Along the mountain path, a group struggled upward.

  With their spiritual power completely stripped away, their bodies had reverted to fragile mortal flesh.

  In less than half an hour, most were already gasping for breath, drenched in sweat. Their legs felt as though filled with molten lead. Every step upward demanded tremendous effort.

  Hunger burned through their stomachs like fire, scorching their insides.

  “Cough… cough…” A disciple from the Xia Ke Gang forced his stiff legs forward while shouting hoarsely, “I… I can’t go on…”

  His words were like a fuse thrown into dry powder, igniting the despair in everyone’s hearts.

  “What do we do? Do we really keep climbing?” another said weakly, leaning against the rock face. “You’ve all seen it. This is a severed mountain. Even if we exhaust ourselves reaching the summit, what then? Are we supposed to fly across the gap?”

  “I’m so hungry…” someone else groaned. “Who would’ve thought to bring rations? Who could have guessed this cursed secret realm would turn us into mortals?”

  At that moment, a disciple of Five Grains Mountain, who had remained silent all along, took out a small jade vial from his robe. He poured out a translucent pill and handed it to the one who had complained.

  “Is that… a Fasting Pill?” The man’s eyes lit up. “Without spiritual power, how did you even open your storage pouch?”

  The Five Grains Mountain disciple only smiled faintly. “Better prepared than sorry.”

  The small pill could not solve everything, but it eased their fear.

  Just then, a disciple at the very front suddenly pointed toward the cloud wrapped summit and shouted, “Look! Between the broken peaks… isn’t there something there?”

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  The others strained their eyes.

  But between the two severed halves of the mountain, they saw nothing but gray mist.

  “You must be seeing things,” someone said. “There’s nothing there.”

  “No!” the man insisted. “I’m certain! There’s something between them. It’s just too far to see clearly.”

  “Or you’ve climbed yourself into hallucinations,” another retorted.

  Before an argument could erupt, Senior Sister turned, her cool voice cutting through the noise.

  “Save your strength. Keep climbing. If there’s something there, we’ll know when we reach it.”

  Silence followed.

  Everyone understood. Climbing might be their final chance. Staying below meant certain death from hunger and thirst. However exhausting it was, they had to press on.

  Time blurred.

  When exhaustion had numbed them nearly beyond thought, the line abruptly halted.

  Or rather, the one at the very front had stopped, causing everyone behind to stop as well.

  At the rear of the group, a scholar from Lishi Pavilion frowned in confusion. The path was too narrow to see ahead. Had someone collapsed?

  Soon the line began moving again.

  As he trudged forward, something caught his eye.

  Beside the mountain path stood an ancient stone stele.

  He read the inscription carved in archaic script:

  “Beyond lies a mountain path divided into two. Both lead to the summit.”

  “Each summit holds a dark iron chain bridge that reaches the cliff beyond.”

  His spirits lifted instantly.

  So that disciple earlier had not been mistaken.

  Hope surged through him. Though his legs trembled and ached, some hidden strength welled up inside.

  Not long after, he saw a second stele.

  Its inscription read:

  “The chain bridges have endured long years. They may be damaged. The chance of ruin or preservation stands at half for each.”

  His heart sank.

  Here it was again.

  Another dilemma beyond reason. Another choice he would surely get wrong if left alone.

  Half ruined. Half intact.

  Simple words, impossible decision.

  Truthfully, he had not understood Wen Shan’s explanations in the earlier trials either. He had merely pretended to, because everyone else seemed to understand.

  But as he looked at the line continuing steadily ahead without hesitation, calm returned.

  What was there to fear?

  Junior Sister Xiuxiu and Junior Brother Wen Shan were here.

  As long as they were, they would find the safe chain. They would guide everyone across.

  Even if he understood nothing, trusting them had carried him through before.

  Soon, the fork in the road came into view.

  Two mountain paths diverged.

  Before the fork stood a third stone stele.

  As he drew closer, he read the inscription clearly:

  “Left path holds one chain.”

  “Right path holds two chains, yet one is already broken.”

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