Chương 85: 1.84 In which Ning faces his worst enemy till now~

The elders were still lounging around the observation hall. There were not many of them present. In fact, most of the elders here were either directly related to one of the disciples inside the tower or had come because they had some personal interest in this batch of inner sect juniors. For them, watching the first floor of the Heavenly Origin Tower had originally been a leisurely activity. Their earlier banter had been exactly that. Fun.

After all, every five years, another batch of young disciples entered the tower. Every five years, the elders watched them stumble around, misjudge the trials, grit their teeth, overestimate themselves, and occasionally produce a few pleasant surprises. It was both an evaluation and an entertainment. But now, the atmosphere in the hall had changed. No one was laughing anymore. Within the water-mirror, Ning and Xiao Fan were still climbing. They were slow, alright, but they never stopped taking another step.

For a long while, no one spoke. Then Elder He Shou, who had been joking loudly not long ago, slowly set down the teacup in his hand.

"…What step are they on?" A nearby elder glanced at the formation marker beside the water-mirror and swallowed.

"One hundred and ninety-seven." The hall became even quieter. Numbers did not lie. Even among Foundation Establishment cultivators, that number carried weight. The first hundred steps tested whether a disciple's foundation was stable enough to pass. Many decent inner disciples could reach that point. Those who reached one hundred and twenty could already be considered good. Those who reached one hundred and fifty were excellent seeds worthy of attention.

But after that, every step became whole another beast altogether. The pressure dug into the foundation, the spirit, the accumulated flaws of cultivation, and the stubbornness hidden beneath a person's will. It tested not only whether a disciple had built a strong base, but also whether they possessed the determination to continue treading the road of immortality. In other words, it tested the Dao heart. Elder Lou Ren exhaled slowly.

"One hundred and ninety-seven…" His usual mocking tone was gone.

"That is already beyond what most core disciples achieved during their first entry." A few elders nodded silently. In another corner of the hall, Hong Zeiling of the Disciplinary Hall folded his hands behind his back and watched the two figures in the mirror with a grave expression.

"Not just core disciples," he said.

"Among our current generation of Foundation Establishment elders, how many reached that height when we first entered?" No one answered immediately, but that silence itself was an answer. After a moment, an elder with white eyebrows gave a dry cough.

"There is no need to ask such embarrassing questions." He Shou snorted.

"Embarrassing? At least I reached the hundred and sixtieth step."

"You say that as though it is a glorious achievement compared to those two brats."

"It was glorious at the time."

"At the time, you also thought your beard made you look dignified."

"Excuse me. My beard does make me look dignified."

"Pft. You wish." The familiar bickering should have lightened the atmosphere, but even their argument lacked its usual force. Their gazes kept returning to the mirror. Because Ning and Xiao Fan had reached the one hundred and ninety-eighth step. Ling Xin sat slightly apart from the other elders. She had been unusually quiet since Ning passed the hundred and fiftieth step. At first, she had smiled proudly, her chin lifted in the arrogance of a master watching her disciple perform well.

When Ning passed Wei Zhusang, she had chuckled. When he passed Lang Rulang, she had raised an eyebrow. When Zhang Feng stopped, and Ning continued alone, she had leaned forward. Now, her posture had changed completely. Her fingers rested against the arm of her chair, tapping once every few breaths. Her expression remained relaxed on the surface, but Lang Feilang, who sat beside her, knew Ling Xin well enough to see the tension hidden beneath that calm.

"You are worried," Lang Feilang said softly. Ling Xin clicked her tongue.

"Of course I'm worried. Ning looks like he's trying to grind his bones into cultivation paste." Despite the complaint, the corners of her mouth had not stopped curving upward. Let it not be said that the elders lived in perfect harmony. They had their own little rivalries, and seeing her disciple demolish another elder's disciple was almost euphoric in its own right. Lang Feilang looked at her with amusement.

"You look too smug right now."

"I have the right to do that." Ling Xin muttered without hesitation.

