PFC Chapter 254 Before the Sermon Begins
Chapter 254 Before the Sermon Begins
Bai Ling, now invisible, stood quietly in space, her beautiful eyes fixed intently on the horizon, not missing a single detail. She witnessed Qing Que's arrival, the Star Raft slowly advancing through the vast universe, gradually approaching the ocean of memory she had carefully arranged.
Just as Qingque was about to reach the Memory Ocean, Bai Ling gently extended her finger, brushing it across the Yin-Yang Mirror's surface like a gentle breeze. Instantly, tiny ripples appeared on the mirror, like the ripples caused by a stone dropped into a calm lake. Then, as if under a spell, the Memory Ocean quietly cracked open a narrow opening.
Without hesitation, Qingque's starship followed the opening into the ocean of nostalgia. A moment later, the nostalgia quickly returned to its original state, as if the crack had never existed. Following Qingque, the starships entered one after another, traversing this mysterious ocean of nostalgia unhindered.
However, once the starships had fully entered the ocean of memetic matter, something strange happened. Everyone aboard suddenly fell into a deep coma, their eyes tightly closed, their bodies slumped against their cockpits, and they lost consciousness. Simultaneously, the starships, previously traveling at sublight speed, seemed to be affected by some force, automatically dropping out of their high-speed mode and beginning to autonomously search for nearby planets or moons suitable for landing.
Bai Ling's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile of deep interest. Her lively eyes gazed at the scene before her, as if enjoying a magnificent performance. She gently waved her hand again, caressing the Yin-Yang Mirror. Instantly, countless dreamlike images emerged on the mirror, each depicting the scene currently being experienced by the seekers who had entered the illusion.
Bai Ling carefully observed the dreams of these people, secretly assessing each one's performance and potential. For those who didn't meet her standards, she ruthlessly waved her sleeves. An invisible force surged from the mirror, expelling them and their starships from the ocean of memory, banishing them back to the Milky Way.
Bai Ling turned lightly, returning to Daoxuan Palace as swiftly as a wisp of smoke. She stood quietly in the center of the palace, like a beautiful and mysterious statue. Time passed minute by minute, and finally, when the last seeker gradually regained consciousness from their trance, Bai Ling raised her arm slightly and waved gently.
At that instant, a breathtaking scene unfolded before everyone's eyes. The seemingly tranquil star system suddenly erupted in dazzling light, like a radiant pearl radiating endless brilliance across the universe. Simultaneously, a melodious, captivating melody, like the sound of nature, slowly played in everyone's ears, captivating them with its utter intoxication.
Immediately afterwards, two streamers shimmering with mysterious golden light snaked out from the Daoxuan Palace. Like ethereal dragons, they traversed the vast starry sky, their origin invisible and their destination indiscernible. As the golden streamers danced, golden lotuses instantly emerged from space, vying for beauty and blooming in succession, emitting an enchanting fragrance and brilliant colors. Furthermore, countless illusory images of exotic flowers and plants emerged, adorning this cosmic space with a breathtaking beauty resembling a dreamlike wonderland.
Suddenly, a dragon's roar resounded through the heavens. Several immortal dragons emerged from the vast fleet of starships, their nimble forms tumbling and dancing through the air with a majestic aura. Most striking of all were the phantoms of two enormous, five-clawed golden dragons, roaring and hurtling towards Daoxuan Palace. As they approached the palace, the majestic five-clawed dragons transformed into towering crouching dragon pillars, standing firmly on either side of a suddenly manifested golden staircase. This golden staircase stretched all the way to the gates of Daoxuan Palace, like a path to a sacred abode, guiding everyone on a journey of truth and wisdom.
Everyone saw a bright light shining from the top of Daoxuan Palace's gate, and the three large characters "Daoxuan Palace" were reflected in the starry sky, attracting everyone's attention.
Then, a dazzling light suddenly shone out from the magnificent and majestic Daoxuan Palace. Immediately afterwards, a clear and pleasant sound like the sound of nature resounded through the sky and echoed between the vast sky and earth.
Bai Ling's voice was filled with supreme majesty and holiness, seemingly able to penetrate the depths of one's soul, instilling awe in them. She spoke slowly, "The two-month period has expired. Today, everyone must ascend these three thousand steps. These three thousand steps are a severe test of your understanding, character, and destiny. If anyone unfortunately falls from these steps, it means they are destined to join me and will never have another chance to try! Now, you are welcome to come and try."
Just as Bai Ling finished speaking, everyone suddenly felt a mysterious and powerful force surge before them. In an instant, a dazzling ball of light appeared out of thin air before everyone. This ball of light, like a radiant pearl, shimmered with a dazzling brilliance.
The moment everyone saw the ball of light, they immediately understood its purpose. Without a doubt, it was the key to the Three Thousand Steps. However, Qing Que was the only one in the group who showed hesitation. It turned out that within the entire Star Chariot, only she had such a unique ball of light.
Qingque looked at the ball of light before her, feeling uneasy. For a moment, she didn't know what to do. She turned to look at Master Yukong beside her, a trace of confusion and worry in her eyes. She said softly, "Master Yukong, I..."
Lord Yukong smiled slightly upon seeing this, reached out and gently patted Qingque's shoulder, saying earnestly, "Go, Qingque. Don't worry, and don't bear any pressure. Remember, the Xianzhou Alliance will always have your solid backing. Believe in your abilities, and bravely meet this challenge."
Qingque slowly turned her gaze towards the cloud riders and flying warriors behind Yukong. She looked closely and saw that each of them had a faint smile on their face, a smile that seemed to contain encouragement and expectation, and they were staring at her intently.
Qingque involuntarily took a deep breath, trying to calm her inner tension. Then, with a slightly trembling voice, she said softly, "Then... then I'll be leaving." As soon as she finished speaking, she carefully reached out and gently touched the ball of light emitting a mysterious glow.
The moment her fingertips touched the surface of the ball of light, a strong feeling of dizziness suddenly hit her, like a surging ocean wave. Qingque felt the world spinning, and the scene before her blurred. When she struggled to open her eyes again, she was surprised to find herself standing firmly on the first step.
Qingque gathered his composure and looked upward. He saw a long staircase stretching as far as the eye could see, crammed with dense crowds. Each of them was straining their wits, their heads buried in the asceticism, striving to climb upward. Most of them wore expressions of intense pain, their teeth clenched, veins bulging on their foreheads, as if every step required immense effort and was incredibly difficult.
However, when Qingque stepped onto the second step, she didn't feel the heavy pressure she had imagined. On the contrary, she even felt that this step was much easier than climbing ordinary stairs, and she could climb it smoothly without any effort.