Chapter 34: Chapter 32: Reaching the Summit
Translator: 549690339
‘Sword Art Mastery (1/3000): A natural-born sword cultivator, skillful and proficient in every aspect of swordsmanship, all for a deadly strike.1
As Han Ye looked at the panel in front of him, lines of anxiety appeared on his forehead.
Three thousand points, are they serious?
How long will it take him to gather them?
He had a hard time gathering this attribute.
When Han Ye was collecting attributes, the only change he felt was a faint clarity in his mind, as for other differences, he hadn’t noticed any yet.
Seeing that the Xue Owl was already dead, Chu Xianyu gracefully sheathed her sword, straightened her skirt, directed her clear gaze towards Han Ye, quickly looked away and murmured “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, it’s all my fault… I shouldn’t have followed you…” Han Ye started to apologize but before he could finish, Chu Xianyu had already turned around and left.
He was left speechless.
She was as aloof as ever.
However, he now realized that her aloof demeanor came at a price.
From Han Ye’s perspective, having lived two lives, this weakness of Chu Xianyu might be related to her past experiences, and there may be some trauma in her heart.
Although he didn’t understand why she needed to veil during battles, now it didn’t stop him from continuing his climb.
“Let’s go too.”
He said to the others.
“Alright.”
Wang Da Niu agreed and everyone prepared to officially begin their journey up the Immortal Mountain.
“Why did Chu Xianyu always cover her face when she was fighting?”
“Could it be because she’s shy?”
“Impossible. Did you see how swiftly she killed the Xue Owl? There’s no way that was out of shyness.”
On the mountain path, everyone was engaged in a conversation.
They seemed to be very interested in this topic.
Or rather, they were interested in Chu Xianyu’s background and what was happening in Fuyao State.
They were all small figures in the county. Some of them would probably never leave the county if it weren’t for this opportunity.
Thinking that they were about to join a sect along with such a high-ranking person, they felt excited.
As if they were about to become members of the cultivator’s circle.
The team’s enthusiasm grew and they pushed forward towards the mountaintop.
“Wait a minute. Have you noticed something strange about this mountain?”
Han Ye suddenly halted and spoke out to the others.
“Brother Han, have you discovered something?”
Gao Qichang quickly turned serious and asked gravely.
“Well, I just feel like my body is getting heavier. What’s going on?”
Wang Da Niu, who was leading the way, clenched his fists, wiped sweat off his brow, and paused to express his concern.
Despite being in great shape, he was already soaking his clothing with sweat and panting heavily.
“I’ve noticed it too, it wasn’t very obvious in the beginning, but as we were climbing higher, it became very clear, and the pressure on our bodies became heavier.”
Liu Lingqi nodded in agreement.
When the others saw Wang Da Niu struggling, they inferred that the higher they went, the heavier they would become. The climb up the mountain was much harder than they had initially thought.
Zhao Jin, the ironsmith, sat down and panted heavily, “Even sitting is exhausting. My goodness, who could bear this? We have only climbed one-third of the way.”
Gao Qichang asserted in a grave voice, “Could this be more than just an ordinary Immortal Mountain? Could this be the Dragon Sparrow Sect’s wonder, Mt. Wendao?”
“What is Mt. Wendao?”
As usual, Gao Qichang took on the role of explainer, “When I was studying in Fuyao State, I heard that there are eight wonders in the world. They were formed when heaven and earth were created, and they each have unique natural laws. Mt. Wendao is one of them.”
“As the name suggests, Mt. Wendao is for those who seek the path of the Dao. It tests the patience and perseverance of cultivators towards the Dao. It’s said that the purer one’s heart and the more determined one’s will, the less they would be affected by Mt. Wendao. Given the hardships of a physical powerhouse like Wang Da Niu, our journey will only be more difficult.”
After hearing Gao Qichang’s explanation, Han Ye finally understood why those exotic beasts at the foot of the mountain refused to climb.
The mountain had a gravity-related law. Once they ascended, they would have to bear an enormous amount of pressure.
They simply couldn’t fly.
Han Ye speculated: “Since it’s a rule-based obstacle, there must be a way to surpass it. Listen to me, everyone. Discard all distractions, do not chat, focus on climbing. We can certainly reduce some of the gravitational pressure.” “Brother Han, what do you mean by ‘rule-based’?”
“Rule-based means that certain specific conditions can trigger some causal laws. If Mt. Wendao is affected by everyone’s faith, then we just need to keep our minds calm.”
Everyone nodded, it made sense.
Since there was a test, there must be a solution.
As the mountaintop was getting closer, everyone started feeling their bodies become very heavy, as if they were filled with iron. They struggled to move forward.
Everyone was drenched in sweat, soaked through their clothing.
Meanwhile, below the mountain, monstrous roars of the exotic beasts could be heard intermittently.
Clearly, more challengers were arriving.
Climbing with more people was not necessarily better, it only attracted more exotic beasts. Han Ye and his team had already been attacked twice by the beasts.
In contrast, climbing alone could be easier.
From time to time, they saw large groups distracting a beast while others quietly snuck by.
But whether it was opportunists or team climbers, everyone slowed as they ascended.
In front of Mt. Wendao’s laws, everyone was equal.
