Crossing to Douqi Continent and walking sideways

After countless days and nights of research, Xiao Muchen spent a lot of energy and finally, in a quiet night, he successfully cracked the mysterious rune of the map in his sea of consciousness. At the moment when the last puzzle of the mysterious rune was solved, a brilliant and strange light suddenly bloomed in front of his eyes. Xiao Muchen was startled, and his whole body tensed up instantly, entering a state of high alert, staring closely at the center of the light, and the fighting spirit in his body surged involuntarily, ready to deal with sudden danger at any time.

The light gradually faded, and an illusory and mysterious figure slowly emerged. The figure exuded an ancient and profound aura, as if it came from the distant past. Xiao Muchen frowned, his eyes full of doubt and vigilance.

"Young man, don't be nervous." An ancient and deep voice came slowly, as if it had traveled through endless time and space, carrying the vicissitudes and heaviness of years. The figure gradually became clear, and it turned out to be an old man with a celestial appearance. Although the old man's face was blurry, the temperament emanating from him made people feel an invisible pressure.

"Who are you?" Xiao Muchen suppressed the shock in his heart, tried to keep his voice calm, and asked cautiously.

The old man smiled slightly, and that smile seemed to contain endless stories and wisdom. He slowly said: "I am the previous owner of the Purple Lanyou Lotus Fire. You are quite capable to be able to decipher this mysterious rune."

When Xiao Muchen heard this, his heart was like a storm. He never thought that at this critical moment, he would meet such a legendary figure. A trace of awe flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his determination.

The old man seemed to see through his thoughts and continued, "I can tell you that if you can pass my test, when you find the Purple Lanyou Lotus Fire, your chances of taming it will greatly increase."

Xiao Muchen's eyes were as firm as iron. Without the slightest hesitation, he said, "Senior, please ask the questions." His voice was sonorous and powerful, full of determination and courage.

The old man's expression became serious, and the atmosphere around him became solemn. He said, "The final test is to defeat me. But don't worry, I am only a remnant soul now, and my strength is not as good as before, but I was once a strong man at the peak of Dou Sheng, so you have to be careful."

As soon as the words fell, the old man suddenly emanated an extremely powerful pressure, which was like an invisible mountain, pressing down on Xiao Muchen fiercely. The surrounding space seemed to be solidified by this pressure, making it difficult for people to breathe.

Xiao Muchen took a deep breath, suppressed the fear in his heart, and quickly circulated the Dou Qi in his body. The Dou Qi in his meridians surged like a torrent, and his whole body was shining brightly. He resolutely faced the pressure from the old man.

The battle broke out instantly, Xiao Muchen used his best skills, his body was as fast as lightning, and his boxing was as powerful as thunder and lightning. Every move and every style contained his strong fighting spirit and firm will. However, the old man just waved his sleeves lightly, and the seemingly casual movement was full of mysteries. Xiao Muchen's attack was instantly resolved, and the powerful recoil force made him retreat again and again.

Xiao Muchen knew that facing such a strong enemy, conventional moves and strategies would not work at all. He had to put aside all distractions and devote himself to the battle, looking for flaws in the old man's moves. So, he adjusted his tactics again, becoming more flexible and changeable, and his attacks more tricky and fierce.

The old man seemed to know everything. No matter how Xiao Muchen changed his attack method, he could easily deal with it. Every move restrained Xiao Muchen just right, making his attack ineffective. Xiao Muchen was repelled many times and had many scars on his body, but there was no sign of retreat in his eyes, instead, he was burning with a stronger fighting spirit.

"Boy, you won't be able to pass the test with just this little ability." There was a hint of sarcasm in the old man's voice, but there was a hint of expectation in his eyes.

Xiao Muchen gritted his teeth and persisted, sweat falling like rain, his breathing became rapid, but his mind was thinking quickly about the countermeasures. He suddenly remembered a skill he had learned on the verge of life and death in a dangerous battle. It was a skill he had never performed in front of others because it consumed a lot of energy and was extremely risky. But at this moment, facing such a powerful old man, he decided to take a risk.

He slowly closed his eyes, discarded all external interference, and began to gather all his fighting spirit. The surrounding energy seemed to be attracted and gathered towards him frantically, forming a powerful and unstable force. Seeing this, the old man's eyes flashed with surprise. He could feel the growing power in Xiao Muchen.

Xiao Muchen suddenly opened his eyes and shouted loudly, his voice shaking the sky. He rushed towards the old man like a cannonball. This attack, with all his hope and determination, seemed to completely smash all the obstacles in front of him.

The old man nodded slightly, with a hint of appreciation in his eyes. He stretched out a hand, seemingly slowly, but accurately meeting Xiao Muchen's attack.

Instantly, the light shone everywhere, and the strong energy collision produced a huge impact. Xiao Muchen only felt an irresistible strong recoil force coming, and his body was blown away like a kite with a broken string, and fell heavily to the ground.

He struggled to stand up, but his body seemed to have reached its limit and every movement brought excruciating pain.

"Is this a failure?" Xiao Muchen's heart was filled with unwillingness. He looked up at the sky, his eyes revealing deep despair.

Just when he was about to give up, scenes flashed through his mind. He remembered his original intention, the sect's expectations of him, the hardships he had experienced along the way, and the people who supported and trusted him.

An unyielding will surged from the bottom of his heart, like a burning flame, burning more and more vigorously. He gritted his teeth, supported himself with his hands, and stood up again with all his strength. His eyes burned with a stronger fighting spirit, as if he wanted to burn away all the difficulties.

The old man looked at him with a hint of appreciation in his eyes: "Not bad, with such a will, perhaps you can really pass the test."

Xiao Muchen rushed forward again, and started round after round of fierce confrontations with the old man. Every collision left him covered in bruises, but every injury made him stronger.

As time went by, Xiao Muchen's physical strength and fighting spirit were rapidly depleted. His movements became slower and his attacks were no longer as fierce, but his eyes remained firm and never wavered for a moment.

Finally, the old man slowly withdrew his hand and said with a smile: "Child, you have passed the test. Remember, the road ahead is still long. I hope you can make good use of the power of the Purple Lotus Fire."

After saying this, the old man’s figure gradually dissipated, turning into points of light and merging into the void.

Xiao Muchen sat on the ground exhausted, breathing heavily. His body was covered with wounds, but his heart was filled with joy and anticipation. He knew that he was one step closer to the Purple Lotus Fire, and this step was gained with countless sweat and blood.