139: What do you care how I got up here?

Yun Xi suppressed her anger, closed her eyes, and waited on the spot, no longer climbing the steps.

She told herself that she must not be influenced by Xiao Weiqing.

Five minutes later.

Seeing that Yun Xi still made no move, Xiao Weiqing stopped waiting. His Physical Body was under pressure every moment, and there was no need to suffer a thousand self-inflicted wounds just to defeat the enemy.

He began to climb the white jade steps slowly at his own pace.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to say:

"The treasure is mine."

"..."

At this moment, Yun Xi wished she could plug her ears.

Watching Xiao Weiqing climb the steps with such rhythm, his speed more than twice as fast as hers, she was ultimately affected.

When Xiao Weiqing stepped onto the 230th step, she could no longer hold back, stepped forward, and attempted to keep up.

However.

In her field of vision, Xiao Weiqing was getting further and further away, leaving her with only his broad back.

"Made it up."

Xiao Weiqing panted heavily as he stood firm on the 300th step, wiping the sweat from his forehead. By now, his clothes were soaked through, and his legs felt weak.

"The no. 1 puppet said I needed to climb 300 steps, but didn't say I could only walk 300. Going further might be beneficial for the subsequent assessments."

"Continue."

Xiao Weiqing did not stop, because once he stopped, continuing would be difficult, not just physically, but mentally as well.

He took a step.

His whole body trembled, and he almost fell.

"This pressure..."

Xiao Weiqing felt his internal organs rumbling.

With every step he took, a sweaty footprint was left on the white jade step. Just like that, Xiao Weiqing walked upwards, legs trembling and swaying.

Gritting his teeth to hold on, he counted silently.

"303"

"..."

"324!"

"325!"

"..."

"341!"

"..."

"349!"

"Can't go on."

Feeling his vision blurring, Xiao Weiqing really couldn't hold on any longer. Looking at the 350th step in front of him, he couldn't move his legs at all.

"What should I do? Should I give up?"

As time passed, it felt as if ten thousand catties of weight were tied to his feet, and he could not lift his legs.

Xiao Weiqing pondered in his heart. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He slowly moved with tiny steps to the front of the step, turned around, and sat his butt on the 350th step. Then, he laid down and rolled over, finally wiggling his body onto the 350th step.

After doing this, his whole body felt like mud, unable to move anymore.

"Assessment finished."

The voice of the no. 1 puppet rang out. The pressure on Xiao Weiqing immediately dissipated, and he panted heavily.

"Yun Xi, final assessment result, 306th step, no extra reward."

"Xiao Weiqing, final assessment result, 34... 350th step, extra reward, five elemental essence crystals."

"That doesn't count. He only stepped on the 349th step."

Yun Xi dragged her exhausted body up, her cold voice ringing out, filled with fury.

"Are you blind?"

"Aren't I on the 350th step?"

"You sat on it."

"Mind your own business about how I got up here."

"Lord no. 1 puppet, I trust your judgment." Xiao Weiqing couldn't be bothered to pay attention to Yun Xi.

The no. 1 puppet said expressionlessly, "350th step."

Upon hearing this.

Yun Xi's cold face was filled with unwillingness.

The no. 1 puppet glanced sideways at Yun Xi, "There is no rule stating you must walk up. Whether you jump up or do a somersault up, it is entirely up to you."

"Hmph!"

Yun Xi glared fiercely at Xiao Weiqing with her cold eyes.

Xiao Weiqing couldn't be bothered to care. In any case, he had already received the reward. elemental essence crystals were good things; one was worth nearly ten thousand points.

"Go in."

"Each of you pick a room to rest in. Tomorrow, we will conduct the second assessment."

"Remember, the temple is a sacred place; do not use force."

The no. 1 puppet instructed again, and even glanced at Xiao Weiqing.

Xiao Weiqing responded, "Lord no. 1 puppet, rest assured. I am a person who loves peace the most, unlike some people who only know how to sneak attack."

Yun Xi didn't say a word and entered the main hall.

"Look at her, that woman, how rude."

