Standing Tall III

"Look! The Ghost is now in first place! He has surpassed Evan Clark and Victoria Parker, and he's still climbing towards the top."

"Holy shit, am I dreaming?! How could he surpass those prodigies?!"

"Two years ago, we had a mysterious girl, and now we have him. Just like her, he's also not from any of the big sects!"

Many people in the crowd were shouting in astonishment as Michael became the center of attention. No one could have anticipated that someone would emerge out of nowhere and surpass the celebrity disciples.

"Where did this young prodigy come from? How can he be so strong?"

"Hmph! Look at him. He must be using some kind of pill or potion. It would be impossible to remain so calm and relaxed otherwise!"

"It's not over yet; Evan Clark and Victoria Parker will catch up soon!"

The disciples of the big sects gloomily watched him, hoping that their breathless senior disciples, Evan Clark and Victoria Parker, would soon make a move and overtake him before he broke the existing record by reaching the 70th step.

As Michael stepped onto the 67th step, he maintained his composure.

"Is this freak going to break the record?" Gaya wondered as he reached the 68th step, surpassing Celina's record.

"Oh my god! He's broken Miss Celina's record and is only two steps away from the all-time record!"

"What a freak!"

At the top of the Stairway, the expressions of Alex Fisher and the other three celebrity disciples underwent a significant change. Celina, in particular, had a mix of anger and shock on her face as she observed Michael.

"How can he reach the 68th step under our pressure?" Adam Kane questioned, raising his brows in surprise.

"This is interesting. He's only at Body Refining Stage Level 1, yet he's managed to reach this far. I suspect he has some fascinating secrets," Alex Fisher remarked, his curiosity piqued.

Sadie's seductive gesture and her provocative gaze fixated on Michael. Her sweet, gentle voice had the power to enchant anyone, and her sapphire-blue eyes roamed up and down Michael's figure. The unique black robes he wore set him apart, accentuating his charming features and his well-toned physique.

"We should increase the pressure," Sadie suggested.

Adam Kane calmly questioned Alex, "Why?"

Alex agreed with Sadie's proposal and explained, "Though I hate to do this to him, Sadie is right. We can't allow an outsider like him to reach the 70th step. Remember what happened two years ago when an outsider set a record; It brought nothing but shame to our sects. Judging by the look on his face, he will undoubtedly surpass the 70th step if we don't take action."

Adam reluctantly concurred, and they decided to intensify the pressure. The four of them represented the pinnacle of the younger generation in the Bredia Kingdom. Combining their strength to suppress a Body Refining stage cultivator would make it impossible for someone like Michael, at the same cultivation level, to progress.

The trio of Evan Clark, Victoria Parker, and Hannah Berry unleashed their soul pressure directly at Michael. Even though the increase in pressure was slight, it rendered Evan and Victoria immobile on the 62nd step. They couldn't even move a muscle, and some of the youngsters on the lower steps were pushed back by the force.

[System has detected a sudden increase in pressure.]

[Conversion will begin in 15... 14...]

The System abruptly informed Michael, forcing him to halt his progress. Observing Michael come to a standstill, Alex couldn't help but curl his lips into a cold smile. 

Inwardly, he sneered, "Attempting to reach the top under our soul pressure, huh? Let's see how you take another step."

"I believe he's reached his limit," Elder Sandra commented, with the other three Elders concurring, while Michael stood motionless on the 68th step.

As the pressure intensified and the trio focused it on him, Michael responded with a snicker. The Energy Devourer resumed converting the increased pressure into experience points. Until now, his primary goal had been to reach the top to accumulate as many badass points as possible. However, now that these three had intentionally escalated the pressure to halt his progress, he felt an overwhelming desire to reach the summit and humble their arrogance.

Surrendering to these three was out of the question. He was Earth's greatest assassin, and his pride and ego eclipsed their arrogance.

"Look! He stopped at the 68th step! What a pity, I had high hopes he'd break the record and set a new one."

"Don't be ridiculous! Given his cultivation level, he has already established a new record and showcased his prowess."

"He's moving again!"

The crowd couldn't contain their excitement as they watched Michael advance towards the 69th step. All eyes were fixated on the Ghost, who was now just a step away from breaking the existing record. His hair fluttered in the wind as he brushed it back, and this time, his smile was far from warm—it bore an air of arrogance.

"What's he up to? He's in first place now. If he takes another step, those four will be offended."

Sect Leader Claire voiced her confusion.

"That young man exudes an aura of dominance. He's like a fire, and his opponents are like oil—the more they oppose him, the brighter he burns."

Gaya was left in a state of shock and bewilderment as she watched Michael standing proudly on the 69th step. Despite his low-level cultivation, she couldn't help but admire him. He continually defied her expectations and proved himself to be resourceful and powerful. Even if he possessed a special body, achieving such feats shouldn't have been possible.

"There's more to him than meets the eye."

The crowd echoed with murmurs of surprise and anticipation.

On top of the Stairway, the combined pressure generated by the four prodigies intensified, causing strong winds to whip around.

"AH!"

Several youngsters who were clinging to their positions were forcibly thrown off the stairway due to the escalating pressure.

"Give me more!" Michael roared, his voice cutting through the wind.

The spectators felt goosebumps rise on their skin as he uttered those words, and the system responded by rewarding him with additional badass points.

"HE DID IT!"

Finally, Michael took the 70th step, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Most of them stood up from their seats in sheer shock and disbelief.

Behind him, Evan Clark and Victoria Parker gazed upward at Michael's steady ascent. Each step he took was rewriting the record books, and the square fell into a hushed silence as they watched him in utter astonishment.

Under the watchful eyes of the four prodigies, he continued his ascent and reached the 90th step.

"What the?!"

"90th step, OH MY GOD!"

Gasps and exclamations filled the air as the onlookers marveled at Michael's incredible feat.

"Is he even human?"

"This is insane!"

Even Gaya was rendered speechless as she watched him take another step, reaching the 91st step.

At the pinnacle of the Stairway, the four prodigies felt as though they had been struck by lightning. They were all Core Formation stage cultivators, and on top of that, Celina was actively releasing her soul pressure upon him. Yet, here was a young Body Refining stage cultivator defying their collective might, and it was almost beyond belief.

Under their astonished gazes, Michael continued to ascend, reaching the 95th step.

"Focus every ounce of pressure solely on him. I refuse to believe he can withstand that," Alex declared with a cold tone, and the four of them immediately directed the full extent of their combined pressure onto Michael.

With a renewed effort, the four prodigies intensified their soul pressure, hoping to force Michael off the stairway.

If he managed to reach the top and stand alongside them, it would shatter their reputations and make them appear inferior. Already, by reaching the 96th step, something previously thought to be impossible, Michael had humiliated them.

However, Michael couldn't care less about their reputations. His primary goal was to reach the top, earn more badass points and experience, and, of course, relish in the humiliation of the girl who had tried to kill him.

Step by step, he persevered, climbing to the 96th step, then the 97th, followed by the 98th, and, finally, the 99th step. Another step forward would place him side by side with the three prodigies, accompanied by a comparatively minor talent.

"Impossible!"