Chapter 554: There Is a Kind of Lie Called Hope

Skyfire Passage is a unique climate phenomenon specific to the Moon Sacrifice Domain. Theories about its formation vary widely. Some attribute it to the tidal forces of the Red Moon’s power, noting that Skyfire Passages become more frequent as the Red Moon approaches. Others claim it signifies the return of a ruler once suppressed by the Red Moon.

Whenever a Skyfire Passage occurs, the entire Moon Sacrifice Domain becomes intensely bright, as a churning sea of fire rises from the east, eventually engulfing the entire firmament. The closer one is to the east, the more intense the light and heat, accompanied by varying degrees of fire rain. After lasting for several months, the celestial sea of fire recedes, returning to the Skyfire Sea in the east, thus completing one cycle.

During this process, most places in the eastern part of the Moon Sacrifice Domain, except for small altars and similar sites, are consumed by the fire rain. Both cities and plants mostly turn to ash. This is why cities in the Two-Race Alliance are mostly built from crude fired earth. Only their shared Holy City can barely withstand the phenomenon, thanks to the blessings of powerful figures from both races and some special methods, though damage is unavoidable.

Each time the Skyfire recedes, reconstruction begins. The soil must also be renewed and cleansed of fire poison, as this is crucial for cultivating common crops. Fortunately, Skyfire Passages typically occur only once every few decades, so they are not overly frequent. The destruction primarily affects the east, with other regions not severely impacted, and cultivators can easily reconstruct using their techniques. Ordinary tribal members must find a way to take refuge in the Holy City beforehand, but this comes at a considerable cost. If they lack the means, they can only hide underground. They evade the fire disaster by utilizing the physiques they have developed over generations to adapt to the Skyfire.

This is why Xu Qing saw the border guards hidden underground; they must undergo self-decomposition before the Skyfire arrives, allowing themselves to merge with the underground soil. The Celestial Face Clan also possesses similar methods. However, these methods were developed through evolution specifically for adapting to this place, and Xu Qing does not possess them.

Currently, deep underground where he was, the surroundings were incredibly hot, and the soil began to crystallize. As high temperatures permeated the area, a strong sense of discomfort arose in Xu Qing’s heart.

"The temperature is already approaching that of magma near the surface, and this is just the beginning…"

Sweat beaded on Xu Qing’s forehead, his body felt sticky, and his body’s moisture was increasingly difficult to retain. This made him feel vaguely uneasy, so he delved deeper into the earth. Only after reaching a certain depth did he feel slightly better. However, the sense of danger to his mind and the warning triggered by the Cangling Dragon’s unease remained strong. Therefore, he did not withdraw his divine sense and closely monitored the outside world.

In his perception, the sky outside was blindingly bright with fire. Magma churned across the firmament, constantly spreading as if driven by the hand seals performed by the pair of severed hands. At the same time, large amounts of fire rain fell, causing many mountain peaks to melt and become increasingly irregular. Above and below, heaven and earth were engulfed in endless flames, thick billowing smoke, and overwhelming heat. In Xu Qing’s judgment, its terrifying intensity was already comparable to the scorching heat he would experience a few feet from magma.

"This can’t go on!"

The sense of crisis grew stronger in Xu Qing’s heart. He looked deeper into the earth, a thoughtful expression in his eyes. He could continue descending, but his own limits were undeniable. After all, compressive forces existed within the earth of the Wanggu Continent, and if Xu Qing descended too deeply, he would find it unbearable.

"Especially since I don't know if this Skyfire will spread even deeper… If its destructive force surpasses my descent limit, it will be a death trap for me."

Xu Qing weighed his options. He could feel that this was only the first day of the Skyfire, and it would undoubtedly become more terrifying later. So Xu Qing quickly took out a jade slip. Inside this jade slip was a simple map, given to him by the human elder Duanmu Zang before he left. Duanmu Zang had informed Xu Qing about the impending Skyfire, telling him that if he had nowhere else to go, he could come to the location marked on the map.

