There were eleven candidates who had reached the three-hundredth step on the first day. Among them, Xiao Naihe was the unique, for the total quantity of his spiritual power consumed was already equal to that should be absorbed by nine hundred steps.
That was to say, he was now qualified to be admitted by the inner door of the Mountain Rosy Clouds if the time spent by cultivating the two martial arts was neglected.
His such striking talent had never existed before over the hundreds of years' history of the Mountain Rosy Clouds.
As soon as he got on the three-hundredth step, a martial art occurred in his mind－the Five Image Mathematics.
"Mathematics? Humans know mathematics much better than the beings of other three realms. I have collected some human Taoism martial arts during the previous life, but no mathematical ones. Is this a kind of brilliant kung fu?"
He began to browse the it.
"Figures are the foundation of the world, starting at one and ending at ten. From one to ten forms endless cycles."
He slightly browned. This sentences were seeming to describe the relationship between the world and the numbers, but didn't mention any kung fu.
"Is the practicing method hided in the mathematical questions?" He whispered to himself, and a suppose struck him that only when he solved all the problems in the Five Image Mathematics, could he be able to grasp the practicing method.
Therefore, he started to answer the problems.
Not familiar with the human Taoism martial arts, he was slow in solving the problems on the first day. But until the second day, he had figured out the rules, and on the third day, all the problems were solved out by him.
Since the enrollment require was to comprehend the martial arts, he could have move forward to the next step. But he chose to practice it, trying to mix the Five Image Mathematics into his devil cultivating system.
On the fourth day, the other candidates left the three-hundredth step one after one, whereas Xiao Naihe was still in the progress of practicing the kung fu.
He didn't stop practicing to go on the examination until the sixth day when he found his spiritual power was fully restored.
"Amazing! These martial arts are not only the keys to open the doors of the next stages, but also provide the opportunities for the disciples to regain spiritual power. Otherwise, they won't even reach the five-hundredth step, not to say the nine hundredth."
He looked at the opened door, then smiled confidently.
……
Eleven days passing, the five predestined disciples had already comprehended two martial arts and reached the seven-hundredth step. At the same time, more than 30% of the candidates had been stuck at the three-hundredth step, trying their best to understand the Five Image Mathematics.
When Xiao Naihe came to the six-hundredth step on the seventh day, he was delighted to know his practice had tkaen effects, because he had consumed less spiritual power to pass these three hundred steps.
With the previous experience of practicing the Five Image Mathematics, he only used two days to comprehend the second martial art, also related with mathematics－Eight Diagram Mathematics, and one day to practice it.
When he put his feet on the nine-hundredth step of the Ladder, he was qualified to become an inner disciple of the Mountain Rosy Clouds. But he didn't stop here.
The Ladder was a good place to cultivate, and the following martial arts were invaluable, so that no one would stop here, giving up on them.