That said, it was a rare sight, so it had never happened before.
The fifth level was different because it no longer tested one’s mental power and potential, but one’s spiritual will.
Therefore, Ou Yangming immediately felt a strong and irresistible weariness when he officially entered the fifth level.
The intense fatigue felt as though he had struggled between life and death for three days and three nights such that he did not have the opportunity to sit and rest at all.
It was fine if the feeling was able to make one pass out quickly, but on the contrary, Ou Yangming was extra conscious instead of feeling like wanting to faint.
He could feel the slightest change in his body, where the strong sleepiness quickly spread to every corner of his body, which really frightened him.
Ou Yangming took a deep breath and fixed his gaze on the flight of stairs in front of him. After going through the first few levels, he understood that he must not linger about during situations as such. Ou Yangming had to complete the steps as fast as he could to arrive at the next platform, or he would not withstand the exhaustion if it became stronger.
By taking difficult steps, Ou Yangming made his way up.
Although the gravity that was imposed on his body was not as exaggerated as it was during the third level, he rather withstood the unbearable pressure than staying a second longer on the fifth level.
Ou Yangming made an extremely wise choice because the longer he stayed on the fifth level, the more intense the weariness was, to the extent that he would collapse.
He charged forward while he still had remaining energy, and arrived roughly halfway after a brief moment. Nonetheless, it was then when he halted because he could not take even half a step forward anymore.
Ou Yangming came to a shocking realization that his endurance was already at its maximum.
It was a rather realistic feeling where the sleepiness from his bones had spread to every corner of his body. It was difficult for him to progress forward earlier, but it had become an issue for him to even stand still at that moment.
“Cough…”
Ou Yangming let out a few coughs, each time feeling like he was going to fall.
He vaguely realized that the lethargy was not really released from his body, but from his mind. Nevertheless, it was the exact reason he could not deal with it.
Ou Yangming could only passively receive the tiredness but had no way to resist it.
Besides, it was an exceptionally fearsome process to watch his body being worn away by the feeling, and it resulted in an unimaginable pressure on his mind and body. The pressure slowly turned into despair such that he could not resist it anymore.
Finally, Ou Yangming staggered and fell butt first to the ground.
Under the enormous pressure, the 16-year-old finally could not take it anymore.
The clear-headed feeling after having just fought the exhaustion was slowly fading away, and Ou Yangming’s eyelids were struggling.
He knew once he completely shut his eyes, it would mean that he had given up on resisting, and could no longer continue on the Testimony Path. That being said, the pressure inflicted on his mental state was not something bearable for a teenager.
Ou Yangming did not feel guilty because he had given his all to make it this far.
However, a voice suddenly rang in his ears from deep in his heart.
In the beginning, it was an extremely soft voice that sounded similar to a chirp, but as ou Yangming slowly closed his eyes, the voice became louder and finally echoed like thunder in his mind.
“Brother Ou, think about why you’ve come.”
“Ah, he can’t walk past it…”
At the top of the tower, the six powerful cultivators lamented at the same time when they saw the luster that flashed.
Over the thousand years, there was something common in the martial artist who had attempted the fifth level on the Testimony Path.
Unless the martial artists crossed the fifth level in one breath, once they sat down, they would not stand up again.
In particular, these powerhouses who had passed the fifth level would turn pale at the mention of the pressure on one’s mind due to the fatigue. If they had attempted it again, even Ni Jingtong dared not claim that he could complete it.
Hence, after seeing the change in the luster, which proved that Ou Yangming had fallen down on the fifth level, the elders only had one thought in their mind.
This was the end of the Testimony Path.
Ni Xueshu expressed slowly, “Great Ancestor, Ou Yangming failed to arrive at the sixth level, but since he made it to the fifth, it proves that he’s indeed qualified to enter the forbidden area. That’s… Enough.”
“Ah, what a pity…” Ni Jingtong nodded and responded in regret.
“It’s truly a pity.” Another elder at the peak of Yang Grade agreed. “If the young fella is at least ten years older than he is now, perhaps he’ll really pass the fifth level.”
The fifth level tested one’s mental stress and endurance.
Those with stronger endurance and ability to resist pressure could easily complete it.
Nonetheless, it was incredibly difficult for one to meet those requirements. Normally, a person would have to be steeled through worldly affairs and experience the ups and downs in life to have unshakable willpower.
Ni Xueshu and the other elders were already in Yang Grade Class One or Yin Grade Class Four when they walked the Testimony Path. Additionally, their body condition, age, and experience were already at the peak.
Only then could they be exceptionally strong-willed, and could overcome all difficulties to make it through the fifth level in one vigor.
While Ou Yangming was a rare genius, he was really too young. How could someone his age have experienced the fickleness of life? How could he have found a thought of his own where he would go on regardless of the cost?
In actuality, the fact that Ou Yangming had come this far, stepped on the fifth level’s platform, and completed over half of the flight was praiseworthy as it was completely out of their expectations.
Nobody could outrage their conscience to reprimand him for the result he had achieved.
