Immortal Supreme: Sovereign of the Grand Dao
Chapter 254: Shocking True Dragon Fortune

Chapter 254: Shocking True Dragon Fortune

As the final rankings were about to begin, a hush fell over the massive arena.

The anticipation was thick in the air as the crowd watched with bated breath.

Before the true battles for placement could commence, a special baptism was to take place—one that would determine the fate and fortune of the top twenty.

From the highest seat in the arena, a powerful elder, dressed in ancient robes embroidered with golden runes, floated forward. His long white beard swayed in the breeze, and his piercing eyes surveyed the gathered geniuses with quiet authority. He lifted his hand, and instantly, a brilliant formation activated at the center of the arena.

The ground trembled as radiant symbols emerged from beneath the stage. A deep rumbling echoed throughout the vast coliseum as a majestic golden platform materialized in mid-air. It gleamed with an ethereal glow, and towering above it was a staircase of 999 steps, stretching into the sky like a path to the heavens. Each step pulsed with an unseen force, exuding an ancient pressure that made the very air feel heavier.

The elder’s voice resonated across the arena. "This is the Dragon Ascension Platform, a trial to measure one’s fortune and destiny. The higher you climb, the more your fortune will transform, evolving from a mere serpent into a flood dragon, and finally into a true dragon. At the pinnacle, one may awaken the ultimate form of dragon fortune, an honor only achieved by the greatest of emperors."

The crowd erupted into murmurs. This trial was legendary—spoken of in myths—but rarely witnessed. The sheer difficulty of climbing even a fraction of the staircase was enough to crush weaker cultivators. Only those with the highest potential and strongest fate could ascend to the final stage.

"Let the trial begin!" The elder declared, his voice infused with spiritual power.

One by one, the top twenty contenders stepped onto the base of the staircase. As soon as their feet touched the first step, their fortune was revealed in a dazzling display of ethereal light.

The initial reaction was swift. Most of the competitors had a fortune level of a serpent—varying in size, color, and intensity. Some had small, coiling serpent-shaped auras slithering around them, while others had larger, more defined serpents with gleaming scales, a sign of stronger fortune.

Among the most striking revelations were the twin princes, Kalius and Cedric. Their fortune was already on the verge of transforming. The serpents surrounding them flickered, their forms shifting as if they were about to molt into something greater. The aura around them radiated immense pressure, causing some of the weaker cultivators in the audience to stagger.

However, the greatest shock came from Prince Julius. As soon as he stepped onto the staircase, his fortune took form—not as a mere serpent, but as a flood dragon. A massive, translucent dragon wreathed in flowing energy emerged behind him, its form distinct and majestic. The sheer presence of his fortune sent waves of astonishment through the spectators.

"A flood dragon from the very beginning? Unbelievable!" someone gasped.

"His destiny is already leagues above the others. What kind of background does he have?"

Even the elders observing the trial exchanged intrigued glances. To start at the level of a flood dragon meant that his fate was already powerful enough to challenge some of the greatest prodigies of the era.

While the others were revealing their fortunes and beginning their climb, one individual remained motionless. Arthur stood outside the platform, watching the scene unfold with an expression of mild interest.

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder. "Why isn’t he stepping up?"

"Does he not dare to challenge the Dragon Ascension Platform?"

Just as speculation began to rise, Arthur took a slow step forward. The moment his foot touched the first step, a deafening silence fell upon the arena.

A violent gust of energy exploded from his body. Unlike the others, his fortune didn’t manifest immediately—it was as if the platform itself was hesitating, unable to gauge his true potential.

Then, with a roar that shook the heavens, an overwhelming golden light burst forth.

A colossal dragon aura materialized behind him—fully formed and undeniably powerful. But unlike the flood dragon of Prince Julius, this was something far beyond that level.

It was a true dragon.

Not in the process of transformation. Not a flood dragon on the verge of evolution. But a fully realized, majestic true dragon, its golden scales shining like divine metal, its eyes glowing with wisdom and dominion.

The very pressure of Arthur’s fortune sent the entire staircase into turbulence. The lower-ranked competitors felt their knees buckle. Some nearly lost their footing as an invisible force pressed down upon them, suffocating in its presence.

The crowd erupted into chaos.

"A true dragon fortune...!"

"Impossible! Even emperors in history had to climb to the peak before they could awaken such a fortune!"

"He... he started at the top!"

The elder who had activated the array narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable. He was silent for a long moment before finally speaking, his voice filled with something akin to awe.

"This... is an anomaly beyond all reasoning. His fortune does not evolve—it was already perfected from the moment he stepped forward."

Arthur, however, barely reacted. He looked at the steps before him, his face calm.

-----

As Arthur stood at the base of the Dragon Ascension Platform, the entire arena remained silent, overwhelmed by the sheer pressure of his revealed fortune.

A true dragon aura—perfected from the very beginning—was something that defied all reason. Even the greatest emperors of history had only managed to reach such a stage after an arduous climb.

But what no one knew was that Arthur was still holding back.

