Just as Xu Zhi had expected, there were no flashy twists to this "trial." It simply tested patience, resilience, perseverance, and willpower—or rather, one's desire for "power" and [Cup].
She did not particularly crave [Cup], but she truly desired greater power. Besides, she had cheats. There was no reason to give up halfway.
If she could not even pass after cheating, would that not be utterly humiliating?
With that thought in mind, Xu Zhi climbed even harder. Even when the body in her consciousness was exhausted to the limit, every muscle screaming that it needed rest, she still chose to keep wringing out that precarious body.
The climb lasted nearly ten days. Night had already fallen in the Lost Land, and upon reaching the middle layer, Midnight's aura was indeed much denser. Xu Zhi even had to use [Authority] slightly to conceal her presence, or she felt that the mist below would latch onto her.
Although she had already advanced to Named, she was still only at the initial stage. Named individuals differed from one another as well. She needed to grow stronger before she could be confident of challenging Midnight.
Then, within [Cup]'s trial, after nearly "ten days" of climbing, the endlessly long stairway finally reached its end at a certain moment, as though acknowledging the climber.
The portion of Xu Zhi that belonged to the Spirit Vessel could no longer feel the existence of its "body" at all. It was relying entirely on willpower to keep one breath going, driving the body ever onward. The moment that breath loosened, it would never be able to stand again.
Fortunately, the will controlling this body belonged to Xu Zhi. She never chose to give up or slacken at critical moments. Thus, after that "long" climb, she passed the exceptionally tedious