Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

"Yun Xiao, you don’t really think these human ants, mere clay chickens and pottery dogs, could become your allies, do you?"

After a brief silence, the Half-step Holy Spirit finally spoke first, and as he spoke, a peculiar energy fluctuation emerged around him.

Rumble rumble! Rumble rumble!

When this energy fluctuation erupted, the entire Chongxiao Stairs Space seemed to resonate, and Yun Xiao felt something beneath his feet, as if something was emerging from underground.

"Hmm?"

At the same time, Yun Xiao noticed from the corner of his eye that besides the movement beneath his own feet, there were also changes beneath the feet of Xue Changze and those other human cultivators.

As a white light flashed, a section of white stone steps emerged beneath the feet of all the human cultivators, similar to the ascending stone steps Yun Xiao had seen before.

However, Yun Xiao sensed more clearly that when these stone steps appeared under each person, it seemed like the human cultivators were being transported to special spaces.

At this moment, Yun Xiao could see the forms of those human cultivators, but those cultivators seemed unable to see each other, not even Xue Changze in his Heavenly Realm Late Stage.

"What do you think? Yun Xiao, does the power of this Space Domain impress you?"

While Yun Xiao wondered why he could see those human cultivators, the Half-step Holy Spirit spoke from above, and with a thoughtful turn of mind, Yun Xiao understood something.

"It’s merely the simple use of this special space as the Chongxiao Ladder Artifact Heart Strange Spirit. What’s there to be proud of?"

Yun Xiao stared at the Half-step Holy Spirit above, with a hint of veiled sarcasm in his tone. As the reborn Long Xiao Battle God, his knowledge was undoubtedly broader than the top cultivators of the Tenglong Continent.

"Hmph, even if you recognize it, so what? First, break my ’Myriad Phenomena Stone Stair Formation’!"

Though Yun Xiao uncovered the truth, the Half-step Holy Spirit didn’t seem too upset. After a cold snort, Yun Xiao felt some changes under his feet again.

The emerging white stone steps underwent a transformation, splitting from one to two, two to four, and in the blink of an eye, countless dense stone steps appeared.

These stone steps seemed endless, making it impossible for Yun Xiao to see the end in any direction, as if he was in a vast array.

From the sky, one might see Yun Xiao suddenly become incredibly insignificant, like a lone boat in an infinite sea, always at risk of capsizing in the impending storm.

The place where Yun Xiao stood became countless stone steps, and other human cultivators likely faced similar situations, yet they had no perception of each other and could see no one.

"Is this the so-called Myriad Phenomena Stone Stair Formation?"

After examining the surroundings, Yun Xiao did not panic. After all, in his past life, he wasn’t just a Holy Rank Advanced Peak Meridian Refining Master but also a formidable Holy Rank Array Master.

"Indeed, Yun Xiao, this is the gift I prepared for you. The so-called Myriad Phenomena Stone Stair Formation encompasses everything and is ever-changing. Entering my Domain, you have no chance of leaving alive!"

A voice drifted down from above Yun Xiao. At some point, the strong Half-step Holy Spirit had also appeared within the Myriad Phenomena Stone Stair Formation, coldly laughing at him.

Whoosh!

Yun Xiao didn’t respond, instead shooting up into the air towards the Half-step Holy Spirit. To him, as long as he could control that individual, the Myriad Phenomena Stone Stair Formation would collapse without effort.

Swish swish swish!

Yet as Yun Xiao ascended, the Half-step Holy Spirit’s figure shifted, seemingly rising a few notches higher. Instantly, countless white stone steps appeared between them.

"As expected!"

Yun Xiao halted before exhausting his strength, silver wings flapping behind him as he glanced around the seemingly open space, knowing it wasn’t that simple.

After the previous scene of soaring to the sky, Yun Xiao believed that those seemingly empty spaces would fill with stone steps to block his path as soon as he moved.

"This Myriad Phenomena Stone Stair Formation must be a special combination of illusion and Domain!"

His insight extraordinary, Yun Xiao remained still, contemplating the scenario. After all, as the former Long Xiao Battle God, he hadn’t used such strategies just once.

This was the space domain of the Half-step Holy Spirit, where any action that guy wanted was twice as effective with half the effort.

Since he’s already in this place, Yun Xiao has no better approach but to break the array first; otherwise, he wouldn’t even get to touch that Half-step Holy Spirit’s body, let alone talk about battling and defeating it.

