They had also climbed the Heavenly Ladder, so they naturally knew some of the conditions on the Heavenly Ladder.
The White Jade Sky Ladder, the initial steps are relatively easy to climb.
But once the height exceeded a hundred meters, the pressure above the staircase would double, becoming a completely different difficulty.
Like the powerful figures high up in the city, many people in the crowd at the foot of the mountain knew this secret.
So when they saw Bai Bufan and the others leap up to the next level again,
Someone immediately shouted, “The hundredth level!”
As soon as the words fell, they saw Bai Bufan and the others’ figures suddenly sway, barely managing to stabilize.
It was obvious they were somewhat unaccustomed to the suddenly increased pressure on the steps.
“Mr. Zhi Rui, is there any trick to these hundred steps?”
Lu Qing saw this and turned to ask.
“The pressure on the Heavenly Ladder does not increase in a uniform, gradual manner, but instead, every hundred levels, the repressive force is doubled, and with each subsequent level, the pressure increases substantially more than the previous one.
For example, at the first level, the repressive force is one, with each level afterward, it merely increases by a tenth. By the ninety-ninth level,
The repressive force is only about ten or so.
But at the hundredth level, the pressure doubles, becoming twenty.
Thereafter, although it increases by only a tenth with each level, it is based on this twenty.
Thus, Bai Shaohua and the others are now enduring much greater pressure than before.”
“So that’s how it is.”
Lu Qing and his companions suddenly understood.
“Actually, there’s another saying about the Heavenly Ladder.”
Lin Zhirui’s interest was piqued, and he continued.
“What saying?”
“It is said that the first hundred levels of the Heavenly Ladder actually correspond to a martial artist’s Postnatal Realm cultivation.
To reach the hundredth level, one must possess the cultivation of a Martial Arts Grandmaster, which is perfection in the Internal Organ Realm.
To go further, one must refine the Divine Soul Power to withstand the pressure.
There is a saying that, for Postnatal Realm Martial Artists, crossing the hundredth level and continuing to climb,
Each step represents their own potential.
The higher one climbs, the greater their inherent potential is demonstrated.
In the future, when they step into the Innate Realm, the greater their achievements will be.”
“It’s no wonder Bai Shaohua and the others are visibly struggling so much, yet they continue to persevere,” Ma Gu remarked with admiration.
It turned out that while they were chatting, Bai Bufan and his group had climbed more than ten levels.
But at this point, they began to show obvious signs of difficulty.
They could no longer jump up continuously like before; instead, they had to rest and gather their strength before jumping to the next level.
“Some people are falling behind.”
Lu Qing noticed that one person was taking longer to rest and had already fallen two levels behind the others.
Lin Zhirui glanced over, “That’s Qin Yunting from the Xuanxin Sect, a True Disciple. His martial arts style prioritizes agility, which indeed puts him at some disadvantage when climbing the Heavenly Ladder.”
Hearing it was a disciple from the Xuanxin Sect, Lu Qing and the others couldn’t help but glance at Hu Zezhi.
Because originally, her purpose for leaving Azure Dragon City was to attend the Xuanxin Sect’s disciple recruitment ceremony.
Hu Zezhi also felt a bit conflicted.
Although she had no relation to Qin Yunting, seeing that a True Disciple from the sect she once yearned for was now lagging behind, she still felt a bit off.
“Mr. Zhi Rui, have you ever climbed the Heavenly Ladder before?”
At that moment, Wei Zian curiously asked.
“Of course, I have,” Lin Zhirui said with a smile, “I grew up in the Holy City since my youth, and climbing the Heavenly Ladder is actually a common contest among the martial artists here. Naturally, I did not shy away from tradition.”
“How high have you climbed?”
Now, even Lu Qing and his companions were curious.
“It’s rather embarrassing to speak of, but before I broke through to the Innate Realm, my highest was only the one hundred and seventy-first level.”
“One hundred and seventy-one, that’s already very high!” Wei Zian exclaimed.
He looked at Bai Bufan and his group on the ladder, who were currently at around the one hundred thirtieth or fortieth level, and already seemed unable to jump any higher.
They needed to rest for a long time before they could barely climb to the next level.
It’s no wonder that, among the Ten Prodigies, Mr. Zhi Rui entered the Innate Realm so much earlier than those few on the ladder.
The difference in their potential is indeed quite substantial.