Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation

Dan Kaiquan sneered, "It’s just climbing a mountain, what do we need climbing sticks for?"

Guo Kunnan also refused.

Beside them, a male college student dressed in sports clothes advised, "It’s best to buy a climbing stick. Many people talk big but can’t handle the climb and get too tired."

Dan Kaiquan remained unimpressed, "I am a sports student."

Although he wasn’t a sports student, his performance at the sports meet was no less than that of a regular sports student. Just a small Taishan, what was it really?

The college student remained silent.

Jiang Yanan and the others took the advice to heart and agreed to buy climbing sticks. It was possible to haggle at these stalls, and Tang Fu decided to make a move.

Yang Sheng pulled her along and personally handled the transaction.

Finally, they bought 8 climbing sticks for 15 yuan, averaging less than 2 yuan each.

Except for Dan Kaiquan and Guo Kunnan, everyone had one in hand.

In addition to that, they also bought flashlights, five yuan each.

After preparing thoroughly,

the group went through the Red Gate Passenger Center and entered Taishan, officially starting their night climb.

Xue Yuantong looked around at the crowd. She glanced occasionally at Jiang Ning beside her, afraid that with so many people, she might lose him.

Xue Yuantong wore simple sports clothes; Jiang Ning took out a "Godspeed Talisman," made it invisible, plastered it on Xue Yuantong’s waist, and activated it.

This was not an ordinary Godspeed Talisman; it was specifically modified by Jiang Ning to slowly take effect, making it hard for the user to notice.

Dan Kaiquan climbed the steps, still having the leisure to look around at the lively shops—selling jade, water, ice cream, fruit—feeling as if he was not climbing a mountain but strolling on a stone street.

"Jiang Ning, what’s packed in your bag?" Dan Kaiquan wondered, holding only a bag with two bottles of water.

"Water and some food," Jiang Ning replied.

Dan Kaiquan felt he was a bit foolish now, carrying so much, too cumbersome, unlike his effortless style.

The group continued on their way. It was night, and the mountain stairs were dark; nothing much of the scenery could be seen, only occasionally revealed by the light from some people’s flashlights.

Climbers were too numerous; the path was crowded the whole way, making it impossible to speed up.

Dan Kaiquan asked, "Class leader, when we reach the summit, will there still be so many people?"

Huang Zhongfei said there would be even more.

Dan Kaiquan was somewhat dumbfounded.

They followed the flow of people up the mountain. Yu Wen had average physical strength; after walking for about fifteen minutes, she started feeling tired.

But since the class leader kept moving ahead, Yu Wen gritted her teeth and continued.

As they approached the next station, a burst of noise came from ahead, with someone shouting, "We’re here, we’re here."

Yu Wen breathed a sigh of relief, excitedly asking, "Are we at the summit?"

Dong Qingfeng, who had done his research ahead of time, answered, "Ahead is the Red Gate ticket checkpoint, the starting point of the climb."

Yu Wen was resigned.

After checking tickets, the crowd was as dense as ever, making the space cramped. Jiang Ning used his Spiritual Power to keep people farther from him.

As time passed, initially no one felt tired, but after half an hour, an hour, an hour and a half,

many who climbed to this point were sweating profusely, their clothes soaked, legs and feet weakening. frёewebηovel.cѳm

Yang Sheng looked at Xue Yuantong, who was still lively as a rabbit and even had the energy to talk with Jiang Ning, and wondered, isn’t she tired at all?

Even Yang Sheng, who had decent physical fitness, started feeling tired, and his companion, the long-legged Tang Fu, also lost her previous rhythm.

Dan Kaiquan looked up at the crowd ahead and intentionally said loudly, "Damn, too many people, blocking my way forward; otherwise, I’d be at the summit by now."

Guo Kunnan was staring at a beautiful figure ahead, although climbing was tiring, he realized, he made the right choice!

This path had so many pretty girls, mostly very young; during the summer break, students made up a large part.

"Really, Brother Quan, climbing this mountain is too easy!" After Guo Kunnan finished speaking, he spotted a gap, gathered his breath, and charged up seven or eight stairs.

He stood high, looking down at the beautiful girls below, ’So pretty!’

Yu Wen and Jiang Yanan supported each other as they moved forward; their legs were too heavy. Yu Wen wished she could descend now, but it wasn’t feasible; having climbed this far, how could she give up all her previous efforts!

She wanted to watch the romantic sunrise at the summit with the class leader.

