Chapter 57: The Last Steps - End of Exam.
*TIIIIIIING*
A loud ringing rang out for all of the participants to hear, it sounded as if someone had struck a tuning fork, the sound was loud and clear invading the ears of everyone even if they covered them.
Every single participant paused in place as their eyes went to the gate, the source of the sound, their eyes laid upon Shu He laid against it, a satisfied smile on his face as he looked down on them.
"He succeeded?!" One of them that had expected to see him fall in place shouted in surprise.
On the other hand, there were some participants that became disturbed and fainted from the mental pressure once more.
Steadily, people were dropping.
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
Su Wen attracted everyone's attention with his clapping.
"Congratulations, we have our first successful participant". He spoke with a smile, a hint of joy could be heard in his voice, however the ones on the steps right now felt an itch at the back of their necks.
'He didn't interrupt just to say that right?' Was what they were all thinking.
Unfortunately, they were right.
"And so, now that we have one, I would like to announce an addition to the rules!"
The words left his mouth like they weighted as light as a feather, but for the participants they were like boulder smashing into them, a fear became seated inside them as to what the rule was as they listened carefully.
"Starting from now, there will be a time limit of 15 minutes! The exam will end once it is over! That is all". He said before crossing his arms to continue relaxing.
Yet inside the heads of the participants the words grabbed their mind by the tail.
'15 MINUTES'
'THAT IS ALL'
Without a second to lose, they all began moving again with a frenzied demeanour they hadn't held before, eyes were turning bloodshot, teeth were ground, and sweat was poured.
Before, they took it slow to adapt themselves and to prepare for the next weight increase, but now they had to just move forward, towards the end.
Or they'd fail!.
Unfortunately, some of the ones at the tail end, not even halfway heard the announcement and lost all will to continue, they either gave in to the pressure and let themselves faint or just straight up stepped back giving up entirely.
"There's no way I can reach the end in 15 minutes!...." One of them complained and looked in scorn at the examiner that had added the rule.
Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do, they just had to suck it up and move on!
And so, with great haste the second phase of the first exam began.
…
"So, he made it first! He's certainly something amazing". Gang Bo muttered under his breath as the looked at Shu He sitting peacefully at the top.
When the three had begun they kept pace with each-other quite easily until the second half, that's where the differences became slowly apparent, he fell behind Shu He every couple of steps, and Wei Yu every three.
He didn't understand why really, he thought that he would succeed the easiest here, because he was an adult man with a lot of strength, something he was proud in, but the trained muscles on his body seemed useless here! He kept moving, trying to shift the weight or his posture, but nothing worked, it just got heavier and heavier.
It was getting hard even for him, and watching his young friend that was just under half his age trail blaze ahead of him made him feel slightly discouraged.
But then he realised that there was no need to feel like that, this is only the beginning, feeling sad because he was slightly behind now was pointless!
He remembered what Shu He said earlier.
"You two, I think the key to this test is willpower, just remain positive."
He didn't truly understand, but he just needed to keep moving.
And now, he can kind of get what it meant.
Shu He, the child that had just lose his home, witnessed his parents die while he could do nothing, didn't even stop to mourn for long instead he made the decision to set out on a journey to his future.
For him… His companions died in the assault, but he only felt a little sad, they were basically work buddies and that's it, afterwards he just felt lost and wasn't sure what to do, he had been given the reward money and compensation so he could easily just go buy a home somewhere and settle down.
But… it just didn't feel right to him, something deep inside of him said he didn't really want that.
Was that it? Was there a difference in will, the strength of the mind?
In the end Chao Shi had approached him because he was a friend of Shu He's, he had visited him as he laid unconscious in his bed, so he was found out.
"Do you want to follow him?" Chao Shi asked.
And Gang Bo didn't really know how to answer.
However, he felt it might be a good choice, so he had his potential tested and it was above standard, he could be a cultivator.
The words felt weird to him.
'Me, a cultivator?' He thought to himself, not fully accepting the words.
Yet his heart couldn't help but beat faster, excitement that he was missing from his life welled up inside of him.
And so, he ended up following Shu He, both out of care for a friend and desire.
And now, before him was the last few steps to the start of fulfilling that desire.
