As the crimson blaze of glory painted the skies above one of the volcanoes in Flame Ridge, every single one of the more than one hundred thousand treasure seekers—whether they were desperately searching or simply resting—erupted instantly. Driven mad, they charged toward the volcano shrouded in that fiery radiance.

…… At Tenghu Mountain, inside Teng Qingshan’s residence. Both Teng Qingshan and Mu Wang understood the significance of this fiery aura.

“A sky full of crimson light—this spectacle only appears when the Seven-Leaf Red Lotus manifests,” Mu Wang’s eyes gleamed sharply. He turned to Teng Qingshan and smiled, “Brother Teng, are you going this time?” “Of course, I have the time for one day.” A thrill of excitement subtly coursed through Teng Qingshan as well.

When searching for the Cloud Dream White Fruit for the Cloud Dream War God, Teng Qingshan had received a book detailing various spiritual treasures and demonic beasts, which included a thorough description of the Flame Red Lotus. According to the records, when the Seven-Leaf Red Lotus had appeared in the past, a phenomenon of fiery crimson light had indeed stained the horizon.

Furthermore, it was discovered that the Seven-Leaf Red Lotus was located within the very volcano beneath that fiery glow. Although this had only occurred once before, upon witnessing this current marvel, both Teng Qingshan and Mu Wang concurrently believed that the Flame Red Lotus that had appeared must be a high-grade variety, and it was undoubtedly situated in the volcano directly beneath the crimson sky glow.

“Hahahaha, still dawdling?” Mu Wang laughed, transforming into a streak of electric light and departing swiftly. “Xiao Jun, I’m heading out for a bit; I should be back tomorrow,” Teng Qingshan instructed, grabbing the Black Blaze Staff beside him.

He unleashed a movement technique born from combining the Vast Horizon Journey with Earth Element arts. Running at maximum capacity, each step carried him nearly seventy to eighty Zhang, making his speed slightly superior even to Mu Wang’s.

With two quick flashes, he vanished into the night. The Vast Horizon Journey was a movement art Teng Qingshan had acquired in his previous life, comprising three stages; the third stage could only be executed upon reaching the Innate Golden Core realm.

However, Teng Qingshan had reached the late stage of Gang Strength. His ‘Spirit’ could control and eliminate air resistance, just like an Innate Golden Core expert.

Moreover, the later-stage Inner Strength Gang Strength could circulate within his meridians and even blend with his muscles and bones. The combination of Vast Horizon Journey and the movement technique Teng Qingshan devised based on the Fist of Earth Element resulted in this horrifying speed!

* Within Flame Ridge. “Brother Teng, your speed is truly astonishing,” Mu Wang, who had turned into an electric spark, couldn't help but laugh.

“I was ahead of you, yet you still caught up.” “Hahahaha, if I were slower than you, and you obtained the Flame Red Lotus first, wouldn't my trip have been for nothing?” Teng Qingshan laughed heartily, appearing atop a large rock, and with another step, he was already seventy or eighty Zhang away. Whoosh!

One was a flicker of electric light, the other like instant teleportation. The speed of these two peerless experts had reached an astonishing degree.

…… On the volcano enveloped by the crimson sky glow, several thousand people had already gathered. Although over a hundred thousand people in Flame Ridge were rushing toward it, Flame Ridge spanned eight hundred li, and given the difficult mountain paths, those relying on their legs might take a full day and night to arrive.

The martial artists who were already nearby were fortunate enough to reach the location quickly. “Thwack!

Thwack!” A burly man was wildly digging into the volcano with a specially forged, sharp mining hoe. Some were excavating caves into the mountainside, hoping to stumble upon the Flame Red Lotus by sheer luck.

After all, the exact location of the Flame Red Lotus could not be determined; it relied purely on chance. Inside the belly of this volcano, at this moment.

“Gurgle~~~” The scorching red lava, laced with golden fire, churned, with occasional bubbles rising. A large group of martial artists stood gathered on the cliff face beside the lava lake, utterly unwilling to descend.

“Is the Flame Red Lotus really in the molten lava? If you’re right, then our brother and I made a wasted trip.” “Four of the nine Flame Red Lotuses recorded in history were found deep within magma.

Moreover, the Seven-Leaf Red Lotus was also discovered deep within the lava.” “If it’s truly in there, I fear only Martial Saints will be able to find it.” The martial artists stared at the rolling lava, filled with reluctance but completely unwilling to enter. “Whoosh!” A figure bearing a saber on his back descended the cliff face, running down the wall, occasionally borrowing force.

When he reached the edge of the lava lake, a silver-white protective light screen abruptly enveloped his body. With a sudden dive, he plunged into the lava lake with a slight splash, disappearing into the depths.

“That’s the second Martial Saint we’ve seen go in,” remarked a bald man with a scarred face. “The second,” the plump elder beside him nodded.

“But a third is coming right up.” A figure shrouded in firelight paused not at all, leaping forward and plunging directly into the lava lake. Plop!

He vanished beneath the surface. The temperature of the lava was extremely high; anyone below the Innate realm would instantly be reduced to ash upon entry.

Innate experts could sustain a true essence shield, rendering them immune to the heat. As time passed, one Martial Saint after another jumped into the lava lake.

Nearly all the Martial Saints believed that such a high-grade Flame Red Lotus was almost certainly deep within the lava lake, so they descended into the depths to search. “Plop!” “Plop!” “That’s the tenth one,” counted the bald man and the plump elder.

How many Martial Saints were there in the entire Duanmu Continent? Even the Tianfeng Clan probably didn’t have ten.

