Book 2, Chapter 11 - How Can a Man Say He Can’t Go On?

Immortal Soaring Blade

The four people competing upfront were very exciting. This caused the blood of the youths watching them to boil with passion.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

Five consecutive sounds echoed at the same time, creating a bit of commotion. Five figures that had been laying low erupted and rushed out from the crowd, chasing the people up ahead.

Luo Xie, Liu Yinger, Wang Baiwan, and the others all stopped around the 400th and 500th steps. Most of the people that had entered the trial had stopped around here. Only a few dozen figures whose spirit force was too thin or cultivation were too weak hadn’t even made it up to the 300th step. These people were doomed to be eliminated. There were around 70 to 80 people around the 300th to 500th steps.

Aside from the four upfront, only the five figures that erupted were chasing after them. Only these nine people would continue to compete.

The people that had stopped were looking at the nine people competing up ahead. It was a tense race, and it also meant that those nine people were destined to climb higher than they ever could in the future.

Liu Yinger, Luo Xie, and Wang Baiwan were in a sorry state, but when they looked at Zhao Jiuge, they felt happy. For nothing else but for the fact that he was a friend that they had just made! Who didn’t want to have a strong friend with them on the path of cultivation? This would make a lot of things easier in the future.

Seeing this shocking change, even the cold Instructor Zhou was smiling. A sect needed a competitive atmosphere in order to cultivate better disciples. Not to mention there were some dazzling youths among this batch who were quite talented. Therefore, the instructors were naturally happy. Even they were very clear about the situation of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect.

Not only the instructors, but even Wu Tianshan and the Mysterious Heaven Asura looked at the figures fighting up the steps with high spirits.

The Mysterious Heaven Asura originally felt helpless and disappointed, but now he leisurely stroked his beard with a faint smile on his face.

“Haha, I didn’t expect to be wrong. It seems I have grown cold. Kids nowadays know how to hide themselves, unlike our generation. We were all hot-blooded youths that went all out at the start to decide who won or lost like we were showing off.”

The Mysterious Heaven Asura was very happy and even began to talk more. Looking at the youths climbing up the steps, his eyes were filled with memories. He thought about when he first entered the sect a few hundred years ago.

Wu Tianshan’s mouth twitched a few times. His expression loosened and he helplessly said, “Martial Uncle, you must have been very naughty when you were young. When you cultivated together with my teacher, you must have been scolded a lot.”

The Mysterious Heaven Asura was stunned for a moment and then, when he saw the teasing smile on Wu Tianshan’s face, he scolded, “You little brat, it seems that your cultivation has been too easy lately. When we go back tomorrow, I’ll properly teach you and see how your Mysterious Heaven Sword Art has progressed.”

After hearing this, Wu Tianshan suddenly looked like he was going to cry. He nervously laughed and quickly changed the topic. “Martial Uncle, let us look at this batch of disciples. Which seedlings do you think are good?”

Seeing Wu Tianshan was changing the topic, the Mysterious Heaven Asura didn’t mind. His hand paused for a moment from stroking his beard and he slowly mused, “In terms of talent, the best is definitely that alluring girl, followed by Mu Zijun and Bai Zimo. As for perseverance and dedication to cultivation, it has to be Zhao Jiuge. Talent is only but a part of cultivation—one’s heart is much more important. In that regard, I much prefer Zhao Jiuge over the others. As for those few figures who burst forth, they are all pretty good too. These are the only people with hope among this batch.”

Wu Tiainshan’s face was filled with doubt and his brows furrowed. He pointed at Zhao Jiuge and said, “Martial Uncle, his talent is not the best and his root is not good, so why do you like him the best?”

The Mysterious Heaven Asura shouted with an imposing aura, “What do you know? I have seen too many geniuses on the path of cultivation. They ended up failing because their hearts were not determined enough. On the path of cultivation, a determined heart is the most important. Too many people lose their hearts to their own strength and become greedy, only to enjoy themselves. Good talent doesn’t mean you will walk further.”

Wu Tianshan didn’t even dare to make a sound.

There were far too many temptations on the road of cultivation, and the consequences of losing oneself in a moment was too great. Those without determined hearts would lose themselves to strength and do whatever they wanted. It could also be the temptation of a treasure or the despair of reaching a bottleneck. People that cultivated cruel cultivation methods and refined inhuman treasures were those that lost to temptation and walked down the crooked path.

Wu Tianshan held it in for a long time before he weakly asked, “Martial Uncle, from what I see, no one among this batch of disciples can reach the 999th step, so why is your evaluation of them so high?”

The Mysterious Heaven Asura rolled his eyes and angrily scolded, “Stupid, the purpose of this trial is to test the hearts of the disciples and hone their wills. Like those that have clearly overdrafted their spirit force but are still struggling to crawl up or those that gave up early due to the pain from the pressure. Being able to walk to the top does not mean much. I remember that you were the only one to reach the top back then, but now you still are not as good as the top disciples of the other sects.”

