904!
The moment Su Ming landed on the 904th step, all the hearts of the people gathered in the field jolted at the same time.
A complicated look settled on Jing Nan’s face. He looked at Mo Su’s name on the eagle statue silently. By his side, Mo Sang also kept quiet.
At a further corner, Ye Wang’s heart was pounding. He wanted to continue sitting, but his body had instinctively stood up as he stared intently at Mo Su’s name on the eagle statue. He did not spare his attention to anything else.
In fact, no one had paid attention to him when he stood up. At that moment, everyone’s gazes were on the eagle statues and Mo Su’s name.
Anxiety, restraint, and silence formed a strange sort of force that covered the entire field like a layer of pressure that turned the place into what could only be called the true quiet!
They were waiting for Su Ming to move one more step until he reached the 905th step…
Yet even after a long while, the number behind Mo Su did not change. However, all the people continued waiting. No one spoke, neither did anyone discuss among themselves. Even the sounds of their breathing had weakened…
After a while, the number behind Mo Su suddenly changed. The number turned from 904 to 905!
The moment the change happened, the entire field erupted in an explosion of sound that shook the surroundings.
"905! He tied with Ye Wang!"
"Mo Su! Mo Su! Mo Su!"
Ye Wang was pale. It was as if there was a great force that knocked into him, causing him to stagger backwards two steps. His eyes gradually became blank, and there was a wan smile on his lips.
At the same time, the moment Su Ming arrived at the 905th step, his face also turned into a similar shade of white as Ye Wang’s. He wanted to take another step forward, but he did not have the strength to do so.
He turned around and looked at the mist covered summit. Su Ming panted harshly, but his eyes were bright. He may not have arrived at the top of the mountain, but at that moment, there was no doubt that he stood at the top. Gradually, Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the sky, which seemed to be within reach, and raised his right hand slowly.
He could not touch it. Yet as he closed his eyes, he had the impression that he had closed the distance between himself and the sky.
"Among all those living on the land, who will be able to see the end of the horizon..?" Su Ming mumbled. He opened his eyes and no longer looked at the sky. Instead, he cast his gaze into the distance towards the horizon, the point that seemed like the end of the sky.
He saw the land in the distance through the mist. There was only an indistinct vast mass of ground beyond. He did not know what that place was. He did not even know whether there was another tribe there…
That place was so, so far away…
After a long while, the smile on Su Ming’s face became wider. He seemed to have forgotten his fatigue as he took in a deep breath of the refreshing air in the mountain.
‘I don’t know whether I can reach Awakening Realm… I don’t know whether I can fly in the sky with my own strength like a bird… but now, I’m standing here. I can fly here…’
There was wind blowing at the moment, lifting up Su Ming’s long hair and blowing away the sweat on his body. Su Ming brought out the plate and threw it down towards the foot of the mountain.
The plate quickly fell and turned into a gust of black mist, rushing towards Su Ming as if it was going to surround him and bring him away from the mountain!
The moment the black mist arrived, Su Ming jumped towards the vast land before him!
It was a crazy move. Su Ming’s body was entirely suspended in air like he was standing in midair. It was as if he was flying in the sky with his own power!
Flying may not seem hard, but in truth, it was a right only reserved for the Berserkers who had reached the Awakening Realm. Those who had not Awakened could not hope to do so!
Su Ming wanted to become stronger. He longed to Awaken, he yearned to fly in the sky, even if… this sort of flying was only for a short moment. Yet as long as he did it without any help, and did it entirely on his own, then it was fine!
The moment he jumped and his feet left the top of the mountain, Su Ming stood in midair. The wind bellowed as it came from an unknown direction and made his hair even messier, as if the heavens themselves were angered!
The moment he jumped, there was the sound of roaring waves in Su Ming’s head. Yet it was not chaotic but clear, as if time became much slower. Su Ming could clearly feel that he was flying. He saw the sky, the earth. He saw the incredibly tall Wind Stream Mountain. He saw the mythical creature from the Fire Berserker Tribe on the summit. The beast seemed to be looking at him…
Besides all these, Su Ming also saw the field on the land that was sealed outside the mountain. He saw all the people gathered on the field… When the black mist came forth and enveloped his body, it turned into a long black misted arc that sped out of the mountain at an extremely fast pace. When the space in the air twisted, it rushed out of the sealed Wind Stream Mountain!
When Mo Su’s name turned gray on the nine eagle statues on the field and the space in the air twisted, a gust of black mist whistled by and landed on the center of the field.
At that moment, all the gazes from the people in the field gathered towards the spot. Wu Sen had already stood up a long time ago and stared at the black mist that appeared. He watched as the black mist scattered away and revealed the faint outline of a person within it.
Chen Chong was also staring intently at the shape of the person as he gradually became clearer in the mist. He wanted to know just who Mo Su was!
Bi Su was doing the same thing. The killing intent in his eyes was incredibly thick. He did not even bother trying to hide it. He clenched his fists as he stared at the figure in the mist.
They were not the only ones doing so. At that moment, everyone in the field was doing the same thing. The hundreds of people from different tribes, who had been paying attention to the event for the past two days, were filled with respect as they all looked at the person who was slowly walking out from the mist.
Besides the bystanders, the ones who paid even more attention towards Mo Su were the people who took part in the first test together with Mo Su. No matter what rank they obtained, they were all holding their breaths while looking at him.
The old woman from Dark Dragon Tribe was watching the figure of the person in the mist with bright eyes. She wanted to know how that person looked like and which tribe he belonged to.
Si Kong also looked over anxiously.
Bai Ling was affected by the serious atmosphere brought by Mo Su’s return and could not help herself but to look over.
