Gui Ye flung out his silk threads, entangling the surging water figures and tearing them apart as he pulled.
Zhu Yan, meanwhile, was having a blast, cleaving through them with each strike.
Ye Changfeng also moved swiftly, his speed so great that he appeared to have multiple selves, dispatching water figures with a single sword stroke.
If anyone were watching from the side, they would surely find the scene amusing: a beautiful woman dancing while several chivalrous warriors engaged in fierce combat.
The pleasant drumbeat seemed to add a sense of urgency to the battle.
Refined individuals would call this scene art, while ordinary folk would deem it heart-pounding excitement.
Regardless of the description, both conveyed admiration for this wondrous spectacle. Gui Ye, seeing the water figures reform after being struck and repeatedly reappear, grew immensely annoyed by their endless persistence.
He called out to his companions, "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, we can't keep this up. We need to head towards the other side of the lake."
"Alright, let's go!" Zhu Yan replied.
Thus, the four continued to fight as they moved towards the opposite bank. The water figures, however, swarmed them like stubborn stains from all directions, attempting to trap them.
At this moment, the water surface suddenly vanished, revealing its true form – the very scene they had witnessed upon entering the underground.
Blood-red lava churned in the depths, a hundred zhang below. Yet, strangely, the dancing woman remained unaffected, continuing her graceful performance in the same spot.
Though surprised, the group quickly leaped to the other side. Fu Zimo, bringing up the rear, also made his move.
However, the water figures that had not yet fallen lunged at him in a frenzy, grabbing his ankles one by one and causing him to lose his balance, plummeting downwards.
Ye Changfeng quickly grabbed him, preventing his fall.
Gui Ye, disgusted by the tenacious water figures, flung out his silk threads to swat them away. However, the threads passed straight through their bodies without inflicting any damage.
"What's going on? They're unharmed?" Gui Ye asked, bewildered.
Zhu Yan was about to unleash his "Mountain Splitting Dao," but Gui Ye hastily pulled him back, "No, if you use that move, we might all fall down."
The two then joined forces to pull him up. Despite their combined strength, they couldn't budge him. Fu Zimo, observing their confused and worried expressions, understood his predicament.
He spoke up proactively, "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, let go. You don't need to worry about me anymore."
Ye Changfeng angrily rebuked him, "What nonsense are you spouting? How could we possibly abandon you?"
Fu Zimo smiled faintly, "Meeting you all has been the greatest happiness of my life. I am truly content. If one of us must die, I wish it to be me."
"What foolishness are you speaking? None of us will die," Zhu Yan also said indignantly.
However, Fu Zimo shook his head.
"Only now do I understand why so many people have come to seek the Earth Fire, yet none have ever emerged alive.
They are trapped here forever. If you don't leave soon, you too will be held captive.
Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, please let go. I am truly happy to have met you. If there is a next life, we will still be sworn brothers."
"Silence, stop talking. We will never abandon you, never," Gui Ye also stated angrily.
However, Fu Zimo's resolve was firm. He unleashed his final move, the "Other Shore Flower," transforming it into his hands, and slipped from their grasp, falling into the lava.
"Zi Mo!"
"Third Brother!"
"Third Brother!"
The three cried out. Ye Changfeng's tears, carried by the heat, streamed out and dripped into the wind as they watched him fall into the lava, consumed by it, and finally vanish without a trace.
An unusual silence fell upon their surroundings. Even the dancing woman seemed to sense their sorrow, turning to look at the three figures on the cliff's edge.
Seeing their tear-streaked faces, she let out a soft sigh and disappeared.
The three were stunned, unable to believe what had happened, unable to accept that their Zi Mo was dead.
After an unknown period, Gui Ye finally persuaded them, "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, we cannot let Zi Mo's sacrifice be in vain. We must press on; we must bring the Earth Fire back."
Ye Changfeng then wiped away his tears, stood up listlessly, and silently turned to leave.
Zhu Yan did the same. Gui Ye also felt a profound sense of loss, as if a part of him had died, but he knew they could not let Zi Mo's sacrifice be in vain.
This was the third trial.
The three passed through the stone cave and entered a spacious cavern. Ye Changfeng looked around but saw nothing.
As he walked forward, he stepped on something sticky. Looking down, he saw a pool of liquid.
He looked up and beheld a terrifying sight: countless bat-people hanging from the high cavern ceiling.
Gui Ye and Zhu Yan also looked up, seeing the same horrifying scene.
