In private, even though they hold the status of Sect Leaders, with cultivation at Foundation Establishnt Perfection, the potential opportunities at the mountain summit stir feelings of longing and avarice in their hearts.
Thus, with such thoughts, Situ Jiang and Tian Hunzi exchanged a glance and simultaneously waved their hands, shouting: "Disciples of our sect (our hall), heed the order! Everyone, proceed to ascend the steps!"
"Yes!"
Hearing this, everyone from the two sects responded with a loud roar.
Before their words were fully spoken, they saw the two Sect Leaders transform into streaks of light, racing toward the "gate" of the array, stepping inside to arrive at the foot of the enormous mountain, and placing a foot on the first stone step.
As soon as they stepped onto the first stone step, the aura around Situ Jiang and Tian Hunzi rapidly plumted; obviously, due to the Spirit-Banning Array, their mana was imprisoned within and couldn’t be summoned.
Simultaneously, an enormous gravity, thousands of tis greater than normal, instantly pressed upon them, causing their expressions to change.
To think that even these two at Foundation Establishnt Perfection were affected nearly equally by the array’s effects shows how extraordinary the major array covering this giant mountain is.
However, despite this, as they exchanged glances, with Tian Hunzi narrowing his eyes slightly and Situ Jiang’s expression remaining unchanged, neither chose to make a move but rather gritted their teeth and began to ascend the mountain.
At this mont, the rest of the mbers from the two sects started to move as well, entering the array’s "gate" in succession, arriving at the mountain’s base and beginning to ascend the steps.
Qi Chuan and Yun Qingyue almost simultaneously placed their feet on the first stone step, and in an instant, the mana pressure on their bodies vanished, their bodies stiffened, but they still took the second step, following one after another.
"Junior Brother Qi, this array’s effects are indeed remarkable; be careful henceforth," Yun Qingyue said to Qi Chuan with a serious expression.
"Yes, Senior Sister Yun, you should be careful as well," Qi Chuan nodded in response.
He sensed so trouble himself.
Though possessing Foundation Establishnt cultivation, his mana was currently entirely trapped within his Dantian and couldn’t be summoned.
Moreover, the gravity imposed upon his body was at least a thousand tis greater, limiting his Tier One extre Body Cultivator physique, making it difficult to gain any advantage.
"Could it be that this Profound Weight Array can automatically adjust the gravity multiplier based on a cultivator’s physical realm?" Qi Chuan couldn’t help but speculate in his mind.
If that’s the case, it’s hard to say whether it’s for better or worse.
In this way, his Foundation Establishnt Early Stage cultivation realm and Tier One extre Body Cultivator physique had no advantage at all compared to other Qi Refining disciples of the two sects.
But there’s a positive side too; compared to Foundation Establishnt Middle Stage or Late Stage cultivators, he had no disadvantages either.
It seed everyone had returned to the sa starting line, and now, predicting who would first reach the summit was truly impossible.
"However, what’s done is done; overthinking is useless; I should focus on climbing the mountain," Qi Chuan thought to himself.
With this thought, Qi Chuan began to arduously climb the steps, almost walking side by side with Yun Qingyue.
At this mont, gradually, everyone from the two sects had stepped onto the stone steps and started ascending the mountain.
It’s just that everyone’s position varied, forming a long line.
Leading the front were the ten disciples sent by the two sects to scout, ranging from the Qi Refining Fourth Layer to the Qi Refining Eighth Layer.
Next were the two Sect Leaders.
Following them were Qi Chuan and other Foundation Establishnt Elders from the two sects.
The rest of the disciples from the two sects, ranging from True Inheritance to Inner and Outer Sect Disciples, were at the end.
This sequence had nothing to do with cultivation levels, being determined solely by the order of entry into the array’s "gate."
For a mont, many felt envious, thinking it would have been great if they had been the first disciples to scout the path.
The foremost Wind Moon Sect disciple at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer glanced back with surprise, feeling slightly proud and excited, thinking he might be the first to reach the summit and encounter the potential opportunities, the chance to rise against the odds was at his fingertips.
For now, everyone was silently climbing the mountain, with no incidents of conflict or harm occurring.
But as ti passed, the disciples of the two sects at the rear were drawn further behind, looking up to see many ahead, feeling it’s hopeless to reach the summit first, imdiately becoming irritable.
Moreover, not long ago, disciples from the two sects had killed on the battlefield, holding blood feuds, naturally making self-control difficult.
"Get lost!"
A Celestial Soul Hall disciple at the Qi Refining Middle Stage looked up at the crowd ahead, suddenly agitated, and then turned to look at a nearby Wind Moon Sect Qi Refining Middle Stage disciple and cursed, shoving him.
"What are you doing?! Ah..."
The Wind Moon Sect Qi Refining Middle Stage disciple, already struggling to climb the mountain with sore legs, numb feet, and intense back pain, was caught off guard by the push, losing his balance and toppling to the left of the stone steps.
As he fell to the left, he was furious, turning to curse the Celestial Soul Hall disciple who pushed him, but before the words were out, he tumbled off the stone steps into a thicket filled with thorns.
Beneath the thicket lay a thick layer of fallen branches and leaves, all filled with thorns.
He fell directly into the thorns and leaves, pierced by many thorns, causing him to scream in pain.
As he struggled to stand, more thorns pierced his body, and one even pierced his heart.
"How could this be?..."
Staring down at the thorn through his heart, the Wind Moon Sect Qi Refining Middle Stage disciple spoke with difficulty, his face pale, fear hovering in his eyes.
"The Spirit-Banning and Profound Weight Arrays cover not only the stone step areas but also the thorn-filled woods on both sides. Moreover, the thorn trees should at least be Tier Two Spirit Plants, with thorns as hard as iron. This person... is finished..."
From sowhere on the steps ahead, Qi Chuan naturally noticed the commotion behind and, looking back at the fallen Wind Moon Sect Qi Refining Middle Stage disciple, shook his head slightly in surprise.
Moreover, not only is this person finished; with this example, it will be even harder for Qi Refining disciples from the two sects to control themselves, and many more will likely perish thereafter.
And that’s exactly what’s happening.
Upon seeing they could kill like this, many disciples from the two sects on the stone steps behind imdiately looked at their nearest enemy sect’s Qi Refining disciple with murderous intent and pushed them off the steps.
Those pushed down were unable to climb back up, with many pierced by thorns and perishing.
"Go to hell!"
"Ah..."
"You trying to push ? Then get down there!"
"Sorry, but to prevent you from pushing first..."
From behind ca screams, curses, and the sounds of physical fighting, as one disciple after another bled to death.
In front, the Foundation Establishnt and above Elders of the two sects and the Sect Leaders didn’t act against each other but were eerily silent, their eyes darting around, constantly guarding against others.
Firstly, these elders above Foundation Establishnt had more space between them.
Secondly, it’s hard to know the others’ physical realms, whether they were stronger or not, so no one dared to act rashly.
After all, even if I’m at the Foundation Establishnt Middle Stage, you’re at the Early Stage; who knows if you’ve also cultivated in Body Cultivation? If pushing fails and I’m pushed instead, dying such a senseless death as a Foundation Establishnt Great Cultivator would be too costly.
However, among the ten scouting Qi Refining disciples ahead of the two Sect Leaders, these concerns didn’t exist; they started pushing each other even more fiercely than the disciples behind, with four already falling off the steps, pierced by thorns and perishing.
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