Chapter 002: Subterranean Lava (Part Two)
Under the protection of the flames, Li Xiaoyang felt no discomfort whatsoever. Instead, he sensed countless searing energies pouring into his body from all directions, swiftly coursing through his limbs and acupoints. The waves of a refreshing sensation akin to a thorough cleansing of his marrow and channels made him almost want to moan in pleasure, far surpassing the comfort of taking a dozen hot baths. His body felt incredibly light, as all fatigue and discomfort were completely swept away, while the heat rapidly filled his body, causing him to grow stronger at an astonishing pace
I am a hero, " Yan Yan shouted angrily.
Like seawater, the lava flowing through here also follows a fixed tidal pattern, rising at specific times. Sometimes it even reaches the entrance of the cave. Fortunately, he retracted his feet in time; otherwise, even if his feet were unharmed, the shoes he was wearing would certainly be ruined. This outfit and shoes were specially crafted by him according to the instructions of the spirit beast, capable of withstanding very high temperatures and providing a certain level of protection. However, they are still not capable of directly contacting lava with temperatures in the thousands of degrees. Even if they do not burn, they would become deformed and unwearable. This outfit and shoes were specially crafted by him according to the instructions of the spirit beast, capable of withstanding very high temperatures and providing a certain level of protection. However, they are still not capable of directly contacting lava with temperatures in the thousands of degrees. Even if they do not burn, they would become deformed and unwearable
The flames carried a sinister laughter, conveying the message: "Then you must quickly learn my skills; when the time comes, traveling a thousand miles will be but a moment's work. Even returning here will be just a blink of an eye."
However, Li Xiaoyang thought with some difficulty: "I want to learn your skills, but I can't. Do you expect me to swallow fire like you, with flames erupting from my body? That would be tantamount to seeking my own death"
"Go, you still think you're a hero!" Li Xiaoyang disdainfully looked down on the arrogant Yan Yan.
"Why not?" Yan Yan said matter-of-factly, "Those cultivators are just like you, all human. Swallowing fire is a trivial matter for them. Some powerful ones can even absorb fire through every pore of their body. Even the most extreme flames, such as the Nine Heavens Mysterious Fire and the Nine Nether Yin Fire, can be easily controlled with magical artifacts. They can all do it; why can't you?"
Like a drop of cold water falling into hot oil, the entire river of lava suddenly began to boil. The magma, as if drawn by an invisible force, transformed into towering waves that surged towards Li Xiaoyang, crashing against him from all directions and engulfing him completely
Don't! Li Xiaoyang was greatly startled. Joking about books and opening a passage to the Earth's core would indeed disrupt the entire structure of the tectonic plates. If that were to happen, it would lead to a volcanic eruption, which would be a major disaster
Only after the flames had tightly enveloped him did Li Xiaoyang emerge from the cave, leaping directly into the seething, scorching lava.
After retracting his foot and confirming that his shoe was fine, Li Xiaoyang silently thought: "Hey, Yan Yan, it's your turn to step up. You were just acting all anxious, and now that it's your time, you don't come out. Are you trying to get me in trouble?" Li Xiaoyang referred to his spirit beast as Yan Yan, which originally had no name, and it didn't mind how Li Xiaoyang chose to call it.
Upon thinking of this, Yan Yan said: "You should quickly master my skills; by then, it will be easy to find the source of the underground fire anywhere. Even if you can't find it, with my abilities, forging a path to the Earth's core is a trivial matter. Wanting to take a bath is that simple."
The soul received the message of the flames, perhaps having just attracted a large amount of the essence of the earth's fire. At this moment, the flames appeared somewhat languid, lightly saying: "Haven't you come down yet? How can you be so sure?"
Li Xiaoyang stretched lazily and thought to himself: "Flame, soon we will no longer be able to soak like this, because the university admission notices may be coming soon"
Shaking his head helplessly and forcing a bitter smile, Li Xiaoyang thought to himself: "Are you coming or not? If not, I will just go back"
"What do you consider to be cultivators?" Li Xiaoyang murmured softly, "You have been chased by them for thousands of light-years with your tail between your legs; how can anyone be more formidable than you?"
