Tokyo Knights: The Odd Jobs X Files

So Li Xin was puzzled as to why Zhen Yuanzhai would specifically mention that he should come to Tianshan to try his luck.

But Li Xin believed that Zhen Yuanzhai was not speaking without reason; he had his own reasons for saying so.

So Li Xin decided to explore all the different routes in the Tianshan Mountains.

And so, without using any tools, Li Xin began his adventure in the Tianshan Mountains.

On the first day, Li Xin started from the southern Tianshan Mountains, traversing more than 140 kilometers of mountain roads, crossing mountains and ridges, and crossing the Tianshan Mountains.

Then he asked the locals which route was the most dangerous. After finding out, he started climbing along that route and even rescued a mountain dweller who had been in distress along the way.

After Li Xin rescued him, he asked the mountain dweller which mountain in the Tianshan Mountains was the most difficult to climb.

"It must be Tomur Peak!"

The mountain dweller answered without hesitation and told Li Xin that Tomur Peak was steep and rugged with many deep ice crevasses and extremely complex glacial terrain. Many professional mountaineering teams had tried to climb it, but all of them had failed and countless people had died there.

At the same time, that mountain is also a dreamland for these mountain people. For hundreds of years, countless mountain people have challenged the highest peak of the Tianshan Mountains, but all have failed.

"A dreamland? Why would you say that?"

Li Xin couldn't help but ask.

It's just a mountain that's relatively difficult to climb, so how could it be called a "dreamland"?

"Because legend has it that there are snow lotuses from the Tianshan Mountains that are over 500 or even 1000 years old there."

The mountain dweller replied.

Tian Shan snow lotus is a precious medicinal herb unique to the Tian Shan region, and it has the effects of warming the kidneys and invigorating yang, as well as dispelling wind and dampness.

This is not surprising, as many other medicinal herbs also have similar medicinal properties.

However, the older the Tian Shan snow lotus, the more amazing its medicinal effects. Tian Shan snow lotus that is over 100 years old can even cure all poisons. Legend has it that Tian Shan snow lotus that is over 500 years old can heal flesh and bone and bring the dead back to life. After taking it, people can prolong their lives. It is a rare and divine medicine in the world.

However, Tian Shan snow lotus is precious. Any Tian Shan snow lotus that is a few years old in the wild has long been picked by the mountain people who gather herbs. Not to mention a hundred years old, even a Tian Shan snow lotus that is ten years old or older can only be harvested in extremely dangerous places. As for Tian Shan snow lotus that is over a hundred years old, the mountain people have never seen it or even heard of anyone picking it.

Indeed, these mountain people have lived here for generations, regarding the Tianshan Mountains as their treasure trove. They have explored every inch of the Tianshan Mountains for hundreds or thousands of years. How could they possibly leave Tianshan snow lotuses that are over a hundred years old unpicked? Unless no one can go there!

And indeed, there is such a place in the Tianshan Mountains: the summit of Tomur Peak.

"Tomur Peak is constantly battered by strong winds, and the closer you get to the summit, the stronger the winds become. A professional team once prepared the best equipment and guides, but they only managed to climb to an altitude of 6,000 meters. Some wealthy mountaineering enthusiasts were so frustrated that they tried to fly a helicopter to the top, but they were almost blown away by the strong winds at the summit."

"According to the elderly mountain people, the 'Wind God' lives on Tomur Peak. It is the 'Wind God's' abode and a sacred place that mortals cannot set foot on."

"In short, as far as we know, no one has been able to climb to the summit of Tomur Peak for hundreds of years. If this is the place, there must be snow lotuses from the Tianshan Mountains that are over five hundred years old!"

The mountain dweller said with certainty.

Tian Shan snow lotus...promotes longevity...

Li Xin was already interested in the extremely difficult Tomur Peak, and after hearing the words "snow lotus of Tianshan" and "longevity," he became even more determined to climb the mountain.

Although among the elders he knew, Michael and the old witch were nearing the end of their lives, and these two old people were open-minded and indifferent to life and death, Li Xin and other younger generations could not bear to see them pass away so soon.

Michael, in particular, was someone the three sisters went through so much trouble to find, only to die after living with him for a few years. It was too cruel.

Originally, Li Xin didn't care about Tomur Peak, but now that he heard the mountain people mention the legend of the Tianshan snow lotus, Li Xin was determined to climb Tomur Peak no matter what.

I hope there really are snow lotuses on Tomur Peak, and more than one at that!

