.
Zi Yan poked her head out, peered around the cave entrance, and asked curiously, "Is this the place?"
"Hehe, yes. The cave entrance was originally blocked by yellow sand. If it weren't for my powerful soul power and the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame within me sensing the lingering aura of strange fire, we probably wouldn't have found it," Xiao Ling replied with a smile.
Hearing this, Zi Yan spoke impatiently, "Then let's get down quickly."
With that, Zi Yan pulled a moonstone from her ring and tossed it into the cave entrance.
The moonstone's faint glow tumbled several times in the pitch-black cave before gradually fading away.
Watching the rapidly disappearing moonstone, Qing Lin frowned slightly and whispered, "It seems this passage isn't a straight line."
"Well, my soul perception suggests there are over ten passages below. Once we reach a fork in the road, I'll use my soul power to find the correct direction leading underground," Xiao Ling replied to Qing Lin.
Waving at Qinglin, Xiao Ling said, "The temperature in here is still too high, and your cultivation is too low right now. Stay with me."
Qinglin nodded obediently and walked over to Xiao Ling's side.
Glancing briefly at those captivating emerald eyes, Xiao Ling smiled slightly, then reached out and, seeing Qinglin's stunned face, pulled her into his embrace.
Embraced by Xiao Ling's embrace, Qinglin's face gradually flushed. She lowered her head, her mind racing.
With a soft chuckle, Xiao Ling gestured to Ziyan, tightened her grip around her soft body, and leaped into the dark cave entrance.
Ziyan, watching from behind, followed Xiao Ling's steps without hesitation, leaping lightly behind him.
In the pitch-black tunnel, Xiao Ling held Qing Lin tightly in his arms. The two of them, guided by the slope of the passage, continued to slide downward. In Qing Lin's small hand, she held a moonstone, emitting a soft, gentle glow that allowed Xiao Ling to discern any obstacles in the path ahead.
Not far behind them, Zi Yan bent her knees and crouched slightly, maintaining her balance. Her feet pressed firmly against the cave wall, creating a hissing sound that slowly echoed through the passage.
As they slid downward, Xiao Ling's gaze swept over the cave walls on either side. After a moment, he was somewhat stunned to find that the passage was remarkably smooth, with barely a single stone protruding from the wall. It looked as if the passage had been violently blasted out by some immense energy column.
Seeing this, Xiao Ling couldn't help but mutter, "This must be the tunnel that the two-headed fire snake, living in the underground magma world, dug out. I wonder why it didn't just stay in the magma and dig a few tunnels here. But it makes it easier for me to find traces of the strange fire."
After descending at a rapid speed for nearly two or three minutes, Xiao Ling could already see the bottom of the tunnel. He bent his feet slightly, and a moment later, with a slight muffled sound, his body arched to the ground. The bending and stretching of his body completely dissipated the rebound force of the fall.
After landing, Xiao Ling released Qing Lin from his arms and pulled her forward a few steps. Scanning the road ahead, he discovered that there were indeed more than a dozen dark tunnels.
Zi Yan, who was following Xiao Ling and the others, also walked over to them. Looking at the dozen or so passages, she gazed at Xiao Ling and asked curiously, "Which of these ten or so openings leads to the underground?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling released his soul perception from between his eyebrows, exploring the specifics of the passages. After a while, Xiao Ling's attention was focused on a passage on the right.
Xiao Ling sensed an extremely fiery aura emanating from the area. As expected, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire lay in that direction.
Pointing to a passage, Xiao Ling smiled and said, "That should be it. Follow it down. It won't take long to reach our destination."
With that, Xiao Ling took Qinglin's hand and walked to the entrance of the passage. With a wave of his hand
, he released a barrier of Dou Qi, dispelling the scorching heat.
Xiao Ling turned to Zi Yan and asked, "The fire energy here is very active. Is that okay for you?"
Zi Yan nodded and replied, "It's a little hot, but not a big deal."
With that, she took out a moonstone for illumination, passed by Xiao Ling, and walked into the dark passage first.
Seeing this, Xiao Ling took Qinglin's hand and quickened his pace to follow.
...
Xiao Ling and the other two, guided by the moonstone's light, slowly made their way through the pitch-black passage. Unable to discern the true danger, they remained silent. Aside from the subtle rustling of their footsteps, the journey was nearly complete.
In the deep, dark passage, time seemed to have no meaning. They moved forward, somewhat stiffly, as if the passage never ended, with no visible light at the end. It was like walking endlessly towards the center of the earth...
As they advanced deeper, Xiao Ling suddenly felt the fire attribute surrounding him increase dramatically, and the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame within him began to stir uncontrollably.
Zi Yan also sensed the shift in fire energy. Her steps slowly paused, and she tilted her head slightly to look at Xiao Ling and Qing Lin. Curiously, she asked, "Xiao Ling, Xiao Ling, are we almost there?"
Nodding at Zi Yan, Xiao Ling smiled and said, "It looks like we're almost there."
As the three of them continued their journey, the surrounding fire aura grew stronger. However, Xiao Ling and Zi Yan, protected by their own Dou Qi, and Qing Lin, protected by Xiao Ling, remained relatively unaffected.
As they advanced, Xiao Ling's fire energy became increasingly active. He could sense the Burning Decision's pathways within him, automatically energizing Dou Qi and energizing it rapidly without his control. This had only happened since he began cultivating, when he absorbed the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame. This proved that the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire was not far from Xiao Ling.
Turning another corner, they saw a sudden red glow at the end of the nearby passage, illuminating the previously dark passage.
(End of Chapter)