Climbing up the floor, He arrived at Second Floor and next is the Third Floor. Both of them are filled with countless bookshelves.

Then the fourth floor, they are still books but the number of books on this floor is lesser.

The fifth floor has even fewer books. It only has six bookshelves in the entire room.

Not interested with the books at all, Zhen Lun proceeds to the next floor.

Finally reaching the sixth floor. The floor where even Core Disciple is not allowed to visit was unexpectedly an empty room?

The room has nothing else but a giant gate that probably leads to the seventh floor.

"This must be it." Looking at the giant gate, he cannot help but remember when he faced Goblin King.

Zhen Lun readied himself, equipping his Brawling Shield and Bronze Sword onto his hand as he is getting the uneasiness vibes again.

Sensing the restlessness from him, Xiao Xue stood forward to became his shield, volunteering herself to protect him from danger.

'...' Zhen Lun felt ashamed.

He was being protected by a little girl. 'Why do I even hesitate? I have become stronger, I shouldn't be scared even though there was Goblin King behind this door.'

"I'm sorry, I have calmed myself." Zhen Lun confidently walked to the front and pushed the gate with one of his hand. The gate easily opened revealing a giant platform with stairs that are leading upward without being able to see the top.

Ding*

[Hidden Challange accepted]

Challenge: Ascend the Endless Stairs!

Progress: 0 Steps

Rewards: Nothing

'Hm? What is this? Is this the one Elder Yu mentioned?'

Without hesitation, Zhen Lun ran up to the stairs. Like a cute puppy, Xiao Xue followed his master behind, ascending the stairs too.

...

"Let's see how he fares in my test." Elder Yu could actually watch Zhen Lun and Xiao Xue through the book that he usually reads. He could see two lights are ascending the stairs with amazing speed. The lights are supposed to be Zhen Lun and Xiao Xue. Though He cannot see them directly, he knows how much steps they have climbed.

Seeing that, Elder Yu laughed out loud again.

The disciple that saw the current Elder Yu was confused. 'Why did Elder Yu suddenly laugh?'

'As expected two monsters they have figured it out.' Elder Yu strokes his beard.

They are currently trapped in a special array that he made. It was an illusion array that makes the stairs seems to be endless as they will never reach the top. It is also designed to absorb Spiritual Energy. Thus, even if they stood still they will soon run out of Qi.

The purpose of the trial was to test a person's willpower. They will soon run out of Qi and be forced to climb the stairs while depending solely on their physical body. The further they climb the greater their reward.

...

'There's no end to this stairs.'

'We climbed quite far but no matter what we can't reach the top.'

Ding*

[Spiritual Energy is being absorbed]

[90% Remaining]

'Being absorbed?' Zhen Lun frowned.

"System how do I prevent that?"

[It's the purpose of the test]

[You need to keep climbing until all of your energy is wasted]

[It is to increase your willpower]

Zhen Lun then checked how much steps has he ascended.

[Hidden Challange accepted]

Challenge: Ascend the stairs!

Progress: 645 Steps

Rewards: Wooden Chest

'So, the further I advance the better the rewards.' He thought that System was getting stingy again, for the first time he actually will receive something.

With such opportunity given he won't let it go. He doesn't know when will he actually will be rewarded by the system again. This time he has to try his best.

Since his spiritual energy will eventually get absorbed, there's no need to preserve them. He wants to use them as much as possible. He stored his shield and sword into his inventory since they were unnecessary. Afterward, he activated Wind Run to enhance his movement speed.

With a full stride, Zhen Lun climbed the stairs, exerting all of his energy.

Ding*

[You have reached 1000 Steps]

[Rewards has been upgraded to Common Chest]

'Good.' Zhen Lun rejoiced as he sees the screens popped out. With full of vigor, he climbed up with only rewards in his mind.

[You have reached 2000 steps]

[You have reached 4000 steps]

[Spiritual Energy is being absorbed]

[80% Remaining]

'Is the air is getting heavier or it's just me getting tired?' The further he advances the slower he was.

[You have reached 6000 steps]

'It indeed got heavier.' This time he clearly felt the force on him was increased.

At this moment, he is climbing the stairs while being pressurized by threefold gravity on him. It seems that every two thousand steps it will add a single fold to the gravity force.

...

[Spiritual Energy is being absorbed]

[60% Remaining]

[You have reached 8000 steps]

...

[Spiritual Energy is being absorbed]

[30% Remaining]

[You have reached 10000 steps]

[Reward has been upgraded to Uncommon Chest]

It's getting harder and harder to climb. At this rate, he will exhaust himself before the spiritual energy run out.

'Wait, What if I used the spiritual energy to restore my stamina?'

Zhen Lun pours all of his spiritual energy to his body. It manages to restore some of his energy but now all of his spiritual energy is gone.

[0% Remaining]

[Energy has been exhausted]

[Warning if you didn't climb 100 steps in a minute the challenge will be over]

'Not giving chance to rest huh?'

"Master, Do you want me to carry you?" Xiao Xue that has been following him asked.

He almost forgot Xiao Xue is following him. Looking at her expression Zhen Lun was depressed. There is no sign of fatigue at all.

"No... I'm fine." There's no way as a man he gets carried by a little girl but he really wants to get a greater reward.

"Xiao Xue you should climb up yourself, I'll catch up with you." Zhen Lun said.

