348: Incompetent Red Three

Lu Chen's Divine Sense instantly covered the entire mining district, and his voice was calm:

"It's your good member, Red Three, who acted on his own. He's currently alone on Soul-Severing Cliff, attempting to rescue Little Lotus, the woman he loves."

"What?!"

Chi Yao was struck as if by lightning, her face instantly turning pale!

Chi Yao roared, "Is he crazy? I've told him countless times—the organization comes before individuals! There are traps set by Lei Liao around Little Lotus. Red Three going is just suicide! He's not saving her... he's destroying the entire Red Heart Society!!"

Once Lei Liao discovers that Red Slaves can Cultivate, and traces the clues to other members... the Red Heart Society's secrets, Cultivation methods, and hidden strongholds—everything will be exposed!

Chi Yao trembled as she asked:

"Brother Feiyu... what should I do now?!"

Lu Chen's gaze was as deep as an abyss: "I once taught you—be fully prepared, build momentum, but do not act rashly until the time is right."

"But..."

"You should also understand—every true revolution in history often doesn't happen when 'ready.'"

"Instead, it's ignited by an accident, an impulse, an irreversible sacrifice—setting off a prairie fire."

Lu Chen slowly looked up: "Red Three has already acted. He has unleashed the Crimson Flame Art, exposing the secret that Red Slaves can Cultivate. Lei Liao will soon realize this, and the Seventh Mining District is about to fall into chaos."

"Now, there's no turning back."

"If you hesitate any longer, not only will Red Three surely die, but the entire Red Heart Society will also be implicated."

"Therefore—"

"You only have one path."

Chi Yao held her breath, her heart pounding like a drum.

Lu Chen said each word distinctly:

"Fight to the death! With your current strength, you've barely stepped into the Nascent Soul Stage. If you fully activate the first three stages of the Crimson Flame Art, you might be able to fight Lei Liao!"

"So—let's take advantage of this chaos and launch a full-scale uprising!"

"Seize the Seventh Mining District, liberate all Red Slaves, and declare the establishment of the 'Red Heart Society'!"

"Using the Seventh Mining District as our base, light the beacon of resistance!"

Buzz!

Lu Chen's words were like a bolt of thunder striking Chi Yao's Sea of Consciousness!

She was stunned.

Immediately, a surge of hot blood rushed from her Dantian straight to her head!

This day... had finally arrived.

It wasn't the timing she had chosen.

But—it was the door fate had opened for her!

She didn't ask "Can we win?" nor did she ask Lu Chen to intervene.

She merely stood up slowly, picked up the tattered hemp robe from the ground, and gently draped it over herself.

Her movements were slow, yet incredibly firm.

She looked at Lu Chen, her eyes no longer holding hesitation, only a resolute flame:

"Brother Feiyu... I'm leaving. Wait for my good news."

With that, she turned and stepped out of the rock cave.

Her silhouette was slender, yet like a sharp sword unsheathed, cutting through the darkness!

Lu Chen was very pleased that Chi Yao hadn't asked him to directly intervene, but was relying on herself.

Because Lu Chen had said that he wouldn't easily act. Once he did, it would attract the attention of the Immortal Realm's high-ranking officials, and then, the Red Heart Society would only die faster... In the deepest part of the Seventh Mining District, there was a Jedi ( Jedi) that all Red Slaves called "Soul-Severing Cliff."

It wasn't a true cliff, but a massive iron chain hanging from a ten-thousand-foot rock ceiling, with a rusty iron cage tied to its end, suspended above an abyss. Below it were rolling geothermic fire mists, with temperatures reaching thousands of degrees. Falling into it would instantly turn one to ash.

The person in the cage was Little Lotus.

She had been hanging there for a full month.

Her clothes were tattered, her skin scorched black, her hands and feet deformed from prolonged restraint, yet only her eyes still held a faint glimmer of light.

The mining district captain, Lei Liao, had deliberately done this.

Every day, he only gave Little Lotus a sip of clear water and a piece of rotten food, keeping her alive, but in more agony than death.

This was his "education"—to let all Red Slaves witness firsthand the consequences of disobedience:

Red Three could only see her once a day, and each glance was like a knife cutting his heart, like fire burning his lungs.

For an entire month.

Red Three finally couldn't bear it any longer. Although he trusted the organization and Chi Yao's promise that Little Lotus would be rescued.

But Little Lotus couldn't wait any longer!!

That night, in the early hours of the morning, the mining district entered its deepest period of silence.

Overseer shifts changed, and patrols exchanged duties; it was the only brief window of opportunity.

Red Three, under the cover of darkness, clung to the rock wall, passed through three checkpoints, avoided two Formation sensors, and arrived below Soul-Severing Cliff.

The wind whimpered, the iron chain swayed slightly, and Little Lotus in the cage subtly raised her head, as if sensing something.

