Chapter 351: The Evil Fire Mobula
“You don't stand a chance of walking out of here alive!” taunted Adler as he sneered at Zen. Ignoring Adler's threat, Zen waited patiently in silence. Walking away from Zen, Adler found a quiet spot to sit and meditate.
As the exhausted group reached the platform, the only safe place here, they were so weak and they nearly collapsed. If the group's need for this refuge hadn't been so dire, they would not have risked their lives to land on the platform. Each disciple found himself a place to rest, meditate and replenish his depleted store of energy. Previously, the disciples had only been part of some practice activities and not facing certain life-threatening circumstances or exerting themselves as much as they had just now. With stiff muscles and sore bodies, the disciples took their time to heal, so they wouldn't have to endure crippling injuries for the rest of their long lives.
Looks can be deceiving. The Sea of Raging Fire was immense. Before the fire receded, the surface looked calm and still. However, the heat was rising, colliding with the cooler air, and hot lava created violent swirling waves of flames. The group saw that in the distance, yellow-white flames flicked where the fire burned the hottest. The disciples also noticed some unknown small creatures who were cocking their heads and staring curiously back at them. Sporadically, tiny flames shot out from their mouths. They dived in and out of the molten lava waves as if they were fish.
These creatures were alien to any other known life in the world. They didn't just survive in the scalding liquid of the lava, and it was their natural habitat. So, they would likely perish if they were parted from the element for any length of time.
While contemplating over the little creatures he saw, Zen couldn't help but experience a great sense of gratitude for how the fire sustained the mysterious creatures. His curiosity was peaked as he considered how vast the Sea of Raging Fire was and what other unknown life might have flourished in this environment that was unique to this area.
If Zen were a bit stronger, he would have taken the risk, and leapt at the chance to explore this magical environment. Nevertheless, aside from the haunting self-pity that he wouldn't be able to satiate his curious mind, there was nothing he could do.
The short respite Zen had in a corner on the platform gave him the opportunity to relax, and focus on his slow, shallow breath and allowed him to reach a deeper state of meditation. In his deep reflective state, Zen felt his strength start to return quickly. As Zen subconsciously examined the trials so far, his thoughts inevitably turned to the road behind, before he looked ahead to what lay ahead.
Just like what they had gone through, there would be another high platform that they'd need to find and climb for refuge to save themselves. The timing was vital and it would determine their success or failure. Consequently, the disciples knew they needed all their strengths. As soon as the tide was low again, they'd need to get to another platform as fast as they could, or the flames would be able to knock them off the pillars.
About an hour later, the tide changed and the Sea of Raging Fire's flames receded.
“The sea is ebbing!” mumbled one of the disciples, guardedly. Since the trial was the sort that one mistake would cost them their lives, he wasn't sure if the pounding of his heart was from excitement or fear.
As the molten lava tide receded and when it was low enough to reveal the stone pillars again, some of the disciples had already started to march down from the platform.
Time was pressing. In order to complete the challenge within the given time, some of the disciples ignored the dangers willingly and walked ahead of the group even though the waves lapped at the pillars, and were high enough to engulf and scald the group members if the currents changed.
After the first disciple jumped off the high platform, a second, and then a third followed.
Sitting on the edge of the high platform, Zen looked out at the Sea of Raging Fire. Although the tide was lower, the situation was still dangerous. Most of the disciples had already gone off the platform, so he pulled himself up to his feet. His muscles became taut, and he curled his back down a little to prepare for a jump. Then he somersaulted through the air twice before agilely uncurling himself and landing precisely on one of stone pillars.
Alongside the stone pillar, the violent lava swelled. However, it didn't scare Zen. Undaunted, he continued forward.
Watching Zen's figure becoming smaller in the distance, Adler bit his lip in ire and turned around to glare at the other disciple from his own sect. “How are you feeling now?” Adler asked sharply.
