Darkness Beneath the Lava

"What happened? Your eyes are all red. Who bullied you?" Qian Xunji asked.

The moment Qian Xunji asked, Man Yao's tears became impossible to stop. They fell like a string of scattered pearls, forming a river as they hit the ground.

Qian Xunji had suddenly fallen silent just now, without saying a word. Man Yao had panicked and kept talking to him, but he ignored her. She had thought something had happened to him.

Qian Xunji hurriedly pulled Man Yao close, cupping her face in both hands and gently wiping away her tears. "There, there. Aren't I perfectly fine?"

"I thought... I thought you... sob sob..." Man Yao said haltingly.

After quite a while, Man Yao gradually calmed down.

"Brother Qin, you must never leave me behind again. Otherwise, I'll be very sad, and the consequences will be serious," Man Yao said fiercely to Qian Xunji.

"I know, Man Yao. I don't even have enough time to cherish you—how could I ever leave you behind? Hurry and wipe your tears away. You've turned into a little tabby cat," Qian Xunji said with a smile.

Man Yao wiped away her tears and stuck out her little tongue sheepishly.

"Man Yao, let's go take a look beyond this Flame Portal. I have a feeling that it contains something we want," Qian Xunji said slowly as he rose to his feet.

"Mm, all right, Brother Qin. I'll follow you," Man Yao said.

"Good. Then let's go brave it."

Qian Xunji tightly held Man Yao's hand and looked ahead, his gaze resolute and calm. Two pairs of Golden Wings slowly unfurled behind him, carrying him and Man Yao over the lava as they shot toward the Flame Portal.

At that moment, the Flame Portal resembled a gigantic flaming beast with its jaws wide open, waiting for prey to enter. Qian Xunji flapped his two pairs of wings and rushed into the Flame Portal. The portal then slowly vanished, and the lava stopped churning before disappearing from Hell Road, as though it had never existed.

Inside the Flame World

An enormous lava lake continuously bubbled, while everything around it was a vivid red and scorching hot.

Rumble.

From the lake of lava, which bubbled endlessly at an unknowable temperature, a massive surge of lava erupted like a column of water. Qian Xunji and Man Yao slowly emerged at the top of the pillar of molten fire.

The two looked at the fiery red world before them and remained silent.

Suddenly, as though the lava had sensed something, pillars of fire burst out toward them one after another.

Qian Xunji carried Man Yao as he dodged frantically in every direction. One lapse in attention, and a pillar of fire struck him head-on. His vision went black, and he lost sight of everything. Immediately afterward, an incomparably scorching airflow enveloped his body, the blazing heat making him feel as though a burnt smell was wafting from his body.

Flames wrapped around him as the scorching energy around him was continuously drawn into his body. Fire Attribute and Earth Attribute energy filled the surroundings, and the pungent scent of heated sulfur entered his nose. The temperature around him was enough to melt an ordinary person's body.

He opened his eyes amid the endless rising Heatwave. All he could see was Fiery Red, while the surrounding air had become completely distorted by the intense heat. Terrifying temperatures filled every corner of the area.

Qian Xunji's body was constantly falling. He could feel that the lower he went, the higher the temperature became. He hurriedly looked down and discovered a vast lake of lava below.

Flames instantly erupted around Qian Xunji. He fiercely stomped on the air with his Left Foot, shooting sideways more than thirty meters onto a patch of scorching ground. Just as he was about to land, another flash of light swept over him and dragged him into a region filled with Red Light.

Qian Xunji's feet touched solid ground again. The blazing heat around him would have reduced anyone else to charcoal long ago, yet he remained completely unharmed with the help of his Martial Soul. He even felt rather comfortable.

The Fire Attribute energy around him was exceptionally dense. He did not even need to deliberately sense it; the fire elements from the outside world burrowed into his body on their own. As Qian Xunji absorbed and refined this incomparably pure and vast energy, he could feel his Soul Power continuously compressing and purifying, becoming more condensed as his foundation steadily grew firmer. Even some Hidden Injuries left behind from battle were gradually healing.

Qian Xunji absorbed fire elements with even greater effort, continuously consolidating his cultivation.

"Ah!"

Qian Xunji let out a roar, and Fiery Red light radiated from his body. This showed that he had absorbed fire elements to the point of saturation, almost to the point of overflowing from his body. With Qian Xunji's roar, the surrounding lava returned to calm once more.

Qian Xunji was brimming with energy, his eyes bright and sharp like burning flames. He clenched his fist and casually threw a punch, producing a sonic boom. One could well imagine how powerful that punch was.

I didn't expect to encounter such a great opportunity the moment I arrived here. Not only has my Soul Power become more condensed, but my Physical Quality has also improved greatly. That means the Year Limit of the Soul Rings I can absorb has surpassed who knows how much, and the strength I can unleash should be even more astonishing, Qian Xunji thought.

"Right, where's Man Yao?" Only then did Qian Xunji realize that Man Yao was gone.

The two had just been struck by a pillar of fire. Qian Xunji had lost consciousness, and when he woke, he discovered that the lava was beneficial to his cultivation. He had then immersed himself in training. But once his cultivation ended, Man Yao had mysteriously disappeared.

Qian Xunji searched everywhere, spinning in panic as he failed to find Man Yao. His handsome face was filled with alarm, and his tightly furrowed brows fully revealed the unrest in his heart.

Just then, a voice sounded from within the lava. "If you want to save her, come down into the lava."

The voice was filled with coldness, like a Deity in the heavens showing pity toward mortals.

After that, the voice never appeared again. Qian Xunji calmed down after hearing it. After thinking carefully, he decided to follow its instructions and pass through the lava.

Qian Xunji looked at the vast expanse of lava before him. There was no fear in his heart, only worry for Man Yao's predicament.

The next moment, Qian Xunji spread his two pairs of Golden Wings and plunged headfirst into the scorching lava, splashing fiery red molten rock everywhere. The sight was terrifying and shocking.

Beneath the lava lay a pitch-black, icy world, entirely unlike the blazing, high-temperature lava above. There was no sound at all. If there was anything, it was the occasional rustling that seemed to carry a peculiar rhythm, making one's scalp tingle.

After jumping down from the lava above, Qian Xunji carefully examined this world. His cold face showed not the slightest expression, as if nothing could draw his attention.

Suddenly, the world brightened. This was actually a narrow, pitch-black path. Lampstands stood on both sides of the road, looking quite old yet still sturdy. Clusters of faint green flames burned out of thin air, resting quietly atop the lampstands.

If ordinary people witnessed such a scene, they would probably be so frightened that they would lose their wits and their legs would tremble. But Qian Xunji had experienced countless battles and seen things far more terrifying than this. It meant nothing to him; he had long become immune to such sights.

Qian Xunji looked at those faint green flames. They closely resembled the will-o'-the-wisps he knew of from his Previous Life. Back then, who knew how badly they might have frightened him? Now, however, Qian Xunji calmly observed his surroundings as though he had come here for a visit.

Qian Xunji paced forward slowly along the narrow black path. With every step he took, one lamp behind him went out, making the place seem gloomy and terrifying.

After roughly a quarter of an hour, there was nothing but gusts of wind and Qian Xunji's footsteps. The silence was absolute as he finally reached the end.

Thanks to Lord Flamehead for the 100 Qidian Coins, and to They Desecrated the Divine Dragon for the 500 Qidian Coins.