Chapter 123 Challenging The Steps Again

One month later, Duncan stood before the archway once more.

There was a remarkably marked difference in the Duncan who currently stood before the archway. His posture was different, the way his body looked was different, and even the temperament he exuded was different.

For the past month, Duncan has been training non-stop on the hill. In the morning, Duncan would work on his body with his primitive exercises. He only added more and more weight to his routine. Apart from that, he did exactly the same thing.

At night, he would meditate and try to cultivate his qi. The rich spiritual energy in the environment aided him greatly and he was currently just shy of reaching the eighth level of the Qi Gathering realm.

Even when taking rest, Duncan would try to sit and meditate with his sword. He would try to glean more about the elusive concept of cutting with a sword and ponder over his thoughts nonstop.

He would cut grass and would look carefully over the severed parts and try to glean some insight from them. He would occasionally cut a rock and try to glean some insight from the broken parts as well. Like this, he spent even his resting hours meditating on the concept of cutting with a sword.

He didn't just stop there. When he was done cultivating during the night, he would sit and ponder over the other basic sword moves and wonder how those can be made into a concept as well.

As for his movement technique, Duncan largely ignored it for most of the month. However, in the past week, he has been experimenting with just using his body to perform the concept of chasing the wind. No matter how much he tried, it always ended in failure. Without using qi, Duncan's body wasn't strong or agile enough to step into the air and chase the wind.

The only thing that increased as a result of his experiments was that his speed increased drastically. With the increase of his body strength, the base speed and explosive power his body contained had increased to huge heights.

Likewise, his body had also undergone a huge change. Even though Duncan had an average body type prior to this month, this month of non-stop exercising has given a toned definition to his body.

His muscle lines were back and his body was no longer smooth. There were contours of muscles running across his body and Duncan's abdomen in particular looked as if it was chiseled.

Duncan actually liked this new body of his very much. Prior to this, he had only considered the unblemished, smooth body type the ideal one for a cultivator. However, after he obtained his current body, Duncan felt that those cultivators were lacking something integral.

His muscles hadn't bulged out of proportion or his body hadn't hit any exponential growth. What his body had gone through was streamlining. With no shirt on him, Duncan's body screamed power and masculinity to anyone who saw him.

Duncan felt that most cultivators he had come across had a feminine sort of effect on them, even if they are male. He felt that as a male, it was only natural for him to feel a little uncomfortable seeing those body types.

The other end of the spectrum was the body cultivators. Their bodies looked bulky and had a dumb brute quality to them when one looks at them the first time. Duncan liked neither of these body types. He preferred his current streamlined body more.

Not just the body, Duncan's entire aura had undergone a complete change in this one month. After Duncan started becoming comfortable in his own skin and liked how his body looked, a strange sense of confidence started budding in his heart.

To cultivators, this kind of confidence is essential. While this can't be shown visibly, this immaterial change actually had a profound effect on every cultivator. It completely changes the way how a cultivator walks, talks, and behaves. As a result, the perception of the other person who sees the cultivator is also slightly influenced.

And Duncan's confidence wasn't baseless arrogance. It had a root. And as long as this root remained, Duncan's confidence in him will remain as well. The charm of someone being confident like this was slightly different from the one that a cultivator exudes based on his power.

This was a subdued kind of aura that had the effect to attract people's eyes to a person. Moreover, after constant exercise, there is a remarkable difference in Duncan's posture as well.

Even when standing casually, Duncan's back no remained upright. Duncan no longer slouched like he used to. After working for countless hours in a mine, Duncan adopted a slightly slouched posture in his body before this. While it hadn't been starkly visible earlier, it was still there for keen observers to take note of.

But now, that slouch was gone.

Duncan currently stood ramrod straight in front of the archway. He calmly pressed his palms and injected his qi into the archway. The archway did its usual job and Duncan waited calmly for the steps to start glowing.

Duncan had already set a goal. As long as he reaches it, he would check out what is behind the stele and leave this place. He had already spent one month in this place. He felt like exploring other parts of the Grotto Heaven as well.

A section of the steps lit up and Duncan began to climb the lit-up section calmly. Pretty soon he passed the eightieth step mark and didn't even frown while stepping on the eighty-first one.

