Supreme Star Card Master

In the blink of an eye, it was already the day of the Dragon Gate Conference.

On a street in Dragon Gate City, Su Yuan, Huang Xiang, and Luo Bingtong were casually walking.

“There are a lot of people on the street, but why hasn’t there been any movement yet?” Huang Xiang asked in confusion.

“Such events are usually very particular about timing,” Su Yuan glanced at the time, “It’s almost noon now. High noon is actually a good time…”

As Su Yuan was speaking, his sleeve was tugged by Luo Bingtong.

“What’s wrong, Bingtong?”

Luo Bingtong let go of his hand and pointed to the eastern sky: “Over there.”

Su Yuan and Huang Xiang both looked towards the east but saw nothing.

Just as they were puzzled, a bright dragon’s roar suddenly came from the sky. Soon after, a hundred-zhang long golden dragon soared from a distance!

“This is… a true dragon?!”

“It is said that Dragon Gate City is related to the Dragon Clan. It seems it’s true!”

…

Amidst the exclamations of the crowd in Dragon Gate City, the hundred-zhang golden dragon had already flown above Dragon Gate City.

It roared and turned, dragon roars resounded, auspicious clouds gathered, and the sky was filled with glowing lights.

In a short moment, the entire sky was a scene of auspicious signs!

“Roar!!”

The hundred-zhang golden dragon hovering in the sky let out another high-pitched roar. Simultaneously, from the southeast, northwest, and north corners of Dragon Gate City, an astonishing dragon-shaped light pillar rose into the sky, merging into the auspicious clouds above the golden dragon’s head.

The clouds were surging as if something huge was about to appear.

Soon, as the auspicious clouds dispersed, a massive palace stood in the sky at an unknown time.

And the four dragon-shaped light pillars condensed from bottom to top, turning into four sky-supporting azure dragon jade pillars, holding up this Heavenly Palace!

In Dragon Gate City, experts and talents from all sides who came to participate in the conference, as well as the Star Card Masters and even ordinary people in Dragon Gate City, all looked up in shock at the suddenly appearing Heavenly Palace!

“Lord Qin, Lord Qin, Lord Qin!!”

And all the people of Dragon Gate were excitedly shouting the name of the city lord.

After a high roar, the hundred-zhang golden dragon quickly shrunk to about ten zhang and swooped down from the high sky, hovering a few hundred meters above Dragon Gate City.

At this time, everyone finally saw clearly that on the dragon’s back stood a middle-aged man with a resolute face, bearing a few resemblances to Qin Lianyun. Who else could he be but the lord of Dragon Gate and newly promoted King-level expert, Qin Xiangyang?

The golden dragon summoned auspicious clouds. The four pillars held up the palace, standing in the sky, overlooking the multitudes!

“Gss…” Su Yuan and Huang Xiang were also awestruck by the scene and gasped in shock.

Su Yuan had never seen a King-level expert before. Even the Dean Cai in the academy was a King-level expert but never showed off.

Many students had never truly felt what a King-level expert was like.

Now, before them stood a newly crowned King-level expert with an overwhelming presence!

“Thank you all for coming to Dragon Gate City to participate in this conference. Qin is deeply honored. Today, the Sky Dragon Palace has opened, and Qin is waiting for you above!” Qin Xiangyang’s loud voice echoed like thunder in the sky, making everyone hear it clearly.

After Qin Xiangyang finished speaking, the golden dragon under him let out a roar and soared into the Sky Dragon Palace.

Before the people below could react, streams of light flew into the high sky from all directions.

“Envoy of the Great Flame Country arriving, presenting a mining right of a Tiger Vein!”

“Envoy of the Black Snow Country arriving, presenting two pieces of Epic Star Artifacts!”

…

“Envoy of the Qiguang Country arriving, presenting three pieces of Epic Star Artifacts!”

“Envoy of the Rhein Country arriving, presenting a King-level Star Beast Golden Bone!”

…

Voices reporting congratulatory gifts echoed from the Sky Dragon Palace in the high sky. They were the envoys sent by various forces.

“The Great Flame Country even gifted a mining right of a Tiger Vein!” Su Yuan’s heart stirred. This was indeed a grand gift!

Star Veins are ranked from high to low into Dragon, Tiger, Wolf, and Dog grades. The Tiger Vein is second only to the Dragon Vein.

The Star Stones in a Tiger Vein could support the cultivation needs of several Burning Sun Stage practitioners. For Dragon Gate, which was looking to expand its power, this was precisely what they needed!

“Moreover, the Qiguang Country has indeed come, bringing three pieces of Epic Star Artifacts…” Su Yuan’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

The Black Snow Country, adjacent to the Black Wind Domain, gave two pieces of Epic Star Artifacts as a gift to Dragon Gate. The Qiguang Country, located in the Northern Pole, gave three pieces of Epic Star Artifacts. They really extended too far…

In a short while, at least a hundred Sun and Moon Stage Level Three experts had flown directly into the Sky Dragon Palace.

Major forces and renowned experts would bring some gifts. However, young experts who came because of admiration did not necessarily need to bring rare gifts.

After all, one of the main purposes of the Dragon Gate Conference was to recruit experts from all sides to expand their power. Naturally, they wouldn’t set up a gift threshold.

As for those in the Lower Three Levels, they could only enter the Sky Dragon Palace through the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder.

At this time, the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder was already circulating deep blue light from its steps, rising into the sky. At the top of the 999-step ladder, there was a transmission gate sculpted with an azure dragon leading straight into the Sky Dragon Palace.

