Chapter 1716 - The Final Trial's Fifth Level
…
…
…
The Law Concepts on the Divine Seal Altar were trickles that flowed beneath Lin Ming's feet. As he withstood this baptism of Concepts, he climbed up to the 26th step. Although he wasn't fast at the start, he slowly caught up to everyone else. This was because at the front, most of the martial artists there had started to slow down due to the pressure of the Divine Seal Altar.
After all, there was no time limit in climbing up the Divine Seal Altar. If one slowed down a bit they could naturally restore a bit more of their strength.
At the 28th step, the pressure was terrifying.
But at this time there had yet to be a trial challenger that was eliminated. At the 29th step, the dreadful pressure gushed down like a raging waterfall. Not only was this pressure placed on the body, but it was also a pressure of energy and a pressure of the soul!
Some trial challengers immediately felt their strength verging on collapse!
"Damn it… I can't even feel my hands and feet anymore and I don't have much spirit essence left, but there are still several tens of thousands of feet until the next step…"
A red-clothed fatty from an Empyrean influence mumbled. He had already climbed 50,000 feet up the 29th step and his physical strength was reaching its limit.
"How come none of these people seem tired? Could I… could I be the one with the weakest foundation here?"
The Divine Seal Altar's 33 steps were a test of one's foundation. If one had a higher cultivation but was weak, they were destined to be eliminated here.
The rough walls of the Divine Seal Altar had already worn out the fingers of the fat red-clothed youth and had covered them with blisters. He felt his arms and legs become heavy, and was finding it increasingly difficult to continue. His entire body dripped sweat. Although he continued to try his best, his speed was still as slow as a turtle. Meanwhile, the top of the 29th step was nowhere in sight.
Woosh!
At this time, a wild flow of energy rushed towards him. Without rhyme or reason, this flow of energy crashed into the red-clothed fatty. With a pitiful cry his body went falling down…
To fall from a height of several tens of thousands of feet under the terrifying pressure of the Divine Seal Altar, one would suffer horribly if they were to hit the ground. This spiritas fatty, at the final moment, fiercely bit down on his tongue to sober himself up. As the wind whistled in his ears he forcefully grit his teeth, stimulating his spirit essence and forming a barrier of spirit essence around his body.
Peng!
The fatty smashed into the stone ground of the Divine Seal Altar. His spirit essence barrier shattered and he howled in pain. His spine had cracked and he was bleeding all over.
For better or worse, he had managed to save his life. But, it was no longer possible for him to climb up the Divine Seal Altar.
Thus, in the test from the fourth to the fifth level, at the 29th step, someone had finally been eliminated!
And this was only the first elimination. More and more people were nearing their limits.
Climbing up the Divine Seal Altar was something that would take several days. The trial challengers that dared to climb its walls needed to have an endurance that far surpassed the norm. The endurance of the spiritas martial artists was limited. Like the red-clothed fatty, many of them exhausted their spirit essence and reached the edges of their persistence.
In terms of endurance, the saints with their billowing blood vitality had a clear advantage. But, they also had a disadvantage, and that was that their soul force was limited and they found it hard to withstand the pressure on their minds and souls. Soon, the weak ones were defeated because of their lack of soul force.
By the 30th step, at least 20% of the trial challengers were unable to continue climbing.
From the 30th step to the 31st, the difficulty increased by yet another level. But, this was an extremely crucial step, because after climbing up to the 31st step, one would be extremely close to the entrance of the fifth level! As long as one climbed just a little bit more they would be able to enter the fifth level!
And as long as they could enter the fifth level then their completion percentage would rise yet again. They could reach 65% or even 70%.
No matter what influence one came from, a completion percentage of 70% was extremely shocking. In the future, this completion percentage would be a brilliant record and banner of their successes, one that hung over their road of martial artists. They would be given glory and assigned more resources, and this completion percentage would be highly beneficial to their future growth. Moreover, the rewards for obtaining a 70% completion rate were extremely rich, enough to arouse the envy of many people.
By relying on these daydreams, many trial challengers pushed themselves to continue even if they had exhausted the last dregs of their strength. They forcefully overdrew their life, all in order to reach the 31st step.
As soon as they reached the 31st step they fell to the ground, not even having the strength to sit in meditation, let alone do something like climb up the even more terrifying 32nd step.
As they were resting they opened their eyes and saw that Soul Empress Sheng Mei had already mounted the 32nd step of the Divine Seal Altar and was beginning to climb up the 33rd step. Even though she faced the horrifying pressure that fell from the 33rd step, she still ascended at a breakneck speed, her movements like passing clouds and flowing water!
They knew that Sheng Mei's cultivation was more than a large boundary above their own. The pressure she had to face was over ten times what they encountered. Even so, it seemed as if nothing could impede her ascent.
"How fierce…"
"She truly is worthy of being called the Soul Empress. She can definitely reach the top…"
"Reaching the top isn't much at all. Even if this stone altar had a 34th step or a 35th step, Sheng Mei would climb up all the same. Haven't you seen that the follower she brought with her will also reach the top soon…?"