The weight was crushing him, veins bulged and threatened to pierce the skin on his head, he grunted as the moved to the next step.
'I don't have any goals right now, my desires are aimless, but so what! I want this right now!' He thought in his head as he moved forward ceaselessly.
His body was beginning to give, parts of his vision turning white, blood beginning to leak from the burst blood vessels.
He refused to drop!
And then, he slapped his massive palms on the metal door.
*TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING*
The second participant reached the gate.
…
The second ringing sounded up, urging everyone to move even faster than before, there were barely under 10 minutes left!
The pressure had gotten to people continuously causing failures everywhere, many balancing on the cusp, just a minor distraction away from falling.
And right around the 850th step, one such person could be found.
His body was shaking uncontrollably, his eyes red with tears beginning to form, his teeth chattering.
Wei Yu was suffering greatly, he was in more than he had ever felt through his entire life, the feeling of having his body wracked and mind shook like this was something he had never experienced.
He was the second son of the city lord, which meant that he was someone of no particular importance, his brother will be taking the title when his father retires and his sister has an arranged marriage with a top clan, the two of them have futures set ahead of them, as for him? He had nothing.
His father just wanted him to find someone to marry and continue the family, a mundane life that he didn't want.
He always wanted to become someone amazing, someone that others looked up to, he deeply admired his Father as he was respected by many and is in an important position, if his brother gave up the seat of successor he would take it without a second thought.
But that wouldn't happen, and he wasn't some treacherous swine to think about trying something.
Instead, he looked elsewhere to fill the hole in his heart, he wandered the city looking for forms of entertainment spending the money he had wherever he could do so, quite soon he attracted a groups of followers, 'friends', that would praise him, look at him and desire him, he enjoyed it very much.
An incredibly vain lifestyle.
He knew it, but he didn't care, he just wanted to be happy.
And then one day he had overheard his father talking about the examination for the Titanic Steel Sect that overshadowed their city, and that he was given a token for a recommendation, he became ecstatic.
His Father refused at first, saying that Wei Yu didn't understand what it meant to be a cultivator, yet he kept insisting without stopping day and night, eventually his father gave in seeing his desire and handed him the token.
Overjoyed, he had gone to his 'friends' to tell them about it, only to be greeted by an unwelcome dinner, the moment he mentioned it they became distant, when he asked them to follow they refused.
He knew it, he knew it all along, but he wished the illusion he has woven for himself to be real.
They didn't care at all about him, only 'Wei Yu, the city lord's son with a lot of money'.
Now it was all washed away, leaving only him.
Wei Yu.
And all that rested before him was this single staircase that felt like an iron wall.
He looked up to the top, he saw the two companions he had made here as Wei Yu, he felt their gazes filled with a slight hint of worry.
And then he heard it again.
*TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING*
Someone else had reached the gate.
To Wei Yu, it felt like someone had cut his last string.
"Sorry…" He muttered with the last of his strength before he collapsed to the floor.
A blue aura washed over him.
He had fainted.
…
"Wei Yu…" Shu He muttered his name as he watched the younger boy collapse on to the steps.
He had only known him for less than an hour, they he felt like he wasn't a bad person, rather he felt his presence rather comfortable, he had honestly expected him to pass as he took to the stairs with them.
He shook his head.
'Life is unpredictable' He reminded himself, maybe in the future they would meet somewhere else.
"He collapsed? How disappointing, he would have been fun to have around" Gang Bo also spoke his thoughts as someone who had spoken to him for much longer.
"That's just how it is unfortunately" Shu He sighed before he paused.
'Wait a minute, the sound rung again' He just remembered, he and Gang Bo had been too focused on Wei Yu they hadn't seen the person that reached the end.
"Hmph, disappointing indeed, that's what he gets for messing around with girls all day" The voice of a young girl came from beside the two.
Shu He immediately snapped his neck to the source, a girl was standing besides them wiping the sweat off her brow.
She seemed about the same age as Shu He, she wore red and gold embroidered garments that didn't seem suitable for moving about, she had long black hair that was braided at the back and ruby eyes.
"You are?" He asked.
"Is it not courtesy for a man to give his name first?" She asked back.
"Dunno I was born in at a farm" Shu He shrugged.
"Keheh" Gang Bo couldn't help but stifle a laugh.
