It was still that dense forest, still the passage deep beneath it that led directly to Sou Shen Gong.
The difference was that the forest was now engulfed in blazing flames and billowing smoke. The gloomy darkness that had lingered for countless years had been torn apart by the inferno, split by a huge, savage gash. Even the passage leading underground had been brutally smashed open by Fire Qilin, like a massive ball of fire.
Boom!!
A dark passage was completely illuminated by blazing firelight. The surging, suffocating heat radiating from Fire Qilin instantly drove away the chill that had lingered in the passage for years.
Within the violently flickering firelight, not a single expressionless Beast Slave remained in the vast passage. It was as though the tens of thousands of Beast Slaves from before had all been sent out, leaving Sou Shen Gong completely empty.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Jiang Dali and the others leaped down from above in unison, landing within the passage. Seeing the empty and shadowy tunnel before them, their expressions all grew slightly grave.
"Tap! Tap! Tap—"
Just then, heavy footsteps sounded from the other end of the passage. A tall figure slowly approached, accompanied by the faint clinking of chains.
Fire Qilin let out a roar that shook the passage. Its huge, violent eyes glared ahead, but Jiang Dali raised a hand to stop it.
"Fist God?"
Jiang Dali looked at the approaching figure with surprise.
With a clang, the tall figure finally stopped forty yards away. He raised his disheveled head, revealing a dark, rugged, expressionless face. It was Fist God. He occasionally let out beastlike breaths and stared at Jiang Dali and the others as though he recognized none of them. In a hoarse voice, he said,
"God invites you to pass through