Testing Inner Flame, Obtaining the Crimson Fire Blade Technique!

A figure slowly emerged from the forest.

A tall, straight-backed young man, no more than twenty years old, approached with a Tang Saber at his waist and an imposing presence.

He strolled over unhurriedly and reached the entrance at exactly ten o'clock, not a second early or late.

"Are you... Brother Fan?"

Old Li sized him up a few times.

Why was he younger than expected? He had thought the other man would be about his own age. After all, they were both nearing thirty.

"Is that your system nickname?"

Fang Yi smiled faintly and greeted him.

Then he voluntarily stepped aside and said nothing more.

"Haha, looking at this, we're all introverts with rather reserved personalities. Unlike me, an extrovert and a veteran social terrorizer."

The short, chubby buzzcut man who had spoken first jumped in to smooth things over.

He wore a cheerful expression, his face wrinkling when he smiled. He looked like someone who was always laughing.

Zhang Xiaoya could not help glancing at Fang Yi a few more times. She could tell he was quite capable, but unfortunately, his personality was rather aloof. He would not even say a few extra words to get acquainted.

"Now that everyone's here, let's get ready to head down."

Zhang Xiaoya slowly pushed open the stone door.

Boom!

As the stone door opened, brilliant golden light spilled out. As the gap widened, a murky wave of heat rushed out from within.

The blast of heat left everyone drenched in sweat.

Yet their expressions were filled with fervor.

A new era was about to arrive. This was their opportunity!

Zhang Xiaoya's fingers trembled with excitement as well.

Whether it was fortune or danger, success or failure would be decided in one stroke.

Fang Yi merely raised his head and glanced at the golden light.

"Sure enough, it has a Yang Attribute..."

"Let's go!"

The Underground River, also known as a Subterranean Stream, lay within the karst caves.

Many karst caves formed stalagmites, stone pillars, stone curtains, and stone flowers alongside their rivers, creating scenery that was dazzling, bizarre, and fantastical.

Based on the analysis and photographs in the compressed file, this Dark River was much the same. Its interior likely formed an irregular tree-like network, and it was not short.

Once they entered, their vision abruptly darkened.

Someone switched on a flashlight, illuminating a rugged path flanked by rocky cliffs. Entering the cave felt like being locked in a sealed room, and it inevitably made them feel uneasy.

"Who's taking the lead?" Zhang Xiaoya asked.

Old Li and Buzzcut Bro looked at each other, both as silent as if their mouths had been sewn shut.

"I will."

Fang Yi, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke.

He passed Zhang Xiaoya, who was holding the flashlight, and walked to the front of the group. His back looked sturdy and reassuring.

"I'll hold the light and walk behind you. You two can figure out your own positions."

Zhang Xiaoya said without looking back.

And so their peculiar formation took shape. Old Li walked at the very back, on his own.

As Zhang Xiaoya carefully lit the way, her gaze kept drifting to Fang Yi's back.

She had found this guy mysterious from the very beginning.

Not the kind of mystery that came from staying quiet and pretending to be aloof, but something that radiated from his very temperament. Zhang Xiaoya had met quite a few Pioneers, most of whom carried a sense of superiority, but the man ahead had none of that. She could not sense anything from him.

For some reason, she vaguely sensed a warm aura from him. It was contradictory.

"Brother Fan, slow down a little. Watch the loose stones under your feet."

"Walk closer to the inside. The left side seems to be dripping water. Several drops landed on my head."

"Are you tired? Let me know if you're thirsty. I brought bottled water in my bag."

Calls occasionally came from behind.

They chatted once or twice from time to time, but most of the time, the three of them spoke while Fang Yi listened alone.

Fang Yi was the newcomer in this group, but judging from how equally the others treated him, they had already regarded him as one of their own.

Easygoing? Honest people.

Only now did Fang Yi better understand the urgency of the person online known as YTUGG72.

They clearly truly wanted to find several reliable teammates for the uncertain era ahead.

It felt very real.

"We're almost there."

Fang Yi, walking at the front, suddenly spoke.

"Ah, it's lava!"

Zhang Xiaoya cried out in delight.

They had reached the bank of the Underground River.

The sight before them was even more convincing than the photographs.

The pitch-black passageway resembled a tunnel carved out from the depths of the earth. Roiling crimson lava flowed through it, billowing with white vapor.

The lava struck the cliff walls as it flowed, producing the sound of waves crashing against shore.

"It really is lava!"

