"Brother Chu Feng, why were you so disobedient just now?"
"If something had happened to you, what meaning would my life have?"
Although the demonic creature had granted Zi Ling permission to enter, she was far from happy. Instead, she glared at Chu Feng, furious.
"Silly girl, do I really look like someone who'd throw his life away without thinking?"
"Just now, I actually noticed certain clues. I realized that senior meant for me to go in at all costs — it would never harm me. That's why I made that request."
Chu Feng explained to Zi Ling.
"Really?"
Zi Ling was half-convinced, half-skeptical.
The part she didn't believe was that Chu Feng had no way to prove what he was claiming. But the part she did believe was that his powers of observation really were extraordinary. It might sound far-fetched, but many of the things Chu Feng had accomplished were truly hard to fathom.
"Of course it's real."
"Would I ever lie to you?"
Chu Feng smiled and gently stroked Zi Ling's hair in a soothing gesture.
That earnest look on his face dispelled most of Zi Ling's lingering doubts.
Even the others present believed him.
But only Chu Feng himself knew he had been talking nonsense — he'd said all of that purely to comfort Zi Ling. He had no real certainty at all that the demonic creature wouldn't kill him.
Chu Feng wasn't unafraid of death.
It was just that Zi Ling was currently trapped by the Blood-Colored Ancient Pagoda, her very life under threat. Their entry into the Soul Tomb of the Demonic King right now had been guided by the mysterious existence within that pagoda.
This was a rare opportunity. If he could seize it, Chu Feng felt that not only would Zi Ling's life be saved — she might even reap unexpected rewards.
And Chu Feng, as the man Zi Ling deeply loved, if he wouldn't step up to help her, who else could she rely on?
So naturally, he was willing to do whatever it took to win this chance for her.
Even if it meant putting himself in danger, he wouldn't hesitate for a second.
"This opportunity didn't come easily — don't waste it. You should all hurry inside before anything changes," Fairy Daohai urged at that moment.
Chu Feng and the others immediately set off.
But just as Chu Feng was about to step through the entrance to the underground palace, a silent voice transmission reached his ears.
"Chu Feng, be careful of Yun'er."
Hearing that covert transmission, Chu Feng's heart skipped a beat.
He recognized the sender — it was Song Xue'er.
But wasn't Song Xue'er the disciple of Grandma Yuan Shen, practically like a sister to Song Yun? Why would she suddenly warn him about this?
Could it be that the two sisters only appeared harmonious on the surface, but were actually at odds behind the scenes?
Or was Song Yun truly hiding some kind of danger?
Though he had heard the warning, Chu Feng showed no reaction. He simply headed straight for the underground palace entrance alongside Zi Ling and the others.
The dark flames continued to shroud the entrance, radiating an aura of absolute impregnability.
Yet Chu Feng and his companions passed through without incident.
The moment they crossed the threshold, however, all four of them immediately froze in their tracks.
Because what had appeared before them was not the corridor of an underground palace, nor some grand hall.
They had entered an entirely different world.
In this world, the earth was vivid crimson. Dark clouds blanketed the sky overhead, split apart by bolts of lightning and rumbling thunder.
But the most terrifying sight of all was the enormous volcano not far away.
The volcano was so massive it seemed to pierce the heavens — and it was very much alive, spewing rivers of molten lava at this very moment. Even from a considerable distance, Chu Feng and the others could feel the scorching heat beating against them.
Yet what the volcano erupted was not merely blazing magma — wisps of blue flame surged upward alongside it.
The aura those flames radiated was unmistakably soul power.
There was no doubt about it — that was where the soul of the Demonic King resided.
"Brother Chu Feng, let me scout the way for you all!"
Once she had determined the direction, Song Yun spoke with excitement, and without waiting she was already preparing to fly toward the volcano.
"Hold on — don't move yet."