47: Chapter 47 Elemental Simulation Overdrive! Soaring Up the Gravity Staircase in One Go

Lin Feng stood on the tenth step, panting like a dog.

The pale blue halo of the Micro Gravity Field enveloped him, barely reducing the fifteen-fold gravity to seven and a half times.

But even so, he still felt his bones creaking all over, his muscles as if pierced by countless steel needles, and every inch of his skin enduring terrifying pressure.

His sweat had already dried up, replaced by fine beads of blood seeping from his pores.

The surface of his skin was covered with spiderweb-like cracks, like fissures in parched earth.

"Ha... ha... only the tenth step..."

Lin Feng gritted his teeth and looked up.

The stairs wound upwards, disappearing into the golden mist.

He couldn't see the end at all.

At this rate of increase, the gravity on the twentieth step should reach twenty-fold.

Even with the Micro Gravity Field halving it, that's still ten-fold—the same as the first step without using the skill.

"Can't make it to the fiftieth step..."

Lin Feng knew it in his heart.

His current limit was the seven and a half times gravity after the fifteen-fold gravity was halved.

Going higher, the pressure increased with every additional step.

"Need to find a way... to enhance the effect of the Micro Gravity Field."

While slowly inching his foot upwards, his mind raced frantically.

The eleventh step.

Sixteen-fold gravity.

Weakened by the Micro Gravity Field, eight-fold.

Lin Feng felt his legs begin to tremble.

The twelfth step.

Seventeen-fold.

Eight and a half times.

His knees began to buckle.

The thirteenth step.

Eighteen-fold.

Nine times.

Lin Feng had to stop, bracing his hands on his knees, gasping for air.

Beads of blood dripped from the tip of his nose, splattering into little crimson flowers on the white jade steps.

"No good... if this continues... I won't even reach the twentieth step..."

He looked up with difficulty.

The fourteenth step was right before his eyes.

But it felt like a mountain stood between them.

"The Micro Gravity Field... is based on the Fusion of three elements: wind, ice, and earth."

"What if... I add another element?"

This thought flashed through Lin Feng's mind.

He glanced at his skill bar.

Sixteen basic skills, eight major elements.

Light, fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, ice, dark.

"The earth element... is the root of gravity."

"The wind element... provides flow and counterforce."

"The ice element... solidifies the structure, stabilizing the field."

"Then what if... I add the light element?"

Does light have mass?

Textbooks say light has wave-particle duality and theoretically possesses an extremely minute relativistic mass.

But in this datafied world, the light element mostly manifests as pure energy and purification properties.

"Let's try..."

Lin Feng gritted his teeth, bringing his hands together again in a cupping gesture.

This time, he tried to inject the light element while maintaining the Micro Gravity Field.

Left hand—maintaining the existing three-element Fusion of wind + ice + earth.

Right hand—Light Bullet Technique.

"Four-skill Fusion... succeed for me!"

He injected eight thousand mana—more than double the previous amount.

*Hum—*

In his palms, the pale blue Micro Gravity Field began to fluctuate violently.

The golden light element forcibly merged, colliding wildly with the other three streams of energy.

Lin Feng felt his Mental Energy being thrown into a blender, violently torn apart.

The cracks on his skin multiplied, blood flowing out like small streams.

But he clenched his teeth tightly, persisting.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

Fifteen seconds.

Just as Lin Feng was about to give up—

The four-colored light suddenly reached a certain balance!

The pale blue Micro Gravity Field gained a golden border on its surface.

The field's radius expanded from three meters to five meters!

Moreover, the energy flow inside became more stable and orderly.

[Micro Gravity Field evolved → Light Anti-Gravity Field (temporary skill)]

[Effect: Generates a five-meter radius Light Anti-Gravity Field, reducing gravity within by 70%, lasting 45 seconds]

[mana cost: 600 points/use]

[Description: The addition of the light element made the anti-gravity field more stable and efficient]

"Seventy percent! The duration is also extended!"

Lin Feng's eyes lit up.

He immediately activated the new skill.

*Hum—*

A light field of pale gold mixed with pale blue unfolded, enveloping him.

Instantly, the pressure on his body decreased significantly!

The nineteen-fold gravity of the fourteenth step was weakened to 5.7 times!

"Comfortable!"

Lin Feng straightened his back, feeling much more at ease.

He stepped upwards.

The fifteenth step.

The sixteenth step.

The seventeenth step...

With the Light Anti-Gravity Field, his progress became much smoother.

Although gravity kept increasing, the 70% weakening effect allowed him to keep the gravity he endured below six-fold.

Just like that, he made it all the way to the thirtieth step.

Standing on the thirtieth step, Lin Feng looked up.

The golden mist was thicker, only allowing him to see about the next ten steps.

But he could feel that the gravity had already surged to forty-fold!