His fortune level, as displayed now, was merely his natural fate—without interference from the Fate Gem of the Multiverse that he possessed.

If he fully unleashed its power, his fate would no longer be bound to this world’s laws. His very existence was an anomaly, an entity who dictated his own destiny.

Yet Arthur had no intention of revealing this now. He had sensed something—something hidden beyond the 999th step.

’There is a one-thousandth step...’ he mused, eyes narrowing as he gazed up the endless staircase.

It was not something visible to ordinary eyes, but Arthur could perceive it with his unique fate.

At the peak of this unseen step, his past incarnation as the Mortal Emperor had left behind a jade slip—a key that would allow him full control over the Martial Emperor Secret Realm. If he could obtain it, he would become akin to a sovereign within the realm, holding authority over all its secrets.

Arthur exhaled softly. ’It’s time.’

A ripple of energy pulsed beneath his feet as he took his first step.

The moment Arthur moved, the rest of the top twenty competitors snapped out of their shock and began ascending as well.

Immediately, differences in strength became apparent.

The pressure from the first step alone was enough to weigh down some of the weaker contenders.

While most had serpent-shaped fortune auras, their initial step sent visible ripples through their bodies as they fought against the increasing suppression of the platform.

For Arthur, however, there was no such struggle. He walked up as if he were merely strolling on flat ground.

Within seconds, he had crossed ten steps, then fifty, then a hundred—without slowing down in the slightest.

The crowd gasped in astonishment.

"Impossible! He’s not even pausing!"

"He’s already past the hundredth step! That pressure should be unbearable!"

While Arthur surged forward, the others lagged far behind. But one person, surprisingly, was maintaining a considerable second place—Thomas.

His fortune aura, unlike the serpent or flood dragon seen among the others, took the form of a strange, shifting orb behind him.

It pulsated with an eerie glow, its depths seemingly endless. Many of the observing cultivators had never seen such a fortune aura before.

"What kind of fortune is that?"

"An orb? That doesn’t match any of the known dragon transformations!"

Even the elders watching from above furrowed their brows. The nature of fortune auras typically followed a clear path, from serpent to flood dragon to true dragon. Yet Thomas’s aura did not conform to these laws.

Regardless of what it was, Thomas continued to climb, his pace steady and unrelenting.

But even as he pushed himself, he was still far behind Arthur, whose figure had long disappeared above the 333rd step.

-------

High above, concealed within the shadows of a distant pagoda, a figure observed the scene unfold.

Suo Hao.

Wrapped in layers of runic arrays, he remained hidden from both sight and spiritual detection. His eyes glowed with a mysterious light as he fixed his gaze upon Arthur, studying his every movement.

’Such an overwhelming fortune aura...’ he thought, suppressing his shock. ’Even in the Upper Realms of the Immortal Worlds, individuals with this level of fate are rare. How can someone in the Mortal Emperor Realm possess such power?’

Suo Hao’s knowledge far surpassed that of the common sect elders present.

He understood the deeper implications of what he was witnessing. A person with such a fortune level was destined for greatness—not just in this world, but beyond it.

His mind raced with possibilities.

’If he ascends to the pinnacle...’

-----

Meanwhile, in another section of the grandstands, a group of cloaked figures sat together, their identities hidden beneath heavy robes. Their auras were restrained, making it impossible for ordinary cultivators to sense their true strength.

One of them, an elder with a raspy voice, spoke in a low whisper.

"This is a problem."

Another figure nodded slightly. "His fortune surpasses expectations. If left unchecked, he will interfere with our plans."

A third voice, deeper and colder, responded. "What do we do? Should we intervene?"

The first elder shook his head. "Not yet. The Martial Emperor Secret Realm is the true battlefield. This display is meaningless in the grand scheme. We must be cautious. If we act rashly, it may backfire."

Silence fell among them.

They had planned meticulously for decades, ensuring that their influence within the realm remained hidden while guiding events from the shadows. Arthur’s sudden rise to prominence was an unforeseen variable—one that could not be ignored.

"Keep watching," the deep-voiced figure finally said. "If he crosses the 999th step, we will take action. Until then, do not reveal our presence."

And so, the hidden forces lurking within the Mortal Emperor Realm continued their quiet vigil, waiting for the moment to strike.

--------

Meanwhile, Arthur had already crossed over the first 333 steps, stepping into the second stage of the platform. The air had grown heavier, the pressure multiplied severalfold, yet his expression remained indifferent.

Without stopping, he pressed forward, his figure completely unbothered by the constraints that crushed the others.

Behind him, the gap between him and the other contenders widened further. Even Thomas, who had been in second place, now seemed like a distant speck compared to Arthur’s relentless pace.

The arena had never witnessed such a scene before.

And yet, Arthur remained calm, his mind fixed on one thing alone.

’The one-thousandth step.’

He could feel it now, a whispering presence at the very peak, beyond the sight of anyone else.

In his past incarnation as the Mortal Emperor he had left him a Jade Slip—one that would grant him absolute dominion within the Martial Emperor Secret Realm.

And he must to claim it.

Without hesitation, he took another step.