Burrowing a thousand miles through the earth, Xuanming followed close behind that graceful figure. He had a strong intuition that following her would very likely yield something worthwhile. Otherwise, why would he put himself through such thankless exertion to pursue this peculiar being who was neither alive nor dead?
A wave of cold struck him in the face, making Xuanming shiver, only for a wave of heat to follow immediately afterward. After burrowing another hundred miles, she arrived at an unusual underground cavern where cold and heat alternated.
Looking up, he saw ice and fire forming a peculiar blue-and-red taiji diagram on the ground. One of its Yin and Yang fish blazed with fierce fire, yet a night-blooming flower over ten feet across blossomed at the heart of the flames; the other was bitterly cold with ice and snow, yet a red stone lay at the heart of its ice.
Ice and fire converged, movement and stillness mingled, cold and warmth intertwined, suffusing the cavern with a profound, mysterious atmosphere. Each Yin and Yang fish connected to an earth vein: one was the source of the Hot River on Crimson Radiance Mountain, while the other was the root of Tianhe Commandery's Ice River, connecting to Cold Blossom Mountain beside Crimson Radiance Mountain.
Witnessing this scene, Xuanming gained a glimmer of understanding. Rather than immediately contemplating it, however, he looked toward the Fire Rat King standing before the red stone.
She stared unblinkingly at the red stone, her clear-water eyes brimming with memories and obsession. After a moment's hesitation, she slowly reached out and stroked it with utmost care. Feeling the faint fluctuations of a soul within it, the Fire Rat King's exquisite face broke into a heartfelt, enchanting smile.
A long while later, she turned toward Xuanming and parted her