Chapter 1072: Eerie Level Seven
Putting away the Hollow Meridian pill, Jing Yingli suppressed her confusion and shock, refraining from questioning Ye Mo. She understood that a mysterious prodigy like Ye Mo, should he become known in Pill City, would inevitably rise to prominence. His elevated status would render the Lightning Cloud Sect and Infinity Sect's feud over a mere core disciple insignificant. Helping Ye Mo now, when he needed it most, was infinitely more valuable than assisting him after his ascent.
“I suspect Truth Fall Palace will close after we explore Level Seven, but that's fine. It's still early, and reaching Level Eight is impossible. After we leave, we can meet in three months at Pill City. This is a detailed map of South Peace State; Pill City is marked.” Jing Yingli handed Ye Mo a jade slip.
Ye Mo accepted it, noting that while he possessed a similar slip, Jing Yingli's was far more accurate. She didn't inquire about his status as a Pill King or formation grandmaster; she was astute. His silence was her answer.
The entrance to Level Seven was deserted. Few cultivators reached Level Six, and even fewer dared venture to Level Seven.
Jing Yingli hesitated. Previously, unburdened by attachments, she had no qualms. But the Hollow Meridian pill had introduced hesitation. She was young; thirty years was nothing.
Ye Mo, his senses heightened by the Three Birth Chant, perceived her apprehension. He smiled. “The Hollow Meridian pill only grants you Hollow Spirit state. For cultivators, that's merely the beginning.”
Jing Yingli, understanding his meaning, smiled back. “Thank you. You are meticulous and perceptive. It’s not death I fear, but the possibility of dying here and losing another chance to reach Level Seven.”
She paused, her gaze fixed on Ye Mo. “I sensed your attachments earlier—the reason for your Pill City trip. Your family?”
Ye Mo hesitated, his heart stirring at the thought. He sighed heavily. “Yes, I miss them greatly.”
Jing Yingli, seeing the depth of his attachment, stated, “Cultivation demands severing emotional ties. Don’t you understand?”
Ye Mo responded indifferently. “My dao embraces emotions. An emotionless dao is not worth cultivating.”
Jing Yingli felt a wave of relief. Often shunned for her appearance, she had dedicated her life to cultivation, yet found no prejudice in Ye Mo. Echoing his sentiment, she smiled. “If the Heartless Valley heard that, it would surely cause a conflict.”
Ye Mo remained silent. He feared no nine-star sect, let alone an eight-star one.
Without further words, Jing Yingli ascended the stairs to Level Seven. “Stay close; we may not be able to converse later. Use your spirit sense technique to mitigate the mental pressure. Let's ascend together.”
“Okay,” Ye Mo replied, joining her.
Level Seven boasted 777 stairs. The first two hundred presented no significant challenge, but beyond that, the pressure intensified, nearly crushing Jing Yingli. Thankfully, prepared, she countered with her cultivation essence.
Two hundred stairs, and already such pressure! How could they conquer the remaining five hundred? Jing Yingli employed her spirit sense for defense, knowing even their combined efforts might prove insufficient.
Doubt clouded her mind. Had she made the right choice?
She looked at Ye Mo, then felt a sudden lightness. The mental pressure had vanished.
Surprise etched her features. She knew of Ye Mo's spirit sense attacks, but not this potent. She blushed, remembering their agreement to ascend together, realizing her contribution was minimal, regardless of Ye Mo's success.
“Hurry,” Ye Mo urged, noting a significant improvement in his Purple Eye Soul Sever, yet the mental pressure from Level Seven's stairs far exceeded Level Six's, and this was just the beginning.
Sensing Ye Mo's struggle, Jing Yingli accelerated. They neared the five-hundred-stair mark.
Just as she felt nearing success, the pressure, previously contained by Ye Mo, surged, causing Jing Yingli to spew blood. Despair engulfed her. This was not a mere blockage; it felt like imminent mental collapse. She didn't need to see Ye Mo to know he was equally afflicted.
He was. The pressure overwhelmed him, forcing him to spit blood as well. His sea of consciousness threatened to shatter.
Panic seized him. Collapse meant death. He channeled all his spirit sense, unleashing Purple Eye Soul Sever once more.
A subtle crack echoed within his sea of consciousness, followed by a sense of relief. The impending explosion subsided, replaced by clarity.
The mental pressure lessened. Ye Mo knew his Purple Eye Soul Sever had advanced from Level Two to Level Three. Now, he could not only neutralize mental pressure but also wield a spirit sense sword.
He no longer needed to trap the Lightning Leopard at the cost of injury; he could simply use his spirit sense sword. The area around him cleared. He rejoiced – not only had Purple Eye Soul Sever upgraded, but his spirit sense had also leveled up. He confirmed spirit sense possessed levels, though its specifics eluded him.
Jing Yingli felt the release and looked gratefully at Ye Mo. “Thank you. Did your spirit sense technique upgrade?”
Ye Mo nodded, remaining wary. Had his spirit sense not broken through, death awaited. He had naïvely assumed he could retreat to the Golden Page World, but that was a fallacy here. He could have done so on the Level Six stairs; here, he only spat blood.
“I retract my earlier statement; I said you couldn’t kill me, but that was wishful thinking,” Jing Yingli mocked herself. Aside from looks, she considered herself superior to any prodigy in South Peace State. Yet, Ye Mo had truly bested her.
The remaining stairs presented no obstacle, and soon they reached Truth Fall Palace Level Seven. Ye Mo anticipated superior spirit chi compared to Level Six, but he was wrong. The spirit chi here was chaotic and impure, inferior even to Level Five.
“This is Level Seven?” Ye Mo gazed upon the bleak, gray landscape, utterly bewildered.
Then, he saw a cultivator ahead—Duan Jiuyang, a Hollow Spirit state cultivator from the nine-star sect, God Wind Valley. He stood motionless, unmistakably dead, yet his expression was disturbingly eerie.