“Let’s go, to the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder!”

At this moment, more and more people were heading to the starting point of the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder. Su Yuan and the other two didn’t wait much longer and walked over as well.

The starting point of the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder was named “Dragon Ascending Square,” maintained and guided by the people of Dragon Gate.

“Don’t worry about falling. If you fail, the power of the ladder will guide you to land safely.”

“After walking through the ladder and entering the transmission gate, you will be able to go up to the Sky Dragon Palace to participate in the next stage of the conference…”

“The ladder is wide. Everyone, please spread out a bit.”

…

When Su Yuan and the others arrived, hundreds of people had already stepped onto the ladder, moving forward step by step.

Amid the progress, everyone was still talking curiously.

“Huh, the Star Power is being suppressed?”

“And there’s a force of pressure, making the body feel heavier.”

…

“It seems like the realm has indeed advanced a bit! Wang Xin, move faster. What’s this bit of pressure?”

“Stop it. I still feel a bit uncertain in my heart. It’s said that falling won’t cause any harm, but what if something goes wrong…”

…

“Being able to communicate like this suggests the beginning is relatively easy.” Su Yuan observed those stepping onto the ladder, “According to what they say, does the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder indeed suppress Star Power?”

Huang Xiang was eager: “Su Yuan, should we go up now?”

“Of course,” Su Yuan nodded, “We’ll know once we try it out.”

Although Su Yuan could use Elemental Magnetism Pressure to fly directly up, if the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder had the effect of enhancing cultivation as described in the intel, he certainly wouldn’t miss it.

From the slightly surprised looks of those who had climbed the ladder, it seemed that whatever the specific effect was, it was effective to some extent.

As more and more people stepped onto the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder from the Dragon Ascending Square, Su Yuan and the other two followed suit. They stepped onto the first step of the white ladder flowing with blue light.

As soon as he stepped on, Su Yuan felt a strange fluctuation spreading from the ladder under his feet throughout his body. His body felt heavier, and even his Star Power was significantly suppressed.

After slightly sensing it, Su Yuan was about to continue.

At this moment, accompanied by an exclamation, a Bronze Level youth in front of them, unable to bear the pressure when stepping onto the seventy-something step, fell off.

Still in mid-air, he was enveloped by a dragon-shaped light that flew out from the ladder, gently lowering him back to the ground of Dragon Ascending Square.

As the first person to fall off the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder, his action attracted everyone’s attention.

“It indeed seems fine…”

“Then I can be assured and charge. If you’re a man, reach the 999th step!”

“You wish. It’s said that among those invited to climb the ladder a few days ago, the highest any Silver Level reached was three or four hundred steps. We’ll be good if we make it to the 333rd step!”

“…”

The Bronze Level youth who fell off felt somewhat annoyed by being watched and discussed by thousands.

“Let me try again. This time I will definitely surpass my previous attempt.”

However, when he tried to step onto the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder again, he found an invisible force blocking him.

“Each carp has one chance to leap over the Dragon Gate.”

Su Yuan recalled this phrase from the intel.

Undoubtedly, once off the ladder, there was no second chance.

No longer looking, Su Yuan stepped onto the second step.

Just as both feet stepped onto the second step, Su Yuan’s Star Power, which had advanced significantly due to intense practice in the Star Mist Pool, advanced further!

Though the change was minimal, with Su Yuan’s keen sense of Star Power, he immediately noticed the subtle change within his body.

Su Yuan’s heart tightened, “It actually works! This power…”

It was just the peculiar fluctuation from the second stone step that prompted the advancement of his realm.

It wasn’t a simple accumulation of Star Power but an entirely different way to advance in realm!

“What exactly is this power?”

As he quickened his pace, Su Yuan pondered how to describe this power.

As Su Yuan reached the 100th step, a stronger force enveloped him, visibly advancing his cultivation realm.

Excitement surged in Su Yuan’s eyes. Not because of the advancement but because he finally thought of the precise way to describe this power!

“Transcendence!”

“It’s the power of ‘Transcendence.’ That’s it. The information from the Star Card Master Association had already explained it clearly!”

“Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder is forged from the laws of power shed by Qin Xiangyang after breaking through to the King level. It has 999 steps. Every step allows one to transcend their former self.”

This was how the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder was described in the information, very precise.

With each step, Su Yuan’s Star Power increased not by absorbing new Star Power but by transcending his previous self!

“This ‘Transcendence’ law power can actually bypass Star Power to enhance the realm. It’s incredible…”

After marveling, Su Yuan suppressed his thoughts and looked to the side.

Huang Xiang and Luo Bingtong were also there. Obviously, the 100th step was no challenge for them.

However, many Bronze and Silver Second Stage Star Card Masters, starting from the 67th step, had begun to fall off the ladder. At the 100th step, the pressure increased significantly, and many couldn’t stand firm.

Huang Xiang clicked his tongue: “The pressure on the 100th step is much stronger. For Bronze Level practitioners, 100 steps are likely the limit.”

Su Yuan said: “Yes, but reaching the 100th step boosts Star Power significantly. For Bronze Level, achieving 100 steps is worth it.”

“Heh, that’s true!”

By now, many Gold Level experts had quickly reached the 300th or 400th step, leaving the main group far behind.

However, Su Yuan wasn’t in a hurry. The goal was not speed but to thoroughly climb the entire 999 steps.

“The power of transcendence… If I finish the Dragon Gate Heavenly Ladder, I might just step into the High Stage!”

With renewed determination, Su Yuan continued climbing.

“Let’s keep going!”