After pondering, Xu Qing decided to check it out first. If that didn't work, he would either gamble by going deeper underground or leave the Two-Race Alliance at full speed, heading away from the source of the fire. With this thought, he swayed and shot directly towards the surface. He chose not to escape by continuing deeper underground, as that would be relatively slower. As he surged upwards now, his body entered the high-temperature zone; the closer he got to the surface, the more terrifying the temperature became.

By the time he broke through the soil and emerged onto the surface, Xu Qing’s body already bore burn marks. Intense pain spread. The temperature between heaven and earth had already surpassed the scorching heat a few feet below magma. Even though Xu Qing's body was extraordinary and possessed regenerative abilities, the burning pain remained intense. Most importantly, even with the blessing of his Sun-scorching Life Lamp, he could not withstand the Skyfire’s encroachment on his divine soul for too long. This was also why he couldn't refine for long periods in the Skyfire Sea before. His physical body was one aspect, and his divine soul was another. Especially compared to his physical body, Xu Qing's divine soul was more vulnerable.

"Not for too long!" Xu Qing breathed in scorching air, which felt as if it were burning him from the inside out. Without hesitation, he burst forth. While speeding through this sea of fire, he also took out the umbrella gifted by Duanmu Zang. Once opened, it provided some insulation from the heat. Xu Qing’s body relaxed, and his speed increased. As he whistled past, he created a storm, and wherever he went, the flames roared in response.

Thus, two days passed. The external temperature became even more astonishing; all he saw was a blurry, distorted sea of fire. His divine sense was also isolated, and his umbrella now showed signs of collapsing. Fortunately, the place marked on the jade slip had appeared in the distance. There was nothing remarkable about it. It seemed to be a collapsed, abandoned mine pit, which was now melting further within the sea of fire, showing no signs of life.

Xu Qing arrived swiftly, scanned the area, and frowned. No matter how he looked at it, this place didn't seem like a suitable refuge. Even if he could enter the mine pit through some crevices, the heat emanating from within was no less than outside.

"Unfortunately, my divine sense is blocked, its range is limited, making it hard to perceive more."

Xu Qing pondered, glancing at his rapidly collapsing umbrella, then at the mine pit. "However, given Duanmu Zang’s performance in the sea of fire, if this truly is a hidden place, it makes sense. After all, if it could be easily discovered, it wouldn't be much of a hiding place."

Xu Qing was deep in thought. He crouched and darted, entering the abandoned mine pit through a crevice. The moment he stepped inside, a wave of heat assaulted him. Xu Qing remained silent and vigilant, continuing forward. He intended to go deeper to assess the situation.

After walking for an hour, the mine pit still hadn't reached its end, and the intense heat persisted. As Xu Qing frowned, he suddenly felt something and looked up into the distance. Faintly, he saw a figure lying motionless there. He couldn't tell if it was male or female, only that the figure appeared to be wearing thick armor, with an open umbrella lying beside it, blocking the high temperature.

This was the only figure Xu Qing had seen since the Skyfire Passage began. So he narrowed his eyes, his shadow spreading out to cover the figure first. Only when emotional fluctuations were detected was Xu Qing slightly surprised, and he swiftly rushed towards the figure. In an instant, he was close to the figure. At this distance, even though his perception was somewhat isolated, Xu Qing could still investigate.

This was a human cultivator, whose cultivation was at the three-flame Foundation Establishment stage, and who was now on the verge of death. He was clad in black armor, every part of his body enveloped. The armor’s material was also special, able to partially insulate against high temperatures. The umbrella nearby also caught Xu Qing’s attention. This umbrella was identical to the one given by Duanmu Zang.

Xu Qing was thoughtful. He looked up into the depths of the mine pit, raised a hand and grasped the figure, and continued forward. Thus, another half an hour passed, and Xu Qing finally reached the end of the mine pit. There was nothing there. The surrounding soil was crystallized, and the concentration of high temperatures made the heat even more intense.

Standing there, Xu Qing looked around and suddenly spoke.

"Senior, I found this person on the way. Are they here to see you?"

As soon as Xu Qing spoke, a cold voice immediately came from within the wall.

