He Yiming’s eyes flashed, his Great Saber resting on his back as the True Qi within him began to circulate, causing the massive blade to glow with a brilliant light.
Although he knew the best course was to ignore them and flee the eerie cavern as quickly as possible, Sogor and the Red Wolf King were right there, and they showed no signs of retreat, seeming instead to wish to converse.
If such an opportunity were missed, who knew if a second would ever present itself.
Thus, even knowing that staying meant facing unknown dangers, He Yiming resolutely remained.
The three men and one wolf silently faced each other, none speaking, yet each possessing unshakeable confidence in themselves.
Vast amounts of True Qi were being concealed and transformed within He Yiming’s body. Months ago, he couldn't have managed this, but the pursuit over these months had allowed him to make more stable progress in the martial path.
Given enough time to consolidate his True Qi, he could slowly circulate the power of the Five Elements Unity within his body, ensuring that the terrifying aura was not excessively leaked before unleashing his full-force strike.
After a long pause, the flow of the Five Elements power finally neared its peak. A flicker of curiosity arose in He Yiming’s heart, and he asked in a deep voice, “Sogor, after all the scheming to lead me here, what exactly do you want?”
“This is the Red Wolf King’s home,” Sogor replied with a smile, saying something utterly irrelevant. If not for the undisguised killing intent in his eyes, one might have thought the two were old friends meeting after years apart.
Glancing around the surroundings, He Yiming suddenly remarked, “This is the Red Wolf King’s home? That is truly excellent.”
Sogor paused, asking, “Excellent for what?”
“There is a saying in our homeland: ‘Born here, die here.’ This place is perfectly suitable as the burial site for you both.”
As He Yiming uttered the last few words, they caused a series of sonic booms in the air.
He flicked his wrist, and the first segment of the Great Saber spun over like lightning, its edge gleaming with biting cold light.
Within him, the Five Elements True Qi had merged, and the thirty-sixth form of Mountain Splitter, the twenty-second style, was reignited.
The pressure in the air doubled, and even Sogor and the Red Wolf King simultaneously sensed this immense binding force. It felt to them as if giant hands were trapping them firmly in place. It wasn't just the surrounding air; the ground beneath their feet was similarly constrained.
The Red Wolf King twitched its legs, but it could not easily burrow into the earth as it normally would.
The former Snake Confucian and the Bizarre Serpent Stone King had suffered the same panic when facing this sudden attack, ultimately dying because of it.
Sogor and the Red Wolf King’s expressions changed drastically. They had pursued and fled He Yiming for so long that they possessed a deep understanding of each other's strength. However, they never imagined He Yiming had mastered some powerful combat technique, capable of manifesting the power of intangible True Qi before even achieving the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit.
If this heaven-defying technique were spread, it would surely drive countless people insane.
Yet, they didn't know that while the Thirty-Six Forms of Mountain Splitter were powerful, they didn't possess such heaven-defying ability. If He Yiming hadn't used the full force of the Five Elements Unity, exhausting all his power, he could never have achieved this current effect.
Seeing the entire space saturated with He Yiming’s sudden explosive aura, with the sharp blade light fluctuating before Sogor and the Red Wolf King, it seemed capable of cleaving them both in two at any moment.
However, just then, the Red Wolf King opened its massive mouth again, and a column of fire spewed forth...
This was not a fireball, but a perfectly straight pillar of fire.
The temperature in the space instantly soared, reaching a level in the blink of an eye that could scorch a normal person to ash.
He Yiming’s calm expression shifted slightly. Facing the incoming pillar of fire that nearly filled the entire tunnel, he suddenly felt a wave of terror.
He had absolute confidence that his leading strike would cleave Sogor and the Red Wolf King in half. But after being swept by the fire pillar, his own fate would likely not be much better.
The might contained within this fire pillar exceeded his cognitive scope regarding spirit beasts. He even had a premonition that if he were exhausted and engulfed by the pillar, the only outcome would be a tragic death on the spot.
This thought flashed through his mind like lightning, and then, the strike that was always sure to succeed did not come down head-on. Instead, the saber was held flat before his chest and pushed forward.
As he thrust the saber forward, the massive pillar of fire was forcibly split in the middle. The searing fire energy shot past He Yiming’s sides, receding into the deeper passage behind him. Under the power of the Five Elements Unity, even such a powerful fiery breath had no choice but to submit.
“Break…”
With a sharp cry from He Yiming, the saber energy finally erupted from the blade, piercing the source of the fire pillar and arriving before Sogor and the Red Wolf King.
Sogor’s eyes were bloodshot, and he let out a fierce roar, his two steel claws instantly extending to forcefully block the massive blade light.
A roar of pained fury echoed throughout the passage. One steel claw was slashed by the saber light, sliced in two as easily as a sharp blade cutting tofu. Simultaneously, Sogor’s left hand was severed clean at the wrist, spewing copious amounts of blood like a fountain.
But it was only for an instant; his True Qi immediately sealed the blood vessels, stopping further loss.
The saber light advanced, chopping the other steel claw in half as well. In that split second, Sogor retracted his right hand, avoiding the tragic fate of losing both hands.
