Chapter 179: Self‑Sealing

Three formation eyes were broken open simultaneously, and the area at the foot of the mountain where steps were laid began to hum.

In less than half a cup of tea (about three minutes), the formation light faded, and an arch‑like opening appeared before everyone.

A Jie Dan from Dragon Emperor Island was the first to rush in, drawing muttered curses from the other cultivators.

However, there was no second hasty person; everyone was watching for any danger.

But this person didn't care; instead of stepping on the steps, he flew through the air, trying to reach the tower atop the mountain in one go.

The idea was good, but as soon as he rose, a startled crane cried, and an invisible force knocked him down from mid‑air, sending him rolling off the steps outside the formation gate.

He also sustained considerable injuries, yet he immediately dove back into the formation gate and sat on the steps to take the pill.

Jiang Tu remarked, "Idiot."

"Not so, just greedy," Jiang Yu hurried to Elder Qian's side, following the others correctly.

The formation gate was not small; it could accommodate three or four people side by side, with each of the three celestial realms sending one demon, one Buddha, and one free cultivator as the first batch.

Because time was of the essence, the Jie Dans did not vie for order; whoever reached the doorway first entered.

When Elder Qian was called, he instructed, "Jiang Yu, line up for Foundation Establishment at the back; I'll wait for you on the steps."

"Elder, try to ascend the mountain quickly; I'll catch up."

"You go ahead; I'll pick up any leftovers," Jiang Yu said, unwilling to make others wait.

Elder Qian was pleased with her attitude, "Alright, stay safe and walk in the middle of the Heavenly Origin Dao Gate."

Jiang Yu nodded in agreement, grouping again with Xu Wu and a few others, so that at least several of them could confront the demonic cultivators together.

From a distance, the Jie Dans ahead climbing the steps appeared to be struggling heavily.

Xu Wu couldn't help but transmit, "Another gravity ladder."

A teammate joked, "Your Ten Thousand Swords Sect has been training long; when you reach us, fellow Xu, don't run too fast."

Xu Wu solemnly nodded, "Don't worry, as long as it's a gravity ladder, we'll advance and retreat together."

"Jiang Yu, this time there's no Xue Miao but there is Ding Jiu; be more vigilant."

Back then, when Jiang Yu went to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect to attempt the trial steps, Xu Wu watched from afar, though at that time they didn't know each other.

But Jiang Yu had selected a half‑broken sword from the sword pool, so now many disciples of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect know her, and some even sell portraits of her, increasing her fame.

"Hahaha." The teammates seemed to think of that, laughing at her openly, and someone even asked if she could take a look at the broken sword.

"I'll be careful; the sword has been given away," Jiang Yu said to the crowd's teasing looks and words, taking it lightly; they were merely ribbing her without malice.

But once they stepped onto the steps, she and her teammates discovered it wasn't a gravity ladder; no one felt the weight of a massive stone on their backs.

Yet their legs felt as if poured with lead, fixed to the steps and hard to move.

Each step upward acted like a thousand‑pound weight, pulling the person down, and the more spiritual power you exerted, the faster you fell.

Jiang Tu, on Jiang Yu's shoulder, would have slipped straight down if he hadn't reacted quickly and dove into the dragon pearl.

Only a few dozen people managed to get past twenty‑something steps; already some were drenched in sweat, sitting down panting heavily.

Jiang Yu could still persevere, but her teammates—except Xu Wu and a male cultivator from the Lingxu Sect—were all lagging several steps behind.

"Let's wait a bit, everyone; we can rest too," Xu Wu suggested first.

Jiang Yu and another had no objections; fortunately they were not restricted in spirit or cognition, so they could use the Purify Dust Technique and also open their storage bags to eat pills.

"What do you think, shall we try self‑sealing the dantian?" Jiang Yu said after finishing the Purify Dust Technique, gulping half a pot of spiritual tea.

"Hmm, seems possible," Xu Wu replied, just as voices from the Jie Dans above echoed.

"Self‑sealing spiritual power, as a mortal can walk upward."

