Lu Yaoyao’s previously favorable impression of the Tianyan Sect vanished instantly. No matter what, they had deliberately concealed the truth when the Guiyuan Sect came to help them, believing that the Tianyan Sect was in trouble. Even if the outcome was positive, it was still wrong to keep such secrets. What if it had turned out badly?
The spiritual fire’s existence seemed long, but its experiences were not particularly eventful; the period of chaos prior to gaining sentience was the longest. Out of respect for its privacy, Lu Yaoyao quickly withdrew her spiritual sense. She felt a bit guilty of peeping its memory, but she wasn’t at fault here—she had seen it unintentionally.
Now that the fire had recognized her as its master, the mission at Yanhuo Mountain was complete. She would take the fire with her, and it would no longer pose a danger to the Yanhuo people.
Lu Yaoyao realized that she had been here for quite some time and should head back soon. Looking at the seemingly endless sea of flowers, she thought, “This is valuable stuff. It would be a shame to leave with only a little.” But digging all of it up on her own would take a long time, so she asked the fire, “Can others come here too?”
The fire whimpered in her spiritual sea, indicating that in its memory, she was the only living person who could pass through the endless corridor of molten lava to reach this place. This was the true core of the continent, located millions of meters deep underground, with the only entrance being the crater located in Yanshan volcano, which people commonly referred to as Yanshan’s core. However, the volcanic lava was so dangerous that even a cultivator’s body, tempered through repeated trials and tribulations, could not withstand it, nor were there any artifacts that could allow a person to be submerged in the lava safely for a prolonged period.
Realizing she couldn’t rely on anyone else, Lu Yaoyao had no choice but to continue the task on her own. Before she knew it, she had dug up a large patch of Hehe Spark Blossom, but in comparison to the boundless sea of flowers, this was just a small, almost negligible corner. After filling ten storage boxes to the brim, she rose up, muttering to herself, “This should be enough, right?”
Unbeknownst to Lu Yaoyao, her face was smudged with dirt, making her look like a little kitten; but she wasn’t even aware and continued to ponder.
One storage box could hold quite a bit. She had dug up enough to brew several vats of wine, right?
But—
Lu Yaoyao began counting on her fingers the people she needed to gift the wine to: her Father and Daddy certainly took priority, followed by her master and martial uncle, Brother Junyang, her four senior brothers, Xingxing, Muxue…
Oh, and Brother Yuanyuan, Xiao Si…
After counting everyone, Lu Yaoyao felt dizzy. Knowing too many people could be a hassle, but these were all close friends and family, and leaving out anyone would be bad. By her calculation, she would need to brew at least seventy or eighty vats to cover everyone!
With this in mind, Lu Yaoyao realized she hadn’t collected nearly enough and resumed digging the flower patch.
Speaking of Brother Yuanyuan, they had promised to go on a journey together. Ever since her first undertaking of missions, she had sent a letter to Brother Yuanyuan mentioning this plan. Knowing him, unless he was busy with something important and couldn’t spare the time, he would surely come to find her.
It had been months already. When would she finally be able to see Brother Yuanyuan again?
…
“It’s been a full day and night…”
“Sect Leader Bu, is there really no way?”
“I’m sorry, but there’s really nothing we can do…” Sect Leader Bu shook his head with a bitter smile. If he had a way to reach the depths of the molten magma, his sect wouldn’t have sought help from others. Cultivators were supposed to be fearless, as great risks often come with great opportunities, but even so, they weren’t willing to throw their lives away in vain, knowing that jumping down would lead to a certain death.
Yan Zihui’s group stood by the crater, gazing down into the still-roiling magma, but despite their desperation, the tiny figure they were anxiously waiting for never came out.
After Lu Yaoyao had dived into the magma, her friends didn’t just wait around and immediately went to seek help from the Tianyan Sect. As it happened, a disciple had been back to report that the magma crater in Yanshan’s core had a mind-bewitching effect. Bu Biekuang, worried about the situation, decided to come personally. So now, standing by the magma crater alongside Yan Zihui and his group were the sect leader of the Tianyan Sect, two elders, and Bu Yang.
Upon seeing Yan Zihui and the others, Bu Biekuang solemnly explained once again that his sect truly had not known about the magma’s mind-bewitching effects. As Tianyan’s sect leader, he and other elders had explored the area multiple times without ever encountering such a situation. Yan Zihui and Wen Zixing understood that the real reason likely involved Wen Zixing himself, so they didn’t pursue the matter further and let it go.
After learning that His Venerable’s daughter had actually jumped into the crater, Sect Leader Bu couldn’t help but feel deeply impressed—like father, like daughter. Knowing that the little girl was actually in possession of Ruyi Brocade, a legendary treasure the Tianyan Sect had long sought, also came as a great surprise to him and his fellow Tianyan members.
—But on second thought, given her identity as the daughter of His Venerable, it is quite normal for the girl to own one or two legendary items.
Knowing only too well who Lu Yaoyao’s father was, not to mention her other identity as the personal disciple of Guiyuan’s Medicine Hall Master, they dared not entertain any thoughts of coveting the possession. As such, Bu Biekuang and the others could only lament silently at the unfairness of fate.
At first, Yan Zihui and the others weren’t too worried. They knew that Lu Yaoyao had plenty of life-saving items and was wearing the Ruyi Brocade, so she should be safe even if she encountered danger. But as time passed without any sign of her returning, they began to panic.
Could something have happened to Yaoyao? Why has there been no sign of her for so long?
“Sect Leader Bu, is there really no way?”
Bu Biekuang responded with a grimace, “With my strength, I can only go fifty meters deep and stay for the duration of one incense stick of time.1 Any longer, and I won’t be able to withstand it.”
The most terrifying thing about the core was this magma crater connected deep underground, its exact depth unknown. It was said that even a cultivator at the Soul Transformation stage could only resist the magma for the duration of two incense sticks. If they couldn’t emerge in time, the consequences would be disastrous.
Yan Zihui, unable to shake his worry, finally said, “I’ll go down and take a look.”
“Senior Brother Zihui!” Wen Zixing and the others shouted in alarm. They couldn’t let him take such a risk!
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