@Italiano03 From story standpoint he shouldn't be able to go up, since its not potential or anything that lets you climb but your connection. He could be the best of the best, if he didn't cultivated this realm he shouldn't be able to go up even 1 step, and they are only there for 2 days? 3 maybe...
I still think he will be able to go up, but it not feels right.
@kbalintz It is the potential that matter though. In the previous chapter they said it's not the strength but the ability of the soul to communicate with heaven and earth that matters and again in this chapter it says that if the ability to communicate is weak you won't be able to go up. Afaik it has never been said that the more you cultivate the more your ability to do that rise so it could be somewhat innate. You can even see that in the fact that Yuyin was higher in the ranking than someone who was still considered stronger than her. So I don't think it's impossible that Nie Li's innate ability to "communicate with heaven and earth" is for some reason relatively high and that he will be able to go far. It's how I understood it at least.
@Ethernal@Asulador@InsanityApollo@Guroga, you mean, Soul Land and his 3K chapters of stairs climbing ?
Ok, maybe not 3K, but it really seems like it… Raise your hand if you droped Douluo Dalu because of this o/
And yes, @veggklokken is right, without spoiler, this stair climbing arc will be much more fun