Zhu Yan almost cried out, but Gui Ye quickly covered his mouth, signaling him to remain silent. The three then walked past quietly.
Suddenly, a voice called out from behind them, "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother."
The three turned back in surprise, but only saw a retreating figure running past, a figure that strongly resembled Zi Mo.
Without hesitation, the three rushed to follow. The sound of their pursuit startled the bat-people, and in an instant, a swarm of bats, obscuring the sky, descended upon them.
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, be careful!" Gui Ye shouted urgently.
Only then did Ye Changfeng hear the cacophony of chirping bats filling the entire cavern.
His anger was already at its peak, and with no outlet for his rage, he drew his sword, leaped forward, and slashed at the bat-people. A chorus of screams erupted, and a large number of them fell dead.
Gui Ye and Zhu Yan joined the fray. Zhu Yan unleashed a "Mountain Splitting Dao" at the flying bat-people.
This was followed by a series of swift, decisive strikes, making the bat-people cry out in agony.
Gui Ye also deployed his silk threads, entangling and crushing the bat-people.
However, these bat-people seemed inexhaustible, charging forward one after another.
Gui Ye spotted an escape route ahead and shouted, "We can't keep fighting! They are endless, we can't kill them all, let's go!"
So, the three fought their way forward. At this moment, a red blood bat-bat swiftly flew towards them and bit Zhu Yan's arm. Seeing this, Gui Ye flung out his silk threads, ensnared it, and flung it away.
Ye Changfeng also asked with concern, "Second Brother, how badly are you hurt?"
"I'm fine."
"That's good. Let's hurry."
"Alright."
With that, the three pushed forward with all their might. The bat-people, sensing their intent, flew ahead and blocked the cave entrance. Ye Changfeng leaped up and shouted.
"One Sword Qi Burst!"
His sword energy erupted, cleaving them in two. As the bat-people saw them about to escape, they lunged forward in a frenzy.
At this moment, they smelled the blood on Zhu Yan's arm. Disregarding Ye Changfeng and Gui Ye, they focused their attack on Zhu Yan.
He struggled to fend them off and was bitten twice more.
Ye Changfeng and Gui Ye rushed forward to help, but he cried out, "I'll hold them off, you two go!"
Ye Changfeng angrily cursed him, "We've already lost Zi Mo, do you want us to lose you too?"
Zhu Yan persuaded them.
"Eldest Brother, you and Third Brother must leave now, or no one will make it out. Third Brother, quickly take Eldest Brother and go. When you get the Earth Fire and get out, tell Heaven about me and Fourth Brother."
"I'm not leaving!"
"Go!"
Gui Ye knew what he had to do and pulled Ye Changfeng back.
Ye Changfeng stubbornly resisted, "I'm not going!"
Gui Ye also yelled angrily, "Don't let Second Brother's and Zi Mo's sacrifices be in vain, Eldest Brother!"
Only then did Ye Changfeng calm down and allow Gui Ye to drag him away.
After they left, Zhu Yan unleashed his full power with a move called "Great Destruction of the World."
A golden light erupted from his body, and the explosion sent the surrounding bat-people flying, causing countless casualties.
The two who had escaped into the passage heard the explosion behind them and knew that all hope was lost. They wept silently.
Losing two brothers at once was like losing two hearts. They were left to grieve and live on.
This was the fourth trial.
Passing through the passage, they arrived in a stone forest and saw a path leading straight ahead. They were prepared to die.
They walked in without hesitation. However, just as they expected something to happen, nothing did.
No monsters, no battles. They passed through the stone forest smoothly.
Then they reached the edge of a bottomless cliff and saw a small stone island, about ten meters wide, floating on the other side.
On the stone sat a basin of fire – the Earth Fire. A suspension bridge connected to the stone island before them.
The two were filled with confusion. They had only passed four trials and had already reached the Earth Fire. Though perplexed, they stepped onto the suspension bridge and reached the stone island.
There, they saw a red bead floating in the Earth Fire, its nature unknown.
At this moment, the voice finally spoke, congratulating them.
"Congratulations on successfully passing the trial and reaching the Earth Fire. However, only one of you can stay to obtain the Earth Fire and leave alive."
"What!"
Ye Changfeng exclaimed in shock. Anger surged within him, and he angrily questioned the mysterious voice.
"I have already lost two brothers, and you want me to lose another?"
The voice replied with helplessness.
"I told you long ago that entering here means death, not fire. If you want the fire, one of you must die, otherwise, you will never get out."
