“Is this a place to blow in the wind? Someone with your frail physique could be blown off the cliff by a slightly stronger gust.”
Nanshan Lie countered unceremoniously.
What a poisonous tongue!
Mo Xiaoxing made up her mind not to argue with him and said, “Yes, yes, you are right. I’ll leave immediately!”
She turned to run.
Nanshan Lie paused for a second, his figure flashed, and he quickly caught Mo Xiaoxing and brought her back.
Mo Xiaoxing struggled. “Nanshan Lie, what are you doing? Let me go! If you don’t let go, I’ll scream for help!”
Nanshan Lie sneered. “Go ahead and scream. I want to see how loud your voice is and who you think you can summon.”
Mo Xiaoxing also knew this place was too remote; no one would come, and screaming would be useless.
“Nanshan Lie, don’t be so petty! Isn’t it just because I didn’t sell the fire marrow to you? If you dare to bully me, I’ll report you to the Eldest Senior Brother the moment we return!”
Nanshan Lie spoke with a sour tone, “I’m petty? I’m bullying you? Qin Yu, you snuck into my home and spent an entire month giving me frights. Did I ever hold that against you?
One moment you say you’ll report me to the Master, the next you say you’ll report me to the Eldest Senior Brother. You’ve gotten quite capable, haven’t you? What kind of tricks did you use to bewitch my brother these days? To make him side with you? Speak!”
Mo Xiaoxing silently covered her face…
Qin Yu, oh Qin Yu, look at the mess you’ve made! It made her feel like she had no ground to stand on.
In truth, all the “surprises” Qin Yu had prepared for Nanshan Lie were meant to build her presence, but to Nanshan Lie, they were all terrifying.
Mo Xiaoxing decided to play the turtle. “You… when did that even happen? I’ve long since forgotten… and I didn’t bewitch the Eldest Senior Brother. The Eldest Senior Brother simply has keen eyes and finally realized that I am a good person!”
Nanshan Lie grabbed the back of Mo Xiaoxing’s clothes and headed straight toward the cliff.
Seeing his firm footsteps, Mo Xiaoxing was startled. “Nanshan Lie, harming a fellow disciple is a capital offense!”
As they reached the edge of the cliff, Nanshan Lie suddenly conjured his flying sword and flew across with Mo Xiaoxing.
Mo Xiaoxing: “…You also don’t have the authority to place me under house arrest.”
Nanshan Lie glared at Mo Xiaoxing and warned, “One more word and I’ll throw you down!”
Mo Xiaoxing shut her mouth, but thought to herself, He is absolutely atrocious!
She would definitely write down all of Nanshan Lie’s crimes and present them as a formal complaint to the Eldest Senior Brother!
Soon, Nanshan Lie landed his sword and set Mo Xiaoxing aside.
He picked up a vine on the cliffside and slid directly down.
Mo Xiaoxing was stunned. “Nanshan Lie, are you going down there?”
Nanshan Lie gripped the vine, his feet braced against the rock face, and said, “You’d better not think that cutting my vine will cut off my retreat. I can fly back up on my sword.”
Mo Xiaoxing couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “You really are something—why do you think of people as so wicked? If you were afraid I’d cut the vine, why did you bring me here?”
Nanshan Lie remained silent.
Why did he bring Qin Yu here? Perhaps he was just bored…
Having just seen her sharp-tongued, he only wanted to scare her, yet she didn’t seem afraid at all, which left him feeling incredibly frustrated.
Mo Xiaoxing’s eyes darted about, and she suddenly asked, “Nanshan Lie, you don’t happen to be looking for fire marrow, do you?”
Nanshan Lie glanced at Mo Xiaoxing. “And if I am?”
Mo Xiaoxing said, “Finding fire marrow is definitely a blessing I accumulated in my past life. You shouldn’t try to imitate it; you won’t find any. What if you fall into the fire tomb? That would be a huge loss, wouldn’t it?”