The Mysterious Heaven Asura became more and more angry, but he still felt helpless as some things couldn’t be forced. His spit splashed on Wu Tianshan’s face and Wu Tianshan didn’t even dare to move. He was very ashamed of it himself.

This was the difference between the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect and the other sects. Other sects focused on talent, whereas the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect first honed one's heart and character before teaching them to cultivate. In a way, it was teaching them how to be a person first before cultivating.

Although all of the disciples of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect had solid foundations, their cultivation speed was too slow. This resulted in this problem of each generation being weaker than before.

At this moment, aside from those nine figures, no one else could move a step forward. They have all reached their limit.

Bai Zimo had closed in on Mu Zijun, and the two were only a few steps apart now. Bai Zimo’s hair was scattered and his eyes were bloodshot. From his crazed look, it seemed like if he didn’t pass Mu Zijun to become number one, he wouldn’t give up.

Mu Zijun had consumed a large amount of spirit force using his spell, and even with his late stage Spirit Transformation Realm cultivation, he was running out of spirit force. However, he was also equally proud and would not allow Bai Zimo to pass him.

At this moment, the two of them were going head to head, and neither was willing to accept defeat.

Both of them were in the 700s, but they were moving very slowly. They clenched their teeth and endured the pain and soreness in their bodies.

As for Zhao Jiuge, his face was completely red. He was only at the early stage of the Spirit Transformation Realm, so he didn’t have as much spirit force as they did; he had purely relied on the Sanskrit Divine Body to last this long. At this moment, he was merely holding on to one breath in his body to keep going with the little spirit force he had left. Zhao Jiuge estimated that he wouldn’t be able to last much longer, and a flash of madness appeared in his eyes. He had to hold on for a bit more, and when he really couldn’t continue, he would erupt all his spirit force to go as far as he could.

“Hehehe, Little Brother, are you unable to go on? How can a man say he can’t go on?” The alluring girl looked at Zhao Jiuge’s tired appearance and laughed. She still looked as relaxed as ever and slowly followed Zhao Jiuge.

An intoxicating smile and fiery body—she was really a little minx.

Zhao Jiuge’s heart entered a trance and his originally firm mind loosened as he subconsciously used the last of his spirit force. The pressure lessened and he sped up once more. However, when this last bit of spirit force was exhausted, he would have to stop.

Zhao Jiuge quickly sped up and left the alluring girl behind. Looking at Zhao Jiuge’s back, the alluring girl’s smile disappeared and she pursed her lips. She thought to herself, “No one can resist my spells. I have been studying the Grand Heart Charming Law since I was young!”

The alluring girl felt like she had played enough and she let out a mouthful of foul air. She no longer held back and released the aura she had been hiding. This time, she rushed out and was going to reach the top in one breath.

In a few breaths, she passed Zhao Jiuge. When he saw this, he knew that this little minx was holding back and had finally decided to reveal herself. It was unfortunate for Bai Zimo and Mu Zijun to fight so hard only for this little minx to charge out in the end.

Thinking about this, Zhao Jiuge felt very happy because he had bad first impressions of Mu Zijun and Bai Zimo.

He took advantage of this and looked back to see that the four figures behind him were unable to go on and all stopped around the 600s. Seeing this, Zhao Jiuge felt a bit at ease. No matter what, he would at least be in fourth place.

When the two people in front heard the footsteps, they suddenly looked back in shock together. When they saw the alluring girl, they were surprised, but when they saw how easily she was moving up, their hearts felt a chill.

They only felt a breeze blow by.

The alluring girl instantly passed them and charged forward without looking back. The two of them could not go on for much longer. In particular, Bai Zimo found that no matter how hard he tried, he could no longer lift his foot for the next step. His mouth was filled with bitterness.

When the originally disappointed Mu Zijun saw Bai Zimo like this, he suddenly laughed. Even if he could not surpass the girl, he was at least stronger than Bai Zimo. This was what happened when two people with a lot of pride collided. Hearing Mu Zijun’s laughter, Bai Zimo let out a roar and exhausted all this strength to lift his leg, but it was still useless.

At this moment, Bai Zimo stopped at the 751st step.

Mu Zijun staggered for a bit more before he completely stopped as well. He was on the 798th step.

Zhao Jiuge was forced to release the rest of his little remaining spirit force by the alluring girl and was running like an old horse that had been on the road for a few days. He staggered forward, and Bai Zimo’s figure was just before him.

This caused Zhao Jiuge’s face to light up. No matter what, he had to at least go past Bai Zimo. His last few steps were slow like a snail, but before Bai Zimo’s incredulous gaze, he stopped at the 752nd step, just one more than Bai Zimo!

This scene was not something the proud Bai Zimo could accept. He shot a Zhao Jiuge vicious look. He thoroughly hated Zhao Jiuge. And Zhao Jiuge had unknowingly provoked this crazy youth.

At this moment, only one person was able to keep climbing, and it was the alluring girl.

Previous Chapter Next Chapter