Duncan's body stiffened slightly from pressure when he reached the ninety-seventh step. But, he walked on as if it didn't matter. His pace slowed when he reached the hundred and first step. This was the highest he had climbed till date.

Duncan didn't stop there either. Even though his pace was now slow, he steadily advanced forward with small grunts and flinches. Duncan reached the one-hundred-and-tenth step and came to a complete stop.

His legs were trembling, his face was sweaty and his entire body looked stockstill. Only his eyes were staring ahead fiercely. Gritting his teeth, Duncan took one more step.

He felt a mountain of pressure placed on him. He was reminded of the heavy load he had carried while running up and down the hill for the past month. The pressure seemed as if double the biggest weight he had hauled until today.

Letting out a hoarse yell, Duncan placed the other foot on the one-hundred-and-eleventh step. Duncan remained in that spot for more than fifteen minutes trying to get accustomed to the pressure.

He can already see his goal in front of him. Just two more steps. He won't be average anymore. He will be above average once again. Just two more steps and he could leave this place happily.

He could already feel that he was close to breaking through to the eighth level. All he needed was a fight to advance. And he will be close to reaching the pinnacle of the Qi Gathering realm.

But, he didn't want to leave this place as an average cultivator. He wanted to step above average and reach the next stage. He knew training for one month isn't going to make him strong magically. But, he refused to be average when it comes to his body.

Gritting his teeth, Duncan moved one more step. The pressure increased tremendously. His knees started bending slightly. Duncan let out a hoarse cry of defiance and placed his other feet on the one-hundred-and-twelfth step.

Duncan's body almost buckled. But, he refused to bend. His eyes bulged and his breath became ragged from the pressure, but Duncan just refused to bend. Slowly, his body got accustomed to the pressure on this step and he started straightening his legs.

Half an hour passed and Duncan stood withstanding the pressure with a small smile on his face. He was currently at the pinnacle of average. And all he needed to be above average was one step.

The most logical thing to do now was to step away and come back a week later and challenge the trial again. But, Duncan wanted to prove he was above average today itself.

Time slowly passed and after a while, Duncan's feet slowly rose, and stepped on the next step. The step that differentiated average from above average. The step that Duncan had set as his goal. The step that served as the demarcation line between excellence and mediocrity.

All Duncan had to do was put two feet on that step and withstand the pressure.

Saying that was easy, but actually accomplishing that was very difficult. Duncan understood it intimately at this moment. But, he refused to budge. His eyes turned red and his mouth started bleeding. Yet, Duncan placed his foot firmly on that step.

Duncan's whole body trembled as Duncan stood there withstanding the heavy pressure. One leg in excellence and one leg in mediocrity. It lasted for almost an hour and finally, Duncan let out a resounding roar that was filled with all his aspirations and put the other foot forward.

BOOM!

Duncan felt as if someone was trying to crush him into paste at that moment. He grit his teeth and endured. The images of Granny Jiao, Bessa, and his townsfolk all flashed by. The image of his hardship for the past month appeared in his mind as well.

All he had to do now was to withstand this pressure for some time. He can't falter at this moment. Duncan felt unbearable pressure on his body. He could hear his bones letting out anguished sounds. But, he bit his teeth and persisted.

One moment turned two. Two turned ten. And one whole minute passed. Duncan let out a triumphant smile and started turning his body to the side. The last two times his exit has been pitiful. This time he was going to walk out on his own two legs.

It was just two steps. But, to Duncan, it felt like crossing a mountain of blades barefoot. Every part of his body ached. Trying to turn his body, or even move a single muscle under this pressure was unimaginable to Duncan. But, he had already accomplished his goal. Now, the only thing left was to exit with his dignity.

It took almost ten minutes, but Duncan managed to withstand the huge pressure and step out of the lit-up section on his own two feet. The moment the pressure vanished, Duncan's body slumped to the ground.

He could feel his mouth, ears, and even his eyes bleeding. His skin had cracked in multiple places and blood was flowing freely. But, he felt content. He felt entirely peaceful at this moment.

Duncan closed his eyes and relaxed on the steps contentedly.

*****

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