The Light Anti-Gravity Field weakened it by 70%, leaving 12-fold.

Twelve-fold gravity...

Lin Feng tried to lift his foot.

His right leg felt like it was filled with lead, so heavy he couldn't lift it at all.

No, not lead.

It was as if an invisible force was pressing his entire body firmly against the step, making even moving a finger strenuous.

"Reached... the limit..."

The veins on Lin Feng's forehead bulged as he desperately tried to move his foot.

But it was useless.

Under twelve-fold gravity, his entire body weight exceeded fifteen hundred pounds!

And this weight was evenly distributed across every inch of skin, every bone, every internal organ.

He felt his heart beating with extreme difficulty, each beat draining all his strength.

His lungs felt clamped between two stone slabs, his breathing becoming intermittent.

His vision began to blur, and a sharp ringing filled his ears.

"No good... if this continues... I'll be crushed to death..."

Lin Feng wanted to retreat.

But he couldn't even do that.

He was as if nailed to the thirtieth step, unable to move.

"What to do... what to do..."

His brain worked frantically.

Enhance the anti-gravity field effect?

Four-skill Fusion was already the limit; adding a fifth element, he feared his body would explode first.

Improve his own Physique?

Distant water can't quench a nearby fire.

"Wait..."

Lin Feng suddenly remembered something.

He looked down at the finger on his left hand.

The wanxiang ring was emitting a soft, multi-colored halo.

[Effect 5: Acquire active skill "Elemental Simulation" (can simulate any elemental attribute attack, lasts 3 seconds)]

Elemental Simulation!

"What if... I use Elemental Simulation to simulate the earth element..."

"Then integrate the simulated earth element into the anti-gravity field..."

"The earth element is the root of gravity. Could the simulated earth element... produce a 'same-origin cancellation' effect?"

This idea was very risky.

But Lin Feng had no choice.

He clenched his jaw, focused his spirit, and activated the wanxiang ring's fifth effect.

"Elemental Simulation—earth element!"

*Hum—*

The multi-colored gem on the ring shimmered, finally settling on a deep, earthy yellow.

A stream of pure, gentle earth element energy flowed from the ring into Lin Feng's body.

This energy was different from his own earth element affinity.

Purer, more... Advanced.

As if containing the essence of some Law.

"Now!"

Lin Feng cupped his hands, forcibly injecting the simulated earth element into the Light Anti-Gravity Field.

This time, it wasn't skill Fusion.

It was "cheat" injection!

The simulated earth element resonated with the earth element within the field.

And then—

A miracle happened.

The Light Anti-Gravity Field shook violently!

The pale gold and pale blue halos spun wildly, finally merging into a chaotic, grayish color.

The field's radius exploded from five meters to ten meters!

Moreover, the gravity weakening effect within the field... began to climb frantically!

71%... 75%... 80%... 85%...

Finally, it stopped at... 92%!

[Light Anti-Gravity Field overclocked evolution → Chaotic Anti-Gravity Domain (temporary skill)]

[Effect: Generates a ten-meter radius Chaotic Anti-Gravity Domain, reducing gravity within by 92%, lasting 6 seconds]

[mana cost: 1200 points/use + Elemental Simulation cost]

[Description: The addition of the simulated earth element allowed the anti-gravity effect to break through theoretical limits]

"Ninety... ninety-two percent?!"

Lin Feng was dumbfounded.

Forty-fold gravity, weakened by 92%, leaving only 3.2 times!

3.2 times gravity was child's play for him!

"This cheat... even I'm scared of it!"

Lin Feng grinned.

Although the cost skyrocketed to twelve thousand, it was worth it!

Feeling the almost negligible pressure on his body, he looked up at the stairs above.

A hint of madness flashed in his eyes.

"If I can cheat... then what's the point of climbing step by step!"

"Charge!"

Lin Feng pushed off with his legs, his entire body shooting upwards like a cannonball!

Thirty-first step!

Thirty-second step!

Thirty-third step!

Under the terrifying weakening of the Chaotic Anti-Gravity Domain, the pressure from the increasing gravity was negligible.

Lin Feng ran faster and faster.

Fortieth step!

Fiftieth step!

Sixtieth step!

He was like a whirlwind, sprinting up the white jade staircase.

The wind whistled in his ears, the golden mist before him parted, revealing the steps further up.

Seventieth step!

Eightieth step!

Ninetieth step!

Lin Feng even had the spare moment to glance down at his status.

His mana was plummeting like a floodgate had opened.

100,000... 90,000... 80,000... 70,000...

The Chaotic Anti-Gravity Domain consumed 200 mana per second, plus the cost of maintaining Elemental Simulation, the total consumption was nearly 300 points per second!

And at his current running speed, he could ascend three or four steps per second.

"At this speed... reaching the top probably requires about three hundred steps..."