The disciple sighed in dismay and shook his head. His concern and gratitude shone in his eyes as he gazed at Adler and said, “That's a shame. Perhaps we should wait for the next low tide.”
They didn't really have much choice though. So, the group decided to stay on the platform and wait for the tide to cycle through once more. Alder hoped that when the waves rose and fell again, the injured disciple would have enough energy to get up and fight during the next challenge. At the moment, they had no choice but to wait. The two Iridescence Sect female disciples refused to keep their company any longer. They folded their hands together politely and bowed gracefully. In a quiet voice, one of the ladies said, “Adler, we hate to leave you here. But, the tide has subsided. So the next challenge has started, and we need to keep moving. Our hope is for you two to catch up very soon.”
After that, the women jumped off the platform to one of the stone pillars below. Watching the graceful, elegant figures as they soared through the air, the scarlet flames rising like butterflies around them and accentuating their forms, Adler and the injured disciple shook their heads helplessly. From the start of the trial, the two men knew the women were only following them to be protected.
They couldn't blame the two women either. Under such circumstances, the men would inevitably bring them danger if they stuck with the men in the challenge behind. Resolutely, the two women decided to make their move, leaving Adler and the other disciple behind.
Being left alone only intensified Adler's hatred of Zen. Grinding his words through his teeth, he said, “This bad luck is caused by that mongrel from the Cloud Sect who is in grade three of nature level. I swear on all that's holy that if I catch him, I'll rip him to shreds, and make him kneel before us as he begs for mercy.” Zen was so far ahead that they couldn't see him anymore. It wouldn't be easy for Adler to catch up and win the challenge. He thought it was Zen's fault his peer was injured, and they fell behind during such an important competition. Waiting there helplessly, made Adler detest Zen even more.
Actually, it wasn't Zen's fault in the slightest bit. At the start when they entered the Sea of Raging Fire, Zen even helped them slay the fiery evil spirits and ensured safe passage for them to cross the fire sea to the high platform. Nevertheless, there were always some people who blamed others and would never recognize their negligence or mistakes.
Zen had met many people like Adler, and chose to ignore them instead of letting their negativity affect his choices during challenges like this.
Approximately eight disciples were participating in this round of the challenge. The challenge wasn't like other competitions though. Here, they needed each other to overcome all the obstacles that were in their way. If they had tried to fight their way individually, no one would pass this round. Everyone knew the situation very well. So, without hesitation, they united together, except Adler and his company who remained behind.
They continued to encounter terrifying, unusual creatures as they made their way from pillar to pillar. Every time they encountered a creature, they instantly formed a circle and eliminated it from all directions.
It went without saying that every disciple there was the strongest and the best one selected from their sect. A common disciple without any remarkable strength would never be able to make it this far. Even the two Iridescence Sect female disciples had extraordinary speed and flexibility, making it possible for them to avoid being attacked by the creatures while eliminating them swiftly. So united, all the disciples marched to the next high platform without much difficulty.
'This is the right way to do it. Those two from the Brumous Sect were idiots. It was crazy for me to think of them as teammates at first, ' Zen thought as he rushed along. In reality, none of them thought of one another as a teammate. They knew they had come together only to stay safe. It wouldn't be a surprise to any of them when the final competition started and the current truce ended with them drawing swords against each other.
“Look! Over there! What is that?” one of the disciples yelled behind Zen, and rousing him from his thoughts.
Stopping immediately, Zen turned around to see what it was. His sharp eyes looked to where the disciple pointed. Not far in the distance, a stream of fluid lava rolled up, and sped towards them. Something gigantic was headed at them under the waves of lava.
The group shrank back at the sight as they wondered what it would be this time. All they knew, was no matter what, it wouldn't be anything nice or pleasant.
The unknown creature cut through the lava at breakneck speed as it closed in on them. It sprang up above the lava's crest.
