Southern Volcano

The team headed south.

Three days after leaving the Imperial Capital, the surrounding scenery began to change. The endless plains gradually gave way to rolling hills, the green vegetation replaced by reddish-brown soil, and the air grew thick with a dry, scorching heat.

Akes rode in the middle of the pack, his gaze sweeping across the terrain. This was his first time traveling so far from the core regions of the Yulan Empire, and everything he saw held a sense of novelty.

"We're almost there." Old Chen, riding beside him, spoke up and pointed ahead. "See those mountains?"

Akes looked in the direction he indicated. On the horizon, a faint black-red silhouette shimmered with a subtle haze of heat under the sun.

"That is the Southern Volcano range," Old Chen said. "We are heading for the main peak, which the locals call Flame Peak."

Akes nodded without asking further questions. Over the past few days, he had gained a general understanding of the team's composition. Old Chen, whose full name was Chen Guang, was a ninth-rank water mage. A rogue cultivator by origin, he had traveled far and wide in his youth and explored several ruins, making him highly experienced. Kallen had hired him at a high price to provide water-based support—after all, while a water mage's utility was limited in the Volcanic Ruins, they could be life-savers in a pinch.

"Is this your first time entering a ruin, little Akes? Feeling nervous?" Chen Guang asked with a smile.

Akes thought for a moment. "A little."

"Normal," Chen Guang said, stroking his beard. "The first time I entered a ruin, my legs were shaking. You'll get used to it after a few times—provided you survive, of course."

The words didn't sound like comfort, but Akes found them reassuring. Such old hands were pragmatic; they were far more reliable than those who just spouted empty reassurances.

At the front of the team, Kallen rode alongside two formation-breakers, occasionally exchanging low-voiced words. The pair of warrior siblings followed closely behind; the man was named Barton and the woman Bally. Both were ninth-rank warriors, reportedly from a mercenary group, hired by Kallen for this specific mission.

Akes had observed them for a few days and noticed that while they spoke little, their coordination was seamless, clearly the mark of veterans who had fought together for years.

After another hour of travel, the volcanic range loomed closer. The air began to carry a faint scent of sulfur, and heat vents could occasionally be seen erupting from the ground. The surrounding vegetation had vanished entirely, leaving only bare rock and gravel.

"Dismount. We proceed on foot," Kallen's voice came from the front.

Everyone dismounted. Several mercenaries, who had been prepared, stepped forward to gather the horses and tether them to a large boulder. Akes noticed a few other horses already tied there, likely left behind by those who had come to scout the path earlier.

"We continue on foot from here. Keep the formation tight," Kallen scanned the group. "There are magical beasts active on the outskirts of the ruins. Most are below the ninth rank, but we cannot rule out the possibility of a Saint-level encounter. Stay alert and do not leave the group without authorization."

The group nodded.

The team began to advance on foot. Their pace was significantly slower than on horseback, but it was safer. The two formation-breakers walked behind Kallen, holding strange, intricate instruments and scanning as they moved.

Akes followed beside Old Chen, his eyes scanning the terrain. The rocks here possessed peculiar textures, as if they had been repeatedly scorched by extreme heat; in some places, one could even see traces of crystallization.

"Caused by volcanic eruptions," Chen Guang noted his gaze and explained in a low voice. "The underground activity here is frequent, erupting every few decades. Strangely enough, the ruins have never been destroyed."

Akes felt a stir in his heart. "Protected by a magic array?"

"Likely," Chen Guang nodded. "Otherwise, it would have been washed away by lava long ago."

As they spoke, a sharp shout came from the front. It was Barton's voice.

The team stopped instantly, everyone entering a state of combat readiness.

Akes looked ahead and saw that Barton and Bally had already drawn their greatswords, blocking the path. Directly opposite them, a massive red magical beast was poking its head out from behind a rock.

An eighth-rank magical beast: a Blazing Lizard.

Akes had seen this creature in books. It was a fire-type beast with thick hide, capable of spitting high-temperature flames; it was a common sight in volcanic regions. An eighth-rank Blazing Lizard possessed strength equivalent to a peak eighth-rank human, but with even greater defensive capabilities.

"Don't panic," Kallen's voice was calm. "Barton, Bally, handle it."

The siblings didn't waste words and charged forward.

Barton met it head-on, his greatsword whistling through the air as he swung toward the Blazing Lizard's head. The lizard opened its maw and spat a stream of fire. Barton dodged with a flicker of movement, the flames striking the rock behind him and instantly turning it red-hot.

Bally seized the opportunity to flank the beast, thrusting her sword toward its abdomen. That was the creature's weak point, where the scales were thinner. The Blazing Lizard roared in pain and lashed out with its tail.

Bally retracted her sword and retreated, the tail grazing her clothes, the sheer force of the wind making her stagger slightly.

Barton charged again. The two coordinated perfectly, sandwiching the beast from front and back. The Blazing Lizard struggled to defend itself, and soon, several wounds appeared on its body.

Akes stood in the back, watching and silently calculating. If he were to face this beast, what were his odds of winning?

The Fallen Heart Flame could pierce its defense, but it would take time. The Blazing Lizard's flame breath had a wide range, so he would have to rely on Teleportation or an Ice Block to dodge. His internal energy barrier should be able to withstand a few attacks, but he couldn't rely on it entirely.

