Imperial God Emperor

"According to the legends, within this Spirit Monkey statue, there is a shred of consciousness left behind by the battle companion. Only if this shred of consciousness recognizes that person can they step onto the stone steps and enter into the true [Light Palace]..." Yan Hengshui said. "From the beginning, the reason that the [Light Palace] had deteriorated to such an extent had a large part to do with this test. The past Lords of the Light Palace had no way of obtaining it's recognition and could not enter into the divine palace. Therefore it caused the energy required for the formations to be able to fluctuate properly within the City of Light to decrease in strength year by year, and it has weakened to such a degree today."

The Envoy of Light that came from a military background had a straightforward temperament. He would not mince his words and did not make any concealment of the matter.

"So it was like this..." This was the first time that Ye Qingyu had heard of this. After thinking it over, something strange occurred to him. He asked, "It shouldn't be. If this Spirit monkey was once the battle companion of that founding Lord of the Light Palace as well as the protector of the Palace, it should be part of the [Light Palace]. Why would it not allow other Lords to enter? This doesn't make sense."

On Liu Jingyan and Dai Youmeng's faces, there was a strange colour that appeared.

Yan Hengshui still said very straightforwardly, "Because of the existence of the person that created the [Light Palace], that is to say the first Lord of the Light Palace. He had once said something: that the future Lords of the [Light Palace] has to be chosen by the previous Lord of the Light Palace. The Imperial family and the miltiary cannot interfere. But before the first Lord could choose his successor, he disappeared. Afterwards, the future Lords were all appointed by the Snow Emperor, but they were all rejected by the will of this Spirit statue."

"So it was like this."

Hearing this, Ye Qingyu thought about his own position as the Lord of the Light Palace. Since he was also appointed by the Imperial family, then did this represent that he would also be pushed away by the will within the Spirit monkey?

"It is only a shred of consciosness from a battle companion. Is there no way to break or solve it?" Ye Qingyu asked again.

Snow Empire was currently the number one power within Heaven Wasteland Domain. Although there were many internal struggles and turmoil, but there were still countless extraordinary people and geniuses appearing. The current Snow Emperor was also a terrifying extreme level expert. For a shred of consciousness that a battle companion Spirit monkey left behind to trouble them like so. Could it not be erased or destroyed, that it would be able to defy the Imperial Edict until today?

"If they were able to get rid of it, they would long have." Liu Jingyang said with a bitter smile. "It was said that the consciousness of the Spirit monkey great injured the second Lord after ejecting him from the main palace. According to the rumours, the Snow Emperor was enraged and acted personally, coming to this forest of fire trees himself. However, no one knows what happened. The Snow Emperor at that time stayed behind for six hours alone in the fire tree forest, and then left. The consciousness from the battle companion Spirit monkey still remained. From then on, the Imperial family has not concerned itself over this matter. The other Lords of the Light Palace appointed by the Imperial family all could not step onto the floating steps, so they had no way of entering into the true [Light Palace]."

"That's right, there had since been prodigous experts accepting the position of Lord and attempted to forcefully break through the floating stone steps. But ultimately they all retreated, vomiting blood. They were all prideful and arrogant fellows and would rather die rather thanretreat. They were sent directly into the sword pit that led to the Earth Fire spring and turned into ashes. That's why we were trying to persuade you just now..." Dai Youmeng explained respectfully.

Ye Qingyu finally completely understood.

Seeing the hesitant expression of the two, evidently they did not know how to persuade Ye Qingyu into not attempting to pass through the floating stone steps. They were worried about his brashness of youth. However, if they spoke the true reason, they were worried it would invoke his will to challenge and firm his resolve to pass through the stone steps to the palace. This would ultimately caused him to be injured by the consciousness within the Spirit monkey statue, and slap his own face.

But if they did not act or speak, they were worried that it would draw his wrath later.

Although Liu Jinyan and Dai Youmeng's strength was not weak, but they specialized more in interacting and reading others. They were not as stupidly straightforward as Yan Hengshui, evidently these two were experienced people amongst political affairs.

Ye Qingyu smiled, not saying much. His gaze once again returned to the Spirit monkey statue.

Apart from seeing it's extremely life-like appearance, there was not any shred of energy coming from the statue. It was not too different from a normal statue, how could it block the Snow Emperor at that time?

There was a will to compete rising in Ye Qingyu's heart.

He lightly took a step forward, heading towards the stone steps.

"Lord!"

"Lord, reconsider!"

Liu Jingyan and Dai Youmeng let out an exclamation.

Ye Qingyu did not turn back, his footsteps halting slightly. "What's there to afraid of? I'm not forcefully breaking through it, I'm only going to test the power of that shred of consciousness from the Spirit monkey statue. If I really cannot progress, I will naturally return."

As he said this, he took another step forward.

At this time, he was already in front of the first step of the floating stone steps.

The Spirit monkey stone statue did not seem to have any reaction.

The gaze of Liu Jingyan and the other experts were fixated on Ye Qingyu, making preparations to act.

