The Jaguar on the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps

Xiao Chen arrived silently in the Otherworld, descending toward the boundless continent below.

This was a primeval continent. The Otherworld had clearly been entrenched here for endless ages, its hidden depths of power unfathomable.

The moment he entered this continent, Xiao Chen spotted the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps. The shattered, ominous staircase had regenerated, moved here by the gods from the ruined world where it had once stood.

“An omen of great evil!”

Xiao Chen stared at the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps, his expression grim. Vaguely, he felt an immense threat emanating from atop them.

Could the Demon Shadow truly have reappeared in this world?

Xiao Chen dared not act rashly. He needed to understand the situation. The Five Emperor Tower hung above his head, thoroughly concealing his aura, ensuring his safety. Otherwise, let alone that great evil, even Lu Zhan and the gods would kill him without hesitation if they learned of his arrival.

He had escaped from the stone gate atop the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps, and the Otherworld likely still did not know of it.

This vast, boundless continent stretched endlessly, with no end in sight. Xiao Chen descended into a primeval forest, cautiously altered his appearance, and merged with the Five Emperor Tower to an absolute degree, ensuring no flaw remained, before stepping out.

Soon, he captured a king of eight-legged spiders in a jungle. It seemed to be of the same race as the Otherworld Ancestral God Babula from the past, possessing not only eight bone spears but also a fearsome scorpion tail.

Indeed, the races of the Otherworld were bizarre. Though they all ultimately evolved into human form, many clans retained strange, monstrous shapes before reaching the highest realms, and some were even unconventional lifeforms like drifting clouds or shadowy mists.

Searching the spider king’s sea of memory, Xiao Chen gained a preliminary understanding of the Otherworld. This vast ancient continent was divided into several regions, each developing in a different direction.

Xiao Chen drew in a cold breath. Four regions were particularly famous: the Divine Demon Region, the Science and Martial Arts Civilization Region, the Primordial Prison Region, and the Ancestral Forbidden Zone—these were the four great territories of the Otherworld.

The Divine Demon Region was the continuation and development of divine demon civilization, the very foundation of Otherworld culture. All the gods who had appeared in the past, including Lu Zhan, originated here. After billions of years of development, they had absorbed the cultivation methods of many civilizations and reached an extreme of power, boasting an exceedingly glorious history.

The Science and Martial Arts Civilization Region, on the other hand, originated from the path of strengthening the body through mortal technology. Though it had been suppressed and interrupted for endless ages, it had recently revived. All research here served combat; some fearsome weapons could threaten even Ancestral Gods and shatter great worlds.

As for the Primordial Prison Region, it filled Xiao Chen with both excitement and fury. This place imprisoned countless serious criminals—or more precisely, killing machines. Many were the strongest figures from various eras of the Nine Provinces, transformed into combat puppets. This region was filled with cruelty and cold blood; it was less a prison and more a test site for slaughter tools.

The Ancestral Forbidden Zone was an exclusive domain for Supreme Ancestral Gods and Stone Men capable of forging Primordial Demon Cities. Ordinary beings could not enter. It was a tranquil pure land, a training ground prepared for the very strongest. Of course, many did not train here, unwilling to share the same space; they had their own separate caves outside.

Though Xiao Chen had a mad urge to ignite the Science and Martial Arts Forbidden Zone and turn this entire Otherworld into a exploding firework, after calming down he realized it was likely impossible. The Otherworld’s foundation was far deeper than he imagined. Destroying it was no easy task; with Ancestral God-level beings guarding it, he had no opportunity. This time, as long as he could retrieve the Heavenly Mark, it would be enough.

Walking through an ancient city, the streets were crowded with people—various oddly shaped Otherworld beings living together in harmony, no different from human society.

Xiao Chen had already passed through thirty-seven cities in the Divine Demon Region and was now heading toward the Divine Demon Ancient Capital, the largest city in this civilization region.

From far off on the horizon, he could see that colossal thing. Yes, still far away, but already a boundless black line could be seen on the horizon.

This was an incomparably majestic ancient city. When one drew slightly closer and could see the blurred shadow of the giant city, it was staggering. The first ancient capital of the Otherworld’s four regions was simply too vast.

It was grander than any Primordial Demon City Xiao Chen had ever seen. It was hard to imagine how many Otherworld powerhouses dwelled inside.

“This…” Xiao Chen’s face grew solemn. The more powerful a cultivator, the more they could sense the unusual nature of this city.

