As Su Lin continued climbing the stairs, he soon discovered that the pressure increased slightly after every fifty steps. Although the increase was only slight, it was enough to shatter the will of many candidates.
Since arriving at the Heaven's Dao Sect, Su Lin had witnessed countless strange and unimaginable sights. Yet there was one thing that neither he nor the other candidates had noticed.
Throughout the Heaven's Dao Sect, many things were based on the number nine.
The very staircase they were now climbing for the first trial was no exception. From its base to the mountain's peak, it contained exactly nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps. At this moment, Su Lin had reached the eight hundred and twenty-seventh step.
His pace could neither be considered fast nor slow. He was ahead of many candidates, yet still far from the leading group.
However, the distance remaining was still immense. By now, nearly half an hour had already passed since the first trial had begun.
Suddenly, one of the candidates beside Su Lin lost his balance and collapsed onto the stone steps. Moments later, a disciple of the Heaven's Dao Sect appeared beside him. Effortlessly lifting the unconscious candidate onto his shoulder, the disciple soared into the air and flew toward the mountain's peak.
As Su Lin continued climbing, he saw more and more candidates lose their balance and collapse under the immense pressure. He knew that every one of them had already been eliminated from the first trial.
Gradually, the first two hours passed.
By then, Su Lin had reached the four thousand eight hundredth step.
Out of the original four hundred and seventy-two candidates, only a little over two hundred remained. Nearly half of the participants had already been eliminated from the first trial.
By now, blood was beginning to seep from Su Lin's pores. Every muscle in his body felt as though it were about to burst apart under the crushing pressure.
However, Su Lin was not the only one suffering. Every remaining candidate was enduring the same torment.
"What do you think of the remaining children, Brother?" Among the elders in red robes, one of them turned toward Elder Sima Tai and asked for his opinion.
"They are all quite good," Elder Sima Tai replied calmly. "However, I am more interested in those at the front."
He narrowed his eyes slightly before continuing,
"Look at those two girls. Their willpower is exceptional. And that boy in the purple robes who is front of the group... he has also caught this old man's attention."
Hearing Elder Sima Tai's words, the other elders smiled faintly. One of them nodded before speaking in a friendly manner.
"Senior Brother, don't tell me you're planning to take all the outstanding disciples for yourself."
The elder chuckled before continuing,
"Don't forget that after the selection is over, the Sect Master and all of us elders will choose our disciples one by one."
Hearing those words, Elder Sima Tai and the other elders burst into hearty laughter, their voices echoing across the mountain.
Meanwhile, far below, Su Lin continued struggling to take each step.
He had to pass this test.
He had to become a disciple of the Heaven's Dao Sect.
Only then would he have the chance to grow stronger... strong enough to kill Feng Yin and avenge Uncle Hong.
This was only the beginning of his journey.
He could not lose.
He could not afford to lose.
As four hours gradually passed, Su Lin reached the seven thousand five hundredth step.
By now, only around eighty candidates remained, and Su Lin was one of them.
As he paused briefly to catch his breath, he glanced down the staircase and saw Chen Hao still struggling to climb, his face pale with exhaustion.
Step by step, Su Lin pressed onward as time continued to slip away like grains of sand through an hourglass.
'Persevere, Su Lin... Persevere.
This is your chance.
I don't know whether I'll be able to pass the remaining two tests, but I cannot fail this one.'
As everyone struggled under the crushing pressure, Su Lin recalled the hardships he had endured in the past. Each memory strengthened his resolve, leaving him with only one thought—
To keep moving forward.
When there were only forty-five minutes remaining, the first candidate finally reached the mountain's peak. It was none other than the boy in the purple robes.
Soon after, more and more candidates began arriving at the summit.
By the time only fifteen minutes remained, Su Lin had just fifty steps left to climb.
Taking a deep breath, he gritted his teeth and poured every last ounce of strength into moving forward. But at this point, the pressure had become almost unbearable.
With every step Su Lin took, drops of blood were left behind on the stone staircase. Every muscle in his body screamed in agony, yet he refused to stop.
Beside him, a young girl was also struggling under the overwhelming pressure. Her body trembled violently, and it seemed she was on the verge of collapsing.