"Third Brother?" Her voice was hoarse, almost out of tune, "Is that you? Hurry and leave... don't come... you'll die..."

Red Three looked up at her, tears streaming down his face.

He whispered:

"I'm sorry... I can't wait any longer. Today, I must take you away. If we die, we die together!"

He leaped, intending to destroy the iron cage.

Suddenly!

Rumble!

A meteoric profound iron weighing a thousand jun descended from the sky, accompanied by whistling wind, smashing straight down!

"No—!!" Little Lotus shrieked, closing her eyes, daring not to look.

However—

Boom!!!

A crimson fist shadow shot into the sky!

Red Three unleashed both fists, and a scorching wave of Qi suddenly erupted from his body!

Dark red flames ignited on his fists, as if blood was boiling and burning in his Meridians—

"Crimson Flame Art, First Stage: Meridian Incineration!"

"Break—for me!!"

Fist energy struck, sparks flew everywhere, and the roar was deafening!

The meteoric iron, powerful enough to crush a Golden Core Cultivator, was actually shattered into pieces, scattering in all directions!

Little Lotus suddenly opened her eyes, completely stunned:

"Third... Third Brother? You... you can actually use Spells?!"

She had never imagined that this usually taciturn Red Slave, who only knew how to labor with his head down, could shatter a thousand jin of profound iron with his bare hands and unleash such a violent blow!

But just as her shock had not yet subsided—

Urgent footsteps came from afar!

Two Overseers, Kui Liu and Kui Qi, rushed over upon hearing the commotion. Both were Early Golden Core Stage Cultivators, wielding "Slave Suppression Whips."

Seeing the scene before them, they were instantly enraged, yet laughed in return:

"Number 367?! Are you crazy?! How dare you trespass into a forbidden area? Why aren't you kneeling to be bound?!"

Red Three slowly stood up, his gaze like torches, sweeping over the two of them.

He smiled.

His laughter was low, yet carried the anger and liberation suppressed for countless days and nights:

"I have knelt for too long. From today onwards, I will no longer kneel to anyone!"

"You're asking for death!" Kui Liu roared, lashing out with his whip!

The whip was made from "Soul-Devouring Beast Sinews." A single strike could Seal the Divine Sense, leaving an ordinary Red Slave paralyzed on the ground.

But Red Three didn't dodge or evade. His fists ignited with crimson flames again, charging forward to meet the attack!

The fierce fist wind actually forced the whip's shadow back!

Immediately after—

Boom! Boom!

Two heavy punches struck Kui Liu's chest. Flames invaded his body along his Meridians, burning and destroying his Meridians!

"Ah—!" Kui Liu screamed, spitting blood, flying back dozens of meters, and crashing heavily against the rock wall!

"Kui Liu!!" Kui Qi was greatly alarmed!

He looked at Red Three in disbelief—a Red Slave who should have no Cultivation, actually seriously injured a Golden Core Cultivator with one punch?!

"This is impossible! How can he have spiritual Qi? Red Slaves shouldn't be able to Cultivate!"

Kui Liu was furious: "Seventh Brother! Capture him alive! There's something strange about this Red Slave! Report it to Lord Lei Liao, there will be a heavy reward!"

Kui Qi excitedly made his Move. A Red Slave who could use Spells—if he was captured, there would definitely be a heavy reward.

Red Three met the challenge.

Although he had Cultivated the first stage of the Crimson Flame Art, his Cultivation was only at the Peak Foundation Establishment Stage, and his combat experience was zero.

Kui Qi, however, was already at the Early Golden Core Stage, his Moves were seasoned, and his whip technique was like a snake, always striking at Red Three's vital points.

Snap!

In one exchange, Red Three was unable to dodge in time and was struck on the arm by the whip's tip, his skin splitting open and blood flowing freely.

He staggered back, his breathing heavy, his physical strength rapidly draining.

"For Little Lotus... I cannot fall!"

Red Three charged again, unleashing his crimson flame fist!

Kui Qi was already prepared. He sidestepped, then used a backhand whip to entangle Red Three's wrist, pulling with force—

"Crack!"

Red Three's right arm was dislocated, the pain almost making him faint!

Immediately after, Kui Qi kicked him in the chest, slamming him fiercely to the ground! He quickly used "Spirit-Locking Shackles" to tightly bind him, pinning him to the ground.

Little Lotus shrieked from the cage: "Let him go! You beasts! Let him go!!"

Red Three lay on the ground, his face covered in blood, yet he was still smiling:

"Little Lotus, I'm sorry, I couldn't save you!"

Kui Qi's foot pressed firmly on Red Three's head: "Slaves actually talk about love, how disgusting. Speak, where did you learn these abilities? Besides you, who else knows how to do this!!"