Tang San’s Twin Sister
Chapter 142

One year later

Tang Yin was feeling strong today. Dressed to kill, meaning in sandals and probably scandalously short clothes for the sunny weather, the summer sun was burning down rather mercilessly today. She stared at the staircase in front of her. Her eyes narrowed as she felt a cocky grin spread on her face.

444 Steps. 

Well, rather than despair, as she hadn't made it that far a single time yet, she'd enjoy the challenge and go about it in a daredevil manner. 

Behind her, Yu Hua sighed.

He, too, was feeling the sun, having forgone a shirt and stood behind her topless, barefoot, and in purple shorts. The weather was getting to both of them. Behind him, the head flamen and the sea god pillar guardians were gathered, leaving the two friends a moment upon themselves. 

"You are doomed." He noted, and she shrugged her shoulders. 

"Aren't you optimistic?" she turned toward him, not bothering to hide her admiring gaze wandering over his torso. Yu Hua was built like a model, and she saw no reason not to enjoy eye candy when it was standing there. 

"I am merely realistic." He commented, then shifted his weight, crossed his arms, and eyed her. "How about you get going and stop ogling me." 

"As if you aren't." She shot back, and he snorted. 

"You ain't my type, too small for my liking for one, and I am not suicidal if your brother gets wind of me ogling you...I am dead meat." 

"You do know you are standing here half naked. You sure you aren't already done for?" She grinned and then walked towards the first step. 

"Damn, I forgot." He clicked his tongue as she took the first step forward. The pressure was now bearable, as she had gotten used to it over time. Wheezing out a laugh, talking still was difficult; she smirked. 

"Wait until I show a drawing of you topless to Ning Feng, " she commented. His objection and any wishes for good luck vanished into the background as she started her climb, feeling very small indeed today in sight of the sea gods' light. It was rather humbling thinking about the fact that she had never gotten up all the way to 400 and needed 44 steps beyond that. 

Emitting her mind, she stepped further and further, her muscles screeching at her as they appeared behind her delicate skin. She wasn't muscular-looking under normal circumstances, but when she stained them like this to the max, they showed and put those of most men to shame. She raised her head, sweat running down her temple as she was up to fifty steps, and finally, her physical strength was no longer enough.

She started circulating her spirit power. 

The torrent inside her body channeled to her legs, and to stabilize herself against the pressure, her spirit rings slowly, one by one, appeared around her. On step sixty, she unfolded her wings. They were no longer as small as before, almost strong enough to carry her; they were now almost as big as her entire body. 

Her feet trembling, she took it a step further; one after another, her body creaked beneath the pressure. 

She gritted her teeth as she used her wigs to keep her body uptight. There was no way in hell she was about to bow down before 100 steps. She continued her antagonizing march beneath the eyes of Yu Hua, the head flamen, and the other sea god pillar guardians who observed her. 

"She will not make it." Hai Long, the Sea Dragon Douluo, said what all of them were thinking or at least fearing. For the last year, they had all observed her: her training regimen that few spirit masters could keep up, her laughs at adversity, and her passion for drawing and sketching. 

"Do not be hasty." Bo Saxi said next to him. "I have a feeling she may surprise us." 

Hai Long shut up, and then his gaze wandered to Yu Hua, who ignored them, before continuing to wander back to Tang Yin's small frame, which appeared to be smaller and smaller the further she walked into the staircase. 

Tang Yin felt her already numb arm numb even more as she continued using her spirit power, which thundered through her body. Until now, she had not run out of her natural one, having saved as much as she could by using her physical strength and whatever aid in stability her spirit bone could provide. 

She swayed on her feet as she looked downwards. 120 wiping away her sweat from her face, she desperately wished for rain to be parched. Her arms dangling by her side, she balled fists and then continued. Her feet hurt as she saw the ground beneath them crack. She wrenched a cry from her throat. No way in hell that was it.

The cry echoed through the silence as she continued on. Her spirit power almost gone she acessed her back up inside her spirit power. 

That is going to cost us. 

She heard a faint voice and agreed. They were not going to walk all the way up without a few scratches. She bowed her head and felt the weight march on. 

145

167

200

She gasped for air and gulped. Halfway there, almost. 

She looked down her arm and hand. There was no feeling left, and the glove looked almost empty. There it was—the thing she feared most. 

I just have to make it before it kills me. 

She took another step. 

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