"Real lava is actually flowing through this Underground River. This is way too bizarre. If you posted this online, people would praise you for being good at Photoshop."

"Do you feel hot? It's strange. It feels a little hot, but not that hot."

"Now that you mention it, our clothes were soaked all the way here, but that's normal in summer. Should it be like this beside lava?"

Amid the overlapping chatter,

Fang Yi had already crouched down and thrust his hand directly into the lava.

The rolling lava instantly engulfed his hand!

Everyone's expressions changed drastically.

Bro, are you trying to get yourself killed?!

That was lava! You just touched it with your bare hand?

Zhang Xiaoya's breathing became rapid.

Old Li immediately reached for Fang Yi's arm, but in the next second, the culprit raised his hand out of the lava himself.

His palm was smooth, without the slightest trace of a burn.

Fang Yi spoke.

"It's not that hot. This lava is very unusual."

As soon as he said that,

he plunged his hand into the lava again. This time, he reached deeper before finally feeling a searing heat.

Flames licked at his fingertips, bringing a sharp sting.

"Cool on the outside, scorching within."

"It really does seem like fire burning in water."

Fang Yi was deep in thought.

Suddenly,

he sensed an immense threat!

Fang Yi reacted incredibly quickly and pulled his hand back without hesitation.

Boom!

The spot where he had just reached into suddenly exploded, erupting in blinding flames that instantly became a raging inferno!

A scorching heat wave rushed toward them!

As the lava met the air, it let out an ear-splitting roar. Molten rock splashed everywhere, reducing all it touched to ash and slurry, while the flames writhed like a giant dragon!

At that moment, it was as though the earth itself were roaring in fury.

"What happened?"

Everyone retreated several steps, still shaken.

They had nearly been caught in the explosion. If it had touched them, their heads would have been blown clean off!

Fang Yi stepped back as well.

He stared at the lingering sparks from the explosion in the air, countless lines of source code flickering in his eyes.

Anomaly of heaven and earth detected: Inner Flame. Analyzing—

Activating ultimate computing power. Writing—

You have obtained: Crimson Fire Blade Technique

Inner Flame template material: high internal temperature, carries explosive properties, astonishing destructive power

The Crimson Fire Blade Technique.

Unlike the Golden Sun Breathing Technique, its true power could only be seen once the blade was drawn. Every strike carried the roar of flames, every strike bore the might of blazing fire!

When this blade technique was used, the blade would be covered in raging flames, and every swing would flash like fiery lightning.

The flames gathered at the blade tip would be detonated by fighting spirit. In that instant, the energy released by the crimson blaze rivaled the scorching heat of the blazing sun!

Fang Yi's eyes burned brightly.

"This Crimson Fire Blade Technique perfectly complements my Tang Saber. Just right—I can also give this Tang Saber the Inner Flame Attribute and multiply its power."

Consume Data Points to implant the 'Inner Flame Attribute' into this item?

"Yes!"

In an instant,

countless scarlet rays poured into the Tang Saber at his side. Fine cracks appeared along the blade within its sheath, while scorching bubbles continuously rose from its surface.

As the Inner Flame entered it, rippling flame patterns began to spread across the blade's surface. Flames surged continuously, releasing soft sizzling sounds.

A brilliant gleam flashed across the hilt. The center of the blade seemed capable of unleashing an explosive torrent of flame at any moment, its blazing fire instantly detonating and igniting the surrounding air.

An utterly explosive offensive Cultivation Method.

The higher one's realm, the stronger the explosion. In the hands of a powerful expert, this blade technique was no less devastating than a resurgent natural disaster.

A true explosion—destroying an entire city would be no problem!

"Very violent." Fang Yi felt the temperature of the Tang Saber and smiled. "I like it."

He had been lacking exactly this sort of thing.

"I felt it!"

"I felt it too!"

Buzzcut Bro looked delighted. "I can feel it. As long as I cultivate a little, I can officially step onto the path of cultivation!"

At some point, the others had already sat cross-legged on the ground. They had just sensed the fluctuations of the resurgence and needed to seize the time to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

They were all Pioneers, and their abilities were roughly equal. What mattered was who improved faster!

Fang Yi did not rush to cultivate.

This trip had already given him something even more valuable.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, he heard a series of strange sounds.

They were not loud, and the three people cultivating had not heard them, but the sounds seemed to be getting closer and closer.

Fang Yi carefully identified their direction and said flatly,

"Looks like we aren't the only ones who found this place."