Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

Ironclad Tie Ja was of the Warding Demon Race who excelled in defense, hence his title being "Ironclad". With that said, his body was thin but his iron- colored flesh was dense and tough. So much so that a sword could barely scratch his skin. Even then, with his body, Tie Ja was a swift fighter who used his fists. With the toughness of his body, he built up those fists to become hard enough to crush stone to smithereens. 

But for now, he could not use those fists of his here. 

What was before him and his group of men was a tall mountain, the one thing that everyone saw. 

"Whose there?! Come out right now!"

Tie Jia yelled out, looking around to see who had just come. A figure faded into view, one of the Glaive Protectors of Mu Bing, who began to walk towards one of the Three Kings. 

"Hmm, a Glaive Protector? What does the Mu Clan want, for them to have sent a Glaive Protector to me?" he asked. 

The Glaive Protector stopped several meters away from Tie Ja and his men, beginning to talk. 

"This is not from Mu Clan but the Princess. Tha Yao Clan's princess has returned to the secret realm for another attempt and has brought a human ally with her as well."

He then fished something out from his pocket and tossed it on the ground. 

"These are their portraits. Take this information as you will but the Princess wants to see them gone."

Immediately after speaking, the Glaive Protector turned around and vanished the same way he appeared. Tie Ja watched the Protector leave before picking up the portraits. He looked at it before looking to the direction where the Protector had left, spitting at the ground. 

"This damn clan, treating us like dirt just because they're one of the so-called "strongest". Just you wait when I get my hands on your princess. Let's see if you're willing to go against Kong Zhi."

He cursed in his mind before looking into the portraits giving to him. They were not perfect pictures but had enough detail for Tie Ja to identify those two if he saw them. 

"These two... the one in red must be the princess judging by the garb... The other... not a soldier it would seem. Interesting, this will be fun."

He had a vicious smile on his face as he crushed the portraits with his hand.

As for Ming Yue, their group took their time getting there. They did not rush and Ling Xue walked at a calm and relaxed pace. 

"In order to get that third key, we must climb the stairs and rach the peak of the mountain. When it first opened on its own, both clans fought fiercely to reach it, believing that the quickest would win. Unfortunately, those thoughts came to pass when one by one, those that failed were sent out of the realm with terrible injuries. I, myself have attempted it once, but after a ninety eight steps, I could not withstand the pressure and collapsed."

Ling Xue raised her hands, looking at them as she walked. 

"When I reawakened, I was back in the Yao Clan with several broken bones and crushed organs. I had only just recovered days ago. At that point, I went out to hunt one of the beasts and make sure that I was fully restored. I don't know how the Mu Clan found out but they ambushed me on my way back. Now here I am, back for my third attempt."

Ming Yue raised her eyebrow.

"Third attempt?" she asked. 

"Yes, my first time was when I returned here with the ancestor. I was only able to climb fifty steps before failing but that was among the highest. The second time, I reached ninety eight, which was a new record for clan. This is the third time. Out of the one thousand steps, I at least want to break one hundred. Besides you are also here, the you from Maple Root City is nothing compared to you right now. Perhaps you might be able to break a hundred steps", Ling Xue explained. 

"Then what exactly is the test like?"

Ming Yue wanted to know. After all, Ling Xue was not a weak person, to Ming Yue she was a good opponent. For her to barely reach a tenth of the way said something about this trial. 

"The test?" said Ling Xue, "It is a test of talent and potential but that is all everyone knew of it. With each step you would find yourself under a greater weight than before."

"A test of talent and potential?"

"Yes, sometimes the weakest of men could climb more stairs than the strongest, so it had to be something other than strength. That was what both clans surmised. But we should be careful when we get there. It is not as if those taking the trial would allow others to enter especially me, one of the people that had climbed the highest. You may think that trying again might be seen as a waste but it is not as if potential and talent cannot be changed."

"I see."

"We have to be on our highest guard."

Ming Yue nodded, following Ling Xue through the grand and vast plains. There was little in the way of looking and the glaring light of the red moon illuminated everything. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin looked around warily, scouting the area. 

Soon enough, the group came closer to the mountain, the color of it was a deep red like that of blood. The stairs that ran up towards the peak were of the same color but there was a strange detail to it. 

The first hundred steps were a bit worn down while the first ten were in an even worse shape. But past that, the next nine hundred steps were clean, untouched even. It seemed that in the entire lifetime of this realm, no one has gone past one hundred steps. 

Standing all around those steps were numerous demons though it was mostly those of the Yao and the Mu Clan, separated into two sides. 

Among them was Tie Ja and his men as well as the three disciples of the Tao Feng. 

Despite the arrival of a new group, no one paid attention to them, all of them looked toward the step as a single figure walked up those deteriorated steps. 

His steps were slow and calm, walking at his own pace. 

At thirty steps, his pace slowed to that of a snail's with each step taking a full minute. By forty, it took five minutes to take another step. By fifty, he was at a full stop, unable to advance or retreat.

His right foot moved up but he stumbled and fell as his position suddenly glowed with bright red wisps, vanishing and sent out of the secret realm. 

"Fifty steps, not bad but... this is simply impossible, isn't it?" someone said. 

"Perhaps, but someone else will try and perhaps that next person will be you."

"Pft, you think? A new person comes to try do you think they won't try to stop it?"

With the stairs unoccupied, that meant someone else must step up but who would dare?

It was then that people noticed Ling Xue and the others.

"Princess? You're back."

Those of the Yao Clan recognized her and immediately recieved her with Ming Yue. The Mu Clan all had sour looks on their faces but the more experienced of them pad a bit of attention to the human by Ling Xue's side. 

"Yes, I've come with a guest to attempt this trial."

Ling Xue greeted her clansmen while introducing Ming Yue to them. 

"A guest? And a human at that? Is she from the Five Armies?" they asked, "Do you think she can do it?"

Everyone gave Ming Yue a bit of a doubtful look at this young girl. 

How well would she do against this seemingly impossible challenge?