C2 The Thousand Steps Platform Was like a Flat Ground!
Before the break of dawn, Su Ping'an was rudely awakened by a kick from his uncle.
The air was still chilly, but fortunately, the Elite Wound wasn't far off.
In no time, a towering mountain peak that reached into the clouds loomed before Su Ping'an and his companions.
"Don't let your guard down and reveal who you are, or even my uncle can't bail you out!" Wu Laosan cautioned as they walked.
"And if you get a chance to cozy up to the sect master, rumor has it there's a massive treasure hidden beneath the Elite Wound!"
With that, Wu Laosan spotted someone approaching in the distance and quickly made himself scarce without a backward glance.
"Great, it looks like I'm the one who's got to play the mole, huh?" Su Ping'an muttered under his breath, disgusted.
He had always known that Wu Laosan wouldn't suggest such a thing out of concern for his well-being.
The guy was probably more interested in having Su Ping'an line his pockets with extra cash on the sly!
By now, the base of the mountain was teeming with people.
"Brother Liu is looking quite formidable this year. I've heard he's advanced to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining. He's got a good shot at success!"
"Oh, hardly. Brother Su's Soul Chasing Dragon Hand technique is unparalleled. If it comes to a showdown, I doubt I'd stand a chance against you!"
"Have you heard about the Zuo family's prodigy? Such a young talent, already mastering the ancestral teachings. Can you believe it?"
...
With his face concealed behind a mask, Su Ping'an wasn't concerned about being recognized.
The sun had just begun to climb the sky, and there was still time before the sect's recruitment began. He meandered through the crowd, casually assessing the abilities of the prospective disciples.
The situation was downright ludicrous!
After some investigation, the most accomplished among them had barely reached the peak of Qi Refining, and even that was based on rumors.
As for himself, already at the Third Layer of Other Shore, he definitely needed to...
Play his cards close to the chest.
A standout tree in the forest is sure to be toppled by the wind!
"Today, we have all come together with the hope of earning a place within the sect to deepen our cultivation..."
After a period equivalent to the burning of an incense stick, the elder standing atop the long stone staircase began to address the crowd.
He was essentially rambling about trivial matters.
For instance, he extolled the virtues of the sect and urged everyone to be grateful for the opportunity at hand.
It was reminiscent of the recruitment events from his previous life.
"Today's recruitment process remains unchanged. Behind me are nine hundred and ninety-nine steps. If you can reach the summit within the time it takes an incense stick to burn, you'll be deemed worthy to join our sect!"
Behind the elder lay a lengthy flight of stone steps.
At first glance, they seemed indistinguishable from any ordinary staircase.
Yet, whispers among the crowd suggested that with each step, the gravitational pull intensified, and there were tales of some meeting their demise on the very last step.
"Elder Chen, the Zuo family has really outdone themselves with their contributions this year..."
On the steps, a disciple discreetly drew the elder aside, murmuring secrets into his ear.
"The Zuo family?" Elder Chen nodded thoughtfully, his eyes briefly connecting with a striking young man clad in white below.
"And let's not forget the Song and Wu families..." After sharing more hushed details, the disciple returned to his spot, a grin on his face.
"As usual, we're looking to recruit ten new members. Historically, we've fallen short of that mark. You may begin now!"
At Elder Chen's commanding gesture, a wave of eager youths surged up the stone steps.
"Listen, it's like a marathon—you've got to pace yourself and save your energy for the final stretch. Starting off too strong, like you're doing, usually doesn't end well."
Su Ping'an's neighbor, drenched in sweat, offered these words of caution.
"Ah, you're right, it's tougher than I thought..."
Su Ping'an had dashed ahead with ease, but after just a few strides, he found himself leading the pack and decided to ease up.
The so-called increased gravity was nowhere to be felt!
Watching others hustle by, Su Ping'an casually jogged a few more steps for show.
They were now halfway up the thousand-step ascent.
Leading the group was a young man dressed in fine silk, a Song by surname, who appeared to possess considerable strength.
Yet even he was drenched in sweat, his legs shaking uncontrollably.
Catching the elder's eye, a silent exchange passed between them.
Suddenly, Song Yang felt a weight lift from his shoulders, as if a gentle breeze had swept over him.
Was this a case of behind-the-scenes manipulation?
Su Ping'an was irked. I mean, I'm right here beside him. Is this really the right way to go about things?
In his past life, as a stickler for the rules, Su Ping'an despised underhanded dealings more than anything. He wouldn't stand for such unfairness to befall him!
He let out a disdainful snort, channeling strength from his dantian, and quietly mustered a surge of spiritual energy that went unnoticed, directing it at Song Yang.
"Puff!"
Apparently misjudging his own power, Song Yang was forced to cough up a mouthful of blood.
"You!"
Song Yang's face was a picture of utter dismay, looking at the Elder as if he'd been hit by a stroke of bad luck. His body felt like it was being crushed under a massive boulder, and the sound of his bones cracking was audible!
Elder Chen, clueless about the incident, could only silently shake his head. "I tried to give him a hand, and he can't even handle this? How am I supposed to cut him some slack?"
Life's tough, and being an elder is no picnic. It's easy to be swayed by others when you're too soft-hearted.
Su Ping'an decided he was done playing possum. It wasn't exactly dignified to keep lying there on the steps. So, he sprang to his feet and dashed up the stairs as if he had greased his soles!
"Holy smokes! That kid's lost his mind!"
"What in the world is that?"
"Mommy, why is that big brother running so fast?!"
...
At the base of the mountain, onlookers were astounded as they watched Su Ping'an take off as if he were on level ground, exclaiming in amazement.
Even Elder Chen, who had overseen recruitment for years, had never witnessed such a spectacle.
"Elder! We need to do something to stop him, the slots are already filled!"
The junior disciple, watching Su Ping'an gain momentum and nearly reach the peak, cried out in alarm.
"The slots are filled?!" Elder Chen slapped his forehead, suddenly recalling that he had already accepted offerings from ten families.
"Elder! Take action now! He's almost here!" The junior disciple's face was etched with horror, his legs shaking uncontrollably.
"Hu!"
Elder Chen inhaled deeply, focusing his energy in his dantian, and a stream of spiritual energy invisibly converged towards Su Ping'an.
"Boom!"
A surge of spirit energy erupted, blasting a deep crater into the stone steps right beneath Su Ping'an's feet!
"Huh?"
Unfazed, Su Ping'an remained standing, casually meeting Elder Chen's gaze with a knowing smile.
"It's effective, Elder!" a junior disciple shouted in amazement.
Elder Chen was utterly astonished!
As a cultivator of the Eighth Layer of the Vast Sea, he had unleashed at least half his power in that strike. Yet, this young man was grinning at him as if it were a mere trifle!
Feeling a blow to his ego, Elder Chen didn't hesitate to channel all his might, hurling a full-force blast of spirit energy at Su Ping'an!
"Crash!"
A cloud of dust billowed up, the impact of the blow weighing over a thousand kilos!
"What's going on?"
"Can he withstand it?"
...
The spectators below watched with eager curiosity, a select few aware that Elder Chen had exerted his full power!
"You old coot, I let you off easy before, but now you're pulling these damn stunts on me!"
Other than a layer of dust, Su Ping'an was unscathed. However, the old man's antics had sparked a flicker of anger in him.
