A mysterious creature broke through the molten rock, emitting a sharp, piercing cry, and launched a barrage of fiery jets directly at Xiao Yan in the sky. The chaotic streams of lava, rushing haphazardly, stirred the once-still molten lake into a sudden frenzy, sending towering columns of molten fire shooting skyward in a magnificent display. Above, Xiao Yan's wings vibrated rapidly. The sudden turbulence of the molten lake sent a wave of unease through his scalp, and he clenched his teeth, desperately fleeing. Though aided by the Purple Cloud Wings, Xiao Yan moved with exceptional speed, yet the mysterious creature matched him stride for stride. At the very instant the cry faded, the creature demonstrated a surprising agility far exceeding its size, gradually closing the gap. Then, with a fierce snarl, it opened its massive jaws, and its crimson trident-like tongue, like a sharp blade, plunged forward with devastating force. "Master, watch out! It's behind you!" At a distance, Qinglin's face was filled with fear as she watched the colossal creature approaching Xiang Yan, shrieking loudly. Beside her, Xiao Ding's expression was marked by anxiety; though he longed to go and assist, he simply couldn't make it through. He was thus left pacing anxiously back and forth within the corridor. As Xiang Yan swiftly flew ahead, he heard Qinglin's sharp cry, which caused his skin to tense instantly, and a surge of intense, scorching energy to burst forth from his back. With his throat rolling slightly, Xiang Yan didn't even have time to turn his head. As his purple-cloud wings continued to vibrate, he forcefully stomped down on a massive stone pillar that extended vertically from the ceiling. He roared, "Explosive Step!" Immediately upon uttering the command, Xiang Yan's body snapped into a bow-like curve. A sharp crack echoed as his garments pressed tightly against his skin, his body tensed, and then, like an arrow launched from a bow, his speed surged dramatically. Thanks to the explosive power of his swift strides, Xiao Yan managed to narrowly evade the deadly blow from the mysterious creature behind him, simultaneously slightly increasing the distance between them. "Hrrr!" Seeing its prey escape, the creature emitted a furious cry, its massive tail sweeping powerfully. Instantly, the sturdy stone pillar—repeatedly struck by scorching magma—collapsed in a thunderous burst. As the pillar shattered, countless fragments rained down. The creature's tail continued to lash out, and every fragment it touched launched forth like a cannonball, hurling itself with fierce force toward the fleeing Xiao Yan. The sudden series of rushing winds from behind caused Xiao Yan to regain his tension, having just relaxed slightly. His spiritual perception surged outward, enveloping the area within several meters, and then his body began to twist in an eerie manner. “Hiss… hiss…” One after another, the jagged fragments of stone, each emitting a sharp hissing sound as they sliced past Xiao Yan’s body, continuously pierced through him. Even though Xiao Yan had narrowly dodged these successive attacks, the sharp force of the fragments still left distinct red marks on his body each time they passed through. “Boom!” Some of the fragments that missed their mark continued to shoot forward, then struck the hard molten rock with great force. At the moment of impact, the rock exploded violently, leaving behind deep fissures—demonstrating just how formidable the embedded energy within the stones was. Should Xiao Yan have even momentarily lost focus and been struck by one of them, he would have instantly lost his combat ability, plummeting into the molten rock and being reduced to ashes. Staring at the fissures spreading across the lava, Xiao Yan couldn't help but have a few beads of sweat break out on his forehead. If it weren't for the wooden stake array specially set up by the Medic Hermit during his training on the Beast Mountain years ago to enhance his dodging skills, he would have truly fallen victim here today. "It's not only capable of using other objects to launch attacks—it clearly possesses a high level of intelligence. Damn it..." A thought flashed through his mind swiftly. Feeling increasingly troubled, Xiao Yan suddenly stepped firmly onto another stone pillar, instantly accelerating his pace once more. With the surge of speed, Xiao Yan struggled to turn his head, glancing at the mysterious creature tightly hanging behind him a short distance away, and couldn't help but take a deep, cool breath. This mysterious beast that had suddenly emerged from the molten lava was a serpentine type of monster, long and slender—roughly five or six zhang in length. Its entire body was a deep, vibrant red, resembling a smooth, round piece of fiery jade from afar. Dense patches of palm-sized red scales covered its surface. What struck Xiao Yan as most astonishing was that the creature had two heads—one branching from the long neck. Two fierce heads stared out with large, diamond-shaped eyes, filled with intense fury and bloodthirsty determination. "Such an unusual creature. What kind of monster is this?" A surge of fear flashed through his mind, yet suddenly Xiāo Yīn noticed that the two-headed serpent's speed had slowed down, and its necks seemed