The genius who counterattacked the mainland

One-horned flaming elk surrounded the crowd, golden lotuses blossoming beneath their hooves. Golden light emanated from their stamens, weaving like fine ropes, blocking the path ahead. Flames leaped and leaped from their horns, sometimes transforming into majestic faces, surveying the intruders. Their low humming echoed through the mist, like the tolling of an ancient alarm bell, terrifying everyone.

Xu Tiancai clasped his hands together, his expression sincere, and said in a loud voice: "We have no intention of offending the spiritual realm. We are really swept here by fate to explore the mystery of our life experience and the truth about the Flame Soul Crystal. I hope you will give us a favor." The elks seemed to understand what they were saying. The tall giant elk in the lead, whose flames were particularly blazing, took a step forward. A flash of light appeared around his body, and he turned into a human form, a middle-aged man in a scarlet gold robe with a flame mark between his eyebrows. His eyes were like torches, and he said: "If you want to go deeper, you need to go through trials to prove that you are worthy of the secrets of the spiritual realm. Otherwise, don't blame us for being ruthless." After that, he waved his hand, and the surrounding scenery changed instantly.

They found themselves in a blazing valley. Lava surged beneath their feet, bubbles bursting and splattering like a torrential downpour of scorching liquid. The air was thick with the pungent smell of sulfur, and the heat surged, distorting their vision. The cliffs on either side of the valley were engraved with mysterious runes, glowing red like eyes gazing down. "This is the Heart Fire Valley. You must remain within it for three full hours, using your spiritual power to suppress your inner fire and comprehend the true meaning of fire. Only then can you pass." The voice of the man in the scarlet-gold robe drifted out, echoing through the valley, but his figure had already vanished.

Xu Tiancai immediately channeled the power of the stars, thrusting the Star Sword before him. The sword's light transformed into a protective barrier, and he was the first to step into the lava flow. Heat waves impacted the barrier, causing the star power to tremble like ripples on a lake. Ah Gang followed closely behind, his fighting spirit fully unleashed, a golden glow radiating from his body to counter the heat. Each step into the lava sent a large "wave of fire" flying, yet he gritted his teeth to resist the burning sensation. Lin spat softly, flicked her staff, and the wind element swirled into a small tornado beneath her feet, levitating her mid-air, avoiding the lava, but the heat still burned her cheeks red and her hair frizzled.

The Ice Princess formed hand seals, emanating an icy aura. A glittering ice path formed above the lava. Cautiously, she advanced, but the heat of the lava corroded the path, crackling and spreading, creating a dangerous situation. Su Yao held her zither in her arms, plucking the strings with her fingertips. The sound waves transformed into a stream of cool water, enveloping them and alleviating the intense heat. However, the strings, strained by the intense heat, threatened to break. Sweat dripped from her forehead, dripping into the lava and instantly evaporating into water vapor.

An hour passed, and everyone's spiritual power began to wane. Heart fires burned fiercely in their chests, and the heat, boredom, and thirst gnawed like a venomous snake gnawing at their souls. Xu Tiancai gritted his teeth and persevered, closing his eyes to observe the flow of stellar power, trying to find a cool balance amidst the intense heat. Suddenly, he felt as if he were immersed in a vast starry sky, with twinkling stars and their light pouring down upon his heart, quenching the fire within him. He realized that fire is not simply about destruction, but also about rebirth and tempering. Strength quietly grew within him.

Agang's arm muscles tensed, his fighting spirit threatening to wither. Gazing at the raging lava, he recalled his past hardships of training and the bond of brotherhood. A surge of determination surged, forcing him to hold himself together. This caused his fighting spirit to transform, taking on a hue of azure blue, greatly increasing its power and allowing him to withstand the heatwave with greater ease. Lin was dizzy and nearly fainted from the heatwave. At that crucial moment, the wind element, as if connected to her, spontaneously absorbed the fire's fury, transforming into a fiery tornado. The fusion of wind and fire within the tornado carved a safe passage.

The Ice Princess's icy power was nearly exhausted, and the frozen path was largely shattered. In this critical moment, she took the opposite approach, no longer simply resisting, but instead channeling the fire of the magma to temper the ice crystals. The ice crystals were reshaped in the flames, becoming an unparalleled spirit crystal, a fusion of water and fire, which stabilized her body. Su Yao's voice was hoarse, and the blood from her fingers stained the strings red. However, with her tenacious will, she played the fatal melody. The sound waves resonated with the fire, extracting a trace of spiritual essence from it, nourishing everyone.

Three hours finally came to an end. The valley's heat instantly receded, and a cool breeze washed over them. Everyone collapsed to the ground, their spiritual energy drained but transformed. At this moment, a stone gate at the end of the valley slowly opened, and a miraculous sight flickered in the light. Everyone struggled to their feet, supporting each other as they walked towards the stone gate, not knowing what dangers and opportunities lay beyond. With trepidation, they stepped into the next unknown.