Venerate Platform

== Appearance ==
The two of them left the restaurant and took a short transportation formation to the top of a mountain.
In front of the mountain was a cliff with a set of stairs on it. There were nine steps.
What startled Long Chen was that he felt a powerful mental pressure coming from these stairs. It was his first time sensing such powerful Spiritual Strength. It was like a raging tsunami.
“Senior apprentice-brother, this is the Venerate Platform, a stone staircase that comes all the way from the dark era. In the ancient era, this was a trial to test a person’s potential. As long as a person could reach the ninth step, it would signify that they have a high chance of becoming a Venerate in the future. Do you want to try it? Anyone is allowed to try it, and there’s no fee,” said Qingqing. She stared at him expectantly, wanting to see him try it.
Long Chen looked at the distant nine steps. Quite a few experts were currently attempting to climb it.
Although it was just nine steps, each step was three hundred meters tall. When the disciples climbed onto them, they seemed to be restricted by some law and were unable to fly. They were forced to climb up.
These people had only reached the third step before they began coughing up blood. They fell from the steps, crashing onto the ground and clenching their heads in pain.
Long Chen shook his head. “This staircase has a mental formation on it that strips you of your spiritual yuan. It is a kind of mental torment to climb it. Not only will illusions assault you, but your heart-devils will be reborn. Without strong enough willpower, anyone coming here would just be torturing themselves. They would be rattling their own Dao-heart.”
Long Chen’s mental power was strong, and he was able to sense the power of this staircase.
His estimate was that it was a test for experts in the ancient era. It most likely was not used as a trial because the mental damage it caused was serious. It could even harm the soul.
It should have a formation that also healed a person’s soul and firmed a person’s Dao-heart. Otherwise, it would just be a con. However, after so much time, this staircase had become a masterless object, and there was no one protecting it. Since most of its power had to have faded, there was no value even if you reached the ninth step.
Reaching the ninth step meant that you could become a Venerate? That was just a way to comfort oneself. Long Chen wouldn’t do something so foolish.
“Senior apprentice-brother Long Chen, you’re so amazing! You instantly saw through the Venerate Platform’s details.” Qingqing was surprised.
“Based on your expression, it seems you’ve climbed it before?”
“Yes, but after the fifth step, I couldn’t go on. I fell and almost became a pancake.” Qingqing stuck out her tongue in embarrassment.
“With your peaceful nature, you were still able to reach the fifth step. That’s not bad. However, don’t believe the superstitions about the Venerate Platform. Due to the flow of time, many of its runes have been badly damaged, and it is no longer comparable to its original state. Many people have also been led astray by that legend. The reason it’s here free of charge for everyone to use is because it’s just a toy used to harm yourself. Otherwise, others would have occupied it already,” said Long Chen.
The current Venerate Platform merely caused damage to a person’s mind. It was only suitable for those with great willpower to temper themselves. Others would just be harming themselves. That was why only a few experts were climbing it right now despite the vast number of geniuses in Clearwind City. He would guess that a portion of these people were those who had come from the other four regions, attracted to its name.
== Ye Lingshan ==
“Ye Lingshan has come! Is she challenging the Venerate Platform?”
“With her power, there should be no need for her to do so. Independent cultivators would only come here if they didn’t have any way to temper their souls or willpower.”
“Perhaps there’s some other reason why she came. Perhaps…”
Ye Lingshan stepped onto the first step. The Venerate Platform buzzed, and a vast spiritual pressure crashed down on her. Quite a few other disciples in the midst of climbing it were startled and rolled off.
This Venerate Platform would unleash greater power depending on the strength of the person being tested. A few of them were caught up in Ye Lingshan’s test.
“Amazing! She’s reached the fifth step without changing expression!” exclaimed Qingqing.
For her, just reaching the fourth step had been difficult. The only reason she had managed to persevere to the fifth step was because of sheer willpower.
As for the fifth step, upon reaching there, her soul received a powerful impact, and it took over a month to recover from it. However, that accomplishment still filled her with pride.
The majority of experts were unable to get to the fifth step. However, it seemed Ye Lingshan was still finding it easy.
“In truth, with your power, reaching the sixth step should be no problem. It’s just that you don’t know the technique,” said Long Chen.
Qingqing came to a sudden realization. “No wonder Ye Lingshan’s spiritual fluctuations aren’t very intense yet. She’s not using her full power to resist.”
At this moment, Ye Lingshan had reached the seventh step. At this moment, the Venerate Platform began to shake, and the air around it started to twist. Everything became illusory.
People felt faint. It was like the world had been flipped. They no longer knew which direction was which.
“How terrifying. We’re so far, but we’re still affected. Then isn’t Ye Lingshan under even more terrifying pressure?”
Startled cries rang out. Ye Lingshan was slightly pale. Now it was starting to get hard for her.
“Only the first and second commanders have managed to reach the seventh step on our side,” whispered Qingqing. 
“On the seventh step, the energy has started to change. It’s no longer purely flowing from the top but attacking from all angles. There’s no trick by this point. You can only charge through with your power.” Long Chen nodded.
=== Step 8 ===
“The eighth step!”
Startled cries rang out just as they were talking. Although Ye Lingshan had slowed down, she still managed to reach the eighth step.
When she reached the eighth step, booming echoed through the air. Black clouds gathered above the Venerate Platform, and the might of the Heavenly Daos crashed down, shaking people’s souls. Some people were no longer able to stand. They collapsed.
This was heavenly might targeted toward the soul. People couldn’t resist.
To Ye Lingshan, climbing to the ninth step would mean enduring that heavenly might, which would mean going against the Heavenly Daos.
Not everyone was like the Dragonblood Legion who had started going against the Heavenly Daos early in their cultivation. This was a very difficult trial.
