Aspiring to the Immortal Path

Chapter 468: Climbing to the Summit (1)

Climb now?

Tang Jie was confused.

Although he had been cultivating constantly on the terrace for 72 days and he had made some progress, he felt like he still had some way to go before he could reach the summit.

He still had 78 days left, but the monkey said that he didn’t have any time.

What did that mean? Why did it say that?

Perhaps the key was on that summit.

Climbing to the summit was merely the process. Standing at the highest place and comprehending the legacy left behind by his predecessor was the reward.

If he looked at things this way, he truly didn’t have any time.

But was he really capable of making it through that tough road ahead of him?

Tang Jie clearly recalled that on these last 138 meters, one could get a reward every 10 meters. If this was the case, then he could conclude that the difficulty would also be increased. Going up wouldn’t be easy.

To be honest, regarding this problem, Tang Jie was also confused.

His progress in the Water Moon Paradise had to be considered incredibly fast. After all, he had gone from the peak of Nine Revolutions all the way to greater attainment in Cognitive Creation—an entire tier of improvement.

If even this wasn’t enough to get him to the top, what about the other people?

Even if those Celestial Heart True Persons were like him and came prepared, getting through their Heart Demon Period as quickly as impossible, that would still only be an extra tier of power, just like him. Tang Jie didn’t think that their cultivation would let them get through what came next faster than him.

And in terms of time, having inherited Luo Hanzhen’s one hundred thousand contribution points, Tang Jie wouldn’t lose to anyone.

Thus, if Tang Jie couldn’t get to the summit, there was no reason anyone else could.

He decided to stop puzzling over it and just go up first.

Tang Jie started to make his way up the mountain.

The very first step startled Tang Jie.

The power that bound his entire body was still there, but it wasn’t as strong as he had expected. In fact, it was about the same as when he ascended to 750 meters.

Considering his 72 days of progress, Tang Jie even felt like it was a little easier.

After taking one step, Tang Jie rested for a while before continuing upward.

The power on the second step also wasn’t substantial. Without the gradual increase in pressure, Tang Jie actually found it easier the more he walked.

This made Tang Jie suspicious. He knew that if there was no problem with the steps, there had to be problems elsewhere.

Sure enough, after getting onto the second step, Tang Jie suddenly heard a rustling.

It was small at first, but it gradually grew louder, until it became like roaring waves. As it drew closer and closer, the sound waves began to sweep over the world.

Tang Jie saw that a silver cloud was howling out of the distance, sweeping toward him.

But as it got closer, he saw that this was no cloud, but a giant wave made from countless silver snakes.

“Reaping Wind Snakes!” Tang Jie’s pupils constricted.

When he saw these things, he knew that these were probably the Reaping Wind Snakes that Zhao Hui had told him about.

When he had been climbing the mountain earlier, he had been wondering why the snakes had not appeared, but now, he saw them coming at him in a great horde.

He saw the scales of the snakes rise up like barbs, and their little triangular heads had sharp fangs. Although they weren’t large, seeing these countless silver snakes twined together made one’s blood run cold.

The monkey’s laughter rang out in the sky. “Charge, Tang Jie, and take out everything you have. These Reaping Wind Snakes are the last barrier on these 138 meters. Get past them and you’ll have won.”

“Are you serious!?” Tang Jie roared. “I might as well just make it another 10 meters and have the Agriculture Hall disciples get me a Fragrant Store Grass!”

Although he had passed up the Fragrant Store Grass at 200 meters, one could select any plants below or at one’s current elevation. The higher the elevation, the more valuable were the plants available. His not taking the Fragrant Store Grass at 200 meters didn’t mean he couldn’t take it later. But choosing low-altitude plants while standing so high was a value-losing proposition. Yet for the sake of passing this trial, such a loss was worthwhile.

The monkey roared with laughter. “As you please, as you please! If you really think that the Fragrant Store Grass can stop the Reaping Wind Snakes, then go and take it.”

