A soothing and refreshing feeling flooded his entire body. Gin could feel his physique is undergoing a wondrous transformation, while his strength has grown to a new level.
He discovered another new white barrier in his body. Without a doubt, it's his 8th hidden physique seal, which is located in his heart.
Gin clenched his fist which is overflowing with energy and power. If he's not wrong, his current strength should be around 32,000Kg.
No doubt, his strength is way better than any Physique Enrichment stage practitioners; Since even a genius with 11 hidden seals uncovered would only have a strength of 30,000Kg.
Gin was now sure, his current way of tempering his physique layer by layer is a reliable one.
When he opened his eyes, he sensed many were eyeing him as if he's some kind of monster. He asked Shaun, "What happened?"
"Did I cause such a commotion?" Gin gaped, hearing Shaun's description.
"Yes, please don't ever do that!" Shaun heaved.
"Why?"
"I am telling you, it's bad news to be remembered by these peoples" Shaun answered.
"Whatever, let's go. We are going to race our way up." Gin expressed.
"Didn't you hear what I said just now?" Shaun cried.
"Oh, I heard loud and clear." Gin replied and speeded his climb. Even though Shaun doesn't want to, he followed Gin, keeping some distance.
Shaun could tell, Gin's not afraid of any of these people; that's the problem, he should be! Maybe all of them would look harmless, but they are the worst bunch if angered or provoked.
Considering their background, if they develop some kind of enmity then common peoples like them are done for.
Maybe they can't do shit to them inside the ruin, but they are the true rulers outside. Just a word from them, they would disappear from the face of the planet.
--
Meanwhile somewhere inside the ruin,
"Where are we right now?" A stern-faced Fiend who looked around twenty asked.
"We should be at the second level of the ruin," Fiend Zhyler replied, scrutinizing the surrounding. Behind him stood the 6,000 thousand Fiends who entered the ruin alongside him.
"Not at the first level? I was expecting to meet some humans once we enter the ruins, I wanted to vent some anger for our dead brothers. Pity." A Fiend named Darkfang spoke.
"Why do we have to waste such a precious tool to enter the ruin? Couldn't we have just entered the same way as humans?" A Fiend minion asked.
"It's a ruin left behind by a human expert, in hope for their future generations youths to improve their strength. As a Fiend, we are naturally forbidden from stepping inside."
"So, we can only forcefully enter the ruin" Zhyler replied. It's also the reason why they have to make use of a tool that is 100 times more precious than the one Ghost King-Rath used.
"Zhyler, what should we do now?" asked a Fiend named Hadeon, who carried a large spear on his back.
"There's no other way, we can only split up," Zhyler replied, gazing at the lush forest overflowed with towering trees and plants.
"No, if we split up and meet a human group then it would be disastrous." Raz, the stern-faced Fiend expressed.
Zhyler snorted, "Raz, grow some backbone. Humans don't know what type of ruin it is, they only know we badly want something from it."
"Knowing them, they definitely wouldn't have sent their exceptional geniuses in fear of something might happen to them. Even though some may pose a problem, we don't have to fear them."
"We are splitting ourselves into 6 teams, each led by the strongest of us; me, Hadeon, Raz, Drakfang, Ares and Jela."
"The humans will soon enter the next level! Hunt them, kill them and take their tokens, which is the ticket for our way in."
"We have to get the 'Starstone' at any cost. If not, be ready to face the wrath of the Fiend lord." Zhyler solemnly stated. "Let's move!"
---
Gin and Shaun finally neared the 200th step with much difficulty, outstripping many geniuses on the way, and now, only 20 or so youths were climbing before them.
Many may wonder why Gin is slow? As a Physique cultivator, he can only withstand the pressure using his body while the others can resist it by enveloping their bodies with essence energy and can also utilize their physique at the same time.
Soon, Gin and Shaun finally stepped on the 200th step. As soon as they did that, they felt their entire body being crushed by a huge mountain.
Gin's knees nearly hit the ground, while he has to muster every bit of energy in his body to resist the pressure; it's the same for Shaun.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead while bone popping sounds echoed out from within him. Gin couldn't believe even after his recent rise in strength, he couldn't resist this pressure.
"I am feeling heavy, I think I can only mount another one or two steps," Shaun spoke, enduring the oppressive pressure.
To reach the peak, they just need to cross these last 50 steps before them. From the looks of it, it seems nearly impossible as even the foremost youth is struggling in his 206th step.
Gin couldn't see his face, but the leading human youth is draped in a dark blue coat with a burning sun imprint on his back.
He struggled very hard to push himself to the 207th step as his entire body is shaking under pressure, his skin beet red, and forehead covered with sweats.
"What's your name?" A sweet voice suddenly sounded in Gin's ear like that of nightingale's.
Gin was annoyed hearing someone asking his name again. Without even turning his head, he replied: "Gin"
It's not his fault as many wanted to know his name after the recent uproar he caused. The young girl just asked Gin's name without knowing 199 peoples has asked him, 'what's your name?' before her.
Catching Gin's rude response, the girl looked stupefied and at the same time a little awkward, as it was her first time to be in this kind of situation.
Without glancing at the girl's appearance, Gin mounted his 202nd step. But Shaun whose behind him apologized on Gin's behalf; The number of times he apologized today is greater than he has done it in his lifetime.
Shaun could already foresee his future filled with black lines. 'Of all the peoples I could have approached, why the fu*k I have spoken to him?'
"Gin, will you please stop offending these peoples? It's better to have a friendly relation with them!" Shaun solemnly spoke. He was truly afraid, that someone may find trouble with Gin in the future.
"Do you at least know who is she?" Shaun asked, catching up with Gin.
"Don't know, don't care,"
Hearing Gin's response, Shaun cried but no tears came because he already cried so many times today, left with no tears. Gin already offended several geniuses on the way and now, he just added another one on the list–a formidable one.
"Of course, you don't have to fear the well-known beauty who you just ignored, even though she's considered as a jewel of the Blue orchid academy."
"But, what if she has a formidable sister who stands at the peak of this world? Recognized by all as a prodigy of the martial way without equals!" Shaun asked.
"Oh!" Gin's interest piqued, "Tell me more about her!"
Shaun knows this topic will interest Gin, but at the same time, he hopes it would awake him from ignorance and let him know the true fear.
"I don't know her name or background, in fact, not many know. Her achievements are otherworldly, like that of fictional tales narrated to children."
"It's said, at the age of 16 she reached Peak Physique Enrichment stage and a second person in history to discover 11 hidden seals after Madman Eternus. None know whether it's true or not, many say she's capable of that!"
"At the age of 17, she reached the peak of Seal Opening stage and her talent came to light, experts start to recognize her ability.
"At the age of 18, she destroyed her first hidden seal and become a Seal Destruction master; a youngest to become one."
"What made her reputation shot through the sky is her battle with the Fiends! At the age of 20, she encountered a terrifying assassination orchestrated by a Fiend with exceptional analyzing abilities, with no path of escape.
"This incident happened in the Blue Orchid academy 8 years ago, where she faced a Fiend King and four Fiend Generals all by herself."
"She beheaded the four Fiend Generals, while the Fiend King escaped with one of his leg chopped off. The outcome swept the entire world by storm, shocking everyone who heard of it." Shaun explained with the revered look.
Gin was shocked by the story, 'I hadn't thought there would be such powerful peoples on the continent'. Just thinking about meeting these peoples excited Gin to the core.
"Where is she now?" Gin eagerly probed.