"Let me see, is it your Strange Spirit’s Myriad Phenomena Stone Stair Formation that’s amazing, or my Dragon Cloud Battle God’s array-breaking method that’s even more formidable?"

A surge of heroism rose in Yun Xiao’s heart, and he let out a deep shout. In such circumstances, he wasn’t afraid of that Half-step Holy Spirit learning his background.

The Half-step Holy Spirit indeed did not think much of it. He simply believed the name "Dragon Cloud Battle God" was just this human youth boasting. After all, he had never left the vicinity of the Chongxiao Stairs in his entire life.

Hence, the Half-step Holy Spirit had no idea what sort of being he was confronting. His unrivaled Myriad Phenomena Stone Stair Formation was highly effective against other human Heavenly Realm powerhouses but might not truly trap this plainly dressed youth.

"The so-called myriad phenomena do not mean there are really myriad phenomena, but rather illusions born from one’s mind. As for these seemingly innumerable stone steps, there certainly is a pattern to them!"

Yun Xiao murmured to himself without paying much attention to the possible presence of a Half-step Holy Spirit, then glanced deeply around and surprisingly closed his eyes directly.

Knowing that what he saw might not be true, Yun Xiao decided not to engage in useless work. Instead, he used the Power of Soul to sense. Sometimes, what the eyes see could become an obstacle to breaking the array.

The Power of Soul emanated from Yun Xiao, and the next moment, he stepped left, right into the gap between two stone steps where he might just step into emptiness.

"Huh?"

Yun Xiao’s seemingly unconventional step caused the Half-step Holy Spirit hidden somewhere to utter a surprised sound, but he forcibly stopped it, seemingly afraid Yun Xiao would hear and deduce something.

"Heh heh!"

However, Yun Xiao’s sensing ability was exceptional. Despite the Half-step Holy Spirit cutting off his voice suddenly, Yun Xiao keenly caught it, immediately knowing that his approach was hitting the mark.

Buzz...

As Yun Xiao’s chuckle died away, his right foot finally stepped into the gap, but the expected fall did not occur. Instead, a peculiar hum sounded.

As soon as Yun Xiao set foot there, a ripple-like light spread out, followed by a slightly illusory stone step appearing suddenly, displaying extraordinary marvel.

If judged solely by appearance, the place where Yun Xiao’s right foot landed seemed more like a phantom compared to the other stone steps. Yet it was this phantom that bore almost half of Yun Xiao’s body weight at the moment.

Only Yun Xiao knew that whether he set foot on any seemingly real stone step, he would risk losing his way forever in this so-called Myriad Phenomena Stone Stair Formation.

But after Yun Xiao took this correct first step, the subsequent path became somewhat specially guided. It was because of this correct step that caught the Half-step Holy Spirit off guard and elicited a surprised sound.

Swish!

As Yun Xiao lifted his left foot, the stone step that had bore his form vanished instantly, along with countless stone steps surrounding Yun Xiao at this moment.

It was apparently in response to Yun Xiao’s earlier movements that the Half-step Holy Spirit executed. He clearly thought it was the stone steps he conjured that guided Yun Xiao to make the correct step.

But now, with all stone steps having vanished, except for the seemingly illusory one underfoot, Yun Xiao had no reference for his next step. How should he proceed?

In the void, a pair of eyes watched Yun Xiao’s every move intently.

At this moment, the plainly dressed youth did not continue forward nor step left and right but instead retreated one step back down the path he had come.

If those stone steps had still existed, one would realize Yun Xiao’s retreat now was precisely to where he stood before, akin to a step forward and a step back.

But is that really the case? The answer is clearly not!

Only Yun Xiao himself and the hidden Half-step Holy Spirit knew unequivocally that the position of this retreat was no longer the same as the previous stone step location.

It’s the space controlled by the Half-step Holy Spirit that has shifted the correct position of the Myriad Phenomena Stone Stair Formation to Yun Xiao’s initial standing direction, possessing a strong deception.

The Myriad Phenomena Stone Stair Formation is named for its ability to suddenly transform, even altering in any form according to the Half-step Holy Spirit’s desires.

Of course, this only pertains to the illusory stone step locations. In reality, the truly array-breaking steps remain unchanged, only at most shifting positions. As long as the person within the array steps correctly, breaking the array is still possible.

If Yun Xiao’s previous first step allowed the Half-step Holy Spirit to hope it was merely luck, then this second retreat left him somewhat frustrated, feeling completely seen through.