In the Meteorite Array. Boulders of rock plummeted from the sky, each one the size of a millstone, striking with immense force.

As one meteorite landed near Shi Yan in the array, he saw it drop beside him. The grey smoke here was overwhelmingly thick, making it impossible to see anyone nearby; even deploying his divine sense, he could detect no life fluctuations around him.

Stepping inside, Shi Yan felt as if he had suddenly entered an alien environment where his five senses were dulled and his divine sense was obstructed.

Remembering what Jiang Huquan had instructed, Shi Yan moved seven steps to the left, immediately followed by five steps to the right. He followed this simple footwork, advancing in a peculiar manner within the Meteorite Array.

He could not see the people beside him, nor could he perceive any divine sense fluctuations near him; he could only witness the descent of one meteorite after another.

Jiang Huquan's footwork was indeed remarkable. Following these steps, Shi Yan could see the meteorites falling, yet none of them managed to strike him. Several meteorites even crashed down right beside his body. Relying on the toughness of his physical form, Shi Yan considered trying to endure a direct hit, only to realize the meteorite landed just past him, failing to connect.

It seemed that as long as he adhered to the footwork Jiang Huquan provided, he genuinely would not be struck by the falling rocks.

Shi Yan secretly let out a breath of relief and prepared to quicken his pace to traverse the Meteorite Array.

Suddenly, a wave of strange thoughts erupted forcefully from the Blood-Patterned Ring.

Shi Yan's expression froze, and he stopped abruptly. Sensing the anomaly with focus, his face instantly shifted.

The Myriad Year Earth Core Fire had become intensely agitated, actually breaking free from the Blood-Patterned Ring, intent on escaping its bonds.

For some unknown reason, within this Meteorite Array, this entity had suddenly become agitated.

Within the Blood-Patterned Ring resided the Profound Ice Cold Flame. The ring seemed aware that the Profound Ice Cold Flame posed a threat to Shi Yan, and it had always utilized some mysterious power within the ring to confine the Cold Flame, preventing its power from being unleashed to stop it from attacking Shi Yan.

However, when dealing with the Myriad Year Earth Core Fire, the Blood-Patterned Ring was remarkably lenient.

Seemingly aware that the Earth Core Fire posed no danger to Shi Yan, the ring had not only created a comfortable environment for its evolution but had also never suppressed or restricted the Earth Core Fire's power within its confines.

This meant that if the Earth Core Fire wished, it could easily exit the ring.

At this moment, the anomaly of the Earth Core Fire was precisely its rapid flight outward!

"Don't!"

Shi Yan sent a mental command, attempting to intercept the Fire, but he was a step too late. The moment his divine sense thought coalesced, the Earth Core Fire shot out of the Blood-Patterned Ring, hurtling rapidly towards the right.

Within the Meteorite Array, Shi Yan’s mental consciousness struggled to detect surrounding life fluctuations, but when dealing with the Earth Core Fire, this limitation seemed lifted.

Perhaps due to the profound closeness of his spiritual connection with the Fire and their frequent emotional exchanges, a mysterious link existed between them. Without deliberately expanding his divine sense to search, Shi Yan could still sense the exact location of the Earth Core Fire.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" Massive meteorites rained down within the array. If he did not maintain the correct footwork, he would be bombarded.

The Earth Core Fire flew away uncontrollably, seemingly drawn by something. If Shi Yan remained stationary now, as the distance between him and the Fire widened, he risked losing track of its direction and being unable to sense its precise location anymore.

The Abyss Battlefield was riddled with seals and barriers. If he lost contact with the Earth Core Fire here, finding it again would likely be incredibly difficult.

The Earth Core Fire was now only one step away from completing its true evolution.

At this critical juncture, if someone knowledgeable wished to claim it, armed with the correct method, they would have a perfect chance to supplant him, forge a deep connection with the Earth Core Fire, and become its new master.

Shi Yan's expression fluctuated wildly. After hesitating and pondering for a moment, he made a resolute decision: he would pursue the Earth Core Fire.

He altered his steps, activating the Lightning-Evasion Technique, unleashing his residual essence—like a sharp sword—and rapidly darted toward the location of the Earth Core Fire.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The celestial meteorites seemed to possess eyes. The moment his steps changed, the rocks descended upon him like a sudden shower.

"Whoosh!" His figure flashed like lightning, weaving through the falling stones, attempting to evade the bombardment at the fastest possible speed.

"Boom! Boom!"

A gigantic meteorite suddenly struck Shi Yan squarely in the back.

An overwhelmingly violent impact exploded across his spine. His petrified body managed to withstand this single blow; the flesh remained intact, but the force of the impact made it impossible to maintain the high speed of the Lightning-Evasion Technique. Shi Yan stumbled forward somewhat clumsily, immediately becoming a target for more incoming meteorites.

In just a few short seconds, his body endured five waves of bombardment. His already exhausted frame was now staggering, and blood began to seep from the corner of his mouth once more.

Shi Yan abruptly stopped, afraid to move another inch. After silently assessing his internal state and the damage, he felt a surge of anxiety.

