Late-Stage Spirit Realm (Continued)

The fire poison appeared as dark-gray specks, suspended thickly throughout the blood-colored energy. They gave off a nauseating stench and a scorching heat.

The energy had not contained them from the start. They had accumulated from the volcano's fumes over countless years. The Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool was likely the volcano's heart—and the place where its fire poison raged most fiercely.

Gray-brown flames swirled around Qin Chen. Their terrifying heat evaporated all the blood-red energy nearby, turning it into wisps of white smoke.

The flames also forced back the fire poison within that energy, preventing it from touching Qin Chen's body.

He continued descending for roughly fifteen minutes. The dark-gold skull in his hand gradually grew hot, and traces of golden light spread from it, strikingly bright in the dark-red world.

The skull's reaction brought a flicker of delight to Qin Chen's heart. He slowed his pace and studied his surroundings. After a moment, he came to a stop and looked ahead.

The space there seemed faintly distorted, as though an invisible barrier stretched across it.

The mass of red liquid had also been parted by that unseen barrier, leaving a strange vacuum.

"This Spatial Barrier Realm isn't bad..."

Qin Chen studied the distorted space with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

With his current strength, he could have entered it under his own power without too much difficulty.

But since he had a key, there was no reason not to use the front door.

He raised the dark-gold skull and gently pressed it against the invisible barrier. At once, the skull erupted with dazzling light!

The glare was blinding. Ripples spread across the Spatial Barrier Realm, like rings expanding over a still lake after a stone struck its surface.

Then a passage wide enough for one person appeared