Chapter 144: Do Not Force Yourself

Hua Zefeng stumbled as he stepped onto the two-hundredth stair, the exertion so intense he nearly lost his footing. Yet, as a cultivator in the Meridian Flow Realm, he possessed inherent strength. Even under the immense gravity pressing down upon him, he forced his ragged breathing into submission and announced his name, striving to keep his voice steady.

Passing the assessment was not enough; one had to make it look effortless. The greatness of the Hua family had to be reflected in every aspect.

The member of the Wind and Cloud Guard eyed Hua Zefeng’s flushed face with a smirk, a trace of mockery flickering in the corners of his mouth. He said nothing, however, merely nodding slightly at Jiang Zihe, who had already reached the two-hundred-and-fifth stair.

The Jiang family.

Hua Zefeng felt a sense of powerlessness. Every cultivator of the Jiang family was so exceptional that their peers couldn't even summon the will to compete with them. It was strange, though; Jiang Zhenglong had also intended to participate in this assessment, yet for some reason, he had gone missing—vanished without a trace, without a single word of news.

Could he have been killed?

The thought crossed his mind, only for Hua Zefeng to scoff at himself. Impossible. Even if someone dared to kill a member of the Jiang family, they couldn't have done it so quietly as to prevent him from even sending a distress signal. As long as Jiang Zhenglong wasn't foolish enough to provoke a Core Formation Realm cultivator, he would be safe.

Perhaps he simply didn't want any conflict with Jiang Zihe.

Watching Jiang Zihe climb, this thought suddenly occurred to Hua Zefeng. Jiang family members were arrogant, and while Jiang Zhenglong was talented, he lacked the age advantage of Jiang Zihe and likely realized he couldn't secure the top spot in this assessment. That would explain it.

"Luo Tian!"

Just then, an annoying voice rang out. Hua Zefeng glanced at Luo Tian, who looked far more composed than himself—so much so that he showed no signs of fatigue—and felt a wave of disgust.

If you’re tired, be tired. Why put on such a pretentious display? It was infuriating to watch.

Hua Zefeng himself, having reached the Orange Light Transformation stage, felt exhausted and had to struggle to maintain his composure. Yet this pathetic nobody from the Divine Sun Sect seemed to have perfected the art of pretense, showing no sign that he was reaching his limit.

Bah!

Hua Zefeng glared at the indifferent Luo Tian, his disdain for him deepening.

Seeing that Luo Tian, despite being only at the first stage of the Meridian Flow Realm, had become the third person to reach the two-hundredth stair—while some second-stage cultivators behind him were struggling with expressions of sheer agony—the Wind and Cloud Guard member nodded at him with approval. "Not bad!"

This guard was neither from the five great sects nor raised by the powers within Ten Thousand Winds City; he had supposedly trained under a rogue cultivator. After his master passed away, he joined the Wind and Cloud Guard, and he felt a natural affinity for Luo Tian. To have clawed his way up from a desolate place like the Divine Sun Sect, and to outperform second-stage Meridian Flow cultivators in this specific challenge, was impressive. Even if his cultivation path was unconventional, it was worth encouragement.

Hearing this praise, Hua Zefeng felt a surge of irritation. What right did this Luo Tian have to receive such recognition? Even Jiang Zihe hadn't received such an acknowledgment, and he himself had barely garnered a glance. How could a bumpkin like Luo Tian deserve a compliment?

Already incensed, Hua Zefeng witnessed something even more unbearable. After stating his name, Luo Tian stepped onto the two-hundred-and-first stair!

*Is this bastard planning to keep climbing?*

Seeing Luo Tian take another step, Hua Zefeng gritted his teeth. His dimming orange aura flared to life once more, and he followed without hesitation.

If his guess was correct, this Luo Tian probably had some skill in body-tempering arts or possessed a naturally superior constitution, but that was as far as it went. If he thought he could use such tricks to hog the spotlight and suppress him, he was delusional.

If a member of the Hua family claimed second place, who besides the Jiang family dared to claim first?

A surge of uncontrollable rage boiled within Hua Zefeng. The feeling of being subtly looked down upon gave him an urge to lash out.

Two hundred and one!

Two hundred and two!

Two hundred and three!

Hua Zefeng leaped three stairs at once. Seeing the startled expression on that idiot Luo Tian’s face, he felt a rush of satisfaction more intense than a mortal diving into a lake on a sweltering summer day.

*That’ll teach you to daydream!*

Before he could mock Luo Tian, however, Hua Zefeng felt his body lurch. The twenty-thousand-jin gravity was already formidable, and he had foolishly accelerated to save face. For an average person, even a few extra pounds could be the straw that broke the camel's back. Even for a Meridian Flow cultivator, reaching two hundred stairs was no small feat.

The young cultivators participating in the Wind and Cloud Guard assessment were all talented, but the two-hundred-stair mark was a watershed—a clear indicator of worth. While it wasn't impossible to climb higher in the first stage, it was incredibly difficult.

Hua Zefeng knew that one could use their "True Intent" to resist the gravity, but that level of mental control was typically reserved for the late stage of the Meridian Flow Realm—the true pillars of the Guard. He couldn't shroud his body in True Intent, so he had opted for a reckless burst of speed. Now, the pressure felt like a mountain threatening to crush him.

*It’s too heavy!*

Crouching slightly, Hua Zefeng cursed Luo Tian under his breath. If not for that guy trying to show off, why would he be suffering like this?

But it was worth it.

It was all worth it! Who could question that the Hua family stood only beneath the Jiangs?

Overflowing with pride, believing he had defended his family's honor, Hua Zefeng prepared to turn and lecture the boy named Luo Tian about not overreaching his limits.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs beside him.

Hua Zefeng watched, stunned, as Luo Tian stepped onto the two-hundred-and-fifth stair, just five steps behind Jiang Zihe. His inner composure nearly shattered.

At that moment, Luo Tian’s annoying voice rang out: "Are you alright? Don't push yourself."