Chapter Thirty: If You Set Me Up, I’ll Use a Cheat Code

The floating steps were crafted from bluestone, suspended in mid-air without any visible supports. Many onlookers doubted whether stepping onto them would cause the entire structure to collapse, taking them down into the abyss.

Ye Feifan surveyed his surroundings. The others were youths of similar age, some even ordinary mortals, their faces etched with unmistakable fear.

Was no one going to be the first to test the path?

"The assessment begins. Whoever reaches the floating peak on the opposite side will be admitted as an outer disciple," a hoarse, elderly voice echoed. No one else was arriving, and the crowd numbered barely two hundred.

Judging by the difficulty, at least half would be eliminated.

Ye Feifan decided against rushing forward, preferring to observe the situation first.

"I'll go!" A defiant youth stepped out, casting a look of disdain at the crowd.

"Weaklings!"

Being insulted as weaklings stirred anger among the young hopefuls, and murmurs began to rise. Ye Feifan edged closer to gather information.

"Who is he? Such arrogance."

"He's from Tianzi City. I know him."

"I know him too. He’s a young master from the Liu family, named Liu Chen."

"I remember now. He reached the Fifth Tribulation realm at such a young age. He’s a formidable rival; you all better watch out."

…

Liu Chen of the Liu family…

Ye Feifan’s eyes flickered. Should he give him a taste of misery? Those men in black had certainly enjoyed hunting him down.

Ignoring the chatter, Liu Chen leaped onto the first step, though his legs trembled, threatening to send him plummeting.

Gravity!

Ye Feifan finally understood. The test of the Lawless Sect was not merely physical; it combined bravery with endurance. That combination alone would prune more than half the candidates.

Liu Chen’s face flushed red as he jumped onto the second step. Clouds and mist swirled beneath his feet, obscuring the path and fueling fear.

After holding on for five or six steps, Liu Chen seemed unable to move further. Ye Feifan finally grasped the nature of the trial.

The gravity increased with each step. Only those with great willpower could persevere to the end. One’s heart must remain steady; panic would lead to a fall.

The distance between each step was twenty feet. Whether or not one dared to leap was a test of courage.

If he wasn't mistaken, the middle section would include illusions, and the final stretch would be guarded by outer disciples to screen for infiltrators from other factions.

There was certainly a supervisor watching from the shadows. Only those who could demonstrate endurance, courage, grit, wisdom, and perseverance would be accepted into the Lawless Sect.

Five thousand steps!

After a system scan, Ye Feifan received the precise count, symbolizing the vastness of the mortal world—the Lawless Sect’s philosophy was profound indeed.

For a sect with only five hundred members, it was far from simple. Any major sect that had survived this long in the cultivation world must have deep foundations. He found himself increasingly intrigued by this place.

Ten steps in, Liu Chen collapsed to one knee, unable to continue, and slipped off the edge.

"Ah—!"

A streak of green light flashed from the opposite side, catching Liu Chen and returning him to the starting peak.

"A flying sword…" Seeing the familiar green streak was a seven-foot blade, Ye Feifan almost thought he had arrived at Mount Shu.

Liu Chen sat on the ground, staring at the steps with a grim expression, unable to believe anyone could make it across.

Several others hesitated and gave up. A few, unwilling to yield, stepped onto the path, only to kneel at the very first step and quit.

With no one else challenging the path, Ye Feifan knew his chance had arrived.

On the surface, he appeared to be at the Second Tribulation realm, but his true strength was hidden. His body had been tempered by the power of the Third and Fourth Tribulation realms; he could go toe-to-toe with an average Fourth Tribulation expert. The gravity test should treat him as a Second Tribulation practitioner.

He had hit the jackpot!

Ye Feifan stepped back. The crowd scattered as they realized the young man in green was about to move, though they sighed, convinced he wouldn't make it.

Adjusting his heart rate, Ye Feifan sprinted and leaped onto the first step.

The moment he landed, pressure bore down on his body, but he didn't hesitate. With a light touch of his toes, he jumped to the second step.

The moment he left the step, the gravity vanished, only to return with even greater intensity as his feet hit the next.

So, the gravity only existed while on a step. The difficulty was significant, but now that he knew the trick, Ye Feifan turned into a parkour master, his body tucked into a ball, constantly rotating and springing forward.

At first, he landed on each step, but soon he began leaping across two, then four or five at a time.

Ye Feifan couldn't see himself, or he would have realized he looked like a character in a parkour game.

His unconventional style left the crowd on the peak stunned.

