Chapter 6 Test of Will

2 Months Later

As Yang Yu stood within the crowd waiting for the gates of Sky Spirit Sect to open Yang Yu admired the mountain range it was situated on.

"Since you seem interested in the mountain range, I'll tell you a story. 10000 years ago before I was even born, Spirits roamed the world in abundance, Sky Spirit Mountain Range is one such place, and not only that, but it was a very special place, a place were Sky Spirits roamed." Yun Zhu said as he listened in interest.

"Suddenly though, they vanished, no one knows what really happened, not even I, the Million Mile Scholar, all we know is that their power was beyond imagination being able to do wonderous things. In fact the Sky Spirit Sect gets its name from the mountain range, and it was even presumed that the Founder of the Sect had found an inheritance of some sort, left by the Spirits." Yun Zhu continued as Yang Yu nodded.

'Who knew this place would be so interesting.' Yang Yu thought as Yun Zhu replied. "I know, right? Just in this lesser area, such a mystical thing could be found, it really makes you feel how vast the world is." Yun Zhu said as he gazed at the sky.

Soon after this event, the gates to the Sky Spirit Sect opened as a seemingly 30 year old man along with 3 young men appeared, all clad in black robes. "I am Elder Zhao I take care of entrance exams, those who want to take the Test of Strength, please follow my 3 disciples, those who want to take the Test of Will stay here." Elder Zhao said as the masses began to follow his 3 disciples.

The entrance to the sect was soon left with 7 people, including Yang Yu. "I see, not a bad turn out this year." Elder Zhao said with a smirk as he moved his messy brown hair out of his eyes. "Follow along." Elder Zhao said as the 7 children moved.

Amongst the group of children, some were bigger and some were smaller than Yang Yu. 'The entrance exam for the Sky Spirit Sect is held every 3 years, every time children over the age of 12 and under the age of 15 may participate, if one isn't in this age range then they can't even hope to participate.' Yang Yu thought as he gazed at his competitors.

The reason barely anyone took the Test of Will, is because, it has a terrifying failure rate, a failure rate of 99.99%. Due to this only those who are extremely confident, or those who feel they have no hope in the Test of Strength, take part in this test.

As they walked, Elder Zhao took them into a path away from the main course and soon Yang Yu and the other 6 found themselves in front of a massive staircase.

"This is the Transcending Heaven Stairway, 10000 steps long." Elder Zhao said as the participants looked on in awe. 'I thought it was only a rumour.' Yang Yu thought as he left his mouth agape.

"Oh, this old thing? Why do people like using it so much?" Yun Zhu said to himself as Yang Yu continued to gaze at in awe. 'I might not be able to do this.' Yang Yu thought as he gazed at the top. It was so high, the top of the staircase was clouded in fog.

"Well, I won't keep you for much longer, if you can reach the end of the stairway, then it will be considered as you've passed, and you will be able to obtain the Pure Mortal Physique pill." Elder Zhao said causing immense excitement to fill their hearts.

"You may begin." He finished as he stepped back, making way for them to pass. The steps on the Transcending Heaven Stairway, were 3 meters wide and 1 meter long allowing multiple people to step on them at the same time.

As the participants heard the go ahead one of them eventually took a step before he continued to climb the stairway. Soon he grew arrogant and ran up at full speed. "Haha, you guys won't beat me!" He said as he continued to rush up the stairway.

'He won't make it.' Yang Yu thought as the others began to make it up the staircase. Eventually they had all gone up and Yang Yu was the only one still at the bottom.

"There has to be a catch right?" He asked Elder Zhao. "For a test with a 99.99% failure rate, to only be a 10km long stairway, although hard, its much easier than I imagined." He continued as Elder Zhao smirked.

"Well see it for yourself, sometimes overanalysing may be your downfall." Elder Zhao said before he turned around disappearing soon after. "I guess I'll take the plunge." Yang Yu said as he stepped onto the first step.

Immediately his mind reeled, not because of an illusion or array or anything of the sort, but just because of the sheer shock. "My time has really come." Yang Yu smiled before taking the second step, and then the third.

Slowly but surely, he ascended the Transcending Heaven Stairway, climbing higher and higher towards "heaven".

As he climbed Yun Zhu stood at the side guiding him. "Don't speak, you have to conserve your energy. Also breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth, it will help you last longer..." Yun Zhu said along the way, trying to increase Yang Yu's chances of victory.

Although Yang Yu heard Yun Zhu and complied with his suggestions, all he thought as he ascended was the number of steps he had cleared.

After close to 10 minutes, Yang Yu finally made it to the 1000th step, but once there, an irregularity had appeared. The steps had at least doubled in length and width, making Yang Yu's journey twice as long.

"So that's the problem." Yun Zhu said what Yang Yu was thinking. Although annoyed at the development, Yang Yu continued climbing and climbing.

20 minutes later, he reached the 2000th step, once again the steps in front of him had increased by about 50% in size. 'I am already tired, at this rate my speed is already going to drop, but not only that, but the length keeps increasing.' Yang Yu thought as he stepped onto the 2001st step.

As Yang Yu ascended the same thing happened over and over again. At the 3001st step, at the 4001st step, the length of the steps continually increased by 1 meter every 1000 steps.

A few hours later, Yang Yu eventually reached the 7635th step but his body was already severely tired. 'Along the way I saw that arrogant kid and a few of the others who had passed out, at this point it should only be me and 2 others.' Yang Yu thought in dismay.

With the continual increase of length of the steps Yang Yu had calculated that at this point he still had a bit under half the length left, and he already extremely hungry, let alone tired.

'Well it is the Test of Will.' He thought as he pushed through, and reached the 7636th step. Yang Yu, trudged on, as he reached the 8000th step his legs had already gone numb, and blood leaked from his mouth.

A few steps back he had found another passed out participant, but Yang Yu couldn't care anymore, his only thought was the number of steps left.

'2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996...' He thought as he continued on till the end. Eventually he found his last competitor, 768 steps away from the end. The last bit was just too much for her. If Yang Yu hadn't appeared, she probably would hold the record for the furthest reached, for the next 100 years.

As Yang Yu neared the end more and more, a day had already passed, he was frighteningly dehydrated and starved beyond belief, the fact he could even stand was a testament to his will, but he was still 79 steps off.

Even Yun Zhu at this point had just been watching in awe, but at this point, Yang Yu had gone into a sort of unconscious state. "You owe me one." Yun Zhu said as his form blended into Yang Yu's. Suddenly Yang Yu's eyes opened wide as he continued to walk forward with perfect form, well, as perfect as his body would allow.

'I Yun Zhu, am the Million Mile Scholar, this small test doesn't faze me.' Yun Zhu thought as he took control of Yang Yu's body to ascend the stair case. As Yang Yu's body continued to ascend, blood began fall from his body as his veins ruptured, causing him to slow down even more.

Eventually though Yun Zhu had managed to help Yang Yu reach the final step, and in a sense, Transcending the Heavens themselves. Once he had done so though, he immediately stopped controlling Yang Yu's body, and Yang Yu fell to the ground, unconscious.