"As for clan members who don't follow rules, they are useless!"

Despite saying so, the nearby wall still twisted into a vortex, and Duanmu Zang’s figure emerged from within. He raised his right hand and remotely pulled the human Xu Qing had brought. Xu Qing released his grip, and the armored human youth shot towards the vortex. After being caught by Duanmu Zang, he was tossed behind him. Duanmu Zang then looked up at Xu Qing.

"Boy, what are you doing here?"

After several interactions, Xu Qing had formed some judgment about the elder's behavior and his habit of asking rhetorical questions. So he didn't mention the jade slip the elder had given him, but got straight to the point.

"One day, one hundred spirit stones!"

The elder snorted coldly.

"One thousand a day!"

"Deal!"

Xu Qing nodded. The elder glanced at Xu Qing and stepped back a few paces. Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, the poison ban within him dissipated. After preparing to unleash it if ambushed, he strode forward and darted into the vortex. As he stepped in, his figure vanished, the vortex rapidly dispersed, and everything returned to normal.

On the other side of the wall, when Xu Qing appeared, he was in a grotto. Around him lay many incomplete statues, haphazardly scattered, some headless, others missing limbs. Apart from that, the entire grotto was empty. As for the human youth, he was nowhere to be seen. Only Duanmu Zang sat cross-legged on the neck of a distant headless statue, gazing at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing swiftly scanned his surroundings, then sensed behind him, and his eyes narrowed. At the entrance behind him was a massive wall, on which thousands of masks and a similar number of mirrors were conspicuously displayed. These masks were all crafted using special methods after Celestial Face clan members died, and the same applied to the mirrors. The mask of the Celestial Face clan member who had previously tried to attack Xu Qing was also among them.

"These two clans, to adapt to this place, have evolved many abilities over generations. Using these to block the sea of fire, along with some special methods and the arrangements here, they can largely avoid the Skyfire." The elder spoke calmly, his voice carrying a hint of arrogance. "Skyfire Passages generally last for a hundred days. One thousand a day, so a hundred days is two hundred thousand spirit stones. Hand them over."

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow, glanced at the elder, and spoke earnestly.

"One hundred days is one hundred thousand."

"One hundred thousand for one person, and you have a snake too, so isn't that two hundred thousand?!" The elder glared.

"I don’t have that many spirit stones." Xu Qing said truthfully that he had many spirit bills, but not many actual spirit stones, so he took out a magic artifact and placed it aside.

"Offset it with this item."

The elder glanced at it, raised his hand and grabbed it, and nodded.

"Very well." After speaking, a cold glint appeared in his eyes, and his tone was grim as he slowly began. "Out of consideration for you being human, I’m helping you this time. But listen carefully: everything outside this grotto is a forbidden area. If you trespass… don’t blame me for disregarding our human kinship!"

Xu Qing nodded upon hearing this. The elder gave Xu Qing a meaningful glance, then turned and shimmered, disappearing into the grotto.

Xu Qing’s expression remained calm. After inspecting the surroundings, he confirmed there was no danger. He also saw that the statues were very ancient; they weren't human figures, but rather bodies entwined with dragons and snakes, exuding a sense of ferocity. Although all were incomplete, looking at them as a whole, it seemed that when these statues were complete, they were all in a state of worship. The place itself had an inherent chill, making it seem more like a tomb.

"Was this originally a burial ground?"

Xu Qing was thoughtful. He found a statue and sat down cross-legged, as Ling’er poked her head out from his collar, also looking around, and quietly spoke.

"Brother Xu Qing, this place seems to be related to our Ancient Spirit Clan."

Xu Qing's heart stirred, and he looked at Ling’er. Ling’er carefully examined her surroundings and whispered.

"Brother Xu Qing, those statues are indeed divine idols of the Ancient Spirit Clan. Our clan starts as snakes in infancy and transforms into human form in adulthood. If one's bloodline is pure, a celestial dragon will be born alongside them after their cultivation breaks through its shackles. From then on, the dragon and snake protect the body, making it impervious to all spells."

