The depths of the Glazed Cave were studded with countless glittering gems of every description. At first, He Yiming had assumed these luminous stones were painstakingly set in place by the inhabitants of Glazed Island, but after residing there for several days, he realized that the vast majority of the glowing gems were native creatures of the cavern; only in a very few spots were they artificially embedded.

The name, the Ten Thousand Zhang Glazed Cave, was utterly fitting, not in the least bit exaggerated.

Equally renowned throughout the world, perhaps, was the mouth of the colossal volcano cliff, whose depth was unfathomable, said to plunge for ten thousand zhang.

Accompanied by Li Jiangfeng, He Yiming once again arrived at the precipice of this abyss, from which nothing could be seen below.

The last time he visited, it had been with a group of Venerables. Though they marveled at the sight, they hadn't lingered. They all knew this was the most mysterious and most vital location within the Glazed Cave.

Among all the disciples of Glazed Island, even ordinary Xiantian-level disciples were forbidden from approaching this place casually. For outsiders like them, permission was naturally out of the question.

Standing at the edge of the cliff and gazing down, He Yiming saw a world ablaze in crimson below. Fiery red magma churned ceaselessly, and billows of searing heat rolled upward. Even from this supreme height, he could distinctly feel the air rushing toward him, so hot it felt as though it could cook a man alive.

He Yiming let out a long breath. "Brother Li. The Ten Thousand Zhang Volcano truly lives up to its reputation. In my entire life, perhaps only the Eight Hundred Li Fiery Mountain could stand as a rival."

A pleasant voice suddenly drifted from behind a large boulder not far away. "Brother He, the Eight Hundred Li Fiery Mountain was formed post-natally; how could it possibly compare to the Xiantian spirit fire we possess here?"

He Yiming smiled faintly. He had long recognized Li Yajing hiding behind the stone, but as this was the domain of the Glazed Cave, he certainly wasn't going to reprimand her.

"Miss Li, the surface of the Fiery Mountain may not match this place, but deep beneath it, there is equally churning magma. The power of fire there is immense, I fear it is no less potent than what we feel here."

Li Yajing raised her eyebrows, displaying a momentary flash of masculine spirit. "Brother He, you are only seeing the surface for now. Once you venture deep into the volcano, you might change your mind."

Li Jiangfeng coughed lightly. "Brother He, do you know the origin of the Eight Hundred Li Fiery Mountain?"

He Yiming hesitated for a moment. "I recall hearing someone mention that it was formed during a battle between a Divine Beast Phoenix and a powerful figure of the Divine Dao."

As he spoke, he deliberately omitted any mention of the Divine Artifact Nine Dragon Furnace, since it was now common knowledge that the artifact was in his possession, making it awkward for He Yiming to bring it up.

Li Jiangfeng nodded slightly. "What you said is correct. The Divine Dao expert who fought the Phoenix was, in fact, the founding ancestor of our sect. Legend holds that after the battle between our Ancestor and the Phoenix, that divine beast perished within the Fiery Mountain and was never seen again."

He Yiming’s eyelids twitched, revealing an expression of extreme astonishment. He hesitated, then asked, "Could the Divine Artifact Nine Dragon Furnace have been forged by your sect’s Ancestor?"

Li Jiangfeng chuckled dryly. "The Nine Dragon Furnace contains the spirits and divine bodies of nine divine dragons, and rumor has it these dragons entered the Furnace willingly. Even our founding Ancestor, despite possessing heaven-shattering divine abilities, could not accomplish such a feat."

He Yiming’s face flushed slightly. Nine divine dragons—beings far more formidable than nine Divine Dao experts. Even the Five Elements Ancestor, once unrivaled across the world, would likely flee in terror at the thought of confronting them; there was no way the founding ancestor of Glazed Island could have slain them.

Furthermore, the idea that nine fire dragons would willingly enter the Nine Dragon Furnace made it even more incredible.

"Brother Li, who actually forged the Nine Dragon Furnace?" He Yiming asked curiously.

Li Jiangfeng’s gaze shifted to the bottomless cliff mouth, and he stated gravely, "The Nine Dragon Furnace is naturally born and nurtured; it originated from this very place."

He Yiming was dumbfounded, his eyes filled with a strange light.

Li Jiangfeng’s expression became solemn. "Long ago, our founding Ancestor traveled the world. Passing by Glazed Island, he unexpectedly discovered this cave. He protected himself with his fire-elemental divine power and descended into the Ten Thousand Zhang Volcano. There, he found the Divine Artifact Nine Dragon Furnace." He paused, his expression growing even more serious. "According to the records in the Ancestor’s personal notes, he was guided by the volcano's inherent spirituality to locate the item."

He Yiming’s expression shifted constantly; if all this were true, the powers possessed by those in the Divine Dao were truly overwhelming.

Taking a deep breath, countless thoughts spun through He Yiming’s mind. "Brother Li, is there some hidden reason why you asked me to come to the Ten Thousand Zhang Volcano this time?"

Li Jiangfeng held up a thumb and smiled. "Brother He is indeed perceptive; you even guessed that."

