Twin-Headed Fire Serpent, Straight into the Earth's Core!

Just as Mo Xing was sweating profusely, unsure how to respond—

"Thud, thud, thud!"

Hoofbeats sounded from behind—the full force of the Shaxian Mercenary Group had arrived.

Behind Xiao Yan, Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and Xiao Yi Xian arrived just in time.

Luo Bu's soft armor gleamed coldly under the moonlight.

The faint clatter of armor plates rubbing together hissed like a snake's tongue.

As he clasped his fists, the mechanism of the Triangular Bone-Piercing Dart at his wrist clicked softly.

On the other side:

Arrows coated with snake venom glowed a ghostly blue in the shadows of the cliff!

Thirty crossbowmen had already climbed to the best sniping positions under cover of night.

Arrows coated with snake venom glowed a ghostly blue in the shadows of the cliff!

Their arrowheads simultaneously locked onto Xiao Yan's vital acupoints.

From the start, he hadn't believed the Dou King cultivation level reported by his scouts!

Now that he saw it in person—just a green youth like this—how could he possibly be a Dou King?

This only reinforced his conviction.

And if he really were a Dou King, he'd have struck them down long ago if they displeased him.

Why would he just stand there?

He'd also come across a record of a rare Flying Fighting Skill in some ancient text.

This brat in front of him was probably just some lucky bastard who stumbled into fortune.

The Heavy Black Ruler clanged as it sank three inches into the sand. The gold-threaded tassel on its hilt stirred without wind, tracing a crimson-gold afterimage in the moonlight:

"Captain Luo, this welcoming party of yours is quite elaborate."

He flicked his finger, and nine clusters of crimson fire silently vanished into the night sky.

Xiao Yi Xian raised her hand and waved lightly. Pale purple poison mist spread across the sand like a living thing.

"A misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding!"

Luo Bu feigned a kick at his deputy, his iron-studded boots gouging a deep pit in the sand:

"Why haven't you untied them yet?!"

As his words fell, nearby mercenaries moved toward the Herb Gathering Team.

"Bang! Bang!"

The sharp clatter of iron chains hitting the ground hadn't yet faded.

Before anyone could react, three Bone-Piercing Nails shot from his sleeve:

"Shiiing! Shiiing! Shiiing!"

The tearing sound of air split the night!

Dou Qi threads coiled around the nails' tails wove a poisonous net in the air.

It was the "Yama's Three Points Incense," worth a fortune on the Desert City black market!

"Boom!"

A crimson Fire Ring exploded from beneath Xiao Yan's feet. The poison net disintegrated into nothing under the Crimson Flame.

Nine pillars of fire tore through the night sky, rising into nine colossal fire dragons dozens of zhang long.

They coiled in the sky, their overwhelming aura erupting.

Like the majesty of heaven pressing down on the earth!

The mercenaries realized in terror that no matter how hard they pushed their Dou Qi, they couldn't move an inch:

"I'm in a bad mood today, so I won't waste words on you!"

"Nine Flame Lock Scales!"

"Boom!"

Xiao Yan's pupils blazed with molten gold flames. The fire dragons in the sky exploded on command.

Thousands of fire arrows dove down with a Dragon Roar. Luo Bu's Golden Silk Soft Armor instantly melted into molten iron!

Flames erupted on the exposed skin of over a hundred mercenaries.

Agonizing pain shot through their minds in an instant!

They despaired as they realized the Dou Qi inside them was being burned away by the Crimson Flame.

The fire creeping through their meridians made their flesh glow transparent like glass.

Qing Lin curled up inside the poison mist barrier released by Xiao Yi Xian.

The flames deliberately avoided that area.

Her ankle, bruised purple, gave off an alarming dark blue-black under the moonlight.

Xiao Yi Xian took out the ointment, but the girl instinctively flinched from the aura of the Calamity Poison Body.

Xiao Yan knelt on one knee in the sand, the Fire Cloud Water Flame condensing in his palm into an Ice Blue Phoenix Tail Butterfly.

The ice crystals shaken loose from the butterfly's wings traced frost marks across the scorching desert.

"This is a fire spirit that can heal bruises."

Xiao Yan guided the ice butterfly toward the injury:

"Look."

The moment the Phoenix Tail Butterfly landed, the girl's gaze was drawn to it.

Taking advantage of her distraction, Xiao Yan flicked a pill straight into her mouth.

The girl suddenly grabbed Xiao Yan's right arm, her frail body trembling like a dying candle in the wind.

She broke into soft sobs. Xiao Yan gently stroked her hair, murmuring comfort.

