Heaven-Climbing Stairway

At the purple-robed middle-aged man's command, the entire plaza erupted once more.

Countless disciples launched into motion, racing toward Thundercloud Mountain, afraid that if they were a step too late, others would beat them to it.

Thud! Thud!

Most of the first batch of disciples to charge up Thundercloud Mountain suddenly dropped to their knees on the stone steps, their ruddy faces turning deathly pale in an instant.

"What's going on?" Many disciples had no idea what had happened, but the moment they stepped onto the first stone stair, they immediately understood. A massive force pressed down upon them like a great mountain, threatening to crush them flat.

Before long, some disciples could no longer endure it. Their spiritual energy had been drained resisting the pressure, and they collapsed weakly onto the stone steps. The next moment, white light rose beneath their feet. With a flash, those disciples vanished.

Though no one knew where they had gone, one thing was certain: they had been eliminated. Only by crossing all ninety-nine stone steps beneath this immense pressure could one pass the trial.

"Hmph! A bunch of idiots!" Some of the stronger disciples sneered.

Before long, nearly eighty percent of the outer disciples had been eliminated. Only a small number still persevered, while some had yet to step onto the stairs.

"That's about enough. Let's go!" Jiang Yulong and the others stepped forward and began climbing the stone stairs. On the other side, Lin Xuan and the South District disciples also set foot on them.

"So heavy!" Ding Xiaopang gritted out.

"Damn it, I'm about to get squashed flat!" Hou Xiaoshou cursed.

"Channel your spiritual energy through your entire body. Watch your expenditure!" Lin Xuan did not find it too difficult, but he kept reminding his companions.

One step, two steps, three steps... After the tenth step, the pressure suddenly increased. Ding Xiaopang and the others could no longer hold on, turning into white light and scattering away.

"Brother Xuan, you have to pass!" Ding Xiaopang and the others' voices echoed nearby.

Lin Xuan nodded, then continued alone. He moved forward rapidly, drawing countless sidelong glances from those around him.

"Damn! Where did this monster come from? He's running that fast?" someone exclaimed.

"Idiot. Once his spiritual energy runs out, he'll be crying!" Others were disdainful. This first trial not only tested the outer disciples' strength, but also examined qualities such as perseverance and strategy.

Those with greater strength could naturally advance quickly. As for those of average strength, as long as they properly balanced the generation and expenditure of spiritual energy and endured the pressure, they could ultimately succeed as well.

But whether these disciples could truly endure it was another matter.

Shangguan Liuyun held first place. With his hands clasped behind his back, he surged ahead as swiftly as if flying. He occasionally stopped, but would soon set off again.

Behind him were Duan Fei, Jiang Yulong, and the others. These people were also far ahead of the other disciples, though their expressions were anything but relaxed.

"Hehe, the pressure doubles every ten levels. By the end, it will be nine times stronger. And the pressure differs for every person—the stronger you are, the greater the pressure you receive!" Wine Lord suddenly said.

"It seems this is not merely a simple test of strength. It also examines potential, perseverance, and many other aspects."

"It's different for everyone?" Lin Xuan froze. Looking at the figure in first place, his face showed emotion for the first time.

"That's right. This is a battle—a battle against yourself! Break through your own limits, and you can enter the next trial!" Wine Lord said.

"Then bring it on!" Lin Xuan said in a deep voice.

By the time they reached the fortieth step or so, every disciple's pace had slowed considerably. Many were recovering their spiritual energy where they stood. There was no helping it; this was equivalent to four times the pressure, and no one was exempt.

Shangguan Liuyun still held first place. He stood ramrod straight atop the sixty-third step, silently recovering his spiritual energy.

Below him was Duan Fei, on the fifty-seventh step.

Jiang Yulong, fifty-fifth step.

Shen Qian'er, fifty-fifth step.

Lin Xuan stood on the forty-third stone platform. His face was somewhat pale, but his breathing was not the least bit disordered. He did not seem tired, yet he did not continue upward.

That was because, when he stepped onto the fortieth stone platform, Wine Lord's voice had sounded in his mind and told him that the stairs contained a faint power of lightning.

"This mountain is called Thundercloud Mountain. It's not strange for it to contain the power of lightning," Wine Lord said. "Little Xuan, your opportunity has arrived. As long as you absorb the lightning power within and refine it into your spiritual energy, you will possess lightning-attributed spiritual energy."

Following his instructions, Lin Xuan lingered on every step for a while, silently absorbing the lightning power within the stone stairs according to Wine Lord's method.

A thread of blue lightning arced out from the stone steps, burrowed beneath Lin Xuan's feet, and entered his body, surging about wildly.

Hiss!

Once the blue electric arc entered Lin Xuan's body, it was like a fierce tiger returning to the mountains, darting around madly. The lightning power it contained continuously erupted, making Lin Xuan bare his teeth in pain.

"Hmph! With that little ability, you still want to challenge Senior Brother Jiang? I'd advise you to get lost already!" At his side, a Divine Might Corps disciple smugly passed Lin Xuan, mocking him without restraint. "You can't even endure this little pressure. You really are trash!"

Lin Xuan closed his eyes and focused, utterly unaware of what was happening outside. He was gathering the spiritual energy within his body, trying to surround and contain that thread of lightning.

Seeing that Lin Xuan did not react, the Divine Might Corps disciple assumed he had resigned himself to his fate. He snorted coldly and continued toward the higher steps.

Inside Lin Xuan's body, the blue electric arc had been wrapped into a sphere by azure spiritual energy, temporarily isolated. Lin Xuan secretly let out a breath of relief as he curiously observed the blue arc.

Wine Lord said from the side, "Judging by its power, this lightning is not of a low grade. Fortunately, it's only a trace that leaked out, not the entire Thunder Source. Otherwise, with your current cultivation, you would never be able to subdue it."

"What should I do now?" Lin Xuan asked.

"First, refine this thread of lightning," Wine Lord instructed. "Use the Fusion Formula from the Eternal Life Art to merge it into your spiritual energy."

Lin Xuan indicated that he understood, then circulated the Eternal Life Art and slowly refined the power of lightning...

Outside, on Thundercloud Mountain.

More and more disciples passed Lin Xuan, including quite a few from the Divine Might Corps. Whenever they saw him, their eyes were filled with contempt. Some disciples who had heard that Lin Xuan intended to challenge Jiang Yulong also shook their heads at his performance.

"Hmph, he wants to fight our Divine Might Corps? He doesn't know the difference between life and death!" On the fiftieth stone platform, Yan Kong wore a cold smile.

"Once we become inner disciples, we'll be able to crush him with one hand!" On the forty-ninth step, Hua Yangping's eyes flashed with viciousness.

Just then, Lin Xuan opened his eyes. A faint smile rose at the corner of his lips, and he stepped onto the forty-fourth stone platform.

"He moved, he moved!" The disciples resting nearby all turned their heads, wanting to see what kind of strength this youth rumored to be opposing the Divine Might Corps truly possessed.

Yet to their surprise, Lin Xuan stood on the forty-fourth stone platform and closed his eyes again.

"He climbed one more step and he's smiling like that? What a freak!"

"I thought someone who dared challenge Jiang Yulong would be impressive. Who knew he was all bark and no bite!" The nearby disciples stopped paying attention to Lin Xuan.