The monstrous beast was not large, entirely crimson, as if cast from molten iron, radiating a scorching, fiery heat.

Shi Yan had just finished communicating with the Profound Ice Cold Flame when he suddenly sensed a beast appearing unannounced. By the time he saw it, the creature was barely two meters away, a reddish-gold horn jutting from its head, spitting sparks of fire as it lunged directly at him.

Shi Yan was slightly startled, and without time to consider, he lifted the Dragon Slaying Sword in his hand and brought it down in a sweeping strike.

This single blow landed precisely on the beast’s forehead, sending a spray of sparks flying.

Under the heavy impact, the beast was knocked back five or six meters within the magma; since the ground was unstable in the lava, Shi Yan was also pushed back several meters by the sheer force of the collision.

“Flame Horn Beast, a Tier Four monster. It feeds on fire stones within the magma and has an exceptionally hard single horn, making it excellent material for forging fire-attributed weapons. This Dragon Slaying Sword used a Flame Horn Beast's horn during its forging. Their attacks rely mainly on that horn, so they are quite easy to deal with,” the Profound Ice Cold Flame transmitted from within the Blood Pattern Ring.

Receiving the message, Shi Yan coldly fixed his gaze on the Flame Horn Beast, gripping the Dragon Slaying Sword. Suddenly, his spiritual power condensed, fusing with tendrils of deep, chilling energy into a shockwave aimed directly at the beast’s soul. A Tier Four Flame Horn Beast has virtually no defense for its soul; under Shi Yan’s focused soul impact, it was instantly and grievously wounded, fleeing in utter disarray.

Shi Yan’s spiritual power was infused with the icy coldness of the Profound Ice Cold Flame, which, in this pool of magma, had a distinct power to suppress fire-attributed life forms at the soul level.

Struck by his soul attack, the Flame Horn Beast’s spirit was severely damaged, and it dared not approach again. The magma pool grew wider and deeper below, and as the beast fled, it vanished in the blink of an eye. Although the single horn of a Tier Four Flame Horn Beast was a decent forging material, Shi Yan paid it no mind. Given the Yang family’s unparalleled status in the Gāluó Sea Region, their stock of cultivation materials on Undying Island would certainly include items far more precious than a Flame Horn Beast’s horn, so Shi Yan naturally couldn't be bothered to pursue it. “We are still far from the Earth’s Core of the Ten Thousand Year Volcano. The deeper we go, the hotter the magma becomes. If there are any special life forms down there, they will surely be stronger than the Flame Horn Beast. If there is anything else alive near the Earth’s Core Fire besides the Core Fire itself, we must leave immediately. Anything that can survive beside the Earth’s Core Fire must be terrifying; whatever it is, it’s not something you can handle.”

“If I can’t handle it, can you?”

“If you could release me from this ring, I could freeze this entire Ten Thousand Year Volcano solid. I wouldn't fear anything residing in the Earth’s Core. But if you are killed and I remain sealed in this cursed ring, it might take another millennia before I see daylight again here at the volcano’s heart.”

Shi Yan offered no reply, instead knitting his brow as he continued to sink into the magma pool. With the Profound Ice Cold Flame’s warning, Shi Yan grew exceedingly cautious, allowing his spiritual power to expand outward. His spiritually charged energy, imbued with the Cold Flame’s essence, radiated from him, carrying a profound sense of warning.

Sinking deeper into the magma pool, Shi Yan extended his spiritual power boat, and sure enough, he detected several powerful life signatures.

These life signatures were all fire-attributed. When Shi Yan peered at them with his spiritual power, he saw them appear like sticks of flame. Under the influence of his spiritual energy laced with icy coldness, these life signatures dared not approach him, instead keeping a considerable distance.

Several of these life forces, in Shi Yan’s estimation, possessed soul strengths comparable to martial artists at the Nirvana Realm.

“You’re quite clever, boy, knowing how to use my cold energy to warn those creatures,” the Profound Ice Cold Flame communicated again from the Blood Pattern Ring. “The cold energy emanating from me carries my aura; I am the natural nemesis of these fiery beings! Those living below are much smarter than that Flame Horn Beast. When they sense their natural predator approaching, they naturally flee quickly.”