"Look at him. That is my disciple." Her voice was low, but the pride in it was impossible to hide. Then, as though realizing she had said that too openly, she crossed her arms and added, "Though he is still stupid. He clearly knows his body is suffering, yet the moment he realizes the staircase can refine him, he treats it like an alchemy furnace and throws himself inside as the main ingredient. Who taught him to use himself like pill materials?" Lang Feilang shook her head at the analogy.

"You and your alchemy comparisons." Then she glanced back at the mirror.

"Still, your disciple's name will probably spread after this." Ling Xin paused, then nodded.

"Fame is a good thing for an alchemist." Lang Feilang smiled faintly, but her gaze soon returned to the mirror. She looked at Ning, then at Xiao Fan, and her expression also became more serious.

"Your disciple is not the only surprising one. That Xiao Fan started slower than almost everyone else." Hong Zeiling nodded from nearby.

"I noticed that as well. His first hundred steps were sluggish. The pressure on him appeared far heavier than it should have been for a sixth-stage Qi Condensation disciple."

"Yes. But in the end, he persevered." Hong Zeiling spoke first, and then quickly corrected himself.

"No, rather he adapted." The elders watched as Xiao Fan took another step. His body visibly trembled, yet he did not fall. Hong Zeiling's eyes sharpened.

"He endured until the pressure refined what was unstable." Several elders turned toward him. Hong Zeiling continued, "The staircase punishes a weak foundation, but punishment can also become tempering. If one collapses, they fail. If one endures, the flaws are exposed and forced into correction. Xiao Fan's climb was slow because he was being crushed more severely than others. But once he endured past the early stages, his foundation began stabilizing under the pressure." He Shou stared at the mirror.

"Did that brat realize this and willingly slow down his ascent?"

"Tsk. That mental fortitude is something to behold," Lou Ren said, clicking his tongue. On the Stairs of the Worthy, where one could see others surpassing them with ease, it took a special kind of mind to ignore the competition and focus on improving oneself instead. In the mirror, Xiao Fan and Ning stood on the one hundred and ninety-ninth step. One more step. The elders' expressions changed. It was not merely because two disciples had climbed high. It was because of the number they were approaching. Two hundred.

That number was not ordinary. Lang Feilang slowly spoke.

"The last person to step onto the two hundredth stair during their first entry…" She did not finish because she had no need to. Every elder in the hall knew the answer. The current sect leader. The one proclaimed to be the strongest Golden Core cultivator among the five sects. Back then, he had not yet been the sect leader. He had been a young inner sect disciple with an unremarkable background compared to the great cultivation clans, but his foundation had been terrifyingly solid, and his will even more so.

During his first entry into the Heavenly Origin Tower, he had climbed past the two hundredth step and shocked the entire sect. Many elders still remembered that day. Reaching the two hundredth step had marked him as someone different. Someone whose worth had to be acknowledged. Elder He Shou's lips moved slightly.

"The sect leader reached two hundred and ten steps in the end." Lou Ren's expression became solemn. Now, two disciples were standing before that same boundary at the same time. Ling Xin's fingers stopped tapping. Her eyes were fixed on Ning.

"Come on, Ning," she muttered under her breath.

"You've already climbed this far. Don't embarrass your master now." Lang Feilang gave her a sideways glance.

"That sounds less like concern and more like pressure."

"I can be concerned and demanding at the same time."

"That is very master-like of you."

"I know. You taught me how to be a proper master, remember?" Despite her words, Ling Xin's gaze did not leave the mirror. Her disciple was barely moving now. Ning's shoulders rose and fell with each breath. His body swayed slightly beneath the pressure, and his foot rose with painful slowness. It was not graceful by any means. His movement was ugly with exhaustion. For a moment, it looked as though the pressure would force him backward. Then Xiao Fan moved beside him. The two did not look at each other.

They simply stepped at the same time. If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. Both feet landed on the two hundredth stair. The water-mirror trembled slightly. The elders held their breath. Within the mirror, the two disciples stood on the two hundredth stair, bodies trembling, robes soaked, breathing ragged, but still standing. Then Elder He Shou slowly whispered, "Two of them." No one corrected him. There was nothing to correct.