"Three hundred steps... that's one hundred seconds..."

"One hundred seconds... thirty thousand mana..."

Lin Feng calculated rapidly in his mind.

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

He still had a hundred thousand mana limit; combined with the 50% recovery speed from the wanxiang ring, it should be enough.

But would the recovery speed be affected in a high-gravity environment?

Whatever!

Just charge first and talk later!

Step one hundred!

The gravity had already increased to a hundredfold!

But after being weakened by 92%, only eightfold remained.

Eightfold gravity was still easy for the current Lin Feng.

He didn't stop his pace.

Step one hundred and fifty!

Gravity was at a hundred and fifty times; after weakening, it was twelvefold.

He started to feel it a bit, but he could still bear it.

Step two hundred!

Gravity was at two hundred times; after weakening, it was sixteenfold.

Lin Feng's speed slowed down, and his breathing began to grow heavy.

But he gritted his teeth and continued to charge.

Step two hundred and fifty!

Gravity was at two hundred and fifty times; after weakening, it was twentyfold.

Lin Feng felt as if his legs were filled with lead; every step was incredibly heavy.

Sweat emerged again, flowing down mixed with blood.

But he didn't stop.

Because he saw that the end of the stairs... was right ahead!

Step two hundred and eighty!

Step two hundred and ninety!

Step two hundred and ninety-five!

The last five steps!

A beast-like low growl escaped Lin Feng's throat as he used all his strength to sprint upward frantically!

Two hundred and ninety-six!

Two hundred and ninety-seven!

Two hundred and ninety-eight!

Two hundred and ninety-nine!

Step three hundred!!!

When Lin Feng's feet stepped heavily onto the three-hundredth step—the very last one—he collapsed forward, falling hard onto the flat jade ground.

The Chaotic Anti-Gravity Domain automatically dissipated.

Elemental Simulation ended.

Gravity returned to normal.

But Lin Feng no longer had the strength to stand up.

He lay on the ground like a puddle of mud, his chest heaving violently, every breath carrying the scent of blood.

Every muscle in his body was spasming, and every bone was groaning.

Cracks on the surface of his skin were spread like spiderwebs, and fresh blood stained a large area of the white jade ground beneath him.

But a smile appeared on his face.

A frantic smile.

"Ha... ha... I... I made it up..."

He struggled to lift his head and look forward.

At the end of the stairs was a massive circular platform over a hundred meters in diameter.

The platform's floor was paved with seven-colored glaze, smooth as a mirror, reflecting the flowing golden clouds in the sky.

And in the center of the platform stood a... gate?

No, it wasn't a gate.

It was a giant arched framework thirty meters high.

The frame was cast from an unknown dark gold metal, its surface carved with patterns ten thousand times more complex than those on the Sand Clan holy relic's metal plate.

Within the patterns, seven-colored energy flowed like blood, emitting a soft yet majestic light.

And right in the center of the arched frame hovered a mass of...

Light?

No, not light.

It was a swirling vortex of energy that constantly shifted its form.

Inside the vortex, images of the starry Universe, mountains and rivers, and battles between ten thousand races appeared from time to time.

It seemed to encompass all manifestations of the world.

[Trial Heavenly Palace · Legacy Gate]

[Status: Unactivated]

[Activation Condition: Pass the Gravity Staircase Trial (Completed)]

[Description: The entrance to the ancient Trial Heavenly Palace; only those who pass the gravity trial may enter.]

"Trial Heavenly Palace... Legacy Gate..."

Lin Feng murmured to himself.

He struggled to climb up, but his body simply wouldn't obey.

"First... recover..."

With great difficulty, he pulled an advanced mana potion from the wanxiang ring, uncorked it with trembling hands, tilted his head back, and gulped it down.

[mana +40]

Then he pulled out an advanced health potion and drank that too.

[Health +50]

With the two potions down, he felt slightly better.

But his mana... Lin Feng glanced at the status bar, and his heart sank.

[mana: 2876/100000]

With a limit of one hundred thousand, less than three thousand remained!

That sprint just now had consumed nearly ninety-seven thousand mana!

"This consumption... is too terrifying..."

Lin Feng smiled bitterly.

However, thinking about it, it was reasonable.

Chaotic Anti-Gravity Domain consumed 20 points per second, and Elemental Simulation likely required around 100 points per second.

Sprinting for a hundred seconds meant thirty thousand.

Plus what was consumed while climbing the first thirty steps, and maintaining other skills...

"I was almost drained dry..."

He felt a lingering fear.

If the stairs had been any longer, or if he had sprinted any slower, his mana might have run out halfway, and he would have been crushed into a meat patty by the gravity.

"I can't be this reckless in the future..."

Lin Feng reflected on himself.

Lying on the ground, he began to circulate the recovery ability of his Glorious Corona Physique.

