Eight Jumps to the Top
The nineteen observers were visibly disappointed.
“One, two and three,” counted Mu Yu, prior to jumping to his right.
“What the, thirteen steps in one jump?!” exclaimed Lu Deyi. “I never knew we had to jump down a step after jumping up.”
“How did he now it was a three count when Celestial Staircase lacks a concept of order?” Situ Yangtian blurted.
Mu Yu jumped back down to the fifth step and then immediately leapt to his left, making it to the twentieth step.
Nobody could’ve called it a “hack” as Formation Palace was Formation Sect’s foundation; it’d never have an error.
Using his experience, Lu Deyi calculated the next steps and said, “He could potentially reach the top in another eight jumps at this rate. What’s that, thirteen steps? Wait, thirteen steps?! That’d mean he’d beat almost all of our records.”
Greater Heaven Stage formation casters frequently used the staircase as a way to further their understanding of formations owing to its association with the eight trigrams. Zhuge Xiaosheng held the record for the fastest climb and shortest number of jumps – twelve jumps. Later on, he beat his record, climbing it in an hour and in eleven jumps, although nobody knew about that. Lu Deyi’s personal record was fifteen jumps in forty-five minutes.
“He has won my acknowledgement,” Zhuge Xiaosheng applauded as he stroked his beard. “It’s a pity that his aptitude for cultivation isn’t as impressive.”
“He will catch up. I’ll give him a hand with it. Anyway, we’re talking about thirteen steps. His grasp on formations has surpassed my own,” stressed Lu Deyi, thrilled.
“I wonder when I could complete it in thirteen steps.” Greater Heaven Caster Xia softly sighed.
Just when everyone expected Mu Yu jump up further, he jumped back down to the eleventh step.
“What are you doing?! Don’t tell me you’re quitting now!” Lu Deyi was dying to shout.
Mu Yu sat down for fifteen minutes, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats for fifteen minutes.
“We praised him too soon, right, Senior Brother Lu Deyi,” jeered Situ Yangtian.
Mu Yu stood back up. Counting in his head, he leapt once he determined it was time to, landing on the thirty fifth step! From there, he stepped inside and dusted his hand, remarking to himself, “Finally.”
Upon sensing the aura of nineteen individuals, Mu Yu greeting, “It is an honour to be here in your presence, Greater Heaven Casters,” whilst thinking, “Thank heavens I didn’t blurt ‘finally’ aloud.
Since nobody responded to him, Mu Yu angled his head and scratched it.
“Ahem. Uh, you are Heaven Caster disciple Feng Mu?” Zhuge Xiaosheng inquired.
“That is correct, Patriarch,” answered Mu Yu, determining Zhuge Xiaosheng’s status from his sitting position relative to the others.
Lu Deyi finally jumped up to as, “You climbed the staircase in eight steps and in just one hour?”
Mu Yu thought Greater Heaven Caster Lu was discontent with his performance. Thus, he said, “Due to how complex it was and it being my first time, I have made you all wait. I apologise for my tardiness.”
Lu Deyi loudly gulped.
“… By convention, everyone tries to climb straight up. Why did you alternate between jumping up and then back down?” Zhuge Xiaosheng queried on behalf of everyone.
“At first, I thought there was no order to the staircase. It later occurred to me that there was actually a method to the seeming madness of chang-“
“Ridiculous. There are no signs of order. Everyone knows that,” Situ Yangtian cut in.
Though Situ Yangtian’s blatant aggression rubbed Mu Yu the wrong way, he kindly explained, “I meant the staircase’s changes, not the way it moves.”
“How is that any different?” Situ Yangtian blurted, not the only one confounded.
“There is a significant difference. The way it moves refers to each step’s operation. The staircase’s change refers to how the entire staircase changes when we climb up a step.”
“Please elaborate,” requested Zhuge Xiaosheng.
“If you look at the steps’ movements in isolation, there is no order whatsoever. Therefore, if you look at it as a whole, there is no apparent order. The order within lies in the positional changes. For instance, the first and second steps switch, while the third and fourth steps switch and so forth.”
The nineteen formation casters turned to each other to see if anyone understood.
Mu Yu: What’s so confusing? How does that not make sense?! Are you all dimwits?!
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