Whistling a light tune, Feng Shen gracefully ascended to the 150th step, his every movement as effortless as a passing breeze.
Upon reaching the milestone, he paused, his gaze falling on a familiar figure sprawled on the steps ahead.
Hè Jun lay there, drenched in sweat, her chest heaving as if the weight of the entire world pressed down on her.
Despite her pitiful state—her clothes soaked through and her face contorted in sheer exhaustion—she stubbornly clawed at the steps, inching forward with trembling hands.
"Hmm~ don't you think you should give up? You're too weak~," Feng Shen taunted.
He ascended a few more steps, closing the distance to where the Ninth Princess was slumped, her fiery determination dimmed but not extinguished.
Feng Shen came to a halt beside her, his figure casting a shadow over her trembling form.