Two disciples had reached the two hundredth step in the same generation. One was Xiao Fan, a low-grade spiritual root disciple whose rise had been nothing short of legendary. The other was Ji Ning, a mid-grade spiritual root disciple who had flown under the radar for his first few years and only stepped into the limelight during the outer sect competition. Hong Zeiling looked at the mirror for a long time.

Then he said, "With Xiao Fan, Ji Ning, and Xiao Qing, who recently became the youngest Foundation Establishment expert, this generation may be more troublesome than we expected." Lou Ren snorted, but his eyes remained bright.

"Troublesome? This is good. A sect fears having no monsters far more than having too many."

"Too many monsters also cause problems."

"That is what elders are for."

"You say that as though elders are good at solving problems."

"We are good at creating them, too." Several elders finally chuckled. It was a good thing to have a monster-like talent in the sect. Even though what the two showed was only dao heart, that willingness to move forward was amazing enough. Their gazes were still drawn to the mirror. Finally, at the two hundred and tenth step, Ning collapsed. A golden light immediately wrapped around him. Ning tied with the sect leader's record. What about the other one? Was the sect leader's record meant to be unbreakable? No!

Xiao Fan moved slowly. One step. Two steps. Then, third and final step. Then, the boy collapsed as the light claimed him. Two hundred and thirteen steps. The history had been made. The record was broken and remade taller than before. The hall erupted in motion.

"Quickly, get me all the information on Xiao Fan," one elder said at once.

"Surpassing even the sect leader's old record will cause a great uproar."

"Yes, I wonder who his master is," He Shou said, frowning.

"I don't think they are present here." He paused for a moment, then stroked his beard.

"Xiao Fan is an unrefined gem. If guided properly, he could shine with true brilliance."

"Oh, shut up. You make it sound like you already want to steal him."

"Don't tell me you want to as well." If nothing else, just the bragging right was worth looking forward to. Hong Zeiling glanced through the disciple jade records available to the Disciplinary Hall. Then his expression changed slightly.

"It says his master is Long Xiao." The moment Hong Zeiling said those words, most of the elders' faces stiffened. Some even looked openly displeased.

"That guy?" He Shou snorted.

"That is like giving a pearl to a swine. Xiao Fan will be completely wasted under him."

"Yes," Lou Ren said, rarely agreeing with He Shou.

"We know Long Xiao is strong, but he is not master material at all. All he does is lounge around the sect. I still remember the disciples he was forced to take in before. Every single one of them ran away from him."

"Those disciples said Long Xiao only trained them when they bribed him," He Shou added furiously.

"Otherwise, he would not even look at them. Such a disciple has shone so brightly, yet he has such a terrible master."

"It is a pity," Hong Zeiling said with a sigh.

"But unless Xiao Fan himself wishes to transfer masters, we cannot do anything." Ling Xin suddenly perked up.

"Hmph. Hey, you old men, aren't you ignoring my dear disciple too much?" He Shou looked at her.

"It is precisely because you have been talking about him for the last hour that we know he will not transfer to us. So there is no need to discuss him. Unless you want to give up your disciple to someone better?"

"Of course I won't. Don't even suggest that." Ling Xin glared at one of the highest authorities in the sect with no fear at even daring to go into that territory.

"Anyway, what I want to say is this. Since my dear disciple has already shown himself to be so capable, you should all support his future endeavors as an alchemist." Lou Ren raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know how having a strong foundation and will translates to being a good alchemist, but very well. We will watch his career with great interest." He said it casually, but he truly was interested. Although Ning had not surpassed the sect leader's old record like Xiao Fan, he had reached the same level. That alone proved he was undoubtedly brilliant. Ling Xin immediately seized the chance.

"Don't say that. My disciple has already developed a unique pill. The Vitality Pill. Not only can it slightly boost physical ability, but it also works as a strong aphrodisiac. He created it only a few months after starting alchemy." The hall became silent. Then several elders slowly turned toward her.

"What?"

"An aphrodisiac after only a few months?"

"Vitality Pill…" One elder suddenly paused.