"Is there no other choice?" Ye Changfeng pleaded.
"You can choose to die yourself, and let another live." With that, the voice vanished.
Ye Changfeng looked at Gui Ye, his heart filled with sorrow. After a moment's thought, he instructed him.
"Gui Ye, the Earth Fire is yours. You must bring it back to Xizi Kingdom. Take care of yourself. Eldest Brother can only accompany you this far."
With that, he drew his sword, intending to commit suicide, but was suddenly ensnared and pulled back by Gui Ye's silk threads.
He said.
"Eldest Brother, I have something to say to you. I have never regretted joining your team. Thinking back to our travels together, seeking out masters, how happy those days were.
I have also made many mistakes, but you never blamed me. I am truly happy that you are my Eldest Brother, so you cannot leave.
Second Brother and Zi Mo are already gone. Let me go to accompany them. When you have challenged a hundred masters, come and tell us about it."
"Gui Ye, what are you doing?" Ye Changfeng suddenly became anxious.
"Eldest Brother, you must take care of yourself. Zi Mo often complained to me that you never ate on time. When you go back, remember to eat. I'm leaving now."
With that, he ran backward and leaped into the abyss.
"Gui Ye!" Ye Changfeng rushed forward but couldn't catch him.
He lamented with regret, "Why didn't you let me die? You are all gone, what is the meaning of my life? What is the meaning of my life?"
Tears streamed down his face as he pounded the ground.
At this moment, the voice reappeared, "Since he is dead, you can take the Earth Fire."
Ye Changfeng slowly stood up, thinking to himself that he still had to bring the Earth Fire back to Xizi Kingdom and couldn't give up.
He wiped away his tears and walked towards the Earth Fire. At that moment, the red bead flew out of the Earth Fire.
The person explained.
"This is the Earth Fire Bead, the true Earth Fire. Its function is not only to grant the holder endless power but also to fulfill any wish.
Why don't you use this bead to wish for your brothers to return?"
Ye Changfeng asked him, "And after the wish?"
The person replied with dissatisfaction.
"After the wish, the Earth Fire will return to the mountain. However, you can wish for anything, be it immense wealth or unparalleled mastery.
You probably don't know, but the Earth King, in order to defeat Heavenly Condemnation, made a wish to the Earth Fire and gained supreme power.
That is why he could defeat Heavenly Condemnation with such ease."
"What is the use of supreme power to someone who lacks the courage to admit defeat? It merely satisfies his vanity."
The person was taken aback by his words and, unwilling to give up, tempted him again.
"I see that you brothers truly care for each other, willing to sacrifice your lives for one another.
Since that is the case, isn't it only natural for you to use the Earth Fire to save them?"
However, Ye Changfeng replied.
"Zhu Yan, Gui Ye, and Zi Mo did not die for me.
They died for this world, for the common people, for the Demon King, and for the Ghost魅 clan.
I cannot betray them. I must bring the Earth Fire back to Xizi Kingdom and give it to the Demon King."
The person sighed helplessly, "Alas, if that is so, then take the Earth Fire Bead and leave."
Ye Changfeng nodded and reached out to take the Earth Fire Bead. Immediately, a set of stairs appeared before him.
The person said, "You can go out by walking up these stairs."
"Thank you, Earth King," Ye Changfeng said gratefully.
The person was startled and quickly asked, "You, you know who I am?"
"Only the Earth King could be lingering near the Earth Fire. However, I must say something.
Admitting defeat is not terrifying. What is terrifying is knowing you have lost but refusing to acknowledge it. Such a person is the most pathetic."
The Earth King sighed, "You are the most unusual person I have ever met. Over the past ten thousand years, far too many people have come here seeking the Earth Fire.
They either sought it for selfish reasons or succumbed to temptation. Neither is the answer the Earth Fire desires, and the outcome is always death.
If you had also succumbed to temptation and made a choice, you would now be lying among the corpses like your brothers."
Ye Changfeng smiled slightly.
"Although I am greedy, I have never wished to use others' power to fulfill my desires. I only wish to grow stronger step by step.
But now that my brothers are gone, I will establish cenotaphs for them elsewhere and accompany them until I die."
The Earth King was deeply moved by the person before him, surprised by his loyalty and righteousness. He said no more, only stating.
"You may go."
"Alright, farewell."
With that, he stepped onto the stairs and exited the underground.
Thus, the fifth trial concluded.