97: Chapter 97: The Earth Fire Passage

This was an underground space, roughly thirty feet high and tens of feet wide. The surrounding rock walls were smooth, clearly formed by years of scorching from earth fire.

And most eye-catching of all—seven or eight tunnels had been carved into the rock walls!

Each tunnel was about ten feet tall and just as wide, pitch-black and leading off to parts unknown.

A warm aura pervaded the air, but there were no flames or lava.

Even though the earth fire had been gone for so many years, a rich Fire Spirit energy seemed to linger on these rock walls.

And the surroundings were strangely quiet.

Just then, an exclamation came from above.

"Ah—!"

It was Ye Qingcen!

Xiao Yuan looked up and saw a figure plummeting rapidly—she had clearly fallen too fast and lost control.

His expression changed slightly as he flickered forward and reached out to catch her.

A soft, warm, fragrant beauty fell into his arms.

Ye Qingcen stared blankly at Xiao Yuan, her face turning red in an instant.

"You... Hmph..." She gave a tsundere, soft hmph.

Xiao Yuan set her down. "Are you alright?"

Ye Qingcen froze slightly before pouting and shaking her head, though the corners of her mouth couldn't help curving upward slightly, her eyes filled with sweetness.

Su Li witnessed this from the side with a calm expression, saying nothing.

However, she cast a glance at Ye Qingcen.

Ye Qingcen looked back at her, raising an eyebrow with a smug smile touching her lips.

Su Li withdrew her gaze and walked over to Xiao Yuan's side.

Immediately after, Su Ruotong and two Jade Maiden Palace Disciples landed one after another.

Su Ruotong looked at her Junior Sister's behavior and felt helpless inside.

This girl had truly fallen for him, it seemed.

Though...

She looked at Xiao Yuan, then at Su Li, her feelings somewhat complex.

This kid certainly had quite a few women around him.

Xiao Yuan didn't notice any of this; he was staring straight ahead.

There was a tunnel leading deeper underground.

The sensory pull from the creation cauldron was growing stronger and stronger.

At this time, Su Ruotong looked at the multiple tunnels before them and turned to Xiao Yuan with a frown.

"There are so many tunnels... Which one should we take?"

Xiao Yuan frowned as well.

He closed his eyes, spreading his perception out fully while sensing the faint guidance coming from the creation cauldron inside his Dantian.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and pointed toward one of the tunnels.

"This one."

He didn't explain why, but neither Su Ruotong nor Ye Qingcen asked.

The strength and methods Xiao Yuan had shown earlier had already led them to subconsciously trust his judgment.

Just as Xiao Yuan was about to step forward, Su Li suddenly stepped up and naturally wrapped her arm around his.

"Let's go," she said softly. Her cool, distant face betrayed no emotion, yet her arm-linking gesture was extraordinarily natural.

Xiao Yuan paused for a second before smiling and nodding, leading her into the tunnel.

Behind them, Ye Qingcen's eyes widened instantly upon seeing this.

She bit her lip, staring at Su Li's hand on Xiao Yuan's arm, her eyes full of jealousy.

"Hmph!" She humphed, stamped her foot, and quickly caught up.

But after taking a few steps, she remembered something and slowed her pace, not daring to make it too obvious.

Su Ruotong couldn't help shaking her head with a chuckle as she watched her Junior Sister.

This girl was usually so tsundere, but right now she looked like an aggrieved little wife.

"Let's go," she beckoned to her two Junior Sisters, following behind.

The tunnel was deep and dark, echoing only with the sound of their footsteps.

The light from the Illumination Stone lit the way ahead, casting long shadows on the ground.

Su Li held onto Xiao Yuan's arm, walking very naturally.

Occasionally, she glanced sideways at Xiao Yuan with a tender gaze before casually looking away.

Following behind, Ye Qingcen kept her eyes glued to Su Li's hand on Xiao Yuan's arm, growing angrier the more she looked.

She picked up her pace, wanting to walk on Xiao Yuan's other side, but the tunnel was only so wide. With Su Li taking up one side and the other side hugging the rock wall, she couldn't squeeze through at all.

"..." Ye Qingcen bit her lip, looking deeply aggrieved.

After walking for a bit, a slightly wider area appeared ahead.

Ye Qingcen's eyes lit up. She hurried forward a few steps and circled around to Xiao Yuan's other side.

"Xiao... Yuan," she hesitated before calling him by name. "Is this the right path? How come we haven't reached the end after walking so long?"

Xiao Yuan glanced at her. "It should be correct."

Ye Qingcen uttered an "Oh," and then stood beside him without moving, her eyes fixed on him.

Xiao Yuan felt a bit uncomfortable under her gaze. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Ye Qingcen turned her face away, but her feet stayed put, standing right shoulder-to-shoulder with him.

Su Li glanced at her and said nothing, though her grip on Xiao Yuan's arm tightened slightly.

Xiao Yuan felt it and found it amusing inside.

Were these two girls competing with each other right now?

He didn't point it out and pretended not to notice, coughing dryly. "Let me keep going, we're not there yet."

When women were competing, it was best not to interfere; otherwise, a jealous showdown would truly give him a massive headache!

The three of them continued walking forward.

This time, however, Ye Qingcen didn't fall behind, instead walking right alongside Xiao Yuan on his other side.

The tunnel was narrow, and they walked very close—close enough to smell each other's scent.

The corners of Ye Qingcen's mouth curled up slightly as she took a subtle glance at Su Li.

Su Li's face was calm, as if nothing had happened.

Yet her arm remained firmly linked with Xiao Yuan's.

Following behind, Su Ruotong couldn't help palming her forehead as she watched this.

These two... really had enough.

She looked at Xiao Yuan's back, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

Just what charm did this kid have to make both girls care so deeply about him?

However, thinking of the strength Xiao Yuan had demonstrated earlier and that mysterious Formation, she felt somewhat relieved inside.

In the cultivation world, strength was supreme. Naturally, someone with strength would win hearts.

After walking for about half an hour, the tunnel began to slope upward.

Xiao Yuan's spirits lifted as the guidance in his perception grew increasingly strong.

"We're almost there," he whispered.

Everyone quickened their pace.

Right at that moment—

Faint sounds of fighting came from above!

Spells roared, weapons clashed, and people shouted in anger and screamed in agony!

Xiao Yuan's expression changed, and he raised his hand to signal everyone to stop.

They held their breath and listened carefully.

The fighting was intense, and there was clearly more than one person involved!

Xiao Yuan looked up, where a cave led upward, with faint light seeping out from the opening.

The sounds of combat were coming from right there.

Xiao Yuan gestured with his hand, and the women understood immediately. They all restrained their aura and stealthily moved toward the opening behind him.

Circulating the Great Turtle Breathing Technique with full force, Xiao Yuan seemed to merge into the darkness, his breath barely perceptible.

Su Li followed behind him, also completely erasing her aura—she had also cultivated the Great Turtle Breathing Technique, and though not as proficient as Xiao Yuan, it was more than enough to conceal her form.

Ye Qingcen watched with envy and wanted to learn, but now was not the time.

Su Ruotong and her two Junior Sisters each employed their own concealment methods, carefully following behind.

The closer they got to the opening, the more excited Xiao Yuan felt.

The sensation from the creation cauldron was becoming overwhelmingly strong!

It felt like two long-lost relatives calling out to each other!

"It's right above!" Wild with joy in his heart, he quickened his steps.

Fortunately, the tunnel wasn't vertical, but an upward slope, so walking wasn't strenuous. Soon, light appeared ahead.

They had reached the cave mouth.