Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake

Three days later, near the eastern edge of Shi-Mo City, Xiao Jie and Qing Lin stood upon a slightly sunken patch of sand. It was as if they were standing in the middle of an endless yellow ocean; the desert winds raged, the sun beat down, and there was not a trace of life to be found. Anyone without cultivation would likely perish within days in such a place.

After scanning his surroundings, Xiao Jie stomped hard on the sand beneath his feet before grabbing Qing Lin and leaping into the air. The sand instantly collapsed, and once the yellow dust settled, a network of interconnected tunnels was revealed. Xiao Jie nodded and said, "It is indeed here. Let us go, Qing Lin."

"Yes, Young Master."

Xiao Jie brought Qing Lin to the entrance of the cave. His vast soul power spread through the various passages, and before long, he located the lair of the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake. He led the way into the tunnel that descended deep underground, and Qing Lin hurried to follow him as soon as she saw him enter.

In the dark passage, Xiao Jie extended his left hand, and a deep cyan flame manifested, instantly dispelling the darkness.

Within the tunnel, Qing Lin's bright, emerald-green eyes were fixed firmly on the back of the man before her. Just a few days ago, she had been nothing more than a young girl living in the slums of Shi-Mo City. It was only because of this person's appearance that she had moved into the City Lord's Mansion, a place she had never dared to dream of.

Furthermore, the looks of envy and awe she received from the servants and maids in the mansion made everything feel surreal. Before he appeared, even the servants of the City Lord's Mansion were formidable figures in her eyes. Now, these same people looked at her with such envy and reverence. This stark contrast made her feel even more grateful toward the young master before her. Qing Lin kept her gaze locked on Xiao Jie's back as she followed him.

After more than an hour of traveling, the tunnel grew increasingly hot. Xiao Jie had long since used his Dou Qi to envelop himself and Qing Lin, shielding them from the heat. Suddenly, Xiao Jie stopped in his tracks, and Qing Lin, caught off guard, bumped right into him.

"Ouch..." Qing Lin let out a startled cry.

Xiao Jie paid her no mind, focusing instead on the magma lake before him. In the vast cavern, crimson magma flowed sluggishly. Bubbles surfaced on the lake, bursting after a moment with a soft pop, sending scorching magma flying like brilliant, fire-red fireworks. Having already sensed the presence of the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake within the magma, Xiao Jie turned to Qing Lin.

"We have arrived. A large snake will jump out in a moment. Do not be afraid; hide behind me. Once I capture it, do exactly as I say."

"Mm, I understand, Young Master," little Qing Lin said, nodding vigorously.

Xiao Jie nodded and turned back to the magma river. He struck out with a palm, causing the distant magma to churn. Sensing the disturbance, the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake quickly charged toward where they stood on the bank.

A two-headed snake erupted from the magma, its massive jaws snapping toward Xiao Jie with a hissing sound. The sheer size of the serpent as it surged out caused the entire magma lake to become volatile. Bubbles on the surface grew larger, and pillars of fire-red magma shot into the air, making the entire cavern even more sweltering.

The Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake displayed a speed entirely inconsistent with its massive frame, lunging rapidly at Xiao Jie. Its two hideous maws and sword-like tongues covered the space before him, as if intending to swallow him whole.

Behind Xiao Jie, Qing Lin suddenly saw a massive black shadow leap from the magma lake to strike at the young master. Her eyes widened in alarm, and she shouted, "Young Master, watch out!"

Confident in his own strength, Xiao Jie naturally did not think much of this mere Rank 4 Magical Beast. Just as he was about to strike, three emerald-green magatama symbols appeared in the air and instantly shot into the head of the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake. The great snake's body stiffened, and it crashed down with a heavy thud, sinking back into the depths of the lake. Xiao Jie then heard the sound of someone collapsing behind him.

Xiao Jie turned to look and saw that Qing Lin had fallen to the ground. He quickly stepped forward to check on her. Through his soul power, he sensed that she had merely fainted from excessive mental exhaustion. He secretly marveled at the tyrannical nature of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils—a young girl not even a Dou Practitioner could subdue a Rank 4 Magical Beast. Xiao Jie took out a bottle of medicine to restore mental energy and fed it to her. A quarter of an hour later, Qing Lin slowly opened her eyes and said to Xiao Jie, "Young Master, are you alright?"

"I am fine. That big snake suddenly fell back into the lake for some reason and hasn't come out since," Xiao Jie said with a smile.

"Young Master, I feel like I can control that big snake now. It is called a Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake. They usually grow in places like this, filled with magma or extreme heat, and feed by devouring magma or fire-attribute energy. This snake is Rank 2 at birth and can reach Rank 5 as an adult. If it is lucky, it can evolve to Rank 6 or even Rank 7!"

"It seems the legendary Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils are truly tyrannical. So, Qing Lin, have you learned from this snake where the Heavenly Flame is located?"

"Young Master, I think I know. The Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake told me there is a place deep in the magma that even it dares not approach. I assume that is where the Heavenly Flame you mentioned is located," Qing Lin said after a moment of contemplation.

"Good! Well done. Then have it lead me there." Xiao Jie smiled and patted Qing Lin's head.

"But Young Master, that thing is deep in the magma, you..."

"Hehe, rest assured. I would not gamble with my life. I have a Heavenly Flame to protect me; the magma cannot harm me."

"Alright then..."

The magma lake churned once more. A moment later, two massive snake heads surfaced. The two fire-red heads were covered in sharp, fine scales, and four giant eyes stared straight at Xiao Jie, the two heads flicking their scarlet tongues.

Flames surged over Xiao Jie's body, quickly enveloping him. He took a step forward and arrived above the magma lake, slowly sinking down. The scorching magma was isolated by his Heavenly Flame. Xiao Jie turned to Qing Lin and said, "See? I am fine. Wait for me here; I will be back soon."

"Mm, alright, Young Master." Qing Lin nodded firmly at Xiao Jie.

After speaking to Qing Lin, Xiao Jie continued to sink deeper into the magma.