Meanwhile, Tang Yin felt a surge of excitement—his body was actually tiring for the first time after 100 push-ups beneath the crushing weight of the Sea God's divine light.
Sweat trickled down his brow as he pushed on, muscles burning with each rep. By the time he passed 300, his arms trembled violently, and his breath came in ragged gasps.
His chest hammered as though his ribs might split under the pressure, every fiber of his body screaming at him to stop as his healing factor kicked in, knitting ruptured muscles back together.
"Ghh… not… yet…" Tang Yin growled through clenched teeth, veins standing out along his arms and neck.
Each descent felt like his bones might snap, each rise like lifting mountains. But still, he endured, forcing his tired body through sheer willpower.
Finally—500.
He collapsed onto the step, chest heaving as the divine pressure bore down mercilessly on his exhausted body. Sweat streamed in heavy trickles down his back, darkening the golden steps beneath him. Every muscle spasmed with fatigue, his frame trembling under strain.
And yet—through it all—a faint grin tugged stubbornly at his lips. With a sharp exhale, he released his telekinesis, hurling himself off the 430th step and back to the very beginning.
"Haah… haah… good… this is exactly the kind of training I've been waiting for years! Haha." Tang Yin chuckled, a satisfied smirk tugging at his lips as he stripped off his damp garment, rinsing the sweat from his chiseled frame.
Unbeknownst to him, someone lingered in the shadows. The sight made her cheeks flush hot, though her gaze still slipped back again and again despite herself.
Watching him push past limits she had never imagined, Bo Saixi found herself seeing Tang Yin in a new light. In a world where strength was everything, she finally understood why so many talented women were drawn to him.
It wasn't charm or luck alone—it was his raw potential, his unyielding will, and the quiet authority he unknowingly radiated that made respect feel natural in his presence.
Meanwhile—
The Sea God's light pressed down on every step, testing each girl to their limits. Even with powerful soul rings and the aid of a 100,000-year-old soul bone, the climb was grueling.
Xiao Wu stumbled but pushed forward with gritted teeth, unwilling to fall behind Tang Yin. Muscles trembling under the divine pressure, she managed to reach the 50th step before descending.
Zhuqing moved swiftly, balancing strength and Soul power with careful precision, climbing to the 51st step & narrowly one-upping Xiao Wu.
Meng Yiran, Huo Wu, Shui Bing'er, and Yue'er reached the 49th step, but none could push past the 50th. Sweat beading their brows, the crushing pressure force from the Sea God's light pushed them back to the starting point.
The others—Rongrong, Lingling, Yuehua—struggled to maintain their pace at the 47th step, sweat streaming and limbs shaking, yet none of them faltered.
Xiao Mei, Dugu Yan, and Bai Chenxian moved slower, each step a deliberate fight against the relentless light, barely reaching the 44th step.
Zhuyun advanced steadily to the 66th step, bearing the oppressive weight into herself, while Liu Erlong surged ahead, forcing her way past the heaviest resistance and reaching the furthest among the girls at the 80th step.
Despite all their efforts, none could hope to match him, who had climbed to the 430th step as if it were nothing more than an afternoon warm-up and even completed a 500 Pushups.
After descending—
Every pair of eyes turned on Tang Yin with a cold, accusing glare, as if he had committed some unspeakable crime...
Xiao Wu grabbed Tang Yin's face like a ball, eyes flashing with mock menace. "Tang Yin… you sure love to show off, huh? Want me to applaud for you?"
Rongrong and Yiran, still frustrated from their struggles on the stairs, nodded in agreement, their expressions accusing.
Tang Yin raised his hands, half-amused, half-exasperated. "I… I wasn't trying to show off!"
Women can be so unreasonable sometimes, Tang Yin thought wryly. He hadn't meant to show off—if anything, he only had himself to blame for getting carried away testing his body limits. But it was worth it.
Of course, he wasn't brave enough to say that out loud. Instead, he put on his best apologetic smile and began coaxing his unreasonable lovers, though none of them acknowledged him. They simply huffed and turned away.
Still, beneath that frosty silence, pride swelled in their hearts. Their man was strong—so strong it scared them sometimes.
Not that it stopped them from giving him the cold shoulder just to satisfy themselves.
From the shadows, Bo Saixi watched the little drama play out. Unknowingly, a subtle smile tugged at her usually frosty face.
After the brief skirmish, his expression turned serious. "Alright, everyone. You can feel it too—after climbing, we're absorbing soul power passively. So let's use this time to cultivate and maximize the gain."
The girls also sensed the subtle increase in their soul power. Eyes widening in surprise, they dove into cultivation with enthusiasm, feeling their progress accelerate far beyond normal speed.