Su Lin paid no attention to her.
His eyes remained fixed on the summit as he continued forcing himself forward, one bloodstained step at a time.
At this point, only thirty-four candidates remained on the staircase. Just ten steps behind Su Lin was Chen Hao, who was also struggling to press onward.
With a little over twenty steps remaining, Su Lin could already see the summit of the mountain. The elders and disciples standing there appeared both near and distant at the same time.
As Su Lin took another step forward, he suddenly felt a hand press against his shoulder. His balance was immediately disrupted, and he stumbled backward.
In that brief moment, he noticed the young girl beside him on the verge of collapse. In an attempt to steady herself, she had instinctively used his shoulder for support.
As Su Lin fell, he simply watched her retreating figure.
There was neither guilt nor even the slightest hint of apology on her face. Without sparing him another glance, she continued climbing toward the summit, as though nothing had happened.
The next moment, Su Lin's body struck the stone staircase and tumbled down several steps. His head hit one of the stone steps with a heavy impact.
Darkness engulfed his vision.
He lost consciousness.
When everyone witnessed the scene, they could not help but widen their eyes in shock.
A disciple immediately rushed over, lifted Su Lin onto his shoulder, and carried him to the mountain's summit.
One of the elders quickly examined Su Lin's injuries. He placed a medicinal pill into Su Lin's mouth before resting a hand on his chest and circulating his spiritual energy to stabilize his condition.
After a few moments, the elder withdrew his hand and calmly instructed the disciple,
"Take him away and let him rest."
The disciple nodded before carrying Su Lin toward the sect's medical quarters.
Everyone present watched silently as Su Lin was taken away. This was the first time a candidate had fallen and suffered such a severe injury during the trial.
When the first trial came to an end, many of the candidates turned their gazes toward the young girl who had been beside Su Lin.
Some looked at her with confusion, while others frowned in disapproval.
However, she paid no attention to their gazes, her expression remaining calm and indifferent. After a short while, Elder Sima Tai walked over to her and asked in a gentle voice,
"What is your name?"
Elder Sima Tai paused for a moment before asking his second question.
"And... why did you do that?"
After that, the girl continued, speaking in a calm voice, though a hint of hesitation could be heard in it.
"My name is Hua Lan. As for what Senior is referring to... it was not my fault.
If I hadn't done that, I would have been eliminated.
So... I chose to eliminate someone else."
Hearing her words, Elder Sima Tai flew into a rage and said in a loud, thunderous voice,
"And what if he had died?" Elder Sima Tai roared.
"Would you still say it wasn't your fault?"
His sharp gaze bore into Hua Lan as he continued,
"Did you not stop to think that your actions violated the principles of our Heaven's Dao Sect—a righteous sect?"
Hearing those words, she fell to her knees under the suffocating pressure.
Just as she was about to speak in fear, a gentle hand rested on her head, and Elder Sima Tai's voice reached her ears.
"Don't worry. Perhaps what you did was not right, but it was not entirely wrong either.
And as for breaking the rules... you didn't break any, because there are no such rules in this test." Hearing Elder Sima Tai's words, the liveliness returned to her face, and she slowly stood up.
Everyone else wore confused expressions, unable to understand the meaning behind Elder Sima Tai's words.
"Listen, everyone. In this test, there are no rules, so what she did was not wrong.
But... you all need to understand one thing.
The life of a cultivator is far harsher and far more painful than that of a mortal."
But before Elder Sima Tai could continue, someone from the crowd spoke up.
It was none other than Chen Hao. He was also one of the candidates who had passed the first trial.
"Then, Senior, what about the person who collapsed because of her?
He was also someone who could have passed the test if she hadn't done that.
Will he pass... or not?"
Hearing those words, Elder Sima Tai smiled faintly and looked in his direction before saying,
"It was his own fault for not taking precautions at such an important moment.
What happened was the consequence of his own choice."
"But senior"
Just as Chen Hao was about to speak again, Elder Sima Tai interrupted him in a cold voice,
"Enough.
A single chance can determine a person's life or death.
If he succeeds, he will survive.
If he fails, he will die."