However, the blade light’s momentum was unstoppable. It continued forward, hacking directly toward the Red Wolf King’s massive head.
A clear, ringing sound of metal striking metal echoed. The Red Wolf King staggered, finally collapsing to the ground, but a huge scar appeared on its forehead, from which wisps of blood seeped.
He Yiming reversed his Great Saber, resting the tip on the ground. The two sides stared at each other, mutual hatred etched in their eyes.
Only now did He Yiming understand: while he had been building up his strength, his opponents had been doing the same.
This fire pillar was likely the most powerful combat technique achievable after Human-Wolf Integration. However, although the speed of the fire pillar was extremely fast, it couldn't match his Wind elemental speed, and its attack range was narrow. If they were outside this tunnel, it absolutely couldn't pose any threat to him.
Furthermore, releasing the fire pillar surely required a period of power accumulation, just like his Five Elements Unity Great Saber. That was why they hadn't revealed this power before.
But in this particular environment, unleashing this power allowed it to be displayed to its absolute maximum.
If He Yiming hadn't possessed his ultimate trump card, he truly would have suffered a grave setback this time.
His body swayed slightly, and He Yiming finally stood firm. The Human-Wolf combination opposite him also seemed utterly exhausted, having lost the ability to act for a short while, just like him.
In their eyes, besides vicious hatred, there was an inexpressible sense of fear.
Their seemingly certain fire pillar attack had failed to harm He Yiming, and after a direct clash, He Yiming’s ultimate move had actually suppressed them.
After this exchange, the man and the wolf had completely lost any confidence in their ability to kill He Yiming relying solely on their own power.
The Red Wolf King staggered to its feet, and both its gaze and Sogor’s fell upon Bai Lingba, with a hint of dread flickering in their eyes.
They dared to emerge because they believed the fire pillar’s power would be enough to deal with the duo, or at least keep them busy. But they hadn't expected that Bai Lingba wouldn't even need to act; He Yiming alone had broken their ultimate technique.
If Bai Lingba were to act now, their deaths would be certain.
However, contrary to their expectations, Bai Lingba merely stood in place, watching them coldly, showing no intention of interfering.
“What a tough wolf head,” He Yiming murmured with emotion.
He knew that today, the opportunity for a decisive, killing blow had been lost, filling him with regret. After getting accustomed to the full Great Saber, using only one-third of the blade head could not unleash one hundred percent of this style’s might.
Heaven and terrain were both in the opponent’s favor; failing to achieve the goal today was understandable.
The Red Wolf King’s sinister gaze shifted away from Bai Lingba, fixing back on He Yiming, though a trace of fear remained beneath the wolfish malice.
He Yiming’s strike had not only cleaved their strongest combat technique but had also shattered their confidence and courage. That unbelievable powerful blow had only reached the Red Wolf King’s head after cutting through two steel claws and severing Sogor’s True Qi-covered wrist.
Without those buffers, even the Red Wolf King’s stone-like skull might not have withstood it. Even so, the Red Wolf King’s condition was extremely poor; it likely lacked the capacity for further combat in the short term.
“In a wolf’s body, the head is the hardest part. That strike of yours, if it had hit the waist, would have been effective,” Bai Lingba said slowly and leisurely.
“Rumble…”
A massive sound drifted in from outside. He Yiming paused momentarily, then his expression changed: “A cave-in?”
“Wrong.” Sogor chuckled grimly. He gently stroked the Red Wolf King’s head and neck, and then the man and wolf retreated back underground.
With the tangible True Qi barrier gone, the immense pressure vanished. He Yiming watched them leave, helpless.
Although Bai Lingba absolutely had the ability to stop the current Sogor and Red Wolf King, He Yiming knew he would never intervene.
“He Yiming… wait for your death!”
Sogor’s fierce roar echoed from afar. He Yiming’s ears twitched; he knew Sogor was shouting from several tunnels away.
Although his True Qi, like He Yiming’s, was nearly depleted from the previous attack, after a period of recovery, issuing such a shout was no problem.
Glancing at the cavern wall, He Yiming called out loudly, “Sogor, do you think this tiny cave can trap me?”
Sogor’s maniacal laughter floated back: “He Yiming, do you even know where you are?” Without waiting for a reply, his voice returned: “This cavern is one of the most notorious perilous spots within these eight hundred li of volcano range, known as the Half-Death Zone. On this exact day every year, earth fire erupts, filling the entire cave over six months. The few entrances leading out should already be completely sealed by the earth fire by now.”
He Yiming’s face finally changed. Such a divinely crafted place existed in the world? This was entirely beyond his knowledge.
At this moment, he didn't believe Sogor would go out of his way to lie. Thinking of the intense thermal energy contained within the earth fire made his heart pound violently.
The might of the earth fire—it was likely beyond human power to resist.
“He Yiming, are you listening?” Sogor’s voice dripped with vengeful satisfaction: “I will wait for you outside the mountain. For these six months, hide and see if you can find a place here untouched by the earth fire.” He burst into long, triumphant laughter. “When you die and turn to ash, I will take your weapon back to show those people in Hengshan. I want them all to know that you, the genius, died by my hand… I will slaughter every innate master of your Hengshan lineage, ensuring your line never reincarnates.”