Golden light element gathered from the air, seeping into his body to repair his damaged muscles and bones.

The 50% mana recovery speed from the wanxiang ring also began to take effect.

Although the base amount was less than three thousand, the recovery wasn't slow.

Lin Feng estimated that to fully restore his hundred thousand mana, he would need... six or seven hours?

"That's fine, no rush to go in."

He relaxed, simply flipped over, and lay flat on his back on the ground.

Looking at the flowing golden clouds above, his mind began to wander.

"The Sand Clan said that metal stele was a holy relic..."

"Am I inside the holy relic right now?"

"What does this Trial Heavenly Palace have to do with the Sand Clan?"

"Will the curse that priest spoke of before dying... come true here?"

A series of questions popped up.

The more Lin Feng thought about it, the more he felt something was off.

The Sand Clan had guarded the holy relic for a thousand years.

Yet the holy relic hid a Trial Heavenly Palace within it.

And the trial of the Trial Heavenly Palace was a Gravity Staircase—this was clearly a method to filter for those with powerful Physiques.

"Could it be... that the Sand Clan is actually... screening for a successor for this Trial Heavenly Palace?"

"But why don't they come in themselves?"

Lin Feng frowned.

He thought of the sand people's Physiques.

Yellow-brown skin, cracked patterns; they were clearly a race with extremely high earth-element affinity.

Logically, climbing the Gravity Staircase should be more advantageous for them than for humans.

"Unless... they can't get in."

Lin Feng's eyes narrowed.

"Does the holy relic require specific conditions to activate the teleportation?"

"Or... was the Sand Clan placed under a Restriction, preventing them from entering?"

He remembered the words of the black-robed priest before his death.

"The curse of the Sand Clan... will follow you forever..."

"Is the curse... directed at the Sand Clan?"

Lin Feng felt his mind was a bit of a mess.

There was too little information to deduce the full truth.

"Forget it, I won't think about it."

He shook his head.

Since he was already inside, things would sort themselves out when the time came.

The priority was to recover his status, then... go into that Legacy Gate and see.

Lin Feng sat up and crossed his legs in meditation.

Closing his eyes, he focused entirely on his recovery.

Golden light element flowed into his body like a stream, mending his broken form.

His mana was also rising bit by bit.

Three thousand...

Four thousand...

Five thousand...

Time passed minute by minute.

He didn't know how much time had gone by.

When Lin Feng opened his eyes again, his status had mostly recovered.

His mana was full, his health was full, and his injuries were almost healed.

He stood up and stretched his limbs.

Crack, pop—

His bones made sounds like popping beans.

He felt like his body... had become stronger?

It wasn't a numerical increase on the attribute panel.

It was a... qualitative change.

His muscles were tighter, his bones harder, and his internal organs more powerful.

"High-intensity exercise in a gravity environment... really can temper one's Physique."

Lin Feng clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within him.

Although there were no specific values, he estimated that his current Physique was at least twenty to thirty percent stronger than before.

"This trip wasn't a loss."

He grinned.

Then, he walked toward the Legacy Gate in the center of the platform.

Standing before the massive arched framework, Lin Feng felt as small as an ant.

The patterns on the frame emitted seven-colored light, and the 'humming' sound of flowing energy echoed in his ears.

The energy vortex in the center was still shifting, as if depicting the birth and destruction of the Universe.

"How do I get in?"

Lin Feng reached out, wanting to touch the frame.

But halfway there, he stopped.

He remembered plots from many novels—this kind of Legacy site often had one final trial.

Or... a trap.

"It's always better to be cautious."

He took a few steps back, picked up a stone fragment from the ground, and threw it forcefully into the energy vortex.

Swoosh—

The stone passed through the vortex.

There was no reaction.

It was just like passing through an ordinary curtain of light.

"No trap?"

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow.

He tried a few more times, using different angles and different forces.

The result was the same.

The energy vortex was like a harmless projection, allowing objects to pass through at will.

"Could it be... I just walk straight in?"

Lin Feng hesitated.

Looking at that unpredictable energy vortex, he felt a bit uneasy.

Who knew what would be inside?

Another Gravity Staircase?

Or being teleported directly into some monster's lair?

"But I've come this far..."

He gritted his teeth.

Having reached this point, it was impossible to shrink back.

"Let's do this!"

Lin Feng took a deep breath and stepped toward the energy vortex.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

The moment his body touched the edge of the vortex—

Buzz!!!

Seven-colored light exploded, swallowing him whole.

His vision was filled with brilliance.

Then, there was endless darkness.

And then...

Lin Feng heard a voice.

It wasn't the kind of thought transmitted directly into his mind like before.

It was a real, aged voice, carrying the sense of endless passing ages.

"Three thousand years..."

"Finally... someone has come..."