“Hmph, you just got here first and took a few steps ahead— if you’ve got guts, try three steps in a row!” the black-robed youth sneered. He didn’t believe Lin Xiao and Hu Yue had such capability.
“Exactly, Lin Xiao, I reckon you won’t get far. Once we catch up, you’re done for!” Liu He jeered coldly.
Liu Yan’s eyes blazed as he took two more steps.
“Heh, talk when you’ve caught us— Hu Yue, let’s go!” Lin Xiao chuckled lightly, waving to Hu Yue before turning around.
“These lot are rubbish— so dull. Let’s find Junzang first,” Hu Yue said, turning with Lin Xiao to walk forward.
“Hmph, let’s see how far you get!” Behind them, Liu He, Ji Mo, and the black-robed Martial King youth snorted inwardly, thinking the pair were just taunting them and would falter soon.
But the next moment, their expressions froze. Lin Xiao and Hu Yue quickly took two steps— then a third followed seamlessly.
Thud!
The third step landed, and neither spat blood.
“They’re on par with that Martial King youth?” Liu He, Ji Mo, Qi Mubai, and the others jolted, their families gaping in shock.
Their talent matched the Martial King youth— surpassing the region’s four top geniuses?
The black-robed youth was stunned too— their talent rivalled his own?
Yet after the third step, they didn’t stop. Their feet moved again.
“What— they’re going for a fourth?” The crowd was dumbfounded.
“Hmph, asking for trouble!” the black-robed youth sneered. He knew the crushing weight of four steps— a line he wouldn’t cross lightly. He didn’t believe they could manage it.
“Practically begging to die!” Liu He and the others thought darkly.
But with a “thud!” the fourth step landed— no blood from either.
Eyes widened in disbelief. As they gawked, another step followed.
Thud!
The fifth step hit, and both stood unharmed.
Hu Yue stopped, panting, but Lin Xiao took another— six steps. His vital qi nearly drained, organs aching, on the verge of spitting blood— his limit— before halting.
“Hey, how could you!” Hu Yue, barely rested, huffed and took another step.
“I…” Liu He, the black-robed youth, and the rest were gobsmacked, eyes nearly popping out.
This wasn’t right— how was it possible?
They struggled to manage two or three steps, yet these two hit six— was there no justice?
Could they reach Martial King fourth or sixth tier at that age?
The others stared, speechless, some at a loss for words.
They even wondered if the gravity treated Lin Xiao and Hu Yue differently.
“Rest for a hundred or eighty breaths, then keep going!” Lin Xiao’s voice rang out, not sparing the crowd a glance.
“Ugh, bloody knackered— resting two breaths and taking one step feels the same as six!” Hu Yue panted, her voice echoing.
“…” The group was dumbfounded— the pair blatantly ignored them, slapping their faces raw.
“Pfft!” A youth, unconvinced, stepped forward and promptly spat blood.
The black-robed youth moved again.
“Go!” Liu Yan twitched his grim face muscles, spat softly, and started walking. The real treasure lay ahead— no time to linger.
“Pfft!” A Liu family youth took a step, spat blood, then collapsed unconscious.
Liu Yan’s face darkened further, but he didn’t help. Here, everyone was on their own— no aid could change that.
Even if he dragged someone across, their flesh would collapse. Low-realm cultivators couldn’t bear the pressure meant for higher ones.
Lin Xiao ignored the crowd behind, adjusting his body before resuming— six steps at a time.
Unlike the struggling masses, he treated this as a training ground— the more he walked, the stronger his flesh grew.
Later, six steps felt too easy. He took seven, then after some distance, eight— then nine, ten…
The crowd behind nearly spat blood watching. They couldn’t add a single step, each one more agonising, wondering if it got easier further on.
But when the black-robed youth reached where Lin Xiao hit seven steps, he couldn’t manage four— his face grew uglier.
The crowd’s expressions soured too.
It didn’t get easier— Lin Xiao was just a freak!
During this, not just the black-robed youth, Liu family, Ji family, and Jade Fan Sect— hundreds more poured into the palace.
Many didn’t take a step before spitting blood upon entry, cursing and lamenting. Most who arrived could only await death.
Seeing the pair ahead speed up, they felt like cursing the heavens— bloody unfair!
After about half an hour, Lin Xiao crossed the gravity zone, standing before the gate.
“Hey, wait up!” Hu Yue, talented but trailing by dozens of metres, called out.
Curses and complaints echoed behind— outrageous! Some hadn’t taken a few steps, yet someone reached the end.
The fastest, the black-robed youth, was just past halfway.
Next came Liu He, Ji Mo, Qi Mubai, then the leaders and Martial Kings of the three factions.
Further back, progress varied— some hadn’t moved an inch.
Lin Xiao turned, not to mock, but with regret. This was a prime spot to temper flesh— once he left, he’d likely never return.
He sighed to himself, “Ah, it’s over just like that. I wanted to keep refining my flesh— if only I could take this Heavy Force Palace with me!”
“I…!”
The crowd behind nearly spat blood, curses erupting— deliberate, this guy was absolutely deliberate!
“Lin Xiao, don’t get cocky too soon— past this, my Liu family will take your life!” Liu He roared, the blatant humiliation unbearable.
“Talent’s useless— cross my Liu family, and you won’t leave Junzang alive!” Liu Yan threatened coldly, killing intent surging as Lin Xiao prepared to depart, itching to kill him now.
“Oh?” Lin Xiao paused, then lifted his eyelids, squinting with a smirk, “Is that so?”
