Chapter 3399: Sacrifice

Bi Bidong paused for a moment before continuing, "Of course, Qian Dao Liu can certainly rely on their formidable strength to suppress opposition, but then, Martial Soul Hall would become loose sand."

"To reach the status it enjoys today once again would take at least a decade."

Upon this realization, Yueguan immediately clasped his fists and said, "Your Holiness is wise. I had not realized that you had already predicted the Worship Hall's intervention and had arranged everything in advance!"

"So, do you still have any doubts about my previous commands?"

Yueguan shook his head, "I dare not, Your Holiness. I will then proceed as you have instructed and notify the rest of the Sub-halls!"

"Given the extensive reach of our Martial Soul Hall, I am sure it will not be long before we can find information about Xu Sheng and his companions!"

The latter sentence, of course, was only said to mollify the former...

If they really couldn't find any traces, he would have no solutions!

Bi Bidong did not say anything more, simply gesturing, "Hmm... you may leave now, and have a trustworthy deacon from the Pope Hall come here!"

"Yes, Your Holiness!"

After saying this, Yueguan tactfully took his leave...

Since Your Holiness had not asked him to stay, it was clear that the matters to follow did not concern him, and there was no need to ask further!

Before long, all the guest elders within the Pope Hall had arrived in the grand hall...

Upon seeing Bi Bidong, they clasped their fists and said in unison, "Your Holiness."

Bi Bidong changed her previous demeanor, speaking in a much gentler tone, "Dispense with the formalities. You are the backbone of the Pope Hall, no need to be so constrained!"

They exchanged glances, seemingly surprised at the unexpectedly mild attitude of the usually imperturbable Your Holiness. Could it be that something good had happened?

But doubt was one thing; it was another to show any signs of it on their faces...

"Yes, Your Holiness!"

Seeing this, one of the deacons took the initiative to ask, "May I inquire, Your Holiness, why you have summoned us here so suddenly?"

"I've summoned you here because,"

As Xu Sheng's eyes slightly lifted, he could vaguely make out a door at the very top of the Divine Rank Staircase, a portal thick with spatial fluctuations!

Even without having been here before, he could guess the function of this door—it was very likely a gateway transcending space to another plane!

And this "other plane" was none other than the Divine Realm of the Douluo plane, where Xu Sheng had once been!

At this thought, his dark eyes narrowed slightly as he mused, "So, just by reaching the top of this staircase and entering that door, I can return to the Douluo plane?"

The purpose of his journey to this plane was to close the spatial rifts of the current plane; to leave now would render his coming here meaningless!

Moreover, ascending the white-lit staircase before him to its highest point was by no means as simple as just stepping on it!

Because, if he was not mistaken, this staircase bore a striking resemblance to the Soul Power Stages he had encountered on Sea God's Island!

Every level of the staircase would amplify the pressure of Spiritual Power until the intruder was stopped...

Or to put it another way, one would only be able to reach the top if one's own strength was at a level that could withstand the pressure or by virtue of a strong will.

Xu Sheng couldn't help but purse his lips, a decision already forming in his heart…

Whether it was to find a way to resolve the rift in this plane or to return to the Douluo plane, overcoming these steps was essential!

Subsequently, he slowly made his way to the front of the Sacred Staircase and, with great caution, took a step, firmly placing his foot upon it…

As expected, the moment he touched the first step, he immediately felt a burst of pressure emanating from the staircase, but it was so faint that he could completely ignore it!

The intensity was not even as strong as the howling wind around him!

Xu Sheng's dark eyes narrowed, "Just as I thought!"

Knowing that the staircase was indeed as he had estimated, he couldn't help but relax a little…

The next moment, he was seen moving at an extremely fast pace, stepping up toward the levels above, and without any pause, he shot straight up to the twentieth level!

Although he could have continued forward, he chose to pause first…

With a calm expression, he turned around and looked down at those steps he had easily surpassed…

Narrowing his eyes in thought, "Starting from this level, does the Spiritual Power pressure begin to increase exponentially? It's truly more terrifying than the Soul Power Stages of Sea God's Island!"

Based on his rough estimate, the pressure on each step would be twice the strength of the previous one!!

That is to say, by the time Xu Sheng stepped onto the thirtieth level, he would likely be facing pressure that had multiplied dozens of times!!

And if just these few dozen steps were like this, not to mention that this staircase had at least a few hundred steps!!

That cumulative Spiritual Power pressure would likely reach an incomparably terrifying level!!

Without any hesitation, Xu Sheng decisively took out all the treasures he had on him…

Although his strength had reached the Immortal Monarch Realm, it was practically impossible to reach the top of this staircase without the aid of artifacts!

Of course, although the pressure of the staircase was terrifying, it was not without benefits!

That was because the Spiritual Power inside Xu Sheng was increasing at a rapid rate, and it would accelerate with every level he climbed!

After taking a deep breath, Xu Sheng once again looked up at the Sacred Staircase that spanned hundreds of levels before him…

He immediately burst out with the fastest speed he could muster, and in the blink of an eye, he broke through thirty levels… forty levels…

His speed didn't diminish at all, and he continued to break through towards the levels above…

…

On the other side, Duanmu Lian was looking at Duanmu Mansion with a complex expression and took a deep breath...

After annihilating the Duanmu Clan, the other families did not choose to take away all the resources inside right away!

Zhou Qingruo, standing to the side with cold eyes, her amber Beautiful Eyes suddenly condensed as she said, "Let's do it, before the people from the other families arrive. It would be troublesome if we were discovered!"

Duanmu Lian looked at Zhou Qingruo and softly acknowledged with a "Mhm"…

Immediately after, without any hesitation, her entire body erupted with terrifying Spiritual Power, turning into flames that in an instant engulfed the entire Duanmu Mansion...

In just a few minutes, the entire Duanmu Mansion was engulfed in flames, the raging fire seemingly proclaiming to others that the Duanmu Clan had truly perished that day!

Staring at the Duanmu Mansion that was gradually disappearing before her eyes, Duanmu Lian silently vowed in her heart, "Family Head, I will surely avenge you!"

Having said that, she slowly stood up…

Zhou Qingruo, standing beside her, also couldn't help but flicker her gaze a few times…

Although she had no good feelings toward the Duanmu Clan and whether the entire family lived or died wasn't that important to her…

The destruction of the Duanmu Clan also meant that she had lost a place of belonging!