"Understood." As soon Zhen Lun said that. Her figure immediately disappeared from his view.

'I need to get to Transcendent Mortal Realm as soon as possible.' Zhen Lun cried as he slowly climbs the stairs.

...

...

[You have reached 12000 steps]

Puff*

He finally reached his limits. The gravity force itself is tiring him already. Maybe this is his limits.

As he lied down the system warned him again.

[Warning if you didn't climb 100 steps in a minute the challenge will be over]

He suddenly recalled that a little girl is surpassing his limits.

'Like the fuck, I give up here.' Zhen Lun used Water Mastery to summoned water cooling of the heat his body and dehydrated them.

'Right... I still have mana!'

But there's nothing he can do with it that is related to climbing.

'What can I do with it? Think!'

'Maybe I can restore myself by pouring mana just like how I did with spiritual energy.' He immediately gets working as time is ticking. He continuously converts mana into stamina to restore his energy.

'It's working! This is even better than using Qi.'

[Skill Created 'Recover']

[Recover]

Active Skill, By continuously pouring mana, you will recover your energy

[Healing Properties depends on MAG stats]

Cost: 100 MP per activate, 10 MP per second to maintain

With just exerting 500 MP, he is fully recovered and while he is climbing his MP is constantly being restored too.

'With this, I should be able to last longer.'

...

[You have reached 14000 steps]

As he gets tired he quickly uses Recover on himself again to restore his energy. With Recover used, He was again full of vigor and then continue his climbing again.

...

[You have reached 16000 steps]

---

Xiao Xue has been running for a while. She has reached over 50000 steps and has exhausted her all of her Spiritual Energy. She is currently sitting quietly on the ground waiting for Zhen Lun to come. Almost like an abandoned puppy.

'Where are you, Master.' Xiao Xue hugged her leg as she waits.

Elder Yu who is watching Xiao Xue can't help but shook his head. 'This girl stops as soon as she ran out of Spiritual Energy. She is not even trying at all, I should bring her back.'

Xiao Xue's body disappeared from the trial as she was summoned to somewhere else.

---

[You have reached 18000 steps]

Right now, his Mana regeneration cannot keep up with the demand. He was forced to drink Mana Potion that he bought from Shop Menu.

Every thirty seconds he will drink the mana potion. He will continue until even Mana Potion cannot keep up.

...

...

[You have reached 20000 steps]

[Reward is upgraded to Bronze Chest]

'...Ten-Fold Gravity.' His mana is now at zero value and Mana Potion was still on cooldown. He is climbing until he has to use to recover while he is climbing. He really has tried his best.

[High Willpower activated]

[You will not give up until you fainted]

Each step he advances took a huge toll to his body but he forces his self to climb despite he is suffering.

Right now he is climbing depending solely on instinct he has long fainted but his body kept moving on its own.

[High Willpower leveled up]

[Additional Skill learned 'Tenacity']

[Tenacity] (Level 1)

Passive Skill, Skill obtained by having High Willpower.

Effect: When HP reached below 10% you will not feel pain

...

---

'Just what I expected from him. Such willpower.' Elder Yu was proud of him. To actually climb 10000 steps depending solely on his physical abilities. 'This latter is a monster. What kinds of tribulation he has gone through for him to become like that?'

Elder Yu closed his array and summoned Zhen Lun to a secret chamber where Xiao Xue resides currently.

Seeing Zhen Lun's body suddenly appear in front of him, Xiao Xue rejoiced. "Master!"

Zhen Lun's body is tattered and full of injuries. Xiao Xue was nervous seeing the current condition of his master, She doesn't know what to do.

"Calm down, young lady. He will be fine. He won't die that easily." Elder Yu appeared out of nowhere in the room.

Xiao Xue instinctively attacked Elder Yu to protect Zhen Lun. She executed the only technique she was taught, Fire Palm.

Elder Yu frowned seeing that attack was directing to him. 'Hmm, What a fierce attack.' The fire was no problem but it is quite huge. He has no choice but to go all out to protect the room.

Boom!

Two of them clashed and as expected Xiao Xue was knocked a few steps back but she is unharmed as Elder Yu carefully control his strength.

"Calm down, He is my student, I won't hurt him. I have a pill here you should feed him yourself." Elder Yu handed over the jade bottle to her. Even though he said all of that Xiao Xue was still hostile toward him.

"Sigh, I'll come here after he wakes up." Elder Yu left the room leaving both of them alone as he was not welcome by someone.

'Something must have happened, her hatred and fear toward me are not normal for someone that just met.' Elder Yu has a keen sense. He noticed that her hand is slightly trembling when she was about to face him but despite that she is afraid, she still stood and protect Zhen Lun.

Sniff*

Xiao Xue examined the pill as she doesn't trust Elder Yu. Who knows it was poison?

Sniff*

The pills have a rich herby smell. It revitalized her when inhaling the scent that was released by the pill.

'Since it smells good it should be fine right?' Not willing to take a risk, She takes a small nibs on the pill to confirm that is fine to be eaten.

As it reaches inside her mouth, it gave a warm and soothing feeling like how a healing pill works. She finally nodded her head. 'Mhm, it's fine.'

She carefully opened Zhen Lun's mouth and throw in the pill inside. 'Done!' She cheered.

'Now wait...' Xiao Xue stared at the body intently as though if she took her eyes away for a second Zhen Lun would be gone.

Stare...