“What?” Tang Jie was flabbergasted. “Did Zhao Hui trick me?”

“He wasn’t deceiving you, but all they know about is the attacks of the scattered Wind Snakes that aren’t given the protection mission, not the ones who have been given this task. On the terrace, while you’re in the illusion and being influenced by Heart Demons, the Wind Snakes won’t attack you. But when you start climbing the last 138 meters, you are guaranteed to be attacked by them, and no medicine or plant can stop their madness! Thus, it was actually correct for you to not take the Fragrant Store Grass.”

The monkey’s voice suddenly turned stern. “The only way to get through these last 138 meters is to kill your way through! This is the wish of the ancestors of the Basking Moon Sect! While the path to supremacy requires persevering effort, it also requires bloody battle! The path of murder, the path of slaughter, until there is nothing left!”

When the monkey stopped speaking, those Wind Snakes seemed to receive an order, and they charged forward, the silver wave seeking to engulf Tang Jie.

As he saw that silver wave approaching, Tang Jie seemed to realize something.

“Is that how things are…” he muttered.

In truth, the 750-meter terrace represented the limits of what one could reach if one managed to increase their power by an entire tier.

As for the remaining 138 meters, one no longer needed to improve their strength, but to bring together their will, combat power, and courage!

Only through killing could one get through the final path.

Upon understanding this, Tang Jie let go of his final worries, and there was nothing else that confused him.

If it was a fight, he would give them a fight. While Tang Jie might have missed out on other things on his road here, what he wasn’t missing was combat experience.

It was nothing but a pack of beasts, not enough to scare him.

As that silver flood approached, he laughed.

And then he pulled out his saber.

As the Heartbreak Saber swept out, it unleashed a wave of flame that crashed into the silver horde.

Shrieks erupted from the silver horde.

Countless silver snakes opened their mouths and shrieked to the sky, the sound momentarily dazing Tang Jie.

The silver Wind Snakes rammed into the wave of fire like moths to the flame, their scales flashing.

One Wind Snake after another fell in the flames, seemingly very lacking in defense. But more Wind Snakes charged in. The wave of fire lasted against the silver sea for only a brief and brilliant flash before it was extinguished.

Tang Jie swung his saber again.

Matchless Slash!

A pillar of saber energy shot forth, striking the Wind Snakes and punching a large hole in the horde.

But this hole was swiftly filled by more Wind Snakes.

They flashed their fangs, writhed in the air, and continued to fly toward Tang Jie.

Tang Jie cast aside his saber and thrust out his palm.

Two blasts of palm energy flew out.

He then opened his mouth, and a blast of wind emerged from it.

After reaching Cognitive Creation, Tang Jie was now much faster at casting, but although he unleashed so many spells one after another, there seemed to be no end to the pack of Wind Snakes. In the face of this furious barrage, more would come crowding in before the ones in front had been completely killed off.

As two giant hands descended from the sky and splattered countless Wind Snakes, the horde finally reached Tang Jie, the sharp fangs biting down on him.

Tang Jie’s body exploded with golden light.

Formless Golden Body!

Twenty years of diligent cultivation allowed the Formless Golden Body to make Tang Jie’s body tougher than steel.

The fangs of the Wind Snakes not only failed to break his flesh, they ended up shattering on his body, leaving the mouths of the snakes full of blood.

But the snakes didn’t care, continuing to bite down.

Tang Jie comprehended what it truly meant to be crazy and fearless. Standing on the stone steps, he was covered in snakes, and the sounds of their gnawing and biting resounded around him.

While their bites couldn’t hurt Tang Jie, as the bites built up, even steel would eventually break.

Plush!

Blood bloomed on Tang Jie’s shoulder.

A Wind Snake had bitten through the defenses on his right shoulder, two faint bite marks appearing on his tough skin.

Even though the skin had broken the snake’s teeth, the silver Wind Snake let out a delighted shriek and rushed to squeeze into the wound.

“Don’t even think about it!” Tang Jie grunted.