to be gradually swelling, as if something were preparing to erupt. Observing this odd scene, a sense of unease stirred within him. He swiftly flapped his wings, then abruptly halted his forward motion, launching his body upward. As his body surged upward, the massive, fierce jaws of the serpent behind him snapped wide open, and two towering columns of molten lava and flame—formed entirely of magma and fire—erupted like a volcanic explosion, forcefully shooting toward Xiāo Yīn. "Boom!" A column of fire swept past where Xiao Yan stood, just a few meters below, its intense heat instantly burning through a section of his pants. The searing sensation radiating across his skin made him take a shallow breath of cool air. Though the first column missed, a second one surged through the sky with lightning speed, leaving behind a trail of crimson flame that crashed directly into Xiao Yan with the force of destruction. At the distant entrance of the corridor, Xiao Ding and Qing Lin both stared in utter astonishment as the flame column approached, poised to engulf Xiao Yan. The sudden surge of intense heat from behind scorched the fabric of Xiao Yan's back, turning it to ash, and the slightly dark skin on his back now turned a deep, vibrant red. "Damn it..." The sudden, intense heat rushing from behind warmed and nearly blurred萧In's consciousness. As his wings vibrated furiously, he glanced back and was startled to see the massive column of molten rock completely engulfing the area around him—within this brief moment, he had absolutely no chance of escaping the flames. "Teacher, if you don't move now, I'm going to be finished!" The close-range devastation nearly caused his pupils to shrink to pinpoints. Despite his desperate efforts to dodge, he could no longer avoid the onslaught and had to urgently shout in his mind. "Hah, finally, the little one is giving up?" A warm, elderly chuckle echoed in萧In's heart. At the moment the elderly voice resonated, a strange energy surged suddenly into Xiao Yan's back, filling his Purple Cloud Wings. A soft thud echoed, and delicate purple cloud patterns began to emerge on the wings. With a single flap, accompanied by a sharp hiss, Xiao Yan's body pierced through the air resistance as if a small fish gliding through a lake, surging forth at lightning speed beyond the reach of the fiery column. The massive molten rock column missed its mark and plunged directly into the lava lake, sending out a thunderous boom that shook the entire cavern. As the molten column entered the lake, it acted as a catalyst—beneath the calm surface, countless towering pillars of molten rock erupted continuously, each bursting with a deep, resonant thud. This scene was utterly terrifying, much like countless volcanic vents hidden beneath the molten lava suddenly beginning to erupt one after another. Standing within the passage, Xiao Ding and Qing Lin gazed upon the now wildly turbulent world of lava, their breath caught in awe. Before the scale of this immense natural disaster, human strength seemed remarkably insignificant. "Indeed," Xiao Ding murmured, "it's no wonder the rare and precious Yihuo is so hard to come by. To harvest Yihuo from these places that seem like death traps—well, it's nearly impossible." "Boom!" As they stood in stunned silence, a towering column of molten lava surged skyward from the lava lake some distance outside the passage, spilling forth waves of scorching hot lava that poured over everything. Seeing the cascading streams of molten rock, Xiao Ding quickly grabbed Qing Lin and stepped back several paces, just in time to avoid the hot, fine droplets. "How is Xiao Yan? Is he all right?" "Standing in the corridor, Xiao Ding's line of sight was almost completely obscured by the surging columns of molten rock, prompting him to grow increasingly anxious. Beside him, Qinglin appeared pale and at a loss, visibly timid and agitated. As both of them grew increasingly frantic, a figure suddenly burst forth from the midst of the molten lake, charging straight through with great force. Gazing at that figure, which had seemingly forged a path through countless molten columns by sheer determination, Xiao Ding was both astonished and momentarily stunned—how could this person withstand the intense heat of the molten rock? Truly remarkable." The figure enveloped in purple qi finally surged into the passage after breaking through the last column of molten rock, hands pressed against the wall, gasping heavily, voice hoarse as he said, "Damn, that guy was terrifying..." At this moment, Xiao Yan's clothes had been completely burned into scattered, disheveled strips, his skin flushed red, and his once-black hair had turned slightly yellow at the tips. "You're okay?" Seeing Xiao Yan gasping so hard, Xiao Ding exhaled in relief and quickly asked. With a sigh, Xiao Yan slowly sat down against the corridor, his gaze fixed on the lake. Perhaps having suddenly lost his target, the two-headed serpent drifted slowly through the molten rock, its four massive rhombus eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. However, obscured by the swirling lava, it failed to locate anything, and thus emitted furious hisses, its massive tail thrashing wildly, sending ripples of turbulence through the lake.