Bei Ling, Wu La, Lei Chen, the Head of the Guards, Shan Hen, and the other people from the other tribes were also staring at the rapidly dissipating mist.
Ye Wang took in a deep breath, which seemed to somewhat quell the complicated feelings in his heart. He stared at the person who walked out of the mist.
All the people’s eyes were focused upon one person!
As the mist scattered away and Su Ming walked out, a countless number of gazes were trained on him. When the mist was completely gone and his face was clearly revealed to all the eyes in the field, the entire field fell into dead silence.
He had a normal face and wore a normal shirt made of beast skin. He did not have Wu Sen’s sullen attitude, Chen Chong’s charisma, which allowed him to be surrounded and revered by people, nor did he have Bi Su’s mysteriousness, and he most certainly did not have Ye Wang’s prideful aloofness.
If he stood in a crowd, it would be difficult for anyone to take note of him. That was how normal he was. Yet now, everyone knew that this person might have been normal before the test, but after the test, he was a definitely extraordinary presence. He was just like the sun, and he shocked the world even though he was previously unassuming!
When Chen Chong saw Su Ming, he was stunned. He did not think he would be such a normal looking person. He looked so normal it was difficult for anyone to remember him, but somewhere on his mind, he had a vague recollection that this person had been among the crowd of people who surrounded him before the test… Yet at that time, he hadn’t cared about that person. Chen Chong had completely ignored him.
Bi Su also saw Su Ming. He remembered nothing about him. Even if he had seen Su Ming before, he had immediately ignored him. Thus, upon seeing him, he was also stunned.
When Wu Sen’s gaze fell upon Su Ming, his pupils shrank. His instincts were screaming at him that there was a high chance that this was the person who had stolen his Blood of Corpses… but… Wu Sen’s face became bitter. He did not dare ask for it… This Mo Su was just as prodigious as Ye Wang. From now on, his name would travel to all parts of the region!
Praise gradually appeared in the eyes of the old woman from Dark Dragon Tribe when she saw the average looking Su Ming. The first impression was very important to decide whether a person would like or hate another. It was just like how she had looked down on Su Ming, and now approved of Mo Su.
It was a wonder what would be her level of shock and conflict in her heart when she learned that both people were actually one and the same.
Si Kong’s heart pounded against his chest. There was admiration in his eyes. He admired the strong, and it was especially so for this person before him. He was at the same level as Ye Wang!
Bai Ling stared at Mo Su with a dumbfounded expression. She was shaking slightly. She saw Mo Su’s eyes. Those eyes were somehow familiar to her… But she did not know that those pair of eyes had appeared just two days ago and were looking at her.
Bei Ling, Wu La, Lei Chen, and all the other people from Dark Mountain Tribe looked at Su Ming as he walked over one step at a time. The entire area was still silent. At that moment, Su Ming’s heart pounded hard against his chest. He might have seemed calm on the outside, but he was extremely nervous. He had never been the center of attention of so many people before. After all, he was still just a child.
As Su Ming moved forward, the crowd started opening a path for him. It was as if there was a piercing glow that could burn other people on the average-looking Su Ming, causing them to have no choice but to retreat.
He might not have Wu Sen’s sullenness, but his face, normal as it seemed, brought in people the feeling of serenity and terror akin to the calm before a storm. He might not have Chen Chong’s charisma that allowed him to be surrounded by other people like the moon with the stars, but on his average body, it seemed as if there was a resolution that could knock aside all the stars and the moon. He did not need to be surrounded by people.
He might not have Ye Wang’s prideful aloofness, but he had earned the right for even Ye Wang, prideful as he may be, to have to look at him.
"It… It’s him…" There was a man among the crowd who retreated to open up a path with an awestruck face. He was the one who had pulled Su Ming along to find Chen Chong. He hadn’t expected that the person he had dragged with him was Mo Su.
Standing further in the distance was an old man with a sharp mouth and cheeks of a monkey. He also widened his eyes. He might have had some guesses earlier, but when he saw it with his own eyes, he was still in a state of disbelief.
Before the first stage of the test, there were three people who were the center of attention in the field – Chen Chong, Bai Ling, and Ye Wang! These three people were like centers of attention that attracted a lot of gazes upon themselves.
Yet now, there was only one center of attention in the field!
"Mo Su!" As Su Ming was walking forward, a voice travelled out from within the silent crowd. That voice belonged to Ye Wang.
Su Ming stopped. He turned around and looked at Ye Wang standing not far into the distance. This was the first time they had contact - equal contact. It was completely different from the first time Su Ming had looked at him from among the crowd!
"Mo Su, let’s compete again during the second stage!" Ye Wang spoke slowly. There was persistence on his face. Even if the match ended with a tie, and they were both placed first, his pride did not allow him to accept that result. He wanted to compete again, even if it was for the second time, or the third!
"I won’t enter the second stage of the test…" Su Ming fell silent for a while before he spoke calmly. He respected Ye Wang as his opponent. Once he finished speaking, Su Ming turned away and his gaze fell upon Mo Sang sitting in the distance. He saw a smile on the elder’s face and saw within his eyes the message that told him not to reveal his identity.
Su Ming turned away. This time, he looked at Dark Dragon Tribe and at Bai Ling, who was standing beside the old woman!
He smiled faintly and walked towards Bai Ling with the anxiety stemmed from being the center of attention ever since he came back.
"Care to walk in circles with me tomorrow night..?" When Su Ming walked towards her, he ignored the dumbstruck old woman and the excited Si Kong, and looked into Bai Ling’s eyes, winking as he whispered to her.
Bai Ling was stunned. She did not know what to say, but the moment she heard the three words ‘walk in circles’, saw Su Ming wink at her, and remembered those familiar eyes, she trembled slightly, a soft blush coloring her cheeks.
She nodded her head.