Shi Yan paid him no mind and continued to spread his spiritual power cautiously, keeping an alert watch for any life signatures that might suddenly erupt. Through this use of spiritual power, he became increasingly aware of the value of the pure soul power within the Soul Gathering Pearl. Spiritual power, he realized, had unique utility in certain special environments.

Like this one, for instance.

Without the spiritual power augmented by the Profound Ice Cold Flame, he might have had to expend considerable effort battling the creatures that gathered around him, needing to first endure a wave of their attacks before they would recognize the presence of the Cold Flame and retreat out of fear. Some powerful beings could burst forth from the magma pool suddenly. If they had launched a suicidal, all-out assault, Shi Yan might not have even withstood the first volley. If he had been instantly killed, there would have been no way for those creatures to realize the Profound Ice Cold Flame existed. If he could use the soul power from the Soul Gathering Pearl to refine and temper his soul, forming a Sea of Consciousness in his mind and gaining Divine Sense, his strength would leap an entire echelon!

With a Sea of Consciousness and Divine Sense that surpassed his peers, he would become the master in combat, manipulating martial artists of the same level with ease. Thinking of this, Shi Yan’s eyes brightened once more.

The Profound Ice Cold Flame did not seem to be bragging; it truly was the bane of these fire-attributed life forms. With his spiritual power carrying its aura extending outward, every fiery life form Shi Yan could sense retreated in haste, actively avoiding him, never daring to approach.

After an unmeasured amount of time, the Profound Ice Cold Flame suddenly sent another consciousness: “Be careful, we are nearly at the Earth’s Core of the volcano! Stop for now. Let’s both sense the environment to see if there are any life forms below. If there are, we leave immediately and abandon this endeavor.”

“Mm.”

Shi Yan manipulated his body, using his essence energy to form two small swirling vortexes beneath his feet, holding himself stationary. He released his spiritual power, allowing it to slowly extend downward into the magma pool… fifty meters, a hundred meters, two hundred meters… no findings. His spiritual power did not brush against anything that might harbor life. Below, the magma only grew thicker and hotter, distributed evenly, with no single area showing a significantly higher concentration of flame energy. Where flame life resided, the elemental fire energy must be heavier than elsewhere. Since he couldn't feel such a distinct zone, it implied there truly were no fire life forms beneath, so he continued his exploration downward.

Suddenly, an incomparably violent surge of flame energy violently rippled out from one corner!

When Shi Yan’s spiritual power touched that intense flame energy, his soul felt scorched, and his body jolted violently; he almost cried out in pain from within the icy rock. Only a portion of the spiritual power he had sent out was recovered; the part that touched that ferocious flame energy was instantly incinerated!

Flame energy capable of burning spiritual power!

Shi Yan’s expression shifted drastically. He made an immediate decision, forcing all his essence energy outward and surging directly upward. He sensed an extremely faint spark of life consciousness within that flame energy, an instinctual aversion to any life form approaching.

That life consciousness within the flame energy was incredibly weak, so faint that Shi Yan might not have even noticed it had he not been so constantly cautious! But the intensity of the flame, capable of burning even spiritual power, was terrifying. He remembered the Profound Ice Cold Flame’s words: if he sensed any potential life below, regardless of its nature, he was to retreat immediately!

Shi Yan was already doing just that. “Wait! Hold on!” the Profound Ice Cold Flame’s consciousness rushed urgently from the Blood Pattern Ring. “Wait! The life form below should—should be the Earth’s Core Fire!”

“Earth’s Core Fire?” Shi Yan was astonished. “The difference between Earth Fire and Heavenly Fire is that one possesses life consciousness, and the other does not—it’s merely a pure source of flame. How can the Earth’s Core Fire possess life consciousness?”

“It is evolving toward becoming a Heavenly Fire!” the Profound Ice Cold Flame immediately replied. “After existing for tens of thousands of years, the Earth’s Core Fire will slowly nurture life consciousness. The Earth’s Core Fire below is likely in the process of transforming into a Heavenly Fire. Its life consciousness is just forming, entirely ignorant of everything; it only possesses instinct.”