After all, the results of the countless geniuses in the Ni family over a thousand years proved how mighty Ou Yangming was.
He made it through half of the fifth level’s flight of stairs, so how were his willpower and age less than satisfactory?
Ni Jingtong pondered silently as though he was hoping for something.
After a long time, Ni Xueshu asked carefully, “Great Ancestor, it has been quite long, and a considerable amount of resources are needed to maintain the Testimony Path. Since Ou Yangming is already qualified to enter the Chaos Cave, should we stop the formation?”
Ni Jingtong was stunned. He shook his head and could not help but laugh. “Heh, looks like I held out extravagant hope. It’s true, how could a young child like him make it through the fifth level?”
“Great Ancestor, he might not be able to do it now, but we can give him another chance after ten years,” Ni Xueshu replied with a smile.
The other four Ni family elders hesitated for a while before they nodded.
Even though Ou Yangming was not a Ni family disciple, and theoretically could not receive such a treatment, the clan would be struck by lightning if they did not find ways to rope in a talented person like him.
Ni Jingtong laughed and said, “Go ahead and do it, I’ll take respon… Hey, wh-what’s that?”
The other elders trembled as they turned to look and suddenly stood up as they were dumbfounded.
****
Ni Xueming suddenly sighed below the tower. “He’s done.”
“What?” Ni Yinghong asked in shock.
Ni Xueming explained, “Look at the change in the luster, it shows that Ou Yangming has fallen on the fifth level.”
The initially dazzling luster at the entrance had become so dim that it was faintly visible.<
br />
“What’s the big deal about falling down? He can get up again!” Ni Yinghong knew that it was not as simple as that, but she pouted her lips because she did not want to concede.
Nevertheless, Ni Wangyang shook his head and said helplessly, “Yinghong, you have no idea. Once someone falls down on the fifth level, one will pass out. Unless he leaves the Testimony Path, he’ll never wake up again.”
Ni Yinghong was stunned. For some reason, her gut was twisting.
“Younger sister, though Brother Ou didn’t complete it, he made it to the fifth level. He’s qualified to enter the forbidden area, so it was worthwhile,” Ni Yunhong quickly comforted her.
Ni Yinghong forced a smile and remarked, “Ah, the young fella did a great job.”
“It wasn’t just a great job, it was terrifying!” Ni Xueming sighed. “Being in Yin Grade Class One, he completed the first three levels, and finished the fourth without any pressure. Hehe, he’ll be preoccupied in the future.”
“Yes, our clan won’t let go of a talented person like him.” Ni Wangyang grinned. “Perhaps we’ll be a family in the future.”
At the spur of the moment, Ni Yinghong’s voice was heard, but it was shaking.
“Grandfather Xueming, Twelfth Uncle, is it true that one can’t get up anymore after falling down on the fifth level?”
“That’s right. Let’s wait, Great Ancestor and the other elders will close the Testimony Path at any time now,” Ni Wangyang answered first.
“But look…”
Everyone else was stupefied when they turned to look. The dim light had somehow lit up again like the red sun in the morning; it was filled with the hope of rising again.
Chapter 116 - Stay With Me, Stay Alive!
Chapter 116 Stay With Me, Stay Alive!
“Brother Ou, think about why you’ve come…”
A graceful figure appeared in Ou Yangming’s mind. In the beginning, it was only a tiny black spot that seemed to be extremely far away, but the figure approached him quickly. It stopped when it was right in front of him and was clearly visible.
It was a delicate and charming face that looked at him coquettishly, and the red lips that kept opening and closing suggested that the person was saying something.
“Brother Ou, think about why you’ve come?”
‘What do you… Mean?’
“Brother Ou, think about why you’ve come!”
‘Why have I come? What exactly have I come?’
Ou Yangming, whose consciousness was about to sink, suddenly awakened. The figure became bigger and louder in his head, so much so that the voice resounded in his consciousness like deafening thunders.
‘Why, have, I, come?’
A pair of withered hands appeared in Ou Yangming’s mind.
He was an orphan, an orphan who, ever since he was a child, had no one to care for him. His biggest fortune in life was that he grew up being fed by a hundred families in the village. Once he grew up, he left the village to wander here and there.
That year, Ou Yangming was 13 years old, and it had become difficult for him to beg for leftovers from adults. He wanted to be a helper, but suffered from malnutrition and was as thin as a match, so nobody was willing to take him in.
Ou Yangming’s favorite season was summer because he could find more food, and could rest in any corner on the street if he was tired. The warm sunlight helped him stay away from cold, and he did not need to worry about freezing to death at night.
He hated winter the most because it was very unlikely for him to find food during severe winter, and most importantly, freezing nights were a survival test for him. Ou Yangming had seen too many wanderers, stray cats, and stray dogs that fell asleep on a winter night without ever waking up the next day. Additionally, their corpse or carcass ended up being an energy source for other living beings that were also struggling between life and death.
Ou Yangming did not want to become one of them. He did not want to at all. Therefore, he adopted all sorts of methods and did his best to survive.
However, he fell sick.
