He climbed the first ten steps easily before he started feeling a little fatigued. He knew, that's just the formation's effect and he wasn't really tired and kept going. Around step number twenty he found it hard to believe that the fatigue was fake, only the formation's effect.
At 32 he felt his body devoid of energy. It was becoming difficult to move his body. It didn't hurt, there was no cramping, just pure fatigue. He felt he should give up now. But Wan Lin was watching. He already didn't believe when he said 36, now if he were to stop at 32, it would be embarrassing. And he will keep reminding him of it for the rest of his life. He didn't want that. With that thought he somehow got to 34.
'Two more, just two more. I can do this. I've walked 34, 2 won't matter. The fatigue's fake. Come on!'
'The fatigue isn't exactly fake. Although the body is still full of energy, a tired mind can't move the body.'
'If I have so much energy to think, I have energy to order my body to move! My dear hands, you gotta pull me up! It's easy just apply a little force and pull.'
'If it's fake why are you not standing? The formation must have some elements that cause physical fatigue too! Lin Yingjie can't know everything.'
'Ai whatever, 36, 34 are both equally bad. I'm already crawling, if I struggle anymore at This level, now that would be embarrassing.' At this point, he gave up.
During the selection test, there are disciples ready to help those who have given up. On normal days, a disciple has to hold onto their token for a few breaths after which the formation's effect stops covering them.
Zhang Wuji reached for his token and waited for the effects to wear off. He felt as if a mountain has been lifted off his back and his thoughts flowed much freely too. He stood back up and walked down.
As soon as he came down, Wan Lin shook his head and said disapprovingly "What the hell was that! You did worse than what you said. One must strive to improve. You gotta atleast reach the height you previously did. And the most important," he looked him seriously in the eye and said "if you have energy to move your arm towards the token, you have energy to climb a step up."
"How could you compare moving an arm to moving the entire body! Also if I don't use the last of my energies to fish out the token, how am I supposed to get down?!"
"You will have done this exercise properly only if you fall asleep due to fatigue. The formation doesn't disturb the energy used to move the body, it doesn't disturb the nervous system and the elements used to signal the body. It only slows down the mind, suck out it's energies. As long as you can think, you can move. When you stop thinking, you sleep. And that's when you are completely spent. That's when the refill begins, that's when the growth begins."
"No way! I tried my best to move forward, I did I really did. My thoughts did run but my limbs refused to move."
"Think of it like this. When you think you are fatigued, you have say ten mind power. If you put them in nine stray thoughts and one thought to move your body, and let's say your body needs three points to move, obviously you will not move. Understand?"
"So you are saying I gotta keep my mind empty or something?"
"Or something. You obviously need the thoughts to move your body. Empty mind is useless. What does will power do? It helps you concentrate. Concentrate on climbing. Stray thoughts come, don't mind them. Try chanting climb climb climb as you climb or something. Use whatever trick you can think of, just climb. Be careful of negative thoughts. They basically give you mixed signals and you will then have to use greater amounts of mind power to move your body.
Also you could set a goal or a reason for climbing. Although thinking of it may consume mind power, as long as it helps get rid of stray and negative thoughts and helps you climb higher, it's good. Best would be one single thought, climb."
Zhang Wuji nodded mechanically as he was lost deep in thought playing back the memories of his climb.
....
Winter changed to spring, spring to summer as six months passed. A lot had changed in Zhang Wuji's life in the past six months.
After a few weeks of dedication, weakness creeped into his mind. He still didn't know why he was working so hard. He had no goal. He was still lost. Thinking about why he was here in this world only made him more depressed with his current situation. It was hard work with little returns and no cheat. This only made him depressed.
Finally he decided to leave behind all MC and related thoughts. No longer think about goals or their absence. He just knew one thing. He did not like what he was, and wanted to change. So that's what he will do till he gets the answers to those questions or search for the answers and the questions after he has grown.
This change in attitude brought him positive results which made him even more motivated.
He had finally met with the whole drama crew after meeting the two mortals from the city theatre on one of the Sundays. The surprising part was that Pan Mu showed great interest in acting increasing the crew members to seven in total. Now only Man Tong, one of the mortals, and Li Xiaomei had to play two roles. The second to play two roles should've been Man Xin who was similarly experienced but Li Xiaomei was unrelenting.
His days were not smooth sailing. After a few days, he got comfortable with Wan Lin and Li Xiaomei's positions as his tutors and started resisting their teaching.
Alchemy was still not bad. Li Xiaomei was cute making it difficult to take his frustration on her and shout at her. And even if he does, she shouts better. And most importantly, he was scare of Shan Daoling and the cold lady. Once Li Xiaomei and him got into an argument regarding some scene in the drama. The smile Shan Daoling then had sent chills down his spine even to this day.
Cultivation was a different story. Wan Lin loved to criticize. Not just him but in general. He was a god given opportunity for him. After a few days they got on friendlier terms and Zhang Wuji started showing his temper which only delayed his training.
Realising his mistake Zhang Wuji started trying to curb his anger. He tried many methods he could remember. Counting to ten, deep breaths, diversion with tunes or change of subject but all these methods had no effect. Sometimes they made him burst with greater intensity.
Finally he started maintaining an anger diary as a last try which surprisingly worked. It made him reflect on his actions, examine them carefully and see his shortcomings. After the same diary entry multiple times, he could see himself getting angry before it actually happens and take measures to stop that from happening. He could see patterns in his behaviour and try changing them.
He had reached the 63 step in will power test. He had taken Wan Lin's advice and put his will to change as the central reason for climbing. He had only improved two steps from 61 in the last month but he was still happy with the result.
He was now close to sixth level and had almost completed his preparation for the apprenticeship test. The credit for this went completely to Wan Lin and Li Xiaomei. He was sure he couldn't have done it without them. Especially Li Xiaomei. After two tests she was sure her student was too stupid to read by himself and took it upon herself to perform the methods mentioned in the books and also teach about all the tools and formations used.
The only thing that he did all by himself was martial arts. He mastered Obliteration Fist which equates to completion as it had always been practiced on a target. If it was only that, he wouldn't have been so proud. He had choreographed a method of using Obliteration Fist together with Eagle Claw Art to solve the problems Obliteration Fist has in a fight.
Today he came to the Battle Tower to test the same. He was excited. Though he didn't create a martial art, neither did he tweak one, he still felt it was his own, and he was gonna put it to test.
With that thought, he entered the tower.