It wasn't just Sheng Mei, but Dragonscar was also keeping pace with her. He too was climbing up the 33rd step, but it seemed his pace was a bit slower and he was finding it more difficult.
From the 31st step to the 32nd step, many people had already decided to give up. But, there were three or four trial challengers that rose to the challenge. Among these people were a black-clothed youth and a green-clothed girl that stood out. After Sheng Mei and Dragonscar they were the next fastest two people.
This man and woman clearly knew each other. They bloomed out from the crowd of trial challengers as they almost reached the top of the 32nd step.
"Who are they?"
"I don't know, I've never seen them before."
The black-clothed youth and green-clothed girl were unknown characters; no one even knew their names. And it was also impossible to tell what influence they came from by looking at their clothes.
These two people were drenched with sweat but they still stubbornly continued climbing up the 32nd step.
"These two people are… strange…"
On the walls of the Divine Seal Altar, Lin Ming thought for a moment. Somehow, he felt that the aura around this man and woman was a bit familiar, but he was sure that he had never seen them before. Because there were too many people in the final trial, Lin Ming had never noticed these two.
"Brother Lin, I don't think I can continue much longer. I fear I won't be able to climb up the 32nd step…"
A soft and lilting voice echoed out. Lin Ming turned to look at Fanny Fafa. Along the way, Lin Ming and Xiao Moxian had climbed up with Fanny Fafa, Suya, and the others. In addition, because their speed was slow, they were only in the lower-middle of the trial challengers. While the first group had already climbed up the 32nd step, Lin Ming and the others were only 10,000-20,000 feet up the 31st step.
"Mm… even you climbed up the 31st step, that is enough to enter the fifth level."
As Lin Ming spoke he discovered that not too far away from Fanny Fafa, Suya was also dripping wet with sweat. Her cheeks were flushed red and it was clear she was reaching her limits.
Feeling Lin Ming's gaze, Suya squeezed out a smile. "Sir Lin, this is also my final step. If I try to climb up any more then I fear I will overdraw my strength or even fall down. If that happens it will affect my own strength and cause me to be restrained on the fifth level…"
"Okay…"
Lin Ming nodded. Of his group, only he and Xiao Moxian wouldn't have a problem reaching the top. As for the others, it would be a bit too difficult for them to climb up the 32nd step.
After Suya and Fanny Fafa, Thousand Slaughter and Mo Brightmoon also gave up. They loosened their grip on the stone walls and gently fell back down to the 31st step. As for Lin Ming and Xiao Moxian, they naturally mounted the 32nd step.
After mounting the 32nd step, Lin Ming only saw several people here. It seemed that most trial challengers stopped at the 31st step.
Lin Ming glanced over at the black-clothed youth and green-clothed girl that were meditating and restoring their energy. He hesitated for a moment and then asked them, "My name is Lin Ming, may I ask where you two are from…"
The trial challengers of the final trial mostly didn't know each other. They were nothing but strangers whose roads crossed in this mystic realm. But as Lin Ming suddenly asked this question, it caused the two of them to be startled.
They clearly recognized Lin Ming. Towards this chosen pride of heaven who passed through the Asura level Gate of Laws, they felt a deep sense of awe. This was the universal respect that one held towards powerhouses.
The two people glanced at each other. The green-clothed girl was the first to speak, "Moonpond."
"Soulsky!" The black-clothed youth said right after.
"Moonpond, Soulsky… I've indeed never heard these names…" Lin Ming nodded and faintly smiled. Well, at least they were acquainted now.
"Big Brother Lin, are you interested in those two?" Xiao Moxian asked with a little surprise. In her opinion, Lin Ming was someone who rarely took the initiative to greet strangers.
"They just give off a strangely familiar feeling." Lin Ming didn't explain further and began to climb up the 33rd step.
Most of the trial challengers that mounted the 32nd step had to rest in meditation. Only Lin Ming and Xiao Moxian didn't need any rest. They climbed up the rough stone walls, their speed not slowing in the least as if this massive pressure they faced didn't exist at all.
This left everyone watching them secretly dumbfounded. No one doubted that Lin Ming would be able to reach the top, just like no one doubted Sheng Mei either.
At the Divine Realm First Martial Meeting when Lin Ming ascended from the 32nd step to the 33rd step, he had to face the power of heavenly tribulation. But at this final trial's Divine Seal Altar, that didn't occur at all. Rather, there was only a more terrifying pressure as well as a deeper baptism of the Laws of the 33 Heavens.
And as Lin Ming climbed up several hundred feet, Sheng Mei had already reached the top of the 33rd step!
Seeing Sheng Mei reach the top, Lin Ming took a deep breath. Although he knew that her talent was extraordinary, she had reached the top extremely fast and also did so easily, as if it wasn't a problem at all. This left Lin Ming secretly shocked.
This Sheng Mei was even more terrifying than Divine Dream!
As Sheng Mei reached the top, the entire Divine Seal Altar began to shake. The space crack leading to the fifth level began to slowly close up!
Ka ka ka!
The space crack constantly closed in and squeezed out. According to this trend, all those below the 31st step of the Divine Seal Altar would be pushed away, while those at the 31st step and above would be able to smoothly enter the fifth level.