Jared led Ararat and Zevon out from the third level.
Upon realizing, the number of cultivators who emerged wasn’t substantial. Neither Skylar nor Josephine were among them. It was likely that the two had already passed the third level and ascended to the fourth.
Without any hesitation, Jared glanced at the fourth level of the Celestial Stairway and resolutely ascended it.
Ararat and Zevon were closely following behind. After all, they were now Jared‘s servants.
Although the guard of the fourth level was difficult to deal with, Jared was still determined to give it a try.
We surely can‘t be stuck on the fourth floor, unable to ascend, right?
Just as Jared stepped into the fourth level, a voice suddenly rang out. “Jared, you’ve reached the fourth level too?”
Jared was taken aback. “Octavion, weren’t you supposed to be out?”
“I may have left, but I can come back anytime, as long as the Celestial Stairway hasn’t vanished. I can enter the fourth level whenever I want. However, when I came in this time, I realized that the world on the fourth level had unexpectedly changed again…”
“See that grand hall ahead? That’s where the guard resides. Around the hall, there’s nothing but emptiness, as if this fourth-level world contains only this one hall. Before I left, this place was a whole world unto itself. I don’t know why, but it seems as if the world has vanished.” Octavion pointed toward the grand hall not far off and spoke.
Jared glanced over, his face full of bewilderment. Yet, had no idea why things had turned out this way.
Each level represented a unique world. The cultivators who entered were required to seek out the guards within these worlds for a challenge.
Moreover, they could even obtain resources within this world of the Celestial Stairway.
But now, having entered, was transported to the guard’s realm, as if the world around had simply vanished.
Not to mention resources, it seemed that upon entering here, one could only face challenges. The idea of relying on the resources within the Celestial Stairway’s realms for cultivation was no longer a possibility.
“Forget about what’s going on. Let’s just go take a look, and everything will become clear.”
After Jared finished speaking, headed straight for the grand hall.
“You better be careful. Not many have managed to get past the guard of the fourth level,” Octavion cautioned Jared.
The latter gave a nod.
The group made their way to the grand hall, only to discover that it was shrouded in darkness, eerily reminiscent of the underworld, exuding a strange and unsettling aura.
When Jared and his companions reached the entrance of the grand hall, they were met with gusts of chilling wind swirling around them. It was incredibly cold.
Above the hall, a dark cloud loomed ominously. Within it, streaks of lightning flashed continuously. And within the grand hall, sounds of a skirmish could still be heard. It seemed like someone had already initiated a challenge.
Following that, a piercing scream was heard. A tall, imposing cultivator was sent flying straight out from the grand hall.
The cultivator’s body disintegrated into dust mid-air, vanishing completely without a trace.
Upon witnessing this scene, Jared’s face turned quite unsightly. He hadn’t expected that the guard of the fourth level would actually kill without hesitation.
It was merely a challenge, and even if one failed, getting injured should have been the worst outcome.
How could it lead to someone being utterly destroyed, both body and soul?
Octavion’s face paled. He swallowed hard before saying, “Jared, I think we should leave. The guard of the fourth level seems a bit irritable.”
Both Ararat’s and Zevon’s expressions subtly shifted.
They were held captive here, having no grudges against the cultivators of the Ethereal Realm.
Usually, they would let things slide if they were merely injured. Sometimes, the cultivators would stop as soon as they made their point, and often, they would let them go after that.
For such a long time, they had never savagely killed the cultivators of the Ethereal Realm like this before. Yet, the guard of the fourth level, who annihilated people’s spirits and bodies, was a bit brutal.
“Since we’re here, let’s go in and take a look. We can choose not to challenge. He won’t attack us if we choose not to, right?” Jared spoke, taking strides as moved forward.
