"I'm not climbing anymore."
"I'm not climbing anymore either."
Several cultivators glanced at Lingyun Cliff, reluctantly but resignedly shaking their heads.
Climbing such a cliff without spiritual power felt suicidal to them.
Furthermore, after becoming a cultivator, it was difficult to return to being a mortal. If, halfway up the cliff, they suddenly forgot their place and began using spiritual power, it would be a disaster.
Even if Yun Li and Sun Hedao were waiting below, they would surely come to the rescue if someone was in danger, but what if they couldn't? Or were they deliberately refusing to help?
These cultivators were already far superior to ordinary people. Their lives were precious, and there was no need to take such risks, even the smallest ones.
"Can we withdraw from this level?"
They looked at Yun Li beside them, puzzled.
Yun Li nodded, his face expressionless. "Yes, you're not yet members of the sect, so the sect won't force you to take the test. Just withdraw. You won't get a grade for this level, but it won't affect your evaluation for the other levels."
"Great,"
they breathed a sigh of relief.
After hearing Yun Li's words, several more cultivators backed out.
Yun Li looked at the cultivators who had withdrawn, feeling a little sad. I gave you a chance, but you didn't use it. Now that you're here, are you still worried about falling to your death? Pathetic, they don't even have the courage to try.
But he was also somewhat relieved. Such people are not worthy of being cultivators of the Heyin Sect. It might be a good thing without them.
Although the people who withdrew from this level did not affect the evaluation of other levels, Yun Li had already put an end to them in his heart. That was the end.
Sun Hedao looked at Zhou Shu with a sinister smile on his face.
"Humph, let's see how you pass this level!"
Most of the independent cultivators were watching from the bottom of the cliff, while some were already climbing up.
A black dot was extremely conspicuous. Everyone could see that it was the big black man Zhu Dashan.
"He's quite the daredevil."
"From his appearance, I know he must be a casual cultivator who's practiced physical cultivation. Not using spiritual energy won't affect him."
"I would have practiced physical cultivation earlier."
"The pain of physical cultivation is unbearable for the average person. Are you sure you want to?"
Compared to cultivating spiritual energy, physical cultivation is extremely painful, like climbing a mountain of knives or boiling a pot of oil. Most cultivators can't endure the pain and are unwilling to practice physical cultivation, believing that spiritual energy is enough.
Zhu Dashan ignored the others' comments and climbed relentlessly, his head buried. He had already climbed nearly ten feet.
A closer look revealed his hands and feet, the size of a palm-leaf fan, thickly calloused from fingertips to palms, evidently the product of years of painstaking practice. These palms, deeply embedded in the cracks of the cliff face, held onto the stone like hooks, perfectly supporting his body.
Zhou Shu glanced at Zhu Dashan, then turned and began to climb the cliff face as well.
Sun Hedao, standing nearby, was stunned. He wasn't afraid, was he? Had he also practiced physical cultivation?
But seeing Zhou Shu's jade-white hands, he suddenly brightened up. Judging from his hands, he'd definitely never practiced climbing Lingyun Cliff before. He dared to climb Lingyun Cliff like that. He was afraid he'd die if he fell.
"Brother Yun, leave this here."
He slowly walked to the foot of the cliff face on Zhou Shu's side.
Looking at Zhou Shu overhead, he thought to himself, "When you fall, I'll rescue you carefully, and I'll do it skillfully. You won't die, but you'll inevitably lose your arms and legs."
Zhou Shu noticed Sun Hedao and guessed what he was up to, but ignored him.
Lingyun Cliff, covered in swamp moss, didn't allow for the use of spiritual energy, which suited him perfectly. His spiritual energy was limited and unsuitable for intense exertion.
He couldn't do it like Li Aojian did; his Qi meridians simply couldn't handle it.
And he'd also practiced physical training.
Seeing two people begin to climb, the others seemed encouraged and began to slowly ascend.
They soon discovered that even without spiritual energy, the cliff wasn't as difficult as it seemed. After all, they are all cultivators and have eaten a lot of spiritual food, so their physical fitness is much better than that of ordinary people.
After a while, many people have climbed one-third of the way, and victory is in sight.
Just as they were rejoicing, there was a cry of surprise in the air, and Zhu Dashan, who had climbed the highest, fell off the cliff.
Ah -
the screams continued, making everyone uneasy.
Yun Li on the ground looked calm, and when Zhu Dashan was about to fall to the ground, a white cloud suddenly flew out of his hand, barely holding Zhu Dashan up.
The white cloud shook slightly, and Zhu Dashan landed steadily.
The white cloud is called Duyun, a very common first-level flying magic weapon, and it is also the standard equipment for the disciples in the foundation-building realm of the Heyin School.
Zhu Dashan thanked him profusely, while Yun Li said calmly, "We're halfway up, and we've been rated D. Do you want to keep climbing?"
Zhu Dashan nodded quickly, "Yes, of course!"
He glanced at the wandering cultivators on the cliff face and suddenly shouted at the top of his voice, "Everyone, be careful! Halfway up, there's a very strong wind. If you're not careful, you'll be blown down!"
His voice was so loud that it carried far away, and the cultivators who heard it all looked terrified and worried.
If even a physical cultivator like Zhu Dashan was blown down, how strong would the wind be? They couldn't use spiritual energy, so how could they possibly pass this test?
Yun Li glanced at Zhu Dashan and nodded approvingly.
This man had the heart to warn the other test-takers. He was indeed simple-minded. He hadn't been wrong. Anyone else probably couldn't do it.
Zhu Dashan spat on his hands twice and hurried up the cliff face.
By then, Zhou Shu had also reached the halfway point.
Just as he took a step forward, a tremendous pressure suddenly came from behind. The whistling wind was like a heavy hammer hitting him, forcing him to cling tightly to the cliff wall.
"What a strong wind."
Zhou Shu gritted his teeth and held on tighter with both hands.
If it were just this, although it would be much more difficult, it shouldn't be too much trouble, Zhou Shu thought to himself.
But in the blink of an eye, the wind behind him suddenly changed direction and blew over from the side.
This time, he was caught off guard, as if he had been slapped by a giant. The huge momentum threw Zhou Shu to the side, half of his body hanging in the air, only one hand still clinging to the crevice of the rock.
"Ah!"
Zhou Shu remained calm, but a cry of surprise came from below, the voice as clear as a bell, "Brother, be careful!"
Zhou Shu was slightly startled. Yangmei? Why did she run here?
Under the cliff.
Zhou Shu didn't fall as he'd hoped, and Sun Hedao was furious. He stared at Yangmei and said angrily, "Yangmei, why are you yelling? Why are you here instead of doing your chores? And he's not your senior brother, don't call him so affectionately."
Yangmei didn't even turn around. "The spirit beasts are already fed, but I'm still calling him, 'Senior Brother, Senior Brother, Senior Brother...'"
"The more you yell, the faster he'll fall,"
Sun Hedao snorted and cursed.
He turned away, wondering if Zhou Shu would fall again, would he lose a leg or both arms?
Yangmei tilted her head, watching Zhou Shu nervously, but she didn't dare yell again, fearing that it would bother Zhou Shu.
Zhou Shu glanced down at Yangmei. In all his time in Qingxia Market, this was the first time he'd felt such concern, and he felt strangely moved.
"Don't worry, I won't fall."
He tightened his right hand, pressing his body against the cliff face again.
Although the mountain wind was huge and strange, it was barely bearable for him who had been soaking in medicine for several months. Then he calculated the appropriate route based on the wind speed, and it should not be difficult to climb up.