Qin Zi raised his head and looked at the pillar, then turned to Meng Xuanji and said, "You go up first."
"Me?" Meng Xuanji was stunned for a moment, then smiled and shook his head. "This spot was prepared for you, Heaven Master. How could I go up?"
"Why not?" Qin Zi asked calmly.
Meng Xuanji's face showed a trace of hesitation, but soon he smiled, puffed out his chest, and with a squinting grin said, "Since it's your command, how could I dare to refuse?"
At that moment, an invisible aura seemed to radiate from his body. His demeanor transformed, becoming as bold and fierce as a dragon emerging from the abyss.
"Heaven Master, watch closely!" With a strong push of his right foot, Meng Xuanji soared into the air like a great roc spreading its wings, ascending swiftly.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
It was as if he broke through several invisible barriers with ease, causing the sky to rumble and the wind to stir as he shot upward.
His momentum was unstoppable, as if piercing through clouds, carrying an aura that challenged the heavens!
Within a few breaths, Meng Xuanji reached the top of the pillar and stood there firmly. He waved his sleeves and looked down at Qin Zi below.
"Heaven Master, please!"
At this moment, his tone no longer held any respect. In fact, his eyes even held a hint of mockery, as if to say: Can you make it up here?
Qin Zi's expression cooled.
This man was finally revealing his true colors. However, Meng Xuanji's taunts were subtle—expressed only through his gaze, while his words and actions remained perfectly proper, leaving no obvious fault to be found. Such provocations were often like swallowing a bitter pill—one had no way to voice their frustration!
But Qin Zi wasn't the type to silently endure such slights.
He smiled slightly and said, "Not bad. Now, come down."
What?!
Meng Xuanji, who had been looking down triumphantly from above, froze slightly, momentarily dumbfounded. At this point, aren't you supposed to be struggling to climb up and prove yourself? What does telling me to come down even mean?
"I said, come down," Qin Zi repeated calmly.
"Yes." Meng Xuanji's face twitched a little, but he nodded and flew down from the top of the pillar.
"Heaven Master, please," he said, but there was an obvious sourness in his tone, as the little victory he had achieved was now wiped away.
Meng Xuanji had wanted to show Qin Zi that he couldn't ascend the pillar, forcing him to endure the embarrassment of watching from below.
But Qin Zi had countered, showing that no matter how strong Meng Xuanji was, he still had to listen and obey. When Qin Zi said to come down, Meng Xuanji had no choice but to comply!
"You can go up again now," Qin Zi said again.
"This..." Meng Xuanji's lips twitched uncontrollably. Is he playing games with me?
"Is there a problem?" Qin Zi asked with feigned innocence.
"No, none at all," Meng Xuanji gritted his teeth, suppressing his frustration, and once again shot up into the air to reach the top of the pillar.
This time, his ascent was slower. After all, the sky held a powerful pressure that drained his energy.
"Heaven Master, please!" he said through clenched teeth.
"Come down again," Qin Zi said with a smile.
"You!!!" Meng Xuanji exploded in anger. No matter how well-trained his temper, he could no longer hold it in. This was clearly just messing with him!
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he asked coldly, "Heaven Master, what exactly do you mean by making me go up and down like this? Is it to humiliate me? Have I in some way offended you?"
Now, he was taking the offensive.
Because if he didn't speak up, Qin Zi could continue making him go up and down, wasting his energy and embarrassing him further.
"Why would you say that, Holy Son? I merely found your agility impressive and wanted to observe it more closely," Qin Zi said with a smile.
Then he asked back, "Or do you feel that my request was too impolite, and thus, you're unwilling to comply?"
Meng Xuanji's face turned black as coal. He took a deep breath, gritting his teeth, and finally forced out, "...No, not at all!"
Qin Zi chuckled, "Good. Then continue. Go up and down ten more times, so I can observe clearly."
Ten more times!
Meng Xuanji nearly coughed up blood. But at this moment, he found himself with no way to refuse.
"Yes!!" he barked out, full of frustration, and then began the humiliating task of moving up and down the massive pillar repeatedly.
Since I chose this path, I'll finish it, even if I have to kneel!
As Qin Zi watched Meng Xuanji moving like a puppet, a cold smile crept across his face. I have no patience for hypocritical cowards like you!
Indeed, hypocrites.
There are people who outwardly show you respect and politeness, but whose eyes reveal nothing but disdain. You can't even accuse them because there's no tangible proof to their disrespect.
If you try to hold them accountable, they will accuse you of bullying them without cause.
Against such people, there's no reasoning, only payback—give them a taste of their own medicine!
Soon, after completing seven rounds of climbing up and down, Meng Xuanji was panting heavily, drenched in sweat.
Qin Zi silently marveled.
Meng Xuanji's strength was indeed remarkable. By Qin Zi's own estimate, even he wouldn't be able to withstand climbing up and down this many times.
This meant that Meng Xuanji's cultivation level was likely higher than his!
Qin Zi could accept this realization. After all, they had grown up in completely different environments. He had been raised in the lower realm, while Meng Xuanji had grown up within the Yin-Yang Sect, a supreme sect. The two weren't comparable in this regard.
Moreover, to be the Holy Son of the Yin-Yang Sect, Meng Xuanji had to be an exceptional genius, the likes of which were rarely seen.
However!
Qin Zi firmly believed that given enough time, he would surpass all the geniuses of the upper realms and rise to dominate the heavens!
"Boom!!"
After what seemed like an eternity, Meng Xuanji completed his tenth round. But this time, as he descended, utterly exhausted and burdened by the intense pressure from the sky, he crashed to the ground!
It was like the feeling of losing strength in your legs after heavy exercise, causing you to fall when descending stairs.
"Get up. There's no need for such formalities," Qin Zi said, standing over Meng Xuanji with a smile.
Meng Xuanji's face was dark as he struggled to his feet, panting, and muttered bitterly, "Heaven Master... please!"
This seemed to be his final act of defiance.
Because he believed that Qin Zi wouldn't be able to make it to the top. If Qin Zi fell during his attempt, all the humiliation Meng Xuanji had endured could be erased, replaced with a sharp contrast in their abilities!
But Qin Zi had no intention of giving him such satisfaction.
"No need. I'm fine here," Qin Zi said calmly, waving his hand dismissively.
"What?!" Meng Xuanji was flustered. If Qin Zi doesn't even attempt to climb, wouldn't all my suffering be for nothing?
He tried to persuade him: "Heaven Master, this seat was specially prepared by the Yin-Yang Sect to honor your esteemed status. If you do not sit there, it may be perceived that our sect has shown you disrespect."
He was attempting to morally bind Qin Zi—if you don't go up, it will make the Yin-Yang Sect look bad!
But Qin Zi remained unfazed, replying coolly, "So, what you're saying is, while I'm on your territory, I must do as the Yin-Yang Sect demands? Are you threatening me?"
Qin Zi immediately turned the tables!
He countered Meng Xuanji's moral high ground with accusations of intimidation, pitting one point of pressure against another, and easily gaining the upper hand.
Meng Xuanji's face turned ashen, and he finally admitted defeat with a dejected voice: "I meant no such thing, Heaven Master. Please do as you wish."
"Very well. In that case, I'll simply pick another spot," Qin Zi said nonchalantly, flying up to sit on a regular pillar.
He sat cross-legged and began observing the sun and moon phenomenon over the lake.
Whoosh!
The moment his gaze fell upon the sun and moon, a vast surge of Dao energy flooded toward him like a tidal wave!