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墨書 Inktalez
Lu Fei Fan stood on the steps, his fallen comrades already lifeless in pools of blood.
He packed his belongings and looked up. Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, the long staircase seemed endless, destined to be a path of chaos and bloodshed.
Many had come seeking treasure, yet before they could even catch a glimpse of it, they lay dead in the blood-soaked ground.
Before Lu Fei Fan could ponder this grim reality, suddenly, the entire staircase surged upward, sending a jolt through everyone's minds like a lightning strike. Lu Fei Fan felt as if the staircase was undergoing a remarkable transformation.
Boom! In an instant, his brain and body felt as if they were burdened by double gravity. What had once been an easy ascent now felt like carrying two extra people. Lu Fei Fan distinctly sensed this sudden change. He took a deep breath and looked up again, perhaps those ahead were struggling even more than he was.
He began to circulate his Pulse Energy, which flowed through his body like schools of fish swimming toward his limbs. This energy was drawn from the staircase—no, more accurately, it was a backlash from this area against human strength. Humans had no choice but to utilize their cultivation to resist.
Lu Fei Fan maintained a steady pace, climbing three steps at a time. Spending too long in this area had drained an astonishing amount of Pulse Energy from him. No matter how long the staircase stretched—perhaps even lost in the mist—he still believed there would be an end.
Along the way, he noticed some who thought themselves clever attempting to leave the staircase. However, as soon as they stepped away, their Pulse Energy was instantly drained by the surrounding environment. Not only their energy but their very flesh seemed to be sucked dry, leaving behind nothing but desiccated corpses.
Witnessing this shocking phenomenon made many realize that stepping away from the staircase meant certain death; the only way to survive was to continue upward.
Some chose to retreat; a few turned back down. Yet at the entrance, the Frost Thunder Giant would not allow them to pass easily. It was a dilemma with no good options.
Lu Fei Fan understood that the path ahead was like rowing upstream; whether resisting this land or this world, one could either advance or retreat. A single step back would halt progress in cultivation, making future breakthroughs increasingly difficult. This was the mindset that strong individuals needed to maintain unwavering determination.
With his willpower solidified, Lu Fei Fan began channeling his Pulse Energy to push upward on the staircase. Once at the back of the group, he now maintained a steady pace as he ascended.
The two families at the front were not as comfortable as one might imagine; in fact, they bore the greatest pressure. The higher they climbed, the heavier the invisible weight became. The Lian Family led the way; each member struggled yet managed to keep steady steps, occasionally stopping to rest and adjust their Pulse Energy.
Lian Chongtang, the head of the family, walked at the forefront and appeared slightly more relaxed. He took out a crystal-clear water bottle from his belt, opened it, took a sip himself, and then handed it to Zhong Nian, who stood two steps behind him with an exquisite golden crossbow slung over his shoulder. Instead of drinking it himself, Zhong Nian turned and passed it further back to Lian Qingzong.
"Here, Qingzong. Take a couple sips and rest," said Zhong Nian with concern in his eyes.
Lian Qingzong carried the Fire Cloud Broad Sword on his back, and even though the crimson armor he wore was heavy, he did not lag behind in the team.
He looked up in confusion at the middle-aged man who handed him a special drink, then glanced at his grandfather, who nodded in encouragement.
“Dad, you drink first,” Lian Qingzong said, noticing the beads of sweat forming on his father's forehead; it was clear that no one was having an easy time.
As Lian Shuzhou, Lian Qingzong's father, opened the cap and took a couple of sips before passing it to Lian Qingzong, the latter took it eagerly. After drinking a few gulps, a warm surge of Special Energy flowed into his body. With the operation of the Pulse Breathing Technique, he felt the pressure from his surroundings diminish significantly.
He didn’t ask what kind of miraculous drink this was, but it must have been specially made by his grandfather for this occasion.
He passed the drink back, and a man carrying a large backpack smiled as he took a sip before passing it along. Jiang Lao, who had been accompanying Lian Qingzong from the Tomb of the Giant Whale to this point, was clearly struggling. When he received the bottle, he eagerly gulped down several mouthfuls but hesitated to take more and reluctantly passed it back.
The bottle returned to Lian Chongtang’s hands. He tightened the cap and continued forward because they could already hear the faint sounds of the Dongfang Family members approaching from hundreds of meters away.
It was only a matter of time before they would catch up. Although there would be no confrontation, whoever reached the mountaintop first would naturally gain greater benefits, so there was no reason to slow down.
However, they had not walked far when they felt tremors coming from the Stairs and Ground.
Lian Chongtang turned to look and noticed Dongfang Hui leading a group just a hundred meters away. He squinted in surprise; with each step Dongfang Hui took, the ground trembled slightly, and deep impressions were left in the stone slabs beneath her feet.
Following her were members of the Dongfang Family. So far, no one had fallen behind, but Dongfang Jun seemed to be struggling in the middle of Soul Devouring's grip. The mysterious man with his face covered appeared to be effortlessly keeping pace beside Dongfang Hui. Behind them were only five or six strong individuals left; each one was at the level of Special-Class General, suggesting that those who were not at that level had already fallen behind.
“This is…” Lian Shuzhou recognized the Pulse Energy emanating from Dongfang Hui.
