Pursuit of the Truth

There were no longer any conversations in the field. At that moment, all the people within the field were breathing heavily as they watched the only name that had yet to turn grey on the nine eagle statues.

Mo Su was only five steps away from first place!

At that moment, Ye Wang, who was placed first, gradually opened his eyes under the help of Shi Hai and the others. There were still some traces of red in his eyes as he stared at the ranking on the eagle statue nearby with a complicated look on his face.

By his side, Shi Hai lowered his head, seemingly talking to Ye Wang, but Ye Wang ignored him as if he did not hear a word. He simply stared at the ranks on the eagle statue.

Shi Hai frowned and sighed before he turned away and left.

‘I am Ye Wang… I won’t lose! But I won’t use any underhanded tricks to win!’

Ye Wang clenched his fists. At that moment, he was no longer the prideful strongest youth, but a normal tribe member who gave it his all and arrived at the 905th step, forced to retreat due to a sustained injury. The anxiety he felt was much stronger than of anyone else’s within the field. Even so, he still had his pride and dignity. Shi Hai’s suggestion was a form of humiliation to him!

Amidst the silence, the sounds of breathing among the people became even clearer. It was especially so for those who treated Mo Su as an entertainment in the beginning. At that moment, their minds were blank, and there was only disbelief and shock left.

They had just witnessed a miracle. They saw a person rising up with their own eyes. They saw something so insane it reduced them to a state of awe! Never had there been a person who managed to reach the top from the last place!

Never had there been a person who surpassed Wu Sen, Bi Su, and Chen Chong, much less pushed Ye Wang until he was injured, forcing him to leave Wind Stream Tribe competition’s first stage. Because of that, as of then, the mountain belonged to one person only – Mo Su!

The prodigies who entered the top 50 ranks were now in a state of dead silence. They looked at Mo Su’s name on the nine eagle statues silently with complicated expressions on their faces: admiration, jealousy, expectancy, and other emotions.

The leaders from all the tribes were in the same state. There was nothing different in what they felt. Mo Su now held a very high position within their hearts. This person was bound to create a storm the moment he returned.

Too many people wanted to know just who… he was… How did he look like..? Yet due to Su Ming’s incredibly unassuming looks, it was rare that anyone would have taken note of his existence before the test.

Even the man who pulled him along to meet Chen Chong was looking at the name on the eagle statue anxiously with excitement and anticipation.

Only an old man with a sharp mouth and cheeks of a monkey stood in the crowd with a shocked expression. He was certain that every single time someone gave up and returned, he would be the first to see them. Yet at that moment, when everyone except Mo Su returned to the field, he discovered belatedly that among these people who came back, none of them were the young fellow he first approached.

"Impossible…" Bei Qing muttered. He looked at Mo Su’s name on the eagle statue, still finding it hard within him to believe it.

‘Could it… really be him?’

Mo Sang and Jing Nan did not speak to each other where they were at the corner located further away. They were quietly looking at the eagle statue. Mo Sang still had a blank expression on his face, but his heart was pounding rapidly against his chest.

Jing Nan had witnessed Su Ming’s entire progress. At that moment, the shock on his face could no longer be hidden. He did not expect that Su Ming, whose existence was akin to an ant earlier, who he did not think too highly of, and who he thought would be lucky to even get into the top 50, had time and again exceeded his expectations and delivered multiple surprises to him. Now, he had even reduced Jing Nan to a state of shock.

Jing Nan thought about Su Ming’s origins seriously. Mo Sang’s words once again echoed in his head and made him more uncertain.

A long time passed by, but there was no hint of impatience among the people in the field. They were all waiting. When the first rays of light appeared at the horizon and morning arrived, Su Ming opened his eyes where he stood on the 900th step. There was only one blood vein left on his body. As he opened his eyes, that blood vein disappeared.

He lifted his head and looked at the top of the mountain, which was lit up by sunlight. It was a pity that it was shrouded by mist and was not clear as it had been during the night… Su Ming fell into momentary silence and looked at the plate in his hand.

"905…" Su Ming mumbled.

"Since I’m already here… I might as well… compete against him!" Su Ming lifted his head. His eyes were filled with determination. He took a deep breath of the refreshing air during the morning and moved his feet towards the 901st step.

But it was already morning and there was no longer any moonlight. Su Ming felt the pressure falling upon him. Yet he was fortunate that the pressure had lessened greatly because it was day. He felt almost the same as he did when it was midnight.

Yet even so, he was already at the 900s. He was already very near the summit. The force of the pressure here was enough to crush a person alive!

One step in this place was akin to several dozens and even hundreds of steps at the lower parts of the stairs!

The instant Su Ming’s right foot landed, his entire body trembled. All 156 blood veins manifested on his body and surrounded him to resist against the maddening pressure coming towards him.