Li Xin thought to himself.

Having learned the direction of Tomur Peak from the mountain people, Li Xin set off for Tomur Peak without hesitation.

The mountain dwellers repeatedly reminded Li Xin of the dangers of Mount Muer, but seeing that Li Xin was determined to go, they said no more.

The news of the extraordinary person's arrival has already spread throughout the world. Even he, a mountain dweller who is not well-informed, knows of the extraordinary person's existence. Li Xin can move freely on the rugged mountain roads, which is obviously not an ordinary person. He must be the legendary extraordinary person. If it is Li Xin, perhaps he can really complete the challenge that these mountain dwellers have failed to achieve for thousands of years.

Following the mountain people's directions, Li Xin walked for half a day and finally caught a glimpse of Tomur Peak in the distance.

Without any preparation, Li Xin, who came here for training, chose the highest level of difficulty and climbed up the steepest side of Tomur Peak.

It is already April, and most of the snow below the halfway point of Tomur Peak has melted, but the snow above the halfway point is dazzlingly white.

Ignoring the steep mountain path and the half-melted snow, Li Xin quickly crossed the mountainside.

The journey was smooth and the weather was kind to Li Xin. He didn't encounter any blizzards along the way. However, as the snow accumulated, Li Xin became more careful with his footing, afraid that he might slip and fall, which would be terrible.

As a result, Li Xin's speed slowed down, but even so, compared to the average professional mountaineer, Li Xin's speed was still frighteningly fast.

When Li Xin climbed to an altitude of over 5,000 meters, the temperature was already close to minus 30 degrees Celsius. The strong winds that the mountain people had mentioned earlier, which blew all year round, began to blow, constantly taking away the warmth from Li Xin's body. Li Xin, who had just come from the extremely cold land of Rakshasa, actually felt cold.

However, Li Xin would never truly give up, whether for the longevity-enhancing Tianshan Snow Lotus or for self-improvement, he would not allow himself to back down halfway.

Adjusting his breathing, Li Xin rhythmically and slowly moved every muscle in his body to warm up, without affecting his movements.

The mountainside is now extremely steep. If Li Xin were to slip down, he would tumble straight to the bottom of the mountain. Unless the blockade on his true energy is lifted, he would be smashed to pieces.

Carefully performing extreme micro-management, Li Xin's upward climbing speed slowed down a bit. He no longer dared to ascend more than ten meters in a few steps, and could only climb slowly meter by meter.

He didn't know how high he had climbed, but Li Xin felt that he was close to 6,000 meters above sea level. He felt that the wind around him had become several times stronger. He thought that it was basically impossible for an ordinary person to withstand such a strong wind. Even a second or third-level extraordinary person would be blown down to the bottom of the mountain under such a gale.

Li Xin made claw-like shapes with his hands and reached out to climb the crevices and protrusions in the mountain wall. The veins on his fingers would bulge, which was proof that he had used his fingers to the limit.

Keep going, upwards.

Li Xin did not retreat and continued upwards, but at this point he dared not look down, afraid that if he did, he would get dizzy.

The upward speed slowed down again because of the wind resistance; Li Xin needed to exert a great deal of effort to climb even one meter.

Li Xin originally wanted to control airflow by adjusting muscle curves, converting resistance into thrust.

With Li Xin's mastery of the "Wind God Leg" technique and his understanding of wind, he was fully capable of accomplishing this.

However, when Li Xin did this, he found that the wind on Tomur Peak was simply unreasonable. It seemed to be deliberately working against Li Xin, changing direction in all directions without any pattern. No matter what, it wouldn't let Li Xin get any upward force and was determined to throw Li Xin off.

Li Xin strongly suspected that there was a wind-manipulating expert who understood the wind even better than himself, secretly controlling the gales on Mount Tomur. No wonder no one had been able to summit Mount Tomur for so many years.

Of course, this was just Li Xin's imagination. What kind of expert would be so idle as to play with the wind for hundreds of years? That's just plain crazy!

So Li Xin could only regard the wind as nature's whimper... no, it was a masterpiece of nature.

With the help of his extraordinary physique, Li Xin climbed upwards little by little. Although the progress was slow, he was still moving upwards. In this way, Li Xin climbed and climbed, and after a night, he finally saw the top of the mountain in the distance, and at the same time, he could see the mountain wall about 100 meters away from the top.

The mountain walls are vertical, almost as if cut by a knife, smooth as a mirror, and without any slope, so that even snow cannot accumulate on them.

