"What should we do now? With that creature guarding outside, you simply won't be able to get in." Leaning back against Xiao Yan and sitting down with a sigh, Xiao Ding asked with a wry smile. Xiao Yan took a deep breath, pushed a Huaiqi Dan into his mouth, rolled his throat to swallow it, and after a moment of thoughtful silence, spoke softly, "No matter what, I must secure this unique flame. I know how difficult it is to obtain the unique flame, so I've been mentally prepared for such challenges. The current difficulty, though significant, hasn't exceeded my capacity." "You still want to try? Considering the intensity of that two-headed serpent's attacks, I'd estimate its strength to be around the fourth stage of a beast—equivalent to a human's Du Ling-level warrior. And even if a Du Wang-level warrior arrived here, it would be nearly impossible to defeat it, especially in this environment of scorching molten rock!" Hearing this, Xiao Ding furrowed his brows and spoke seriously. "Heh, if this beast really insists on blocking us, then we'll have no choice but to slaughter it..." Xiao Yan smiled softly, a cold intensity spreading across his face as he fixed his gaze on the massive two-headed serpent swimming in the molten lake. He tightened his fists slightly, then slowly closed his eyes, allowing his body to gradually restore the combat energy that had been severely depleted during his frantic escape. Seeing Xiao Yan's unwavering determination, Xiao Ding could only shake his head in resignation. Though he knew Xiao Yan had numerous strengths, in this environment—where the serpent seemed completely unaffected by the lava—he believed the chances of victory were essentially nil. Leaning back against the corridor, Xiao Ding stared blankly at the molten world beyond, constantly thinking of ways to bring the stubborn Xiao Yan back to his senses. By the side, Qinglin sat carefully beside Xiao Yan, her emerald eyes scanning the reddened skin of his body, her gaze flickering with growing fear. As the three of them remained in quiet stillness, the turbulent lava lake gradually calmed once more. When the surging lava columns finally settled, the two-headed serpent, sweeping its gaze around, finally turned its attention to the narrow passage. Upon spotting the three figures within, it emitted a sharp, excited, blood-thirsty cry that rang out vividly across the hot cavern. "Oh no! It has spotted us!" Xiao Ding exclaimed, his face pale as he gazed at the fierce gaze of the two-headed serpent. As soon as Xiao Ding finished speaking, the two massive heads of the two-headed serpent surged violently, and instantly, a column of scorching lava erupted forcefully into the passage. It seemed that if anyone rushed in, the three inside would be completely engulfed by the intense heat within a matter of seconds. The blazing lava column surged through the air like a fierce, serpentine dragon, tracing a deadly arc and directly charging toward the passage. Just as Xiao Ding was about to grab Xiao Yan and turn to flee, Xiao Yan, who had been tightly closed-eyed, suddenly opened his eyes. Deep and weathered expressions of depth and timelessness emerged in his dark gaze. Gently gazing at the surging flame column, Xiao Yan slowly rose to his feet, swayed slightly, and then mysteriously materialized right at the entrance of the passage. Seeing the astonishing speed suddenly displayed by Xiao Yan, Xiao Ding's face slightly changed, his gaze tightly fixed on the latter's back, a strange sensation rising within him—something as if Xiao Yan had suddenly transformed into a complete stranger. This odd feeling caused Xiao Ding to furrow his brows, though despite clearly sensing something was amiss, he couldn't quite pinpoint where the discrepancy lay. While Xiao Ding pondered deeply behind him, Xiao Yan slowly raised his hand and then suddenly clenched it firmly. As Xiao Yan tightened his fist, an unusual, intangible energy surge radiated from his palm, instantly forming an invisible energy shield several meters beyond the corridor. The magma column surged forward, suddenly bursting into violent fragmentation at a distance of over ten meters before reaching the channel's entrance. The scattered molten streams cascaded slowly through the air, ultimately dyeing the intangible energy shield a deep crimson. The purple cloud wings behind subtly trembled, and Xiao Yan suddenly surged forward, effortlessly deflecting the fire spirit serpent's attack. "Boom!" The massive tail swept across, casting a vast shadow that slammed into the mountain wall with tremendous force. A deep, resonant crash echoed as countless massive cracks spread out across the rock face like a spiderweb, gradually stabilizing after extending over fifteen meters. Floating in midair, Xiao Yan gently grasped the handle of the Xuanzhong Chi尺 resting on his back and swiftly drew it out. With a single step, his feet touching the void, he materialized almost instantly atop the fire spirit serpent's head. In such close proximity to the molten rock flames, if it weren't for Master Yao's presence guiding and sustaining Xiao Yan's body, the intense heat radiating from the flames alone would have immediately rendered him unconscious. The heavy measuring ruler, accompanied by a fierce gust of wind, generated a magnificent arc of vibrant purple qi as it sliced through the space, creating a stunning, radiant wave along its length. "Boom!" The ruler struck the fire spirit snake's head with the force of thunder, leaving no room for reaction. Instantly, the solid crimson scales on its head burst open, releasing streaks of deep red blood that seeped through the fissures and dripped into the molten lava, vanishing into nothingness. "Hssss!" The sudden impact sent the fire spirit snake emitting sharp, piercing cries. Its massive tail swished furiously above its head. Meanwhile, Xiao Yan's body, like a small boat caught in a turbulent storm, seemed to sway dangerously, yet remained perfectly balanced between life and death, drifting with the waves. The fiery spirit serpent, violently swirling within the molten magma, suddenly raised two immense heads. Its large, rhombus-shaped eyes, gleaming with a fierce, bloodthirsty intensity, locked onto Xiao Yan, who was continuously dodging in the air above. As the heads swayed sharply, deep crimson flames began to rise slowly from the massive body, gradually ascending until they filled the entire patch of sky and land. The flames spun gently in the air, with Xiao Yan precisely at their center. "Almost half the passageways had been obliterated, and Xiao Ding and his companion stared in open amazement at the crimson flames that seemed to fill the entire underground cavern, taking in a steady breath of cool air. The intensity of this battle—truly terrifying." With the sound of the waves, the over a dozen double-headed flame spirit serpents, entirely composed of scorching fire, suddenly formed a blazing array, then surged forth in a wave of intense heat capable of vaporizing the air, directly impacting Xiang Yan at the central position. Dozens of massive creatures, each several dozen feet long, darted and attacked throughout the cavern, creating a truly magnificent spectacle—though beneath this grandeur lay a deadly threat. Gazing at the double-headed flame spirit serpents converging from all directions, Xiang Yan's face softened into a gentle smile, and he slowly closed his eyes. "Boom!" With a thunderous, explosive roar, more than a dozen dual-headed fire spirit serpents simultaneously made contact at the central point, instantly detonating upon contact. The fierce energy surge radiated out as concentric waves, rapidly expanding and sending the previously calmed lava lake into a renewed, violent turmoil. "The commander... Master Li... he's still alive!" Suddenly, Qinglin's joyful call rang out in Xiao Ding's ears as he was overwhelmed by dizziness.