Ye Lingshan suddenly clenched her teeth and directly climbed onto the ninth step. This step was a cliff in its own right, and Ye Lingshan needed to climb over it.
She had just started climbing when the black clouds seemed to boil over. Lightning flashed within them.
“It’s a good fake.” Long Chen nodded. This Venerate Platform was truly amazing to be able to imitate the heavenly might so well.
Ye Lingshan had just gotten a few dozen meters up when her whole body shuddered. Her face was pale as paper, and there was a touch of fear in her eyes.
However, she clenched her teeth and continued climbing. As she climbed, the pressure of the heavens grew stronger. Beasts began to appear in the black clouds. They roared and charged at Ye Lingshan.
Those beasts were incredibly terrifying.
“Don’t worry, they’re fake. They won’t kill Ye Lingshan, but they will affect her mind. If her mind is occupied by fear, these formless Magical Beasts will cause damage to her soul. Whether or not she can endure is up to her will,” comforted Long Chen.
As expected, the first beast slammed into Ye Lingshan and didn’t cause any damage. There was no injury.
However, her whole body trembled. That attack had clearly influenced her.
More and more of those beasts came charging toward Ye Lingshan. They were incredibly lifelike.
Quite a few people were letting out startled cries. Ye Lingshan’s body shuddered so intensely that she dropped over a hundred meters, almost falling completely.
“It’s over. After such a setback, there’s basically no hope.” One person sighed regretfully.
This Venerate Platform only got harder. If your momentum was suddenly broken, that would be a huge blow, and there would basically be no hope of climbing to the peak.
The person speaking was someone deeply familiar with the torment of the Venerate Platform. His words were spoken from immense experience.
However, Ye Lingshan didn’t give up. She continued climbing, but people were stunned to see her current appearance. Her mouth was bleeding and her face was pale. The light in her eyes had faded.
“What’s going on?! Has she already lost consciousness?!” asked Qingqing.
“Her soul has started to become chaotic after those attacks. She has forcibly split her soul, using one portion to resist and another portion to firm her confidence.” Although Long Chen didn’t quite approve of this move of hers, he had no choice but to admit that her willpower was impressive.
Having decided on her goal, she refused to give up. That perseverance was admirable.
However, the Venerate Platform wasn’t going to let her pass just because of her willpower. The pressure grew greater, and once Ye Lingshan was just a few meters away from the top, she fell again.
People were shaken by Ye Lingshan’s determination. She refused to give up. They realized that the reason they couldn’t become peerless experts was because they lacked that determination.
After falling seven times, Ye Lingshan finally managed to climb over the peak. The instant she reached the peak, the black clouds in the sky faded, and the world returned to calm. The Venerate Platform’s runes lit up, but then they quickly faded.
“As expected, it’s a crippled platform. If the Venerate Platform was still in perfect condition, it should have a soul nourishing effect now. This is the golden time to make up for the damage done to the soul by climbing it. By making up for it, Ye Lingshan’s soul would rise to a new level,” thought Long Chen to himself.
Ye Lingshan was still pale and hastily gulped down a medicinal pill. The light in her eyes gradually returned.
Countless experts cheered. The majority of them were independent cultivators, while Ye Lingshan was their representative. They felt great pride in her and themselves. Even without relying on a sect, an independent cultivator could still become a peak heavenly genius.
“Ye Lingshan was able to complete the Venerate Platform! In other words, she has the qualifications to become a Venerate in the future. Now countless sects will really be fighting over her.”
“Who said that independent cultivators are weak? Who would dare to look down on us?”
The independent cultivators were especially excited. They were often looked down upon by disciples of some sects. Now Ye Lingshan had proven that independent cultivators also had limitless prospects.
Ye Lingshan flew down. She actually walked over to Long Chen and said, “Hegemon of the Devil Slaughter Rankings, do you want to go try it and open my eyes to the world?”
When Ye Lingshan said that, those independent cultivators looked more closely at Long Chen. Startled cries rang out.
== Technique ==
“This Venerate Platform’s energy flows from top to bottom. The higher you climb, the greater the pressure. Before this, I saw everyone was climbing in a way that would take more energy and be more difficult. They were like fish trying to swim against the current. The more they resisted, the greater the pressure. Rather than that, allow a portion of the Venerate Platform’s energy to enter your spiritual world. It will invade you, but its power will be limited. On the other hand, if you go all-out resisting it, it will be like you’re trying to move forward in a storm. The larger your umbrella, the greater the resistance. But those who aren’t afraid of getting wet will be able to go further. Do you understand?”
== Broken ==
Long Chen hastily flapped his hand. “No, that’s not what I meant. That Venerate Platform is truly broken, with most of its abilities already lost. In truth, you… ah, I shouldn’t say it.”
“Qingqing, you fell for such a simple provocation. Don’t embarrass yourself.” Long Chen smiled and pulled on Qingqing. Turning to Ye Lingshan, he said, “To compete with a broken platform, even if your head isn’t broken, it definitely isn’t normal. Since you want to know, I’ll tell you. This Venerate Platform is already useless. In the ancient era, there should have been a reward to those who managed to climb to the top. Did you see those nine runes on the final step? They are called Heaven Descending Spirit Runes.”
In truth, some people had said that this platform was essentially useless and couldn’t be used to prove anything, but people refused to believe it.
Long Chen then continued, “However, I wouldn’t say that this platform is completely useless. At the very least, it can temper a person’s will. It’s just that this tempering no longer has any corresponding nourishing effect, making the tempering a torture. Many of the people already have signs of faint damage to their souls. Although your will grows stronger, the damage to your soul is worse. You should be careful.”
==References==
Category:Martial Heaven Alliance