Unstoppable Martial Arts: Starting with brother's wife and young sister Chapter 972 504: This Woman Is Acting Strange! (Part 3)

"Thank you!"

Chen Xuan clasped her hand, and immediately the oppressive force blanketing his entire being lessened considerably.

"Not bad!"

"Hmm?"

Shi Lin's brow furrowed slightly, her gaze fixing on him with a touch of bewilderment.

"What's wrong?" Chen Xuan inquired.

"The pressure on you isn't as intense as I had anticipated." Her intention in holding his hand was to absorb some of the burden from him, yet she found the transferred pressure to be surprisingly minimal.

It was even less than what she herself was experiencing.

For someone of a lesser lineage, this was indeed peculiar!

"I'm not sure!"

Chen Xuan responded with a shake of his head, mirroring her confusion.

Yet, deep down, he harbored a strong suspicion about the underlying cause.

It was likely due to his hidden talent; the purity of the simulated crystal stone within him was exceptionally high, probably mimicking that of the Royal Family, and had even deceived the Holy Mountain itself. This would logically explain why the pressure he exerted was less than Shi Lin's.

Though Shi Lin retained a sliver of doubt, a glance upwards prompted her to set aside further questioning.

"Let's proceed!"

As her words echoed, the crystal stone adorning her chest pulsed with a brighter luminescence, drawing Chen Xuan along as they continued their ascent.

Three hours elapsed!

Zhang Qiu finally reached this same vantage point.

However, his complexion was ashen, his entire demeanor appeared significantly aged, and a stark white streak now adorned half of his hair.

"Brother Qiu, you cannot continue like this! Employing the Blood Burning Stone again might prove fatal!"

The woman's voice trembled with anxiety and tears.

She sensed that Zhang Qiu had already lost over half his blood volume; any further exertion could render him unable to endure.

"Forty thousand meters!"

Zhang Qiu uttered weakly. It was a height that even the most esteemed members of the Royal Family might struggle to attain, wasn't it?

This achievement alone was cause for pride, but... it still felt insufficient!

"Press on!"

Zhang Qiu gritted his teeth, convinced he had not yet reached his absolute limit!

"What?"

The woman cried out, her tears flowing uncontrollably. "Brother Qiu, that is enough! You've already surpassed those of the Royal Family; do not push yourself any further!"

With that, she clutched his arm tightly, desperately trying to dissuade him from further self-endangerment!

"Are you going or not?"

Zhang Qiu's voice boomed, laced with anger. Despite his frailty, his eyes burned with an unyielding resolve.

He resembled a ferocious, enraged demonic beast.

Fear instantly caused the woman to release her grip. "Yes, yes, Brother Qiu! I will go with you!"

"Even if I forfeit this opportunity, I am willing!"

The woman understood the depth of his determination. She ceased her efforts to restrain him; her sole recourse now was to accompany him in his perilous endeavor.

"Thank you."

Zhang Qiu's tone softened, his gaze meeting hers with profound gentleness.

Her willingness to accompany him was the only thing she could offer, while Zhang Qiu bore the immense weight of three prominent surnames as he forged ahead!

A full day later.

Chen Xuan and Shi Lin had ascended to the fifty-thousand-meter mark on the Holy Mountain.

In the span of a day, they had only gained ten thousand meters, an indication that even Shi Lin held little optimism regarding the current oppressive forces.

At this juncture, Shi Lin exhibited signs of fatigue, and the pressure bearing down on her had intensified manifold, especially considering she was still shouldering half of Chen Xuan's burden.

Yet, her eyes remained steadfastly fixed on the summit of the Holy Mountain, the ultimate objective of her ascent.

As for Chen Xuan, a wave of admiration surged within his heart.

From the brief exchange they had shared earlier, he had learned that their current altitude placed them among the top twenty historic achievements recorded by the Stone Race.

As a female, enduring such immense pressure, and even alleviating his own load while progressing with such tenacity, was truly remarkable.

What was even more striking was her evident dissatisfaction with their progress.

"Are you alright?"

"Even if I am not, I must be!"

In response to Chen Xuan's query, Shi Lin declared with extraordinary resolve.

Here... she was not content!

Therefore, she would not halt her advance!

However... "Let's pause for a brief rest; I need to recuperate some strength!"

"Understood!"

Shi Lin retrieved several yellow stones and placed them against her chest. Instantly, these stones melded into her crystal stone.

Her formerly pallid complexion rapidly regained its healthy color.

"In this aspect, humans truly cannot compare to the Stone Race."

Witnessing this phenomenon, Chen Xuan felt a pang of envy.

A mere handful of stones sufficed for a complete and near-instantaneous recovery, whereas humans, even when consuming potent elixirs, required a slow and gradual refinement process, vastly inferior to the Stone Race's capabilities.

"Here you go."

Having regained her vitality, Shi Lin did not forget him and offered him a yellow stone. "This is our tribe's finest Celestial Spirit Stone. It naturally harmonizes with our tribe's crystal stone, enabling instant replenishment of the crystal stone's expended energy!"

Gazing at the Celestial Spirit Stone in his palm, Chen Xuan perceived a subtle warmth radiating from it, accompanied by a faint, pleasant aroma.

"Use it quickly."

Noticing his prolonged contemplation of the Celestial Spirit Stone, Shi Lin urged him onward.

"Use?"

"Use what, you silly goose!"

Chen Xuan found himself at a loss for words. He had only simulated the crystal stone; true absorption was beyond his current capabilities.

"I won't be using it for the time being."

He carefully placed the Celestial Spirit Stone within his robes, stating, "I'll set aside such a premium stone for later. Besides, you're shouldering the bulk of the strain, and I can still hold on."

Shi Lin's brow twitched slightly upon hearing this, but she offered no further comment.

Assuming he was merely being stingy, she continued to draw Chen Xuan towards the summit of the Holy Mountain.

Moreover, her pace was considerably swifter than before.

"Hmm?"

Chen Xuan was perplexed. He hadn't realized it initially, but Shi Lin appeared to have gained strength!

No, that wasn't quite right!

It was the increasing purity of the crystal stone, enabling it to withstand greater pressure, thus accounting for the enhanced speed.

"This Celestial Spirit Stone might serve purposes beyond mere recovery!"

A trickle of Spiritual Power gradually seeped into the Celestial Spirit Stone nestled against his chest. Shi Lin, her gaze fixed intently on the peak of the Holy Mountain, was entirely oblivious.

Naturally, with Chen Xuan's stealthy techniques, Shi Lin would be unable to detect it unless she maintained constant vigilance.

"This feels like..."

Within the Celestial Spirit Stone, Chen Xuan detected an energy that was remarkably similar to the white elixir he had encountered previously.

"Ah, so that's how it is!"