PS: Catching up on yesterday's first update. It's Monday again, asking for some recommendation votes. (^o^)/.

Beneath a blood-red sky, scarlet mountain ranges rolled on endlessly, utterly barren of any flora or trees. Within a deep, narrow ravine, twenty figures advanced rapidly in two lines, not a single person uttering a word. They were the disciples of the Lingyu City and Mo Xue Sect.

Every time this "Prison Fire Nether Spring" opened, the terrain was entirely different from the last.

After entering, everyone had simply chosen a random direction to proceed. More than half a day had passed, and the figures were still enveloped in a faint, cyan luminescence. As long as they remained inside the "Prison Fire Nether Spring," the "Azure Sea Blue Sky" card would remain effective. This card shielded them from the scorching aura that permeated the entire void; otherwise, even a Soul Transformation Master like Lan Shang would struggle to last fifteen minutes here.

"Everyone, look! Isn't that the Flame Mountain ahead?"

Exiting the deep gorge, a male disciple from the Mo Xue Sect suddenly cried out in joyous surprise. The others quickly raised their eyes and saw, in the distant horizon, a gigantic pillar of flame soaring into the sky, releasing billions of rays of light in all directions, making the already crimson sky appear even more magnificent.

"That's right! It's the Flame Mountain!"

"Our luck is incredible! We found the Flame Mountain less than a day after entering!"

"..."

The disciples of both sects were instantly energized.

Although the terrain of the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" constantly changed, certain landmark features always persisted, and the Flame Mountain was one of them. In previous openings of the "Prison Fire Nether Spring," the senior Spirit Masters who found the Flame Mountain first often reaped considerable harvests of rare medicinal herbs seldom seen outside. No wonder everyone was excited.

"It's easy to see the mountain, but hard to reach it. We might arrive only to find someone else has already taken the good stuff," seeing the expressions on everyone's faces suggesting the treasure was already secured, Nie Kong couldn't resist dampening the mood.

Everyone sobered up somewhat, knowing Nie Kong spoke the truth—they were still incredibly far from the Flame Mountain. However, having their excitement doused right when they were exhilarated was a hard pill to swallow.

Ji Shen and the others mumbled silently, but the Mo Xue Sect disciple who first spotted the Flame Mountain couldn't help but frown. "Nie Kong, couldn't you say something nice for once?" The Mo Xue Sect disciples were already somewhat dissatisfied with Nie Kong. They had waited for him for so long at the entrance when they first arrived at the "Prison Fire Nether Spring," and throughout the journey, every time they were happy, Nie Kong would pour cold water on them.

"Sorry, I don't say nice things; I only say what’s true!"

Nie Kong said with a slight smile.

Nie Kong was quite exasperated with these people. In their eyes, the treasures within the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" seemed all neatly packaged and waiting for them to collect, forgetting the dangers the senior Spirit Masters had faced during the two months each time the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" opened. Although they had carried many protective artifacts before entering, keeping the death rate low, carelessness could still prove fatal.

"You..."

The male disciple was so angry his eyes nearly rolled back.

"Enough, let's speed up!" Nie Fenghua suddenly spoke in a low, crisp voice, glancing at Nie Kong before taking the lead and speeding forward. For this trip to the "Prison Fire Nether Spring," Nie Fenghua was the leader of all the Mo Xue Sect disciples. Seeing her command, the Mo Xue disciples could only suppress their discontent and quicken their pace.

"Let's go too!" Watching the departing figures of the Mo Xue Sect disciples, Lan Shang couldn't help but smile, and her figure gracefully followed after them.

"..."

Only after everyone had moved tens of meters ahead did Nie Kong finally let out a long breath. Just as he was about to follow, he realized Bai Yuqing was standing still, staring straight at him. The cool gaze held an inexplicable meaning that left Nie Kong completely bewildered.

Nie Kong asked with a curious smile, "Little sister Bai, why are you..."

"Nie Kong, you are unhappy!" Bai Yuqing suddenly blurted out these few words, causing Nie Kong's smile to freeze instantly on his face, his eyes wide with shock. "Are you looking for someone?" Bai Yuqing inquired again.

"I am very happy, and I'm not looking for anyone..."

Nie Kong finally snapped back to reality and instinctively started to deny it. But as he spoke, he became increasingly uneasy. Bai Yuqing's unusually serious gaze gave him a strong sense of frustration, and he could only end with a dry chuckle, "Fine, Little sister Bai, I'm really not happy, and I really am looking for someone."

"I knew it; my feeling couldn't be wrong." Bai Yuqing seemed relieved.

"..."

Seeing her reaction, Nie Kong suddenly felt a surge of emotion.

After entering the "Prison Fire Nether Spring," everyone, including Lan Shang and Liu Heming, had focused entirely on searching for treasures. He hadn't expected that, under these circumstances, Bai Yuqing—this little girl who usually only knew cultivation and combat—would be the only one to see through his state of mind.

Just as Bai Yuqing said, Nie Kong was indeed not in a good mood.