He Yiming chuckled wryly, yet he placed considerable trust in the Li father and daughter. When he had emerged from the Realm of Life and Death and fallen into a coma, they had not taken advantage of his weakness but instead administered a sacred healing elixir. Such actions had already won He Yiming’s goodwill and trust.

Li Yajing snorted softly. "Our sect’s Old Ancestor sent word from the Northern Frontier: if you came to our sect, you would be allowed to visit the forbidden area of the Ten Thousand Zhang Volcano, and from then on, you could enter and leave freely without interference from our disciples."

He Yiming raised his eyebrows slightly. "I thank the esteemed Glazed Old Ancestor for such great kindness."

He knew that the Ten Thousand Zhang Volcano of Glazed Cave was a place as significant as the misty summit region of the Heavenly Pool lineage. The honor of being allowed free passage here was not granted to just anyone.

Regardless of the reasoning behind the Glazed Old Ancestor’s decision, He Yiming was deeply grateful. Moreover, having learned that the Divine Artifact Nine Dragon Furnace was discovered in such a location, his desire to descend and explore it grew even stronger.

"Brother He, please follow me." Li Jiangfeng turned and walked toward a large stone in the distance.

He Yiming followed without hesitation, though his glance caught sight of Li Yajing following as well, noticing a faint trace of resentment in her eyes.

Behind that large stone, there was a concealed stone staircase pathway. Looking up this steep flight of stairs, He Yiming wondered internally just how far down this road might lead.

"When our founding Ancestor first arrived here, there was no pathway. He entered the sea of fire directly using his supreme divine power. But we cannot do that," Li Jiangfeng remarked with deep feeling.

A divine light flashed in He Yiming’s eyes; he seemed to visualize an elder leaping from the cliff edge, retrieving the Divine Artifact Nine Dragon Furnace from the very lava.

He inhaled deeply, letting the sulfur-tinged air churn within his body.

The Divine Dao—truly a realm to yearn for.

The three fell silent and began descending the stone steps. The staircase was ingeniously constructed, spiraling down from the summit, seemingly without end.

Slowly, the rolling waves of heat enveloped them, growing ever more intense.

Li Jiangfeng suddenly stopped. Although his primary cultivation technique involved fire power, he was already sweating profusely now, as if he were in a steamer, white mist rising from his body.

He shook his head. "Brother He, my cultivation is insufficient; I can only accompany you this far. My daughter will accompany you the rest of the way." He paused. "With your cultivation, you should be able to withstand the might of the earth-fire. However, human strength has its limits. If you feel unwell, Brother He, you absolutely must not push yourself."

He Yiming nodded repeatedly. "Rest assured, Brother Li, I understand."

Li Jiangfeng strode back upward, his ascent incredibly fast, disappearing in a flash. Clearly, the heat here was already placing a significant burden on him, preventing him from lingering.

Turning his gaze toward Li Yajing, He Yiming marveled inwardly.

In terms of martial cultivation, Li Yajing was clearly inferior to her father. Yet, amidst this intense heat that He Yiming himself found difficult to bear, she showed no sign of discomfort. On the contrary, she appeared spirited, a blush like rouge coloring her cheeks, making her look even more exquisitely delicate.

He Yiming said sincerely, "Miss Li’s Fire Spirit Body is truly formidable. No wonder the Glazed Old Ancestor entrusted you with the imitation Divine Artifact Nine Dragon Furnace."

Li Yajing looked at He Yiming with keen eyes. "What I possess is an imitation, but what is in your hands is the genuine foremost fire-elemental Divine Artifact, the Nine Dragon Furnace."

He Yiming gave a faint smile, catching the thick undertone of jealousy in her voice, but he did not reply directly.

Li Yajing snorted. "Rest assured, the founding ancestor of our sect left explicit instructions: the Divine Artifact Nine Dragon Furnace is a naturally occurring item, not part of our sect's inheritance. Only those with fate may receive its favor; to force the matter will surely invite disaster. Therefore, we will absolutely not covet your Nine Dragon Furnace."

He Yiming was briefly stunned, saying with feeling, "Your sect’s Ancestor was truly a wise man. If only the Yu Family had thought the same way back then."

Li Yajing retorted sharply, "The Five Elements Ring was forged by the entire power of the Five Elements Sect back then; how can it compare to the naturally born Divine Artifact Nine Dragon Furnace?"

He Yiming smiled bitterly; she was correct. One item was found by chance, while the other was meticulously crafted by ancestors. Losing the latter naturally evokes a different emotional response.

The two continued onward. After a full hour, Li Yajing finally stopped.

Before them stood a massive stone cavern, its entrance sealed by a heavy stone door.

"This was the place where our founding Ancestor cultivated in seclusion. He left a final testament: only the owner of the Divine Artifact Nine Dragon Furnace and the current Sect Master may enter." Li Yajing's gaze held an indescribable sense of envy mixed with subtle jealousy, yet she stated without hesitation, "I can only escort you this far. Whether you enter is up to you to decide."

He Yiming gave a wry smile. "I thank Miss Li for guiding the way. Of course, I must go in."

He reached out, pushed the door open, and stepped inside, leaving Li Yajing—still somewhat indignant—staring outside.

Ps: Learned my lesson today, scheduled the post—sigh... Tomorrow is the final day. Bai He requests monthly votes, thank you!