As soon as Li Luo’s foot touched the 35th step, he could feel the worldly natural energy surge through the point of contact, running through his body like a maelstrom.
It was free, and it was glorious.
The onyx lake was the energy’s refuge from the dark tide, and yet even that was not enough. Energy always sought a safer home. Compared to the harsh environment in the onyx lake, it would rather choose a cultivator’s body.
That was why one’s resonant palace would exert a powerful attraction on the energy, sucking it up and enriching it.
The deeper one went, the greater the influx of energy.
Volumes of worldly natural energy surged into Li Luo like a water cannon attached to his feet. His two resonance seeds were swollen with power now, and Li Luo could sense a breakthrough incoming.
Whoosh!
Just then, he heard a muted bump from beside him. He saw Xin Fu’s face screwed up in concentration, huge beads of sweat on his forehead.
He was swept up and away against his will, his energy spent.
There was regret in his eyes because he had not made the breakthrough to a Second Pattern, which was his goal.
The breakthroughs in the Pattern Genesis Tier were much more difficult. Bai Mengmeng had managed a Sprouting Seed Tier breakthrough, but Xin Fu had not managed to clear a step.
However, his efforts were not wasted. The resonance seed within him was already bright and full, and there were freckles of power beginning to form—the signs of a budding second pattern.
He was just one step away.
He waved to Li Luo too, but the latter was fully focused. Only three more steps.
He wouldn’t give up now.
The pressure surrounding him was nothing compared to the mental pressure he felt. The changes at House Luolan, his diminished lifespan—they hung over his head like the Sword of Damocles.
He might appear calm and easygoing to others, but on the inside, he had been fighting a dark anxiety that no one knew.
The onyx lake was one opportunity that he could not afford to pass up, especially not his first dip in. Jiang Qing’e had warned them that any future entry would only bring discounted rewards.
If Li Luo wished to break through now, he could reach the Second Pattern. But he did not choose to do so. He held on for the moment.
On her first time, Jiang Qing’e had descended to the 38th step and jumped two stages in one shot.
Li Luo was sorely tempted.
It might be incredibly difficult, but he was going to go for it.
Five years to reach Duke. How else was he going to get there?
His eyes hardened with resolve.
Xin Fu saw the tightening of his shoulders from behind, and he nodded to himself.
There was no one else around Li Luo now. The other two squads had already exited. After all, the 35th step was beyond the limits of most people.
He took a deep breath and continued down.
…
Outside the onyx lake.
As the other squads began to emerge one after another, they soon realized that one person was missing.
“Li Luo’s not out yet?”
“I heard from the others that he went down to the 35th step, but he isn’t out yet. He must be going for the last three.”
“What? How bold is that guy? Really? The last three?”
“Heh, the pressure on the last three steps is incredible. There’s nothing like it. If he forces the issue, it might just backfire on him.”
“Well, he’s got dual resonances. So maybe he’s got twice the ambition too…”
“I wonder if they’re really that strong…”
Song Qiuyu and Wang Yufeng were stony-faced.
“Even I could only make it to the 36th step,” Wang Yufeng said scathingly. “How far does that First Pattern brat think he can go?”
Song Qiuyu did not reply, but there was a malicious glint in her eyes. Hopefully, Li Luo had bitten off more than he could chew. Hopefully, he would choke on energy and crawl back out with nothing.
On the tree branch.
“So he’s really going for the last three, huh,” Tian Tian said with awe.
Qiu Bai nodded. “Ambitious.”
Jiang Qing’e showed no surprise. She knew the pressure he was facing. And she knew the logical choice for him.
Once, she had thought that she alone needed to make the quick leap to Duke. Then she could shoulder House Luolan’s burdens, and Li Luo would be freed. But now she knew of his shortened lifespan, he was in with her on the race. There would be no idyllic life for them.
That was why she had put him through trial after trial in the Umbra Cave.
Better take small risks with one’s life now, before it was all gone.
Unconsciously, her hand tightened around the hilt of her sword as she stared deep into the energy vortex of the onyx lake.
“Li Luo, I believe you can do it.
“Others think that House Luolan has a phoenix of light, but they don’t know that we also have a dragon hidden in slumber.”
…
Whoosh!
Li Luo landed on the 36th step, and the impact almost sent him flying. The energy was all around him and within him, a typhoon of madness, and he was in the thick of it. It felt like if he didn’t concentrate hard enough, he would be shredded apart from outside and within.
He could even hear the shrill squeaking of his bones being crushed.
Worldly natural energy flooded his body like a river through a broken dam, so violently that his insides felt raw from the chafing of the power flow.
Li Luo stood there calmly and took it. He had expected something like this.
His body thirsted, and he wasn’t going to complain about a storm. He treasured every last bit with his hurting body.
The higher one’s resonance grade, the higher the affinity with the energy, and the easier the energy flow would be to handle.
Jiang Qing’e, for example, must have done well with her ninth-grade light resonance. There was nothing better to deal with the energy pressure.
Li Luo might not have that, but he had his own advantages. Not only did he have dual resonances, he had four affinities!
Although his light and earth resonances were secondary, they were nevertheless attuned to some small parts of the worldly natural energy flooding into him.
Li Luo breathed through the pain and held on.
Both his resonant palaces were glowing in dual colors now.
The raw power was slowly refined within his body as he absorbed the four elements he needed. Gradually, he extracted the blue, green, yellow, and white out of the black energy.
Peeling apart layers from the raw material.
The energy stream subsided now, held at bay by his four glowing lights.
His resonant palaces absorbed as much as they could, as fast as they could, channeling power to his two resonance seeds.
They were vibrating and humming now, so violently that it seemed like they might explode.
Still Li Luo kept on, forcing one foot in front of the other. He walked off the edge.
The 37th step.
Another notch on the pressure, but Li Luo was ready for it now. He braced himself accordingly.
Still, no amount of mental fortitude could deny his physical limitations. His skin was being shredded by the pressure, bloody scars and patches appearing as pieces of skin were shorn off in the cruel vortex.
Li Luo ignored it. His eyes were firmly fixed on the ultimate goal. Without hesitation, he walked forward, smoothly and surely.
The 38th step!