At the same time.
After passing through the Taiji Gate, Su Shi'er and Ling Yue Shang saw only fire soaring into the heavens before them.
Before they could make out their surroundings, rolling waves of heat came surging toward them without end.
The terrifying temperature carried dreadful fire poison, no weaker than the Ice Cave Grotto they had just left.
The difference was that, at the very least, they were no longer assailed by freezing tides and frigid qi.
Such fire poison was enough to affect them, but not enough to kill them.
Yet Su Shi'er knew full well that within this bizarre formation, preserving an extra measure of strength meant gaining an extra measure of possibility to face danger and seek a path to survival.
Before the heat waves could reach them, he flicked the Fly Whisk in his hand, scattering the vast quantity of ice crystals he had swept up before entering.
The ice crystals contained frigid qi, yet before they could touch the ground, they melted beneath the assault of the heat waves, then turned into vapor and rose away.
Fortunately, the spell Su Shi'er had unleashed had brought in more than enough ice crystals.
With a shake of the Fly Whisk, the ice crystals formed a circle around Su Shi'er and Ling Yue Shang.
The ice crystals continued to fall. Though they dissipated swiftly, they at least greatly lowered the temperature around the pair and bought them a brief chance to catch their breath.
Letting out a slight breath of relief, the two finally had time to observe their present surroundings.
Their gazes swept across an empty expanse with no end in sight.
Yet one thing was certain: this was by no means the surface. They remained deep underground.
As far as the eye could see,