Dual cultivation makes you stronger, everyone else is a prodigy, and I'm the only one slacking

Ahead lies Shattered Soul Slope. The hillside looks no different from any other, but as you get closer, a sense of oppression washes over you, completely unlike the gravity you felt just moments before.

Mo Fei stood still, glanced ahead, then turned to Yu Luoning, "Why didn't you just use your magic to send us directly to the finish line?"

Yu Luoning shifted her position, not speaking immediately. Of course, she couldn't tell the truth; with true aerial magic, leaping tens of thousands of miles in one bound was no problem.

But this is a celestial sect exam. What if some powerful figures like to hide in the shadows and give their critiques, and accidentally notice me? Isn't that how it's always written in those fantasy novels?

Yu Luoning forced an embarrassed expression: "My teleportation technique is low-level, it can only teleport me a hundred meters or so at most. What do you take me for? To teleport you directly to the destination? You guys overestimate me!"

Murphy: "Well, that's still better than hiking, right?"

"If it's only a hundred meters or so at a time, do you want me to pass it hundreds or thousands of times?"

Mo Fei shut up.

Just then, Shi Shangxu suddenly spoke up: "I see that your magic has a strong connection with the Feng family's teleportation technique. You... are you related to the Feng family?"

Mo Fei and Lu Mingyu looked over at the same time.

Yu Luoning's heart skipped a beat. Her mind raced, then she turned her face away and said in a low voice, "The person who taught me this spell is that heartless man who kidnapped my mother, surnamed Feng..."

There was a moment of silence. Mo Fei was the first to react, giving a subtle "oh." Lu Mingyu also lowered his head, asking no further questions.

Shi Shangxu was silent for a moment. He originally thought that Yu Luoning's identity was made up, but he didn't expect it to be true.

So she was from the Feng family?

I wonder what her relationship is with Prince Feng?

On the other side, Yu Luoning secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully she had gotten away with it.

She made a mental note of this excuse, so that if she was asked about it again in the future, this explanation would still hold water.

Dongbao Shangzong, Council Hall.

News of Sun Yun activating the five-fold gravity field without authorization reached the sect.

The atmosphere in the main hall froze instantly.

At the head of the table, Elder Danyang slammed his hand on the table, causing his beard to bristle.

"Sun Yun, who gave you the audacity to open it without permission? The Heavenly Pivot Restriction? That's a training ground for Foundation Establishment cultivators at the peak. Do you want all five thousand promising talents to perish at the foot of the mountain?"

Five thousand.

Sun Yun was taken aback. He thought there would be only a thousand or so people, but he didn't expect there to be five thousand.

I immediately felt even more resentful.

Back then, I cultivated myself diligently, overcoming numerous obstacles along the way. I took the exam three times before finally entering the sect, while my cousins, whose talents were no less than others, couldn't even cross the threshold of the exam.

Why should they? They're expanding enrollment, and then they lower the standards so much that they're letting all sorts of people in.

He felt indignant for his past asceticism.

Sun Yun stood in the main hall, raised his head, and said indignantly, "Elders, I take full responsibility for my actions. I will accept any punishment you may give me."

"But I'm doing this for the good of the sect. Now they're expanding recruitment without any screening of the worst candidates. Won't the Dongbao Upper Sect become a detention center in the future? When I first entered the sect, I was skinned alive. Why should they be allowed to do it so easily?"

Upon hearing this, the elders of the Three Halls and Seven Peaks were immediately speechless.

Sun Yun's words were not without merit, but his approach was too reckless.

Just as everyone was discussing how to punish Sun Yun, the sect leader sitting at the head of the table spoke up: "Enough, let's leave it at that. The restriction has already been activated, and removing it now would only backfire on the examinees. Let's see if this year's candidates really have any talent who can withstand this pressure."

All the elders' eyes fell on the Xuan Guang Mirror.

Meanwhile, on the other side...

