Chapter 737

The instant Long Chen's foot stepped onto the 999th stair, countless flying sword suddenly shot out like a tide.
But Long Chen still didn't attempt to block or dodge them. He allowed them to pierce through his body. Each of them left behind a bloody hole.
It was shocking how sharp those flying swords were. After all, everyone was aware of just how powerful Long Chen's physical body was.
When Long Chen's second foot touched the 999th stair, the entire Netherworld Heaven Staircase shook intensely. Endless pressure descended.
Millions of flying swords gathered together, forming one huge sword.
Once that sword formed, a huge vortex appeared around it as pressure began to condense.
BOOM!
The huge sword pierced forward, instantly enveloping Long Chen.
"Long Chen!" Meng Qi and Tang Wan-er were pale. Their hands covered their mouths, as they were filled with absolute shock.
"WHAT?!" When the light of the swords faded, people finally saw Long Chen again. He was on the 999th stair in the same state as before the final sword had struck him.
Long Chen smiled. As expected, his gamble had been right. As the light faded, the pressure around him weakened. Furthermore, his injuries began to heal. He felt endless life energy nourishing him.
"This is good stuff." He rapidly circulated the primal chaos space, absorbing this life energy. Previously, he had almost died from trying to refine the green dragon essence blood. To recover, he had used up all the life energy in the primal chaos space.
Endless life energy surged into the primal chaos space. Those withered trees and medicinal ingredients rapidly regained their vitality.
Furthermore, Long Chen's injuries were rapidly healing. Long Chen was definitely taking more than his share.
While he rapidly absorbed this energy, everyone just stood there, stunned. They were unable to understand how he had done this.
"I remember how that previous disciple managed to charge onto the 999th stair." A complicated expression appeared on the vice sect master's face. "My memories are sealed, but in this special situation, they can be partially released. Just now, I remembered. It is impossible to charge onto the 999th stair. To put it more specifically, it is impossible to charge onto it through brute force. No matter how strong you are, you won't be able to resist the formation. Even I would be exterminated."
"What?!" All of them turned pale. If that was true, how had Long Chen passed?
The vice sect master sighed. "I really can't tell if Long Chen is suicidal or not. He actually managed to find out the only way to reach the 999th stair!"
"The only way?"
"The 999th stair doesn't test a person's physical strength, Spiritual Strength, or will. Instead, it tests a person's courage. It tests whether or not a person dares to risk their life to reach the peak of the martial path!"
"You mean, the final step is just to frighten others?!"
"You can put it that way. The Netherworld Heaven Staircase won't take the lives of disciples. This is something I've already told them. But the final formation's killing intent will influence a cultivator's instincts. The stronger a person is, the more they will trust those instincts. So, the final test is just to see who dares to fight with their life on the line!"
PFFT!
Suddenly, a translucent flying sword shot down from the sky, turning one monastery head into a bloody mist.