Flamebone Mountain was entirely wreathed in roaring fire.
Two figures shot across the sky at tremendous speed before halting mid-air in front of Flamebone Mountain—none other than Lin Lei and Bei Bei.
"Crunch!" Bei Bei bit hard into a fruit, then glanced up toward the summit. "Boss, last time we came here, those guards turned us away. That was because neither of us was a Sovereign Lord or Prefecture Lord, and that was only two or three months ago. Now you're the Nine Abyss Sovereign Lord—I wonder what expression those guards will make."
As he spoke, he casually tossed the fruit pit aside.
"Let's go." Lin Lei rose into the sky with a faint smile, and Bei Bei hurried to follow.
The ancient, entirely black castle perched on the mountaintop was likewise surrounded by flames, yet numerous soldiers in black armor still patrolled its grounds. At the main entrance in particular, more than a dozen stood in two rows. When they spotted Lin Lei and Bei Bei approaching, one of the black-armored guards stepped forward slightly. "Hmm? It's them?"
This guard was none other than the one who had received Lin Lei and Bei Bei the last time.
Only a few months had passed, and the guards here rotated only infrequently.
"Hey, what are you two doing here again?" The black-armored guard furrowed his brow. "Last time I already told you both. Only when a Nine Abyss Sovereign Lord or a Prefecture Lord comes will we open the spatial gate for them."
Lin Lei and Bei Bei touched down.
"Boss, it seems these guards still don't know who you are," Bei Bei said, puzzled. "I thought your information would reach Flamebone Mountain within a day. Why don't these guards know? We flew here from the Crimson Rock Territory—it took us several days. Your news should have arrived long ago."
Lin Lei glanced at the group of guards and said lightly, "My news has probably only just reached the higher-ups at Flamebone Mountain. These ordinary guards haven't been informed yet." He had no intention of wasting words with them and strode directly toward the entrance. Lin Lei's sudden advance naturally startled the guards.
"Halt." All dozen-plus guards fixed their eyes on Lin Lei.
"Gentlemen, this is no ordinary place. You cannot trespass. We can't stop you, but I trust you wouldn't dare offend a Chief God." The lead black-armored guard, his blue eyes locked on Lin Lei and Bei Bei, spoke carefully. Last time they had already learned how powerful Lin Lei and Bei Bei were and did not dare act rashly.
"I am the new Lord of the Crimson Rock Territory," Lin Lei said flatly.
"Huh?"
The dozen black-armored guards froze.
"You must be joking." The lead guard stared at Lin Lei, disbelieving, and forced a laugh. "It's only been a few months."
From the hundred-battle victory in the Blood Arena to challenging and defeating the Nine Abyss Sovereign Lord—it had all happened in just a few months. The speed was simply too absurd. The black-armored guards could hardly believe it.
"Cut the chatter," Bei Bei snapped impatiently. "My boss told you, so it's true! Go find your superiors—they'll definitely have the information about the new Crimson Rock Lord, 'Lin Lei.'"
"Huh?"
The black-armored guards exchanged glances, then carefully studied the expressions of Lin Lei and Bei Bei.
"Captain, they seem to be telling the truth," the guards whispered to each other via soul transmission.
"But it's only been a few months. That's unbelievable."
Though the guards found it hard to accept, the lead guard said, "All right. I'll go verify it now. Please wait out here." With that, he shot into the depths of the castle. Lin Lei and Bei Bei stood quietly outside, waiting.
The remaining black-armored guards stared at Lin Lei and Bei Bei in astonishment.
They clearly still found it hard to believe.
A good while later—
"Crimson Rock Lord! Crimson Rock Lord!" A deep, resonant voice rang out. Lin Lei and Bei Bei turned to look and saw a muscular man in青-green armor taller than Lin Lei himself striding toward them. The black-armored guard behind him gazed at Lin Lei with wide, incredulous eyes. The green-armored warrior's gaze fell directly on Lin Lei, and his eyes lit up at once.
"Crimson Rock Lord, we only just received the news and hadn't gotten around to relaying it down the chain. Who would have thought you'd arrive so soon!" The green-armored giant laughed heartily. "Ah, let me introduce myself—I am Jilas!"
"Lin Lei." Lin Lei returned the greeting with a smile.
Hearing Lin Lei state his name, the green-armored warrior nodded with a grin. "Although we did receive your information and spotted the young man beside you—so we were already nine-tenths certain. Still, Lord, I must ask you to provide a brief proof. Perhaps you could Dragonize, or display that divine sword that vanishes without a trace."
Lin Lei simply extended his right hand.
Mystic-gold dragon scales instantly spread across it.
"That's sufficient." The green-armored warrior smiled. "Forgive us—we truly did need to be cautious. Please, allow me to lead the way. Lord, after you."
Lin Lei and Bei Bei followed the green-armored giant inside.
Bei Bei glanced back at the black-armored guards and deliberately let out a smug huff.
"So he really is a Nine Abyss Sovereign Lord!" The lead guard rubbed his large nose, shaking his head in disbelief. "How long has it been? Last time I turned them away, and in the blink of an eye he's a Nine Abyss Sovereign Lord."
"This Lord Lin Lei has a fairly even temper. If it were the Flamebone Lord or someone like that, Captain—if you'd been that disrespectful, he probably would have killed you in a rage," another black-armored guard teased. Of course… this castle was under the jurisdiction of a Chief God, but its day-to-day management was handled by a Chief God's Emissary. The Emissary had stationed some guards here. If a Nine Abyss Sovereign Lord killed a minor guard, would the Chief God's Emissary really be willing to start a conflict over that?
"Thinking back, it does send a chill down my spine. But it still feels like a dream." The guard couldn't help looking in the direction Lin Lei and Bei Bei had gone, shaking his head in endless wonder.
Under the guidance of the green-armored giant "Jilas," Lin Lei and Bei Bei proceeded along a broad corridor that gradually descended underground. Although it sloped downward, the passage was wide enough for ten people to walk abreast, and its height was nearly ten meters.