What the hell is this?! How the hell am I supposed to climb this?!

No matter how difficult the previous mountain walls were, there were always protrusions or depressions that Li Xin could grab onto. But the mountain wall in front of him was so smooth that even a mosquito couldn't stand on it. How could Li Xin possibly play on it?

Is it giving up, or breaking the seal? But isn't this just another form of giving up?

Li Xin took a deep breath. Things had come to this point, and he could no longer afford to give up. He had to reach the top of the mountain, he absolutely had to!

Raising his frozen hands, he clawed at the smooth mountain wall, his five fingers embedding themselves in the stone, blood trickling down his fingers and quickly freezing in the cold wind.

Pain, cold... In the cold, the pain quickly becomes numb, so it's mainly the cold.

Li Xin gritted his teeth and inserted his other hand into the mountain wall.

There are no climbing spots, right? If not, then create your own!

Li Xin used his bloodied claws to claw at the mountain wall, his flesh and blood clashing against the rocks. Although he managed to tear holes in the wall, his claws were also repeatedly damaged.

It's just pain, but how much pain can it be compared to when I was practicing the "Wedding Dress Divine Skill"?

It's just danger, but is it as dangerous as facing a peak-level extraordinary expert? Is it as dangerous as when I single-handedly stormed the lair of that kimono-clad woman from the "Nine Chrysanthemums Faction"? Is it as dangerous as assassinating Tsukamoto Kazuo?

Since becoming an extraordinary powerhouse, Li Xin has not faced any real life-or-death danger for a long time, but that does not mean he is afraid!

Facing the raging wind, Li Xin braved the wind and climbed step by step across the smooth mountain wall that seemed like someone's prank. Victory was just around the corner.

Don't let me find out who carved this cliff face. If I find out, I will definitely...

Just as Li Xin was about to cross the smooth mountain wall and grab onto a perfectly protruding protrusion, the wind suddenly intensified. Caught off guard, Li Xin was blown off course. Fortunately, he managed to grab onto the finger hole he had previously pierced at the last second, otherwise he would have fallen straight down the precipice.

With the strength of a single, bloodied index finger, Li Xin clung to the smooth mountain wall, swaying like a pendulum in the howling wind, his eyes about to fall out.

Looking down, even as an extraordinary expert, Li Xin felt a sense of fear that he might die.

Won't this backfire?

Li Xin couldn't help but smile wryly.

Chapter 745 "Calamity Clouds"

On Tomur Peak, the wind howled, and Li Xin used the strength of a single finger to fight against the gale, preventing himself from being blown off.

Li Xin tried several times to turn over or to insert more fingers into the holes he had previously made, but the raging wind interfered with every move he made, and he ultimately failed.

Li Xin's physical strength was gradually depleting. He had deliberately made no preparations before climbing the mountain and then climbed for a day and a night. His physical strength and energy were already close to their limits. With his physical condition not as good as before, he also had to face the hostility of the surrounding environment. Li Xin could be said to have reached the most difficult time.

At this moment, he was even more powerless to resist than when he was swept away by the storm.

Despite the critical moment, Li Xin still didn't feel any real urgency, because he knew that as long as he broke the seal on his true energy, he could escape his current predicament in an instant, just one instant!

But Li Xin remained hanging on the cliff face for a long time, until his arms went numb, his fingers froze into icicles, and his blood almost congealed, yet he still could not break the seal.

Even if it's just for a moment, as long as the seal is broken, his training will be considered a failure, and he won't be able to get through this hurdle. Then what will he do when facing Shiki Kōnosuke?

Shiki Kōnosuke's sword is more dangerous than the cliffs of Tomur Peak, more ferocious than the wind of Tomur Peak, and more deadly than the cold of Tomur Peak. If Li Xin cannot even pass this test, how will he face Shiki Kōnosuke three months later... no, more than two months later?

Li Xin recalled what Yuri had said before: countless near-death experiences and the struggle to survive forged their strength, enabling them, who were not particularly gifted, to eventually reach the pinnacle of the extraordinary. This power of facing death and transcending death was perhaps what he needed most right now.

Why, even though I've reached this point, am I still unable to muster the will to survive? Because I'm not truly at my wit's end...

Li Xin understood his problem: because he always had a way out, he never faced a real life-or-death crisis. So how could he force out that power to live in the face of death?

After pondering for a long time, Li Xin slowly exhaled and released the seal on his internal energy.