"Isn't that the pill one of my disciples mentioned? He said it helped him fight those witches in the Firework Pavilion for a full day."

"Oho! There was something like that?" Another elder immediately became interested.

"Tell me more." Hong Zeiling's face darkened hearing that.

"Oh my god," he muttered.

"There are two of them." Was not only Ling Xin enough to be a menace in the sect? Her disciple was already showing markings of becoming one as well. Ling Xin nodded with great satisfaction. Surely her disciple would be grateful for her advertisement. After all, Ning had made her proud today. As his master, it was only fitting for her to give him a present in return. And what better present was there than spreading his name, his reputation, and his pill among Foundation Establishment elders?...

In a flash of golden light, Ning reappeared on the base floor of the Heavenly Origin Tower. The moment his feet touched the ground, his knees softened. He did not completely collapse, but it was close enough that the difference hardly mattered. The world swayed violently around his head, and the dark jade pillars in the hall blurred together for a breath before slowly returning to their proper places. A wave of vertigo struck him so suddenly that Ning had to plant one hand against his knee to steady himself.

Not far away, Xiao Fan had appeared a few seconds earlier. He looked to be in far better condition. At the very least, he did not seem to feel the same disorientation Ning was currently suffering through.

"Brother Ning!" Zhang Feng's voice rang out almost immediately. Before Ning could properly gather himself, several figures rushed over and surrounded him. Zhang Feng arrived first, his usual joking expression replaced by genuine concern. Wei Zhusang followed closely behind, his brows slightly furrowed. Lang Rulang stood nearby with her arms crossed, though her gaze swept over Ning carefully, while Su Fan had already taken out a small pill bottle as though preparing to stuff medicine into his mouth if necessary.

"Are you okay, Brother Ning?" Zhang Feng asked quickly. Ning lifted one hand weakly.

"M'fine," he said, his voice softer than usual.

"Just a bit of vertigo." Wei Zhusang frowned.

"Are you sure? The Heavenly Origin Tower heals competitors after each trial. Your physical condition and qi should have recovered. How are you still unwell?"

"Dunno." Ning rubbed his forehead, trying to force the hall to stop tilting.

"My qi and body feel fine. My brain, however, seems to have missed that memo." Su Fan's expression turned thoughtful.

"Perhaps the tower restored your injuries but did not completely remove the aftereffects of mental strain. You did climb far beyond the ordinary range. It may have affected your spirit."

"That makes sense," Ning mumbled.

"Just help me rest for a while. I'll be okay." Zhang Feng helped him sit down near the side of the hall. The cold stone beneath him was strangely comforting, or maybe it was the lack of pressure that made the difference. Ning leaned back slightly and closed his eyes, letting his breathing settle while the others chattered around him.

"You were amazing," Zhang Feng said after a moment, his voice carrying genuine admiration.

"You just kept pushing past your limits again and again. Especially those last few steps. They showed all of us the true power of youth! I'm getting pumped just thinking about it." Wei Zhusang nodded.

"Yes. That was not ordinary endurance." Lang Rulang looked at Ning for a moment before adding, "Not bad." Even from her, those two words carried weight. Ning opened one eye, hearing all this chatter. Then he remembered. He remembered standing beside Xiao Fan on the stairs, competing with him. He remembered that final stretch, where his head had gone light, and he had somehow started speaking hot-blooded youthful nonsense.

"Argh." Ning clutched his head. The others blinked.

"What happened, Brother Ning?" Zhang Feng asked, startled by the sudden noise. Ning covered his face with one hand.

"Don't talk about it." Zhang Feng tilted his head.

"What?"

"The pushing past limits thing. Also, my hot-blooded words."

"But that was the best part."

"Please, no." Ning felt assaulted by pure cringe. What had he been thinking? Going head-on against the protagonist of all things. Not only that, he had lost after talking big. He still remembered the silhouette of that guy continuing forward yet again, even after Ning had reached his limit. Freaking cheater. How the hell did he still have gas after all that? The ref had to do something. Ning was spiraling. The group fell silent. Ning pressed his palm harder against his forehead.