From his previous battle with Cao Zhilan, he had used the Second Heaven Martial Skill of Berserk Mode, and his acupoints had absorbed a significant amount of the vital essence of the fallen. Now, the backlash was setting in, weakening his body progressively.

To be struck by five more waves of meteorites at this time meant he was severely injured. If not for the existence of his Petrification Martial Soul, he would have already collapsed under the barrage.

The Earth Core Fire was only a hundred meters ahead.

For his current state, these hundred meters represented a perilous path of death. One misstep could result in being struck by more meteorites, leading to unconsciousness.

In this formation, there was no telling when Cao Zhilan and the others might appear. If he were to pass out here, he would face continued bombardment and the risk of being found by Cao Zhilan's group.

Yet, if he returned to the correct footwork, he might still be able to pass through the Meteorite Array quickly, thus avoiding the dual dangers of the rocks and Cao Zhilan's faction.

However, doing so meant he would very likely lose the Earth Core Fire.

His face dark, Shi Yan remained indecisive, constantly weighing the potential gains and losses in his mind, needing to make a rapid decision.

Leave it for now!

Ten seconds later, Shi Yan made his choice: he would temporarily abandon the Earth Core Fire, recover his body to peak condition, and then return to find it.

He prepared to depart.

"Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!" Dazzling red light suddenly emanated from the direction of the Earth Core Fire. The scorching thermal energy flowed out within the intensely dense area. The Fire appeared overwhelmingly joyous, projecting its consciousness to urge Shi Yan to follow.

Shi Yan was stunned.

The consciousness emanating from the Earth Core Fire was exceptionally clear and distinct. It seemed to have discovered something, calling out to Shi Yan with its spirit.

The Earth Core Fire had no physical form and was safe from the meteorites within the array. It was unaware of the mortal peril Shi Yan faced with every step inside; it was simply beckoning, wanting to share some discovery with him.

Struggling internally, feeling the Fire's summons, Shi Yan’s gaze flickered repeatedly.

Damn it, I’ll risk it!

After a while, Shi Yan reversed his decision. He took a deep breath, swallowed a few Yuan Restoration Pills, feeling his internal essence thicken slightly, and then reactivated the Lightning-Evasion Technique, charging toward where the Earth Core Fire flew like a bolt of lightning.

"Boom! Boom! Bang!"

Three more waves of meteorites slammed into his body. The fierce impact injured him again while he was mid-air.

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, relying on the strength of his Petrification and Undying Martial Souls, he grit his teeth, ignoring the physical damage from the meteorites, enduring the agony of potential mental collapse, and forcefully reactivated the Lightning-Evasion Technique. Before more rocks could descend, he finally reached the vicinity of the Earth Core Fire.

All sound ceased.

Upon entering the area of the Earth Core Fire, the massive meteorite field seemed to vanish completely.

Shi Yan, his mouth covered in blood, collapsed directly onto the ground once his body landed, staring at the scene with astonishment.

It was an ancient formation, the size of a small room. Around the perimeter of the ancient formation, rings of energy fluctuation had formed. The presence of these energy waves prevented the outside meteorites from penetrating, even muffling the sounds of their impacts.

Inside the ancient formation, Shi Yan could not hear a single sound.

That Earth Core Fire floated right in the center of this ancient formation.

A crimson crystal, only the size of a thumb, rested quietly within a recess of the ancient formation.

This crystal appeared to be an energy cornerstone for the formation, emitting a scarlet glow that supplied the necessary energy to the structure.

Outside the ancient formation were numerous other recesses, each containing crystals of various colors. Each crystal pulsed with strange energy fluctuations, all seemingly supplying power to the structure.

The Earth Core Fire hovered above that crimson crystal, leaping joyfully as if eager to absorb its energy.

The moment Shi Yan took in the condition of the ancient formation, intending to ask the Earth Core Fire what use the crimson crystal had for it, he suddenly noticed that all the crystals surrounding the formation began to shine with multi-colored halos.

The previously still ancient formation seemed to activate automatically the moment he entered.

Startled, Shi Yan knew the formation was about to initiate.

With no time for further thought, he urgently transmitted a message to the Earth Core Fire: Come in quickly!

The Earth Core Fire leaped, seemingly detecting the anomaly as well. After only a moment of hesitation, it immediately plunged into Shi Yan's Blood-Patterned Ring.

Sensing the Earth Core Fire’s return, Shi Yan felt a great sense of reassurance and prepared to exit this ancient formation whose destination was unknown.

However, as he tried to leave, he discovered that the strange fluctuations surrounding the ancient formation had transformed into a barrier blocking any entry the instant the formation activated.

He collided hard with the barrier, and the repulsive force from the shield immediately shoved his already exhausted body deeper into the formation.

Shi Yan was aghast.

The crystals around the ancient formation blazed with dazzling light. The structure spun rapidly like a gigantic, active disc.

Amidst the brilliant crystalline glow, a profoundly strange wave of energy rippled outward. The moment that wave burst forth, Shi Yan’s body vanished instantly.