Chapter 56
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Chapter 56: The Secret Realm in the Mountain
Everyone froze in shock. Yu Xiu, standing on the cliff, stared wide-eyed as Yi Qianmo leapt into the lava below. Without hesitation, he followed, plunging after him.
The two Tianlong Sect cultivators were horrified but didn’t dare to jump in to save them. They could only stand helplessly, watching Yu Xiu vanish into the molten depths in the blink of an eye.
“What do we do now? How will we explain this when we return?” one of them asked, his voice trembling.
“There’s nothing to explain. We all saw it—he accidentally fell,” Liu Qingfeng replied coldly.
The cultivator from the Xuanyuan Sect nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Both of them fell. It’s not our fault.”
The others from the three great sects exchanged uneasy glances. For them, this wasn’t necessarily a bad outcome. To ensure their silence, Liu Qingfeng and the Xuanyuan Sect cultivator discreetly passed them green crystal stones. Their reluctant frowns soon transformed into satisfied smiles.
“What about Zhou Lanting?” one of the Tianlong Sect cultivators asked, pointing at the figure clinging to the rock wall.
Their eyes glinted with malice as they turned to Zhou Lanting, who finally spoke, her voice laced with disdain.
“You hypocrites dare call yourselves righteous? Your actions disgust me!”
Before they could respond, Zhou Lanting leapt across the gap, landing at the entrance of a cave on the opposite side. Without hesitation, she disappeared into its depths.
“Should we go after her?” a Tianlong Sect disciple asked.
“Chasing her would be suicide. She’s at the Foundation Establishment Stage. Let her go. Instead, we’ll lure out the Fire Demon before we leave. She won’t escape then,” Liu Qingfeng said.
Without delay, the group of cultivators attacked the rock walls with all their might. The deafening strikes echoed through the cavern, and the ground trembled violently.
Suddenly, an ear-shattering roar erupted.
“Run!” someone screamed.
In a panic, the group fled back through the narrow crack, vanishing in an instant.
As they disappeared, flames flared at the cave entrance Zhou Lanting had entered. A monstrous beast leapt from the shadows, its fiery body illuminating the cavern. With a ground-shaking leap, it pursued the fleeing cultivators, roaring furiously.
Yi Qianmo fell into the lava, his mind racing. He channeled the last of his spiritual power to activate the Sword Pill, relying on it to save him.
The moment the Sword Pill activated, a protective layer of sword energy enveloped him. But instead of unleashing the power he had hoped for, it merely kept the lava at bay. The searing heat still penetrated the barrier, scorching his body.
His chest tightened, and his breath grew ragged. Even as a Chaotic Sword Body, he could feel death approaching.
Then, amidst the suffocating heat, a brilliant white light appeared before him.
A hand, small yet steady, reached out and pulled him sharply into the light.
Moments later, he found himself inside a glowing, circular barrier. Around them, the lava bubbled and churned, but within the protective glow, the intense heat subsided.
“Senior, I hope I didn’t hold you back,” Yu Xiu said with a gentle smile, his bald head glistening under the pearl’s radiance.
Yi Qianmo stared at him, then at the glowing orb in his hand.
“The Fire-Repelling Pearl!” he exclaimed. “You actually have such a treasure?”
Yu Xiu shook his head. “No, this is the Five Element Refuge Bead. It not only repels fire but also protects against other calamities.”
Yi Qianmo’s eyes widened in disbelief. A Five Element Refuge Bead was no ordinary item. It was a treasure far beyond the reach of most cultivators, even those in major sects.
“How… how do you have this?”
“My master gave it to me,” Yu Xiu replied simply. “When I left home, he infused it with spiritual power. Combined with my own, it can last about half an hour.”
“Half an hour?” Yi Qianmo repeated, his mind racing. “That’s enough time.”
“Enough time for what?” Yu Xiu asked, tilting his head.
“To find a way out,” Yi Qianmo replied.
However, as soon as he finished speaking, an oppressive pressure filled the air. His body tensed, and he motioned for Yu Xiu to stay silent.
Moments later, the pressure faded.
“It’s the Fire Demon,” Yi Qianmo whispered.
Yu Xiu’s face paled. “Should we still go up?”
“No,” Yi Qianmo said firmly. “We’ll go down instead.”
“Down?” Yu Xiu asked, bewildered. “But the deeper we go, the closer we are to death!”
“If we go up, the Fire Demon will kill us. Going down might be our only chance.”
Though skeptical, Yu Xiu nodded. Together, they activated the bead’s protective barrier and began to descend.
The deeper they went, the stronger the heat grew. It felt endless, suffocating. But suddenly, the lava gave way, and they found themselves floating upwards.
A loud splash echoed as they broke through the surface.
They were no longer surrounded by lava. Instead, they stood on the edge of a serene pool, its surface bubbling faintly with magma. Around the pool stretched lush green grass, dotted with flowers. Beyond, mountains loomed under a pale, glowing sky.
“What… what is this place?” Yu Xiu asked, his voice filled with awe.
Yi Qianmo gazed around, equally stunned.
“A secret realm,” he murmured. “Hidden beneath the mountain.”