The guardian of the eighty-first level.
He had achieved minor success in Internal Strengthening.
From this, it was not hard to see that the farther up one went, the stronger the guardians would inevitably become. Internal Strengthening at great completion... perhaps even Internal Strengthening cultivators who had developed Mystic Power would be among them. This was an assessment set specifically for those two Internal Strengthening disciples.
If I can make it up there...
Qin Jiu's eyes flickered.
With the gifts of Snake Waist Python Tendon and Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone, his physique already surpassed that of ordinary martial artists. Added to that was the Cold Sha of extreme yin coursing through his body; ordinary Internal Strengthening martial artists who had yet to reach minor success were no match for him in a single exchange.
Not to mention his self-healing gift.
So long as he was not killed in an instant, he had nothing to fear.
"Fine."
"Either don't fight for it—or if I do, I'll fight for it to the bitter end!"
With that thought—
Qin Jiu's expression sharpened.
Withered Wood Meets Spring activated in an instant, and he leaped fiercely toward the guardian of the next level.
At the foot of the towering stone staircase.
Several figures, some aged and some in their prime, all wore grave expressions. The gleam bursting from their eyes was nearly tangible as they stared fixedly at the figure on the eighty-first level.
"How strange..."
"With only Three Refinements, passing seventy-two steps already marks one as having the bearing of a true disciple. The nine steps beyond that hold a full eighteen Internal Strengthening opponents. How did this man do it? If I recall correctly, the sect's records show that in the Three Refinements assessment, no one has reached this point in the