"Ahem." Senior Yu cleared her throat. "Have you ever walked a road with only one bump? There are countless bumps in the road of cultivation that can easily set any person back! So what if you fall once? So what if you fall twice? Even if you fall a dozen times, as long as you do not give up and stand back up, there will be success waiting for you in the end…"
The participants took another moment to understand her words.
"As expected of Senior!"
"Ouuuuh! I am all pumped up now! So what if I fall down another dozen times?! If I give up now, I will only be throwing myself away from the road to success!"
The participants all shouted like warriors in the middle of a war, and they all started running towards the top without a care.
Some slipped from running too fast, others directly fell on their faces, but in the end, they all still stood up and continued climbing the stairway.
Tian Yi wiped the sweat from his forehead after sealing Meng Xiang's aura. During the time he gave Meng Xiang the permission to read the Sublime Spirit Scripture, he had given her some of his aurae, hence why the stairway reacted to her, too.
And seeing how the participants fell again because of him, Tian Yi's guilt was to the point where he had to do something in order to apologize to them, so he decided to help them all out by sharing his Spirit Qi with them.
The thousands of participants that was already out of breath suddenly felt their fatigue quickly going away as though somebody was helping them refill their Spirit Qi.
"Eh? Why does my body suddenly feel better than before I even started?"
"Is this the so-called 'breaking through ones' limit to find out that they are not actually at their limit'?"
"This feels… freaking great!"
The pace of the competition suddenly took a swift change in directions with everybody climbing the stairway faster than before they even started!
The sudden change in the pace caused all of the supreme elders and the sect masters to stare with wide eyes.
If it was just a dozen of them suddenly using their hidden strength then there would be nothing suspicious about that. However, when everybody there suddenly increased in intensity and power, then there was definitely something wrong.
The sect masters were all confused, but none of them knew the cause of such a phenomenon, leaving them scratching their head in wonder. Hell, Senior Yu nearly fell out of the sky from shock when literally all of the participants had their Spirit Qi recover in the blink of an eye.
Did they all eat some sort of restoration pill simultaneously without letting them see it? How ridiculous would that sound if she were to ask them that question?
The participants continued to climb the stairway at lightning fast speed, leaving the spectators wide-eyed.
"What is going on? Why is everybody suddenly climbing the stairway so fast?"
"They all look as though they are taking a stroll in the park! Even their sweaty robes are dry now!"
While the spectators were dumbfounded by the sudden change, Tian Yi smiled at the change.
'I hope they will not blame me for causing them to fall just now… I have given them all enough Spirit Qi to pass the fifth level, so it should compensate them for their lost just now. Any higher and they will have to use their own strength.'
Tian Yi could feel his guilt going away after helping everybody there reach the fifth level, becoming disciples of the Four Ancient Land!
As for those who were disqualified because of him, they could only blame their bad luck!
The thought of seeing nearly every participant pass the 5th level never even appeared in any of the sect masters' mind; it was so ridiculous sounding that it wouldn't even appear in their dreams! So when they see that nearly every participant reach the fifth level, all of the sect masters and Senior Yu dropped their jaws, nearly falling to the ground from shock.
Even the participants themselves were shocked at their display of talent, especially those who knew the limits of their talent.
The sect masters began to wonder if there was something wrong with the stairway, but when they see that the newer entries were struggling, their mind nearly went crazy.
'What in the name of heaven is going on today?' they cried inwardly.
As for the participants who managed to get to the fifth level with the assistance of Tian Yi, nearly all of them could not walk because of the chains binding their feet.
At this moment, thousands of people were all chained to the floor on the first few steps of the 5th level like a massive group of prisoners; it was an odd and ridiculous scene, but for the participants, they did not care that they have they stay there for the remainder of the competition because they have already gotten what they wanted— entrance to the Four Ancient Lands!
The newer participants at the bottom of the stairway looked at the thousands of people that were literally blocking the fifth level.
How will they get past them? Jump over them? The competition had just started and it has become chaotic already!
Tian Yi and Meng Xiang slowly climbed the stairway hand in hand while the others tried to deal with the situation at the 5th level.
During the entire time, Meng Xiang tried her best to not look behind her, only looking straight at the top.
Time quickly passed for the two, especially Meng Xiang who has never done anything this crazy before.
Upon reaching the 2nd level, Meng Xiang started feeling the pressure of the stairway; it felt as though she was wearing an invisible backpack with some weight.
The weight of the pressure slowly turned from a backpack to feeling like somebody was pressing down on her shoulders after reaching the 3rd level.
The pressure didn't feel comfortable, and she wanted to quit. But when she turned to look at Tian Yi who looked as though there was no pressure, she bit her teeth and continued to endure the pressure.
The discomfort quickly turned into fatigue.
Meng Xiang began breathing heavily after reaching halfway to the fourth level; she didn't expect that it'd be this difficult. Aren't they just climbing steps? If so, then why does it feel as though she was carrying a large boulder behind her back?
"Are you tired? Do you want to stop?" Tian Yi finally asked her.
Meng Xiang shook her head: "No… I am okay..." She said despite her clear exhaustion.
Tian Yi nodded with approval upon seeing her resolve, and he continued to climb the steps.
Afraid that she might get left behind by him if she slowed down, Meng Xiang tightened her grip on his hands, bearing the pressure that was getting stronger by the second.
Feeling her grip on his hand, Tian Yi also tightened his, secretly assisting her with his Spirit Qi.
However, unlike the participants he helped to the 5th level, he gave her just enough so she would not pass out from exhaustion, and it was so she could temper herself.
If one wanted to truly succeed in the path of cultivation, they must temper not only their body but also their mind, and that was what Tian Yi had planned for Meng Xiang before they'd even start the competition.
He told her that he will teach her cultivation, and he will do just that!
'Keep up the good work,' Tian Yi said to Meng Xiang in his mind. 'Your efforts will not go unrewarded.'