Chapter 870: Volcanic Crater

**The Rise of Kyushu**

The Blazing Flame Mountain Pass, centered around Blazing Flame Mountain City, governs a territory that spans a thousand li on either side. A detailed map reveals that this pass is flanked by White Jade City Pass to its left and Clear Moon Cave Pass to its right. Although these three passes are some distance apart, they can support each other from afar, forming a cohesive defensive line.

The Bing Province Guard's defensive line is comprised of a series of interconnected passes. Specifically, White Jade City Pass on the left, like Blazing Flame Mountain Pass, belongs to the Grand Moon Pass. However, Clear Moon Cave Pass on the right is part of the Lesser Moon Pass. This makes Blazing Flame Mountain Pass the furthest right defensive node of the entire Grand Moon Pass line.

Normally, this defensive line, spanning two thousand li from end to end, would require a large number of cultivators to patrol it regularly, preventing any infiltration by Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators. However, at Blazing Flame Mountain Pass, only Nian Yuxian and Lu Ye are currently present, so they naturally cannot rely on additional personnel. As Lu Ye is now responsible for patrols, inspecting the areas around the pass and identifying any vulnerabilities falls within his duties.

After a night of rest, Lu Ye set out with Amber and Yi Yi before dawn the next day. He and Amber moved openly, while Yi Yi remained concealed. Although their numbers were small, Lu Ye's powerful perception combined with Yi Yi's stealth made it impossible for any Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators hidden nearby to escape detection.

As he patrolled, a nearly forgotten melody inexplicably surfaced in his mind: "The great king sent me to patrol the mountains, I'll take a stroll through the human world…" He quickly shook his head, banishing the ill-timed thought.

The two-thousand-li defensive line around Blazing Flame Mountain Pass, not even including its depth, could not possibly be fully patrolled by Lu Ye alone in a single day. His original intention was to patrol only within a hundred li radius, which would still take him most of the morning. The primary challenge at this pass was the shortage of personnel; he could only guarantee that no enemy threats were present within a hundred li radius. Moreover, before his arrival, Nian Yuxian had been single-handedly guarding the pass and likely hadn't conducted such patrols herself. Nevertheless, the defensive line had remained stable for years. Thus, even though he was now in charge of patrols, it would likely be a mere formality.

However, as Lu Ye continued his investigation, he soon discovered something intriguing. The further he delved into the defensive line, the more intense the heat in the air became. Lu Ye had noticed it as soon as he arrived at the pass: the environment here seemed hotter and drier than other areas. Previously, he had been too preoccupied with Nian Yuxian's various antics to give it much thought, but now he had a new insight. Recalling the pass's location, Blazing Flame Mountain, the character 'flame' in its name undoubtedly suggested a deeper significance.

He initially considered using his Guard's Token to send a message to Nian Yuxian, to inquire about the situation and confirm his suspicions. However, after a moment's thought, he decided against it. Although his Second Senior Sister had vouched that Nian Yuxian harbored no ill will towards him, Lu Ye had been put through so much recently that he wanted to avoid contact with her as much as possible. After confirming his direction, he continued deeper into the defensive line.

His journey was uneventful; he saw no trace of any Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators. Perhaps he simply hadn't encountered any, or perhaps no Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators dared to cause trouble there. Lu Ye suspected the former. While one person guarding a pass sounded formidable, it inevitably created numerous vulnerabilities in the defensive line. Even if Nian Yuxian was a powerful Divine Sea Realm cultivator, she couldn't constantly use her divine sense to monitor every direction. Lu Ye guessed that many Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators would likely infiltrate the Vast Heaven Alliance's territory through the section of the defense line guarded by this pass. Naturally, such infiltration carried risks, as detection by Nian Yuxian would mean inescapable doom. However, infiltrating hostile territory always carries various risks, and there were always bold and skilled individuals willing to take dangerous chances.

The sensation of heat grew more pronounced, and a peculiar, pungent smell permeated the air. Lu Ye's spirits lifted; he realized his suspicions were correct. Ahead, there was undoubtedly a volcano or similar formation. His Talent Tree still had a partially activated spirit pattern, an issue that had persisted for a long time due to the Talent Tree's insufficient absorption of rare flames and pill flames. He had recently been diligently searching for suitable rare flames and pill flames in the Heavenly Mystery Treasury, but his efforts had yielded little. He hadn't expected to make such a discovery here; it was truly a stroke of luck, finding what he sought where he least expected it.

However, having come this far, he was already nearing the Myriad Demon Ridge's sphere of influence. Based on his observations, even if there was indeed a volcano ahead, it would certainly be within Myriad Demon Ridge territory. He would have to proceed with greater caution; exposing his presence in their territory would lead to an unfortunate outcome.

After advancing another two hundred li, all greenery had vanished, and the pungent smell in the air grew even more noticeable. Looking up, he indeed saw a bare, towering peak ahead. From the mountain's mouth, hot air waves surged, distorting the very space around them with their heat.

Lu Ye didn't advance rashly. Instead, he first took out his detailed map to verify his location. A moment later, he frowned. This location was somewhat awkward for him, as it was clearly Myriad Demon Ridge territory, and Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators could be patrolling nearby at any moment. If he proceeded, it would be difficult to conceal his presence.