"Judging by the scale of this place, it is the tomb of one of our clan’s ancient sages."

"Generally, our clan’s tombs have multiple layers. Brother Xu Qing, there should be larger tomb chambers below this; this is just the first layer."

"I can feel that the tomb’s own restrictions are still active. Brother Xu Qing, I should be able to open the entrance to the next layer." Ling’er spoke happily, feeling that she could finally help Brother Xu Qing.

Xu Qing carefully looked around upon hearing this, then patted Ling’er’s head, and softly said.

"There’s no need to open it. Since the current owner of this place doesn't wish to be disturbed, we’ll just wait here until the Skyfire ends, and then leave."

Xu Qing was a person who knew his limits. Since it was a transaction between them, he was willing to abide by the rules unless absolutely necessary. Ling’er looked thoughtful. She felt that Brother Xu Qing’s approach was different from her father’s, so she memorized this, intending to learn from it.

Time flew by; half a month passed. The Skyfire outside grew even more terrifying, scorching heaven and earth, leaving nothing intact, and making all living beings tremble. From a distance, it looked like divine wrath, a shocking sight. The roaring sounds surpassed even thunder. The entire Skyfire Sea had sunk significantly, most of its magma having been drawn into the firmament, and the severed hand had also moved far away.

Inside the mine pit, within the Ancient Spirit Clan’s great tomb, Xu Qing kept his promise, not leaving the grotto by even half a step. He continuously cultivated, and Duanmu Zang did not reappear. Everything was peaceful. Ling’er was also very well-behaved, not exploring the deeper layers. For her, as long as she was by Brother Xu Qing’s side, everything was perfectly satisfying. However, occasionally, she would feel a bit useless.

"I also need to quickly digest the Ancient Spirit Royal Clan’s destiny power within me to accelerate my bloodline’s advancement." Ling’er thought this to herself and was acting on it.

Meanwhile, Xu Qing’s cultivation was interrupted by a visitor on the seventeenth day. As a spot on the grotto floor shone with array light, a cautious figure swiftly emerged from within. It wasn't Duanmu Zang, but a human youth wearing a green robe. Xu Qing opened his eyes, recognizing this person as the dying, unconscious individual he had saved half a month ago. The other party was still very weak, but was no longer in critical condition. Clearly, the armor had played a significant role, and Duanmu Zang must have also provided treatment for this person. However, the fire poison on his body was difficult to dispel, and several areas were withered from burns, bloody red, with his skin unable to regenerate, making him look somewhat gruesome.

As Xu Qing watched, the human youth’s face was filled with trepidation. He quickly took a few steps and knelt down before Xu Qing.

"This junior is Shi Pangui. Thank you, Senior, for saving my life!"

Xu Qing eyed the human youth. The other party’s name was a bit strange, but he didn’t ask further and spoke calmly.

"It’s nothing. Even if I hadn’t intervened, Senior Duanmu would have saved you."

The human youth continued to bow. After kowtowing three times to Xu Qing, he stood up and looked at Xu Qing, speaking with some nervousness.

"Regardless, it was you, Senior, who saved me. This junior will always remember this kindness." As he spoke, he took out a food container from his robes and placed it aside. "This junior knows Senior’s cultivation is profound, and this junior has nothing valuable. These are some foods made by my wife. Thank you, Senior!"

After the human youth finished speaking, he stood up and bowed to Xu Qing again, then respectfully retreated, returning into the array and disappearing.

Xu Qing looked at the food container, which contained some cooked pastries, emitting a fragrant aroma. They were very exquisite, clearly prepared with care. With Xu Qing’s mastery of toxicology, he could tell if something was poisonous just by smelling it. Detecting no harm this time, he picked one up. Seeing Ling’er salivating, he ate a piece himself, and after verifying it again, he then handed a piece to Ling’er. Ling’er ate it in one bite, and her eyes narrowed. *Gurgle gurgle.* Clearly, it tasted good, so Ling’er couldn't help but make sounds like a child. Seeing Ling’er enjoy it, Xu Qing smiled and gave all the pastries to Ling’er. Then