Lean was mulling over that unprecedented flame. Up until then, she had been cultivating methodically, sticking to the methods passed down by her master. What surprised her the most was the simplicity with which this aspect of the fire laws was explained in her mind.
The hidden master didn’t teach cultivation directly; he just revealed some depths about mastering fire, pointing the way and giving suggestions on how to follow it.
Still, she had to walk that path on her own. It was a very different approach from the Elders of the sect, who even sent fragments of their own laws to the disciples’ cores.
She looked at him, shaken. Those Yin flames seemed like the perfect fit for her essence, as if they had always been a part of her but had separated for some mysterious reason.
"Thank you, sir." She bowed deeply before him.
"I didn’t do anything special; it was just a trade for your effort," Bruno replied calmly. "I heard that your sect has a sealed world of flames."
They had learned from Heril about the training locations for disciples in the sect. In short, these were separate places where laws created by the Divine Inquisitors of the sect in the past were left behind.
All of them were concentrated in one area, where disciples could venture to cultivate. It wasn’t just a place of fire; the other four basic elements were also present.
"Yeah, my master is the record-holder of the generation in the world of flames. He managed to stay there for an hour and absorb some of the flames into his core," Lean quickly confirmed.
Bruno nodded. "Great. After you master the Yin flames, go into that place and absorb the runes of the fire laws. The main feature of your flames is to calm the Yang and balance it out. They’re not particularly offensive, but they’re excellent for purifying and even healing."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "Absorb? B-but... that place is covered by the supreme Yang laws of the ancestors..."
"Yeah, it’ll be a painful and maddening task. But you’re the only one capable of calming the Yang and absorbing everything. Then, you’ll convert everything to your own Yin flames," Bruno said, staring at her intensely. "You need to take one step at a time. Absorb a little... and you’ll feel such deep pain that it’ll seem like your soul is turning to ashes. But if you persist and endure this torture, eventually all the fire laws from that place will be yours."
Lean was paralyzed by that idea. There were nearly a hundred different fire laws created by the sect’s ancestors, and no one had ever managed to claim one for themselves. Disciples would only absorb the flames created and use them as a base to develop their own runes.
Seeing her hesitation, Bruno spoke calmly: "Heril isn’t going to stay in that little pond forever, and neither am I. I approved of your determination, and now I’m giving you the opportunity you’ve always wanted. It all depends on you..."
He finished and closed his eyes, returning to a dormant state.
Lean remained still, reflecting on his last words. Were he and Heril going to leave? However, an unwavering will blossomed in her gaze.
Soon after, Heril returned home and found out about Lean’s success, pleasantly surprised.
Lean had finally broken through the bottleneck that had tormented her in no time. Her cultivation soared at an unprecedented speed.
Moreover, both of them realized that the methods passed down by their masters were ineffective and limited. Not just that Elder, but no one in the current sect could compare to the mysterious master. The superiors couldn’t help them, while just a spark of that man’s will was enough to propel them.
The duo resumed their tasks of taking care of him, not knowing when he would wake up again. They also didn’t dare tell anyone, preferring to be cautious. First, others might harbor malicious intentions toward him if they knew of his existence. Second, they didn’t want to offend him.
Taking care of him didn’t affect their cultivation in any way, as they were now training with superior skill and ease thanks to him.
One day, Heril took that mysterious man out for some fresh air again. She looked at the distant divine mountain, the center of the entire sect.
She was completely absorbed. The mountain was so colossal that it seemed within reach of any viewer, despite its distance.
She had heard many legends about the divine mountain since joining the sect. Her superiors told her that, in the past, all the Divine Inquisitors tried to reach the summit. Only one in a hundred returned alive, and those who succeeded became legends.
However, after the apocalypse, no one had the ability to scale to the top in that sect anymore. This wasn’t just happening there; in the other two sects, only three individuals in history had reached the tops of their sacred mountains.
The ascent required facing overwhelming pressure, which gradually increased as one climbed. At a certain point, the force became unbearable, and the climbers were crushed, turning into a pulp of blood.
Long ago, thousands of Divine Inquisitors from the sect managed to reach the top. Unfortunately, after they all died, no new member could accomplish the task.
Great masters tried every generation, but always failed. Their descendants ended up giving up, recognizing their own inability.
"What happened back then? How did so many legendary cultivators die together..." she murmured, thoughtful.
