Nine Nether Dragon Emperor-Chapter 253: I Just Love a Challenge!

Opening the Ladder to Heaven requires two Venerables!

The other Venerable was slapped to death by Ning Xuan.

We’re totally screwed! Now I’m going to be trapped in this Sin Prison!

You Ruo’s expression changed drastically as well.

"Ning Xuan, look what you’ve done!" she snapped, unable to hold back any longer. She stared at him, trembling with anger.

After a moment of confusion, Ning Xuan hastily waved his hands. "You’re pregnant? It wasn’t me, okay? I didn’t even touch your finger."

"Pfft... Hahaha..."

From atop the mobile villa, Wu Pianpian, who had been ready to intervene, couldn’t help but burst into laughter, completely forgetting her image.

That damn woman, You Ruo, needs someone like Junior Brother to tame her!

"AHH, I’m going to kill you!"

You Ruo was completely infuriated, her aura suddenly flaring intensely. Wu Pianpian’s laughter came to an abrupt halt, her fighting spirit surging like an ocean. However, she didn’t move, because someone else had already taken the first step—Nanling Bully.

"You Ruo, calm down! We might need to rely on Young Master Ning!" Nanling Bully softly urged.

"Rely on him? He just..."

You Ruo scoffed but immediately shut her mouth. She thought of everything Ning Xuan had done. If she spoke too definitively now, she would just be setting herself up for embarrassment later. After all, as annoying as this guy was, his abilities were truly formidable! Maybe he really could think of a solution!

"Um, Young Master Ning, I have some important matters to discuss with you. Would you deign to step aside for a moment?" Nanling Bully transmitted to Ning Xuan, his voice and attitude more humble than ever.

He had no choice. If they couldn’t open the Ladder to Heaven, forget about assessing the prodigies. He wouldn’t even be able to go back! If he had to stay here for three years, he would definitely go mad!

「Yao Guang. High Heaven Headquarters.」

"What is he doing?! He’s thrown away all the face of our Nanling Family!" a Nanling Family elder fumed.

"Exactly. Ning Xuan killed Wenren Yi. As a fellow from Yao Guang, instead of punishing Ning Xuan, he’s groveling and begging. It’s utterly shameful!" someone else chimed in.

The Nanling Family elder was instantly displeased. "Shameful? Young Master Ning is the Wenren Family’s precious little ancestor!"

Just as an elder from the Wenren Family was about to speak, the Nanling elder cut in, "If you’re not happy about it, our Nanling Family is!"

The Wenren elder immediately fell silent.

"Haha, just joking, trying to lighten the mood." Seeing the tide turn against him, the other man quickly laughed it off and changed the subject. "By the way, do you all think he can actually do it?"

Everyone knew who "he" was and fell silent. In truth, they all already had the answer.

Nanling Bully was just clutching at straws in a desperate situation. Ning Xuan was indeed heaven-defying, but what was the Ladder to Heaven? It was a supreme existence whose rules even Venerables had to obey! Opening the Ladder to Heaven required the combined power of two Venerables. That was the rule! A rule of the Heavenly Dao! It could not be altered! It could not be desecrated! Ning Xuan was only in the Heavenly Realm, yet Nanling Bully was consulting him with such humility. It was beyond foolish! This was the true reason for the Nanling Family elder’s anger.

"Bulang!" the Nanling Family elder suddenly called out.

A knock soon sounded at the door, and a young man who bore a strong resemblance to Nanling Bully appeared.

"Bulang, go prepare a coffin for your father."

Nanling Bulang didn’t move. The first thing he’d seen upon entering was his father on the screen. He was naturally displeased at being told to prepare a coffin for his old man.

"What? You won’t even listen to me anymore?!" the elder’s voice grew several shades deeper.

Sweat immediately beaded on Nanling Bulang’s forehead. "Bulang wouldn’t dare. But my father is still alive and well. If Bulang may be so bold, why?" he asked, clenching his teeth and uncharacteristically standing his ground.

"Why? Because he can’t even open the Ladder to Heaven, bringing shame to our Nanling Family! You don’t want to walk around with your head down for the rest of your life, do you?"

Nanling Bulang glanced at the screen again. "Isn’t Wenren Yi, Uncle Yi, there? Where is he?!"

At the same time, he was very puzzled. Who was that young man on the screen, standing slightly ahead of his father? His father was incredibly proud; even in Yao Guang, he would never be so courteous to a youth. What was going on...?

"He’s dead! Killed by the guy you’re looking at right now."

"What?! That’s impossible!" Nanling Bulang exclaimed in disbelief.

That young man is younger than me! And isn’t the Lower Realm the Sin Prison? How could a sin-slave from there possess such a heaven-defying ability?!

"It’s the absolute truth! Go back and prepare the coffin. And you need to start cultivating diligently. Otherwise, when he comes to Yao Guang in three years, I fear you won’t be able to take a single punch from him—no, not even a single finger!"

Nanling Bulang’s face was a mask of defiance, but he was smart enough not to talk back. He simply agreed respectfully. As he backed out of the room, however, his eyes lifted and locked onto Ning Xuan.

If the Ladder to Heaven can’t be opened this time, then the next time it opens, the moment that guy comes up, I’ll ambush him and kill him! Before then, I will etch his face into my memory!

「Lower Realm.」

Nanling Bully had no idea his dear son had already started plotting his revenge.

「In the Heavenly Palace.」

He explained to Ning Xuan that opening the Ladder to Heaven required two Venerables. When he finished, he looked at Ning Xuan with anticipation. "Young Master Ning, do you have a way to open it? Rest assured, as long as the method is feasible, I’ll pay you in Heavenly Crystals... no, I’ll pay you ten million Divine Crystals!"

This was a truly massive sum. The exchange rate between Heavenly Crystals and Divine Crystals was one to ten thousand.

"Where is the Ladder to Heaven? Take me to see it first."

Excitement flashed in Ning Xuan’s eyes. This was a rare challenge! And he loved a good challenge more than anything!

Overjoyed, Nanling Bully quickly led Ning Xuan deeper into the palace. After navigating a maze-like route for some time, the path ahead suddenly opened up. They had arrived in a secluded paradise. In front of them, cliffs were shrouded in mist; behind them, a waterfall cascaded down as if it were the Milky Way falling from the heavens. Pavilions and towers dotted the landscape amidst fluttering peach blossoms.

Nanling Bully walked toward the cliff’s edge and didn’t stop. Just as he took a step out over the abyss, a single step of a staircase materialized from the swirling mists, appearing from thin air without root or foundation.

Ning Xuan watched intently.

But Nanling Bully only took that one step before retreating, and the ethereal step instantly vanished.

"This is the Ladder to Heaven. It has one hundred steps in total. It requires the combined power of two Venerables to make it fully manifest!"

Ning Xuan remained silent. After a long while, Nanling Bully’s heart sank further and further. Just as he was about to lose all hope, Ning Xuan suddenly asked, "How many Divine Crystals did you say you’d give me again?"

"Ten million!" Nanling Bully replied instantly, looking at Ning Xuan with an expression more nervous and hopeful than ever before.

"Actually, I don’t really care about the Divine Crystals. I’m the type who just enjoys a challenge. This one is a bit difficult, though. Let me think it over!"

Nanling Bully immediately understood.