The temperature on the 7th level was below zero; it was so cold that anyone with a cultivation base of Profound Immortal Stage and below would quickly freeze into an ice statue!
However, to Yu Bing who cultivated Ying Qi that dealt with the cold, it was nothing to her.
As for Tian Yi, this cold might as well be gone because he couldn't even feel it.
"Senior, are you feeling tired already? You are slowing down!" Tian Yi said, his voice sounding as casual as ever.
'What a monster… As expected from such a young Monarch,' Yu Bing sighed inwardly.
Of course, she was tired. She had been using her cultivating base to the limit ever since a few hours ago. So even with her power spike, she still has her limits.
"If you still have the energy to talk, why don't you come beside me and talk!" she said to him wanting to provoke him, only to regret that decision a second later.
The instant she said those words, Tian Yi's shadow flickered, and he appeared right beside her with a smile.
"We are almost at the 8th level," he said to her.
"You know, you were the first one to ever challenge me, and I appreciate that."
"It was very boring back at home where I had to play by myself."
"I am very glad that I came out here and meeting with people like you."
Tian Yi's casual words had caused Yu Bing's heartbeat to quicken.
"You… Where did you come from?" she finally gave up on being quiet and asked out of curiosity.
"I am from a place very, very far away from here," he said with a smile.
Knowing that he didn't want to talk about his identity, Yu Bing went silent again.
"Shuyi…" she suddenly called his name.
"Hm?"
"I…"
"Never mind. I will tell you when I win this race," she said with a serious expression.
Tian Yi laughed. "I will not allow you to win so easily!" he said, and his speed quickened once again, overtaking her by a dozen steps.
A serious and resolute light suddenly flashed through Yu Bing's eyes.
"Azure Phoenix's Sacrifice!" Yu Bing shouted, and her speed exploded to a new level, overtaking Tian Yi once again, surpassing him by another 1,000 steps.
However, a few seconds later, she coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood, dying her white veil red.
Tian Yi's eyes widened from her actions. To think she'd be so serious about this race; it made him feel ashamed of himself for playing around.
"I need to answer her passion to win… with my own!"
Tian Yi's eyes suddenly glowed, and a golden light slowly surfaced from within the darkness of his eyes!
Boom!
The entire stairway suddenly started trembling again, catching everybody off guard, Yu Bing included.
However, just as she was about to trip, Tian Yi appeared behind her and helped her stabilize by pushing her back.
"You—!" Yu Bing turned around to see a golden glow in his eyes, forcing her voice back into her throat.
"I am sorry for taking this race so casually when you are here being so serious…" he said in an ashamed voice. "I will also begin to climb seriously, so come and try to catch me!"
Yu Bing opened her mouth wishing to say something, but before she could even manage to release her voice, Tian Yi's shadow flickered and appeared 1,000 steps ahead of her.
And in the time it takes for Yu Bing to widen her eyes from shock, Tian Yi's shadow flickered again, appearing another 1,000 steps into the distance.
Yu Bing's jaw dropped, and during that time, Tian Yi appeared advanced by another 1,000 steps!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
1,000 steps, 2,000 steps, 3,000 steps! Tian Yi quickly distanced himself from Yu Bing, leaving her in the dust.
Yu Bing smiled bitterly as she watched him step onto the 8th level. Other than bitterness, there was nothing else she could feel at this moment.
Her steps slowed down, coming to a halt moments later.
'Looks like we really live in two different worlds,' she said to herself. 'But this is a race with my feelings on the line, so I will not give up even if I cannot catch up!'
Shaking her head to clear her mind, she continued to climb the stairway silently, entering the 8th level the moment Tian Yi stepped onto the 9th level.
Upon reaching the 8th level, Yu Bing's speed decreased significantly while Tian Yi's speed only increased upon reaching the 9th level.
The difference in their talent was clear, but Yu Bing did not stop climbing this stairway that felt endless.
She had told herself that if she could win this race, then she would chase after him. However, this decision itself could also be seen as her forcing herself to not chase him.
'As long as he wins, I will not have to chase after him…' was her initial thoughts.
But alas, as the race went on, she saw how she could keep up with his pace, giving her hope that she could catch up to him. Her desire to chase after him has increased to the point where even though he suddenly left her in the dust, she'd still be willing to chase.
'We may live in two different worlds… And I may never be able to truly chase after you… But I will not give up!' Yu Bing made up her mind that she will chase after him even if she has to chase him to the end of the world!
BOOM!
A sudden burst of cheering exploded from the bottom, waking Yu Bing up from her thoughts.
In the midst of her thoughts, Tian Yi became the first person in the last 21,000 years to have stepped onto the 10th level, and the spectators erupted with cheers upon witnessing the grand moment!
However, just as the spectators expected him to slow down if not come to a halt, Tian Yi's speed actually increased!
And within the blink of an eye, he was already 9,000 steps away from the 11th level!
"H-He's going for the 11th level!"
"How can he still move in that speed at that level?! Is he really human?!"
"Ah! He's only 5,000 steps away from the 11th level!
"Oh my god! He's still going! He's only 1,000 steps away from stepping onto the 11th level!"
Even the sect masters and Senior Yu could not hold their excitement, and they all stood up to watch with unblinking eyes.
900, 800, 500—
Tian Yi was now only 100 steps away from the 11th level!
99 steps, 70 steps, 15 steps—
In the blink of an eye, Tian Yi was only 10 steps away from the 100,001st step!
The spectators watched with wide eyes as Tian Yi slowly and casually stepped onto the last 10 steps!
Tian Yi, however, halted his step at the 99,991st step to look back.
Yu Bing was not even halfway into the 9th level.
"It was a fun race…" he mumbled to her.
Yu Bing who was over 10,000 steps away from him somehow heard his voice, smiled beautifully behind her veil, and mumbled, "I had fun, too."
Tian Yi smiled upon hearing her words, and he turned around to continue climbing the last ten steps!