Fire Spirit Snake, Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils

A patch of ground in the sandpit suddenly bulged upward.

Boom!

Accompanied by a deafening blast, huge amounts of sand and dirt were flung into the air and scattered in every direction, mixed with red lava. Xu Guang, Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and the others watching nearby all turned pale and retreated again and again.

They did not stop until they had run dozens of meters away. Turning back, their pupils suddenly contracted when they saw the sight in the sky.

A figure shrouded entirely in black mist slowly descended. The dense black fog had condensed into a terrifying chain, its other end binding a massive magical beast.

The beast resembled a snake, its body covered in red scales. It had two enormous heads and four diamond-shaped eyes. When its gaze swept over the crowd, Xu Guang sensed the violence and madness within those eyes and could not help swallowing hard.

"What kind of magical beast is that?"

"It's terrifying. One look from it nearly made me wet myself."

"There was actually something this horrifying hidden beneath Stone Desert City."

As the Fire Spirit Snake's gaze swept over them, the surrounding mercenaries trembled uncontrollably, their teeth chattering.

The chain swung, smashing the Fire Spirit Snake heavily into the ground.

The black mist descended, then dispersed to reveal Hun Cang's stern face.

He glanced at the Fire Spirit Snake, a trace of annoyance passing through his eyes.

That thing was like a fish in water within the lava.

Despite being merely a Dou Ling, it had still taken considerable effort for him, a Five-Star Dou Emperor, to capture it.

Still, capturing the Fire Spirit Snake proved that the Green Lotus Core Flame really was below.

Thinking of this, Hun Cang sighed helplessly.

The fire-element aura within the lava was exceedingly dense, and everything visible to the eye was covered by a layer of red light.

When he had first entered, he had searched for a long time. Unfortunately, he had not found the location of the Green Lotus Core Flame. He had even tried descending into the region beneath the lava, where the temperature was so high that the lava had turned azure.

He had still found nothing.

Left with no choice, Hun Cang could only settle for the next best option and start with the Fire Spirit Snake.

"Where are the people from the Desert Iron Mercenary Group? Come here!" Hun Cang called out to the surrounding crowd, withdrawing his gaze from the Fire Spirit Snake.

"Why is he looking for the Desert Iron people?"

"Could they have offended this lord somewhere?"

As soon as his words fell, the nearby mercenaries began whispering among themselves. Their gazes shifted toward a pair of brothers with similar features, both wearing expressions of shock and panic.

"Big Brother?" Xiao Li's heart tightened with worry. Had this lord overheard what he had said to his brother earlier?

Xiao Ding took a deep breath, ignored him, and hurried over.

Before Xiao Ding could steady himself after approaching, he felt terrifying heat radiating from the magical beast beside him.

He instinctively glanced over. The Fire Spirit Snake glared at him with crazed eyes and hissed.

"Behave." Just as Xiao Ding worried that the beast might pounce on him, a cold shout rang beside his ear. He then saw the chain around the beast emit an inky black glow before abruptly tightening.

Pain appeared on both of the Fire Spirit Snake's heads as it struggled without pause. Yet the harder it struggled, the tighter the chain constricted.

He's incredible... Gathering his thoughts, Xiao Ding looked at Hun Cang with even deeper reverence and said respectfully, "My lord, I am Xiao Ding, leader of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. What orders do you have for our group?"

Hun Cang replied indifferently, "Do you have a young girl named Qing Lin in your group?"

"Qing Lin..." Xiao Ding silently repeated the name before nodding. "Yes, my lord."

"Bring her here." Hun Cang gave the order, inwardly relieved that Qing Lin was currently with the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. It saved him the trouble of wasting time searching for her.

Qing Lin possessed the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. As long as she controlled the Fire Spirit Snake, it could lead him to the true location of the Green Lotus Core Flame.

Otherwise, Hun Cang could find it himself, but it would take far too much time.

After all, the underground lava world was enormous.

Not long afterward, Xiao Ding returned with a young girl.

The girl was not very tall and was rather thin, seeming somewhat malnourished. She wore ordinary servant's clothing, long sleeves and long pants even in the desert, as though she did not fear the heat.

Standing before Hun Cang, Qing Lin kept her head lowered, her body faintly trembling.

She had no idea why the leader had suddenly summoned her, saying that an important lord wished to see her.

While she stood there at a loss, a shadow suddenly fell over her. Before Qing Lin could react, she felt her sleeve being rolled up.

A trace of coolness brushed against the scales on her wrist. As though struck by an instinctive reaction, Qing Lin desperately pulled her arm back, lowering her head even further as her body shook more violently.

That lord is at least a Dou Wang. Whatever he asks you to do later, you must cooperate obediently, understand?

The leader's warning from earlier flashed through her mind. Qing Lin tremblingly extended the arm she had withdrawn once more.

"Don't be afraid. I only need your help with something. Relax..." A gentle voice sounded beside her ear. Qing Lin felt a warm, large hand settle atop her head and gently stroke it.

Qing Lin raised her head in astonishment. Reflected in her jade-green eyes, filled with disbelief, was a handsome young man with the corners of his lips slightly raised.

"M-my lord... what should I do?" Qing Lin asked haltingly.

Hun Cang directly grasped the wrist where her scales grew, his expression unchanged. Pointing at the Fire Spirit Snake in the distance, he said, "Look into its eyes. Imagine that you want to control it and make it obey!"

Noticing Qing Lin's uncontrollable trembling, Hun Cang followed her gaze to the wrist he held. He looked at the fine scales on her pale arm and smiled slightly. "Such beautiful scales..."

"My lord, aren't you afraid?" Qing Lin froze for a moment before gathering her courage to ask.

Hun Cang rubbed her head and smiled. "Why should anyone fear something beautiful? Others fear it only because they do not know how to appreciate it."

After a pause, he continued, "If you help me control it, I can take you somewhere better to live."

"I-I-I'll try." With fear still in her eyes, Qing Lin looked toward the Fire Spirit Snake, took several deep breaths, and walked toward it step by step.

Hun Cang remained where he was, watching Qing Lin's back expectantly.

The Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils were known as the bane of serpents, capable of controlling all snake-type creatures. Such an ability was worth nurturing.

"Why did that lord ask you to bring over a little girl?" Xu Guang could not help asking as he watched Xiao Ding return.

Xiao Ding shook his head, indicating that he did not know either.

He was even rather curious himself. That lord should have arrived in Stone Desert City for the first time, so how did he know about Qing Lin?

A wave of startled cries interrupted Xiao Ding's thoughts.

The chains covering the Fire Spirit Snake shattered inch by inch, turning into smoke and flying back into Hun Cang's body. Qing Lin was still standing before the Fire Spirit Snake.

"Careful..." Seeing the Fire Spirit Snake move toward Qing Lin, Xiao Ding's heart leaped into his throat.

Yet what happened next left everyone staring wide-eyed.

The Fire Spirit Snake actually rubbed itself gently against Qing Lin's small hand like a pet.

From so far away, Xiao Ding could not hear what Qing Lin and Hun Cang said. He only saw the Fire Spirit Snake turn back toward the lava, with Hun Cang following close behind.