Chapter 001: Subterranean Lava (I)
As Li Xiaoyang emerged from the cave, he was about to extend his foot to the ground when he suddenly felt an intense heat. Having coexisted with the spirit beasts for so long, if he could still feel such scorching heat, the temperature must have been exceedingly high. Peering out, he saw that the ground outside the cave was now covered with bright red lava; the lava river had indeed risen.
Having completed his farm work early, Li Xiaoyang threw the hoe at the door and called out to his mother inside, "I am going out." He then turned and ran towards the village exit. In a flash, he jogged out of the village, turned into the woods, and seeing no one around, Li Xiaoyang increased his speed, darting towards the back mountain like a wisp of smoke. No one knew that Li Xiaoyang had such abilities; they only thought of him as a skilled farmer, managing the family’s more than ten acres of land all by himself, working quickly and steadily, able to accomplish the work of two or three others. However, this extraordinary ability remained unknown to others, as Li Xiaoyang was very careful never to reveal it in front of anyone.
Traveling along familiar paths, it did not take long for Li Xiaoyang to arrive at the vicinity of the back mountain and the map. The back mountain is called Que'er Mountain, stretching for hundreds of miles. The interior is densely forested, with few signs of human habitation, and many areas have never been visited by anyone. The long-standing desolation has led to the accumulation of decaying leaves, creating countless natural traps, some of which are several dozen meters deep. If one were to accidentally fall into these traps, survival would be impossible.
The cave is long and winding, extending downward in a serpentine manner. The surroundings are irregularly diamond-shaped, as if a complete entity had been forcefully split apart. It is unknown how many years it has taken to form, but the cave walls have been weathered to an incredibly smooth finish. Li Xiaoyang supported himself against the cave wall and slid down rapidly. He could not recall how many times he had been here; despite the complete absence of light within the cave, he felt as if he were returning home, moving with ease. The deeper he went, the higher the temperature of the air became, and the scorching hot wind blowing against Li Xiaoyang brought him a sensation akin to a thorough cleansing of his marrow and veins.
"Do not worry, we will arrive soon," Li Xiaoyang thought to himself. He knew that the spirit beast could sense his thoughts, so as soon as he focused on it, the spirit beast gradually calmed down.
At the end of the cave, a faint dark light emerged, and Li Xiaoyang knew he was nearing the end. The 'it' within him sensed the power of the underground fire and couldn't help but feel elated, its energy vibrating and appearing somewhat restless.
The discovery of this cave was guided by the spirit beast. The cave extends over two thousand meters deep into the earth, where there lies a river of lava. This extremely hot lava is a rare supplement for the Extreme Flame Spirit Beast. With each absorption of the essence of the earth fire, the spirit beast becomes stronger. Therefore, whenever Li Xiaoyang has the opportunity, he brings the spirit beast here to harness the power of the earth fire
Li Xiaoyang just graduated from high school this year. If all goes well, he will be able to attend university in City G next September. Although the admission notice has not yet been issued, Li Xiaoyang is completely confident about it
Li Xiaoyang is eighteen years old this year. Having just reached adulthood, he stands at a height of 1.88 meters, with dark skin and a robust physique. His entire body is muscular, as solid as steel. He has a head of short, straight black hair that stands upright like black flames, dancing like a picture in the wind. His features are resolute and angular, resembling a sculpture. His eyes are bright and clear, deep and steady, complemented by a set of white teeth that, when he smiles, radiate like the sun, full of warmth and vitality
Since the age of four, Li Xiaoyang has often felt the presence of that 'it' within his body. Through their mutual telepathic connection, Li Xiaoyang understands that 'it' is a Flame Spirit Beast, born from the extreme heat and flames. Although he does not know why it resides within him, their long-term cohabitation has led Li Xiaoyang to regard it as a brother. Although the Flame Spirit Beast cannot speak, their spiritual connection allows Li Xiaoyang to comprehend its every thought, understand its every need, and recognize all the changes it brings to him. Although he does not know why it resides within him, their long-term cohabitation has led Li Xiaoyang to regard it as a brother. Although the Flame Spirit Beast cannot speak, their spiritual connection allows Li Xiaoyang to comprehend its every thought, understand its every need, and recognize all the changes it brings to him
If Li Xiaoyang is referred to as a monster, it is likely that no one would object. The temperature inside the cave has already reached over one hundred degrees Celsius, yet he does not even break a single bead of sweat. Since childhood, he has been unafraid of heat or cold, and the hotter the place, the more he enjoys it. Li Xiaoyang knows that all of this is due to 'its' influence
Such a peculiar place filled with books naturally has its reasons for formation, and the culprit lies right in the center of the open space. In the center, there is a hole about the size of a half-human, from which waves of scorching hot air are continuously being expelled, interspersed with a pungent smell of sulfur. The temperature of this hot air is sufficient to char a piece of wood into carbon in a very short time, no wonder that within a radius of several meters, not a blade of grass can grow.
He lightly tapped his heels, and his body glided effortlessly over a distance of thirty to fifty feet, twisting gracefully as he moved, with the dense trees around him posing no hindrance to his figure
Who wouldn't like such a fine young man? A few years ago, he had already become the dream lover of the girls from the nearby nine towns and eighteen villages. Now that he has just come of age, the matchmakers visiting his home have nearly worn down the threshold. Although it is the twenty-first century, in the closed and underdeveloped area of Que'er Mountain, parental orders and matchmaker arrangements remain the mainstream in marriage. Fortunately, Li Xiaoyang's parents are quite open-minded and have completely left the decision to their child. However, Li Xiaoyang has little interest in these matters, so he has not settled down with anyone.
Soon, Li Xiaoyang arrived at a clearing deep in the back mountain. This clearing, appearing so abruptly amidst the dense forest, measured several dozen meters in circumference, completely bare of any vegetation, revealing the smooth rocks beneath. Between the edges of the stones, a small amount of soil and some black ashes had accumulated. This soil was uniformly a scorched red, as if it had been baked at high temperatures, and those black ashes, Li Xiaoyang knew, were the remnants left behind after branches had been subjected to prolonged roasting.
However, Li Xiaoyang was not afraid of these obstacles. His movements were as agile as a monkey, using both hands and feet to leap from one tree to another, from one rock to another, each jump covering a distance of one or two zhang. The dense jungle within the mountains posed no hindrance to him; the chaotic and tangled branches instead became his support. Grasping some of the protruding branches with one hand, he would swiftly cover another ten meters.
Time flows swiftly, like a shuttle weaving through the years
However, the hot wind that could dry a person blew over Li Xiaoyang, prompting a satisfied sigh from him. Taking a deep breath, Li Xiaoyang approached the cave entrance and climbed in, gripping the edge of the cave with both hands.