HPDBC Chapter 76 Passing the First Half of the Trial
Chapter 76 Passing the First Half of the Trial
The weight of the world seemed to crash down on Wen Ran as the full realization of the trial hit him. This was no simple test. His every movement became a careful calculation, each jump a precarious decision. He couldn't afford to lose focus for even a split second. I have to be careful. This lava is as real as it gets... One wrong step, and I'll be nothing more than a roasted chicken.
The path ahead stretched on endlessly, and just when he thought he was close, the distance remained unchanged, no matter how far he moved. Something's not right. This place... it's trapping me. No matter what I do, until I find the key, I won't be able to escape. He cast a fleeting glance upwards—the first half of the incense stick had already burned away. His time was running out. He couldn't afford to waste any more of it. If he didn't act fast, the lava would consume him.
"The longer I stay here, the faster the lava will eat away at these stone slabs," Wen Ran muttered to himself, his thoughts racing. If I'm right, by the time the first incense stick finishes burning, I'll be dead... unless I can somehow make my way up to the fire wall. That means... the second incense stick will only make the lava surge faster. I don't have much time.
Wen Ran halted in his tracks, his breath steadying as he closed his eyes. I must find a way out of this, he thought, his mind racing. There's no point in running around aimlessly. There has to be something hidden in this place that can help me escape...
He sat down cross-legged on the stone slab, calming his breath and centering himself. The heat from the lava was unbearable, but he couldn't afford to be distracted. With a deep breath, Wen Ran infused his eyes with spiritual energy, his vision igniting with power. The world before him shimmered, every detail now etched in sharp clarity. He scanned the surroundings with meticulous care, refusing to rush. He needed to capture every subtle detail, ensuring that no clue would escape his notice.
With one final, desperate leap, Wen Ran landed on a massive rock slab that led up the volcanic wall. But there was no time to savor his success. As soon as the first incense stick extinguished, the second ignited, and the lava began to surge upward, moving faster with every passing moment. Wen Ran cursed inwardly and pressed on, his body screaming, but his will unyielding. There would be no more tricks, no more diversions. The only thing standing between him and survival was the massive fire wall that had now sealed the top of the volcano. There was no way around it, and no time to consider another approach.
Wen Ran climbed with the speed of an agile monkey, every muscle burning, until he finally stood before the fire wall, covered in intricate inscriptions. His gaze flicked over the symbols, his mind racing. If I'm right, this is the fire law inscription... His thoughts hesitated for a moment. I've never been skilled in elemental Dao. My path has always been the Dao of the sword. This will be challenging, but... no matter what, I will get out of here!
Wen Ran sat cross-legged before the towering fire wall, his gaze fixed intently on the intricate inscriptions. Despite his inability to fully comprehend the text, he refused to be deterred. Closing his eyes, he focused his spiritual energy outward, his senses extending beyond his body. The amount of spiritual power a cultivator at the Spirit Flow Stage could project was limited, but Wen Ran was no ordinary cultivator—he was a special case, his will and abilities surpassing the usual bounds.
He pushed his energy with precision, scanning the fiery symbols one by one, allowing the spiritual power to touch and explore the hidden meanings beneath the surface. The deeper he delved, the more his mind began to unravel the laws inscribed within the fire. His focus intensified as the wall seemed to come alive with the pulsating energy of the flames. If he could just grasp the essence of these laws, he could navigate the fire and escape before the lava consumed him entirely.
Every second was a battle, the heat from the lava pressing in on him, but Wen Ran ignored it, fully immersed in the study of the laws. This was his only chance—the key to surviving the trial and breaking free from the fire's grip.