Chapter Ninety-Nine: Bamboo Fruit

Li Sibai had already reached the first tier of the stone steps. Standing atop it, he did not rest but chose to continue ascending, seeking to unravel the mysteries of the steps above.

He moved to the stairs, slowly lifting his right leg to step onto the first stone step, trying to sense the subtle changes in this layer. As soon as he raised his leg, he felt an immense force pulling downward, as if forbidding him from lifting it.

Could it be a change in gravity? Li Sibai thought to himself.

His internal energy from the Primordial Fusion Technique circulated rapidly, wrapping his entire body in a thin veil of green mist. Only then did he manage with great effort to place his leg on the first step. He then lifted the other foot and stood fully on the step.

Feeling the pressure of the surrounding air currents, Li Sibai sensed his legs growing as heavy as lead, firmly fixed to the stone. He had encountered a similar sensation during previous training—special exercises organized by his sect.

Those exercises involved tying sandbags of varying weights to the arms and legs. But the sand was no ordinary sand; it was iron sand from the Northern Sea, ten times heavier than normal sand. Wearing these bags greatly enhanced training effectiveness.

Now, standing here against the surrounding pressure, Li Sibai's internal force was rapidly depleted. Were it not for the swift replenishment of his Primordial Fusion energy, he would have been knocked unconscious by the force.

After a brief pause to acclimate to the sensation of this step, Li Sibai slowly lifted his right leg again. This time, he felt the gravity increase once more, roughly by ten percent compared to the previous step. If this pattern continued, by the tenth and highest step, gravity would double—a staggering thought.

Moreover, the intensity of this gravity training was twice that of his sect’s previous regimen. Yet, if he persevered, the gains would be beyond imagination. A spark of excitement kindled within him at the challenge.

Drawing a deep breath, Li Sibai channeled his energy into his right leg and carefully set it down, swiftly standing on the second step.

Having formed a rough estimate, he quickened his pace, repeating the process. Soon, he reached the eighth step of this tier.

At this point, his internal energy consumption exceeded his ability to replenish it. Li Sibai knew that with his current strength, pushing further upward would only result in one outcome: being brutally beaten down by the intense air currents.

Before his energy was fully depleted, he began to retreat slowly, step by step. Each step back eased the pressure on his body and reduced the heaviness in his legs.

When Li Sibai retreated to the first platform, he felt as if his entire body had grown lighter. He dared not stop, for his internal force was rapidly draining.

Descending quickly down the ten steps of the first layer, the green mist surrounding him dissipated instantly. Li Sibai felt as though every pore in his body had opened wide. In the next moment, a wave of weakness overwhelmed him.

With a thud, Li Sibai sat on the ground, entering a state of cultivation.

Though his Profound Heavenly Qi Technique and Primordial Fusion Technique had been continuously generating energy while he ascended, the process had been one of constant expenditure. Now, sitting down to cultivate, he felt his entire body relax as if every cell were rejoicing.

In no time, Li Sibai recovered from his exertion. Aside from his clothes being drenched and somewhat uncomfortable, his internal force was brimming, and an indescribable exhilaration filled him. Thanks to the gravity training, he now felt as light and agile as a swallow.

Li Sibai knew clearly that although his cultivation level hadn’t advanced, the training had forged his body profoundly. His resilience and ability to withstand pressure had improved greatly, and even his speed had increased due to the gravity conditioning.

If confronted now with the transformed form of the Crimson Gold Bear, he might not guarantee victory but could certainly hold his ground for a few moves—unlike before, when he was defeated in a single blow, unable to match the opponent’s speed.

At that moment, a movement in his arms caught his attention. Li Sibai quickly pulled out Cai Yao, who had just awakened.

“Cai Yao, you’re awake,” he said.

Cai Yao appeared fully recovered, her seven-colored feathers shining radiantly. She nodded and replied, “Brother, I’m sorry for making you worry. I’m fine now.”

“Hmm, you saved us just now, didn’t you? What kind of technique was that?”

“It’s a life-saving technique of mine,” Cai Yao said shyly. “But every time I use it, I exhaust myself completely and fall unconscious for a while. I need someone to help me escape afterward.”

Li Sibai nodded. “Thank you so much,” he said gratefully. Then, recalling something, he asked, “Does this technique have any lasting side effects? I don’t want you to suffer any unnecessary harm just to save us—that would be too costly.”

“Ah?!” Cai Yao was surprised by the question. “No, Brother. By the way, where are we? I feel the air here is pure, but there’s also a lot of True Qi and Dou Qi mixed together. What’s going on?”

Li Sibai shook his head. “This place was left by a predecessor. We are inside a strange bamboo. As for why True Qi and Dou Qi coexist here, I’m not sure either. By the way, Cai Yao, do you feel uncomfortable here?”

Cai Yao shook her head as well. “Not really, Brother. Hey, those bamboos look strange. I’ll go take a closer look.” Saying that, she flew toward the slender bamboo stalks.

“Be careful,” Li Sibai warned and hastened after her.

Up close, these slender bamboo stalks were as thin as the one outside. Aside from their reddish-white hues, they bore some fruit—green and round, about the size of tangerines.

Li Sibai’s face lit up with surprise. Bamboo with fruit? It was his first time seeing such a thing.

Cai Yao was visibly excited. “Brother, do you know what these are? They’re bamboo nuts!” Before Li Sibai could respond, she eagerly answered her own question.

“Bamboo nuts? The fruit of bamboo is called bamboo nuts? But why are you so excited? What use do they have?” Li Sibai still didn’t understand.

Cai Yao smiled. “They’re very useful, extremely so. These are fruits from mutated bamboo, nurtured in this special environment. The fruits are priceless—far better than your Profound Heavenly Jade Purifying Pill. I can eat them directly to help me level up. As for you, I’m not sure.”

Li Sibai nodded thoughtfully, intrigued by the discovery.