Zhang Chulan climbed with his eyes slightly closed. The weak but stable magnetic field power within his body constantly clashed and blended with the energy emitted by the stairway, creating a marvelous resonance. This resonance acted like a key, slowly unlocking the shackles of his physical body.
Immersed in the magnetic field, Zhang Chulan was fully concentrated, his senses sharpened to the absolute limit. He seemed to see the complex flow of energy within the stairway; it was not a simple accumulation of power, but a precise, almost artistic weaving of energy. Each step contained a different frequency of magnetic fluctuation, and with every stride, he could perceive new directions of energy circulation.
Suddenly, Zhang Chulan's brow furrowed. He sensed a change, and a flash of inspiration struck his mind.
'So that's how it is!'
He understood. The relationship between magnetic field strength and mental will was not a simple one, but a complex system of mutual promotion and restraint. The firmer the will, the more stable the magnetic field; the stronger the magnetic field, the heavier the mental pressure. Therefore, when practicing magnetic field martial arts, one must pay attention to cultivating the heart; otherwise, one will practice their way into madness.
This moment of realization triggered a chain reaction. Zhang Chulan's understanding of Magnetic Field Rotation deepened instantly, and the magnetic power within his body surged, breaking through directly to the level of 30,000 Horsepower! However, this also exhausted all of his previous accumulation; it was unlikely he would be able to advance again in the short term.
His steps suddenly became much lighter, and his eyes grew bright and determined.
Feng Baobao climbed neither fast nor slow, as natural as if she were taking a stroll. The illusions and pressures that could cause ordinary people to break down seemed non-existent to her. Her vacant eyes looked straight ahead, her expression calm, seemingly indifferent to everything.
Xu San and Xu Four followed not far behind her, scanning the surroundings with alert eyes. Years of looking after Baobao had given them the habit of observing her slightest changes.
As Feng Baobao was about to reach the top, Xu San's eyes narrowed. He instinctively raised a hand to touch her but then pulled it back.
"Four, did you see that?" Xu San asked in a low voice.
Xu Four nodded slightly, his brow locked in a frown.
They had both captured that instant—deep within Baobao's vacant eyes, an extremely brief flicker of sadness had passed. The power of the stairway seemed to have touched the forgotten root of Feng Baobao's memories. But the touch was fleeting, and Baobao's eyes quickly returned to their usual dullness.
A white-haired, dignified veteran of the outcast world had already walked close to the finish line. He had a smile on his face, radiating a powerful and stable aura. Everyone present recognized him; he was a highly respected elder with profound cultivation.
Seeing that he was only a few steps away from the summit, an invisible force suddenly seemed to strike his soul. The elder's expression twisted instantly, as if he were being strangled. His face turned from red to green, then to white. His eyes bulged, filled with unspeakable terror and regret.
"No! That wasn't my fault! I had no choice!"
A shrill scream echoed through the mountains. The elder was thrown back as if hit by a heavy hammer, rolling down the stairs. A blue light flashed, and he was teleported back to the foot of the mountain; the phantom of the divine mountain vanished completely from his sight.
This scene shocked everyone. No one questioned the elder's cultivation—he was nearly at the top of the outcast world—yet he had failed at the final step of the Stairway to Heaven. A reality surfaced in everyone's hearts: this trial had nothing to do with cultivation; it only asked of one's true heart.
The Old Taoist Master, Zhang Zhiwei, remained as calm as ever. His Taoist robes fluttered in the wind, and his breathing was long and steady. Nearly a hundred years of cultivation, along with the severing of the Three Corpses, made his heart as solid as a rock. Facing the various trials of the stairway, he maintained his inner peace throughout.
He saw the past, saw the future, and saw countless possible choices, yet he remained steadfast in his own Path. The Old Taoist Master stepped onto the platform of the Inverted Dragon-Tiger Mountain step by step, becoming the first person to reach the summit. Standing on the platform, he turned to look down at the crowd, his gaze as calm as still water.
Zhang Chulan followed closely, becoming the second person to summit. Unlike the Old Taoist Master's calm, his face was filled with the light of excitement and realization. He first looked at the Old Taoist Master with a hint of respect in his eyes, then turned his gaze to Ian, his eyes full of determination and a thirst for greater power.
Feng Baobao summitted after Zhang Chulan, still wearing that dazed look as if she had just finished an ordinary walk. This was the true value of being one of the only two people in the world to have severed the Three Corpses naturally—a fact that would have shocked Tu Junfang for an entire year.
Afterward, Zhang Lingyu stepped onto the platform with a solemn face, his eyes revealing a firm belief in his sect. Wang Ye followed lazily, letting out a yawn, though his eyes were exceptionally clear. Zhuge Qing pondered for a moment before steadily stepping onto the final stair.
Ma Hongxian, Lu Ci, Lu Jin, and other senior elders, along with a few young talents of resilient will, summitted one after another.
The Company's Temporary Workers also performed impressively. Xiao Zizai stepped onto the platform; Chen Duo followed with vacant but steady eyes; Wang Zhenqiu even had the leisure to admire the surrounding scenery.
As the final successful climber stepped onto the platform, Ian waved his hand lightly. The energy stairway instantly transformed into a sky full of light specks and vanished. Everyone still climbing or hesitating at the starting point was sent back to the ground by a gentle but irresistible force. Simultaneously, the sight of the inverted divine mountain disappeared from their eyes completely, as if it had never existed.
The group that had summitted then realized they were not currently on an inverted mountain, but had returned to the main platform at the summit of the real Dragon-Tiger Mountain. Fatigue, awe, excitement, and anticipation spread through the crowd. Some were still catching their breath, some were silently digesting the insights gained during the climb, and most were looking toward Ian with tension and expectation.
Ian's gaze swept across the crowd. "The Stairway to Heaven tested whether your will and soul are resilient enough to carry the power you are about to learn."
"Teaching through words is too inefficient."
"I will directly brand the seed of 'Magnetic Field Rotation,' along with the initial cultivation methods, into your consciousness. How much you can comprehend depends entirely on yourselves."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ian's eyes lit up with a deep blue light. An invisible, vast, and majestic magnetic fluctuation erupted from his body, instantly enveloping everyone on the stage. Countless mysteries of Magnetic Field Rotation, methods of magnetic cultivation, and various complex and exquisite energy circulation routes all transformed into the purest flow of information, forcibly pouring into their minds!
Zhang Lingyu groaned, clutching his head. He felt as if an entire library had been stuffed into his brain; countless strange yet somehow familiar pieces of knowledge were churning and clashing in his mind.
The Old Taoist Master closed his eyes in contemplation, his brow knit tight, clearly working hard to digest this massive amount of information. Feng Baobao's eyes widened slightly in a rare show of emotion, a hint of confusion flickering in her vacant gaze.
Xu San and Xu Four leaned on each other, their faces pale and their clothes soaked in sweat. Ma Hongxian clutched his temples, muttering to himself; Lu Ci sat down cross-legged immediately and began organizing the information in his head.
Some clutched their heads in pain, some looked lost, and others unconsciously began to gesture with their hands and feet, emitting strange syllables with no clear meaning.
"Ya!"
"Ye!"
"Gua!"
Zhang Lingyu's body swayed slightly, but he gritted his teeth and persisted, refusing to let himself fall. Wang Ye and Zhuge Qing leaned against a pillar, barely maintaining their footing.
The inheritance of magnetic power had begun in the most direct and domineering way! Who would be the first to withstand this flood of information? Who would be the first to enter the gateway? A new era was about to begin, and the dozens of people standing on this platform would be the pioneers of this age.