Chapter 860: The Heart is Strong, the Dao is Unyielding! (2/2)

Every time, he would die wracked with pain, and would wake up confused. It is a simple thing to describe, but it was nothing short of torture. The number of cultivators left behind continued to shrink.

The sound of the words ‘I give up’ that echoed around was like the voice of that inner Devil. It actually caused even more of the remaining cultivators to eventually decide to quit.

Time passed by. Fewer and fewer cultivators remained behind. Soon there were only a few hundred. After three days, there were only a hundred. After another three days, there were only nine.

Of those nine, there were three who were enduring, but had ceased to fight back. It was a somewhat fraudulent method, and although it initially seemed as if it would lessen their torment, in the end, it actually made things even more painful.

The other six included Meng Hao. Every time he awoke, he would begin to fight.

He had no idea how many times he had died. His eyes were bloodshot, and everywhere he looked, he saw blood. Another three days passed, and the three people who had been passively allowing themselves to be killed, finally couldn’t take it any more and gave up.

Of the five people other than Meng Hao who had continued to fight, four quit.

There were now only two people left. One was Meng Hao, the other was… Chen Fan!

Chen Fan fought. Every time he regained his senses, he fought viciously, almost as if he hoped to achieve some special state amidst all the carnage.

Out in the Ninth Mountain and Sea, everyone was shocked. In the starry sky palace, the Patriarchs were watching with baited breath, closely observing Chen Fan.

Chen Fan had had his outstanding moments in the previous stages, but had not attracted much attention when creating his divine ability. Now, in these last two stages, he was suddenly rising to prominence.

“With such a heart and such a Dao, this young man has incredible good fortune!”

“He could give up at any time, but has endured all the way to this point! He’s already died 70,000 times!!”

“He’ll most likely be able to hold on for a while longer. In this stage, the most difficult point is when there is only one person left. At that point, first place is secured, which leads to a softening of the heart, making it difficult to continue on. Even Sir Fan, when he reached that point, didn’t last for more than a thousand deaths before giving up.

A day later, Chen Fan began to tremble, and finally chose to quit. He had endured for more than 70,000 deaths, which was second only to Sir Fan’s performance all those years ago. He was now quite the center of attention, and there were several sects who were preparing to try to recruit him.

At this point in the shocking trial by fire, everyone was looking at the final remaining participant… Meng Hao.

“He took first place in the first two stages, outshone the first place winner in the middle three stages, and then in the following three stages, took first place yet again. Now in the final two stages… he actually… took first place again!”

“He’s definitely going to rise to complete prominence! Nobody can get in his way. As long as he doesn’t get killed, then he’s going to be thoroughly famous in all the Ninth Mountain and Sea!”

“It’s like we’re looking at a future Paragon….” All of the cultivators who were watching the trial by fire out in the Ninth Mountain and Sea could now feel their minds spinning.

By now, especially after seeing the final two stages, they all had to admit that if they were in Meng Hao’s place, they would not be able to do what he was doing.

Meng Hao was still hanging on. He knew that he was the only person left, and yet he didn’t give up. A vicious, ruthless smile appeared on his face, and each time he regained consciousness, he would wade into battle with the countless beasts. It was in the middle of this carnage that he tempered his heart and his Dao.

“My Dao is the endless path of life, freedom and independence! Now, I am restrained by these chains, which is the furthest thing from freedom!

“My heart is unconstrained. If Heaven and Earth collapse, it will not be destroyed. If all living things become ancient, it will not wither. But now, it hesitates!

“My Dao is not free, but I desire freedom! My heart hesitates, but I wish to persist past the point of hesitation!

“This trial by fire is testing me, and I’m using it to polish my Dao. In this way, although I might seem to be restrained, in actuality they are nothing but chains. They can’t tie me up, they can only polish my Dao!

“As for my heart, if I wish it to be unhesitating, then I need to endure. Endure to the point… where I do not feel pain in this trial by fire, but instead, happiness!

“When I pass this stage, then I will be truly free, and my heart will be incredibly strong!” Eyes shining brightly, he launched an attack.

73,000. 76,000. 79,000….

80,000!

When Meng Hao died for the 80,000th time, the audiences in the outside world roared, and the patriarchs in the starry sky palace, despite being somewhat accustomed to how Meng Hao worked wonders, were still completely shaken.

“He exceeded Sir Fan!!”

“I just added it up, and that was the 80,000th death! That puts him in first place among everyone from ancient times until now!!”

“Fang Mu. Fang Mu! This name is definitely going to shock the Heavens!”

While the audience was in an uproar, Meng Hao continued to persevere. A smile could be seen on his face, and he actually seemed to be incredibly happy. It wasn’t happiness because of dying, or killing, but rather, a happiness because of his own Dao. His heart was now growing even more resolute.

To his heart and his Dao, death… was unworthy of being anything more than a grindstone.

A few days later, he died for the 90,000th time!

A few more days, and it was… 100,000!

That 100,000th death caused universal uproar. When Meng Hao opened his eyes afterward, wild colors flashed in the sky, and a wind screamed. The giant slowly dropped to one knee and raised the cudgel aloft. The countless beasts that had poured out of the rift all dropped to the ground.

It was as if they were prostrating themselves in worship!

The stage had been cleared!