“Sometimes you have to admire how fortunate the Dongfang Family is. First, there’s Dongfang Qiubai, an extraordinary swordsman, and now there’s Dongfang Hui, who has cultivated Dongfang Lao's Wuxiang Dominance Technique to this extent. Once they leave here, the Dongfang Family will have two top-tier warriors among their younger generation,” Lian Chongtang commented.
“Qing Zong, you must not fall behind them,” Lian Chongtang added, his gaze still fixed on Dongfang Hui.
Sometimes having two outstanding individuals emerge from a rival family is not good news for them. Fortunately for them, the third member of the Dongfang Family, Dongfang Jun, showed mediocre talent in cultivating Pulse Energy and even acted like a Wandering Young Master. It seemed that this Wandering Young Master was sent here to face hardships by their family’s elder from the East.
Lian Qingzong looked at Dongfang Hui, and he could naturally see the astonishing power of the Wuxiang Dominance Technique. Dongfang Hui had managed to create a pressure-relief zone using this domineering Pulse Energy technique. Within this zone, everyone contributed their Pulse Energy to support it, with Dongfang Hui bearing the brunt of the pressure. She was the first to be affected by the environmental suppression, and if her Pulse Energy faltered even slightly, she would undoubtedly suffer severe injuries. Yet, there was no sign of fatigue on Dongfang Hui's face; instead, her Pulse Energy burned even more fiercely, resisting the encroaching pressure from the surroundings.
"This Wuxiang Dominance Technique truly deserves its reputation as a top-tier Pulse Breathing Technique!" Lian Qingzong said enviously.
"There's no need to worry; we can't return empty-handed from this trip," Lian Chongtang replied curtly, turning to lead the group onward.
Dongfang Hui noticed the gazes of the Lian Family members ahead. She understood that they wouldn't attack here, which allowed her to focus on operating her Wuxiang Dominance Technique to withstand the oppressive environment.
As they ascended further, the weight of the pressure intensified, heavy enough to drain an ordinary General's Pulse Energy and lead to death. Just moments ago, one of their subordinates below General rank had been severely injured by the environmental suppression, forcing her to take such drastic measures.
Moreover, there was an additional burden in their group—her useless brother Dongfang Jun. She certainly couldn't leave him behind to die on these strange Stairs.
However, as she continued forward, she suddenly sensed an astonishing change. She turned sharply to look at the dense fog at the foot of the mountain. With a roar, an incredible surge of Pulse Energy shot up!
The plain yet brilliant Guanghua vanished in an instant, replaced by an ancient and peculiar aura. Although it bore an ancient essence, it felt more like a frail... Giant Whale!
The members of the Lian Family ahead, including Lian Chongtang and Lian Qingzong, quickly turned to look downwards.
Following that, a powerful wave of energy surged up along the Stairs like a vast ocean.
"Impossible!" Dongfang Jun exclaimed as he watched a figure racing up the Stairs with astonishing speed—so fast that he could hardly believe his eyes. Everyone else was struggling against the environmental suppression on the Stairs; why did this figure seem so remarkably swift?
"What is happening..." Lian Shuzhou also found it hard to comprehend what he was witnessing.
Lian Chongtang looked gravely at the figure rushing up. Although the fog obscured his view of who it was, he could feel an overwhelming and intense aura emanating from them...
"It's the Giant Whale's Breath!" Jiang Lao recalled with bitterness how the legacy from the Tomb of the Giant Whale had been stolen.
Lian Qingzong also maintained a stern expression as he watched the approaching figure; he was eager to see who this person was.
It is worth noting that behind that figure, there were actually a dozen more desperate presences racing forward. These energies were chaotic and erratic, frantically urging themselves on without any semblance of a steady rhythm to control their Pulse Energy. This frantic drive of Pulse Energy could only indicate one thing!
“Not good! Something is charging up!” Dongfang Hui's expression changed dramatically. “Everyone, accelerate towards the Stairs! I’ll break through the pressure ahead; you all follow me!”
In an instant, Dongfang Hui's Pulse Energy surged forth, her form shooting forward like a cannonball towards the Stairs. As she threw a punch, the air erupted with a series of explosive sounds.
Now it was Lian Chongtang's turn to be alarmed. Dongfang Hui was pushing everyone forward with all her might, which clearly indicated something unusual was happening.
“It seems like something is chasing them at the foot of the mountain!” Jiang Lao exclaimed, his eyes wide as he watched the figures rushing up. Leading the charge was Lu Fei Fan, whose presence radiated like the roaring waves of the sea.
He shot forward like an arrow, breaking through layers of resistance and surprisingly caught up with Dongfang Hui, matching her pace!
Dongfang Hui looked at him in astonishment. However, Lu Fei Fan wore a mask, and what stood out was the greatsword wrapped in cloth that he carried on his back.
Lian Chongtang glanced behind Dongfang Hui and Lu Fei Fan and noticed a dozen more rushing presences coming up. His expression shifted drastically as he said, “We need to go now!”
Without time for further explanation or observation, everyone immediately urged their Pulse Energy towards the Stairs.
What kind of shocking change had occurred at the foot of the Stairs that made everyone so tense and alert?
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