A wave of chaotic information surged from the flames, clearly struck at the heart by Li Xiaoyang. It was not easy to come here once; how could one return without fully attracting the fiery energy? No longer daring to express anything, a bright red flame erupted from Li Xiaoyang's body, swiftly enveloping him.
The flames emitted a burst of teasing laughter, as if mocking Li Xiaoyang for almost embarrassing himself. Although the flames could not speak, Li Xiaoran knew that they had their own emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. Sometimes they resembled a weathered old man, and at other times, a child who never grew up. Teasing Li Xiaoyang was a source of joy for the flames.
"What is more powerful than me?" Yan Yan roared furiously, saying, "If it weren't for their sheer numbers and superior magical artifacts, I wouldn't be afraid of them. I, as the King of Fire, the blazing flame, what do I have to fear? A single rain of fire can sweep away a vast area. If it weren't for their many water-based magical artifacts, which have rendered my heroism useless, I would have already fought my way back."
A soft grunt of dissatisfaction echoed in Yan Yan's mind, yet he refrained from voicing any rebuttal, as he was well aware of Li Xiaoran's capabilities. Naturally, he understood that there was no suspense in this matter. Regarding the issue of not being able to soak in the hot springs anymore, Yan Yan had his own methods. With his ability to sense the earth's fire, there was no place he could not find the source of the earth's fire. The entire Earth's core was a furnace of earth fire, with its branches extending in all directions. Moreover, to the east of G City Polytechnic University, where Li Xiaoyang was currently filling out his application, was a region prone to volcanic activity, where the earth's fire was even more active and vigorous. If he wanted to soak, it would not be a difficult task.
The continuous growth and transformation seemed to stretch on for an indeterminate amount of time. Gradually, the surrounding lava came to a halt, and compared to before, it now exuded much less vitality, its brilliance dimmed, with many areas having solidified. The lava that had enveloped Li Xiaoyang slowly receded, revealing a figure engulfed in flames. At this moment, the flames surrounding Li Xiaoyang appeared even more radiant, exuding an almost invincible aura. It was evident that after this round of cultivation, the flames had undergone a significant transformation. Li Xiaoyang also reaped considerable benefits, as his slowly opening eyes sparkled with a captivating brilliance. The lava that had enveloped Li Xiaoyang slowly receded, revealing a figure engulfed in flames. At this moment, the flames surrounding Li Xiaoyang appeared even more radiant, exuding an almost invincible aura. It was evident that after this round of cultivation, the flames had undergone a significant transformation. Li Xiaoyang also reaped considerable benefits, as his slowly opening eyes sparkled with a captivating brilliance.
The surrounding lava enveloped him completely, while the magma above flowed rapidly, gradually forming a vortex. The surrounding lava was continuously drawn into the vortex, and an unending stream of geothermal fire was attracted to it, flowing through the flames that encased Li Xiaoyang, and then being expelled downward, creating a cycle. The powerful essence of the geothermal fire was intercepted and injected into Li Xiaoyang's body, and once saturated, it surged towards the flames at his chest.
Li Xiaoyang snorted disdainfully, thinking to himself: "Such a simple task is as easy as pinching a snail with three fingers—absolutely certain, with no suspense whatsoever." There was a hint of pride in his words. Indeed, after coexisting with the Flame for such a long time, Li Xiaoyang's transformation was immeasurable. The most evident change was the extreme development of his intellect, making his mind exceptionally agile. He could handle anything with ease. During his studies, he could effortlessly read ten lines at a glance and remember everything he saw. After three years of high school courses, he had already memorized them thoroughly, able to perform them even with his eyes closed. This kind of rote memorization for the college entrance examination was naturally no challenge for him.
"You are a bear." Li Xiaoyang also expressed his unwillingness to be subdued.