Witnessing ten at once was quite rare. Just then— A figure encased in crimson battle armor, wielding a long staff, flashed into view, seemingly teleporting directly to the edge of the lava lake, and immediately plunged in.

His speed… made the bald man and the plump elder blink involuntarily. “Did I see that wrong?

Did someone just enter?” “Yes, it seemed so.” At that moment, a hazy electric spark flashed, and it too entered the lava lake. Only the slight disturbances in the lava suggested that people had indeed entered.

“More people went in?” “I suppose, yes.” …… Teng Qingshan, currently cloaked in the Flame Battle Armor and holding the Black Blaze Staff, moved through the lava. The temperature of the Flame Battle Armor was likely higher than the lava itself; thus, the extreme heat posed no obstacle to Teng Qingshan.

As for the pressure? Having created the Swimming Fish Movement Art, Teng Qingshan was as agile as an eel in this environment.

“Based on records and deduction, the Flame Red Lotus is most likely deep within the lava.” “However, you can’t see anything in the lava—how do you search?” Teng Qingshan frowned slightly. Lava was not water.

Even for Teng Qingshan, it was pitch black inside; he could only perceive the searing golden magma before his eyes. “Whoosh!” “Whoosh!” As Teng Qingshan advanced through the lava, he struck out with his left palm.

The violent palm wind forced the magma several Zhang ahead to recoil, although the space immediately filled back in. But at least, Teng Qingshan could see several Zhang ahead to check for a Flame Red Lotus.

Thus—one palm strike after another! Relying on the palm wind to push back the lava so he could scan for the Flame Red Lotus.

A moment later, Teng Qingshan sent another palm-blast of magma away, and precisely then, he saw a figure ahead of him. That face bore a resemblance to the image of his past life’s wife, Xiao Mao—it was the female Martial Saint.

The gap in the lava instantly closed, obscuring them from each other’s sight again. “Hmm?” Teng Qingshan was somewhat surprised.

“Mr. Teng,” the female Martial Saint’s voice carried over.

The sound transmission in lava was decent enough. “Jiang Yan,” Teng Qingshan responded, as the female Martial Saint drew closer.

Although the lava prevented clear vision, they could vaguely discern each other’s silhouettes. “Mr.

Teng is also searching for the Flame Red Lotus?” the female Martial Saint asked with a smile. “Yes, but I find searching for the Flame Red Lotus in this lava is truly not an easy task,” Teng Qingshan admitted helplessly.

“Mr. Teng jokes; if this were a lake instead of lava, many Void Realm experts could probably find the Flame Red Lotus in the time it takes to steep tea,” the female Martial Saint chuckled.

After searching side-by-side for a short while, Teng Qingshan and the female Martial Saint separated. After all, if they searched together, who would claim it if found?

…… Half a day later. “Boom!” Deep within the mountain belly, inside the rock strata, Teng Qingshan leaned against the mountain wall, resting.

Searching for the Flame Red Lotus in the visually impenetrable lava had been too difficult. After searching for a full half-day, Teng Qingshan left the magma and punched into the hard rock beside the lava, burrowing dozens of Zhang deep before sitting down to rest.

“Huh?” Teng Qingshan looked at the Black Blaze Staff in his hand with surprise. “Black Blaze Staff, why is it so hot?” Teng Qingshan was slightly astonished.

“When I was inside the lava earlier, the Black Blaze Staff wasn’t this hot. Now that I’m out of the lava, it’s hotter?” The material of the Black Blaze Staff was not very heat-conductive.

In the lava, it had only felt warm. But now, it was beginning to feel scalding.

“The Black Blaze Staff never showed this change before; it only gets hot within this volcano,” Teng Qingshan’s mind stirred, and he immediately rose, beginning to move through the rock. The rock seemed like tofu before Teng Qingshan; he easily blasted his way forward.

As he advanced, Teng Qingshan was surprised to find… “It’s getting hotter.” A trace of delight surfaced on Teng Qingshan’s face. But after advancing only five steps.

“Huh, the temperature dropped.” Teng Qingshan retreated a few steps, and the Black Blaze Staff’s temperature rose again; but if he retreated further, the temperature decreased. Teng Qingshan tried advancing in two different directions and finally found the direction that caused the Black Blaze Staff to continue heating up… “This Black Blaze Staff is a divine weapon acquired by the ‘God’ of Mount Tianshen after defeating his enemy.

I still haven't been able to identify the material of this staff. Moreover, the toughness of the Black Blaze Staff surpasses even that of ten-thousand-year cold iron.

Indeed… this Black Blaze Staff is special.” Teng Qingshan leaned on the Black Blaze Staff, his heart thrilled, using it to gauge direction. In short, as long as the staff grew hotter, he would advance.

A moment later… “It’s right ahead!” Teng Qingshan struck out with a punch, blasting open the rock. Whoosh~~~ A massive wave of magma rushed toward him, instantly threatening to ignite his clothes.

“Entering the lava again.” Teng Qingshan immediately erected a Gang Strength battle armor around his body. “Phew, thank goodness.

If I had been any slower, my clothes would have burned off, and I’d be naked,” Teng Qingshan breathed a silent sigh of relief, his body shifting as he advanced several Zhang. Hiss— Teng Qingshan stared in shock at the scene before him.

A vacuum extended about a Zhang in radius, the magma seemingly squeezed away by an invisible force. Within this spherical vacuum, a fully bloomed red lotus was suspended in the center.

The lotus itself burned with red flames, and tiny red light spots continuously flew in from all directions into this suspended flower. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine…” Teng Qingshan counted the petals, murmuring in shock, “Nine leaves, the Nine-Leaf Red Lotus!!!”