824: Chapter 238_2 824: Chapter 238_2 Because you weren’t always climbing upwards; sometimes you were ascending, sometimes descending.
Whereas I was consistently climbing upwards, naturally, our distance was bound to grow further apart.”
Ling Xi asked with a curious expression, representing everyone’s perplexity, “But how did you determine when you were climbing and when you were descending?”
“It’s quite simple, because of our bodies,” Li Ke explained, looking at the group, “Although the formation here is very clever, obscuring many of our senses, making it impossible for us to use sight to discern when we are going downstairs or upstairs, and even making the sensations of climbing and descending feel identical.
However, there is one thing the formation couldn’t change, and that’s the fatigue of our bodies.
Climbing upstairs is certain to be more tiring, consuming more energy.
If I feel more exhausted, then naturally I am going upstairs; if I feel that it’s easier, then naturally I am going downstairs.”
“Conserving energy and exhausting energy?”
For a moment, several people were stunned, but Cao Zhen quickly caught on and exclaimed, “That makes sense.
Indeed, this formation could be solved by a mortal, because at the very beginning, a mortal wouldn’t feel tired going up or down.
But after walking a lot, they would naturally feel tired and would realize that descending is more energy-efficient than ascending.
However, we are different.
Although we cannot fly, we haven’t become mortals; we are still at the Golden Core Stage.
For us, let alone such a short span of time, even if we walked for ten years, a hundred years, we wouldn’t feel tired and naturally wouldn’t be able to discern this subtle difference.
But Li Ke, she had just recovered.
She was still in a weak state, so she could quickly distinguish these differences.”
“So, while my body is still in a weakened state, while I still can feel fatigue and exhaustion, you all should follow me now.
I can feel that my body is recovering rapidly; I don’t know at what rate, but once I am fully recovered, then I also won’t be able to tell when I’m going up or down.”
As Li Ke spoke, she took the initiative to step in front of everyone and then said, “Now, follow my steps.”
As soon as the words fell, Cao Zhen saw Li Ke walking down the steps.
Although it seemed that Li Ke was walking downwards, he was very certain that Li Ke was actually climbing up the mountain.
Cao Zhen quickly followed.
In his view, Li Ke would change directions every once in a while, seemingly walking up the mountain at times and down at others.
But nobody questioned Li Ke; they all followed her lead.
After a while, Li Ke suddenly stopped, looking at the group with a headache and said, “My body is recovering faster and faster.
I’ve been walking and should be getting more tired, but I feel that my physical condition is getting better instead.
I don’t even feel tired now, nor can I discern whether we’re going uphill or downhill.”
The crowd was stunned once again, and Ling Xi, even more concerned, asked, “What do we do now?
We might’ve already covered half the distance, maybe even more.”
There’s only one method left,” Li Ke said resolutely to Ling Xi, “Ling Xi, strike me.”
“Ah?” Ling Xi was momentarily stunned and waved her hands repeatedly, “Master’s wife, I dare not.”
Let alone being the master’s companion, even if she weren’t, this was a fellow sect member, a Grand Elder of the Hundred Peaks Sect.
How could she possibly attack Li Ke?
“Don’t hesitate; if I tell you to hit, you hit,” Li Ke urged quickly, “I can no longer feel fatigue, I can’t tell whether I’m going uphill or downhill, but if you attack me now and cause me to be injured, my condition will worsen, and I will be able to distinguish again.
After all, I haven’t fully recovered yet. Official source is novel(ꜰ)ire.net
As long as you attack me lightly, ensuring the injury is not too severe, it should be enough.
Perhaps just the force of two Immortal Bridges, no, make it two, should suffice to attack me.”
Upon hearing this, Ling Xi immediately looked back at her master, and upon seeing Master Cao Zhen nodding, two Immortal Bridges appeared behind her.
Following that, a Talisman emerged, and she sent a Talisman hurling towards Li Ke.
A muffled sound was heard; Li Ke was struck in the back by the Talisman and stumbled forward, coughing out a mouthful of crimson blood.
Her complexion, which had seemed to regain a healthy rosy flush, instantly turned pale.
Even Yan Yourong extended a hand, steadying Li Ke’s body to prevent her from falling over.
Taking a deep breath, Li Ke then pointed ahead and said, “Go on, continue following me.”
With two female cultivators present, Li Ke chose one of them to attack her—of course, that would either be the seemingly much gentler Ling Xi or Yan Yourong, whose attack methods and style were well-known.
But she hadn’t expected Ling Xi’s attack to be so severe.
Had she known, she would have chosen Yan Yourong instead.
Or better yet, she might as well have chosen Cao Zhen.
After being injured, Li Ke quickly determined the direction and led the group forward.