The volcano erupted, as expected. As thick magma shot out in every direction, the surrounding vegetation seemed to sprout legs and flee with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, not a single plant remained in the area where Ji Changkong and the other two stood.

The plants here seemed long accustomed to the volcano's unpredictable eruptions; the moment they sensed anything amiss, they bolted with extraordinary swiftness. Their roots, though deep in the earth, were nimbler than any human leg.

Ji Changkong’s party of three was fully prepared before the magma even fell. When the lava descended, the trio plunged directly into the eruption site, following the trajectory of the spray.

Xiao Han was more familiar with this area, so it was her turn to take the lead. Ji Changkong and Huo Feng followed closely behind, using the volcanic vent as their entrance to delve deep into the earth below.

The intense power of the magma eroded the protective barrier formed by the three, forcing them to channel their internal essence to continuously resist the intrusion of the lava’s force.

The magma carried the scent of sulfur and a strange acidity; it was not merely the power of flame. Thus, Ji Changkong dared not withstand it with his physical body alone, compelling him to deploy his Five Elements Barrier.

Even Huo Feng enveloped herself in her myriad-colored flames, forming a fiery shield that covered her entirely, while Xiao Han remained encased in solid ice.

Each of them possessed their own method of defense. Led by Xiao Han, they braved the magma deluge and plunged ever deeper underground.

Time slipped by silently. Unbeknownst to them, two hours had passed. Ji Changkong calculated inwardly, knowing they had already descended tens of thousands of zhang into the earth.

Within those two hours, the essence within his body was depleted, forcing him to draw upon the power stored within the various acupoints inside him.

Fortunately, he had now broken through to the pinnacle of the Ruwēi realm. If he were still at his previous level, once his internal Yuan was exhausted, he would be at a total loss, perhaps needing to transform his body to cope.

Xiao Han and Huo Feng were both firmly within the Ruyì realm; the density of their internal essence far surpassed his. During the descent, they kept observing him, worried that he might succumb and have his body corroded by the lava’s power midway.

Only upon seeing that his expression remained normal, showing no signs of fatigue, did Xiao Han and Huo Feng quietly relax. They began to suspect that he must have broken through to an even higher realm. This was the first time they were so certain!

This realization instilled a greater degree of reservation in them toward Ji Changkong; they no longer dared to view him as a soft target. Even the look Huo Feng cast at him now carried a hint of respect. The strong are always afforded respect!

Three more hours elapsed. Below them, the force of the magma jets grew stronger, making their resistance increasingly arduous, naturally slowing their descent a little more.

The essence stored within Ji Changkong’s ten acupoints had now been entirely exhausted over these hours.

He began drawing upon the power stored in more acupoints, becoming inwardly cautious. The moment he sensed danger he could not withstand, he would immediately initiate his body transformation.

“Be careful; the final stretch might have Yan Mo lurking about!” Xiao Han suddenly called out a warning, quickly explaining, “Yan Mo live within the magma; their bodies are composed of rock, glowing red all over, and wreathed in fire. The flame power carried by Yan Mo is a hundred times more concentrated than this pure magma!” Hearing this, Huo Feng and Ji Changkong immediately grew wary, extending their divine senses.

“Don’t waste your divine sense probing; in this magma, it’s hard to detect the presence of Yan Mo. They merge seamlessly with the lava, even their life forms are identical to it,” Xiao Han added, seemingly aware of what they were doing. Huo Feng immediately abandoned her attempt to scan for Yan Mo with her consciousness.

However, Ji Changkong did not follow Xiao Han’s advice; he kept his divine sense extended, sinking his mind into the Wǒ state of the Tàixū Mìlù. His consciousness spread out from him like countless unseen nimble hands, reaching downward.

His cultivation of divine sense was different from that of ordinary people; the sensitivity of his spiritual perception was also extraordinary. Fluctuations in life force that others could not perceive, he could detect! He had this confidence!

Indeed, half an hour later, a thread of his divine sense brushed against a mass of magma. From within that magma, he sensed subtle fluctuations—the frequency of which was indeed extremely similar to the magma spraying skyward. However, within those faint tremors, there was a trace of malevolent energy (shāqì).

Without further deliberation, he was certain that the clump of magma contained a Yan Mo, just as Xiao Han had described. “Huo Feng, come over here; do not descend from that direction.” Suddenly, Ji Changkong took the initiative to warn her. Huo Feng, shrouded in her multicolored flames, paused, giving him a strange look. “What did you say?” “Do not descend from that side; there should be a Yan Mo existing in that direction of descent!” Ji Changkong repeated. “Are you certain?” Huo Feng asked uncertainly. “I am certain!”

