The spiraling passage was narrow and steep, its walls lined with glowing veins of unknown energy. The air grew colder with every step, and a faint hum echoed around them—a sound that seemed to resonate with the pulse of the glowing veins.
"Stay alert," Ye Tian said, his tone commanding but calm. He walked at the center, Zhou Lie and Jiang Hao flanking him, their weapons ready. Wu Liang and Lin Feng were in the lead, their expressions uneasy as they scanned the path ahead.
"I don't like this," Lin Feng muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You don't have to," Wu Liang shot back. "Just keep moving."
The faint hum grew louder as they descended, transforming into a deep, rhythmic thrum that vibrated in their chests.
The Chamber of Echoes
The passage finally opened into a vast chamber. The walls glowed faintly, etched with intricate carvings depicting ancient battles and towering figures wielding immense power. At the center of the room stood a massive altar, its surface covered in symbols that shimmered with an eerie light.
"This must be it," Zhou Lie said, his voice filled with awe.
"Not yet," Ye Tian replied, his sharp gaze scanning the room. "There's always a test."
As if on cue, the symbols on the altar flared to life, projecting beams of light that coalesced into a towering figure. The figure was translucent, its body composed of glowing energy and shifting runes. Its voice boomed, reverberating through the chamber.
"Prove your worth, or be consumed by the abyss!"
The Test Begins
The glowing figure raised its arms, and the chamber shifted. The walls seemed to close in, and the ground beneath their feet fractured, forming floating platforms surrounded by a swirling void.
"Spread out!" Ye Tian commanded.
The group leaped onto the platforms, their movements agile despite the unstable footing. The glowing figure unleashed a barrage of energy blasts, each one shaking the platforms on impact.
Zhou Lie and Jiang Hao reacted quickly, deflecting the blasts with precise strikes. Wu Liang and Lin Feng scrambled to avoid the attacks, their footing precarious as the platforms shifted beneath them.
Ye Tian, standing on a higher platform, observed the figure's movements. He activated his Golden Sovereign Power, a ripple of gravity emanating from him and stabilizing the platforms around his allies.
"The runes on its chest," Ye Tian called out. "That's the core! Focus your attacks there!"
Zhou Lie and Jiang Hao coordinated their strikes, their weapons glowing as they targeted the runes. Wu Liang and Lin Feng, though hesitant, launched ranged attacks to distract the figure.
Ye Tian's Intervention
The chamber trembled as the glowing figure raised its colossal arm and swung down with devastating force. Ye Tian leaped forward to intercept it, his hand glowing with gravitational energy. He unleashed a powerful counterstrike, sending ripples of golden energy upward.
But the sheer momentum of the figure's attack overwhelmed him. The impact hurled Ye Tian backward, slamming him into the wall with a sickening thud. The platforms beneath his allies wavered as the ground cracked.
"Brother Ye!" Zhou Lie shouted, his eyes widening in alarm.
Ye Tian coughed, blood trickling from his lips. His vision blurred, but he forced himself to stay conscious, gripping the jagged wall to steady himself.
"Don't stop!" Ye Tian barked hoarsely. "It's not over!"
The Group Takes Charge
Jiang Hao stepped forward, his spear blazing with energy. "Keep it distracted!" he yelled as he charged the glowing figure.
Zhou Lie followed suit, his twin blades flashing as he unleashed a flurry of attacks. Wu Liang and Lin Feng hesitated, but seeing Jiang Hao and Zhou Lie engage, they steeled their resolve and joined the fray.
The glowing figure retaliated, its movements swift despite its massive size. It swung its remaining arm in a wide arc, sending Wu Liang and Lin Feng tumbling across the platforms. Zhou Lie ducked under the swing, his blades carving deep into the figure's ethereal body.
"Damn it! This thing's too strong!" Lin Feng cursed, barely dodging a follow-up strike.
Jiang Hao thrust his spear toward the runes on the figure's chest, his aim precise. The glowing figure stumbled, its form flickering as cracks spread across its body.
Ye Tian's Recovery
Ye Tian struggled to his feet, the golden glow of his Sovereign Power flickering weakly around him. He steadied his breathing, feeling the gravitational energy within him realign.
"They're buying me time," he muttered, his fists clenching. "I won't let them down."
With renewed determination, Ye Tian launched himself back into the fray. He manipulated gravity to propel himself upward, his body blurring as he closed the distance between himself and the glowing figure.
"Enough!" Ye Tian roared, his gravitational energy exploding outward. The shockwave forced the figure to stagger, giving his allies a brief respite.
Desperation and Sacrifice
Despite their coordinated attacks, the glowing figure showed no signs of slowing. Jiang Hao and Zhou Lie were panting heavily, their spiritual energy nearly depleted.
Wu Liang and Lin Feng were less fortunate. The glowing figure grabbed Wu Liang, its massive hand crushing him with merciless efficiency. Blood sprayed across the platform as Wu Liang's lifeless body fell into the abyss.
Lin Feng tried to retreat, but the glowing figure's next attack struck him squarely in the chest, sending him flying. He landed in a crumpled heap, motionless.
"No!" Zhou Lie shouted, his voice hoarse with anguish.
Ye Tian's eyes darkened as he witnessed the brutal deaths of his comrades. But before he could act, the figure's movements slowed. The blood of Wu Liang and Lin Feng seeped into the ground, flowing toward the altar.
The runes on the altar absorbed the blood, glowing brighter with each drop. The glowing figure froze, its body disintegrating into motes of light that drifted upward and vanished.
The Altar's Secret
The chamber fell silent, the oppressive energy dissipating. The platforms stabilized, and the staircase leading downward revealed itself, its surface glowing faintly.
"It needed blood," Jiang Hao said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Their sacrifice was the key."
Ye Tian knelt near the edge of the platform, his gaze fixed on the spot where Wu Liang and Lin Feng had fallen. "We keep moving," he said, his voice cold. "They didn't die for nothing."
Zhou Lie and Jiang Hao nodded, their faces grim. With heavy hearts and weary bodies, they descended the staircase, each step taking them closer to the legacy they sought—and the unknown trials that awaited them.