processors;

* title: The Unyielding Ascension: A Tale of Faith and Peril

* content:

In the heart of the celestial realm, amidst a sea of faces brimming with anticipation and hope, a murmur of doubt rippled through the crowd.

"Alas, the throngs are many," a voice called out, its tone heavy with a hint of melancholy. "But how many among these scores will truly ascend to glory?"

The crowd fell silent, their eyes darting around in a vain search for the source of this unseasonably somber remark. Laughter flickered on the lips of some, but it was hollow,掩蓋不住心底的憂慮.

"You, sir, are truly a man of character," one commented, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "You dare speak such words at a time like this."

What the speaker had said was undoubtedly true. Ascending from the lower realm to the higher was no trivial matter. The heavens would bestow upon them nine layers of fierce thunderbolts, each with the power to incinerate the strongest of souls.

Should one endure the relentless ordeal, they would become celestial beings, but only at the cost of facing the possibility of annihilation. In a hundred emperors at the peak of their power, only one might succeed. This was why many, even though they had reached the peak, dared not ascend, for fear of the unknown.

Yet, such thoughts were best kept to oneself. To utter such words aloud could be perilous, as the speaker could well find themselves on the receiving end of someone's wrath.

In the distance, the figure of Lu Yuan emerged, leading his charge of曦碧瑤, Xu Chu, and an array of their most formidable lieutenants. They ascended the platform of ascension, a structure woven from defenses and capable of containing the heavens' wrath.

The crowd, however, noticed something amiss. "Hm, this is odd. Why are they all mounting the platform together?"

The sudden movement of Lu Yuan and his entourage was unlike the customary one-by-one approach. Confusion and speculation filled the air.

"Could it be... Lord Emperor意圖 to ascend all at once?"

The thought sent a shiver through the crowd. Was this madness? The thunderbolts' power would surge with the number of ascenders, and the risk was immense.

A tale from long ago came to mind—a pair of prodigies, a celestial couple, who had dared to ascend together. The heavens responded with one hundred and eight layers of thunder, and their fate was sealed in an instant. It was a cautionary tale, and no one dared to follow in their footsteps.

Suddenly, the lieutenants of Lord Emperor's myriad legions, formidable in their own right, lined up in formation and followed in their Master's wake, their battle cries echoing in the air.

"What? The legions are ascending the platform as well?"

The crowd was now at a loss. The legions were composed of emperors and beyond, why would they mix with the likes of the ascenders?

"Arah! It is recklessness! The legions are courting destruction!"

A doyen of the immortals, living for tens of thousands of years, sighed heavily. "The platform of ascension is meant to contain the thunderbolts, to protect the surroundings from ruin. Without it, a single ascension could turn the surrounding ten thousand miles into a wasteland."

He had witnessed firsthand the devastation of a thunderbolt storm. The visual was etched into his memory, a reminder of the awesome power of heaven's wrath. The legions, however, were but strong warriors, with no hope of withstanding such a tempest.

The crowd fell into a moment of silence, their thoughts racing. They couldn't comprehend why Lord Emperor would take such a perilous course.

And then, the women of his charge,曦碧瑤 and her sisters, felt a sense of unease overcoming them.

"Master Lu, is this really... safe?"

Their voices trembled with anxiety. They had read of the ascension and knew the risks involved.

Lu Yuan turned to them, his expression calm, his grip on their hands firm. "Trust me. There's nothing to fear."

His words were like balm to their souls, calming their fears. "Alright..."

"Master Lu, we believe in you!"

Their resolve flickered with newfound determination. If he had decided on this course, then they would follow, come what may. They would face whatever fate awaited them side by side with their Master.