"Tang Yin… can we stay here from now on?" Xiao Wu asked, ever the lazy one, her eyes sparkling as she blurted out, "If I cultivate like this, I'll improve faster and won't have to push myself so hard later!"
Tang Yin arched a brow, amusement flickering in his eyes. "You bunny, always looking for an easy way out."
He couldn't argue—he'd been thinking the same. Glancing at the others, he asked, "What do you all think?" Everyone nodded eagerly, thrilled by the unexpected gain and efficiency.
"Then it's settled," Tang Yin said, a small, satisfied smile tugging at his lips.
Suddenly, a familiar divine voice boomed. "You've discovered the true mystery of the God of Ocean's light so quickly. No wonder he chose you as his successor."
Bo Saixi appeared above Tang Yin, gracefully settling herself atop a Soul beast with her legs crossed. Tang Yin's lustful eyes betrayed him, wandering under her dress to glimpse a pair of breathtaking legs. He swallowed hard.
She noticed, and a small, self-satisfied smile curved her lips. "I've still got it." She muttured. But realizing her lapse, she quickly frowned and snorted coldly, regaining her composure.
"I came here especially for the three of you," she said, pointing at Tang Yin, Dugu Yan, and Bai Chenxian.
Their questioning expressions prompted her to continue. "For anyone who has the Black Level Test or above: whenever you reach your limit, the Sea God will grant you a Soul Ring—no need to hunt a soul beast."
She had expected awe or surprise, but they all stared blankly—Tang Yin had already, quite unintentionally, spilled it earlier.
Her cheeks tinged slightly pink, but she quickly composed herself. "The God-given Soul Ring will grant you the soul skill you need, and it will be the highest level you can bear."
As Bo Saixi prepared to bestow the Soul rings, Tang Yin stopped her with a probing question. "Can't we obtain them later? If we train under the God of Ocean's light, we can maximize the age of the Soul Ring for our Seventh Soul ring. Even if we don't absorb one right away, we can continue cultivating steadily."
Bo Saixi paused, considering, then nodded. "Do as you wish." She then flew off, scolding herself under her breath for letting herself appear flustered.
Tang Yin watched her disappear into the distance, then turned to the group with a determined glint in his eyes. Taking the lead, he began climbing the stairs once more.
"Alright, everyone, let's go!"
Soon, the girls began climbing the stairs and cultivating in steady rhythm, each movement fueling their strength and soul power. After a while, they paused to eat and rest, ready to resume the cycle with renewed vigor.
Nine months later—
On the 440th stair of the forbidden area on Sea God Island, a powerful figure strained against the steps, doing push-ups. Sweat pooled beneath his chest, dripping steadily onto the golden stairs.
"2996… 2997… 2998… 2999… 3000! Hah, finally!" Tang Yin exclaimed, chest heaving with exhilaration. He had come a long way since the beginning—and so had the girls.
Xiao Wu had already reached the 120th step, pushing herself to the extreme and Zhuqing was right behind at the 119th step, her legs trembling under the pressure but unwilling to fall behind Xiao Wu.
Though unspoken, a quiet competition had been running between them for the past nine months. Yet, this friendly rivalry proved both effective and rewarding.
Behind them, Yiran, Huo Wu, Shui Bing'er, and Yue'er clustered around the 116th step, silently vying with one another. Their gap had widened compared to the support group trailing behind.
Rongrong, Lingling, and Yuehua held steady at the 108th step. Despite being support soul masters, simply keeping up and reaching this far was a remarkable testament to their talent.
Xiao Mei, Dugu Yan, and Bai Chenxian had climbed to the 95th step—nearly double their starting point at the 46th step—demonstrating steady progress through sheer determination.
Zhuyun had reached the 160th step, gritting her teeth as she tried to push further but was forced back by the overwhelming pressure.
Liu Erlong pressed even further ahead to the 181st step, struggling to maintain her balance under the crushing divine weight.
By now, except for Liu Erlong and Zhuyun, everyone had reached Level 70 exactly three months ago, thanks to the passive soul power absorption from climbing the stairs and the cultivation environment of Sea God Island.
Bo Saixi appeared gracefully, taking a seat with effortless elegance. Tang Yin couldn't help but sneak a glance at her feet once again. Noticing his reaction, a subtle smile curved her lips, though she herself wasn't aware of it, as she spoke with measured grandeur:
"Tang Yin… it's been exactly three months since Yuehua broke through Level 70. So, do you want the God-given soul ring now, or not?"
Tang Yin nodded. "Please… we're all ready. If they don't absorb the soul ring now, they won't be able to pass the Sea God's test in time."
Bo Saixi wasted no time, summoning a cluster of glowing spheres of light that shot directly toward Tang Yin and the others, who had now reached the Half-step Soul Saint level.