Xiao Chen was unsettled. The pitch-black ancient city ahead was very peculiar. Had it been built by man? He strongly doubted it!

It was many times more magnificent than the Heavenly Emperor City, larger than any city he had ever seen.

A bad feeling rose in Xiao Chen’s heart. The giant city seemed natural, as if not man-made, and was even more imposing than an ordinary King’s Divine City.

Finally, he drew near. A primeval aura rushed toward him. A mysterious, mighty force inherited from the primordial age flowed within the giant city, pressing down on Xiao Chen.

Now, he was even more convinced that this truly did not seem to be a city built up by later generations. It was very likely a Primordial Demon City formed through nirvana by some earth-shaking figure.

Strangely, Xiao Chen felt oppressed here, his heart uneasy, but the Otherworld beings entering and leaving the city were unaffected.

Inside his body, the Five Emperor Tower emitted faint light, and the immense pressure on Xiao Chen lessened. Only then did he return to normal and walk into the giant city.

An ancient city, full of the vicissitudes of time. The walls bore sword marks and blade holes, weathered by endless ages, giving a sense of historical weight and the sediment of years.

In this first ancient capital of the Otherworld, there were no strangely shaped people. All were in normal human form, indicating they were all powerful Otherworld cultivators, not a single weakling among them.

There seemed to be an extremely strict hierarchy. Ordinary weaklings could not enter this city; only the strong could dwell here.

Xiao Chen soon sensed that the spiritual energy here was at least ten times denser than elsewhere, entirely provided by this ancient city, not because there was some spiritual vein underground.

Xiao Chen grew even more suspicious.

Without anyone noticing, he took control of an Otherworld cultivator and searched his sea of memories. He learned that the history of this ancient capital was extremely long, its founding time impossible to verify. However, it was said that during several great migrations of the Otherworld, the ancient capital was carefully protected and moved to new worlds.

Though the exact age of its construction could not be determined, this alone proved that the first ancient capital was extraordinarily ancient, with mysterious and unfathomable origins.

“This Otherworld ancient capital really might have been formed through nirvana by some supreme figure…” When he made this deduction, a chill ran down Xiao Chen’s spine.

But he believed that even if such a figure existed, he must have long since left this world, or at least was no longer in the Otherworld.

After some investigation, Xiao Chen sensed the presence of a Heavenly Mark—right within this city!

This delighted Xiao Chen beyond expectation. As he had guessed, this first ancient capital was the root of the four regions, the origin of the Otherworld. It was no accident that the one who had absorbed the Heavenly Mark appeared here.

He was extremely cautious and did not act immediately. He slowly drew closer and finally identified his target: a young man with unfathomably deep power. Of course, this was only youthful in appearance; how many years he had actually lived was hard to say.

Xiao Chen waited in this ancient capital for nine full days before the young man emerged from the central imperial city, then directly rose into the air, flying toward the sky.

His destination was the ominous place suspended in the heavens—the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps.

This time, Xiao Chen dared not approach too closely. Using the imprint of the Five Emperor Tower to hide his traces, he stood in the void a full thousand li away, observing with his Truth-Seeking Eyes.

“Very good…”

Just then, Xiao Chen’s spiritual sense caught a voice like rolling thunder, echoing around the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps.

At the same time, Xiao Chen saw an unbelievable scene. A huge, azure beast arm, covered in azure scales, reached out from the end of the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps. Black mist surged, and it grabbed the young man.

“You have done well. You have finally absorbed two Heavenly Marks…”

The azure beast claw, as large as a mountain, was wreathed in rolling black mist. It pulled the youth back into the depths of the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps.

Xiao Chen’s heart was profoundly shaken. At the end of the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps dwelled such a terrifying azure-scaled giant beast. What in the world was it? It was definitely not the Demon Saint Shadow from behind the stone gate.

The great evil omen originated here!

It was a being whose power surpassed the limits of the world!

How could this be? Weren’t such figures unable to exist in the world? How had it appeared, and now occupied an ominous, sacred site in the Otherworld?

Xiao Chen dared not make any rash move. The Five Emperor Tower suppressed him into a state nearly indistinct from annihilation. At this moment, he was like drifting clouds, like flowing wind, without the slightest hint of aura.

Otherwise, if discovered, he would surely die.