The true energy began to circulate, instantly dispelling the chill and eliminating fatigue; even the frostbite on his hands began to heal.

But this was not the end. Suddenly, the various true energies in Li Xin's body began to disperse to his limbs and bones, but instead of amplifying his physical strength, they were... dissipating his power!

Yes, Li Xin is actually going to dissipate the extraordinary power he has gained through years of hard training at this critical moment!

Li Xin's internal strength was so profound that even when he dispersed his power, it lasted for nearly an hour. By the time Li Xin had completely dissipated his power, the first rays of the rising sun shone on him.

After dissipating his power, Li Xin's body should have entered a period of weakness or adaptation. However, surprisingly, his body did not experience any problems. Perhaps it was because he had locked his power in advance and his body had adapted well. Or perhaps his body knew very well that once it fell into weakness, it would face complete death. Who knows?

Below him was a bottomless abyss; if he loosened his grip even slightly, Li Xin would be shattered to pieces. Above him was an endless raging wind; if he couldn't hold on and was blown down, he would also meet his demise.

Li Xin now has only one way to survive: climb up!

Having gathered some strength, Li Xin suddenly reached out and grabbed the stone wall, his fingers digging deep into the stone, truly using every ounce of his strength.

Faced with a life-or-death crisis, Li Xin's adrenaline surged, making him impervious to the cold and pain. He mobilized every bit of strength in his body at will, and in a few moments, he climbed back to where he had fallen.

The wind suddenly intensified, but Li Xin was already prepared. He charged into the wind and used brute force to break through the wind barrier, directly climbing to the summit.

Below the summit, the wind howled fiercely, but when Li Xin climbed to the top, he found a tranquil scene of clear skies and bright sunshine, as if the fierce winds below did not exist.

Is this the same logic as the fact that the center of a tornado is actually calm? But that doesn't make sense either. Although the horizontal winds at the center of a tornado are almost zero, the strong updrafts and extremely low air pressure make the overall environment extremely destructive, while here it is truly calm...

Unable to ponder the underlying principles, Li Xin lay on the snow-covered summit for a while to recover his strength, and then began to explore his surroundings.

The summit was a flat plain, about a hundred feet wide, with a small iceberg about ten meters high and thirty meters wide at the base in the middle. There was nothing else, neither the Tianshan snow lotus nor the "Wind God".

Li Xin felt a pang of disappointment. He had been hoping to find the Tian Shan Snow Lotus here so that Michael and the old witch could live longer.

However, compared to that, what Li Xin should be more worried about is probably how to get down from the summit.

It's often said that "going up a mountain is easy, but coming down is hard," and that's certainly true.

When going uphill, you only need to pay attention to what's in front of you, as your view is unobstructed. But when going downhill, you need to pay attention to your footing, as your view will be obstructed by your body.

Moreover, when going uphill, gravity is downward and people are climbing upward. The two forces are in opposite directions and form a balance. Although it is strenuous, the body is easier to control and it is not easy to fall. However, when going downhill, the forward momentum is greater, the balance is more difficult to maintain, and the movements when going downhill are more tiring than when going uphill. All these factors combined have created the phenomenon of "going uphill is easy, going downhill is difficult".

Not to mention the evil wind on Tomur Peak, which made the descent dozens of times more difficult.

After thinking for a long time, Li Xin finally came up with a solution. He took off his clothes, held them in his hands, and stretched them. Hmm, they were very sturdy.

This coat was obtained by Li Xin from "Red Will." It's a military overcoat, produced during the Soviet Union era, and its quality is impeccable.

After confirming the quality of the military overcoat, General Li Xin tied the two sleeves of the overcoat shut, then climbed up the iceberg, grabbed the four corners of the overcoat, and used it as a parachute to jump off the iceberg.

With the cushioning provided by the military overcoat, and with Li Xin's continuous adjustments, his descent slowed considerably, allowing him to land safely. This confirmed to Li Xin that his method was effective.

However, there is one more problem to solve before that.

Reaching the edge of the summit, Li Xin looked down and saw that it was only a meter away. The wind was still howling below the summit, and the area was extremely wide. If he were to rashly use his military overcoat as a parachute to jump down from here, Li Xin would definitely be blown off balance by the wind and smash to pieces.

Li Xin fell into deep thought, wondering how he could possibly get down from here.

This thought lasted all morning. When the sun was high in the sky, Li Xin suddenly stood up and, without any internal energy, unleashed a move called "Catching the Wind and Shadows".