The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 366 Walk to Heaven (I)

Anyone else would have had no use but to sell the corpse, but Cain was not like others. As soon as his Ego Wave covered the creature's body, he sent it into the [Devouring Dimension]. The [Gluttony Module] could consume an actual mountain, so it had no problem devouring the energy and vitality of the beast in the form of one.

Having taken care of the Late King Beast, Cain turned around and flew at full speed toward Eden. Although he showed no emotion, he had detected that more than one person was observing him, either from a great distance or using other supernatural methods.

'I detected no ill will, but that doesn't mean someone isn't aiming to harm me among those observers; they might just be skilled at concealing their intentions.'

Cain's eyes were sharp as he determined this and made his way to Eden. Having already entered once, it wasn't hard to do so again. He wasted no time, heading straight to the teleportation plaza and then to his residence to rest.

The next day, Cain woke up early, cultivated to bring his body to peak condition, and then left his residence. He appeared in the plaza and took a teleportation formation, only to emerge in a vast barren land.

Cain wasn't alone; he immediately noticed the presence of the Fourth Imperial Prince and his group, along with the Crown Prince's group. The Imperial Scholars, including Dominguez, were present as well.

The only notable absence was the Second Imperial Princess, though Yordana and Marlon were there. Whether the duo acted as representatives of the Imperial Princess was unclear.

He nodded to all of them, but his attention soon shifted to the only structure in the area: a massive metallic staircase, seemingly meant for giants, crudely embedded into the side of a mountain.

"Colonel Laurifer, I, the Grand Scholar of the Imperial Court, Dominguez Flamin, welcome you to the second phase of your trial in the Arcane Ceremony of Nobility: the Walk to Heaven!"

Dominguez and the other two Imperial Scholars approached Cain. Although the Grand Scholar maintained a neutral stance, the others offered minor bows, acknowledging that the young man before them was destined to become an important figure in the empire.

Already expecting such a crowd, Dominguez remained focused and took out a golden scroll.

"The Walk to Heaven consists of ascending the Heaven Stairs, a treasure obtained by our greatest Titan, Adam. It will test not your strength or combat abilities but the robustness of your foundations."

Anticipation filled the eyes of all present when they heard the words of the High Scholar. The Heaven Stairs were a revered treasure capable of gauging someone's innate talent and might, and everyone wondered how far Cain might ascend.

"Who among you is willing to stake their name and reputation in support of Colonel Laurifer?"

As with the Arcane Route, Dominguez posed this question. Just as before, Klaus was the first to respond.

"I, Klaus Goldsoul, pledge my name and honor in support of Colonel Laurifer."

Cain turned to the Fourth Imperial Prince, offering a subtle smile. Their relationship had improved significantly over time.

"I, Yordana Manixet, pledge the Manixet name and honor in support of Colonel Laurifer."

Cain was slightly taken aback by this and turned to Yordana. He was surprised she still supported him despite his recent issues with the Second Imperial Princess.

"I, Marlon White, pledge the White name and honor in support of Colonel Laurifer."

Another mild surprise came to Cain when he saw Marlon also supporting him. Unsure of their intentions, he simply nodded in appreciation before focusing on the Heaven Stairs. There was nothing more important right now than the challenge ahead.

Dominguez acknowledged the supporters, engraving their names in the golden scroll, then turned to Cain.

"The higher you ascend, the better your performance mark."

Cain nodded, taking a deep breath before stepping onto the first step. Immediately, he felt a pressure surrounding him, not pressing him down but assailing him from every direction. Beyond the physical realm, it attacked the Wave within him, attempting to stifle it. Naturally, the first step pressure barely affected Cain, allowing him to advance to the second.

His eyes narrowed as he felt the pressure double, and he couldn't help but glance at the fiftieth step.

'If the increase is exponential, then that level might be unbearable.'

Without overthinking, Cain jumped to the third step. As anticipated, the pressure on the third step was double that of the second. After a few moments of adjusting to it, he ascended to the fourth step.

There was still no problem with the pressure, and he could handle it without issue. The same was true for the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th steps. However, when he set foot on the ninth step, it felt like he had dived into an ocean, with countless waves crushing him.

Observers at the base watched Cain with a mix of surprise and admiration. Cain wasn't fully aware – as this information wasn't widely known to the public or even many nobles – but reaching the ninth step indicated that his talent was sufficient to become a Peak Wave King.

While a Peak Wave King might seem inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, it represented an aspiration for billions of humans. Cain could achieve this pinnacle even if, from now on, he did nothing but sleep, eat, and occasionally cultivate.

Cain remained on the ninth step, allowing his body and Astral Wave to adapt to the pressure. He stayed in this state for nearly an hour until his energy flowed freely through his body once more. Then, he advanced to the 10th step.

The crowd had reacted to the 9th step with awe, but when Cain reached the 10th, their expressions intensified, and many sent messages via their A.I. Chips. Reaching the 10th step signified that Cain's current talent and foundation were sufficient to evolve into the Apotheosis Realm.

Although an Apotheosis Realm Master was only one rank above a Wave King, the difference between the two was immense. The former represented a cultivator on the path to divinity, while the latter was merely a king among mortals.

And this was just his current talent level. No one doubted it would improve over the years, especially as the young man encountered more fortuitous opportunities.