Overwhelming pressure came from all directions, like a bubble forced into the depths of the ocean. Immense force pressed against it constantly, but it couldn't be crushed. Endless pressure repelled Mo Luo Xue and Mo Yi, but they stubbornly held their ground like rocks, continuously pushing forward, deeper and deeper!
Mo Luo Xue and Mo Yi moved slowly, but their progress was steady. With every step, boundless radiance erupted from the jade steps beneath their feet. The entire mountain was draped in a veil of ethereal glow, the sun's rays completely obscured. The Immortal Mountain instantly became the most dazzling spectacle in the world.
“Is this a welcome?” Mo Yi thought, looking at the surrounding radiance. He felt an inexplicable joy and anticipation in this anomaly, as if a long-abandoned cabin was finally receiving guests.
“…” Mo Luo Xue's beautiful eyes widened in astonishment as she observed the strange phenomenon. She couldn’t help but glance at Mo Yi. On his face, she saw not a trace of panic, only slight surprise.
“They stepped onto it,” the man in the green robe said in a daze.
The middle-aged man in black remained silent. His fingers, hidden within his sleeve, trembled slightly. “It seems a monster is about to be born, and it appears there are two of them.”
“Perhaps. When they reach the second stage, we need to carefully assess their mental fortitude. If they don’t pass… I won’t say it outright, but you all know what I mean.” The man on the pine tree became utterly serious, abandoning his drink and focusing all his attention on the Immortal Path.
“Unbelievable! I thought my Supreme Spiritual Root was already 天才 (a prodigy), but these freaks have reached such a level. ” The man in the red robe exclaimed, tongue-tied. “What kind of Spiritual Root does this final hundred meters correspond to?”
No one answered him. Everyone's faces were filled with confusion and bewilderment. They knew about Supreme Spiritual Roots, but they didn’t know what lay beyond.
“Beyond Supreme Spiritual Roots are 異靈根 (异灵根, Yi Ling Gen, Exceptional Spiritual Roots). There are many types of Exceptional Spiritual Roots. It’s like the Sun, Moon, and Star Spiritual Root possessed by the ancient Heavenly Emperor. Exceptional Spiritual Roots have no definitive classification, but it’s certain that each one is not to be underestimated. If cultivated properly, they will surely become powerful figures.” The man in white, who had been silent until now, spoke up. His concise explanation of Exceptional Spiritual Roots enlightened the others.
“Exceptional Spiritual Roots… It seems these siblings’ roots are connected!” The middle-aged man in black mused. “The woman stopped before reaching the Exceptional Spiritual Root stage. But now, the boy has brought the girl with him as they step into the final hundred meters. This doesn’t follow the rules of the Pan Yu Immortal Path.”
“Based on their appearances and auras, they are indeed siblings. You wouldn’t doubt my skills in physiognomy, would you? After all, this is my livelihood. If I can’t tell, I might as well give up and become a fortune teller in the mortal realm.” The man in red, squinting his eyes, observed Mo Luo Xue and Mo Yi on the Immortal Path.
“What are their tokens?” The man on the pine tree suddenly asked.
The man in green paused, then closed his eyes. After a surge of green light, he opened his eyes again. “The Twin Fish Jade Pendant! There’s only one, and the Jade Pendant has chosen the woman as its master.”
“The Twin Fish Jade Pendant, Yin and Yang intertwined, together they live, separated they die. It seems their Spiritual Roots are indeed linked.” The middle-aged man in black whispered.
“They’re moving quickly, almost at the end,” the man in green said softly.
“What!? So fast?!” The middle-aged man in black was shocked. He hurriedly turned to look.
Mo Yi and Mo Luo Xue walked calmly on the jade steps. Though the pressure was relentless, Mo Yi stood firm like a rock, effortlessly weathering the relentless waves crashing against him. Mo Luo Xue held Mo Yi’s hand, as if grasping onto a lifeline in the raging current.
“We’re almost there,” Mo Yi said, coming to a stop.
Mo Luo Xue looked ahead. There, a screen as large as a door, stood before them. The steps before the screen were no longer the pristine white jade, but a simple, ancient, grey stone.
The grey stone steps were clearly scarred with pits and worn by wind and rain, as if their presence on the Pan Yu Immortal Path was a defilement of the previous, opulent jade steps.
“Return to simplicity,” Mo Yi murmured. “This is the final stage.”
Mo Luo Xue halted, her eyes reflecting a strange light as she gazed at Mo Yi.
Mo Yi didn’t turn, but he sensed Mo Luo Xue's gaze. He smiled slightly. “What’s wrong? Scared?”
Those three words seemed simple, but their underlying meaning was vast as the ocean. Perhaps they were directed at Mo Yi's core and inner being, or perhaps at his mannerisms and actions… No matter which, Mo Luo Xue’s meaning was clear: Mo Yi had changed.
Mo Luo Xue watched Mo Yi, waiting for an answer. She didn’t know what the answer would be. Perhaps it would surprise her, perhaps she wouldn’t be able to accept it. But in the depths of her being, she already had the answer she wanted to hear.
Mo Yi tilted his head slightly, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. “The last time someone said that to me was the young lady from the wealthy Gu family. After she said it, she ran away. If I hadn’t stopped her in time, her body would have been floating in the Xiang River the next day.”
Mo Luo Xue paused, then turned away, refusing to look at Mo Yi anymore.
Mo Yi chuckled softly, squeezed her hand, and then stepped forward!
Change… Was it really that important? Mo Luo Xue thought, but in that brief moment, she received an answer. It wasn’t the answer she wanted, but it was still a passing grade.
Perhaps change wasn’t as crucial as she had thought. Compared to the reckless and irresponsible eldest son of the Mo family, she felt a greater connection with the current Mo Yi. Because in the present Mo Yi, she sensed something… the long-lost affection of siblings.
So Mo Luo Xue stopped thinking about it. Whether he had changed or not, the person standing beside her, whose hand was rubbing against hers like a thief, was simply the shameless brother from her memories.
Perhaps.
Mo Yi and Mo Luo Xue pressed forward, resisting the repulsive force. The invisible pressure surged and swelled! It was like a towering wave crashing down from all sides!
But Mo Luo Xue and Mo Yi didn’t retreat! They sailed against the tide, with the brother at the helm and the sister guiding the sail. They were a lone boat, but not alone, battling the monstrous waves and singing joyfully amidst the raging torrent!
The Immortal Mountain’s radiance grew even brighter, radiating outward from the jade steps beneath their feet in a blinding, white light. Hand in hand, Mo Yi and Mo Luo Xue stepped onto the grey stone steps! Instantly, boundless light erupted, devouring everything within sight, as if swallowing the entire world.
Pan Yu Immortal Path, passed.