"S-S-Shit... Why is it so c-c-cold..." Yuelan muttered, shivering like a popsicle and stomping through the snow that was nearly knee-deep for her.

Funnily enough, the trip only took three weeks. They got a bunch of clothes, backpacks, and food. According to Hanbi, there were artifacts that could store items, much like an inventory. But those items were only obtainable in the Lower Heavens.

Still... Xuan was really not sure how Yuelan managed to get brain damage over the course of the journey. After all, he was wearing some shorts and a sweater. Since his whole body was covered in Qi, he wasn’t feeling cold. Also, he could walk on the snow, since the Qi somehow made him a little lighter in relation to the environment, so his feet didn’t sink.

Hanbi and Sierra were the same.

As for the closet idiot Yuelan, she decided not to use Qi. According to her, she wanted to feel what a lonely penguin felt. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Xuan didn’t really get the reference, but he was forced to slow down because of this idiot.

But despite all the hiccups and the sun nearly setting, Xuan suddenly noticed something in the distance.

It was an extremely large golden staircase. It went way beyond the clouds, and at the very top, Xuan could see something that resembled a golden temple, surrounded by makeshift clouds.

And of course, after getting the rundown by Hanbi over and over again, he already knew what this was.

The Heavenly Steps.

The place that all cultivators must come to if they want to go up or down a Tier world.

"When you said they’re big, I didn’t expect them to be that big. One step is like what, the size of a small house? Who exactly is supposed to walk on them? Giants?" Xuan asked.

Hanbi shrugged.

"According to legends, the giants and titans were the ones who built these steps. But no one really knows. I’m sure it’s just a lie."

Xuan raised a brow.

"Why do I get the feeling that your father told you this during one of your bedtime stories?"

She flinched, and that was all the answer he needed.

Sierra was a bit out of it. Xuan guessed that she was confident and very bold when needed, but she didn’t really feel like she fit in with the rest of them. It was his fault for not including her, but then again, Yuelan was the social butterfly.

And that very same social butterfly was freezing her balls off right behind them.

"B-B-Big staircase, huh?"

"Cut that shit out and cover yourself in Qi. You’re embarrassing me."

Yuelan glanced up, and with icicles forming from her snot, she pouted and finally covered herself in Qi. In an instant, all the cold she felt disappeared, and those icicles melted in real time.

Then, she tossed all of her winter clothes aside and quickly adjusted her regular clothes. They were a bit of a mess because of all that sweat, but since she didn’t really feel the cold, she went ahead and broke off the icicles made of snot and tossed them at Xuan.

Xuan used his Spatial Devour skill and sucked up the snot icicles with the miniature vortex before scoffing in disgust.

"Do that again and I’m going to absolutely destroy you. Now stop it and focus. Remember what Hanbi said?"

"Stairs big, stairs heavy, top of stairs important," Yuelan recalled like a caveman, then nodded at him. "Me understand."

Sierra let out a giggle from the side. Then, she said:

"I really wonder if I’ll be able to climb up. I don’t think my willpower’s that high."

"Don’t worry, dear Sierra. If your willpower’s as beautiful as your eyes, then I’m sure you’ll be just fine~" Yuelan said with a puffed-out chest.

"What...?" Sierra mumbled, confused.

Xuan let out a sigh. Did the cold really damage her brain?

"What she’s trying to say is that you’ll be fine. We’ll all be fine," he said.

Sierra stared at him for a moment, then just gave him a slight smile.

"Yeah, that’s what I meant," Yuelan chimed in, then glanced over at the Heavenly Steps. "Shall I show you all how a real gangster climbs the steps?"

No one said anything, which made Yuelan feel a little awkward. Even so, she coughed to herself and Void Stepped several times until she finally reached the first step.

There were around 50 steps in total, but to the confident Yuelan, she didn’t care.

So with a determined expression, she took a deep breath and jumped up to the first step. Once she landed atop it, she paused for a moment.

From the side, Xuan thought that she was already feeling the gravity increase. But just then, Yuelan turned toward all of them and gave them a thumbs up.

Then, she surprisingly began speedrunning the Heavenly Steps. She jumped to the second, third, fifth... 10th, 25th.

Before the minute was over, Yuelan was standing on the 50th step and chuckling with a hearty expression. It didn’t look like she even broke a sweat. If anything, he was sure the gravity didn’t even really affect her.

Whether that was because she was just too strong or enthusiastic, Xuan didn’t know.

Either way, he ignored the klutz at the top and instead turned over to Sierra and Hanbi.

"If you climb the steps once, it gets easier the next time, right?"

Hanbi nodded.

"You don’t feel the Qi Pressure a second time if you reach the top. You can go up and down freely. I won’t feel it either, since I’ve already descended."

Sierra still seemed a little unsure of herself, so Xuan decided to step up and give her a pat on the shoulder.

Then, he began slowly jogging over to the Heavenly Steps. Sierra and Hanbi followed after him until finally, they all arrived in front of the first step.

Xuan was immediately reminded of the mountain he had to climb over and over again back in the Grand Jade Temple. It was almost like an illusion of sorts.

But since he had already conquered that mountain, Xuan wasn’t worried about this one either.

So with that in mind, he took a deep breath and jumped, landing on the first step just a moment later.

He felt some wind brush past him, and it was so unnoticeable that Xuan really hoped this wasn’t the Qi Pressure Hanbi had mentioned, since this was just ridiculous...

And clearly, when Sierra landed right beside him and shared the same look of surprise, he knew he wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

Welp.

On the bright side...

"This is going to be easier than I thought."