Meanwhile, Garret stood on the 12th step, having just broken free from the illusion.
He wiped the sweat from his brow, muttering to himself, "That old daoist bastard, telling me to break a stone as big as Mount Tai. He said I couldn't leave until I did it. It took me 25 whole years to break it into two! No wonder it felt like forever. And yet, only a few minutes have passed in the outside world."
Garret shook his head in disbelief, glancing over at Flippy, who was effortlessly hopping up the steps. "But how come Flippy did it as easily as flipping a pancake? Seriously, what am I doing wrong?"
He sat down on the step, catching his breath. "Twenty-five years of my life, gone in an illusion. I could've been married, had kids, and maybe even grandkids by now! But no, I spent it all breaking a stone. What a waste."
Garret laughed to himself, a bit hysterically. "I mean, who does that? Who spends their time breaking rocks in an illusion? And Flippy! That little rascal probably just skipped through it all, like it was nothing."
He sighed deeply, stretching his arms. "I should've known better. Old men with long beards and cryptic advice are always trouble. 'Break the stone,' he said. 'It will free your mind,' he said. Well, my mind is plenty free now, thank you very much."
Garret looked around, making sure no one was watching him talk to himself. "And the worst part is, I was so proud when I finally broke that stone. I was like, 'Yes! I did it!' But then I come out of the illusion, and it's like, 'Oh, it was just an illusion. None of it was real.' Great. Just great."
He leaned back, propping himself up on his elbows. "What am I supposed to tell Alice and Ruchir? 'Hey, guys, I just spent a quarter of a century breaking a rock in my mind. How about you?' Yeah, that'll go over well."
Garret chuckled, imagining their reactions. "Alice would probably roll her eyes and say something snarky. Ruchir would give me that sympathetic, yet slightly amused look he does. And Flippy... well, Flippy would just keep hopping along, not a care in the world."
He stood up, dusting himself off. "Alright, enough wallowing in self-pity. Time to keep climbing. If I can survive twenty-five years in an illusion, I can definitely handle these steps."
Garret took another step forward, entering the zone where gravity felt like it had multiplied tenfold. He staggered slightly, catching himself with a grunt. "What the hell is this?" he muttered, feeling the weight pressing down on him. Each step seemed to pull him closer to the ground, as if the mountain itself was trying to swallow him.
But then he noticed something peculiar. Despite the crushing pressure, his muscles felt invigorated, his skin tingling with energy. He realized that his Golden Body Technique was rapidly improving under the intense strain. The density of the gravitational field was forcing his body to adapt and grow stronger at an unprecedented rate.
A wide grin spread across Garret's face. "This is simply heaven!" he exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "The heavens have finally smiled upon me!"
Every step forward became a joyous challenge. Garret embraced the increasing weight, feeling his body harden and strengthen with each movement. The pain and effort were transformed into a powerful surge of cultivation. His Golden Body Technique, which had required endless hours of grueling training, was now advancing at a remarkable pace.
"Unbelievable," he thought, moving forward with renewed determination. "Getting the fruits of cultivation without the usual labor. Who would've thought?"
He took another step, feeling the gravity intensify even more. His legs trembled under the strain, but he pushed onward, fueled by the knowledge that this was a rare opportunity. The harder he worked, the more his technique improved. It was as if the mountain was a giant, benevolent teacher, pushing him to his limits and beyond.
Garret laughed, a deep, hearty sound that echoed off the rocky slopes. "Thank you, old man," he said, thinking back to the daoist who had tricked him into breaking the stone. "This is a much better test. I'll take this over breaking rocks any day!"
He continued climbing, each step a testament to his growing strength and resilience. The path ahead was steep and challenging, but Garret faced it with unwavering resolve. He knew that every ounce of effort he poured into this climb would pay off in spades.
As he ascended, Garret couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude. For all the tricks and trials the cultivation world threw at him, it also provided opportunities for growth and transformation. And this, he realized, was one of the greatest gifts he could receive.
With a final, determined push, Garret moved forward, ready to conquer the steps of gravity and reach new heights of power and mastery.
Below the mountain, the common people were engaged in bets and gossip, watching the contestants with great interest. They could only see the external view of the steps and judged the participants based on which step they were on.
"Look at that one on the fourth step," a middle-aged man exclaimed, pointing. "He's been stuck there for ages. I bet he won't make it to the fifth."
"I'll take that bet," his friend replied, slapping a bronze coin into his palm. "I'll say he gets to the fifth step, but no further."
A woman nearby chimed in, "Did you see that girl on the seventh step? She's barely breaking a sweat! She must be a real prodigy."
"Progeny of some powerful clan, no doubt," another man added, nodding sagely. "Probably trained since she could walk. These rich folks always have an edge."
A group of younger boys were watching Flippy with amazement. "Did you see that little guy? He's already on the eighth step!" one of them shouted. "He's like a monkey!"
"Yeah, but look at him now," another boy said, laughing. "He just slipped and almost fell. I bet he doesn't make it to ten."
Near a food stall, an older woman was frying tofu while keeping an eye on the climbers. "It's always the same," she said to her customer. "These young ones think they can just waltz up the mountain. They don't know the half of it."
The customer, a man with a big hat, replied, "I heard the principal himself designed these tests. He must be laughing his head off right now."
"Probably sipping tea and enjoying the show," the woman agreed, flipping a piece of tofu. "Can't blame him, though. This is the most excitement we've had in years."
As the crowd laughed and made bets, Garret's voice rang out loudly from the fifth step. "What's up with this step? It feels like I'm carrying a whole cart of stones!"
A man in the crowd shouted back, "Just your imagination, lad! Keep going, or you'll lose my money!"
Garret looked down, grinning. "You should've bet against me. I'm just getting started!"
Alice, not far from Garret, rolled her eyes and commented, "You always have to make a scene, don't you?"
An elderly woman nudged her friend, "Look at those two bickering. It's like they're out for a stroll instead of a serious test."
Her friend laughed, "It's good for us. More entertainment for the day."
Meanwhile, a small group was fixated on Ruchir, who had just reached the tenth step. "Look at him," a man said, awestruck. "He's barely showing any strain, even with that gravity increase."
Another man scoffed, "He's just putting on a brave face. Watch, he'll falter soon enough."
A young girl tugged on her mother's sleeve, pointing at Ruchir. "Mom, do you think he'll win?"
Her mother smiled gently, "It's not just about winning, dear. It's about enduring and learning. But he does look strong, doesn't he?"
The crowd continued to buzz with excitement and speculation as the climbers faced their challenges. Each step they took was met with cheers, jeers, and endless commentary from the spectators below.
Garret, still feeling the effects of the increasing gravity, couldn't resist happily shouting down, "Hey, anyone got a spare weight?"
The crowd erupted in laughter, and one man yelled back, "Keep dreaming, lad!!"
Alice, pushing past the tenth step herself, shook her head in amusement. "Garret, focus! We're not here to entertain them."
Garret winked at the crowd, "Speak for yourself, Alice. A little humor never hurt anyone!"
The banter, bets, and laughter continued to fill the air, creating a lively and spirited atmosphere at the base of the mountain. The common people, judging solely by what they could see, were thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.