"Exactly. I don't think Li herself ever thought she could really pass the sixth level."
"Look, how long has she been walking? She's already on the verge of collapsing."
Everyone looked at the water screen.
On the water screen, Li Shuang was struggling immensely.
This sixth mountain was different from the other five.
The other five mountains still presented a specific challenge.
Sometimes it was ice and frost.
Sometimes it was fire.
Sometimes it was monsters.
But on this sixth mountain, the moment Li Shuang stepped onto it, she felt as if everything in the world was targeting her.
The rocks here always seemed to want to trip her.
The branches here always blocked her path.
The wind here stung her face.
Even the air here seemed to hinder her progress.
There was no visible specific danger, yet this mountain made her feel exceptionally uncomfortable.
Two years ago, she had barely climbed halfway up the mountain before this malice from all things in heaven and earth repelled her from this world.
This time, she started anew.
Li Shuang's climbing speed was much slower than two years ago. Amidst the strong repulsive force, layers of fine sweat beaded on her forehead.
This mountain was repelling her.
This ground was repelling her.
Every blade of grass, every tree, every flower, every bird on the mountain was repelling her.
Every step she took was like walking through a quagmire, constantly on the verge of falling into an abyss.
The sixth mountain stood there, seemingly mocking her in silence.
This malice... Li Shuang felt it completely.
Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks.
Lin Qingling's words echoed in her mind: "Understand all things in heaven and earth, and merge with them."
Then, she remembered Elder Ling's image of embroidering stitch by stitch.
Li Shuang thoughtfully raised her head.
This sky was still this sky.
This ground was still this ground.
All things in heaven and earth were still all things in heaven and earth.
They actually held no malice, nor any goodwill.
All things in heaven and earth were emotionless.
She quietly looked at the rock in front of her.
Then, Li Shuang suddenly tilted her head, as if listening to something.
"What is she doing?"
"Knowing she can't pass, so she's trying to stall for time?"
"What's the use of stalling? It's not like staying long enough will let her pass."
At this moment, Ancestor Xuanwei arrived at Dao Mountain.
She watched Li Shuang's actions, and her expression immediately turned solemn.
This Li... she had actually comprehended this far!
She was... sensing the breath of this rock in front of her.
All things possess spiritual charm; every blade of grass and every tree has a unique breath.
And comprehending this was the key to achieving the Integration stage.
Some comprehend a mountain, and their Integration realm becomes a towering mountain.
Some comprehend an ocean, and their Integration realm becomes a vast sea.
There are also those who comprehend a single blade of grass or a tree and hastily enter Integration. This kind of Integration stage is usually called "false Integration."
Aside from possessing the lifespan of an Integration cultivator, they lack the combat power of one. Only those with no hope for the future would choose to become such an Integration cultivator.
Everyone who has traversed Dao Mountain knows that if one can pass the sixth Dao Mountain, upon entering Integration, they will reach the realm of a towering mountain.
This Li!
Does she intend to use this mountain to break through her spiritual consciousness to the Integration stage?
Ancestor Xuanwei's expression grew increasingly grim.
She kept muttering to herself, "Don't succeed, don't succeed!"
If Li succeeded in reaching the summit, it would undoubtedly shock the entire Myriad Law City.
At that time, she would receive invitations from super-grade sects and the favor of Tribulation Transcendence stage powerhouses!
By then, the matter of her Supreme Ice Spirit Root would surely spread.
Regardless of whether others hoped for Li's growth or, like her, wanted to seize the Supreme Spirit Root, the ownership of this spirit root would likely no longer concern her.
Although her strength was decent, compared to true powerhouses, she was still insignificant.
Li Shuang listened intently to the rock's sounds for a long time. Gradually, her breathing began to change. In the end, she and the rock seemed to achieve a strange harmony.
A gentle smile appeared on Li Shuang's lips: "I understand."
So, she carefully guided a group of ants from the rock onto her arm.
When the ants left, the rock's aura immediately became gentle.
Li Shuang turned and led the ants into a cave. The ants looked back at her, seemingly in gratitude.
Li Shuang climbed step by step, returning branches to their places, and healing injured birds and beasts.
With each thing she touched, her breathing subtly changed.
Soon, she reached the halfway point of the mountain once again.
Everyone watched with bated breath.
Li Shuang smiled slightly and continued forward.
This time, she was not teleported out!
At the very least, she had surpassed her past self from two years ago.
Li Shuang moved forward, a wisp of spiritual energy rising from a bluestone, connecting with her. Another wisp of spiritual energy rose from a red flower, connecting with her.
With every step she took, the spiritual energy of all things connected to her grew.
She should have been climbing slower the higher she went.
But Li Shuang was the opposite.
She started with great difficulty, but later, she moved swiftly.
The "malice" she once felt from all things had, unknowingly, turned into "goodwill."
Where she passed, a cool breeze brought her comfort.
Butterflies danced, guiding her way.
The rocks, fearing they might trip her, even rolled to the side.
A smile touched Li Shuang's lips.
Myriad spiritual energies of all things converged at this moment.
Then, she saw the entire mountain.
She felt an exceptionally clear breath, a breath that belonged to the mountain itself.
Li Shuang adjusted her breathing until every inhale and exhale synchronized with every pulse of the mountain.
Li Shuang ascended with incredible ease.
"Wait... this isn't right, is it? What happened! Why is she suddenly moving so fast!"
"Cheating! Is Li cheating?!"
"Can you cheat on Dao Mountain? What kind of pig brain do you have!"
"You clearly haven't broken through to the Integration stage. Only those above the Integration stage can understand the profoundness of this."
"Indeed... this Li, I'm afraid she's really going to reach the summit."
Everyone was momentarily dazed.
What?
Really going to reach the summit?
What did this mean?
The youngest record for clearing Dao Mountain was about to be broken?
Everyone momentarily forgot to discuss, their eyes fixed on the water screen.
Ancestor Xuanwei's eyes were bulging, almost popping out of their sockets. She held onto a sliver of hope, muttering in her heart: "Fail! Fail! Just fail!"
"Look, her spiritual consciousness is changing!"
Suddenly, a cry of surprise rang out.
Li Shuang was only one step away from the summit of the sixth mountain, and her spiritual consciousness body had already begun to change.
A mountain-like power surged into her body.
As long as she wished, she could break through to the Integration stage at any moment!
Just as she was about to enter the Integration stage, Li Shuang's expression remained calm, and all her power dissipated in an instant.
She actually... voluntarily stopped the process of advancing to the Integration stage.
Then, she took the final step towards the summit.