After a moment of thought, Lu Ye decided to proceed. He now possessed True Lake Realm cultivation; although he had only recently advanced to the first stage, his strength had undergone a tremendous transformation compared to before. As long as he didn't encounter overly powerful enemies, he would likely be fine. As for the Divine Sea Realm cultivators on the other side, he didn't need to worry too much. Generally, Divine Sea Realm cultivators guarding a pass would not easily mobilize, so as not to give the enemy an opportunity. Powerful Divine Sea Realm cultivators served as stabilizing anchors for every pass. Even on the front lines where the two major factions clashed, it was rare to witness Divine Sea Realm cultivators engage in battle. At their level of cultivation, they could perceive many things that lower-level cultivators could not, and they would not easily fight unless there was deep-seated enmity.

This was a rare opportunity. The fire-attributed energy contained within such a volcano was immense. If Lu Ye could benefit from it, it wouldn't be as simple as activating just one spirit pattern on his Talent Tree; he might be able to activate several more.

With his decision made, Lu Ye immediately advanced. Before that, however, he had recalled Yi Yi and placed Amber into his spirit beast pouch. The environment here was harsh; though the spirit and the tiger could endure it, it would incur considerable consumption of their energy. Furthermore, Amber was too distinctive. If any cultivator familiar with Lu Ye saw it, they would immediately associate it with Lu Ye himself. With Amber put away, if he encountered Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators, Lu Ye might still find a way to maneuver the situation.

He swiftly moved forward to the volcano's mouth and looked down, seeing hot waves rolling below, lava surging and boiling incessantly, with bubbles bursting occasionally, creating an astonishing spectacle. Even Lu Ye, upon reaching this point, had to activate his spiritual power to resist the pervasive scorching heat. This reminded him of his time in the Spirit Stream Battlefield, venturing deep into the Blazing Fire Region. His cultivation was low then, but the environment was remarkably similar to his current surroundings. However, in comparison, although the Blazing Fire Region was within the Spirit Stream Battlefield, the quality of the hidden Phoenix Fire there was far superior to what he found here. Having encountered many rare flames and pill flames, Lu Ye could discern their quality at a glance. The quality of the fire-attributed energy here was naturally not excellent, but its sheer abundance was a significant advantage. If he could stay here for a long time, his Talent Tree should be able to absorb its fill, and he wondered how many leaves it could ignite and how many spirit patterns it could activate. Lu Ye naturally yearned for such a treasure trove. Without much hesitation, he leaped directly into the volcano.

A dozen zhang away, a figure concealed in the void quietly watched him. From beginning to end, Lu Ye remained completely unaware. The only one with such profound mastery of stealth, capable of following Lu Ye unseen, was naturally Nian Yuxian. Seeing him jump in like that, Nian Yuxian was somewhat surprised, wondering what Lu Ye intended to do. But then she remembered that Lu Ye cultivated fire-attributed techniques, so perhaps he intended to use this environment for his cultivation.

“He's quite bold,” Nian Yuxian softly hummed, but she did not follow him. The reason she had been following Lu Ye was primarily because it was his first patrol mission. As he was her only subordinate and a disciple of the Jade Blood Sect, it was only natural for her to pay closer attention. As it turned out, this young man had inexplicably wandered into Myriad Demon Ridge territory during his patrol and even jumped into this volcano.

Nian Yuxian had no intention of jumping down after him. Although the environment was harsh, since Lu Ye had chosen to do so, he must have some confidence. Those who had cultivated to the True Lake Realm shouldn't need others to worry about their every move. She could pay more attention to Lu Ye, but she wouldn't coddle him like a mother hen; if she did, he wouldn't get far on his cultivation path.

Looking up, Nian Yuxian gazed in the direction of Lone Mountain City and murmured to herself, “Since I’m already here, I might as well go take a look. It's been a long time since I visited that old ghost Wan Zhanggang. I wonder if he's dead yet!”

On the front lines where the two major factions clashed, powerful Divine Sea Realm cultivators would not easily mobilize. There was only one exception: Nian Yuxian of Blazing Flame Mountain Pass! Other powerful Divine Sea Realm cultivators would guard their respective passes year after year, protecting all directions like gnarled old trees, unmoving as bedrock watching the tide. Nian Yuxian, on the other hand, paid no mind to Blazing Flame Mountain Pass. Whenever the mood struck her, she would take a trip to Lone Mountain City, causing immense suffering to the Myriad Demon Ridge faction there. Wan Zhanggang harbored much resentment towards her, but he had no effective way to deal with her.

A Divine Sea Realm ghost cultivator skilled in stealth and array formations would be very difficult to stop if they truly wished to infiltrate a location. Even if her presence was exposed, she possessed the ability to carve a bloody path out. If Divine Sea Realm cultivators from other passes dared to act in such a manner, the Myriad Demon Ridge would surely retaliate in kind. However, the unique nature of Blazing Flame Mountain Pass meant that the Myriad Demon Ridge was powerless to retaliate effectively. Nian Yuxian single-handedly guarded Blazing Flame Mountain Pass. So what if the pass were to be captured? The Vast Heaven Alliance would not lose a single soldier, and instead, Nian Yuxian, free from constraints, would become even more formidable and dreaded.