“The Earth’s Core Fire is evolving into Heavenly Fire?”

Shi Yan suddenly recalled the vial of Earth’s Core Fire Liquid he had acquired from a group of martial artists in the Gloomy Forest. Back then, Mu Yudie had mentioned that the Earth’s Core Fire Liquid was the manifestation of the Ten Thousand Year Volcano’s Earth’s Core Fire just before it transforms into a Heavenly Fire—a rare substance, existing between liquid and solid states, utterly mysterious, capable of amplifying fire-attributed Martial Souls. Recalling that experience, Shi Yan instantly realized that the Earth’s Core Fire at the heart of this Ten Thousand Year Volcano was also in a transitional moment, advancing from an Earth Fire toward a Heavenly Fire.

“Yes, it is transforming into a Heavenly Fire right now, which means it is relatively safe,” the Profound Ice Cold Flame transmitted.

“Tell me what to do,” Shi Yan said.

“Do not release your spiritual power to explore. Go directly underneath. The evolution of the Earth’s Core Fire into a Heavenly Fire requires time—perhaps a year, or even ten. During this period, the Earth’s Core Fire’s consciousness is at its simplest. If someone impresses their soul imprint onto the Earth’s Core Fire at this time, they can—they can subdue it…”

The Profound Ice Cold Flame’s communication trailed off, sounding reluctant, as if hesitant to continue.

“What? Harvesting the Earth’s Core Fire?” Shi Yan heard clearly and exclaimed with delight, quickly sending a message to the Cold Flame. “Tell me exactly what I need to do! Ha! I didn't expect my luck to be this good.”

“You must first promise me: if I help you successfully acquire this Earth’s Core Fire, you will never again harbor thoughts of taking me. When you reach the Nirvana Nest Realm, you must release me and stop confining me. By the time you gain this Earth’s Core Fire and advance to the Nirvana Nest Realm, I won’t be able to do anything to you even if you let me out.”

Shi Yan did not answer immediately. The Profound Ice Cold Flame was a Heavenly Fire, and the Earth’s Core Fire, having gained life consciousness, was also a Heavenly Fire. However, Heavenly Fires varied in quality. A post-natally evolved Heavenly Fire like the Earth’s Core Fire lacked the innate wisdom and power of an ancient flame like the Profound Ice Cold Flame, which formed at the beginning of creation.

Shi Yan’s entire trip to refine the Purification Bottle and collect the Earth’s Core Fire was preparation for eventually seizing the Profound Ice Cold Flame. Shi Yan had deeply memorized the legends surrounding Heavenly Fires like the Cold Flame, knowing that successfully capturing such a flame would bring immeasurable benefits to his future. Now, the Cold Flame was willing to help him collect this near-Heavenly Fire, but it demanded release from the Blood Pattern Ring as the price. This put Shi Yan in a dilemma; he was hesitant. Of course, he could pretend to agree, wait until he obtained the Earth’s Core Fire, and then renege on the promise later. But he was not that kind of person.

“So you are actually a person who honors his word,” the Profound Ice Cold Flame sent back a surprised message from within the Blood Pattern Ring. “I am delighted you didn't agree immediately. If you had agreed right away, I would have known you were merely placating me. Your silence, weighing the pros and cons, shows that you value your promises and aren't trying to deceive me.”

Shi Yan remained silent. “If you had agreed immediately just now and deceived me, I would certainly have tried to kill you. Because if you truly gained the Earth’s Core Fire later, found enough resources, and reached a higher realm, you could indeed overpower me. Rather than be taken over by you, I would rather kill you and wait here for another opportunity.”

Shi Yan continued his silence.

“Since you are genuinely considering the gain and loss, it seems I can truly make a deal with you. Because you value your word, I dare to trade with you in earnest.” The Profound Ice Cold Flame, having assessed Shi Yan through this exchange, seemed to have finally made up its mind. “How about this: until you reach the Nirvana Nest Realm, I will use all my knowledge to help you break through faster. My soul contains the memories and martial insights of several Divine Realm experts. These are useless to me, but to you, these intangible things might be even more precious than possessing me!”

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