Sun Youcai trembled as he tunneled rapidly through the earth. Overwhelming fear suffocated him. Suddenly, the soil ahead grew hot. He cursed inwardly. Earth-escape was extremely useful elsewhere—but in the Fiery Nation, dotted everywhere with volcanoes, it required precise control.

  If one accidentally burrowed straight into magma, it was simply bad luck.

  Normally, Sun would carefully adjust direction whenever the soil warmed. But now, believing himself hunted by a Deity Transformation expert, panic ruined his judgment. By the time he tried to change course, it was too late. He forced himself upward with all his strength.

  With a bang, he burst through the soil and landed inside a vast volcanic cavern. A wave of scorching heat struck him; his hair and brows curled and burned instantly.

  Crying out, he hastily released his flying sword and wobbled onto a protruding rock. In mere moments, cracks appeared across his skin. His clothes crumbled into ash. Even the sword beneath his feet glowed red with rising temperature.

  Sweat turned to white vapor the instant it formed. Steam rose from his entire naked body, lending him a bizarre immortal aura.

  Below lay a massive magma pool. Huge bubbles formed and burst, each releasing a strand of black gas.

  Sun steeled himself to flee toward the opposite wall—when he suddenly froze, staring at the magma in horror.

  Yun Che had arrived. Though lacking earth-escape, his divine sense tracked Sun tightly. Sensing him halt, Yun Che directed the iron shard to blast open a tunnel and followed into the volcanic chamber.

  He saw Sun staring downward in shock.

  Following his gaze, Yun Che inhaled sharply. In the center of the magma floated a pair of triangular eyes. He retreated to the tunnel’s edge, unmoving.

  According to Ma Liang’s memories, no life existed within Fiery Nation’s volcanoes. If it had, cultivators would have discovered it long ago. The four great sect ancestors sealed these volcanoes every few years for safety.

  Yet Sun seemed bewitched. He put away his sword and stepped barefoot onto the burning rock. The smell of scorched flesh rose immediately.

  After only three steps, his soles blackened; flesh charred away, bone exposed. Yet he showed no pain. Reaching the edge, he leapt into the magma without hesitation.

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  Yun Che’s eyes flashed. At the instant Sun fell, Yun Che seized his storage pouch—then retreated without looking back.

  A roar erupted behind him. Heat intensified violently. From above, black smoke billowed from multiple volcanoes. Red ripples spread across the land, turning earth crimson wherever they passed.

  Yun Che sped through the tunnel. Suddenly, flames converged ahead, forming a horned creature with triangular eyes—a Fire Beast radiating killing intent.

  Without hesitation, Yun Che unleashed his Extreme Divine Sense. A red lightning bolt shot from his eyes into the beast. Its flames dimmed briefly—then reignited as it roared and lunged.

  Yun Che retreated—only to find another Fire Beast blocking his rear.

  Teeth clenched, he used the iron shard to carve another tunnel. But both beasts roared in unison. The surrounding soil turned red, hardened, and rapidly encased him into a spherical prison.

  The sphere tightened—then sealed completely.

  Aboveground, the earth cracked and collapsed, forming a vast basin. At its center lay a black earthen sphere. Eight Fire Beasts surrounded it, spewing molten liquid. The sphere shrank to half a meter. One beast lifted it and burrowed underground.

  Soon they returned to the volcanic cavern and tossed the sphere into the magma. The beasts followed. After several bubbles, all fell silent.

  The volcanoes calmed. Cracks faded. Only the basin remained as evidence—though such basins were common in the Fiery Nation.

  Inside the sphere, Yun Che curled tightly, resisting intense heat. At the moment of entrapment, he had wrapped himself in Extreme Divine Sense. Now, he slowly eroded the earthen shell.

  He could feel himself sinking. Eventually the sphere jolted, as if set aside. His divine sense pierced the final layer.

  Before him stretched an endless sea of magma. Above, countless molten channels poured rivers of fire into it.

  His sphere floated on the surface. Nearby drifted seven or eight similar spheres, each guarded by a Fire Beast. Beneath the magma glimmered countless triangular eyes.

  Another beast leapt up and lay atop Yun Che’s sphere, unaware of his concealed divine sense.

  More beasts arrived, each bearing a sphere.

  Then the magma trembled violently. All beasts scattered, forming a clearing. A colossal Fire Beast emerged—its mere head larger than half a zhang. Its aura rivaled—or exceeded—that of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

  One by one, sixteen such giants appeared, forming a circle. Within it, a translucent ring of fire rose, shimmering with seven-colored light.

  Beneath the ring, a blurry shadow condensed into a fist-sized fireball. Red threads connected fire ring and fireball.

  At its appearance, the sixteen giants leapt forth and knelt on one knee. All other beasts knelt as well.

  As Yun Che observed, his mind jolted. The Heaven-Nether Pearl within him surged violently, for the first time attempting to burst from his brow. He barely suppressed it.

  A Fire Beast hurled one sphere into the air. It froze midair. The fireball shot inside.

  A sucking sound echoed. A shrill scream erupted—fading slowly to silence. Bloody mist seeped out. The fireball emerged. The empty sphere dropped into magma.

  Yun Che’s heart sank. He realized others inside the spheres were alive—likely in dormant state rather than dead.

  Four more spheres followed. Screams continued for nearly half an hour.

  Then Yun Che’s sphere was thrown into the air.

  The Heaven-Nether Pearl trembled violently and broke free of his restraint.

  At that very moment, the fireball entered Yun Che’s sphere.