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Wen Qiao felt suspicious, thinking that there should be more than just the Red Lotus Karmic Fire beneath this deep pit—there must be something else.

"Darling, the gray mist blanketing Moonview Island likely originates from here," Wen Qiao's voice came through the mist.

Ning Yuzhou hummed in agreement, gripping her hand tightly, which had turned icy from the Yin energy. "Generally, extremely dangerous places often spawn rare treasures. Perhaps the Red Lotus Karmic Fire is one such example."

"What about the Fallen Dragon?" Wen Qiao asked again.

"If the Fallen Dragon truly is as Leng Zuo described—having personally set up the Dragon Cage to protect the Redwood Continent back then—it must know this place well."

Thus, when the aura of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire suddenly appeared, attracting countless creatures, the dragon grew furious and rushed over immediately. Ning Yuzhou speculated that the Fallen Dragon chose to dwell here, likely guarding this place while waiting for something.

As they spoke, they passed through layers of gray mist and arrived at the bottom of the pit.

The pit floor was covered in crimson firestones, with numerous caves lining the edges, their destinations unknown. Occasionally, they could see hideous fiends emerging from the caves.

These fiends were hideously ugly, resembling mountain goblins or specters, with wrinkled crimson skin covered in sparse red fur. Their large, bulging, bell-shaped eyes were embedded in sharp, narrow faces—typical of sharp-mouthed and monkey-faced creatures. Their limbs were slightly bent, allowing them to stand hunched but upright, and their claws were sharp enough to dig up firestones from the ground and devour them raw.

Of course, though they fed on firestones, they wouldn’t turn down fresh meat delivered to them.

Sensing the presence of cultivators, the fiends let out piercing screeches and leaped nimbly across the crimson firestones, charging toward them.

Before they could reach them, the firestones on the ground seemed to transform into a wall, collapsing and burying the fiends beneath.

A group of fiends was pinned under the rocky soil, whether they lived or died, who could say?

Without sparing them a glance, Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou chose a cave and darted into it.

As their feet touched the ground, a scorching heat laced with icy Yin energy surged toward them. It carried both the residual power of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire and the extreme Yin energy, the two forces clashing as they invaded their bodies, warring for control.

The two immediately shut their meridians tight, expelling the energies from their bodies and taking care to prevent further intrusion.

After taking stock of the area, Ning Yuzhou said, "Though the Red Lotus Karmic Fire is born from evil karma, it is still a rare and powerful flame. It should be able to aid the phoenix in hatching. Let’s go."

Wen Qiao felt a fresh boost of determination and immediately followed the aura of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire.

The two moved swiftly, unwilling to waste time dealing with the fiends. Whenever they encountered firestone-eating fiends, they either sent them flying with a whip crack or, when the numbers grew overwhelming, had Wen Guangun summon earthen barriers to block them.

As they ventured deeper, Wen Guangun eventually was gasping for breath.

The usually lazy Wen Guangun had never been so diligent before. If not for Wen Qiao occasionally feeding it Spirit Restoring Pills and sweetened fat, it would have simply collapsed on her head as a fuzzy lump.

Fortunately, Ning Yuzhou finally spoke up, "We're here!"

Chapter 431

Upon arriving, they could already sense the sinister, bone-chilling presence of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire.

No longer was it the faint trace they had felt at the periphery—now, it was a terrifying force that struck directly at the soul, seeking to burn away every emotion, desire, and sin imprinted upon one’s spirit.

Ning Yuzhou’s expression instantly darkened.

Wen Guangun, perched on Wen Qiao’s head, shifted uneasily before crawling onto her shoulder. Its furry body pressed tightly against her, its little paws clinging to her neck as if trying to shrink into itself.

Though still young and having committed no sins, the young beast’s survival instincts were rooted in the law of the jungle—inevitably marked by blood. Whether or not it counted as sin, it was still imprinted upon its soul.

This made it instinctively fear the Red Lotus Karmic Fire.

Ning Yuzhou stored it away in his space, then turned his gaze to Wen Qiao.

Wen Qiao's eyes were bright, as if she couldn't sense the danger of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire threatening her spiritual essence. She stared at the flickering remnants of otherworldly-hued flames ahead and whispered, "Husband, it's over there, right?"

When he remained silent for a long time, Wen Qiao turned to look at him and suddenly noticed his extremely grim expression.

"What's wrong?" she asked with concern. "Are you feeling unwell?"

Although the Red Lotus Karmic Fire was a flame of karmic sin, it was still a type of Extraordinary Flame. Few living beings could withstand the might of such flames. Wen Qiao also felt somewhat uncomfortable, but it was still within tolerable limits.

Ning Yuzhou didn't answer, only gazing at her for a long while. Meeting her worried eyes, he said softly, "I'm just a little uncomfortable."

He endured the agony of his soul feeling as though it were being scorched and incinerated, yet on the surface, he only showed slight discomfort—just like how most people would react under the pressure of Extraordinary Flames.

"A-Chuo, how do you feel?"

"It's manageable," Wen Qiao answered honestly. "A bit uncomfortable, but bearable. After all, it is an Extraordinary Flame."

For a moment, Ning Yuzhou's eyes flickered, a tumult of emotions—or perhaps he wasn't thinking of anything at all. Suddenly, he reached out and drew her into his arms.

Wen Qiao was puzzled but didn't refuse his closeness. Smiling faintly, she hugged him back.

After a while, Ning Yuzhou released her, his expression returning to its usual warmth and gentleness. He said with a smile, "The power of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire—if someone is steeped in sin, merely approaching its location will cause their soul to burn in agony. But if one's soul is pure, they will only feel the might of the flame, untouched by its scorching effects."

Wen Qiao understood. She only sensed the Extraordinary Flame's power, nothing more.

"And you?" Wen Qiao asked him.

Ning Yuzhou chuckled lightly. "This flame's power is truly formidable."

She laughed as well, her expression relaxed. "Husband, your soul must be truly pure, so you don't feel the burning pain. That's wonderful."

Her husband was truly a gentle person. Though his mind was full of wheels within wheels, they were only for self-preservation—he never actively harmed others. He was willing to treat the world with kindness, even extending help to worlds facing annihilation, striving to find them a lifeline of hope...