An ugly creature sprang up in front of everyone, astonishing them. Its mouth hung half open, snarling horribly. It was ten feet wide and resembled a fish, but comparatively, it was a hundred times uglier. With a triangle shaped body and an unmatchable long tail, it looked like a giant kite soaring in the sky. What surprised them the most was the long tail with barbed hooks covering its scales, giving it the appearance of a demon's tail in a childhood storybook.
“That's an evil fire mobula! Watch out! Why are there so many of them?” yelled a disciple.
After the first mobula rose from the fire sea, the molten lava began to vibrate and the fluid lava began to ripple in at least thirty spots, which meant there were at least thirty evil fire mobulas headed at the group.
“Move! Hurry, everyone! Get away from there!” cried another disciple.
Hearing the alarm in his voice, everyone stopped staring in a trance-like state and rushed from the mobulas. Unlike other unknown creatures they had defeated, evil fire mobula wasn't a monster they could overpower easily, not to mention there were so many coming right at the group.
However, astonishingly, the mobulas were much faster than they expected. Splashing through the fluid lava, they drew closer and closer to the disciples.
Running away from the mobulas, Zen watched in awe as a wave of fire rushed past him and reached a disciple. A mobula suddenly sprang from under the lava, speeding to strike at the shocked victim.
Sensing the danger, the disciple instinctively pulled out a shiny, golden saber from a sheath and began slashing at the monster without even turning to face the mobula. It all happened in the blink of an eye. As soon as the saber was drawn, the icy light reflected brilliantly, amazing the other disciples.
“The successful blade intent!” Zen couldn't help shouting excitedly. He knew that the successful blade intent was a top grade blade skill that could only be manipulated by powerful, talented people. He would have never expected that this disciple, who looked so fragile and weak, would be powerful enough to have the successful blade intent.
With the screeching sound of metal meeting flesh and bone, they watched as the saber sliced into the evil fire mobula's body as easily as a hot knife cutting butter.
The saber struck so swiftly that the mobula had no time to dodge or react.
However, this giant, monstrous sea beast, was so massive that one strike was not enough. Although it wasn't a fatal strike, the pain was intolerable. The mobula instinctively turned sideways and whipped its demonic, barbed tail fiercely at the disciple.
The disciple saw the lethal tail. Gathering all his strength in his arms, he lifted his saber up and brought it down on the mobula's vicious tail.
As the saber hit the tail, there was a clunk sound.
It rebounded, leaving the mobula's tail unharmed. Sparks flew as the saber collided with the tail as if metal hit metal.
How hard was that tail? For a moment, the stunned group stood there. Their minds boggled by the scene before them. Seeing the successful blade intent was surprising enough, but seeing a gigantic fish that was able to withstand the hit of the saber? How could it be possible? If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes just now, the group wouldn't have believed it.
As surprised as they were by the mobula's indescribably hard tail, if they stood there, as though numb, the group would face inescapable disaster from this intelligent monster. As the disciples stood there transfixed, watching the man's second cut fail, the mobula had gotten close enough to attack him with its tail.
Needless to say, it would mean certain death if the mobula were to drag him down into the burning lava that would incinerate his flesh from his body.
While the other disciples stood there dumbstruck, Zen sensed the extreme danger and composed himself. Without hesitating, he pulled his Streamer Sword out and jumped high in the air as he raised his sword. The cold metal gleamed blindingly. As he came back down to the ground, he brought the Steamer Sword down, silently and swiftly onto the mobula tail in front of him.
Zen's blow struck nerve endings in the tail, leaving the evil fire mobula screeching in pain.
The mobula let out an ear-piercing shriek, and its long body twisted as it dived under the lava.
A piece of tail, once attached to the mobula, hung in the air for a moment before it crashed down onto the stone pillar.
It wasn't until then that the disciple being attacked realized that Zen had saved his life. He would be dead if not for Zen. Not knowing how to express his gratitude, the disciple just stared at Zen awestruck and full of gratitude.