“I feel heavier and heavier, what’s going on?”
“There seems to be something strange about this mountain, we should be careful.”
As more people arrived, the crowd on the mountain grew.
Some tried to exploit the loopholes in the rules, believing that the gravity only existed on the mountain path, so they ran to the mountain wall, hoping to take the edge route by climbing. However, they found it impossible after they got there. The entire Mt. Wendao was enveloped in rules, leaving no blind spots.
There were even people who secretly carried talisman-artifact treasures, wanting to rely on external force to scale the mountain. But they found that their magic treasures had turned into scrap iron and their inscriptions had turned into waste paper.
In the lush mountain range, Han Ye and his group crouched down and began to climb upward, which they found impossible to do standing like they did at the beginning.
Halfway up, several guards had already collapsed with exhaustion, showing no desire to stand back up, and there were plenty of examples like this at the foot of the mountain.
At this time, the one who had climbed the highest was Han Ye.
The second place belonged to Wang Da Niu.
Followed by Liu Lingqi and Gao Qichang.
The others were all left behind.
Han Ye had already passed through multiple layers of clouds and mist, and he could see the direction of the mountain peak, where there was a flying eave pavilion.
That he could hold on until now was all owing to the power continuously provided by the Dragon-Tiger Physique.
As well as the slight bonus brought by ‘Dao Heart Like a Rock.’
He felt as if he was carrying a mountain on his back, and it was incredibly difficult to even move his arms.
Could it be because my Dao Heart is not strong enough?
Just when Han Ye was puzzled, a figure in a white dress appeared in front of him. She was sitting cross-legged, still and patient, on the stone steps.
Chu Xianyu was actually cultivating here at this time?
Han Ye couldn’t help being surprised.
Upon hearing the noise, Chu Xianyu slowly opened her eyes, looked at Han Ye’s disheveled appearance, hesitated for a while, as if thinking of something, and finally spoke up.
“I have a mantra that can empty the mind and calm down completely. Would you like me to teach it to you?” she asked.
Upon hearing her words, Han Ye seemed surprised. He hadn’t expected Chu Xianyu to assist him.
As if afraid Han Ye would misunderstand, Chu Xianyu added, “Consider it a thank you for helping me get back my Douli.”
“Alright!”
Han Ye didn’t refuse.
Anything that could help him climb the mountain was welcome at this time.
Reciting the mantra taught by Chu Xianyu, Han Ye felt his previously fatigued mind relax and he regained his calm.
The True Brahman Calming Mantra.
It was a simple string of five words, but its effect was surprisingly excellent.
He had never felt such tranquility in his heart before. He fell into a state devoid of all desires and even the pressure on his body seemed to diminish slightly.
He no longer had to crawl up the mountain.
This mantra was useful!
Han Ye opened his eyes and looked up towards the top of the mountain, feeling a renewed sense of energy.
At this time, Chu Xianyu also stood up.
Han Ye was filled with astonishment.
She could actually stand up and climb the mountain at this point. Why was her Dao Heart so unwavering?
‘Picked up attribute: Dao Heart Like a Rock+1’
‘Picked up attribute: Dao Heart Like a Rock+1′
Picked up attribute: Dao Heart Like a Rock+1’
Wisp after wisp of blue light orbs, fell down from behind Chu Xianyu.
Han Ye’s eyes lit up, and he quickly picked them up.
As the attributes were absorbed, the surrounding pressure gradually diminished, and Han Ye felt a weight lift off him.
He rejoiced in his heart.
The effect of this ‘Dao Heart Like a Rock’ truly worked, even in a rule system like Mt. Wendao, it couldn’t be stopped.
His heart became even more stable, filled with newfound confidence.
He followed in Chu Xianyu’s footsteps and continued to trudge towards the mountain’s peak.
Time slowly passed.
The sky gradually darkened.
On top of the Immortal Mountain, Yun Xuzi and the grey-robed elder sat in the pavilion, engrossed in a game of chess.
Yun Xuzi would occasionally cast a glance towards the foot of the mountain.
His eyes were filled with anticipation.
Yet, as darkness fell, he seemed somewhat disappointed.
Despite the two appearing calm and composed, their hearts were rather impatient.
At this moment, Yun Xuzi blandly asked, “Jiang Taixu, do you think the person who is supposed to overcome this tribulation will be the first one to reach the top?”
“It’s possible,” replied the elder referred to as Jiang Taixu slowly. “Since the person is supposed to overcome the tribulation, there should be something special about him. His talents may not be the best, and his personality may not be striking, but his Dao Heart should take precedence.”
“Shall we individually probe and test?” Yun Xuzi enquired, hesitation apparent in his hand as he paused over the chessboard.
“No, we must let things take their natural course; otherwise, we will be interfering with the fate.” Jiang Taixu dismissively waved his hand.
Hearing this, Yun Xuzi shook his head, “Always being vague and mysterious, no wonder no one wants to learn your Celestial Divination technique.”
Shortly after, Yun Xuzi shifted his gaze outside the pavilion, as if he had sensed something coming from the stone stairs. He stroked his beard and chuckled, saying, “It seems, the first one to reach the peak, is about to arrive.”
