196: Southwest Ancient Road, Attack of the Fire Scorpion

Leaving Tianbei City, Li Ao and Medusa did not choose to cross the central plains directly. Instead, they traveled southwest along an older trade route that skirted the peripheral mountains. Although this route took longer, it allowed them to bypass the entrenched top-tier powers in the central core region, reducing unnecessary trouble, while also letting them experience the customs of different regions and adapt to the gradually changing natural environment.

For the first half month, they traversed continuous mountain ranges and vast forests. The climate gradually shifted from the severe cold of the northern region to something milder; the trees grew lusher, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and vegetation. Along the way, they passed several small cities and villages. Li Ao would make brief stops, not for rest, but to visit local markets or taverns, seemingly casually inquiring about rumors concerning the Hundred Thousand Volcanoes and the Yan Clan in the southwestern region.

Although this grassroots information was fragmented and often mixed with many absurd legends, they occasionally managed to piece together some useful clues. For instance, mercenaries who frequently traveled to the southwestern region mentioned that the Hundred Thousand Volcanoes seemed restless in recent years, with volcanic eruptions becoming more frequent. Some even claimed to have seen figures resembling members of the Yan Clan deep within the volcanoes, controlling raging flames like spirits of fire.

One day, the two arrived at a perilous location called the Crimson Flame Gorge. This was a necessary route leading to the southwestern region. The gorge was flanked by steep, crimson cliffs, looking as if they had been scorched by flames, utterly barren of vegetation. The passage inside the gorge was narrow and filled with grotesque rocks, and even the sand and gravel on the ground carried a scorching heat.

"The fire-attribute energy here is unusually active and carries a violent aura," Medusa said, slightly furrowing her brow. Her Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python Bloodline was extremely sensitive to energy fluctuations.

Li Ao nodded, his Soul Power already spread out like mercury pouring onto the ground. He also felt the abnormality of the place; beneath the active fire energy, something bloodthirsty and restless seemed to be hidden.

"Be careful, there is something inside the gorge."

The two slowed their pace and cautiously proceeded along the gorge. The deeper they went, the more pronounced the scorching, violent aura became, even causing the air to slightly distort.

Suddenly—

"Shashasha... Shashasha..."

A dense, scalp-numbing scratching sound came from the crevices in the surrounding rocks!

The next moment, countless crimson shadows surged out of the rock crevices like a tide! They were scorpions, each the size of a washbasin, covered entirely in crimson armor, with tails raised, bearing dark blue venomous stingers! Their eyes flashed with cruel red light, and they hissed, moving with lightning speed, pouncing on Li Ao and Medusa from all directions!

"They are 'Crimson Flame Scorpions'! And there are so many of them!" Li Ao's eyes narrowed as he recognized this notorious, highly social Demonic Beast of the southwestern region. A single Crimson Flame Scorpion was only around Tier 3, equivalent to a human Great Dou Master, but its venom was potent, and they habitually gathered in groups of tens of thousands. Once surrounded, even a Dou King expert would be in danger of falling!

The number of scorpions before them was far more than ten thousand! Mixed among them were even dozens of Scorpion Kings, larger in size, with darker shells, and whose aura reached Tier 4 or even Tier 5!

Clearly, they had trespassed into the territory of this swarm of Crimson Flame Scorpions!

"Hmph, mere ants dare block our path?" Medusa coldly snorted, and a seven-colored light suddenly erupted around her as she prepared to crush all the scorpions.

"Sasha, don't be hasty." Li Ao reached out and stopped her, a flicker of interest in his eyes. "They are perfect for testing my blade, and I can also see what makes the fire venom of this southwestern region different."

Before his voice faded, the "silent ruin" on his back was already unsheathed!

The pitch-black blade felt no discomfort in the scorching environment; instead, the gray Qi currents wrapping around it became more active, and the dark red flowing light at the edge of the blade, born from the fiery malevolent Qi, became increasingly noticeable.

Li Ao did not use a powerful area-of-effect Dou Technique. Instead, he utilized his movement technique to the extreme, plunging into the scorpion swarm like a ghostly black lightning bolt!

His wrist flickered, and the "silent ruin" traced simple yet fatal paths.

The subtle blade light of the Silent Void Slash sometimes swept past like a thread, silently slicing several scorpions in half, the wounds instantly charred and annihilated; at other times, the blade's momentum shifted, carrying the heavy Concept of Burying Star, and one slash reduced a Tier 5 Scorpion King, along with a dozen surrounding scorpions, into dust!

