The sudden turn of events caused everyone's hearts, which had just sunk to the bottom, to tighten and rise again, then beat with even greater force!
All eyes were fixed on the water shield shimmering with golden and silver light. An unbelievable yet incredibly alluring thought uncontrollably arose: Could this magical water shield, capable of insulating against terrifyingly high temperatures, also withstand the Destruction magma below?
For others, this is just speculation.
But for Kong Xuan, this was almost a certainty.
The God of Love and the Fire God were once Divine Realm couple.
This lake, with its gold and silver hues, is no ordinary water; it must contain the primordial divine Divine Power of the God of Love.
Since the God of Love guided him to seek the Fire God Inheritance with the God of Love Pearl, how could he not have left behind a "path" leading to the place of that legacy?
The key is in hand, the door is right in front of us.
"The opportunity is right in front of us." Kong Xuan's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. "Let's fly down and give it a try."
A renewed sense of hope and a do-or-die determination appeared on everyone's faces. They nodded, clearly agreeing with Kong Xuan's proposal.
The group slowly descended, and the gold and silver water shield sank steadily into the crater.
The anticipated terrifying heatwave did not materialize, and the temperature inside the enclosure remained pleasant, which undoubtedly gave everyone a much-needed boost of confidence.
However, as they continued to descend, the churning, viscous, dark red lava below drew ever closer, until it almost touched the outer wall of the water shield. Everyone involuntarily held their breath, their hearts pounding like drums.
Kong Xuan's gaze was calm as he controlled the water shield, steadily bringing it to the surface of the magma.
The moment of contact...
The seemingly thin and smooth water-covered wall, when in contact with magma powerful enough to melt gold and iron, only produced a faint, ripple-like halo of gold and silver light.
The magma, as if encountering an invisible barrier, naturally parted and slid through it, while the water shield silently disappeared into it, remaining as stable as ever, completely isolating the interior from the purgatory outside.
"It's a success!"
Someone let out a soft sigh, and the tense atmosphere suddenly relaxed, with everyone showing a relieved expression.
The water shield sank completely into the lava, and the view was instantly filled with an endless expanse of dark red and orange-yellow.
Time passed silently in the dark red, and after about fifteen minutes, the intense crimson in front of us suddenly faded!
The water cover seemed to penetrate an invisible boundary, suddenly becoming lighter and freeing itself from the heavy, sticky feel.
Suddenly, everything became clear before their eyes, and they quickly looked closely.
Above their heads was a dark red "sky curtain" composed of slowly surging lava.
This thick layer of magma was now being held firmly in the air by an incomprehensible force, like an inverted lake of lava. It neither fell nor solidified, but simply rolled silently, emitting a hazy red light that illuminated the entire space below in a dim and hazy red.
Beneath their feet lay a solid, slightly rough, black ground.
As far as the eye could see, it was an exceptionally spacious and simple space.
There are no grand temple colonnades, no dazzling gemstone decorations, and not even many traces of artificial carving.
It looks like a natural cave forgotten deep inside a huge mountain, with rough rock walls and an uneven floor.
Simple, rugged, almost rudimentary.
If we hadn't just passed through that lava field before arriving here, probably no one would have thought that this was the place where the gods passed down their legacy!
Just as everyone was surveying this rugged space, the gold and silver water shield that enveloped them trembled slightly and silently dissipated as if it had completed its mission.
The golden and silver light flowed back into the God of Love Pearl, which had reappeared in Kong Xuan's palm.
The water shield was removed, but the terrifying heatwave from the magma overhead did not arrive.
Everyone looked up in surprise, only to see that the inverted lava lake was still slowly churning, its red light swirling, yet an invisible force firmly kept all the heat and Destruction energy above, maintaining a constant temperature in this underground space that was dry, warm, but never scorching.
Look over there!
Xiao Hongchen's voice instantly attracted everyone's attention. Following the direction he pointed, they saw an ancient, simple round platform standing quietly a hundred meters away from them.
The truncated cone was constructed from a dark, iron-like rock, with a simple and unadorned design.
In the very center of the pedestal, a cluster of flames was burning and leaping quietly.
"Let's go take a look!"