Clap!

Jiang Yu and Xu Wu exchanged a knowing high‑five, but before sealing the spiritual power, she prepared many items, using the No‑Spirit‑Power Opening Method.

She also brewed a large pot of cooled spiritual tea, specifically waiting for her teammates to come up and drink.

In fact, sometimes a mortal's feet move faster than a cultivator's flight; without sealing the dantian, walking unassisted is quicker.

Even cultivators who have refined their bodies and practiced martial arts can run up the steps.

Soon enough, after completing the three‑hundred‑zhang steps, everyone arrived easily before the three‑story building.

The small plaza paved with white jade glittered in the night, and someone, itching with impatience, after unsealing their spiritual power, tried to pry up the white‑jade floor tiles.

Xu Wu and the others frowned, "Another Dragon Emperor Island cultivator? Are they that poor over there?"

She could discern their background; they were the Dragon Emperor Island cultivators she'd seen several times, whose robes were either half‑sleeved or sleeveless.

"Stop!" A certain Jie Dan slapped the tile‑prying person, sending them down the steps.

None of the other Dragon Emperor Island cultivators present stepped forward.

Jiang Yu shook her head slightly and sighed; her gaze followed the falling figure, who rolled down only a dozen or so steps before stopping, apparently struck by a Jie Dan from Dragon Emperor Island—precise enough not to be heavy.

"Looks like a free cultivator, poor, naturally wants to take more things.

Jiang Yu, when you were a free cultivator before, it was tough, right?" Jiang Tu hit the nail on the head.

Jiang Yu gave a faint smile, shifting her gaze back to the plaza, where several jade‑carved celestial cranes looked vivid and lifelike.

The main hall's door remained shut, the building had no name, and several Jie Dans directed spiritual power at the gate, yet the door did not move.

Then someone stepped forward and pushed without using any spiritual power, but could not open it.

Until a Buddhist cultivator came forward and struck with a Great Strength Vajra Palm; the door opened a slit that quickly snapped shut.

"Amitabha, I, a humble monk, think we should let all present body‑refining companions give it a try." The Buddhist cultivator, naturally a monk from the Great Enlightenment Temple, said.

A Buddhist cultivator from the East Continent then said, "I can give it a try."

Unfortunately, his force, though great, only opened a slit, and a crowd of cultivators' consciousnesses rushed in one after another.

However, whoever squeezed in fastest shouted in pain, as something inside twisted and tore their consciousness.

Jiang Yu immediately looked at Elder Qian, whose complexion remained normal as he smiled, "I didn't probe; you don't need to rush either.

Our destined opportunity is ours; others can't snatch it away."

This also counts as Elder Qian's talk from experience; after all, a second‑rate sect could never compete for first place in the cultivation world.

Jiang Yu readily agreed up front, but then she saw the door being blasted open by gravity several times, leaving a small gap, and she sent a mental message: "Elder, I'm not competing, but don't you think the direction to open the door is wrong? Why not try pulling it outward?"

Elder Qian couldn't help but nod, "Shall I go up and open it again?"

"Hmm, it's necessary." Anyway, it's not the Foundation Establishment cultivators' turn to act, so Jiang Yu is happy to take it easy.

Just as Elder Qian stepped forward, a Golden Core cultivator of the Spiritual Abyss Sect mocked, "Fellow Daoist Qian, when have you ever trained your body?"

"Why didn't you use it just now, and now you want to teach us spell cultivators body‑refinement techniques?"

"I'm willing, what's it to you!" People of Elder Qian's generation, under the influence of Sui Lv Zhenjun, mostly disliked the Spiritual Abyss Sect.

Jiang Yu looked at that Golden Core cultivator, searched her memory, and found he was an elder of the External Affairs Hall of the Spiritual Abyss Sect.

The other party sensed her gaze, suddenly turned his head and glared; Jiang Yu gave a faint smile and turned her eyes toward Elder Qian, who was opening the door.

All that could be seen was his spiritual power surging as he grabbed the door handle and pulled—creak—the door opened.