Chapter 4834

Nan Batian stood to the side, observing Lin Chong and Taoist Wuji—both powerful figures—showing such deep respect for Kai. In that moment, he felt fortunate to have chosen to follow the right person.

“Kai, what’s going on? Why were we all sent out?” Lin Keting asked.

“I brought the guardian of the first floor with me. Naturally, that meant everyone inside had to be sent out as well,” Kai explained.

“Mr. Chen, is this the person you were referring to?” Lin Chong asked, glancing at Nan Batian.

Taoist Wuji also studied Nan Batian with a puzzled expression. “A cultivator from the Heaven Realm?” he asked.

Kai nodded. “His name is Nan Batian. He was once a cultivator in the Heaven Realm, but due to a minor mistake, he was imprisoned on the first floor of the Heavenly Ladder as its guardian.

“I broke the prison seal on him, so I brought him out.”

“You broke the prison seal?” Taoist Wuji was visibly shocked. “Breaking a prison seal at will triggers punishment from Heaven. If the prisoner is someone powerful, the resulting divine retribution can be terrifying!”

As a cultivator from the Heaven Realm himself, Taoist Wuji knew this all too well.

“It wasn’t anything serious, just a mere Golden Immortal. The power of Heaven’s punishment was weak,” Kai said nonchalantly.

“What? A mere Golden Immortal?”

Everyone froze, staring at Kai in stunned silence.

Since when did a Golden Immortal amount to nothing in his eyes?

Not far away, Ning Zhi nearly smacked himself on the forehead when he heard Kai’s words.

“Mr. Chen is truly incredible. My prison seal was branded by a Golden Immortal, yet he broke it effortlessly and even withstood Heaven’s punishment!”

Nan Batian’s words confirmed that Kai wasn’t exaggerating.

This time, no one spoke. They simply didn’t know what to say.

Meanwhile, some cultivators had already started making their way to the second floor. Others, however, approached Kai and asked humbly, “Mr. Chen, are you planning to ascend to the second floor? If you are, could you take care of the guardian there as well? That way, we might benefit from it too!”
Kai had taken in the guardian of the second floor, allowing everyone who entered to receive the pass mark as well.

“Of course, I’m going. The Heavenly Ladder has nine floors, which means nine guardians—I plan to collect them all!”

Kai gazed up at the towering ladder before him, his tone filled with confidence.

Though many suspected he was exaggerating, excitement still spread among the crowd.

If they followed closely behind him, could they also clear all nine floors and ascend to the Heaven Realm?

“I want to go to the second floor too!” Lin Keting said eagerly.

With Kai’s strength, she felt reassured that there would be no danger in following him.

“Ting’er, don’t be reckless. Just because the first floor was safe doesn’t mean the second floor will be the same,” Lin Chong warned sternly.

“No! I’m going!” Lin Keting protested, clinging to Kai’s arm.

Seeing this, Kai sighed helplessly and said, “Let her come. With me here, there shouldn’t be any real danger below the fourth floor.”

“I will also protect Mr. Chen!” Nan Batian quickly added.

Although he couldn’t challenge the guardian of the second floor, he could still handle the cultivators in that world.

Seeing their determination, Lin Chong finally relented and allowed Lin Keting to enter the second floor.

Taking her hand, Kai leaped toward the second-floor stone steps, with Nan Batian following closely behind.

“Junior Brother, what should we do? Follow him and wait for an easy clearance?” Su Yuqi asked Ning Zhi.

Ning Zhi’s expression darkened in frustration. After a long sigh, he finally conceded, “We don’t have much choice. I just want to see how far Kai can go…”

With that, he and Su Yuqi also leaped up, heading straight for the second-floor stone steps.