"The point is, I acted like someone caught in youthful hot blood. I can feel my future self judging me." Zhang Feng tried to hold it in, but that was a task mighty difficult. Naturally, he failed. Ning pointed at him without looking.

"Don't."

"I didn't say anything."

"You breathed mockingly, and that was enough."

"Even breathing is not allowed?" Zhang Feng asked dramatically.

"Nope." Ning popped the "p" to show that he was serious. Wei Zhusang finally chuckled, while Su Fan covered his mouth with his sleeve. Even Lang Rulang's eyes shifted away slightly, which for her was practically roaring laughter. Ning wished the tower would teleport him again. Preferably into a hole. One where no one could remind him that he had willingly joined a protagonist-style rivalry moment on an ancient staircase. Unfortunately, the heavens rarely granted such reasonable requests.

While Ning was still recovering from both vertigo and social embarrassment, the surrounding disciples were also watching the two climbers. Only around forty disciples remained on the base floor now, and every single one of them had seen who had climbed the highest. Xiao Fan, in particular, attracted attention like a lamp in a swarm of moths. That was only natural. Compared to Ning, who had been quickly surrounded by friends and hidden from immediate approach, Xiao Fan stood more exposed.

He was also supported by Qiu Han, which made the sight even more eye-catching. The arrogant Qiu Han, who had once fought him during the competition, was now helping him stand. To those who loved gossip, that alone was enough material for three different rumors. Then Lei Dong arrived. He came with his entourage surrounding him, his robes still neat despite the trial. His expression carried the faint strain of someone trying very hard to appear unaffected by the fact that he had failed earlier than expected.

Behind him stood several guards, including the ninth-stage Qi Condensation cultivator Ning had noticed before. The man's face looked especially ugly. He had barely passed the hundredth step, and judging by the stiff way he stood behind Lei Dong, he had probably received more scolding than praise. Lei Dong stopped before Xiao Fan. His fan opened with a crisp snap.

"Not bad," he said, smiling faintly.

"I could not climb high because I only recently reached the seventh stage. My foundation at this stage is naturally not fully settled yet, so the trial was somewhat unfair to me." The surrounding disciples exchanged glances. Ning, still seated nearby, slowly opened both eyes. Ah. There it was. The noble art of explaining away failure. It's not me. It's the world. Sure, buddy. Ning thought this sarcastically, mostly because he wanted to think about anything other than his own embarrassing staircase moment.

Lei Dong continued.

"But you are quite impressive. I heard you only have a low-grade spiritual root. For someone like you to climb so high, your will and foundation must be exceptional." Xiao Fan looked at him silently. Lei Dong smiled wider.

"How about this? Become my subordinate. My grandfather is Purple Mansion Grand Elder Lei Fu. With my support, your path will become much smoother. No matter how strong your will is, cultivation still requires resources. Talent alone cannot fill an empty storage pouch." He paused deliberately, then added in a tone full of generosity, "If you serve me well, I can even help you obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill in the future." The hall grew quiet. A Foundation Establishment Pill.

Even among inner disciples, those words carried tremendous weight. It was not something ordinary disciples could casually obtain. For many Qi Condensation cultivators, a single Foundation Establishment Pill represented the difference between a lifetime of stagnation and a chance to step into a higher realm. Even people who disliked Lei Dong could not deny the value of that offer. Behind Lei Dong, the ninth-stage cultivator's eyes flashed with jealousy. Ning noticed it immediately.

That man had just barely reached the hundredth step and had probably been scolded by Lei Dong for disappointing him. Yet now Xiao Fan, a sixth-stage cultivator with a low-grade spiritual root, was receiving the offer he himself longed for. The resentment in his gaze was almost tangible. Xiao Fan, however, did not even hesitate.

"No," he said.

"I don't need your support." The rejection was swift and clear. The ninth-stage cultivator immediately stepped forward, unable to suppress himself.

"How dare you reject Young Master Lei's offer?" he snapped.