Ye Qingyu deeply breathed in.

He lifted his leg.

His leg landed.

His right leg landed on the first step of the stone steps.

Liu Jingyan, Dai Youmeng as well as Yan Hengshui had energy and light fluctuating around their bodies, preparing to receive and take Ye Qingyu away.

But---

Nothing happened whatsoever.

The Spirit monkey statue did not do anything.

Ye Qingyu paused slightly, his yuan qi activated to it's extreme, all his mental energy focused and prepared. Then he slowly lifted his left leg, landing on the first step of the floating stone steps.

"Be careful Lord!"

"Quickly retreat!"

Yan Hengshui and the other three cried lightly.

But in reality, nothing had happened.

The Spirit monkey stone statue still silently stood next to the stone steps, without any fluctuation of energy

Ye Qingyu stood stably on the stone steps.

He turned his head to look at Liu Jingyan and the others, confusion filling his gaze. According to the words of the three, if the Spirit monkey statue did not permit someone to step onto the floating steps, they would be struck backwards. But why was it that now, he did not feel any pressure from any power or energy?

Below.

Liu Jingyan and the Envoys of Light stood where they were.

In the eyes of the three, a disbelief was present in it, as if they saw a ghost in the daylight.

This... just what was this?

The three had once personally seen the previous new Lord that came last time. He had also been filled with confidence as he stepped onto the stone steps. But before he had even taken a step onto the first floating stone step, the Spirit monkey stone statue had suddenly opened it's eyes. An indescribably powerful energy had exploded and struck on the body of that Lord. A Bitter Sea stage expert at the Bitter River level could not even make any reaction whatsoever. He was sent flying by several hundred meters, spitting out blood as he was heavily injured. He had to recuperate for a year before he was healed, but even then there were still complications in his injury...

That terrifying scene caused the three Envoys of Light to shiver with fear even now when reminiscing about that incident.

Bu right now...

That young new Lord had already taken his first step on the floating stone statues. Why had the destructive Spirit monkey not reacted to this in the slightest?

Facing the questioning gaze of Ye Qingyu as he regarded them, the three did not know how to respond at this time.

At this time, Ye Qingyu had taken another further step forward carefully, arriving at the second floating step.

Everything was calm.

The fire tree forest let out lonely sounds of wind blowing through it.

Nothing happened whatsoever.

Ye Qingyu deeply breathed in, taking step after step as he went higher.

Every step was exceedingly slow and stable.

Step by step...

After fifteen minutes, Ye Qingyu was still only at the thirty-sixth step.

After stepping on the slightly floating and wavering stone step, it would become incomparably stable and steady. It would not move in the slightest, as if it was on the ground. But when he lowered his head, through the large crevice between the steps, he could see purple magma madly boiling and surging within the Earth Fire sword pit. The magma took on different forms, as if it was a Fiendgod with life, madly struggling and roaring, as if it wanted to rush out from the sword pit, but was firmly supressed underground by a mysterious power...

Faintly, Ye Qingyu could sense that there was a faint sword aura fluctuating around.

A sword power that he was somewhat famiiar with.

"It's similar to the [Human King Sword Mantra], but it's of a different attribute..."

Ye Qingyu felt somewhat curious.

But his steps did not stop, taking step after step towards the great palace at the end of the steps…

Liu Jingyan, Dai Youmeng and Yan Hengshui below felt that their brains were not enough to explain what they witnessed.

What was happening?

Why... was there nothing happening?

The three looked towards the Spirit monkey statue, then looked at Ye Qingyu on the floating stone steps. There were expressions of disbelief exploding in their gaze.

"Could it be at long last, the consciousness within the Spirit monkey statue has already dispersed without us noticing?" Liu Jingyan said hesitantly.

"It's possible..." Dai Youmeng took a gulp, wetting his somewhat dry lips. "You can go try."

Liu Jingyan made a sound of agreement subconsciously, then turned and angrily glared at him, "What do you mean, do you want to kill me? Why don't you try?"

Dai Youmeng bit his teeth, "Your the one who said the consciousness in the Spirit monkey has dispersed..."

As the two argued, Yan Hengshui had already made his decision as he stood by the side. He took large strides towards the floating stone steps, wanting to find out the truth by using his own body as a test.

But when he was before the floating stone steps and his right leg was still raised without taking a step forward, the Spirit monkey that had not moved whatsoever suddenly opened it's eyes. A shred of scarlet red light shot from between the crevice of its eyelids...

That horrifying apocalyptic power once again descended.

Yan Hengshui was shocked. Even if he had long made preparations and retreated at the first instant, he was still shot at in the chest by that ray of light.

Kahcha!

The sound of bone breaking could be heard.

Yan Hengshui let out a jet of blood, flying tens of meters backwards. Landing on a fire tree, he limply fell to the ground. He had to rely on the branch of a fire tree for support to gradually get up. There was shock that filled his eyes as he stared fixedly at Ye Qingyu's back as he ascended the floating stone steps...

Liu Jingyan and Dai Youmeng were also simliarly stunned.