Cloud Climbing Ladder

Early morning, Central Square, Jiangnan City.

A place where citizens once rested had today transformed into a grim battlefield for martial artists. High-strength energy barriers had been temporarily erected around the square, leaving only several heavily guarded entrances. Tens of thousands of examinees had gathered here, voices roaring like a boiling cauldron. The air was thick with tension, excitement, and undisguised fighting spirit.

All kinds of school uniforms, clan attire, and custom-made combat suits intermingled, forming a surging sea of color. Some closed their eyes to rest, their auras deep and steady; some chatted excitedly, rubbing their fists and palms; still others swept sharp gazes over potential opponents, trying to assess the threats in advance.

Lin Feng wore an ordinary dark tracksuit and stood relatively near the front of Third Middle School's group, unremarkable among the crowd. Yet his arrival still drew plenty of attention. Some gazes were curious, some appraising, and several cold stares came from the Tianyao Martial High School section, led by Chen Feng.

"So that's Lin Feng? He doesn't look like anything special."

"I heard he was the city's Top Scholar in the mock exam, and he even broke through to become a martial artist?"

"Hmph, it was only a mock exam. There was too much luck involved. Today is when we'll see the real deal."

The murmurs drifted over, but Lin Feng turned a deaf ear. He calmly looked toward the center of the square. At some point, a majestic white tower had risen there. Its body was not solid, but formed from countless flowing milky-white Energy Beams that shot straight into the clouds. On the outer side of the tower, a spiraling staircase made of the same condensed energy wound upward. This was—the Cloud Climbing Ladder!

The steps were broad enough for dozens of people to walk abreast, but the higher they went, the deeper their color became. The energy pressure faintly emanating from above made hearts tremble even from a great distance away.

"Silence!"

A deep voice boomed like thunder, crushing the noise across the entire square. Several figures appeared on the viewing platform, led by none other than Lei Lie, director of the Jiangnan City Martial Arts Bureau! Today, he was not dressed in casual attire, but in a crisp dark-blue Martial Arts Bureau ceremonial uniform. The lightning insignia on his epaulets gleamed brilliantly beneath the sun, and he radiated authority without needing anger. His gaze swept across the crowd, pausing imperceptibly on Lin Feng for an instant.

"I announce that the first stage of this year's Jiangnan Province martial examination qualifier—the Cloud Climbing Ladder—officially begins!" Lei Lie's voice spread throughout the square. "The rules are as follows: climb the stairs. The higher you climb, the higher your score! If you fall, your score will be locked in place! Time limit: two hours! Enter now!"

Bzzz—!

Several openings appeared in the energy barrier surrounding the square. The examinees, who had long been itching with impatience, surged toward the towering energy tower like floodwaters released from a dam!

"Charge!"

"Seize the advantage!"

The crowd rushed forward in a mighty tide. Lin Feng was in no hurry. Following Third Middle School's group, he moved ahead at an unhurried pace. His gaze swept over the figures charging at the very front; most were peak martial apprentices or newly advanced martial artists, impatient and restless.

The truly strong, such as Zhao Feng and Chen Feng, remained in the middle of the group like he did, their auras steady. Clearly, they understood that the Cloud Climbing Ladder could not be conquered through a single burst of momentum.

The instant he stepped into the energy tower's range, an invisible pressure suddenly descended! It was as though he had instantly been shackled in heavy chains, and even the circulation of his blood and qi slowed slightly.

"One times gravity..." Lin Feng judged instantly. To the examinees present who were martial apprentices and above, it was practically negligible.

He lifted his foot and stepped onto the first stair. The milky-white energy step felt solid beneath his foot, with none of the sensation of illusion.

For the first several hundred steps, the pressure increased extremely slowly. Most examinees could handle it with ease, and the crowd continued advancing upward in a dense formation. Shouts, footsteps, and heavy breathing mingled together.

Lin Feng blended into the crowd, his stride steady and his breathing long and measured. Thunder Foundation Establishment Chapter circulated on its own, slowly absorbing the sparse lightning-attribute spiritual energy around him and offsetting the negligible expenditure.

At three hundred steps, the pressure rose to one and a half times gravity.

At five hundred steps, the pressure rose to two times gravity.

By this point, a clear divide had begun to appear within the crowd. Quite a few martial apprentices with unstable foundations, who had advanced through pills or opportunistic methods, visibly slowed down. Their faces flushed red, sweat pouring down like rain. The true elites, however, remained unruffled.

Lin Feng noticed that Zhao Feng had always remained a short distance ahead, his rhythm unchanged, as if strolling through a courtyard. Chen Feng and the others followed closely behind Zhao Feng, their auras steady.

At seven hundred steps, the pressure suddenly rose to three times gravity!

"Ugh!"

"So heavy!"

A wave of startled cries and muffled groans rang out! A huge number of examinees seemed to have been struck by invisible sledgehammers, their bodies abruptly jolting to a halt. Some were even pressed flat against the stairs, struggling to rise! In an instant, more than half the crowd had been thinned out!

Three times gravity was a watershed! It was enough to eliminate the vast majority of martial apprentices! Even many examinees newly advanced to martial artists found every step arduous, their speed drastically reduced.

Zhao Feng, Chen Feng, and the others finally slowed as well, though they remained steady.

