The heatwave from the Western Region Volcanoes could scorch skin even three miles away. When the Youth Camp stood at the volcanic ash-filled crater, the rocks beneath their feet were scalding hot, and the air was thick with the smell of sulfur. In the distance, the main peak, " Crimson Flame Peak," was slowly spewing pale red lava, like a sleeping behemoth breathing—that was the abode of Lord Fire Rock. The Star-Track Token in Loran's hand glowed with a blinding red light. The water ripples on the token's surface had long since faded, replaced by flowing "molten lava patterns" that seeped down her fingertips, leaving a light red mark on the scorching rock, which was quickly covered by volcanic ash.
"The spiritual veins are 'boiling'." Lei Lin transformed into human form, his dark hair curly from the heat, the golden velvet at the tips of his ears gleaming with a faint orange light—his Golden Crystal Power was exceptionally active under the high temperature, yet also carried a hint of unease. " Lord Fire Rock is very agitated. He sensed our arrival and has put the spiritual veins' energy on high alert." Before he finished speaking, a crack suddenly appeared in the ground beneath their feet, and dark red lava surged out, instantly solidifying into three "lava golems"—the golems were covered in flowing magma, their arms were sharp lava spikes, and their eyes were two leaping flames, rushing towards the group.
"Watch out! The golem's lava can melt spiritual energy!" A Mu immediately raised his New Sprout Sword, adjusting his ice and fire power to "fire-assisted ice-dominant." The pale blue icy mist spewing from the sword tip condensed into an ice wall in front of him. But when the lava golem's stone spikes struck the ice wall, it sizzled and melted almost completely. A Mu's arm was scalded and swollen from the splashed lava. "His spiritual vein energy is much stronger than I imagined. Ordinary ice and fire balance can't stop it!"
A Ya quickly tossed the "Heat-Resistant Psionic Net" she had prepared beforehand into the air—a net she had woven from Southern Region Contract Flower fibers mixed with Tidal Crystal fragments. The net's threads shimmered with a pale blue and pale red light, capable of resisting both high temperatures and lava corrosion. As the psionic net fell, it covered the three puppets perfectly, the threads tightly binding their joints, blocking the lava from splashing outwards. "It won't last a quarter of an hour! The heat-resistant layer of the net will be burned through by the lava!"
Loran looked down at the Star-Track Token. The molten fire patterns on the token suddenly lit up, revealing a blurry scene: a thousand years ago, at the foot of Crimson Flame Peak, Lord Fire Rock was shaking hands with an envoy from the Ice Spirit Clan. The envoy handed him a " Spirit Vein Compensation Talisman " that shone with golden light, promising to bring a spirit vein repair tool three months later. But the scene changed, and the envoy never appeared again. A hole suddenly appeared in the volcanic spirit vein, and lava began to leak out. Lord Fire Rock could only embed his own spirit core into the hole to barely stop the disaster. At the end of the scene, he faced the empty mountain pass and completely sealed the spirit vein, his back full of disappointment.
"He's not refusing to communicate, he's afraid of being let down again." Loran suddenly understood that the Star-Track Token wasn't reflecting simple memories, but rather the "root of obsession" in Lord Fire Rock's heart. "A thousand years ago, the Ice Spirit Clan didn't come on time, not because they broke their promise, but because they went to save the Far North Rift —we need to find that ' Spirit Vein Compensation Talisman ' to prove that the Ice Spirit Clan didn't forget their promise."
Lei Lin's Golden Crystal Power suddenly resonated with the molten fire patterns on the Star-Track Token. He raised his hand and pointed to a hidden cave on the side of Crimson Flame Peak: "The Compensation Talisman should be in the ' Contract Lava Cave '! I can sense similar spiritual energy fluctuations inside, but the entrance is blocked by lava. We need to clear the passage first."