As everyone stood before Shattered Soul Slope, a powerful pressure that shook their very souls rushed towards them. Many cultivators' legs went weak on the spot, and some even vomited blood from the pressure.

Mo Fei was the first to feel the tremor; his face turned pale, his legs shook violently, and he still tried to hold on, saying, "I'm fine, I'm just a little dizzy."

Lu Mingyu rested his hands on his knees, unable to utter a single word.

Shi Shangxu unleashed his full spiritual power, erecting a shield around the group. The shield could block some of the gravity, but it couldn't stop the soul tremors; even he himself was barely holding on.

Yu Luoning stood there, in so much pain that she couldn't even stand up.

Shi Shangxu turned around, raised a spiritual energy shield with one hand, and wrapped the other arm around Yu Luoning's waist.

"I'm sorry." After saying that, he pulled her into his arms and almost lifted her up with his own strength.

On the distant mountain ridge, a red sun is slowly sinking towards the mountain peak.

If you fail to reach the mountain gate by sunset, you will be considered to have failed.

Yu Luoning looked up at the red sun, then at Shi Shangxu's current state, gritted her teeth, and said, "You go first. If you try to help us, we definitely won't make it in time."

Shi Shangxu remained silent.

Mo Fei also shouted, "Brother Shi, you should go now, we can still hold on!"

Lu Mingyu nodded in agreement: "Yes, we will take good care of Cousin Luo Ning."

Shi Shangxu stood still, without moving.

His gaze lingered on Yu Luoning's face for a moment, then he looked at Mo Fei and Lu Mingyu, struggling internally.

Just then, Yu Luoning seemed to hear a rat-like sound coming from the bracelet.

"Don't be afraid, Master, the King of Mice is here."

Without further hesitation, Yu Luoning sent out the rat from the jade bracelet space and onto her shoulder.

The mouse clenched its little fists, looking ready to sacrifice itself.

Shi Shangxu, Mo Fei, and Lu Mingyu were all stunned, staring at the pink mouse.

"This is……"

"My spirit pet." Yu Luoning looked down at the treasure-hunting rat and asked, "You said you have a way?"

"The mouse has a sniff. There's a mountain-shaking beast on the eastern ridge. It's naturally immune to gravity and has immense strength."

"Mouse, go lure it over here and let it carry us to the finish line!"

Are you sure you can do it?

The mouse patted its chest and said confidently, "No problem! He's nothing but a pushover in front of the Mouse King."

Yu Luoning no longer hesitated and looked up at Shi Shangxu: "Cousin, you take Shushu over and find the Mountain-Shaking Beast. We'll hold out here and wait for you."

Shi Shangxu looked down at her, then at the pink mouse, and remained silent for a moment.

"Okay, I'll be right back."

He released his grip on her waist, left the shield to the others, turned around, and, bearing the heavy weight, strode towards the eastern ridge.

Shi Shangxu and the treasure-hunting rat disappeared into the trembling air currents.

As soon as they left, Yu Luoning started counting down the time.

There's no way to avoid counting; she knows her own body best.

If this continues, the person might end up being crushed into a meat patty.

The excruciating pain made her vision blur, and she had to use her spiritual power to relieve it every now and then.

If all else fails, she'll have to escape by flying, even if other monsters find out.

Mo Fei squatted on the ground, his head buried in his knees, sobbing and cursing, "I really regret coming here now. You old bastard, how could you do this to your grandson?"

Yu Luoning gritted her teeth, "Don't talk, save your energy."

"I... I just have to get this off my chest." Mo Fei started cursing his grandfather Mo Yuntian's grandfather again.

On the other side, Lu Mingyu's face was pale, but he didn't utter a sound and just endured it.

The air fell silent as all three of them endured the silence.

Just then, a deafening roar suddenly came from the distant mountain ridge.

The ground trembled slightly.

The three looked back and saw a giant beast emerge from behind the ridge.