Luo Beixi nodded again.
"That's right! Fellow Daoist Wang, we have now reached the true entrance to our destination. This cave extends roughly three thousand li underground.
"The situation inside is exactly as Fellow Daoist Wang just guessed. Back then, Junior Brother Ye and I investigated it twice, but neither time did we venture too deeply.
"The reason was that we sensed the temperature within and estimated the rank of that Strength Soul Gu. We were not confident that we could capture it alive, and we feared alerting it.
"After confirming it once more, we never returned. The two investigations had been separated by quite some time, yet we found that the three-colored nest had not changed. It seemed unlikely that it would leave easily.
"When we go in this time, we must pay attention to the innermost region of the three-colored nest. That may be the core of an ancient cultivator's ruins, and there could be formations or restrictions there.
"This time, we will use an encircling ambush. If anyone discovers anything unusual, do not act rashly. Inform the other two first!"
Luo Beixi first answered Li Yan's question, then began explaining several matters to him.
The "three-colored nest" Li Yan had mentioned did not simply refer to the Strength Soul Gu's nest. It was composed of three colors, though understanding it that way was not entirely wrong either.
The specifics were these: when a Strength Soul Gu grew to the second rank, it first generated a ring of yellow space around its nest. That space already possessed a certain temperature, enough to burn third-rank demon beasts, and served as protection.
When the Strength Soul Gu reached the fourth rank, it would generate another ring of reddish-gold space around the nest, while expanding the outer yellow space outward. The