As soon as Kong Xuan finished speaking, he took the lead and stepped forward.
Kong Xuan had already observed the surroundings; there was nothing special about the area except for that particular flame.
The legacy of the Fire God may lie there.
The flame was not the usual crimson or orange-yellow; its core was a deep, restrained dark gold, while the outer edge flowed with a pure, glass-like red, and the tip of the flame occasionally flashed with a bluish-white.
Everyone held their breath and slowly approached the flames leaping in the center of the circular platform.
Footsteps landed on the rough rock surface, making a soft rustling sound that was particularly clear in the silent space shrouded in the red glow of the lava above.
Just as they were less than ten steps from the platform, preparing to examine the Heavenly Flames more closely...
A sudden change has occurred!
The flame, which had been burning quietly and was no bigger than the palm of a hand, suddenly swelled up without warning!
"Boom!"
The flames seemed to be infused with boundless energy, the tongues of flame shooting up instantly, reaching a height of over three meters!
This sudden outburst startled everyone, causing them to take several steps back.
Fortunately, the rapidly rising flames did not emit any terrifying temperature, and no one was harmed.
Immediately afterward, within the pulsating heart of flame, a figure materialized, its outline gradually becoming clear, and stepped out from the flames!
The newcomer was tall and appeared to be in his thirties. His face was as sharp and resolute as if carved by a knife and axe, with sword-like eyebrows that slanted upwards into his temples, a high nose bridge, and tightly pursed lips that conveyed an undeniable determination and arrogance.
What is particularly striking is his long, flowing hair, as if it were burning brightly, moving without wind, as if every strand contained an unquenched Lie Yan.
He simply stood there, and his entire being naturally exuded an aura of dominance and unruliness, like a live volcano that could erupt at any moment.
Everyone tensed up and instantly became alert.
The remnant soul of the Fire God?
Guardian?
still...?
Just as the tension reached its peak, the arrogant red-haired "man" spoke.
"After waiting for so many years, they've finally arrived!"
The moment the voice rang out, everyone was slightly stunned.
It wasn't the deep, majestic voice I expected, nor the ancient, aged one, but rather... a clear, bright voice, even carrying a hint of youthful innocence... a boy's voice!
This starkly contrasting voice, like a gentle pluck on a taut bowstring, instantly dissipated much of the pervasive tension and awe towards the person.
The wary expressions on everyone's faces froze for a moment, then were replaced by astonishment and bewilderment.
If it weren't for the terrifying aura emanating from this person, some people would have burst out laughing.
The red-haired man paid no attention to the strange expressions on everyone's faces. The slightly excited smile on his face suddenly disappeared, and his gaze, like two condensed lines of fire, suddenly turned to Kong Xuan.
"It's Evelyn's scent..."
Before he finished speaking, the God of Love Pearl in Kong Xuan's palm trembled slightly, as if summoned by an invisible force, and flew out of his hand, slowly floating in front of him.
The pearl floated silently, its golden and silver luster flowing smoothly within it like mercury, seemingly brighter than usual.
The Fire God gazed at it, and its golden-red eyes, which had been blazing with arrogant flames, softened at a visible speed, as if solid ice had met the warm sun, revealing a gentle interior beneath layers of rock that had never melted for millennia.
Evelyn, the God of Love of love, clearly no longer possessed the power to conjure a complete afterimage so she could see her lover one last time.
But being able to feel the presence of my loved one again is enough.
A deep, unyielding reluctance flashed in his eyes. He raised his hand and with a gentle wave, the God of Love Pearl flew steadily back and landed in Kong Xuan's hand.
When he looked up again, the gentleness in Fire God's eyes had been replaced by an ancient and solemn divine quality.
He slowly scanned the faces of everyone in front of the round platform, his clear voice naturally taking on a grand and solemn rhythm, even causing ripples to spread across the lava "sky" above.
"I am the Fire God!"
"You have come bearing the tokens of God of Love, traversed the lava barrier I erected, and set foot on this desolate land, thus proving your courage and destiny."
"By the ancient covenant, the gates of inheritance are opened for you, those who pass my trials..."
"He may inherit my authority Fire God and act on behalf of Heavenly Fire!"