Martial Peak

When the Yin Qi barrier was shattered, Xie Hong Chen roared with anger. He had persisted with all his energy to climb to so high. He was only a few steps away from the peak, victory already in sight when he suddenly felt a gentle breeze swoop under his feet. This gentle breeze was much like what the Hu sisters had experienced; the same that had sent them down.

“No!” Xie Hong Chen shouted in refusal. He tried to extend his hand to grab onto the stairs but it proved to be just out of reach. Very quickly, the flight of stairs grew more distant as he flew away.

“No. No. No!” Xie Hong Chen looked at the flight of stairs, desperate to return to continue climbing but the flight of stairs quickly disappeared from his sight.

For so many days, he climbed relentlessly but only to fall short at the last moment. This was not his own mistake but was due to someone else clearing the trials first. With another person’s success, the other contestants behind would be delivered back by a gentle breeze.

(Silavin: Not exactly gentle with how boss it handed that bitch)

(ICE: Hong Chen does not deserve gentleness)

[Who was it!?] Xie Hong Chen questioned, his eyes red with rage only to finally think of Su Yan, who had the biggest chance of succeeding.

[Can it be her?] The thought was a small comfort to him, but he still palpitated with vexation.

Once he had recovered his composure, Xie Hong Chen discovered that he had landed in a strange place. When he looked up at the sky, he deduced that he was still within the Heaven’s Cave Inheritance, but weirdly enough, there was no one around.

Xie Hong Chen stood on the spot for a while, before his mouth rose into a sneer. “If Su Yan was the one that obtained the inheritance, I will certainly make you mine!”

Soon, more people started to appear out of thin air and landed around him. They were all male disciples from all three sects. Similar to the female disciples that were blown away by the breeze, these disciples had endured the trial only to end with much disappointment. At the same time, the males were dispersed throughout the Heaven’s Cave Inheritance, unlike the females.

On landing, many male disciples started to explore the area in low spirits. They had failed to obtain the Inheritance, but there was still a possibility for treasure.

Above the clouds in front of a magnificent palace, Yang Kai stood there watching the gigantic doors open as if they expected his arrival. He did not immediately enter; instead, the boy closed his eyes and recounted the events of the trials.

The first part of the test questioned a person’s will. The second verified a person’s capabilities in controlling Yang Energy. Only with sufficient control and capability could one climb the 99 steps and destroy the Yin Qi barrier on the 100th step in one attack.

After a long time, Yang Kai smiled and stepped forward. As he moved, he could feel the True Yang Qi within his body change.

Once he passed through the door, he could feel the Origin of Yang suddenly react. So far, the Origin of Yang would only respond to nearby Yang Energy. Its response would vary depending on the strength of the energy. This time, it was extremely intense, so intense that Yang Kai could feel his chest boil. Nonetheless, the boy continued forth with a dignified look, following the Origin of Yang’s direction.

Yang Kai walked for a while before he saw a huge ball of red and white energy circulate each other in mid-air several meters off the ground. He instantly recognised that this ball of energy was the source his Origin of Yang was reacting to.

Strangely enough, this ball of energy did not contain just Yang energy. It also contained a piercing cold energy. When the two energies came together, they did not oppose each other. Instead, they harmoniously coexisted alongside each other. When Yang Kai took a closer look, he could see the energy producing two different forms from time to time.

When the boy realised the forms were actually two creatures, he shivered a little. Those two creatures were none other than the dragon and phoenix that flew outside the Heaven’s Cave Inheritance.

[Is this the inheritance?] Yang Kai’s eyelids narrowed as he carefully analysed the sphere of energy.

In the next moment, his gaze caught sight of a human figure clad in white, startling him. His whole face seemed to change, averting his attention from the creatures.

“Su Yan?” Yang Kai called out. He had not expected someone else to be here alongside him. What’s more, the other person was Su Yan.

When he called out, the woman sitting crossed-legged under the ball of energy opened her eyes.

“It’s you?” Su Yan’s beautiful pupils shook in surprise as she relaxed.

Yang Kai smiled. He felt joy in finding his Senior Sister here. Moving closer to her, he stood tall and firm. He refocused on the ball of energy that now sat above both of them and asked, “How long have you been here?”

“This is probably the 45th day.” Su Yan spoke with an ice cold voice, highlighting her aloof nature.

[45 days?!] Yang Kai was flabbergasted by that number. He never doubted that she was worthy of the title of the strongest female in High Heaven Pavilion. Exactly 45 days ago, he was separated from the Hu sisters so he could continue quickly on his own.

The rest of his journey from their departure lasted 45 days. To think that she would accomplish it in such a short span of time was simply shocking beyond words.

What Yang Kai was not aware of was that the gentle breeze that Su Yan had caused upon her success, which blew all other females away from the flight of stairs. Likewise, he was also unaware of the gentle breeze that he himself had caused upon his own completion. Thus, in this test, they were the only two remaining.