Along the way of the night climb on Taishan, every so often, there were numerous shops and lights, allowing everyone some rest.

"Hutian Pavilion is just ahead," a voice sounded from among the crowd.

Huang Zhongfei said, "Hutian Pavilion is at an elevation of 700 meters, only 50 meters away from Middle Heaven Gate."

Dan Kaiquan took a gulp of water. His two water bottles were already empty, his mouth very dry, and he decided to replenish his water at Middle Heaven Gate.

Those 50 meters were incredibly difficult for everyone to traverse. Although it was only 50 meters, it seemed excruciatingly far, and during that time, Guo Kunnan ran out of water.

As the symbol of Middle Heaven Gate appeared, a cheer erupted from the crowd:

"Middle Heaven Gate, here we are, Middle Heaven Gate!"

Dan Kaiquan remained cocky: "That’s it, that’s it? Are you saying we’re only halfway?"

Middle Heaven Gate drew a large crowd; it was a sea of heads, truly a spectacular sight.

Dan Kaiquan, phone in hand, snapped a picture of Middle Heaven Gate and posted it in the class group: "Reached Middle Heaven Gate in two hours, easy peasy."

He no longer paid attention to the ripple of excitement, ready to buy water with Brother Nan, only to find that Brother Nan had disappeared.

Dan Kaiquan went to a nearby shop, teary-eyed, and spent five yuan on a bottle of Farmer’s Spring water.

He wanted to buy a Pulse, but it was ten yuan and he couldn’t afford it.

Yu Wen’s legs were feeling weak and she looked for a place to rest, whereas Xue Yuantong roamed around with eager excitement.

Yang Sheng had a strange look as she observed Xue Yuantong, who hadn’t sweated a drop.

She wondered if she was dreaming.

After resting on the spot for fifteen minutes, everyone decided to wait five more minutes before setting off again.

Xue Yuantong and Jiang Ning took a stroll and came back bouncing and springing. Xue Yuantong held a plastic box, using a plastic fork to eat grapes, obviously savoring the pleasure and enjoyment.

Jiang Yanan and Yu Wen, seeing her like that, almost popped their eyes out in disbelief, "Aren’t you tired?"

Xue Yuantong was equally surprised, her mouth agape:

"Are you guys really that tired?"

Dong Qingfeng couldn’t help but retort: "Isn’t that obvious?"

His physical fitness was on par with an average high school student; the earlier part of the climb was reasonable, leisurely ascending as if strolling on a wide avenue, not even needing the hiking stick.

But after Hutian Pavilion, each step was excruciatingly painful.

Xue Yuantong leaned against a rock, eating grapes, making several others yearn for some. Dong Qingfeng asked, "Where did you buy these, and how much?"

Jiang Ning answered, "I picked them up from the hotel, carried them up along the way."

Dong Qingfeng looked at Jiang Ning’s bulging backpack and genuinely admired, "Seriously impressive, bringing fruit all the way up!"

Jiang Ning grinned, "Not just fruits."

Xue Yuantong shared some grapes with everyone. There were too many people, everyone only tasted a few.

Seeing that Yang Sheng, Tang Fu, and Jiang Yanan loved the grapes, Dong Qingfeng stood up and went to a distant fruit stand. He handed over a fifty yuan bill, and the owner tearfully earned forty-five yuan.

Dong Qingfeng bought two small boxes of fruit, sharing them with everyone.

After they finished eating, the group set off again.

Just as Yu Wen stood up, a mountain breeze blew, chilling her soaked clothes through, sending shivers down her spine, as if she was in the cold winds of winter.

Huang Zhongfei looked around and asked, "Where are Dan Kaiquan and Guo Kunnan?"

Yang Sheng said, "Dan Kaiquan said that Guo Kunnan is lost; he went ahead to look for him, saying he’ll wait for us there."

"Alright, let’s get moving."

After a total rest of twenty minutes, it was now close to one in the morning. They hadn’t gone far before fatigue overwhelmed them once more. Yu Wen despaired, looking toward the distant Mount Taishan, cursing everyone and everything in her mind.

Passing through the dimly lit, bustling Middle Heaven Gate and climbing up some steps, Yu Wen, both hands on her hiking poles, struggled immensely upward.

Suddenly, a small figure dashed up like a rabbit, as if riding the wind.

Yu Wen looked up and recognized it was Xue Yuantong.

’No, this isn’t right!’

’How can her stamina be so extraordinary?’

Yu Wen couldn’t figure it out and felt even more exhausted...