Reborn as a Mountain: I Defy the Heavens with a Smile

"Hahaha! How does it feel to taste defeat by your own clone?"

A voice echoed through the arena as a transparent old man with a gloating look appeared in front of the pillar. He was the same old man Ye Chen had met inside the mystic pond, and from the looks of it, the old man here was also recording, which should be played after Ye Chen's defeat.

"Little guy, the challenge you just faced now is called 'Hundred Mirrors,' which I personally created to let geniuses like you understand that there is always something beyond your means and something you shouldn't touch."

"Now that you have learned this lesson, I will give back the people who died because of this test," the old man said and waved his hand.

SWOOSH!

In that instant the pillar lit up brightly, and a few streaks of light descended from the sky before materializing into a person.

Witnessing this, everyone was shocked except the people who had arrived.

"Y-you are alive! Then whose dead body is this?"

At this moment a disciple shouted, holding the body of a disciple who had died and now appeared in front of him. But the moment he said this, the body of the disciple in his hand turned into dust.

"We didn't die; it's just we were teleported before the death."

The disciple who arrived explained.

Hearing this, many became relieved and also puzzled, but before they could ask anything, the old man continued.

"This is the last warning! If anyone wants to back out from the inheritance trial, they can now; however, if you don't want to, then understand there will be no going back from here."

"If anyone dies in the trial, then they are dead! There will be no saving even if that person is the companion of the genius who started this trial! So think carefully; there is no loss in giving up now, as you can venture into the wild for opportunities. Only the genius who started this trial can't back out."

The old man declared coldly.

Hearing this, many disciples hearts wavered, especially the one who almost died now and lost their companions on the way.

However, no one was willing to give up! They had entered the mystic realm for this opportunity.

"Is there only one person who can get the inheritance?" At this moment, someone inquired.

The old man seems to have predicted this, and the moment the question was asked, the recording flickered slightly.

"Yes, only one person can get the inheritance; however, there are excellent opportunities at each trial, which, if you have the ability to get, you can," the old man explained.

Hearing this, the disciple's determination to continue with the trial increased, and almost no one backed out.

"I have given you enough time to decide, so let's not wait anymore and start with the first trial!" the old man said and waved his hand.

BOOM! BOOOOM! BOOM!

The air trembled, and the space split apart as a gigantic staircase with ten thousand steps appeared out of thin air, making its way into clouds. However, there was something strange, and that was the first ninety-nine steps, which were missing.

Hmm!

Suddenly a small stone inside the crater shook and flew towards the missing steps. After this, a few more tiny stones followed, fixing them into some random places.

Watching this, everyone's mouth twitched, even Ye Chen's, as he didn't expect the golems he vaporized earlier were part of the staircase.

"This is the 'Heavens Staircase,' and each step you take will be a trial for you. Such as the first hundred steps test your endurance, the next hundred your strength, the next your agility, and so on."

"There is no place to rest once you start ascending; also, you are free to fight with each other or skip the steps if you can, but be prepared to deal with a sudden increase of pressure from the trial, which will send you flying in the air. If anyone does fall from steps like this or because of the fight, then they can run back to where they were; of course, the premise is if you survive the fall, so don't be arrogant."

"Also, remember, this 'Heavens Staircase' will remain here for only one day. If anyone is yet to reach the top in this time, they will be disqualified from further trials!"

"Last but not least, the first ten to reach the top will receive a mysterious reward! Now go and start ascending!"

The old man declared, and without waiting for anyone to speak, he vanished.

...

"What should we do now?"

"Maybe try jumping or create another ninety-nine steps?"

The disciples tried to come up with a solution as they saw the first ninety-nine steps missing.

As for blaming Ye Chen, who had the guts to do it, expect Li Mei and them.

"Senior brother, how are we going to climb now?"

"Yup, Brother Chen gives us an answer."

"Humph! Bad guy doing bad things!"

Li Mei, Lan Ming, and Wang Yiyi spoke one after another.

In response, Ye Chen shrugged and grabbed the little girl by her collar before embracing Li Mei and Lan Ming on each side.

"Su Ying, get on my back," He ignored the baffled looks of the three and instructed the beautiful silent figure, who nodded and followed his instructions without any delay.

"Brother, what about me?" Fatty Li Zhenyuan guessed what he wanted to do and asked uneasily.

"You are a grown-ass man; go figure yourself out," Ye Chen rolled his eyes at him, and without any hesitation, he flew, leaving the fatty screaming with complaints.

How could he care about him since the height of a hundred steps was only twenty-five meters? As long as someone puts something down, like a few tree stumps or boulders, they can jump that high without any problem.

It's just that they had to deal with the sudden pressure of the staircase, which will not be good without having the ability to back out. Nevertheless, they can do this; it's just that they will be a little embarrassed.

Ye Chen didn't mind letting Li Mei and others face hardships, but it was not good for them to fly back in the crowd below; hence, he personally brought them.

"You bad guy, how can you hold me like this?! I will bite you!" Wang Yiyi became furious as she was once again held like a cat.

But no matter what she did, it was useless, especially in the air.

"Little girl, you are the first," Ye Chen ignored her shouts, and without hesitation, he let go of her collar once he arrived above the hundredth step.

The little girl became happy as she felt herself getting released by him, but soon her expression changed.

"Asshole! Bad guy! I will never forgive you!!!" Her shout echoed as Ye Chen dropped her from a height. Of course she was safe to land with her current cultivation; nevertheless, falling from the height was something she feared, especially since she almost lost her life in such a way.

"Senior brother, you are really bad," Li Mei couldn't help but complain; however, the next moment her expression was the same as Wang Yiyi's.

"Senior brother!!!" She shouted with a resentful look.

"Brother Chen, I can do anything you ask as long as you don't throw me from this height," Lan Ming immediately begged with tears.

"Sure, and there is only one thing I ask, and that is to go down now," Ye Chen smiled with an evil look and without hesitation shook her grip off.

"Brother Chen!!!" Lan Ming shouted, but it was too late, and she was falling too.

"Um, I know that you are going to throw me down, but can I ask you why?" Su Ying inquired as she foresaw her future.

"Let me ask you why I can't?" Ye Chen replied in response, and without any hesitation, he shook her grip off.

"You!!" Su Ying could only grit her teeth at this before falling down and landing with a thud.

The moment she landed on the hundredth step, an enormous amount of force came crashing down on her body. If this was not enough, then a strong push came from forward, pushing her back.

Everything happened in a split second, and if not for the fact she had the momentum of falling down and was already preparing for an impact, she would've been sent flying.

'Did he predict this?' Su Ying thought with an uncertain look.

Wang Yiyi, Li Mei, and Lan Ming were also thinking the same, but looking at Ye Chen, who smiled evilly, they instantly denied such thoughts, not knowing he really did predict.

Of course he didn't know how the staircase worked. All he did was predict the few moments of everyone here who tried to jump, and after knowing the results, he reached a conclusion about what was the best way to get on the hundredth step.

What if his conclusion was wrong? Well, he was here for a reason.