Chapter 5891
“Who is it?” The Crimson Cloud Demon Lord stood up warily.
“It’s me, Huo Ling’er.”
A clear female voice sounded from outside the door, tinged with weariness and worry.
The Crimson Cloud Demon Lord opened the door, and Huo Ling’er stood outside holding a jade plate.
On the plate were several exquisite jade bottles and a few crimson spiritual fruits.
Seeing Kai sit up, her eyes lit up with surprise: “Kai, you’re awake!” She
quickly entered the room, placed the jade plate on the table, and carefully examined Kai: “How are you feeling? Still in pain? I brought the best healing pills from the Earth Fire Pavilion, the ‘Nine Revolutions Crimson Flame Pill,’ and the ‘Earth Fire Spirit Fruit,’ which are very helpful for restoring your qi and blood.”
Kai looked at Huo Ling’er’s swollen eyes and slightly haggard face, and felt a warmth in his heart: “Thank you, Princess. Although my injuries are severe, I can still bear it.”
“Don’t call me ‘Princess,’ just call me Ling’er.”
Huo Ling’er pursed her lips. “Kai, this time… thank you. If it weren’t for you, none of us would have come back.”
“Lin Feng, Shi Meng… they’re all dead. And so many of my fellow disciples from the Earth Fire Pavilion… it’s all my fault, I insisted on going…”
Hearing Huo Ling’er’s words, Kai’s expression became dazed for a moment. He suddenly thought of Gu Ling’er.
Then, the figures of women flashed rapidly through his mind.
But they only disappeared in an instant, because Kai knew that now was not the time to think about matters of the heart.
“Princess, there’s no need to blame yourself,”
Kai said with a slight smile. “The Evil Path Hall planned this all along. Even if you hadn’t gone, they would have found another opportunity to strike. The most urgent thing is to find the traitor and avenge the dead.”
Huo Ling’er nodded emphatically, wiping away her tears. “Father is investigating with all his might. But… Senior Brother Yan Lie…”
She hesitated, clearly having suspicions about Yan Lie as well, but unwilling to believe it.
Kai glanced at her and changed the subject. “Princess, I have a favor to ask.”
“Tell me! I’ll do whatever I can!” Huo Ling’er said immediately.
“I need a completely secluded place where I can recover without being disturbed,”
Kai said slowly. “Although this place is safe, there are many people coming and going, which is not conducive to recovery. Moreover… I have some secret techniques that I cannot use in front of outsiders.”
Huo Ling’er was stunned for a moment, then understood.
Kai possessed the bloodline of the Golden Dragon and had many secrets; he indeed needed a secluded place.
She bit her lip, pondering for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up: “There’s a place! It’s the forbidden area of the Earth Fire Pavilion. No one except Father and a few core elders can enter. I can take you there!”
“The forbidden area?”
Crimson Cloud Demon Lord frowned. “Is this… appropriate? If the Pavilion Master finds out, he might blame the princess.”
“We can’t worry about that now!”
Huo Ling’er said firmly. “Kai saved our lives, and Father won’t say anything even if he knows. Besides, the forbidden area is deserted year-round and very secluded, perfect for recuperating.”
Kai and Crimson Cloud Demon Lord exchanged a glance and nodded: “Then we’ll trouble the princess.”
“There’s no time to lose, let’s go now.”
Huo Ling’er looked out the window. “It’s late at night, the guards are relatively lax. I’m familiar with the patrol routes of the forbidden area, I can avoid everyone.”
She took out a black cloak and handed it to Kai: “Wear this, it will conceal your presence.” The three quietly left the room and, led by Huo Ling’er, bypassed the layers of guards of the Earthfire Pavilion, heading deeper into the back mountain.
The back mountain of the Earthfire Pavilion was a crimson mountain range shrouded in restrictions.
The deeper they went, the higher the temperature became, and the air was filled with pure fire-attribute spiritual energy.
Occasionally, crimson crystals could be seen exposed on the mountainside, radiating a warm glow.
“The entrance to the forbidden area is just ahead,”
Huo Ling’er pointed to a seemingly ordinary mountain wall. “Multiple illusion arrays and defensive formations are set up here; only the core members of the Earthfire Pavilion know how to enter.”
She formed hand seals and chanted incantations, and crimson runes flew from her fingertips, merging into the mountain wall.
The mountain wall rippled like water, revealing a deep cave entrance.
Inside the cave was a downward stone staircase, with glowing crimson crystals embedded in the stone walls on both sides, barely illuminating the path ahead.
“Follow me,” Huo Ling’er said, stepping in first.
Kai and the Crimson Cloud Demon Lord followed closely behind.
Upon entering the cave, the mountain wall behind them closed again, isolating them from all outside sounds.
The cave was eerily quiet, with only the echoes of their footsteps.
The stone steps spiraled downwards, the temperature rising with each step. After about fifteen minutes, the view suddenly opened up.
It was a massive underground cave, about thirty zhang high and a hundred zhang in circumference.
In the center of the cave was a lava pool ten zhang in diameter, its crimson lava flowing slowly, radiating terrifying heat and pure fire elemental energy.
Around the lava pool grew rare fire-attribute spiritual herbs and medicines, some even reaching a thousand years old.
The cave walls were inlaid with densely packed crimson crystals, casting a fiery red glow throughout the entire cave.
“This is the forbidden area of the Earthfire Pavilion, the ‘Heart of Earthfire’,”
Huo Ling’er explained. “It is said that the ancestor of the Earthfire Pavilion comprehended the Great Dao of Fire here and founded the pavilion. The concentration of fire spiritual energy here is a hundred times that of the outside world, which is of great help to cultivating fire-attribute techniques.”
She paused, somewhat embarrassed, “However… the temperature here is too high, and ordinary cultivators cannot stay for long. Kai, your injuries have not yet healed, can you withstand it?”
Kai felt the rich fire spiritual energy in the air, and his chaotic immortal power circulated on its own, converting this spiritual energy into pure immortal power to nourish his damaged meridians.
“It’s alright, this place suits me very well.”
Kai nodded, “Thank you, Princess.”
“I told you to call me Ling’er.”
Huo Ling’er waved her hand, “Then you should stay here and recover from your injuries. I will send you pills and food regularly. As for Father… I will keep it from you for now, and we’ll talk about it after you recover.”
“I will remember the Princess’s great kindness.”
Kai solemnly clasped his hands in thanks.
Huo Ling’er blushed and whispered, “Then you should take good care of your injuries. I’ll go back now. I’ll come see you again tomorrow.”
After saying that, she turned and left, her figure disappearing at the end of the stone steps.