While searching for a place to rest, Xiao encountered a significant problem as he ascended the mountain. His qi reserves, though plentiful, weren't infinite. The mountain's climb demanded more energy than he'd anticipated.
Though confident in his abilities, Xiao knew better than to risk running dangerously low on qi in such a precarious situation. He had no idea what dangers still awaited him.
To play it safe, Xiao imposed a restriction on himself: whenever his qi reserves dropped to 50%, he would stop, take a break, and rest on his sword, using the time to replenish his strength.
His careful nature had kept him alive before, and he didn't plan on dying here at the foot of some unknown sect's trials.
Thus began the grueling, unforgiving ascent. Xiao quickly walked up the steep mountain paths, his feet swift but careful, qi flowing through his legs to propel him upwards and sticking to the mountain.
He was aware of every step, every stone that shifted beneath him. Using his qi as efficiently as possible, Xiao conserved his strength for the inevitable challenges ahead.
Yet, even with such caution, his reserves hit that critical 50% threshold after several hours of relentless climbing.
Xiao sighed, knowing it was time. He stabbed his sword into the mountainside, deep enough to hold his weight, and sat upon it as if it were a makeshift bench.
Sitting cross-legged, he focused on his dantian, beginning to draw in qi from the world around him. The cold air of the mountain seemed to buzz with energy, and as he concentrated, the qi slowly flowed into him, replenishing his drained reserves.
It took around 30 minutes for his dantian to refill completely, which was always much faster than expanding the capacity of his qi pool to move to the next stage.
This climbing cycle, exhausting qi, resting, and refilling became Xiao's routine. He repeated it several times as he went further up the mountain.
Yet, with each climb phase, he noticed subtle but unmistakable environmental changes. The air grew colder, biting at his skin.
The mist thickened, obscuring his vision and creating a haunting atmosphere. It felt as though the mountain itself was alive, watching his every move.
More unnervingly, the rocks beneath his feet grew slicker as if the mountain wanted him to slip and fall into the abyss below.
Still, Xiao wasn't afraid. He could have expected the dangers from what happened previously. What unsettled him wasn't the peril of the climb but the sheer distance left to cover.
Even after hours of climbing, when he looked up, the summit seemed impossibly far away, like a mirage just beyond his reach and unreachable even after months of climbing.
"How did Jing manage this without any help?" Xiao wondered, frowning. He couldn't shake the thought that Jing might have had some hidden advantage during his climb. "There's no way a regular Qi Condensation cultivator could get through this."
Shaking the thought from his mind, Xiao refocused. He would worry about Jing's secrets later; for now, he had to survive to get questions out of him.
Xiao continued his careful ascent, his steps deliberate and precise. But despite his caution, the mountain had other plans.
As he stepped forward, his boot hit a weak spot in the rock, an unstable section hidden beneath the mist. Before he could react, the ground beneath him crumbled, giving way to a gaping hole.
His heart started rapidly beating as he felt himself falling. But Xiao wasn't a novice. He plunged his sword into the mountain in a split second, stopping his fall after the sword was forced down a little.
He dangled there, breathing hard, as loose stones tumbled into the abyss below. His grip on the hilt of his sword was ironclad, and after a moment, he pulled himself up to safety.
"That was too close," he muttered, shaking his head. One mistake, and it could have been over. His mind raced.
He knew the mountain was treacherous, but now it seemed outright hostile as if it were testing his resolve. And yet, Xiao's determination only hardened. He wasn't about to give up.
After a brief moment to collect himself, Xiao resumed his ascent, moving more cautiously now. Every step was a calculated risk, and he knew it.
His instincts screamed at him to stay alert, to watch for any subtle shifts in the rock or mist. Yet, no matter how careful he was, the climb took its toll. Hours passed, and though his qi reserves were replenished whenever he stopped to rest, his body felt the strain of the climb.
The cold was beginning to seep into his bones, and he hadn't yet found any shelter, such as a cave or place where he could take proper refuge.
"I might have to carve one out myself," Xiao mused aloud, eyeing the rock around him. But that would take time, time he couldn't afford to waste. A looming sense of urgency gnawing at the back of his mind told him to reach the peak as soon as possible.
A big reason he wanted to rush up the mountain was that even though he had enough water stored in his inventory, his food supplies were limited. He had barely a week's worth of rations in his inventory, and that was for a cultivator.
It might last around a day to two days at most for a human.
He hadn't planned for this kind of prolonged journey, as he was accustomed to hunting in the forest where food was everywhere.
Now, that lack of foresight was weighing on him. The faster he reached the summit, the better. He couldn't afford to slow down, even if every step drained his mental and physical reserves.
His thoughts were interrupted when he saw a shadow move above him out of the corner of his eye. Xiao's body reacted before his mind had fully registered the danger. A massive and unforgiving boulder was careening down the mountainside straight at him.
"A boulder?!" Xiao's heart pounded in his chest as he activated Time Acceleration, the world slowing around him. He darted to the right, barely avoiding the crushing stone as it smashed into the path he had been standing moments before.
The mountain rumbled in protest, but Xiao didn't have time to catch his breath.
Just as he regained his balance, the ground beneath his feet cracked, crumbling away under the weight of his quick movement. The trap was sprung, and Xiao was falling once again. But he was no stranger to danger.
With a burst of qi, he drove his sword into the mountain, halting his fall before it could gain momentum.
But the mountain wasn't finished with him. Another boulder, more enormous than the last, hurtled down from above at breakneck speed.
"I'm not falling again!" Xiao growled through clenched teeth. Swinging from his sword, he propelled himself to a safer spot on the cliffside. Yet even as he leaped, he could feel the pressure of the next boulder crashing down. He needed to act fast.
With no time to pull the sword from the rock, Xiao sent it back to his spiritual sea and unleashed the Qi-Infused Palm technique, slamming his hand into the mountain. His hand glowed faintly with qi as it stuck to the rock, holding him in place. The boulder roared past him, narrowly missing his body. He exhaled in relief.
"That was too close…" he muttered, his heart still racing from the near-death experience. But there was no time to rest. The mountain was relentless, and Xiao knew more challenges lay ahead. He retrieved his sword from his spiritual sea and continued climbing.
This time, he didn't bother with footholds. The terrain had become too treacherous, the rocks too unstable. Instead, he used his hands, digging into the mountain and carving out his handholds with every thrust, his qi surging through his muscles.
It was slower and far more exhausting but infinitely safer. He couldn't afford to take any more risks. Even at the cost of taking more breaks.
Still, Xiao's instincts screamed that the worst was yet to come. And sure enough, the mountain began to tremble again. He paused, clinging tightly to the rock as the ground shook beneath him, threatening to dislodge him from his precarious position. Even with his enhanced grip, it was difficult to maintain his hold.
Then, the shaking stopped. For a brief moment, there was silence.
And then came the boulders.
At first, there were just a few which Xiao dodged them with relative ease, using his enhanced speed to shift left and right. But the mountain wasn't finished with him yet.
Xiao's instincts screamed again, louder this time. He looked up, his eyes widening in shock.
Dozens—no, hundreds of boulders were cascading down the mountain, each one seemingly aimed directly at him.
"There's no way to dodge all of those," Xiao realized, his mind racing. His options were limited. If he stayed where he was, he'd be crushed. If he moved, he risked falling to his death.
Time slowed as Xiao's thoughts whirled, searching for a solution. He couldn't afford a single mistake, not this time at least.