Chapter 179: The Path to Heaven

As everyone climbed onto the open ground and looked around, a distant and ethereal zither melody suddenly filled the air.

Accompanied by the melody, an illusory figure slowly appeared above the open ground.

It was a woman dressed in nebula robes, with a dignified and beautiful face and a transcendent aura, as if she were the Incarnation of the stars in the heavens.

This was the legendary Star Sea Zither Saint, an ancient Grandmaster of music who had once been world-renowned.

It is said that the Star Sea Zither Saint once underwent closed-door cultivation here, attempting to reach the Body Integration Stage, but failed and ultimately perished in this place.

Although her figure was illusory, it exuded a profound majesty that could not help but inspire reverence.

The illusory figure of the Star Sea Zither Saint spoke slowly, her voice as clear and moving as the zither melody: "Congratulations to you all for overcoming layers of difficulties and finally arriving here."

Her gaze swept across the crowd, and she asked, "Who holds the star pendant?"

Hearing this, Lin Chen stepped forward and gently raised the star pendant in her hand.

The star pendant shone with a soft radiance in her hand, as if responding to the Zither Saint's call.

Seeing the pendant, the Star Sea Zither Saint's gaze lingered on Lin Chen for a moment, revealing a faint, gratified smile.

Clearly, Lin Chen was the successor she had chosen.

Seeing this, everyone looked at each other, feeling somewhat disappointed—they had traveled through so many hardships to get here, only to find that the Opportunity already had a successor.

The Star Sea Zither Saint seemed to perceive everyone's emotions and slightly raised her hand to signal:

"Everyone, please remain calm. My duty here is to receive the person holding the star pendant, and also to open my place of closed-door cultivation—the Star Illusion Realm."

She paused, her gaze gentle yet firm, "The star successor will not compete with you for the Opportunity. In the Star Illusion Realm, how much you can obtain depends entirely on your own abilities."

Hearing this, everyone felt relieved, nodded one after another, and gazed with anticipation at the mysterious passage ahead.

The Star Sea Zither Saint nodded slightly, signaling Lin Chen to proceed.

Lin Chen took a deep breath, gripped the star pendant in her hand, and slowly stepped onto the mysterious passage leading to the Void Realm.

The star pendant immediately emitted countless brilliant starlight, forming a gentle yet resilient curtain of light, as if wrapping her entire person in starlight.

As the light grew brighter, Lin Chen's figure was gradually lifted by the starlight, slowly floating toward the sky and disappearing into the endless starry sky.

Seeing this, Su Wanqing quickly stepped forward to follow, wanting to enter this Path to Heaven.

However, just as she stepped into the passage, an irresistible, immense pressure descended from above, as heavy as a thousand catties, instantly pinning her firmly to the ground, unable to move.

"This…!"

The Star Sea Zither Saint's gaze was gentle yet helpless; she shook her head slightly and said: "The Path to Heaven has long been severed; I can only choose one successor."

She paused, slightly raised her hand, and a pale golden light streaked across the Void Realm, slowly revealing a door on the open ground,

"Your Opportunity is in my place of closed-door cultivation. Go."

As this door slowly rose, several Disciples hesitated.

But after witnessing with their own eyes that the Heavenly Maiden Su Wanqing was suppressed and unable to move, many knew they weren't up to the task and quickly entered the Star Illusion Realm.

The open ground suddenly became quiet. A few Disciples did not give up; they remained standing, their eyes fixed on the passage leading to the sky.

"I don't believe it. Is there anything in this world that can stop the Tianji Pavilion?" Su Wanqing cried out unwillingly.

She took out the Tianji Pavilion's supreme treasure, the 'Tianheng Jade Plate', from her Storage Pouch.

This treasure was an heirloom passed down through generations of the Tianji Pavilion, possessing the strange power to regulate celestial phenomena and balance Qi fields.

She channeled her spiritual power into it, and the Tianheng Jade Plate immediately bloomed with a pale golden light, lifting Su Wanqing slowly as she attempted to break through the powerful pressure and enter the passage.

However, less than a moment into the flight, the light of the Tianheng Jade Plate began to dim, and fine cracks appeared on its surface,

As Su Wanqing continued to rise, these cracks spread rapidly,

"Bang!"

The Tianheng Jade Plate shattered, turning into countless fragments. Su Wanqing lost her support and fell straight down from mid-air.

Seeing Su Wanqing falling rapidly, Lin Fan suddenly leaped up, wanting to catch her.

However, as soon as he stepped into the passage, an immense, suffocating pressure rushed toward him, pinning Lin Fan so tightly he could barely move.

"Damn it!" Before the words even left his mouth, he stomped his feet with great force, and his entire body instantly shot into the sky; the power of a Body Cultivator expert was fully displayed at this moment.

The immense pressure was forcibly suppressed by him, and he steadily caught Su Wanqing in his arms mid-air.

Su Wanqing leaned against Lin Fan's chest in a daze, a blush spreading across her face, her heart beating faster and faster.

She looked up slightly, gazing at Lin Fan's face, and for a moment, she couldn't look away.

"Are… are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that we probably can't go on this Path to Heaven."

Mu Xueyan gave a cold snort and said indifferently: "That just means your Tianji Pavilion can't go; it doesn't mean we, the Yunyin Sword Sect, can't either."

After saying this, she gently raised her sword, her posture as light as snow, her footsteps like a falling snowflake, as she drifted toward the passage leading to the sky.

However, as soon as she stepped into that mysterious Domain, the immense pressure rushing toward her struck like a tide, causing her to feel a sense of suffocation.

She was slightly stunned, but then a look of determination appeared on her face. She channeled all her spiritual power, and the silvery-white longsword in her hand shimmered with cold light.

"Hmph, you want to suppress me?"

She muttered to herself, her sword momentum suddenly unfurling. The power of ice condensed into an ice wall, attempting to resist that invisible pressure.

However, despite her giving it her all, the immense pressure was as heavy as a mountain, instantly suppressing her until she could not move.

Mu Xueyan's feet were forced against the ground, her face gradually turned pale, faint sweat appeared on her forehead, and the silver-white longsword in her hand trembled incessantly.

"This… what is this power!"

She felt an unprecedented sense of oppression; even the strength to resist seemed meager.

Just at this moment, Mu Xueyan gritted her teeth, attempting to use her sword momentum once more.

But as she formed this intention, the pressure of the Void Realm intensified, instantly forcing her to her knees, almost sinking her into the ground.

Her breathing became rapid, and she was secretly shocked in her heart: "Is this Path to Heaven truly impossible to cross?"

Seeing this, Ye Youming's heart tightened. Mu Xueyan was a peerless swordmaster, yet even she was helpless under this pressure.

"However, I cannot just give up like this." Ye Youming bit her lower lip lightly. As the leader of the Ghost Realm, she carried a heavy responsibility and could not stop here.

"Let me try!"

She slowly took a step forward and walked toward the mysterious passage.