"My god! How is this possible?"

"What is happening?"

"Is he playing soccer?"

"How does he have such technique?"

"That would be perfect for a fat person!"

…

Past the two-thousandth step, Ye Feifan began to struggle. The view before him turned into an endless sea of magma. He knew it was an illusion, but the birds of prey attacking him were not.

Enduring the avian assaults while maintaining momentum was grueling. Those without enough willpower would stop to fight the birds, but standing still on the steps meant facing the full, terrifying weight of the gravity—a mistake that would cost them their chance at joining the sect.

Pushing through the attacks, Ye Feifan crossed the four-thousandth step. In the final thousand, he was met by outer disciples acting as guards. They wielded wooden swords, attempting to strike him down into the clouds.

To think that seeking refuge in a sect could be this troublesome. Ye Feifan was speechless. He was rotating so fast that his sweat was flying off him; the exertion was immense.

Without proper cultivation techniques, his offensive capability was limited, and he was forced to flee in a sorry state.

Blocking him with Second Tribulation disciples was one thing, but Third and Fourth? Was the sect done recruiting?

If they were going to cheat, he wouldn't hesitate to do the same.

"I'm waiting for one minute!"

*Click.*

The one-minute countdown began.

*Tick, tock.*

The sound echoed in his mind. The disciples’ attacks didn't stop, and he was nearly knocked off.

*Tick.*

The familiar chime sounded. Ye Feifan rejoiced. The world froze.

Standing on the step, he felt no gravity. He quickly reached out and crossed the legs of the Fourth Tribulation disciples blocking his path, then returned to his position.

He sprinted forward, tucked into a ball, and returned to his original spot.

*Click.*

The world resumed its motion!

"Ouch—!"

Just as they prepared to strike, the Fourth Tribulation disciples tripped over each other, failing to block the rolling ball.

Ye Feifan successfully tumbled onto the floating peak.

"What? He made it?"

"How?"

"What just happened?"

"Those disciples tripped in their nervousness and gave him an opening."

"What luck!"

"I finally understand his strategy."

"Just plow through!"

"The heavier you are, the less they dare to block."

…

Liu Chen stared at the blurry figure of Ye Feifan on the opposite side, stunned that such a genius truly existed.

Having crossed the five thousand steps, Ye Feifan couldn't help but gasp for air. He collapsed on the ground, leaving a human-shaped sweat stain. He was utterly exhausted.

Two young men stood at the entrance of the peak, wearing the same robes as the guards. They were clearly outer disciples as well.

"Rare indeed. Someone actually made it. It seems the junior masters won't be able to sit still."

"Indeed. The Sect Master said that anyone who lasts twenty steps could join the outer sect. By clearing five thousand, he qualifies to be a direct disciple."

"The Sect Master is going to have a headache."

"By the way, brother, how many steps did you last?"

"Thirty steps."

"I only managed thirty-one. This fellow is a monster."

They weren't whispering, so Ye Feifan heard them clearly. After resting, he stood up.

"Seniors, what should I do next?"

The two looked at Ye Feifan’s confused expression and exchanged glances. One of them stepped forward.

"Follow me."

"Many thanks, Senior."

Ye Feifan followed, relieved to have passed the test. He wondered what kind of cultivation manuals the Lawless Sect had—would there be anything suitable for him?

As they walked, the disciple asked, "What is your name?"

Taking advantage of their lack of scrutiny, Ye Feifan removed the "Dream Mirror of Disguise," temporarily dropping the identity of "Old Ma Five." He felt the Lawless Sect was mysterious and worth joining, and it would be better to use his real identity.

"Ye Feifan… And may I ask your name, Senior?"

"You can call me Fang Zheng. The one earlier was my senior brother, Dong Guan."

"Then I shall call you Senior Brother Fang from now on."

"As you wish."

Fang Zheng didn't speak much; he seemed detached, as if he had seen through the vanity of the world. There was a sense of a heavy history behind his eyes.

Looking at his back, Ye Feifan felt a familiar aura—the aura of a fellow wanderer.

What had this man been through?

Along the way, Ye Feifan saw many grand halls but very few people. The surroundings were dense with plants and ancient trees, reminiscent of a hundred-year-old tropical rainforest.

"Go in yourself. The Sect Master is waiting for you."

Having led Ye Feifan to his destination, Fang Zheng instructed him and turned to leave, leaving him standing there in a daze.

[PS: Prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony; freedom, equality, justice, rule of law; patriotism, dedication, integrity, friendliness.]