Lin Feng felt the triple gravity enveloping his body, but the corners of his lips curved faintly upward. This feeling was far too familiar. He had long grown accustomed to cultivating under this kind of pressure in the Martial Arts Bureau's gravity chamber. He could even practice martial techniques there!

His steps remained steady, and he even seemed more relaxed than before as he gradually began overtaking those examinees around him who were gritting their teeth and struggling onward.

"Hm?" Chen Feng ahead seemed to notice someone closing in from behind. When he turned around and saw Lin Feng, surprise flashed through his eyes before turning cold and sharp. He snorted and quickened his pace as well.

Eight hundred steps! Four times gravity!

The pressure surged once more! It was like four great mountains pressing down upon their shoulders! Bones groaned under the unbearable burden, blood flowed sluggishly, and every raised step required immense strength!

Sweat had already appeared on Chen Feng and the others' foreheads, and their breathing had become heavy. Though Zhao Feng still remained in the lead, his steps had clearly grown much heavier.

Meanwhile, the Thunder True Qi inside Lin Feng suddenly began to surge faster, and the effects of Thunder Foundation Establishment Chapter erupted at full force! His body seemed like an efficient converter, transforming part of the pressure imposed upon him into momentum that drove him forward! As his feet fell, they even left faint footprints on the energy stairs, where tiny arcs of electricity flickered and leaped!

He overtook one examinee after another who struggled onward, and instead of slowing, he accelerated!

"How is that possible?! He can still speed up under four times gravity?!"

"A Monster! He's simply a Monster!"

"His true qi attribute... seems to be lightning? Could it be resistant to gravity?"

The examinees below who had not yet been eliminated, along with the spectators around the square, saw this scene through the enormous light screens and cried out in disbelief!

On the viewing platform, a satisfied smile flashed through Lei Lie's eyes.

As Chen Feng watched Lin Feng pass him step by step, his expression turned extremely ugly. He desperately pushed his true qi to its limit, only to discover that the distance between himself and Lin Feng was growing wider and wider! A powerless sense of defeat surged into his heart.

Nine hundred steps! Five times gravity!

The terrifying pressure was like tangible seawater, squeezing in from every direction! By this point, the examinees still persisting were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns—fewer than a hundred remained! Every step upward was like trudging through a mire, requiring tremendous willpower and a solid foundation!

Zhao Feng finally stopped, breathing lightly as he adjusted his aura and prepared to challenge the final ninety-nine steps. He turned around and saw that Lin Feng had already closed to within ten steps behind him. For the first time, an incomparably grave expression appeared in his eyes.

Lin Feng felt immense pressure as well. Five times gravity was already close to the limit his current physical body could endure. Beads of blood faintly seeped from the surface of his skin, while his meridians throbbed with swelling pain.

Yet his gaze remained sharp. In his mind, he visualized Lightning Attracting Wood in the secret realm that day, standing firm despite being struck by heavenly lightning! An unyielding will supported him!

"Thunder Gang, protect my body!"

He roared inwardly, attempting to mobilize the still rudimentary Thunder Gang. An exceedingly thin, nearly transparent dark-purple halo flashed across his body! Though it could not fully offset the gravity, it dispersed the crushing force and weakened it by a sliver!

That tiny sliver gave him a chance to catch his breath!

He suddenly took a step, closing the distance to Zhao Feng once more!

Nine hundred and fifty steps! Nine hundred and seventy steps! Nine hundred and ninety steps!

The pressure had already climbed to a despair-inducing six times gravity! Sword Qi erupted all over Zhao Feng's body, like a drawn blade. He struggled upward step by step, a trace of blood already spilling from the corner of his mouth.

Lin Feng followed close behind. The dark-purple halo on his body flickered erratically, blood seeping from all seven orifices. He looked utterly miserable, yet his eyes shone with a terrifying brightness. Though his steps were slow, they were incomparably resolute!

Nine hundred and ninety-five, nine hundred and ninety-six, nine hundred and ninety-seven!

Only the final two steps remained!

Zhao Feng suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. Relying on an incomparably sharp sword intent, he forcibly stepped onto the nine hundred and ninety-eighth step! His body swayed, nearly unable to remain standing, but he held on desperately and turned to look at Lin Feng.

Lin Feng drew a deep breath. A roar like rushing rivers surged from within his body! He poured all his strength, all his will, into his legs!

"Get... up!"

"Boom!"

It was as though lightning exploded beneath his feet. Bracing against the terrifying oppression of six times gravity, he forcefully took a step forward and stood firmly on the nine hundred and ninety-eighth step, shoulder to shoulder with Zhao Feng!

The entire venue fell deathly silent!

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the final two men, and on that last stairway that seemed to lead into the heavens—the nine hundred and ninety-ninth step!

Zhao Feng looked deeply at Lin Feng, the fighting spirit in his eyes burning to its peak. He abruptly turned his head, gathered every last shred of sword intent and true qi, let out a long howl, and charged toward the final step!

At the same moment, violet lightning burst from Lin Feng's eyes. The cultivation method of the Nine Heavens Thunder Blade revolved at an unprecedented peak. Neither dodging nor yielding, he stepped upward to meet the final trial!

The two figures were like flood dragons swimming against the current, charging toward the finish line at the same time!