As they moved deeper, the temperature steadily rose.
Xiao Yan grew more excited.
Xiao Jian remained calm.
A mature Green Lotus Core Flame was already dangerous. Queen Medusa might have been injured while taking it.
If she rushed the evolution, failure was likely.
Could he negotiate with her later?
As thoughts raced, Xiao Jian suddenly felt something stir.
His Fire Origin Art had begun circulating on its own.
Red light flooded his vision.
They reached the tunnel's end.
Xiao Jian froze.
Before them lay a vast underground cavern filled with flowing crimson magma. Bubbles rose and burst, sending molten fire into the air like blazing fireworks.
The three stared in silence.
Even Xiao Jian—who rarely left home in his previous life—was stunned.
The heat was overwhelming.
Xiao Jian activated his Dou Qi, forming a fire-attribute veil mixed with black-and-white flames, filtering the violent energy and absorbing it into his Crimson Fire Qi Palace.
This place…
Was perfect for cultivation.
Xiao Yan summoned his purple flame veil as well.
Qinglian, surprisingly, showed no discomfort at all.
"Third Brother," Xiao Yan hesitated, "should I go down and check?"
"I could go with you," Xiao Jian said, "but Qinglian would be at risk. You go alone."
"Alright."
Just as Xiao Yan prepared—
"Wait."
Qinglian suddenly spoke, staring at the magma.
"There's something inside… something very strong."
Xiao Yan scanned the magma but saw nothing.
It's hidden. I can feel it."
"How strong?" Xiao Yan asked.
"Stronger than Rob."
"About Dou Ling," Xiao Jian concluded.
"If it can survive in magma, it won't be weaker than a Dou Wang here," Xiao Yan said gravely.
"I'll handle it," Xiao Jian said calmly. "You go find what you need."
"That's a Dou Ling-level creature!"
Xiao Jian smiled.
"I have a Heavenly Flame. In this place, I have the advantage."
Black-and-white flames rose in his palm.
"I only need to stall it."
Purple Cloud Wings unfolded behind him.
Xiao Yan froze.
"Dou Qi wings?! Are you already a Dou Wang?!"
"Just a flying Dou Skill," Xiao Jian replied. "Not true wings. But with wind attribute Dou Qi, the speed is enough."
Xiao Yan sighed.
"I feel better now."
Xiao Jian rose into the air.
I'm starting."
The twin flames descended into the magma, absorbing its energy.
A massive shadow stirred beneath the surface.
"Come out!"
Xiao Jian shouted.
Black-and-white fire surged forward....
The magma exploded.
Twin tides of black and white fire surged forward, roaring like opposing storms as they crashed toward the mysterious creature lurking within the molten lake.
This was no ordinary strike.
A high-tier combat art, forged through mastery of fire-aspected power, gathered raw elemental force and compressed it into flames meant to consume all matter in their path.
The potency of such an art depended entirely on the quality of flame fueling it.
Common energy flames were weakest. Beast-born fire was stronger. And flames born of higher origins were unrivaled.
Here, within a cavern saturated by fire-aligned energy, Xiao Jian's attack far exceeded what his rank should have allowed. Though his strength lay only at the level of a seasoned warrior, the power he unleashed rivaled that of veterans far beyond him.
The impact came like thunder.
The firestorm slammed into the molten lake, blasting scarlet lava skyward as waves of blistering heat surged outward.
A sharp, reptilian hiss cut through the chaos.
From the magma burst a colossal creature, its vast body erupting into view as it lunged toward Xiao Jian with terrifying speed, jaws snapping with murderous intent.
But Xiao Jian moved first.
Wind-aspected power flowed through him as his form drifted through the air, light and fluid, like ash caught in a storm.
To an onlooker, his path seemed reckless....one wrong step from disaster....but in truth, every movement had already been calculated, every escape route mapped within his mind.
"Now, Jian Yan!" he roared.
Spinning midair, Xiao Jian beat his wings hard, pulling away from the charging beast. His voice echoed like a war horn through the cavern.
Seeing his brother was safe, Xiao Yan finally released the breath he'd been holding.
"Be careful," he said, before nodding firmly.
White flames ignited around Xiao Yan's body, cloaking him in an eerie glow as his presence shifted. Without hesitation, he plunged straight into the molten depths below.
Xiao Jian watched him disappear beneath the surface, his eyes narrowing. In the next instant, the full power of his inner reserves erupted outward.
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