The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 822: 2500 Kilograms!

2500 Kilograms! . . .

Cha Eun Xiao was drenched in sweat after covering a mile's distance. The monumental challenge lay in the fact that he was lugging a weight exceeding 1500 kilograms at breakneck speed.

As he exerted himself, Cha Eun Xiao couldn't help but murmur inwardly, "Pah! I've endured hardship from a young age, but this takes the cake."

For the first lap, he ascended the mountain's peak with remarkable swiftness. However, what he encountered at the summit took him by surprise. A well, astonishingly deep, plummeted to about a hundred meters below, with only a small puddle of water visible at the bottom. Unfortunately, there was no winch or any additional bucket for water retrieval.

Stairs led down the well, offering the sole means for Cha Eun Xiao to reach the water, fill the Star Steel bucket, ascend to ground level, and pour the water into the large vat. And so, he sighed and leaped down into the well without a second thought.

However, he didn't leap far. Instead, every fifteen meters, he clung to the well's wall, ensuring a measured descent. Were it not for the Star Suit's weight, he could have plummeted straight to the bottom. His overall mass, though, exceeded the realm of manageability.

Plummeting directly to the well's base would have turned him into a shooting meteorite colliding with the Earth. After a strenuous descent, he finally reached the bottom, where he discovered the Star Steel Bucket.

To his relief, finding the bucket was one less concern. Nevertheless, his relief turned to bitterness when he beheld the peculiar bucket. It was capacious but with minimal water-carrying capacity due to its thick walls, which accommodated no more than twenty-five kilograms of water. Yet when he lifted the bucket, it felt like a comical twist of fate.

"What on earth?" Cha Eun Xiao muttered, realizing it was even worse than he'd anticipated. Without hesitation, he filled the bucket and started the arduous journey back to the surface. By the time he reached the top, he was breathless, carrying a cumulative weight of approximately 2500 kilograms, which included both the water and his own weight. His previous descent from a hundred meters underground had taken a significant toll on his energy.

With no time to rest, he carried the bucket and hurried back to the large vat, only to be greeted by an utterly astonishing sight.

"What in the world? Are you trying to kill me?" Cha Eun Xiao exclaimed silently. The large vat, which he remembered as being half-filled earlier, was now completely empty. Not a single drop of water remained.

The large vat could have held at least 250 kilograms of water, but it was bereft of even a trace. The fact that he could only retrieve 25 kilograms of water at a time meant that he would have to make ten trips, all within two hours. The well was a mere ten miles away from the vat, which wasn't an excessive distance.

Nonetheless, carrying the over 1500 kilograms of the Star Suit, along with the 750 kilograms bucket, made the task an overwhelming burden. Additionally, he would have to descend to the bottom of the well ten times—a depth of approximately a hundred meters.

In the initial descent, he had been unburdened by the heavy bucket. Now, however, it had become an unwelcome companion, which he dreaded at this point.

Gritting his teeth, he poured the water into the large vat and resumed his rapid retreat. Despite emptying the bucket, there was no noticeable difference in its weight. At this moment, the 25 kilograms made little impact. For Cha Eun Xiao, it was an insignificant weight.

Observing Cha Eun Xiao's progress, the three old men appeared satisfied. "For the first round, his speed was quite impressive. He completed it in less than one twentieth of the time. Not bad," remarked one.

Lei Dadi, however, had a more critical view. "I think it's not good enough. We've all experienced this challenge, and he'll only grow slower."

Yun Piaoliu appeared perplexed. "I had expected that bucket to be 500 kilograms. But is it the 750 kilograms one?"

Lei Dadi confirmed, "It's the 750 kilograms bucket."

"Oh really... Isn't it too heavy?" Feng Wuying furrowed his brows. "That means Cha Eun Xiao is carrying more than 2500 kilograms in total, and he has to cover over three hundred miles within two hours. The journey down that well and back up ten times should be equivalent to running a hundred miles."

"It's closer to running three hundred miles! The last several rounds down the well will be utterly torturous," remarked another.

Lei Dadi added thoughtfully, "I never expected him to complete all three months of hell. I'm prepared for the worst now. If he manages to complete seven rounds within two hours, that will suffice. Every extra round he accomplishes will elevate his future standing."

As they spoke, Cha Eun Xiao emerged from the well, racing backward with a bucket in hand. He had completed five rounds, yet there was no sign of slowing down. His sweat poured profusely, and his heart pounded heavily, as though it might burst from his chest.

After finishing the fifth bucket, he felt a momentary relief. Suddenly, a sense of dizziness and blankness clouded his vision and mind. It was apparent that his energy was rapidly dwindling.

This was only the fifth round—just halfway to the finish line. At this moment, he began to truly comprehend the essence of "hell."

These two hours marked only the beginning of a day's worth of grueling training.

As he embarked on the sixth round, Cha Eun Xiao gradually decelerated.

"Beyond my expectations, but not bad," Lei Dadi commented while observing Cha Eun Xiao. "He has completed half the work in just one-third of the two hours. However, the most critical phase of the initial two hours is about to unfold. Let's see if he can endure it."