He had about a seventy percent chance of winning, but he would certainly be injured.

As he thought this, the battle ahead concluded. Bally thrust her sword through the Blazing Lizard's throat, and the beast's massive body crashed to the ground.

Barton stepped forward, skillfully extracted the magic core, wiped it off, and tucked it away. This was the spoils of war, which, by custom, belonged to the siblings.

"Continue," Kallen nodded, clearly satisfied with their performance.

The team set off again, stepping over the carcass of the Blazing Lizard. Akes glanced at it as he passed; the beast's scales shimmered with a dark red luster under the sun, truly thick enough.

The rest of the journey was not peaceful.

The closer they got to the entrance of the ruins, the more magical beasts they encountered. Blazing Lizards, Lava Spiders, Flame Scorpions—all manner of fire-type beasts emerged one after another. Kallen never intervened, letting the others in the team take turns, which both maintained their combat readiness and honed their coordination.

Akes also took action a few times.

The first instance was against three Lava Spiders. These beasts were incredibly fast and could spit highly adhesive silk. Barton and his sister were entangled, and the others couldn't find an opening. Akes seized the moment, firing an arrow of flame condensed from the Fallen Heart Flame, which pierced straight through the head of one spider.

The speed and temperature of the flame arrow left everyone present stunned.

The spider's carapace was burned through, leaving a charred hole, and it collapsed without even a struggle.

"Good fire!" Barton praised, his movements not slowing as he cleaved another spider with his greatsword.

The last one was finished off by Bally. The three of them had coordinated the kill in less than a dozen breaths.

Kallen glanced at Akes, his gaze lingering on the Fallen Heart Flame for a fleeting moment, but he did not ask any questions.

The second time was in a narrow valley. The team encountered a group of Flame Scorpions, numbering no fewer than twenty. Although their level wasn't high, their sheer numbers made them quite troublesome if they swarmed.

Akes did not hold back this time.

He raised his hands, and the Fallen Heart Flame condensed into a cloud of fire before him, then violently expanded. The Flame Scorpions were extremely sensitive to such high temperatures and instinctively tried to retreat, but the fire cloud spread faster, instantly swallowing the dozen or so in the lead.

The scorpions' carapaces were as brittle as paper before the exotic flame, and in the blink of an eye, they were burned to charcoal.

The remaining scorpions turned and fled, disappearing into the crevices of the rocks.

The valley fell silent.

The way the group looked at Akes had changed. Before, they had only considered him an ordinary level-eight fire mage—young, inexperienced, and just tagging along to gain experience. But after these two displays, no one thought that anymore.

The temperature of that flame was definitely something no ordinary fire magic could achieve.

"Impressive skill." Old Chen patted Akes on the shoulder and said with a smile, "No wonder that kid Holman recommended you so highly; turns out you were hiding a secret weapon."

Akes shook his head: "Just luck."

"Don't be modest." Old Chen lowered his voice, "But a word of advice: there are many eyes in this group, so keep things hidden when you can. You had no choice just now since everyone was watching, but if it's not necessary later, don't reveal all your trump cards."

Akes nodded, taking this kindness to heart.

Over the next two days, the team continued to push toward the entrance of the ruins. They encountered more and more magical beasts, occasionally running into level-nine behemoths. Once, they encountered a peak level-nine Red Flame Lion King, and Kallen finally made his move.

It was just one sword strike.

With a single slash from the Saint-tier powerhouse, the Red Flame Lion King's head was sent flying.

Akes watched from the side, feeling for the first time the intuitive gap between the Saint-tier and level-nine. If that lion king had faced the rest of them, at least half would have died before it could be taken down. Yet, before Kallen, it couldn't even withstand a single move.

This was the Saint-tier.

He withdrew his gaze and continued to follow the team forward.

On the evening of the fifth day, the team finally reached their destination.

It was a massive rock wall, dark red in its entirety, with its surface covered in strange patterns. In the center of the wall, a stone door was embedded, its frame carved with dense, intricate magic runes.

"We've arrived." Kallen stood before the stone door, his gaze sweeping over the runes, "This is the place."

Two array breakers immediately stepped forward, taking out various instruments to begin their inspection. The rest of the group spread out to keep watch, preventing any sudden attacks from magical beasts.

Akes stood not far away, examining the stone door.

The runes were very ancient, and some parts had become blurred, but the whole was well-preserved. He could feel the fluctuations of fire elements contained within; they were extremely dense, stronger than any magic array he had ever seen.

"A Saint-tier handiwork." Old Chen leaned over and whispered, "At the very least, an array laid down by a Saint-tier magus."

Akes nodded, having a measure of the situation in his heart.

The two array breakers busied themselves for half an hour before returning to Kallen's side, their expressions looking rather grim.

"My lord, this array is not easy to break." The Grey-Robed Array Breaker said, "It will take at least three days and consume a massive amount of magic power."

Kallen nodded: "Then set up camp; we break the array in three days."

The team began to bustle about. Some set up tents, others started fires to cook, and some were assigned to take turns keeping watch. Akes volunteered for the second half of the night shift; it was a habit he had formed from years of cultivation, as his spirit was even sharper at night than during the day.

The night deepened, and the camp gradually grew quiet.