Su Ming moved!

The moment he moved, the people down in the field who had been waiting silently for a long period of time seemed to have finally found an outlet for their thoughts. The moment Su Ming moved, all their long stifled emotions were let out!

"901"

"He’s at 901!"

Numerous pairs of eyes were focused on the only name that was not gray on the nine eagle statues. At that moment, they had forgotten everything, and in their eyes, in their heads, the only thing left was the one name that had yet to dim.

Chen Chong trembled and took in a sharp breath. He stared at the ranking. This scene was definitely the climax of the test. It was in fact, much more intense and exciting than of any other previous times the test was held. He did not want to miss even a single moment of it.

Bi Su clenched his fists. The cold glare in his eyes became thicker with hints of jealousy hidden within that seemed to have turned into a strong killing intent filled with resentment. The other person who had similar killing intent was the tribe leader from Black Mountain Tribe. He stared at Mo Su’s name on the eagle statue with such a cold expression it was like ice that would never melt.

902!

The moment the number behind Mo Su’s name turned into 902, all the hearts of the people watching in the field jumped.

It was as if with each step Su Ming took, he was not just stepping on the stairs on the mountain, but he was also stomping on all the hearts of the people gathered down below. This was a rare sight. This alone meant that right then, Su Ming was regarded with great importance by the people. It was clear that each and every one of his actions could stir up their emotions!

In the past, this was Ye Wang’s glory and pride alone. Yet now, Ye Wang had turned into a bystander. He sat at a distance not too far away as he watched the changes in the number of steps Su Ming took, his heart lurching with each step taken.

This sort of feeling was foreign to him, and it was an emotion that was… carved deep into his bones!

"903! He’s at 903! There’re only two steps left before he ties with Ye Wang. With three steps, he’ll surpass Ye Wang and place first!"

"Can he… become first…?"

The pupils of the old woman from Dark Dragon Tribe shrank as her breathing became rapid. Bai Ling, who was by her side, was no longer daydreaming, but had her head lifted as she looked at Mo Su’s name. Her brows were slightly crinkled.

Shan Hen was still sitting quietly at the place where Dark Mountain Tribe was gathered. He may still be sitting, but there was a strange glint within his narrowed eyes.

Bei Ling was in a state of excitement. With his current status within Dark Mountain Tribe, he would not have revealed such an expression so easily and had to make sure that he was always aloof, but at that moment, he could no longer suppress his excitement. He had even envisioned himself as Mo Su. That sort of thrill he felt as Mo Su surpassed the prodigy of Wind Stream Tribe was so thrilling it made him clench his fists.

Wu La was even more excited than he was. Her face was completely red as she stood there with her heart pounding rapidly against her chest. She wanted to just jump up and tell Mo Su to walk faster.

Lei Chen had already given up on wondering whether Mo Su was Su Ming. There were just too many uncertainties to it.

"903! Mo Su is at 903!" Wu La was after all, still just a girl. At that moment, she was pointing at the name on the eagle statue excitedly. There was a flash of exhilaration in her eyes. There was even a strange emotion hidden faintly under that layer of excitement.

An even stronger commotion stirred up within the field. While buzzing sounds echoed around, Ye Wang sat there with his legs crossed. His eyes were once again bloodshot. He clenched his fist tightly. It was difficult to use words to express the array of emotions within his heart at that moment.

He was once the best among all. He once stood at the top and held all the attention and anticipation from the people in the field. Yet now… he had become one of the bystanders. That sort of change was difficult for him to accept.

Even the cries of surprise and shock were like a knife stabbing and twisting into his chest, causing him great pain…

Su Ming stood at the 903rd step. He may have been standing straight, but his body was trembling as if he was about to fall at any moment. Despite it being day time, the pressure in the 900s was still unimaginably great.

He only took three steps forward, but Su Ming felt as if he had reached his limit. There was pain travelling through his entire body, and it was no longer pain that could be resisted by using the blood veins as a shield. There were moaning sounds echoing around his ears, and those sounds came from his bones, telling that they could no longer bear with the pressure.

As he stood there, Su Ming panted harshly. His heart pounded as if it was about to break, and each heartbeat turned into a sharp pain that turned his face pale. There were only two more steps till 905…

There was no way he could rest here. Due to the presence of the pressure, even if he were to rest, it would be hard for him to circulate the Qi in his body. Su Ming trembled. He lifted his right foot and placed it on the 904th step.

The moment his foot landed, a thunderous roar arose from his entire body. Su Ming coughed out a mouthful of fresh blood and his body seemed to fall, but he bore with it until he stood straight, then he moved his left foot towards the 904th step.

His entire body felt weak. It was as if the entire mountain was pressing against his body. His vision swirled.