They saw that the horses and men of the Demonic Sect camp had also climbed up from the heavenly ladder on the other side.

Leading them was none other than Saintess Ji Wushuang.

However, at this time, although her clothes were somewhat disheveled, her Aura was even sharper.

She glanced at Gu Lan, then looked at the demonic sword, a look of absolute determination flashing in her eyes.

"Dunderhead."

She called out to Gu Lan from afar:

"That sword is this Palace's dowry."

"Do you plan to… help me snatch it? Or do you plan to… snatch me?"

Gu Lan: "…"

He looked at Jiang Wanqing beside him, and then looked at Saintess Ji Wushuang on the opposite side.

Then he looked at the demonic sword exuding an ominous Aura.

What the heck…

Who on earth should he help?!