Circulating his energy, he made the area around the wound as tough as stone. The Wind Snake had only squeezed half its head into the wound before it felt the flesh harden around it. Pah! Its head exploded, leaving its body hanging out from the wound.

Tang Jie thrust out his palms, and as he swept away the Wind Snakes, he retreated one step!

He retreated!

This was the first time since entering the Water Moon Paradise that Tang Jie had chosen to retreat.

One step, two steps!

By retreating two steps, he returned to the 750-meter terrace.

The Wind Snakes didn’t stop their attacks because of this, but their ranks were not repopulated as quickly.

Tang Jie used this chance to unleash a salvo that wiped out all the Wind Snakes around him. As he examined himself, he found that he was covered in bite wounds, with numerous Wind Snakes hanging off him.

Tang Jie’s face darkened.

These Wind Snakes individually weren’t very strong, but they were numerous and vicious. It now appeared that he wouldn’t be able to reach the summit until he killed them all.

At this moment, that annoying monkey started laughing again. “Hyahyahyahya, I know what you’re thinking. You must be thinking that since you have enough time, you can use it to kill all the Wind Snakes and then head up to the summit, right? But you’re wrong. The Reaping Wind Snakes are born from the concentrated spiritual energy of the Water Moon Paradise and have the natural talent of reincarnation. The more you kill, the more will be born. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the corpses.”

Tang Jie looked at the ground. Sure enough, the Wind Snake corpses were slowly dissolving, as if something was sucking them into the soil.

Tang Jie cried out, “Reincarnation!”

Having comprehended a little of the Dao of Life, Tang Jie felt a sliver of Dao Will, which let him know that these Wind Snakes had somehow been tinged with the Dao of Reincarnation. This meant that if they remained in this paradise, they could be endlessly reborn.

This was why they were so fearless and bold. They simply didn’t fear death.

In truth, Tang Jie wasn’t incapable of dealing with the attacks from the Wind Snakes. With the Formless Golden Body, he could resist them for a time. But the problem was that while the obstructive power of the steps wouldn’t increase for the last 138 meters, it still had its former power.

It would take all of Tang Jie’s strength to get through these 138 meters, and it would take him an entire day.

In other words, he had to make this arduous journey while also dealing with the Wind Snakes. This was just far too difficult.

In reality, Tang Jie hadn’t even been able to last ten minutes. While this could be partially due to a lack of experience, at most, he might be able to last an hour. It was basically impossible to push through like that, unless he passed through the Three Withering Tribulations and gained a major boost in strength, allowing him to greatly reduce the time needed to climb the last 138 meters.

This was the principle behind the reward every 10 meters after 750 meters. It wasn’t about getting to a certain elevation and then being rewarded once, but to see how far one could ultimately reach. The farther one went, the more rewards one received.

It was truly too difficult, the ten meters of steps like an impenetrable barrier.

Realizing this, Tang Jie shouted, “This test is too difficult. Trying to force one’s way up will even put one’s life in danger. This doesn’t seem like the style of my Basking Moon Sect.”

The Water Moon Paradise was a place for cultivation. Making things difficult wasn’t a problem, but having them risk their lives wasn’t normal.

The monkey replied, “Since there must be bloody battle, it naturally can’t be without risk. Death is one’s constant companion on the Immortal path. Even one charging at Violet Palace will have to risk their life. If you have no courage, then there is no need to advance. Is there any need for you to come and ask about what should be done and what shouldn’t be done?”

Tang Jie raised an eyebrow. “Then aren’t you saying that I can do anything for the sake of pushing through and gaining victory?”

The monkey laughed. “Of course, of course. As you said, this test is too difficult. It doesn’t just test your strength, but also how you deal with pressure. Since that’s the case, you can use whatever you have. It’s all fine so long as you can reach the summit.”

“Okay!” Tang Jie bellowed. “I was waiting for you to say that!”

He reached into his bag and pulled something out.

The Alarm Gate Banner!

Tang Jie about to give the monkey a surprise!