Chapter 1794: The Fiery Demon

They hadn't noticed it while chatting earlier, but after her reminder, everyone clearly felt that something was amiss.

These large tombs, which received no sunlight year-round, typically felt as cold as winter even in mid-summer. Yet, now there was a distinct sensation of heat.

Moreover, they keenly noticed that the path ahead had taken on a reddish glow, rendering Qiu Honglei's lantern unnecessary. "The fire element ahead is exceptionally strong, almost wild," Zhao Hao remarked, gazing forward with a casual tone.

For others, this perilous tomb might mean near-certain death, but for him, given his strength, it felt more like a leisurely trip.

Of course, that was assuming he didn't encounter the monstrous Ghost King...

Jing Teng frowned. As a vine, she had a natural aversion to fire.

The group continued forward for some time, and the heat steadily intensified. Heatwaves shimmered in the air, and there was no trace of moisture to be felt.

Had they not all been cultivation masters, the extreme heat here would have been enough to roast them alive.

"Miss Jing, is this the only path?" Qiu Honglei couldn't help but ask. This hellish environment was far from pleasant, and places with such extreme elemental concentrations often gave rise to terrifying monsters. She was already feeling a sense of unease.

Jing Teng wiped the sweat from her temples and replied, "Yes."

Just then, as they rounded a bend, the path suddenly opened up, and everyone finally understood the true source of the intense heat.

Before them lay a colossal pool of lava, gurgling and bubbling as if it were boiling.

Much of the lava splattered onto the banks, and the surrounding ground, seemingly unable to withstand the heat, had caught fire. The area was already riddled with craters, suggesting the lava pool had a tendency to continuously expand outwards.

"There's a lava pool of this scale inside this tomb?" Zu An exclaimed in surprise. The pungent smell of sulfur was almost unbearable; had they not been cultivation masters capable of holding their breath for extended periods, they might have been poisoned by the intense fumes.

A hint of confusion crossed Jing Teng's eyes. "I don't know either," she said. "It seems to have been deliberately placed here to protect the Immortal Sovereign's remains."

Zu An looked around, observing the lava pool. It was like a volcanic crater, hundreds of *zhang* across, completely cutting off the path ahead, making it impossible to go around.

The tomb had appeared massive from the outside, but he hadn't anticipated that its interior would be even larger, effortlessly accommodating such an immense lava pool.

To reach the other side, they would have to fly directly over the lava. However, the lava's temperature was incredibly high, with massive bubbles occasionally bursting and spewing molten rock skyward. The airborne temperature would undoubtedly be unbearable, and traversing several hundred *zhang* of such conditions would be fraught with peril.

More critically, was there something hidden beneath the lava?

Just then, Zhao Hao announced loudly, "Since my cultivation is the highest, I shall go scout the path ahead."

With a tap of his foot, he ascended directly into the air.

Above the lava, the scorching heat was intense enough to ignite clothing, yet an invisible *qi* barrier seemed to surround Zhao Hao's entire body, completely isolating him from the raging inferno.

Furthermore, he seemed to possess a preternatural foresight, always managing to avoid the sudden eruptions of lava in advance.

Qiu Honglei wore a peculiar expression and secretly transmitted a message, "A'Zu, why is the Emperor suddenly so eager? It feels rather odd."

"Someone offering kindness without reason usually has ulterior motives," Zu An replied. "He's trying to use these minor actions to demonstrate his 'sincerity.' More importantly, it's for Jing Teng's benefit, as she might hold knowledge about the immortal destiny he seeks."

"Jing Teng is quite the enigma, and rather annoying. Do you think she truly lost her memory, or is she faking it?" Qiu Honglei asked, her curiosity piqued once more.

"Whether she's faking it or not, I believe she holds no ill will towards us, so there's no need to press her," Zu An replied.

"You're just showing sympathy for a pretty face," Qiu Honglei huffed, though she wasn't truly angry. Indeed, had Jing Teng not saved them multiple times earlier, they might well have perished by now.

Just then, an unexpected turn of events occurred: the entire lava pool suddenly boiled violently. It seemed to be enraged that someone had flown safely over its surface without even a single drop of lava touching him.

The lava pool began to spin rapidly, forming a colossal whirlpool. Then, a long whip of flames suddenly shot out, coiling directly around one of Zhao Hao's feet and yanking him downwards with immense force.

Zu An and the others' expressions changed dramatically. There truly was a monster residing at the bottom of the pool.

At that moment, Zhao Hao let out a cold snort and abruptly lifted his leg. Instead of being pulled down, he instead yanked the monster right out of the lava pool.