Suddenly, a voice beside her interrupted her thoughts: "In life, the strongest and the weakest can switch places over a mere detail. A lamb turning into a wolf is common; no one should be underestimated. Anyway..."
"S-sir," she turned to him, her eyes shining.
"Go climb," he said, giving her a challenging look.
"Climb?" She pointed at herself, then at the mountain, stammering: "M-me? Climb the divine mountain?"
"Yeah, carry me up there. Don’t you have the courage? I’ll be with you," he added, slowly closing his eyes.
Heril’s gaze flickered between the mountain and the man, thinking he might be joking, despite his serious expression.
No one had been able to climb that mountain for thousands of years. Even the strongest member of the Sacred Jewel sect had failed, so how could a simple disciple like her succeed? Plus, he wanted her to carry him?
"I... I can’t do that. I think I’d turn into a mist of blood before reaching halfway up," she said, lacking confidence.
"That’s why I’ll be on your back," he replied calmly.
She didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t about lacking confidence but about realism and ability.
"My insignificant cultivation can’t withstand the mountain’s suppression," she argued, knowing that even the few remaining Divine Inquisitors on the planet couldn’t.
"That’s irrelevant. What matters is whether you have enough determination and will. As I said: I’ll be with you. That’s enough," he stated serenely, as if saying something obvious.
She fell silent, not having enough information about the divine mountain. This ignorance was shared by the rest of the sect.
"Can you? Do you have what it takes to face this test of will?" He opened his eyes and asked. "Lean also received a different test, but of equal difficulty."
She had never thought about that before, since it was an impossible mission for an ordinary disciple. His request caught her completely off guard.
"Living a boring life of conformity or risking everything for a once-in-a-lifetime chance. The choice is yours," he concluded, closing his eyes.
She took a deep breath, puffed out her chest, and declared: "Alright, I’ll do it! I’ll climb the mountain!"
***
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Lean heard Heril’s decision and widened her eyes in surprise. However, when she realized he would be joining her, she just sighed and nodded. Both were determined to complete the mission they’d been given. They felt this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Insanity! What foolishness!" Heril’s master immediately scolded her as soon as he learned of her intention to climb the divine mountain, carrying a crippled man.
It was practically suicide, as even he, a respected master, wouldn’t have the ability to pull that off.
Despite the warnings, Heril stood her ground, and her master, unable to dissuade her, couldn’t stop her. After all, there was no rule against disciples attempting the climb. The only thing holding them back was the fear of death.
The Elder was sure that her fate would be fatal. To him, the death of the cripple wouldn’t be an issue, but losing a promising disciple like Heril would be a true waste, as he had high hopes for her.
"Go back and prepare yourself," was all he could say in the end, reluctantly accepting her decision.
After meticulously preparing, Heril set off, carrying the man on her back toward the mountain.
News of her decision spread quickly among the disciples, causing confusion. Many thought the endeavor was absurd. Climbing the divine mountain was already a risky business, but carrying a man along? That seemed incomprehensible.
"She doesn’t know her own limits," some criticized.
Although Heril wasn’t a popular figure in the sect, her decision caused quite a stir. Still, few actually cared about her fate. As she approached the mountain, a crowd of curious disciples gathered to watch her attempt.
"She’s doomed, going up with so little power," commented an older Ancestral Devil, shaking his head in disapproval.
"Well, that woman has always been strange. First, taking care of a cripple for no reason. Then, developing weird tastes... and now, trying to climb the divine mountain with him? Something must be wrong with her head," an older Chromaraic woman mocked.
"Those who dare to climb the mountain are full of determination. Few even have the courage to try. A mediocre like you judging others?"
A little Alv girl replied angrily. Next to her were some young newcomers to the sect. Heril, though always seen as foolish, had always helped the newbies, treating them like younger siblings. They couldn’t bear to hear such criticism in silence.
"Think about it, if you can’t climb any higher, no one will blame you. If things get dangerous, just toss that person aside and run," advised the Elder who was accompanying Heril with calculated calmness.
Heril nodded to the other disciples before starting her journey. They followed her for a while, but even though the mountain looked close, the distance was still great.
She only just realized that she was carrying a man on her back who was very close to her. For some reason, with him, she never felt the burning hatred that she did when others got close.
The first part of the journey wasn’t hard for her. As a cultivator trained for years, carrying a person on her back wasn’t an immediate challenge. It took just a few minutes for her to reach the base of the mountain.