“What are they trying to do? Someone in the Otherworld can absorb Heavenly Marks, and it seems to be arranged by this giant beast…”

Xiao Chen waited quietly. The Ninety-Nine Stone Steps, this ominous place, was shrouded in surging black clouds, dark and unfathomable.

Only after a full half-month did motion come from there again. The azure-scaled beast claw reached out, sending the young man back out.

That young man prostrated himself devoutly before the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps, then flew away into the distance.

Xiao Chen noticed with surprise that the youth’s aura seemed even more powerful. The mysterious potential hidden within his body was far more terrifying than half a month ago; he had become even more unfathomable.

The young man did not fly back to the first ancient capital but crossed the Science and Martial Arts Civilization Region, heading toward the other end of the continent. Xiao Chen followed unhurriedly behind.

Below, towering skyscrapers of the Science and Martial Arts Civilization Region stood in close order, a stark and conflicting contrast with the Divine Demon Region.

Soon, Xiao Chen discovered that the young man’s destination was the Ancestral Forbidden Zone. Here, he became especially cautious and did not dare enter deeply.

Just then, Xiao Chen spotted a familiar figure—Lu Zhan himself had risen to meet him.

The young man hurriedly knelt. “I pay homage to the Ancestor!”

“Rise. Come down and speak.” Lu Zhan led the young man down into the mountain range below. Pavilions, towers, flowing springs, and cascading waterfalls made the scenery very beautiful.

“This time, I feel my physical body has grown even stronger. It is not only the effect of the Heavenly Stele Profound Art; the main reason is that ‘that person’ tempered my physique for me.” The young man reported truthfully, a look of anxiety on his face. “But I grow more and more afraid. Its gaze is like that of a predator eyeing its prey. It no longer seems to be perfecting me, but forging its own vessel.”

Lu Zhan muttered to himself, “Weren’t such beings all wiped out? They cannot exist in the world. How has it reappeared…”

“Ancestor, is it truly our progenitor?”

Lu Zhan furrowed his brow. “There is no such record at all. I cannot trace its origin. We have no such progenitor…”

“Then should we…” The young man’s eyes gleamed with a fierce light.

“Do not act rashly. Even if I were to intervene, it would be useless!” Lu Zhan’s gaze was sharp. “For now, treat it as a first-generation ancestor. It occupying the end of the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps is not entirely a bad thing.”

“But its mind is sometimes mad, sometimes lucid. I truly fear it might do something terrible…” The youth was full of worry. “Moreover, half of its body has been destroyed. What remains is merely a crippled form, and it is worsening. It is difficult for it to exist long in this world. If only we could take this opportunity to eliminate it; if it comes up with some solution, the consequences would be dire!”

“I know you fear it will use you as a cauldron. But do not worry too much. You will be absolutely safe for a hundred years. Your current body cannot yet satisfy its needs. Moreover, it wishes to gather all the Heavenly Marks—how could that ever be accomplished in an eternity?” Lu Zhan’s face was overcast. “Its flesh body is decaying, but entrenched at the end of the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps, it might still live for a thousand years. And if it restrains its aura and sleeps, it might last even longer.”

“What kind of origin does it have…” The young man frowned deeply.

“It must be a terrifying figure from some ancient era in the distant past…” Lu Zhan gazed at the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps. “I once spied on it and heard it say it wanted to destroy all descendants of the Five Emperors. If that is true, then it is definitely on our side.”

Hearing these words, Xiao Chen’s heart shook. He instantly recalled the avatar projection he had encountered in the Buddha’s sea of consciousness. It was him—it must be him who had returned!

But hadn’t the old stone turtle and Shi Zhongdi said it could not possibly return alive? Yet in the end, it had appeared!

And now, it was collecting the Heavenly Steles, with grand designs.

A being exiled by the Five Emperors, living to this day—unless the Little Stone Emperor were reborn, it seemed no one could suppress it.

Moreover, from the scattered clues, it might truly be the first generation ancestor of the Otherworld! Otherwise, why would it come directly to the end of the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps and not massacre wantonly here?

“I will take you to the Celestial Realm to visit several ancient fossils who survived from the primordial age. They have already become our allies. Perhaps they can deduce the origin of the being that tempered your body from the aura you carry. There may be definitive records of this figure in the Celestial Realm…”

Hearing Lu Zhan say this, Xiao Chen’s heart stirred. This would be an excellent opportunity. He could only make his move when he left the Otherworld; otherwise, the being on the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps was too terrifying.