Qin followed close behind the veiled maiden, descending from the collapsed opening of the mine tunnel, pressing into the depths below against the fierce blast of scorching spiritual wind that washed over them. A vast expanse of crimson light gradually appeared ahead. They walked for what felt like hundreds of zhang before finally reaching solid ground.

Glancing around, he sucked in a sharp breath. This was an underground cavern, yet it far surpassed his imagination in scale—it was staggeringly immense. Columns of rock, hundreds of zhang high and so thick that dozens of men couldn't encircle them, stood towering, presenting a scene of magnificent grandeur.

These colossal pillars supported this subterranean world, bearing a weight that must have been beyond measure. Furthermore, the cavern ceiling was studded with countless sharp, massive stalactites that inspired dread; dropping even one would be at least several dozen zhang long.

Ye Qin looked back in astonishment to realize he had walked down along the incline of one of these massive, slanting rock columns. Climbing back up this column would lead him to the break in the collapsed section on the second level of the Ten Thousand Withered Peaks cave system.

"This underground cavern must stretch for at least tens of li, perhaps even hundreds. It should count as the third layer of the Ten Thousand Withered Peaks caverns," Ye Qin mused inwardly.

This naturally formed, gigantic underground space was incomparable to the man-made tunnels of the second layer. If they were dug by human hands, even all the cultivation sects of the Spiritual Mist Mountain Range working together for a thousand years couldn't excavate such an endless subterranean expanse.

There were even low, undulating mountain ranges, depressions, subterranean rivers, lakes, and deep pools; the heat swirled, immediately generating thick mists. The entire cavern was bathed in a hazy red glow; even straining his eyes to the distance, he could see no boundary.

Far away, there appeared to be a dazzling river of red magma, flowing turbulently. It was this river that illuminated the entire underground cavern in shades of red. Waves of heat rolled in, and within a short time, Ye Qin was drenched in sweat.

Though the veiled maiden was protected by her ice sword, she could not escape the sheen of perspiration; her blue robe clung to her fair, jade-like skin, subtly revealing the contours of her figure, stirring the heart.

This cavern was saturated with potent Earth Fire spiritual energy. Ordinary plants and beasts simply could not survive here. However, fire-attributed flora and fire-attributed demonic beasts not only survived but thrived exceptionally well. All manner of strange flowers, grasses, and trunk-thick wood seemed to sprout everywhere: the Huoyan Grass whose leaves fluttered like small flames, the Chitie Trees whose branches looked like red-hot iron rods, and the Blood Vine Trees, vivid crimson like spilled blood. These spiritual herbs were almost impossible to find in ordinary environments, only growing where geothermal heat was abundant with rich Fire spiritual energy.

Ye Qin’s feet crunched on the ground. He casually picked up a piece of red stone and realized it was a fire-attributed Scarlet Ore. After refinement, this ore could be used to forge fire-attributed spiritual artifacts, or even high-tier magic tools.

Ye Qin couldn't help but swallow, his eyes gleaming.

Even a small stone picked up casually from the ground was a fire-attributed mineral. There must be a massive subterranean deposit of fire-attributed ores here. Such vast mineral wealth would surely incite desperate struggles among the cultivation sects if they found it. However, no single sect could possibly swallow an entire cavern of this magnitude alone; they would inevitably have to join forces to carve it up.

The veiled maiden was also holding a piece of fire-attributed ore. She crushed it, feeling the Earth Fire aura within, and murmured in pleasant surprise, "Father was right. This cavern is indeed littered with fire-attributed ores. I am certain we can find the supreme fire-attributed ore suitable for tempering a fire-attributed flying sword here."

She surveyed the cavern in all directions.

The visibility here was poor; the mist was too thick, creating a monochromatic red haze where shapes only resolved into vague outlines beyond a few dozen zhang. If something was hundreds of zhang away, it was merely a faint shadow.

The most conspicuous features in this underground realm remained the towering rock columns and the crimson magma river in the distance. The magma river was estimated to be dozens of li away, but its fierce red glow was so brilliant that it remained clearly visible throughout the cavern.

Without hesitation, the veiled maiden set off running toward the magma river, paying no mind to the various fire-attributed ores lining the path, whether low-grade or high-grade.

Ye Qin frowned slightly, feeling utterly perplexed. He still had no idea what Senior Sister Huangfu intended to do here. Judging by her expression, she seemed already familiar with the situation and possessed a strong, specific goal she was pursuing.

Yet, he felt it awkward to ask.

The only thing he knew for sure was that her objective was not aimed at him. As a mere Qi Condensation disciple of the Azure Pill Sect, one among eight thousand, he was hardly worthy of the attention of the sect's most senior disciple.

The only reason he was permitted to accompany her was likely in return for saving her life.

Thinking this over, Ye Qin hesitated for a moment before following. After all, traveling with another person was undoubtedly better than going alone; they could share the burden in times of danger and perhaps reap some benefit from any good fortune encountered. He certainly couldn't have come all this way underground for nothing.

Occasionally, they encountered the demonic beasts of this underworld. A third-rank Blazing Wolf howled past the nearby thicket, seemingly in pursuit of prey. Several Fire Eagles circled overhead, forcing the two to duck and weave through the dense growth of grass, wood, and stone.