When he first learned from his Third Aunt, Mu Lengxing, that the Flower Spirit Clan members would also be coming after the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" opened, Nie Kong had been filled with hope. Afterward, whether participating in the Lingyu City Inner Circle disciple competition or trekking across the long distance to the Kuangsha Wasteland, he had been extremely high-spirited. However, after finding nothing in Sunset City, Nie Kong's mindset had quietly shifted. Especially when he saw no sign of the Flower Spirit Clan at the entrance of the "Prison Fire Nether Spring," Nie Kong became anxious—what if the Flower Spirit Clan hadn't sent anyone? Wouldn't all his efforts be in vain?

Wasted effort was a small matter; what truly concerned Nie Kong was that if he lost this opportunity at the "Prison Fire Nether Spring," he didn't know when he would get news of the Flower Spirit Clan again. After all, the "Flower Butterfly Secret Realm," just like the Yin Ruins, was known to very few people.

Originally, Nie Kong planned to meet up with Lan Shang and the others, then stay alone at the entrance to wait. But after entering, Nie Kong realized this idea was somewhat impractical. The fiery rift between the giant stones outside was wide, and the entry points were separated by more than ten meters; this disparity would translate to at least ten li inside the "Prison Fire Nether Spring." Under these conditions, the success rate of waiting passively was pitifully low.

The safest method, naturally, was to wait outside the rift. But if the Flower Spirit Clan members never showed up, Nie Kong would have essentially wasted a precious quota to enter the "Prison Fire Nether Spring." If news got out, Gu Changgong and the others might not object, but he wouldn't be able to explain it to the Inner Circle disciples.

Inside the "Prison Fire Nether Spring," finding a few specific people, while not quite searching for a needle in a haystack, was still quite difficult. The "Prison Fire Nether Spring" was vast; if the Flower Spirit Clan members came but failed to encounter each other, Nie Kong knew he would regret it terribly.

Thus, along the way, Nie Kong had been consumed by worry and anxiety.

Pouring cold water on those Mo Xue Sect disciples wasn't just because their complacency annoyed Nie Kong; it was also partly an outlet for his own frustrations.

Bai Yuqing didn't ask Nie Kong who he was looking for. After frowning slightly in thought, her eyes suddenly flashed, and the corners of her lips curved up slightly. "Nie Kong, it's very hard to find someone in the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring.' Instead of you going to look for others, why not let others come and look for you!"

"Let others look for me?"

Nie Kong was startled, then suddenly understood.

Right—the purpose for which the Flower Spirit Clan members entered the "Prison Fire Nether Spring" in previous years was the magical spring water. This time was likely no different. If they hadn't come, so be it, but if they had come and discovered an area where a spring eye might appear, would they ignore it?

In an instant, Nie Kong's spirits lifted, his face beaming with joy.

What he needed to do now was find an opportunity to create a massive commotion, ideally one that every Spirit Master in the entire "Prison Fire Nether Spring" could sense. Achieving this wouldn't be easy, but having a clear objective was infinitely better than blindly flailing around like a headless fly.

Moreover, Nie Kong now had some ideas, and thankfully, there was plenty of time. It would be more suitable to start preparing in ten days or half a month; for now, he should follow them to the Flame Mountain.

"Little sister Bai, your idea is excellent!"

Nie Kong smiled broadly and gave Bai Yuqing a thumbs-up.

The idea wasn't hard to conceive; if one's mind were calm, one could easily realize this. But Nie Kong had been consumed by anxiety and worry previously, making calm reflection impossible. If Bai Yuqing hadn't reminded him, he might still be agonizing over it—it was like frantically searching for chopsticks right before a meal.

"Let's go!"

Bai Yuqing seemed not to hear Nie Kong’s praise. She slung the broadsword she carried onto her shoulder and turned, speeding away. Nie Kong didn't mind, releasing spiritual energy from his feet to match Bai Yuqing’s pace. A moment later, Nie Kong seemed to recall something and said quietly, "Little sister Bai, I need to discuss something with you?"

"Speak!"

Bai Yuqing's steps didn't falter in the slightest.

Nie Kong said with gravity, "Little sister Bai, can you please stop being so perceptive in the future?"

"Hmm?"

While flying forward, Bai Yuqing's clear, beautiful eyes finally flickered, and she cast a sidelong glance at Nie Kong, a hint of confusion showing in her expression.

Nie Kong said earnestly, "Little sister Bai, if you continue to be this perceptive, I might just be unable to help myself and fall for you before long."

Bai Yuqing finally understood, her tone completely flat: "If you like me, what does that have to do with me? As long as I don't like you, it's fine!"

"Uh?"

Nie Kong was momentarily stunned. His eyes darted around, and he tried again, "If I were to like you, I would definitely pester you every day, leaving you no time to cultivate, no time to fight, no ti—"

"Hmph!"

Before Nie Kong could finish, Bai Yuqing tapped her index finger against her sword blade, sending a sharp, resonant hum vibrating outward. Though she didn't speak, her meaning was clear: My sword is not for show!

Nie Kong was silenced. When they were in the Life and Death Illusion Realm, this little girl's cultivation was lower, and her temperament wasn't so icy. Teasing her then had been quite amusing, but now, the girl was like a slippery ball of ice—not only impossible to grasp but also capable of giving a nasty chill.

Seeing him pause in stunned silence, Bai Yuqing had already shot tens of meters ahead. Nie Kong could only suppress his urge to tease the girl and chase after her...