Standing Tall II

Each of them strained every fiber of their being as they climbed, determined not to be the laughingstock of the event, especially with every disciple from the big sects and their families present.

Participating in such a prestigious and renowned competition, losing to a fellow sect disciple was tolerable, but losing to someone from a rival sect was a matter of great disgrace.

"Look at your pitiful faces; you should've just stayed in your rooms," taunted a Morning Star disciple who wasn't competing, triggering laughter and ridicule from his comrades as they mocked the Golden Valley disciples.

"At least we have the guts to be here, unlike those cowards who didn't even dare to participate!" retorted the Golden Valley disciples.

"We'd rather be here than bring shame to our sect like you scumbags," one of the Morning Star disciples retorted.

"Hey, don't use such foul language in front of the girls! Hey, girls, I'm nothing like them!" one disciple interjected, drawing shock and confusion from his companions.

"What the heck, dude!?"

"Hey, girl, yes, you from the Silver Moon, don't associate with those Morning Star scum; they have skin disease."

The stairway was filled with commotion, providing ample entertainment for the onlookers. Many disciples engaged in verbal sparring and expressive hand gestures. While physical combat was prohibited on the steps, it didn't deter them from hurling insults and curses, even invoking ancestral curses in their heated exchanges.

However, a hushed silence fell upon them when they noticed a black-robed youth calmly passing by. The Silver Moon girls, despite their predicament, stood in shock with slightly parted lips, yearning for his attention.

.

"Who the f**k is he?"

"Is he from our sect?"

"No, and look at his black robes. He doesn't belong to any sect."

Inside Michael's head, the system was rewarding him with badass points and converting the soul pressure into experience points. He was extremely happy as he tried his best not to laugh in joy.

"Oh my god! He's only fifteen steps away from reaching Evan and Victoria."

The disciples of the Sunrise sect felt their heartbeats rising and prayed to their gods that he honored his words. They doubted Riyan, their best disciple would have reached this level as he was making climbing the steps look so easy and effortless.

"Human, it's not a shame to rest a bit."

"Rest? This is like a walk in the park to me."

"You're an arrogant f**ker, you know that?"

While Michael calmly ascended towards the summit, Evan Clark, Victoria Parker, Hannah Berry, and Nyla Reid had already reached the 45th step. However, as they approached the 50th step, their prior composure waned, and their climbing speed notably decreased due to the escalating pressure.

"Look, it's the GHOST!" someone from the crowd suddenly shouted when Michael set foot on the 40th step, standing apart from the rest.

"You mean the Ghost who destroyed the Blood and Bone sect?!"

"Yes, he's the Ghost from Rivertown!"

The moment the crowd heard this revelation, their attention shifted away from the celebrity disciples and focused on Michael, who was continually accumulating badass points through the system. Even the celebrity disciples halted their conversation, diverting their gaze towards the individual the crowd referred to as the Ghost.

Despite the oppressive soul pressure, Michael maintained a warm smile as he advanced towards the summit, seemingly unaffected by the formidable force.

"Shit, we're in trouble," Gaya lamented, while Celina clenched her teeth, recalling the incident at the waterfalls.

"How the f**k did he kill an entire sect with his cultivation level?"

"You moron! Can a normal Body refining stage level 1 cultivation reach the 45th step?"

The individuals who had initially mocked him for no apparent reason now felt an eerie chill creeping down their spines.

"News travels fast," Michael thought, pleased that someone from Rivertown had recognized him. Back on Earth, he had taken great care to remain unrecognizable, but here, the more people who identified him, the more badass points he earned from the system.

"I never expected this young man to be the infamous Ghost of Rivertown. It seems he's no ordinary youngster after all," Elder Mark commented, sporting a faint smile and sighing.

As the disciples observed a younger individual steadily ascending, most of them resorted to crawling on both hands and feet, like infants. Yet Michael remained composed, progressing step by step until he reached the 50th step, only ten steps away from the four celebrity disciples.

"Who is he? Where did he come from?" Hannah Berry and Nyla Reid gawked at him while struggling to ascend with all their strength.

"Pervert," Celina muttered, her heart trembling with anger. However, she concealed her emotions in front of Alex. Any action he took against Michael on her behalf would result in both of them facing consequences from their sect for disrespecting the competition. Therefore, she swallowed her frustration and watched as he continued to make his way up.

The four of them, including Evan Clark, exerted every ounce of their strength to move forward. Each of them took pride in being the best among their generation and had no desire to lose to an outsider like him. Regrettably, the pressure on the 60th step proved overwhelming, and they realized they were nearing their limits. Thus, they could only watch as he steadily advanced, step by step, and hope that he wouldn't reach the 60th step.

"Human, the pressure on the higher steps will be too strong. Stop here; you have already reached the top 10," Gaya urged, her voice tinged with anxiety. However, Michael had no intention of quitting now, especially with experience points and badass points flowing into him like a torrent.

"Is he going to reach the 60th step?"

"If he does, the sects will go all out to recruit him."

"Elder Mark, do you think he would still want to join our sect?"

Claire realized that at this point, the three major sects would offer him a plethora of resources and invite him to join their ranks. They didn't even have a suitable place for a talented youth like him, let alone the resources needed for his cultivation.

"The people of Rivertown say he destroyed the Blood and Bone sect because they massacred a village full of commoners. It may sound illogical, but I have a feeling he will uphold his word."

"Then the Sun will truly rise in our sect."

"Do you think he's single?"

"Look at him, a handsome guy like him wouldn't be single."

"I bet he has a bunch of girlfriends."

Female disciples, including those from the three major sects, couldn't help but admire him. The Silver Moon disciples gazed at him as if they could devour him, while he reached the 59th step, standing just one step away from the four celebrity disciples.

Summoning their last reserves of strength, Evan Clark and Victoria Parker managed to take another step and reached the 61st step, leaving Hannah and Nyla behind.

"He reached it."

"Oh my god!"

The crowd grew restless when they saw him standing alongside Hannah Berry and Nyla Reid. In the blink of an eye, he took another step and joined Evan Clark and Victoria Parker.

"Who are you?" Evan Clark asked breathlessly, his exhaustion apparent. He still maintained a calm demeanor despite the pressure, and for the first time, Evan felt inferior to someone his age. Initially, when he heard about the destruction of the Blood and Bone sect and the Ghost responsible, he didn't pay much attention, thinking that with the right plan and spells, anyone could achieve such a feat.

However, he had never imagined that this young man could be so powerful and talented, especially considering his current cultivation level. It was impossible for an ordinary individual to reach this far, and looking at the youth's composed face, Evan couldn't help but admire and respect him.

"Didn't you hear? I am called Ghost," he replied, gently patting Evan on the shoulder before continuing to ascend.

"How can this be possible?" Victoria and Evan's disbelief was evident. Their eyes were wide open, and their faces reflected shock.

"He's only at Body Refining Stage Level 1. How is he resisting the pressure?"

"He doesn't belong to any sect, yet he managed to surpass us."

The three girls were taken aback, their eyes fixed on his retreating figure as he continued his ascent.

"He must have used some pill to resist the soul pressure. With his weak cultivation level, I can simply blast him away with one spell if we meet on the battleground," Victoria calmly remarked, though her tone carried an air of arrogance. They all considered it implausible that he could have defeated Ralphy fairly and squarely and suspected some kind of trick or tactic.