The monster resembled a gigantic goat, yet it was extraordinarily hideous, similar to those Damascus goats one might have seen in ancient videos. It had a pair of winding, coiled horns atop its head, and its body was cloaked in lava, with flames serving as its raiment.

Zu An finally understood why, in his previous life's Western culture, goats were associated with devils; a creature that looked like this truly resembled an evil demon.

"That goat is hideous," Qiu Honglei remarked, a look of repulsion on her face. She couldn't bear to look at it any longer.

"That's not a goat; it's a Demonic Flame Demon," Jing Teng said, clutching her head as if struggling to recall something.

"Earth?" Zu An paused. "It possesses earth elemental power too?"

"Exactly. Lava inherently belongs to both earth and fire elements," Jing Teng replied.

Zu An recalled that in many games from his previous life, ultimate earth-based spells often involved summoning meteorites, which frequently appeared like fireballs.

This monster wielded high-level earth and fire elemental powers, no wonder it was so formidable.

He could sense the terrifying aura emanating from the monster, which far exceeded the Grandmaster level. The Soul Harvester they had encountered earlier seemed like a child compared to a hulking brute when contrasted with this creature.

If he were to face such a being alone, it would indeed be quite perilous. But with Zhao Hao present, the feeling of leaning on such immense power was truly satisfying...

A peculiar thought suddenly crossed his mind: he had always relied on women in the past; could he now rely on men as well?

The Demonic Flame Demon, which had intended to drag its prey into the lava, was instead yanked out by that very prey. For a moment, it was utterly stunned.

However, its bewilderment was quickly replaced by furious rage. It roared, causing the entire space to tremble. The lava erupted as if from a volcano, and then a massive, flame-engulfed fist surged forward, hurling directly towards Zhao Hao in mid-air.

Zhao Hao's expression turned cold. "Do you mistake me for a sick cat just because a tiger doesn't roar?" he demanded. "Even a beast like you dares to bully me?"

After years of invincibility, the recent humiliation he suffered before the Ghost King had left him seething with pent-up fury.

At this moment, he could no longer contain it and unleashed it completely.

He neither dodged nor evaded, meeting the attack with a direct punch.

With a deafening boom, sparks flew. The Demonic Flame Demon's massive body jolted, and the flames covering it instantly dimmed considerably.

With killing intent in his eyes, Zhao Hao commanded, "Die!"

His entire body erupted in brilliant golden light, and a faint, colossal golden phantom vaguely emerged behind him. It acted in concert with his physical punch, which then slammed into the Demonic Flame Demon's head.

A dull thud reverberated, and the air itself seemed to distort for a moment.

The Demonic Flame Demon then reeled back a few steps, its body cracking inch by inch before finally dissolving into countless fragments of lava that plunged back into the pool below.

Zu An and the others' eyes widened in disbelief. Had that terrifying Demonic Flame Demon truly been instantly annihilated just like that?

While they knew Zhao Hao was powerful, they hadn't imagined he possessed such immense strength.

Seeing him defeated by the Ghost King earlier had, perhaps inevitably, led to a slight underestimation of his abilities.

But in that instant, they truly comprehended: this was the man who had been invincible throughout the land, a being who had suppressed powerful cultivators from both the demon and human races for untold years.

Zu An's expression grew even more solemn. This individual's combat prowess seemed considerably greater than that of the separated soul he encountered in the Western Dog Hill Secret Realm, and even slightly stronger than during the battle at the Purple Mountain Altar.

Zhao Hao also felt a pang of regret. In his anger just now, he had inadvertently unleashed his full power, needlessly raising Zu An's suspicions.

However, he quickly dismissed it. What did it matter if Zu An knew? In the face of absolute power, all schemes were simply laughable.

"Alright, the monster has been dealt with. You can cross now," Zhao Hao called out, waving to them from above.

Just then, Jing Teng's expression suddenly changed. "No, it's still alive!" she exclaimed.

No sooner had she spoken than two long whips, formed of flames, suddenly shot out from below, instantly coiling around Zhao Hao's legs.

Perhaps having learned from its previous attempt, this time it deployed two chains of fire, and the downward pulling force was exceptionally strong.

Zhao Hao, having just assumed he had vanquished his opponent, was caught completely off guard and forcibly dragged directly into the surging lava.

He attempted to break free, but in the next second, countless waves of lava crashed down like a tsunami, completely engulfing him.

The previously turbulent lava gradually subsided, and everything returned to its original state, as if nothing had happened at all.

Seeing that Zhao Hao never resurfaced, Zu An and the others exchanged bewildered glances. They had just been marveling at Zhao Hao's immense power—had he truly perished just like that?