Chapter 18: Challenge

Chapter 18: Challenge

Jiang Lei lay on the ground, panting heavily, his entire body trembling under the immense pressure that pinned him down. 

Bai Zheng, who had been watching Jiang Lei reach the thirty steps without any effort, was already in shock. The last man from their community who tried to approach this monument couldn't pass more than four steps under the pressure. For the first time, he felt that there was a glimmer of hope. Maybe Jiang Lei would be able to help them out of this prison. 

However, as he watched Jiang Lei nearing to forty steps, he saw that Jiang Lei was slowly reaching his limits. His quivering body was clearly showing that he was on the verge of collapsing at any moment.

At the end, the inveitable happened. Under Bai Zheng's worried gaze, Jiang Lei stepped on the fiftieth step. Before he could react, he saw Jiang Lei flying back and then crashing against the ground with a booming sound.

Bai Zheng's breath choked as he saw Jiang Lei coughing crimson blood.

"Jiang Lei!" Bai Zheng rushed over, his voice filled with concern. However, before he could even take two steps, he was halted back because of the surrounding pressure. 

"I am useless!" Bai Zheng cursed himself in his heart for his inability to do anything but watch Jiang Lei leave there, surrounded by the crushing force all alone.

"Jiang Lei! Are you okay? Please come back! We should've never allowed you to go there! It was all because of my greed that you had to face this. Please forgive me, Jiang Lei, and come back." Bai Zheng called out; his voice was trembling with fear for Jiang Lei's well being and his own remorse.

Jiang Lei, still struggling for air, managed to force a response through his clenched teeth. "I..I am okay, It was my choice... I had to test... my limits."

In his previous life, Jiang Lei had never backed down from a challenge, no matter how impossible the odds seemed. And he wasn't about to start now. With a grunt of effort, he pushed himself to his feet, his legs shaking beneath him. Flames burst forth from his skin as he activated his fire burst technique, engulfing his body in a blazing fire.

"I don't care what you are," he ground out, glaring at the monument fiercely. "You won't defeat me."

Sensing what Jiang Lei was trying to do, Bai Zheng's frightened voice rang out again. "Jiang Lei, stop! You've already seen the consequences of doing so. Please don't do it again and hurt yourself. This monument's power is beyond our comprehension."

Jiang Lei turned to face Bai Zheng's anxious face and shook his head, "Village leader, this is fine. These wounds are just some superficial scratches; it's not much of a problem. I can still go on."

Tears streamed down the eyes of the three little kids - Zhang Wei, Li Hua, and Xiao Mei - who watched Jiang Lei's current state with a sense of helplessness.

"Big Brother Jiang, please stop," Li Hua pleaded, her small voice trembling. "You don't have to do this. We can just stay here, live in peace."

Zhang Wei nodded vigorously. "She's right! We don't want to see you get hurt anymore!"

Although in pain, Jiang Lei managed a small smile. He understood their worry, their fear for his safety. This feeling was new to him.

With gentle reassurance in his eyes, he said, "Don't you remember, my dear little devils? Your brother Jiang is invincible. This mere monument can't stop me."

He kept his tone light, trying to ease their worries, these kids and villagers were now looking at him for protection and safety, he couldn't show his weakness now.

In his heart, Jiang Lei knew that if he turned back now, the monster would return. It would slaughter everyone here, and even if he managed to warn the sect, help would arrive too late. There was no other choice.

Jiang Lei turned back to look at monument again. Three kids exchanged glances, their eyes filled with tears.They understood Jiang Lei would not stop and they also could not do anything to stop him.

So, with heavy hearts, they watched Jiang Lei as he walked towards the barrier with his shivering legs once again.

Jiang Lei began to take slow, painful steps forward, his entire body enveloped in flames. With each step, a searing pain shot through him, but he did not stop. The pain he is enduring now is nothing compared to the near-death experience with the monster.

That pain was something, hundred times more painful than what he was facing now. But he still survived that hellish experience, so how he can admit defeat now.

Step by laborious step, Jiang Lei pressed onward. Time seemed to lose all meaning, narrowing down to the pounding of his heart, the gasp of his breath. The world fell away until there was only the monument, still so far in the distance.

The monument remained distant, about 30 steps away from Jiang Lei. His body was now covered in blood and flames. Darkness ate at the edges of his vision, he could only hear some vague sounds now, Bai Zheng and the villagers crying out to him, begging him to turn back.

Just as he was on the edge of losing his consciousness, a surge of energy flowed into him. It seemed that the energy is rushing in his body from every direction, revitalizing his weary form.

At this critical moment, his cultivation realm surged forward, promoting him back to the sixth level of the mortal realm.

Jiang Lei's body felt light and he knelt on the ground, his palm firmly pressing against the ground as he gasped for air. The spritual energy rushed into his body, knitting his wounds back together.

Seeing that Jiang Lei had stopped, Bai Zheng and the concerned villagers urged him again to return. "Jiang Lei, please come back," Bai Zheng pleaded.

Jiang lei felt the energy surging through his body, healing his injuries, although It was not very fast, if it will go on like this, his injuries will be healed in a matter of time.

Jiang lei didn't waste his time anymore, he sat at the place he was and started to move this energy in all the parts of his body. As he circulated his Qi, bit by bit, he could feel his strength returning.

"Two hours later!"

Jiang lei got up again, he didn't go forward, but first turned to the villagers "You don't need to worry. I have already come this far, and if I were to turn back now, I'd regret it. Let me test my limits."

"I have a feeling that something about this monument is attracting me, as if it wants me to come closer to itself. If I feel that I can't do it, I will come back."

Saying that, he once more began walking towards the monument. Although, his wounds had not recovered completely, yet he was feeling stronger than before because of the regained strength after reaching the sixth layer or mortal realm.

The environment and pressure in this place was improving his cultivation realm, and he could not afford to miss this opportunity. Cultivating here for an hour was more beneficial than practicing for a day outside.

Jiang Lei knew that there was a treasure in the sect that released similar pressure, and many cultivators went there to refine their skills and improve their cultivation.

However, it cost ten thousand Azure points to practice there for a day, which even the top talents in the outer sect couldn't afford.

Only inner sect disciples had access to that sacred place.

Now, by some twist of fate, Jiang Lei had stumbled upon a similar opportunity, one that he could seize without spending a single coin. He would be a fool to let such a chance slip through his fingers.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Jiang Lei pushed onward. After another painful cycle of cultivating and then recovering, Jiang Lei could finally manage to closed the distance between him and the monument to a mere ten steps.

However, the pain and exhaustion was now effecting his body. He couldn't bring himself to take those last ten steps just yet. Sitting down, he began to heal his injuries once more.

This time it took him five hours to heal his injury. Jiang Lei raised his head, his gaze locking onto the monument that stood so tantalizingly close. He was ready.

"Just ten more steps," he murmured to himself, "but I don't know why but I have a feeling that these last ten will be harder than all the ninety by far now."