The demonic beasts beneath the earth were astonishingly powerful. Weak first-rank or second-rank beasts were rarely seen here. The majority were third-rank, with a few fourth-rank ones. A third-rank beast was equivalent to a high-stage Qi Condensation cultivator, while a fourth-rank beast was comparable to a low-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Indeed, any demonic beast encountered casually in this underground cavern would send an ordinary Qi Condensation cultivator fleeing in disarray; only high-stage Qi Condensation cultivators could barely hold them off. Encountering a fourth-rank beast meant immediate flight—without a large group of Qi Condensation cultivators attacking in concert, one couldn't even scratch its hide.

Ye Qin’s mouth felt dry. He wasn't sure if it was the underground heat or the sight of powerful beasts roaming everywhere causing it.

However, for Ye Qin and the veiled maiden, even a fourth-rank beast didn't pose an overwhelming threat.

They were both peak cultivators at the ninth layer of Qi Condensation.

The veiled maiden possessed a set of magic tools with formidable attack power, making her strength far superior to ordinary Qi Condensation cultivators. Alone, she could kill any third-rank beast or barely hold back a fourth-rank one.

Ye Qin lacked supreme magic tools, but he had several inferior magic tools readily available. While his strength hadn't reached the monstrous level of the Senior Sister, he was certainly beyond that of a common Qi Condensation cultivator. Facing third or fourth-rank beasts, even if he couldn't kill them, he possessed sufficient power for self-preservation and escape.

They were likely among the first small group of cultivators to enter the cavern, making this the best opportunity to scout the area before the masses arrived. In this underground world, the best treasures were strictly first-come, first-served; no one would be polite.

About an hour after they left the entrance, three disciples from the Beast Spirit Sect, clad in garishly patterned robes, appeared at the collapse site. They were at the eighth or ninth layer of Qi Condensation, and their bodies bore smudges of congealed black blood, exhaustion, or visible wounds—suggesting they had either been hunting others or fleeing pursuit.

These three cultivators cautiously examined the breach point, and finding no immediate danger, they too followed the colossal rock column down into the cavern. They were stunned into silence for a long moment by the sheer scale and grandeur of the underground space.

Having survived life-and-death trials to reach this cavern from the second layer of the mine tunnels, these Beast Spirit Sect disciples were clearly seasoned survivors. Their expressions of awe did not last long. The leading man, whose expression was cold and grim, made a gesture to the two behind him, immediately leading them to melt into the red mist, taking up an ambush position near the base of the giant rock column.

Half an hour later, four or five hurried cultivators in yellow robes from a minor sect appeared at the collapsed section on the second level. They quickly descended into the cavern via the rock column.

Just as they were momentarily stunned by the vastness of the cavern, at their most relaxed moment, a sharp ray of light suddenly shot out toward one of the yellow-robed cultivators in the front. The cultivator’s face changed, and he twisted violently to dodge, but he could not entirely evade the gleam. A cry of "Ah!" escaped him as one arm was grievously wounded by a spirit blade, the bone nearly shattered.

The yellow-robed man proved tough; despite the severe injury, his veins bulged, and he nearly bit his teeth to dust, yet his mind remained perfectly clear. He roared, "Ambush! Kill!" and his spirit blade lashed out wildly at the approaching Beast Spirit Sect disciples.

"Cackle, you bastards chased us for half a day; now it's time you tasted our might! All of you, die!"

A green-robed man with a cold demeanor materialized out of his hiding spot like a phantom, lunging at the group of cultivators. He controlled a flying dagger connected to a long silver thread at its hilt, using the thread for guidance.

The other two Beast Spirit Sect disciples released two large demonic beasts from their sacks—a Demon Tiger and a Demon Leopard—which sprang forward simultaneously. The seven male and female cultivators from the two sects instantly became locked in a chaotic melee.

As the three Beast Spirit Sect members and the four or five from the minor sect fought their final desperate battle at the cavern entrance, heedless of their fatigue, Ye Qin and the veiled maiden encountered the greatest crisis since entering the depths. They had been moving cautiously, stealthily avoiding demonic beasts and their lairs along the way. Yet, they had accidentally trespassed onto the territory of a particularly fearsome beast, which had now fixed its gaze upon them.

A shadow of crimson, its wings beating silently, flitted erratically at a low altitude. Suddenly, it swooped like lightning toward Ye Qin’s back.

Ye Qin, already highly vigilant, was not easily caught. His heart tightened, and with a mere touch of his foot, he vanished strangely from his original position, reappearing ten feet away, successfully evading the red shadow that lunged from behind accompanied by a gust of fetid wind.

Simultaneously, the Soul Capturing Bell he had prepared was ready. He flicked his finger, and with a dong, a silent but immensely powerful wave swept across the space toward the red shadow. The creature had never experienced such an attack; it was instantly thrown into chaos, tumbling head over heels to the ground.

Regaining his footing, Ye Qin calmly turned to observe the shadow.

It was a monstrous, fourth-rank, two-winged, two-legged serpent, perhaps a mutated third-rank variant, standing a full zhang tall. The snake was covered in red spots and fine scales. It thrashed blindly on the ground for a moment before leaping up, standing on its hind legs, flapping its wings, and occasionally spitting out a red mist as its scarlet eyes glared furiously at Ye Qin, clearly angered by being knocked down.

Ye Qin’s heart sank. For a third-rank demonic snake to recover from a stunning blow in the blink of an eye suggested it would be a difficult fight. (To be continued. For the rest of the story, please visit m for more chapters, supporting the author and genuine content!)

First published.