"You should count your lucky stars that Young Master even thinks you are worth something. Do you know how many people would kneel for such an opportunity?" Xiao Fan's eyes turned colder. Qiu Han, who was supporting him, also frowned. Lei Dong raised a hand, stopping his subordinate with a show of magnanimity.

"Calm down, Luo Kei." He lightly waved his fan, his smile still present.

"Brother Xiao has just finished climbing so high. His mind must still be unsettled. Perhaps he needs more time to think." Ning looked at Lei Dong. This fellow was skilled. He had made the offer publicly, wrapped it in generosity, and now treated Xiao Fan's rejection as though it came from exhaustion rather than firm refusal. If Xiao Fan accepted later, Lei Dong would gain a powerful subordinate. If Xiao Fan refused again, Lei Dong could claim that he had already given him face and been rejected.

It was a neat trick, all things considered. His young master level must not be low. Unfortunately for Lei Dong, while others might give him face because of his lineage, Xiao Fan was the master of face-slapping of every and any kind.

"Are you deaf?" Xiao Fan said coldly.

"I just rejected you." The atmosphere froze. Several disciples inhaled sharply. Lei Dong's fan paused. The smile on his face strained by a fraction.

"Brother Xiao," he said slowly, "there is no need for harshness. I only thought you were worth supporting. But it seems I may have judged wrongly. Your ego must have inflated because of this one event, but you should still remember your position." Xiao Fan snorted.

"Don't pretend to be charitable. If you want to fight me, just say so. I know your type." Lei Dong's eyes narrowed. The polite smile finally faded from his face. For someone like Lei Dong, rejection was already unpleasant. Rejection in public was worse. He had offered a bone with what he considered grace, and this low-grade spiritual root disciple had not only refused to take it, but had slapped it back toward him. The ninth-stage cultivator immediately shouted, "Impudent! You have eyes but can't see Mt. Tai."

Xiao Fan's hand moved toward his weapon. Qiu Han's expression sharpened. Several disciples backed away, their eyes lighting up with excitement. The peanut gallery was already prepared to comment on the fight that might happen. Lei Dong chuckled softly, though the sound carried no warmth.

"It seems a wild dog must be taught its place." Xiao Fan's gaze became colder.

"Try." The two stared at one another. For a moment, the air between them seemed to tighten. Lei Dong's entourage shifted slightly, forming a loose half-circle, while Qiu Han stood beside Xiao Fan without moving away. Despite his arrogance, Qiu Han clearly had no intention of abandoning him. Jin Shu, who had been nearby, also turned her head with bright eyes, looking far too excited for someone witnessing a possible fight. Fortunately, the tower intervened before violence could break out.

A deep hum spread through the hall. The golden runes along the walls lit up one after another, and the dark jade pillars released a faint glow. The pressure of the Heavenly Origin Tower descended again, not crushing them this time, but reminding every disciple present where they were. After all, there was a time and place for everything. Lei Dong snorted coldly at that. He closed his fan slowly.

"Very well," he said, his voice low.

"Since Brother Xiao has such confidence, I hope you maintain it during the later trials. There are still other stages. I would be careful if I were you." Xiao Fan did not bother replying. Lei Dong turned away with his entourage, but the disgrace was already obvious. He had approached with generosity and left with anger. Several disciples lowered their heads quickly, pretending not to have seen too much, but their eyes betrayed them. This incident would definitely spread after the tower trial ended.

Meanwhile, Ning had recovered enough to stand. He watched Lei Dong leave, then looked at Xiao Fan, then at the surrounding disciples who were still whispering. A tired expression crossed his face.

"Not even a minute," he muttered. Zhang Feng leaned closer.

"What?" Ning shook his head.

"Nothing. I was just reflecting on the hardships of certain people." Wei Zhusang gave him a strange look. Ning continued staring at Xiao Fan with an expression full of newfound sympathy. The man had simply climbed a staircase and immediately found himself entangled with a young master. In the span of a minute, he had already created a future enemy. Having the protagonist's halo really sucked. At least Ning could never be one. But that was enough drama for now. It was time for the second trial to begin....

Thanks for reading~