Change the Way You Put It!

Under Lu Bu's watchful gaze, Hai Bodong gave a light leap into the cave entrance and slid down along the passage.

The entrance slanted deep underground, and the slope was exceptionally steep. Seeing this, Lu Bu held Qing Lin close and, like Hai Bodong, jumped into the opening, sliding down with a whoosh.

As they watched the three leave, the remaining members of the Sand Mercenary Group looked at one another in bewilderment, unsure of what to do next.

"First squad, stay here with me and guard this place. The rest of you return to the camp. Second squad, come back in two hours and relieve the first squad."

"Yes!"

Hearing their captain's command, several people acknowledged it and returned to the camp.

Looking over the territory now occupied only by their own side, then at the pitch-black cave entrance, one squad member quietly approached Rob. "Captain, how about we..."

The man made a gesture, roughly meaning that they should make a move and take some benefits for themselves.

Rob's eyes widened, and he immediately swung a slap at him. Furious, he barked, "Are you fucking suicidal? Don't drag me down with you!"

"That was a Dou Wang and a Dou Ling! Have you lost your mind?"

"Yes, yes, Captain is right." The man nodded and bowed, not daring to voice any objection.

Rob snorted and turned his attention to the outskirts, keeping watch in all directions. Those people had been trustworthy—when they said they would give something, they gave it without the slightest hesitation. He was not about to overreach himself and seek his own death.

Inside the cave!

After sliding down for several minutes, Hai Bodong, Lu Bu, and Qing Lin landed on a relatively flat, spacious fan-shaped area.

But before the three of them lay dozens of densely packed passages branching off in several directions.

Hai Bodong and Lu Bu held up moonlight stones and stared blankly at the passages before them, not knowing which way to go.

"Girl, it's up to you now." Lu Bu smiled.

"Alright, Young Master." Qing Lin's eyes brightened slightly. She walked in front of the two men, gently closed her eyes, and silently searched for the passage with the densest aura.

"Elder Hai, what do you think?" Lu Bu asked softly.

"How would I know?" Hai Bodong snapped. "I only know how to draw maps. I'm not good at finding Heavenly Flames."

"Then let me put it another way..." Lu Bu stroked his chin and pondered. "Which passage scares you the most?"

Hai Bodong: "..."

If I could beat you, I'd definitely show you why flowers are so red!

"Say something!" Lu Bu urged.

"That one!" Hai Bodong sensed carefully for a moment, then pointed to a passage slightly to the left and replied irritably.

Just then, Qing Lin opened her eyes as well and pointed to a passage on the left. "Young Master, although every passage carries the aura left behind by that person, this one is the strongest."

"..."

Hai Bodong's face darkened. If he'd known, he would have stalled for a little longer!

"Hahaha, Qing Lin, you're amazing!" Lu Bu laughed heartily, wrapped an arm around Qing Lin's waist, lifted her up, and spun her around, his delight impossible to hide.

"Ah... Young Master, put me down!" Qing Lin cried softly, her fair little face flushing crimson.

"Let's go take a look." Lu Bu smiled and obediently set her down.

Qing Lin felt a little disappointed. Actually, it would have been fine if he had not put her down...

Hai Bodong nodded and took the lead into the passage he had just pointed out, placing a moonlight stone every one or two hundred meters along the way, both as markers and for illumination.

"Qing Lin, wait a moment." Lu Bu caught hold of Qing Lin, took out a thumb-sized jade token, and hung it around her neck.

"This is a defensive formation diagram. It will protect you if you encounter danger." Lu Bu patted her little head with a smile.

This was a small formation Lu Bu had inscribed, mainly for defense and warning.

The Two-headed Fire Spirit Snake was no weak opponent, so Lu Bu had to be cautious.

"Mhm, thank you, Young Master." Qing Lin cupped the jade token in her hands and nodded repeatedly, her eyes curving into crescents with boundless joy.

Lu Bu took her hand and quickly caught up with Hai Bodong. Yet upon entering the passage, they encountered another familiar downward slope. Though it was not as steep as the previous one, this passage clearly descended, and it was very long.

Hai Bodong moved quickly. In an environment like this, there was no way to proceed cautiously. The long passage was so low that one could almost reach up and touch the rock wall overhead.

If danger struck under these conditions, there would be nowhere to escape. They could only meet it head-on in the narrow passage and press forward bravely, so Hai Bodong had to get through it as quickly as possible.

Lu Bu carried Qing Lin as he followed behind Hai Bodong. His thoughts were much the same—this passage had to be crossed as quickly as possible.

Anyone who had played horror games knew that corridors were the last places they wanted to pass through, because they were truly terrifying. Lu Bu's current predicament was much the same as being in one of those horror-game corridors.

As the three hurried onward on four legs, the moonlight stones in Hai Bodong's hand had run out, but the temperature around them began to rise.

Because of the icy Dou Qi within his body, Hai Bodong quickly noticed this, and his face immediately lit up with joy. Could there really be a Heavenly Flame here?

With that thought, he sped up even more. Lu Bu sensed it clearly as well, tapping rapidly off the ground as he carried Qing Lin and swiftly followed.

A moment later, the passage suddenly opened up, and the three arrived atop a protruding platform. Before them stretched a boundless sea of magma.

"Heavens..." At the sight, not only Qing Lin, but even Hai Bodong could not help letting out an astonished exclamation.

Gurgle, gurgle~

As the magma churned, bubbles rose and burst one after another, releasing foul-smelling miasma that drifted through the air.

Hai Bodong stared blankly at the sea of magma before him. "So... what do we do next?"

Qing Lin widened her eyes and swept her gaze across the sea of magma. She seemed to sense an unusual presence.

"I'll take a look," Lu Bu said. His shoulders trembled, and the Purple Cloud Wings spread from his back and flapped, carrying him into the air above the sea of magma.

The only way to find the Green Lotus Core Flame was through the Two-headed Fire Spirit Snake. The sea was far too vast—he could search for days and still never investigate all of it. So Lu Bu intended to lure the snake out of its hole.

At the tunnel exit, Hai Bodong plopped down to rest. There was nothing left for him to do. Faced with this sea of magma, he had no idea what to do either, and without Dou Qi Wings, he could not help even if he wanted to.

Qing Lin ignored Hai Bodong. Her eyes continued to carefully scan the magma's surface. She truly had sensed something... yet it also felt as though she had not.

What should I do? Should I tell Young Master? Three tiny flowers flickered faintly in Qing Lin's emerald-green eyes, and her expression was full of conflict.

Gurgle!

Suddenly, the magma churned for no apparent reason. The sound was clearly louder than the popping of the other magma bubbles.

Qing Lin's expression changed at once, and she screamed, "Young Master, something is following you!"

Hai Bodong jolted and sprang to his feet, icy Dou Qi circulating around his body.

On the other side, Qing Lin did not need to warn him. Lu Bu had noticed it the instant the anomaly appeared.

With a boom, a massive pillar of molten fire erupted from the sea of magma and shot straight at Lu Bu.

"Heh... you finally came out!" Lu Bu's eyes lit up.

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