Nanshan Lie said, “The blessing you accumulated in your past life only got you a pseudo-spiritual root and a piece of fire marrow in this life?”
Mo Xiaoxing: “…Just hurry down! No one will save you if you fall into the fire tomb!”
Nanshan Lie really did go down; he was too lazy to banter with “Qin Yu.”
He had been coming here almost every day lately. Although he couldn’t get close to the fire tomb, he found that feeling the intensity of the Earth Core Fire up close was helpful for his insights into fire control.
Of course, he had also been looking for fire marrow, but he had found nothing.
Fire marrow usually only existed deep within the Earth Core Fire. If one didn’t go in, it couldn’t be retrieved. The piece Qin Yu had found was truly a matter of incredible luck.
He descended very quickly and soon stood on the edge of the fire source.
The heat was blistering; it was difficult to fully open his eyes.
The magma was not calm; in many places, it bubbled and hissed, occasionally erupting several meters high.
Nanshan Lie was extremely vigilant. He channeled his spiritual energy and regulated his breathing, for feeling the Earth Core Fire made his spiritual energy exceptionally active.
Nanshan Lie stared at the crimson-gold magma, his eyes reflecting his ambition and longing.
A single-attribute fire heavenly spiritual root—perhaps this was a talent everyone envied?
But Nanshan Lie was not satisfied with this. Two years ago, he had witnessed a cultivator with an exotic fire instantly kill an opponent three cultivation levels higher than himself!
Reaching a higher realm was naturally important, but for someone with a fire-attribute spiritual root, an exotic fire was another shortcut to becoming a powerhouse, and it was one-of-a-kind!
Suddenly, Nanshan Lie stepped into the Earth Core Fire!
He had been watching from afar for days, but he had known from the very beginning that he would eventually take this step.
The Earth Core Fire was right before him. If he didn’t try to conquer it, if he felt fear, then talking about cultivation was nothing more than cowardice!
He wrapped himself in a fire shield. When he entered the magma, the Earth Core Fire could not immediately melt his shield, but he knew in his heart that it would not last long.
He groped about in the magma, trying to find fire marrow.
However, after a short while, his fire shield could no longer be maintained and became increasingly thin.
…
Mo Xiaoxing paced on the cliff. She had originally intended to go to a familiar spot to gather some spirit herbs, but halfway there, she turned back.
She simply couldn’t stand by and watch.
Although Nanshan Lie wasn’t stupid—he wouldn’t treat his own life as a joke—what if some unexpected incident occurred?
Following the vine, she also entered the fire tomb.
Nanshan Lie stood on a rock, so focused that he didn’t notice her arrival.
Mo Xiaoxing didn’t approach; she silently hid in the distance. Seeing him standing there safely, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.
She figured Nanshan Lie wouldn’t stay long, and after he left, she would go up.
However, after a short while, Nanshan Lie actually walked into the magma!
Mo Xiaoxing was shocked; she almost ran out!
But soon, she saw the fire shield on Nanshan Lie, which was capable of insulating him from the Earth Core Fire, and she stopped, though she dared not relax.
That’s about enough! Hurry up and come back!
What exactly is this Nanshan Lie doing?
Seeing the fire shield on his body becoming increasingly faint, with the flames already scorching his body, yet he still didn’t return!
Mo Xiaoxing dared not gamble any longer; she suddenly lunged out!
She jumped into the magma, grabbed Nanshan Lie, and swiftly returned to the shore!
“Nanshan Lie, have you lost your mind? A moment later and you would have turned into a pool of blood! Your death doesn’t matter, but how am I supposed to answer to the Master when you’re gone?”
As Mo Xiaoxing spoke, she grabbed his clothes and dragged him a long distance away.
The last of the fire shield on Nanshan Lie’s body vanished.
He allowed Mo Xiaoxing to drag him along. He felt weak, but his mind was clear.
“If I die, I die. Why do you need to answer for anything?”