Outside:

Xiao Li's Thunder Light Spear crackled with a sharp zap, and Xiao Ding's Dark Iron Axe thudded heavily against the ground.

They had just been about to make a move—and the fight was already over!?

The enemy hadn't even left ashes behind!

Watching their third brother calmly soothing the little girl amidst the blaze and screams, the two couldn't help but twitch at the corners of their mouths:

So this is how a genius's brain works—utterly bizarre!

If you'd just carried her out, she might have stopped crying on the spot.

Comforting her under a backdrop of screams? How the hell is that supposed to work!

Three days later:

The Bronze City Gate of Desert City gleamed with verdigris in the morning light. Hai Bodong's frost-white beard and hair fluttered in the wind.

He glanced at Xiao Yan and his two companions, frowning slightly:

"We're going to subdue a Strange Fire."

"Are you sure you want to bring two little girls along?"

Xiao Yan looked at Hai Bodong and gave a light smile:

"With the Ice Emperor, one of the top ten powerhouses of the Jia Ma Empire, here."

"Do we really need to worry about any safety issues?"

Hai Bodong turned his head away and said nothing more.

But the corner of his mouth curled into a faint, barely noticeable smile.

He unfurled the sheepskin scroll in his hand, revealing three blood-red markers:

"Then let's set out."

With those words, Hai Bodong spread his Ice Crystal Wings and shot into the sky!

"Hold tight."

Xiao Yan unfurled his Four Wings with a fierce snap, his left arm wrapping around Xiao Yi Xian's slender waist, his right arm shielding Qing Lin against his chest.

Where the Fire Wings passed, they left a trail of Crimson Stream Tail.

After checking two marked areas with no results, they flew toward the final red dot on the map.

High in the sky:

"Nine Flame Lock Scales!"

A surging fire dragon materialized and slammed into the ground with unstoppable force.

"Boom!"

The moment the fire dragon exploded, the sound of the earth collapsing rang out.

A massive underground passage appeared before their eyes!

Without hesitation, the group dove down swiftly.

Sliding through a stretch of dark tunnel, they plunged straight downward!

Until they reached a kilometer beneath the surface.

They pressed on, the temperature rising higher and higher!

Xiao Yan used his Dou Qi to shield Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin.

Until the red light of the exit came into view, the four of them stepped inside.

The scene before them suddenly opened up, an almost boundless lake of magma spreading out before their eyes.

Scorching heat baked this space.

Hai Bodong frowned:

"Kid, you'd better hurry up."

"The aura here makes me very uncomfortable."

Xiao Yi Xian also spoke softly:

"Xiao Yan, this is all endless magma."

"Where are we supposed to find the Strange Fire?"

Before Xiao Yan could reply, Hai Bodong's expression tightened.

Dou Qi gathered in his palm:

"Careful, there's something in this magma."

"Boom!"

The moment his words fell, the magma lake's surface suddenly exploded into a massive wave!

The Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake burst out from the flames.

The left snake head's golden pupils stood vertical, while the right snake head spat out vivid red flames.

Liquid earthly fire flowed through the gaps between its scales.

Hai Bodong raised his hand, condensing an ice wall that easily blocked the flames.

Just as he prepared to act, Xiao Yan had already vanished from his spot.

He charged head-on into the snake head, the Kirin Devouring Heaven Flame coiling around his body!

It devoured the breath of flame the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake spat out again, completely!

Raising his hand, he grasped empty air:

"Sss!"

A piercing snake cry rang out as the Fire Spirit Snake's body suddenly stiffened on the magma lake's surface.

Visible to the naked eye, fire-attributed energy flowing like magma surged endlessly from its body.

Pouring toward Xiao Yan's palm.

After a moment, Xiao Yan kicked the immobilized Fire Spirit Snake onto the stone cliff!

He flashed ashore!

Gently pressing down on Qing Lin's trembling shoulder:

"Look into its eyes."

The moment her jade-green pupils met the snake's eyes.

A strange contract pattern emerged on the demon core between the Fire Spirit Snake's brows.

Jade Eye Three Flowers, awakened for the first time!

Qing Lin's jade-green eyes blazed with brilliance, and the struggling giant serpent suddenly bowed its head in docility.

"Hai Bodong, I'll trouble you to watch over them."

"Qing Lin, have this stupid snake obey my commands."

With those words, Xiao Yan grabbed the Fire Spirit Snake and plunged back into the magma lake.

The Strange Fire enveloped his entire body, and only after diving several hundred meters deep.

Xiao Yan's body suddenly trembled, a violent throb rising from within his heart!

And it wasn't caused by the Strange Fire, so...