CHAPTER 98: CHAPTER 98: SEA OF FIRE AND IRON CHAINS_1

Time passed, and most of the disciples had attempted the trial. Out of the 43, only 16 succeeded. This elimination rate was undoubtedly brutal. Only top-tier cultivators among the new disciples of the three sects, such as Shen Mo, Lu Ming, Li Chen, and Xiao Ling’er of the Profound Moon School, could pass with ease. The remaining disciples, even those who successfully passed, were all injured.

After waiting for an hour at the end of the passage, the injured disciples were given elixirs to temporarily suppress their wounds. Subsequently, the group began to push open the stone door at the passage’s end.

BUZZ.

When the ancient, dust-sealed stone door opened, what greeted Shen Mo and the others was not magnificent buildings or an Underground Palace. Instead, it was a sea of fire! Inside the door lay a vast sea of fire, with molten lava churning and waves of heat billowing to the sky. Above this fiery expanse, a long iron chain connected to a stone stairway leading to the next area.

"Is this Sea of Fire the second trial?" Xiao Ling’er and the others frowned at the sight and looked towards Lu Ming.

"Correct," Lu Ming nodded. "Master told me that once we pass through this Sea of Fire, we can reach the cave mansion of the Spirit Talisman Venerable. There, his priceless treasures are hidden."

"Is there any trick to crossing this Sea of Fire via the iron chain?" Xiao Ling’er asked, staring at the distant stone steps.

The fiery chasm before them looked terrifying, but everyone present was a cultivator. It wouldn’t be difficult for them to walk across molten lava, let alone traverse an iron chain. Therefore, she suspected this trial was not as simple as it appeared.

"The fire here is not ordinary. It is the Earth Fire Spirit Flame, capable of burning one’s spirit," Lu Ming explained. "Once you step onto the iron chain, illusions will manifest. Unless your Path Heart is firm, you won’t be able to pass."

Lu Ming held nothing back and told them everything. Even if he hadn’t, disciples from the other two sects would have figured it out once someone attempted to cross the Sea of Fire. The advantage Lu Ming had in knowing this information was that he had come prepared with Calming Talismans to strengthen their Path Heart.

"Here," Lu Ming said, distributing the Calming Talismans he had prepared to the Riverside Sect disciples who had passed the first trial. "Take this talisman. When you attempt the trial, affix it to your body. It can stabilize your Path Heart and prevent illusions from disturbing you."

Not many disciples had made it to the second trial; besides Shen Mo and Yang Qingshan, there were only Lv Xu and Xu Longxiang. Lu Ming had prepared plenty of talismans, enough for everyone.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Lu Ming!" The disciples exclaimed, gratefully accepting the Grade I Calming Talismans.

Some people naturally possess excellent leadership qualities, and Lu Ming was clearly one such person. During this exploration of the Mountain River Realm, he not only united the disciples of the Three Peaks but also prepared talismans for everyone in advance, greatly boosting his rapport with them. It was foreseeable that his prestige among the new disciples would skyrocket upon their return to the sect.

"Fellow disciples, although you have these talismans, do not assume you are completely safe," Lu Ming cautioned. "This Calming Talisman only offers support. If your Path Heart is not firm enough, you will still find it difficult to pass this trial."

Hearing Lu Ming’s reminder, Shen Mo felt a little uneasy about the upcoming test of the Path Heart. If it were a trial of strength like the previous one, he would have no worries. However, this trial tested something as elusive as the Path Heart, and Shen Mo wasn’t very confident in his. He had embarked on the path of cultivation for several months and witnessed various cruelties in the cultivation world. Despite this, Shen Mo felt his Path Heart was not much firmer than that of an ordinary mortal from his previous life.

Much like the first trial, a disciple soon stepped forward to attempt the challenge. This time, it was a disciple from the Ghost Corpse School. Shen Mo didn’t know his name, but since the disciple had passed the first trial, he clearly possessed some skill. However, this Ghost Corpse School disciple’s performance was abysmal. Just over ten steps onto the iron chain, he seemed to be bewildered by illusions, his figure swaying, unable to maintain his balance. Eventually, he stumbled and fell.

Fortunately, the moment he lost control and fell from the iron chain, the illusion before him vanished, allowing him to instantly regain his senses. This gave him the chance to crush his Space Breaking Talisman and escape, thus avoiding being swallowed by this sea of fire and incinerated to ashes.

The first attempt’s failure made everyone’s heart sink, giving them a deeper understanding of the difficulty in crossing the iron chain over the Sea of Fire. After some time, three more people stepped forward to try, but they too failed without exception. The one who made it the farthest was Lv Xu, to whom Lu Ming had previously given a Calming Talisman. Yet, even he couldn’t continue past the halfway point.

Subsequently, another three people attempted the trial. This time, someone finally managed to reach the other side of the Sea of Fire. The first to succeed was Li Chen, the prodigy from the Ghost Corpse School.

This Earth Core Flame is indeed peculiar. If my Path Heart weren’t strong enough, I might have been invaded by Heart Demons just now and completely lost my composure, Li Chen thought, a lingering fear still gripping him despite his success.

After him, many others attempted to cross the iron chain, but all ended in failure. Shen Mo watched each failure, his expression growing increasingly solemn. He knew his own chances of success were likely not very high. Shen Mo didn’t immediately attempt to cross the iron chain; instead, he continued to observe, waiting for others. After Xun Tian’s failure, several disciples who had been eager to try also grew hesitant.

After a moment, someone finally stepped forward again. It was Xiao Ling’er, the prodigy from the Profound Moon School.

Heart like frozen ice, unmoved even if the heavens fall. She silently recited the Profound Moon School’s Icy Heart Mantra, stepping onto the iron chain and walking steadily forward. None of the illusions or Heart Demons she encountered could breach her defenses. In the end, she safely became the second person to cross the Sea of Fire.

After she reached the other side, Lu Ming also began his attempt. As Shen Mo had speculated, Lu Ming was well-prepared and, with the advantage of his Spiritual Body, also passed successfully.

Their successive crossings restored some confidence in the disciples who had been wavering. They began to attempt the crossing again, but all still ended in failure.

I’m carrying many spoils from this venture; I can’t afford to lose them. If I’m going to take this risk, I need to secure my things first. Shen Mo could no longer hold back and prepared to attempt the trial himself. But, to be cautious, he returned to the passage entrance where Cao Ren was waiting.

"Keep this Universe Bag," Shen Mo said solemnly. "If I succeed, I’ll come back to you for it. If I happen to be eliminated early, make sure no one takes it. Return it to me when we’re out."

"Alright, be careful," Cao Ren replied, slightly surprised, but he quickly followed Shen Mo’s instructions and carefully stored the Universe Bag.

Having arranged this, Shen Mo steeled his resolve and stepped onto this iron chain bridge.