Chapter 48: Scaling the Mountain

Looking up at the mountain, Damian estimated it was at least a kilometre or more in height and a few kilometres of uphill distance that he needed to cover.

"I was capable of surviving a leopard that was attempting to eat me. So, I can overcome even this without my energy and my Soul Spirit, because that is who I am" declared Damian in self-encouragement.

Without thinking too much about it, Damian began walking up the steep mountain that had a very rocky surface, carrying with him his belongings.

After an hour of climbing, while carrying the three coconuts and the rabbit's body that were weighing down on him.

Damian's body was drenched in sweat as he frantically panted for air.

"It seems that this mountain isn't as simple as it seems" mumbled Damian.

The higher he went the stronger the pressure was on him and the less air there was for him to breathe.

"What is this mountain" screamed Damian angrily.

The pressure wasn't like the one that Ivan emitted or like the one within the cultivation library, but was a pressure that he felt not only bore on his body, but also his mind, soul and spirit.

"So you want to test my will power, then I will show you will power" roared Damian as he continued pushing his body forwards that was at the point of collapse.

Damian had reached almost halfway up the mountain, although he had scaled such a large amount of the mountain, he had also used up most of the energy that he had and was struggling to go any higher.

Taking a brief break and eating the final 3 coconuts he had left, Damian felt slightly rejuvenated, and continued upwards.

Reaching halfway, Damian felt as though his body was on the verge of collapse as he resorted to using his spear to support his body like a walking stick and placed the rabbit inside his shirt to keep it with him while scaling the mountain.

Damian didn't want to get rid of the rabbit, that he could need to eat in the future, and kept it with him.

Just as he thought climbing the mountain wasn't hard enough, Damian came across two hungry beasts that glared at him hungrily.

Damian under such strong pressure and in the weakened state he was in, had no chance against the beasts, but seeing the hungry state they were in and thinking quickly, he withdrew, the dead rabbit that he was saving for a later date, and flaunted it to them.

"You want it, go and get it" he screamed as he flung it down the mountain with all the power he could muster.

The two beasts rushed after the dead rabbit, and Damian quickly continued to climb and get away from them.

[Luckily I kept the rabbit, otherwise, I would be dead right now] he thought to himself gratefully, as he continued to struggle up the mountain.

Supporting his body upwards with the spear, he continued pushing his body upwards as he felt the pressure bearing down on every part of his being.

"Damn it scroll, give me my cultivation method" he bellowed as he continued to barge onwards.

He felt his knees beginning to give way, but he forced his body to keep going as his will, to be the greatest and make his mother proud, overshadowed all the pain he was experiencing.

His veins began to bulge inhumanely all around his body from the pressure, on the verge of bursting, as he felt his soul and spirit shaking and wavering under the pressure, on the verge of shattering.

"I won't give up" he declared as he scaled three-quarters of the way up.

The spirit of the scroll watching Damian was shocked by the extent he was willing to go to succeed and could see that he had an abnormal will he had, that bore the strength and drive of two painful lifetimes.

However, the spirit had no control over the test and presented him the test that the inheritance chose for him, taking into consideration everything about the person attempting to gain the inheritance of the scroll.

Damian's body, despite his strong will, could no longer bear the pressure as his knees gave way and he fell face-first onto the ground.

Despite that, Damian didn't give up and continued to crawl up the mountain despite the fatigue and pain his entire being was feeling.

Damian's body was begging Damian's will to allow it to shut down and couldn't bear the pressure, but he couldn't stop after how far he had reached and with everything he wanted to achieve.

Continuing to crawl up the mountain, Damian's body began to vomit blood as the pressure was too powerful to bear and blood began leaking from all his orifices.

Ignoring the blood and the pain his body was experiencing, Damian continued to painfully crawl up the mountain.

He could see there were only around 100 metres left for him to reach the peak, that was flat land, but the scarcity of the air and the pressure of the mountain was becoming too much for his body to handle.

Yet, Damian's determination and drive to be powerful and make sure his mother and those around him lived good lives, was still burning strong as every part of his being gave up apart from his will.

Everything that Damian experienced strengthened his resolve and his will, and despite his body losing consciousness under the pressure, his will still pushed his body forwards as Damian unconsciously continued to crawl towards the peak of the mountain.

"Even though his body and spirit have given up under the pressure, his will is still strong and is causing him to unconsciously continue to scale the mountain" observed the spirit, shocked by Damian.

Damian's unconscious body had reached a dire state that was on the verge of death, but it still pushed onwards, driven by his unextinguishable will.

Incredibly he had surpassed the physical, mental and spiritual limits of his body and after reaching the edge of the mountain and placing his palm on the top there was a sudden blindingly bright light that engulfed his body.