Xiong Huai, standing by the pool, was completely stunned. His previous doubts had vanished, replaced by utter shock.
He suddenly felt that what the village chief said might be true; this outsider might really be able to break Xiong'an's record and even create a new miracle.
Xiong Yue watched Shi Tou's stubborn back, and the smile on his lips deepened.
The Abyss Bear Domain hasn't seen such a genius in a long time. Perhaps, this kid's arrival will bring about a different kind of change to this silent land.
Amidst the roar of the waterfall, time slipped away unnoticed. When Xiong Huai subconsciously looked up at the sunlight filtering through the cliff top, he suddenly gasped in shock.
Half an hour has already passed!
He rubbed his eyes, and when he looked at the figure on the stone wall again, he was so shocked that his mouth dropped open.
The stone didn't fall as he expected; instead, it climbed to the upper-middle part of the cliff face, less than halfway to the top.
Although his movements were still slow, and each step required a great deal of effort, his rhythm was exceptionally steady.
Without the slightest panic, it was as if the abyss stone on his back and the wounds on his body had become the driving force for him to climb upwards.
"This...how is this possible?" Xiong Huai muttered to himself, his tone filled with disbelief.
"Half an hour has passed, and he actually lasted for half an hour and climbed so high..."
"It seems I really misjudged him. This kid's tenacity is stronger than any of the young men in the village!"
He had previously thought the stone wouldn't last more than fifteen minutes, but now he realized that he had underestimated the potential of this alien human.
The stone wall was completely unaware of this.
In his world, only the thought of "moving upward" remained. The waterfall's water pounded on his back, and his wounds stung, but that stinging pain only made him more clear-headed.
The abyss stone on his back continued to slowly increase in weight, making each step feel like carrying a small mountain, while the golden runes on his skin became increasingly active.
A pale golden light flowed under his skin, constantly offsetting some of the pressure and even slowly repairing the wounds on his back.
Every now and then, villagers around them would give up, letting out a muffled groan as they slid off the rock face, crashing into the deep pool with a splash.
Some villagers who were climbing the mountain were startled when they caught a glimpse of the stone.
Most of them knew the outsider the village chief had brought back two weeks ago, and at first they thought he was frail and weak.
But looking at him now, he seemed to be able to withstand more strain than many villagers who had practiced for a long time, which surprised him.
"Isn't that an imported stone? How has it managed to hold on until now?"
“I could only last 15 minutes before I couldn’t go on, but he’s been climbing for half an hour and he’s still going!”
"The stones on his back seem to be getting heavier and heavier, how can he still bear it?"
The chatter drifted along the water to the stone's ears, but he was not disturbed at all.
His gaze was fixed on the top of the cliff, where the mist was thicker and the rocks on the edge of the cliff could be vaguely seen.
The waterfall water splashed on his face, the icy touch making him even more alert. He grinned, revealing a bloodshot smile, and with renewed effort, used both his hands and feet to climb two more steps upwards.
Just then, a steady footstep sound came from the edge of the pool.
Xiong Yue didn't turn around, but spoke softly, his voice carrying a hint of a smile: "Xiong An, your record has been broken."
The newcomer was tall and imposing, even more robust than a stone, with muscles bulging like rocks. His face was covered in thick, neatly trimmed black hair, and his eyes were bright and sharp.
It was Xiong An, the strongest young man in the village, who had previously held the record.
He had just returned from hunting in the mountains when he heard that someone was exercising under the waterfall, so he came to take a look. Unexpectedly, he heard the village chief's words as soon as he arrived.
Xiong An showed no anger whatsoever. Instead, he raised his hand to his forehead, looked at the stone on the cliff face, and a hearty smile appeared on his lips: "Oh? It's him?"
He watched for a while, and seeing that although Shi Tou was struggling, each step he took was exceptionally firm, a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.
"Not bad. An outsider who can last for half an hour and climb this high is more resilient than when I first came here."
Xiong Huai, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but say, "Xiong An, this is your record, aren't you angry?"
Xiong An smiled and shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the stone, and said seriously, "What's there to be angry about? Records are meant to be broken."
"I never had any rivals before, so I felt unmotivated when I trained. Now that someone has come along who can break my record, I'll have a goal to strive for when I train in the future. Isn't that great?"
He paused, then added, "Look at him, he's clearly about to give up, but his eyes haven't wavered at all. That kind of spirit is even rarer than superhuman strength. I want to see if he can climb to the top of the cliff today."
Looking at the fighting spirit in Xiong An's eyes, Xiong Yue nodded in satisfaction. Competition breeds progress, and young people from the Shenyuan Xiong Domain should have this kind of spirit.
The stone on the cliff seemed to sense the gaze from below. It took a deep breath, and the golden runes on its skin suddenly brightened. Although the wound on its back was still bleeding, it seemed to be filled with new power.
He looked up at the top of the cliff, his smile becoming even more determined. If he just held on a little longer, he would be able to climb up!
Below the waterfall cliff, everyone's eyes were fixed on that stubborn figure on the rock face.
The villagers stopped climbing, looked up, and even held their breath.
Xiong Huai's mouth dropped open, and he even forgot to put down the Abyss Stone in his hand.
Xiong An's admiration deepened, his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze following Shi Tou's every step.
The water continued to pound down like a hammer, and the stone's arm was already trembling uncontrollably, its fingertips raw and bleeding from the rough rocks.
Each time he pried into the rock face, he endured excruciating pain. Yet his eyes remained bright, fixed on the cliff top, as if some light there was drawing him in.
"Stone! That's enough! You can come down and rest now!" Village chief Xiong Yue finally couldn't hold back and shouted towards the cliff.
He could see that although the stone's physical body was still holding on, its mental strength was nearing its limit.
Prolonged periods of intense concentration, coupled with pushing the body to its limits, could potentially damage one's mental foundation, which is no small matter.
Upon hearing the village chief's voice, Stone turned around with difficulty, his dark face smeared with water and blood.
But he still grinned, revealing a simple, honest smile: "Village chief, it's alright... I can still hold on, I haven't reached my limit yet!"
His voice was terribly hoarse, yet it carried an undeniable firmness. After speaking, he turned back, gripped the stone wall tightly once more, and continued climbing upwards.
Xiong Yue watched his retreating figure, shook his head helplessly, but didn't try to stop him any further.
He knew that a person as resilient as Shi Tou wouldn't give up until he hit a wall; only by pushing himself to his limits could he truly break through.
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