That winter night, he felt terribly sick. As he lay on the ice-cold floor, he felt the heat from his body dissipating. Even his thick hundred-families-clothes[1] could not stop the process.
Ou Yangming vaguely saw pairs of evil eyes staring at him, so he subconsciously kept his guard up because he did not want to die.
All of sudden, through his half-blurred vision, he saw a pair of withered hands covered in aged spots.
Following that, he felt something warm. It was a warmth that was stuck in the deepest part of his memory; a warmth called family affection.
a wa
Ou Yangming saw the hands’ owner after his high fever went away.
Old Craftsman had carried Ou Yangming back to the military camp, and took the initiative to take care of him. The old man had managed to save the young boy from a serious illness.
Hence, from that day onward, Ou Yangming lived in the military camp, not having to worry about food and clothes anymore.
Ou Yangming’s ear suddenly hurt as it was being pulled hard.
“Ouch, old man, be gentler! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…”
Ou Yangming’s scream was heard outside the drill ground, and waves of laughter were heard as a result.
In the military camp, Ou Yangming envied the disciples from decent families because they could become soldiers. They were well-nourished, had a strong body, and could learn martial arts. Since Ou Yangming envied them, he often peeped at them.
Nonetheless, Old Craftsman despised this habit of Ou Yangming’s, so the old man would run to him whenever he peeped, and pull him by the ear to drag him away.
“You’re peeping again! Aren’t you afraid they’ll suspect that you’re a spy, and chop your head off with a slash!”
“Ouch, old man, look at what you’re saying. As long as you’re around, they won’t lay a finger on me!”
“Hmph, one day, I won’t be here anymore. I’ll see what you can do then!”
“Old Man, you’ll live a long life, so you’ll definitely be able to protect me.”
“Stop flattering me and get your book. How much of what I taught you yesterday do you remember?”
“Ah, old man, what’s the point of reading and learning words? It’s not as interesting as practicing martial arts like them.”
“Pfft! Look at your thin body, how could you think about practicing martial arts? Look after your health and learn more words before you think about that!”
“Ah, reading… It’s difficult…”
“Young fella, are you going to read or not?”
“Ouch, old man, let go! I’ll read, of course, I’ll read! Don’t you know that I love reading!”
After being threatened by Old Craftsman’s fists, palms, rods, and sticks, Ou Yangming finally learned all the basic words, and could read a book on his own.
“B*stard, why are you eating so little today? Don’t you want to cultivate martial arts? If you don’t eat more, how are you going to practice martial arts in the future?”
“Old man, I heard from the people in the kitchen that this is a medicinal food, and it’s quite expensive. It’s best not to have this next time.”
“Pfft, what the hell do you know? Your body has been weak ever since you were a child, and you have an incompletely cured illness. If you don’t recuperate through medicinal food, how many more years do you think you can live? Hmph, I brought you here to bury me in the future, not the other way round!”
“But…”
“Are you going to eat or not? Hey, where’s my stick? Where did you hide it?”
“Ouch, old man, I’m almost done eating. Look, did I not finish even the bones?” Perhaps because Ou Yangming ate too quickly, intense coughs were heard coming from him.
“Bones? Are you a dog? Be careful not to choke on your food. Eat slowly, nobody’s snatching your food from you. Ah, look at your short temper, when will you change…”
; ****
“Have you remembered the way to identify raw materials?”
“Of course, even if you’re old, you should know who I am.”
“Is that so? Bring me a featured iron ingot then.”
“Old man, it’s here!”
“Idiot, I asked for a featured iron ingot, why did you bring me a normal iron ingot? I knew you didn’t learn well. Where’s my stick?”
“Ouch, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Old man, please show mercy…”
X XXX
“Watch closely, you must remember the way to smith from raw materials and to extract purity. This is the basic skill of a blacksmith, so you must grasp it.”
“Old man, I’m not a Military Fire Blacksmith, why must I learn this?”
“Hmph, are you not allowed to learn because you’re not a Military Fire Blacksmith? Even a normal blacksmith can smith armaments, and as long as you pick up this skill, you won’t starve to death.”
“Oh, I see… Okay, I’ll learn it!”
“Cough, cough…”
“Hey, old man, you’re coughing again. Did you catch a cold last night?”.
“Ah, I’m getting old, I must admit it… Hey, why are you distracted again? Where’s my
stick?”
While in a trance, streams of clear liquid rolled down Ou Yangming’s closed eyes. He finally realized that Old Craftsman had already begun to show signs of his life’s exhaustion, but Ou Yangming had not cared.
He had always not cared!
“Oh right, take this saber to Zhang Yinfan, he’s looking for you.”
“He’s a stingy person, it’s not good if he’s looking for me.”
“Aren’t you going?”
“Good fella, take this!” Old Craftsman picked up a fractured saber and tossed it to Ou Yangming
The fractured saber was slowly restored in Ou Yangming’s hands, and became a usable military saber again.
“Listen carefully, a real Military Fire Blacksmith isn’t an ordinary blacksmith. Each time you forge a weapon, you must use your heart.
Immortal Path to Heaven c1-725 Page 69