“Sit down and speak to me,” Su Yan invited.

Yang Kai nodded and sat cross-legged facing her.

When Yang Kai chose to sit close, Su Yan’s face changed slightly but quickly returned back to normal.

(Silavin: Cute!)

They looked at each other in silence. Suddenly, Yang Kai smiled and opened his mouth, “After over ten thousand steps, I also had to complete the final hundred. During my journey, every five hundred steps changed the energy emitting from the stairs. At the end of it, I had absorbed the Yang Qi from the final 99 right before the Yin Qi barrier. I used that energy to break it.”

Su Yan smiled back, “Me too. I also suffered the same exact trials as you for the first ten thousand, but for the final hundred steps I had to absorb the Yin Qi to freeze the sea of fire that engulfed the hundredth.”

When Su Yan smiled, it felt like a refreshing breeze had blown across a wasteland, like a snow white world had finally seen the sight of greenery as though spring had arrived. Such a beautiful woman would effortlessly cause the downfall of nations and capture the hearts of everyone. Even Yang Kai was no exception; he simply stared at the beautiful woman sitting in front of him. He was filled with an abundance of joy.

Su Yan noticed his gaze and quickly avoided looking at him.

“I don’t know why, but I find your smile extremely enchanting.” Yang Kai did not hide his thoughts.

(Silavin: (•◡•) / OHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!)

(ICE: Go man)

“We are not that familiar with each other.” Su Yan cheeks turned a little red, but her expression did not change.

“In the future, we will grow more familiar with each other.” Even though he was in front of such a goddess worshipped by the disciples of the three sects, he still managed to find the humour and guts to tease her a little.

Su Yan did not wish for him to continue and quickly changed the subject, “I will tell you what I think about this place. If you find that my conclusion is inaccurate, do tell me.”

“Mm,” Yang Kai nods in agreement. Su Yan had been here for 45 days. Naturally, anything that she had to say should be taken into serious consideration.

Su Yan calmed herself down before opening her red lips, “I believe that we were all mistaken. This Inheritance was not meant for one, but for two people. The 10,000 steps of alternating cold and hot energies which seemed to come together in union is the best proof of this.”

Yang Kai nodded in agreement. The possibility had crossed his mind, but he could not confirm it.

“The test that both of us experienced is the same, except for the last part. It was a test to check our abilities in controlling one of the two energies. If one is unable to control the energy, they would not be able to reach here.” Su Yan lowered her head, displaying her slender neck and whispered in a softer voice. “Before you arrived, I wasn’t too sure of something, but your arrival only makes my thought true. Do you see the thing above us?”

Yang Kai nodded.

“During these 45 days, I have been trying to absorb its energy but have not made any progress. It seems to repel my will. If I’m not wrong, it requires the both of us to work together, to bring it down and obtain the Inheritance of this place!”

Su Yan spoke in a straight and direct tone.

“So, what do you intend to do?” Yang Kai asked.

Since the Inheritance required two people, neither of them had the final say. They would need to verify their actions with one another. No one knew what kind of relationship they would foster once they obtained the Inheritance, but if it requires them to share, there will definitely be some form of change between the both of them.

To Yang Kai, he was glad that his partner was Su Yan. Although she seemed nonchalant and cold on the outside, he knew that she was a gracious and kind person regardless. However, the same feeling could not be said for her. If Su Yan was not willing to participate in this with him, Yang Kai could only reluctantly give up.

Su Yan was obviously hesitating. She could not come to a conclusion on the type of relationship she would have with Yang Kai once they obtained the Inheritance. She recalled the day the boy saved her from death by risking his life to catch her. That moment wiped the hesitation off her face as her disposition towards the boy became warmer.

After a long time of silence, Su Yan closely stared at Yang Kai’s face. She wanted to pick up any slight change in expression he might make. “If I were to decline due to the reason of not wanting some external force binding me to a person I was not familiar with, would you be disappointed?”

Yang Kai hesitated for a moment and then nodded, “I would.”

Su Yan turned gloomy.

“Nevertheless, I will respect your choice. You have your personal freedom to choose and likewise for me. If you do not wish to do this, then we won’t,” Yang Kai seemed confident when he spoke and he turned around to walk. “If you don’t wish to carry on, then let us go.”

“Where are we headed?” Su Yan asked as she slightly tilted her head forward in curiosity.

”To leave, of course,” Yang Kai chuckled. “Since we are no longer going to inherit this thing, what’s the point of staying here?”

“Who said that I didn’t want to inherit it? Since we have climbed all the way up here, how could we possibly return empty handed?” Su Yan gave a slight, cunning smile.

“Are you trying to trick me?” Yang Kai’s complexion turned a tone darker, “To think that I would trust you so much to have you deceive me like this.”

“I was only probing your thoughts. You don’t have to get so angry. Don’t men always brag about having a broad mind? Why can’t you take a joke from a girl like me?” Su Yan slightly pursed her lips and looked at Yang Kai.

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