His voice grew fainter until it finally disappeared completely.
The temperature throughout the tunnel was indeed rising, and strange noises could be heard from the distance. He Yiming was not unfamiliar with these sounds; during his numerous alchemy sessions at the Spirit Medicine Peak, he had become intimately acquainted with the sound of burning earth fire.
However, he never imagined that one day he himself would experience the earth fire like a medicinal pill.
“Truly a marvelous planet,” Bai Lingba suddenly commented. “The geographical environment here is truly bizarre.”
He Yiming glared at him without good humor: “Brother Bai, do you have a way to escape?”
“I do,” Bai Lingba replied without hesitation.
He Yiming’s heart leaped with joy, and he quickly asked, “What is the method?”
“Simply walk out.”
He Yiming gasped, “Can you withstand the scorching of the earth fire?”
“If it were the earth fire at the core of the planet, of course, I couldn’t withstand it. But this earth fire is merely the aftershock of the core fire, and I can hold on for a short time,” Bai Lingba said unhurriedly.
He Yiming’s expression shifted slightly: “Can you take me out?”
“No.” Bai Lingba shook his head. “At this temperature, I lack the ability to protect you.”
The joy in He Yiming’s heart was instantly extinguished, as if a basin of cold water had been dumped on him.
He turned his head to look toward the end of the passage. Although the terrifying earth fire had not yet arrived here, the steadily increasing temperature made He Yiming realize that the day this area would be engulfed by earth fire would inevitably come.
Bai Lingba remained beside He Yiming, watching him silently, seemingly waiting for his decision.
“Let’s go,” He Yiming suddenly said.
“Where to?”
“I need to see if the entrance is as he described,” He Yiming’s voice held no ripple of emotion, and his figure dissolved into a streak of wind, heading toward the entrance at maximum speed.
Bai Lingba set his legs in motion, following at a similarly quick but less elegant pace.
When He Yiming moved at full speed, his velocity reached a terrifying level. In no time, he retraced his steps to the entrance through which they had originally come.
However, when he officially arrived there, his face truly changed.
Here, indeed, raging flames burned, surging up from the earth, enveloping the entire entrance and the area for a hundred meters around it.
Even more terrifyingly, these flames were steadily advancing. With every inch the flame expanded, the surrounding heat seemed to intensify.
He let out a long breath. He Yiming finally confirmed that Sogor’s words were not an exaggeration meant to frighten him.
“What do you plan to do?” Bai Lingba’s calm voice sounded by his ear.
He Yiming looked at the flames spreading at an extremely slow pace before him. He closed his eyes, allowing the tumultuous waves in his heart to slowly settle.
He unfastened the front of his robe, grasped the silver ring around his neck, and pulled it off.
“Brother Bai, can you still get out now?”
“Yes.”
He Yiming channeled True Qi into the silver ring, opening that miraculous spatial world, placing the segment of the Great Saber inside. Then he withdrew his True Qi and lightly tossed it. The silver ring traced a beautiful arc in the air and landed in Bai Lingba’s hand.
“You go out and wait for me for half a year. If I do not return within six months, assume I died in the cave,” He Yiming said slowly. “Give this item to Grand Elder Yu Jinglei. Ask him, for the sake of this treasure, to look favorably upon my He Family Manor and the Tianluo Kingdom. Then, go find Li Xun.” At this point, He Yiming’s voice finally gained a slight inflection. He paused for a moment, then finally said, “Fulfill your promise to us—protect her... keep her safe for life.”
Bai Lingba’s eyes flickered intensely, once again shining like a small sun.
He Yiming smiled calmly: “Don’t worry, I won't let you work for nothing. Li Xun will provide you with ample energy stones as compensation.”
“Then what about you?” Bai Lingba asked. “Are you going to wait here to die?”
A resolute glint shone in He Yiming’s eyes: “I am going to cultivate here.”
Bai Lingba watched him silently, seemingly utterly perplexed by this decision. Even when his life was on the line, why cultivate? Had the earth fire boiled his brains…
He Yiming called out loudly: “You are right, the earth fire here is not the core fire, merely residual heat. As long as I can successfully transform into fire before the earth fire pervades the entire cavern, this level of earth fire will no longer threaten my safety.”
“You want to transform into fire?” Bai Lingba examined him up and down. In his memory banks, there seemed to be no record of such a thing.
“Yes, I will transform into fire,” He Yiming declared loudly.
Bai Lingba’s gemstone eyes lit up again: “He Yiming…”
“What?”
“Do you regret it now?”
He Yiming paused slightly. In an instant, countless scenes flashed through his mind.
Since his miraculous encounter beneath the lake, his life had taken an unbelievable turn. The faces of all his relatives, family, and Yuan Lixun cycled through his mind.
Finally, the scene before his eyes solidified: the smiling face of old man Shui Xuanjin lingered—it refused to fade…
“Brother Bai, I have never regretted it.”
He Yiming turned, walking toward the interior with resolute strides. His body gradually grew lighter, seemingly transforming into a gust of wind, drifting within this fire cave.