"Then many thanks, Junior Sister Ye. Our monthly contributions are simply not enough. If we can save some money, we can also save some contributions. Alas! Most importantly, after this promotion to intermediate disciple, we'll have to go on external missions. I wonder if we'll even make it to the end alive," the young man sighed.
As soon as these words left his mouth, the emotions of everyone present became quite complex.
Looking at the Yunxia Sect's main hall, the Four Sects' cultivators were all observing the situation on the mountain path through the Xuan Light Art.
"Sect Master Yun, what's wrong with your Yunxia Sect disciples? They have no vitality at all, each one walking like an old man. Could it be that they've neglected their cultivation and their physical strength isn't strong enough?" Zi Lan sneered.
This was because their Zixia Sect disciples were the fastest, already reaching a distance of a thousand meters.
"Heh heh, Sect Master Zi Lan, our Yunxia Sect's Floating Cloud Steps are not as simple as you imagine. With their cultivation, they haven't reached the point of feeling pressure yet. Just keep watching," Yun Yun said indifferently.
Most of the Yunxia Sect cultivators present had climbed these steps before and understood that such meaningless consumption of physical energy was of little use. When it came time to exert strength and stamina, they would realize how precious the energy they had wasted earlier was.
An hour passed, and the leading group had already reached a height of four thousand meters. However, upon reaching this height, they clearly felt their bodies suddenly become heavy.
"This? My body feels a bit heavy," a Zixia Sect disciple said with a frown.
But the gravity here, at most, made them a little uncomfortable; it hadn't reached the point where they couldn't move. They continued forward.
However, from this point on, every step they climbed increased the pressure on their bodies, and the spiritual energy within them began to circulate involuntarily to resist the pressure.
Another hour passed.
In this hour, the three sects' cultivators had only climbed about seven thousand meters, and each of them looked exceptionally tired, their feet feeling as if they were tied with lead weights.
"Damn it, we miscalculated. No wonder the Yunxia Sect people didn't accelerate at the beginning. We wasted our energy for nothing up front; my body feels terrible," a disciple from the three sects said miserably.
But just then, Ye Liuyun and the others caught up.
"Oh? Aren't these the fellow Daoists from the three sects? What's wrong with all of you? There are still over two thousand meters to the mountain gate. You're not all planning on failing even the first stage, are you?" A Yunxia Sect disciple mocked the panting cultivators from the three sects.
And while mocking them, they easily surpassed them, quickly leaving them behind.
"Impossible? How can the Yunxia Sect disciples be so relaxed? There must be something fishy going on. Did the Yunxia Sect open a back door for their own disciples? We're not convinced." The disciples of the three sects were dumbfounded as they watched Ye Liuyun and the others easily surpass them.
Even the high-ranking officials of the three sects in the Yunxia Sect's main hall were stunned on the spot.
"This? Sect Master Yun? Didn't you say the pressure would double after half the height? But why do your Yunxia Sect disciples feel no pressure at all?" The sect masters of the three sects' expressions began to turn ugly.
They believed that the Yunxia Sect must have secretly played a trick, giving their own disciples special treatment and embarrassing the three of them.
In fact, Yun Yun and the others were also confused at this moment. They had increased the pressure several times this time, but why were their Yunxia Sect disciples not reacting at all?
"Do you think this Sect Master would open a back door for such a small matter? I think we should continue watching. It's too early to draw conclusions now," Yun Yun said.
Since Yun Yun had said so, the high-ranking officials of the three sects could only calm down and continue watching.
Sure enough, when the Yunxia Sect disciples reached a distance of less than two thousand meters from the Yunxia Sect's entrance, they also began to feel the pressure.
"Eh? Why did the pressure suddenly increase?" The Yunxia Sect disciples' speed also began to decline.
By this time, it was already around three o'clock in the afternoon, the hottest period of the day.
Ye Liuyun had been quietly following behind the crowd. She actually felt no pressure at all, as her main focus was cultivating her physique, which gave her an advantage at this time.
She just didn't want to stand out, so she followed the others at a steady, moderate pace.