When she looked up, she could finally appreciate the immensity of the mountain. It towered over her, with clouds floating far above the midway point. It seemed to touch the very center of the universe.
There was a narrow, steep path made of stones that started at the base and wound its way to the summit. It was wide enough for one person to pass, making the climb even more dangerous.
Heril took a deep breath and checked to make sure the man was securely strapped to her back with ropes. Without taking her eyes off the path, she began the climb, disappearing from sight shortly after.
The disciples, watching from a distance, mocked her for a while before heading back to the sect, convinced that this would be the last time they’d see Heril alive.
At first, Heril moved confidently, navigating the steep passage with agility. However, that confidence didn’t last long.
After only a short distance, she felt as if the strength from her cultivation had vanished, and the weight of the man on her back became unbearable. Suddenly, she wasn’t a cultivator anymore, but a slender woman, struggling like a mortal to carry an adult man on treacherous ground.
The terrain was treacherous, requiring each step to be carefully calculated to avoid a fatal fall. As she climbed, the air thinned, and the weight seemed to double with every meter she ascended.
Heril took frequent breaks, breathing heavily, trying to calm her heart, which pounded like a drum in her chest. Each pause was brief, and soon she forced her legs to move again, refusing to give in to despair.
When she finally reached a steeper slope, the effort of each step was overwhelming. Every three steps, her whole body trembled, and the air was sucked from her lungs as if she were drowning in midair.
In just a few days, the simple attempt to move forward a step took all her strength. Her legs ached, her muscles felt like they were about to tear, but she stubbornly refused to give up. Her lips were cracked from dehydration, and she relied on small sips of water and recovery pills to keep herself on her feet.
As the days passed, every extra step felt like a small victory in an endless battle. Her back burned as if she were carrying an entire mountain, and the pain in her chest felt like a flame burning from the inside out. Sweat dripped down her face, mixed with dirt and blood from the little cuts the sharp stones in the ravine had left on her legs and arms.
The incline forced her to lean forward, her arms tightly wrapped around the man on her back, and she felt that one misstep would mean the end. Over time, the pain intensified. Her bones creaked and popped, and occasionally, she heard the disturbing sound of something breaking.
But Heril didn’t stop. The growing weight and torturous climb were relentless, but something inside her refused to give in. There was a spark of determination in her eyes, and every time her body threatened to collapse, she gritted her teeth and took another step. Her pace was slow, almost imperceptible, but she was still moving forward.
When she reached the limit of what her body could handle, a strange calm settled in her mind. She set aside the pain and doubts. There was no more room for fear or weakness—just the next step, and then the one after that. Her focus narrowed to just one thing: the path ahead.
The meditative state she found herself in was the key to keep going. Heril didn’t realize that Alm and Bruno were behind her, silently controlling the pressure of the laws that threatened to crush her.
That was pure pressure from the laws. For someone with conventional QI collection cultivation, it wouldn’t be an issue. But for this Anima cultivation that didn’t refine the body, it was deadly.
Only a fraction of the force hit her body, but it was still enough to almost destroy her. Each step under that pressure was unimaginable torment, but little by little, she felt something change inside her. Her Dao heart was being tested and refined, like a rough diamond polished by the relentless fire of adversity.
Her emotions became distant, like shadows, and hunger and pain dissolved into a sea of determination. Rations and pills kept her alive, and the brief pause against the cliff was enough to regain her strength.
Over time, the scenery around her lost significance; all that remained was the continuous movement of her feet on the rocky ground, step by step, fight after fight. When she rested, just feeling the warmth of the person next to her was enough to relax.
Heril no longer knew how much time had passed. For her, time became irrelevant, and her whole world shrank to moving forward, no matter the cost.
It was as if, in that suffering, she was touching something beyond the physical. The pain was replaced by a strange sense of clarity, and she understood that every challenge overcome was not just a test for the body but for the soul.
She had started the journey as a determined cultivator but was ending as something more—someone whose will could no longer be shaken.
Along the way, she was unaware of the pressure slowly building and stimulating her potential. Her cultivation didn’t increase, but her mind and will were transforming. The pressure polished her Dao Heart.
She didn’t know how many days she had been there. Overall, her only conviction was to achieve a smaller goal in the form of one step at a time. Meanwhile, inside the sect, Lean was facing a similar internal challenge.