"What are you laughing at oaf!" She pointed angrily at Gang Bo.
"Nothing, I'm Gang Bo"
"I know! You're the boar that made us wait for so long right!?" She complained.
"Yup".
"…"
*Ahem*
"I'm Shu He, may I ask your name, you majesty?"
"Now you're just making fun of me… aaaaah to hell with it! I'm Mei Ling from the Huo clan"
'Huo?'
Shu He's mind pictured his young orange haired friends from years ago, but then passed it off as coincidence as he shook his head, there's many families with the same name after all.
"You're from the Huo clan but you're 'Mei?'" Gang Bo asked.
"…I'm not from the main clan". She said with a bit of reluctance in her voice.
"Oh" he replied, seeing that he shouldn't ask more.
"Anyway, do you know Wei Yu? You spoke like you did." Shu He asked her.
"Not really, I just heard that after all these years someone from the Wei family would be becoming a cultivator, so I was interested in seeing what he had in him, but it turns out the rumours about him were true."
"The Wei family were cultivators before? I just knew of the city lord; I hadn't heard about anything before that."
"You don't know?" She looked at the two, blinking couple times.
"You weren't joking when you said you come from a farm?"
"Well, that was a slight lie, but I was born in a common village" Shu He shrugged as he answered.
"You-" Mei Ling took a deep breath and then breathed out.
"It's not common to see people separate from the clans joining a sect, most people would know this information already" She said after holding in her anger.
'Bai Shun only explained the sect and cultivation itself, not much about the history of clans so that's not a surprise…' He thought as he listened.
"It's quite a long history if you want the whole thing but the short version is that the Wei clan used to be a branch of the Huo clan, their powers even rivalling the main clan at their peak with the leader even considered the strongest member, yet during an internal strife the Wei clan was destroyed overnight leaving only mortals".
"So, the Huo clan suppressed them?"
"I… don't know" She looked away awkwardly.
'They want it to be forgotten? How typical'
"Anyway, after all that happened the Wei clan had to disband and the mortals all went to Orefine, eventually a member of the clan became the city lord and since then the family has always been in charge of the city. That's all."
"Interesting…" Shu He thought as he looked over at the collapsed Wei Yu.
"Do you get why I was disappointed?" Mei Ling said with a smug look on her face.
"A bit" He could understand, especially if you were part of the Huo clan's side branch.
'Maybe the Wei clan were seen as heroes, and the Huo clan oppressors by the side branch? A tale as old as time, well maybe I'm getting ahead of myself here'.
As the trial went on, the three continued to have a small chat as they waited for the end.
And soon, the end came.
A louder ring came out as all the participants looked to the door and then a moment later a blue glow flashed over all the remaining participants.
"W-what?" One stood dumbfoundedly as he looked around realising he no longer felt heavy before a second later reality set in.
"No, no, no, I-I failed?!"
Meanwhile, the three next to the door all looked at each-other confused, they looked down the slope at all the people panicking and sobbing.
"We're… the only three?" Shu He said as he doubted his words.
"Seems like it" Gang Bo said, his face full of complex emotions, he didn't feel right with this result.
"I heard the pass rate was pretty low, but this is quite extreme" Even Mei Ling was surprised.
*CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP*
Su Wen was once again clapping on the sidelines watching over the exam causing everyone to look over, many desperate to be thrown a lifeline.
"Alright everyone! The exam is now over! I will now announce the results!"
The atmosphere was gloomy as he spoke.
"This exam is without a doubt arduous, it is made to test your mental strength and willpower, those of you that haven't passed I ask that you look to improve in these areas so that you may attempt it next time!"
The words were that of encouragement, yet those that had 'failed' didn't find them comforting, many didn't even consider returning when the exam was held in a few for years.
"Now then, the criteria for passing this exam-"
He continued to speak, yet many just became angry.
'Why tell is it again, to touch the door, are you just trying to piss us off?!' Is what they felt.
"To reach the 750th step or further!"
"""…"""
"""WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!!!!!"""
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
ShiroN3K0
ShiroN3K0 I always begin a chapter struggling to write a few sentences, then i get going and it just flows out, i thought this would be a short chapter but no.
Anyways, thanks for reading, comments and feedback are hugely appreciated!
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