He did not use large-scale offensive Moves, but instead concentrated his power on the blade, executing the most precise and efficient focused kills. With every swing of the blade, several or even a dozen scorpions were killed, their bodies quickly shriveling and turning gray. The fire venom and vitality within them were quietly devoured by the "silent ruin" and the nirvana star core inside Li Ao's body.

He was using these scorpions to hone his swordsmanship, familiarize himself with the characteristics of the "silent ruin" in a scorching environment, and simultaneously analyze and absorb the unique fire venom energy of the area.

Seeing this, Medusa abandoned her intention to attack. She stood aside, her purple eyes watching Li Ao dominate the scorpion swarm with a hint of appreciation. She could tell that Li Ao's swordsmanship was more fluid and natural than when he was in the ice plains, and his control over his power was increasingly subtle and exquisite. As the pitch-black blade danced, it subtly formed a forbidden zone of death; any scorpion that entered it instantly met its end.

However, the sheer number of scorpions was overwhelming, seemingly endless. Moreover, those dozens of Scorpion Kings seemed to possess some intelligence. They stopped rushing forward blindly to their deaths, instead hiding in the back, raising their tails, locking their dark blue stingers onto Li Ao, and fiercely spraying streams of concentrated blue venomous fire!

This venomous fire was not merely high temperature; it contained a strange fire venom that was extremely stubborn and capable of eroding battle Qi and Soul. Dozens of streams of venomous fire shot forth from different angles, practically sealing off all of Li Ao's potential escape routes.

Facing this dense venomous fire attack, Li Ao showed no fear in his eyes; instead, a hint of eagerness appeared.

With a thought, the nirvana star core in his Qi Sea suddenly accelerated its rotation! A deeper gray-gold Qi current burst forth from his body, no longer confined to the blade, but spreading out from him like an invisible Domain!

The incoming blue venomous fire, the moment it entered the range of this gray-gold Domain, was like falling into a swamp; its speed drastically decreased. Furthermore, the violent fire venom energy contained within it was rapidly decomposed and annihilated by the Nirvana Power in the Domain! Before reaching three feet in front of Li Ao, its power was greatly reduced, ultimately dissipating into wisps of smoke.

The embryonic form of the Annihilation Domain!

This was an application Li Ao had initially attempted to construct after studying the ancient Incomplete Manual in the Ice Spirit Clan and combining it with his own understanding of Nirvana Power. Although it was far from reaching the terrifying degree of turning all things into nothingness like the *Gui Xu*, it already possessed the effect of weakening, eroding, and even annihilating specific energies within its range!

With the Domain initially formed, Li Ao's spirits soared. He let out a long laugh, holding the "silent ruin," and actively charged toward the dozens of Scorpion Kings!

Aided by the Annihilation Domain, the Scorpion Kings' venomous fire attacks posed almost no threat to him. And every time he swung his blade, it was like an invitation from the God of Death, easily slaying a Scorpion King.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the hissing sounds within the gorge gradually subsided.

Looking around, the ground was covered with shriveled, gray scorpion corpses, like remnants that had been scorched by fire and then weathered for ten thousand years. The tens of thousands of Crimson Flame Scorpions, including the dozens of Scorpion Kings, had actually been completely slaughtered by Li Ao, with just one man and one blade!

Li Ao sheathed his blade and slowly exhaled a mouthful of foul Qi. His aura had not weakened; instead, having absorbed a large amount of fire venom energy and refined it through the nirvana star core, it had become more condensed and profound. He could feel that the dark red flowing light inside the "silent ruin" blade had also grown slightly, and its integration with the Nirvana Power was tighter.

"It seems the fire venom of this southwestern region is not an obstacle for me, but rather excellent nourishment," Li Ao said, looking at the increasingly profound black blade in his hand and nodding in satisfaction.

Medusa walked up beside him, glanced at the scorpion corpses covering the ground, and said faintly, "Your methods have become increasingly ruthless."

Li Ao smiled. "When dealing with these things, should I still speak of mercy?"

The two did not linger and continued through the Crimson Flame Gorge. After this battle, Li Ao felt a greater sense of confidence regarding the Yan Clan territory he was about to face.

What they did not know was that in an extremely hidden rock crevice above the gorge, a shadow-like figure was watching the entire one-sided slaughter through a strange crystal. Looking at the bizarre black blade in Li Ao's hand and the heart-palpitating gray-gold Domain, the corner of the mouth beneath the shadow curved into a cold arc.

"Nirvana Power... It really is him. The information was correct; he is heading towards the Yan Clan... I must report this to the Venerable One quickly."

The shadow silently dissipated, as if it had never appeared.

Li Ao and Medusa's journey to the southwest was destined to be turbulent. The eyes of various powers were already following closely, like maggots attached to bone.