Huo Feng nodded, her eyes filled with surprise, yet she did not insist. She truly shifted away from that direction and moved to Xiao Han’s position.

Within a quarter of an hour, right where Huo Feng had been positioned, a dense surge of magma violently burst open, and a fire-spewing stone figure violently emerged, flailing its limbs as it lunged toward Huo Feng and Xiao Han.

However, its body seemed affected by the shockwave of the magma. Before it could reach them, it was swept upward by the rising lava surging from below, carried toward the heavens. “It’s a Yan Mo!” Xiao Han cried out in shock, immediately asking, “How did you know there was a Yan Mo there?” Ji Changkong gave a wry smile, neither confirming nor denying, but offering no explanation.

Xiao Han and Huo Feng did not press the matter, but the looks they directed at him became even more peculiar. Huo Feng offered no verbal thanks, merely nodding slightly.

For the remainder of the journey downward, Ji Changkong consistently managed to detect the Yan Mo about to emerge from below ahead of time. Under his guidance, Xiao Han and Huo Feng both managed to avoid the fiery fiends, descending safely all the while, only needing to dedicate their internal essence to maintaining their protective barriers.

Four more hours passed. After Ji Changkong’s essence stored in twenty acupoints was completely drained, he finally sensed that no more Yan Mo were appearing from below. “We are about to land,” Xiao Han hurried to say.

Ji Changkong and Huo Feng became tense, growing even more cautious. They urged the essence within their bodies to expand the protective shields outward. Plop! Plop! Plop!

The three landed in a vast magma pool. Within the pool, giant vortices spun furiously upward, resembling tornadoes. The thick magma shot up from these whirlpools, impacting the surface of the stars above.

The high temperature within the magma pool was even more intense than that of the ejecting lava. Within the pool, strange Yan Mo were also swimming around, seemingly guarding something.

Upon hearing the sound of the three descending into the magma pool, these Yan Mo surged toward them as if they had discovered prey. Fifty or sixty Yan Mo formed a ring, surrounding the trio at the center. “Break through!” Xiao Han roared.

There was no need for her to say more; Ji Changkong and Huo Feng could sense the fierce malice emanating from the Yan Mo. Before the fiends even reached them, they spat out streams of thick fire, resembling molten iron, carrying heat capable of incinerating everything.

The thick flames splashed onto the solid ice covering Xiao Han, instantly causing wisps of thick smoke to rise, and pitting small holes in her protective ice barrier.

“The fire spat by Yan Mo not only possesses astonishing heat but also terrifying corrosive power—we must be extremely careful!” Xiao Han shrieked, adding, “The bodies of the Yan Mo are also incredibly tough, only their heads are somewhat fragile. Attack their heads; this is the only way to kill them quickly!”

Huo Feng nodded, shooting beams of rainbow light from her palm. Midway, these beams transformed into crescent-shaped weapons, resembling some strange, razor-sharp projectiles.

The foremost three Yan Mo had their heads sheared off simultaneously by these crescent weapons. The fiends’ heads exploded in mid-air, raining down more thick flames like drizzle.

“Everyone, be careful!” Xiao Han shouted again, gesturing with her hand. Above the magma pool, she formed a strange luminous curtain, wreathed in icy vapor, which momentarily blocked many of the dripping, thick flames.

“Hurry!” Xiao Han took the lead, unleashing her ice sword to cleave the head off another blocking Yan Mo.

Ji Changkong did not attack, instead trailing behind Huo Feng and Xiao Han, advancing swiftly as they cleared the path.

This magma pool was vast, seemingly without end. After struggling out of the Yan Mo encirclement, the three found themselves disoriented, unsure of where to go. “Xiao Han, which way?” Huo Feng asked urgently. “I’m looking!” Xiao Han replied, her face also etched with anxiety. After a long moment, she suddenly pointed in one direction. “That way, there is light—that must be it!”

Ji Changkong and Huo Feng naturally wasted no words. They followed wherever she pointed, heading directly toward the illuminated area.

Half an hour later, the three finally saw red earth. Having expended great effort, they landed upon the scorched ground. Although the soil was still scorching hot, at least they no longer had to worry about the invasion of magma or the siege of Yan Mo. “Let’s go. After another stretch, we can finally escape this wretched place,” Xiao Han said with relief, taking the lead again. Three hours later.

Ji Changkong passed through this stretch of red earth beneath a low, oppressive rock ceiling. His vision suddenly cleared, and he found himself entering a magnificent and strange world. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “It’s so beautiful!”