"Lord no. 1 puppet, you go ahead and get busy. I'm going in."

Xiao Weiqing turned and entered the main hall. He thought it would be magnificent and resplendent, but instead, he arrived in a courtyard.

There were four rooms around it.

Xiao Weiqing picked a room at random and entered, beginning to recover. He needed to maintain his Peak state at all times.

...

The next day.

Xiao Weiqing didn't wander around. He stayed in the room to Cultivate, waiting to be summoned.

Finally, near noon.

The no. 1 puppet came to find him.

"Follow me."

Xiao Weiqing and the no. 1 puppet arrived at the main hall.

The main hall was incredibly magnificent. The ceiling featured a flowing galaxy, and four white jade pillars reached up, out of sight. They were carved with Spirit Beasts that looked lifelike.

"You have passed the preliminary assessment."

"The subsequent formal assessment consists of three stages, all of which carry the risk of death. Are you still going to participate?"

Yun Xi: "Yes."

"Lord no. 1 puppet, may I ask, if I pass the assessment, what can I get?"

The no. 1 puppet said, "Passing the first trial will grant you Cultivation resources, such as elemental essence crystals."

"Passing the second trial will allow you to choose a treasure."

"The third trial depends on specific circumstances. I am not sure what it is either. For a hundred years, the trials have been unfixed, and no one has truly passed."

"If I pass the first one but am not confident about passing the second, can I give up?"

"You can. But you cannot give up during the assessment. If you die inside, I will not intervene."

Xiao Weiqing nodded, "I will participate."

"Good."

As soon as the words fell.

The no. 1 puppet waved a hand.

The scene changed.

Xiao Weiqing arrived in a cave.

"Defeat the Twin-Tailed Golden Lion to enter the next level."

A mechanical electronic voice sounded.

"The next level, instead of the next stage?" Xiao Weiqing was confused.

A few seconds later.

Inside the cave, sandstorms swirled, and Spiritual Qi began to gather, finally forming a three-meter-tall golden lion. This lion had two tails.

Roar!~

The Twin-Tailed Golden Lion roared, its four limbs bent slightly, and it instantly shot out.

"Fire Owl!~"

"Boom!"

The Twin-Tailed Golden Lion flew backward and struggled to get up.

"Puchi!"

The Dragon, wrapped in golden flames, decapitated the Twin-Tailed Golden Lion.

"Passed!"

Xiao Weiqing frowned slightly. The fact that his Fire Owl technique hadn't instantly killed the Twin-Tailed Golden Lion surprised him a little.

Ten seconds later.

A fierce wind blew.

A gigantic emerald-green mantis coalesced, its eyes staring fixedly at Xiao Weiqing.

Its forelimbs swung out like lightning.

Clang!~

Xiao Weiqing swung his blade to block the attack, using the force to retreat.

"Fire Owl!~"

The mantis's entire body was knocked back, its chest burned with a large hole, but it still did not stop attacking.

Xiao Weiqing pressed his palm down.

"Flame Dome!~"

A pillar of flame instantly pierced through the mantis's head.

Even so, the mantis still didn't die; its two sharp forelimbs swung continuously several times before it stopped.

"Passed!~"

The sandstorm rose again.

It seemed to be coalescing a wolf-shaped Yao Beast.

"Slash!!"

A flash of fire.

Xiao Weiqing did not wait. The Dragon, wrapped in Qi Fire, took advantage of the Yao Beast before it had fully formed and slashed it to pieces.

The cave returned to calm.

This time, it was a full 30 seconds later before the electronic voice rang out.

"Passed!"

"You may enter the next assessment."

"You may also continue to challenge, which will grant extra rewards."

Xiao Weiqing said, "What is the extra reward?"

"Three elemental essence crystals."

"Continue~"

The cave began to coalesce a Wild Bull, red all over, its size comparable to a truck.

Xiao Weiqing raised his blade, about to repeat his old trick, but unexpectedly, a white barrier rose in front of him, blocking his path.

It wasn't until the Mangniu Demon fully solidified that the white barrier disappeared.

"..."