The magma lake resembled a golden, glassy bead, set in the center of the dark red rocky expanse, dazzling and resplendent.
Orange and golden magma slowly flowed and churned within the lake, with massive bubbles rising and bursting intermittently.
Scorching waves of heat radiated from the magma lake, spreading outward in waves, only to be stopped by the mountain walls, causing the waves to surge skyward.
Ning Zhuo and Ning Yong stood atop the mountain wall, their bodies shaken by the forceful upward blasts of hot air.
Although Ning Zhuo had already activated his spiritual power to shield his nose and mouth, the heat still curled the tips of his hair.
Ning Zhanji glanced at the few disheveled newcomers, then calmly ordered, "Give each of them a set of battle robes."
His subordinates immediately tossed spare robes to the two.
Ning Zhuo took one and examined it, finding that the complete set included a helmet, jacket, pants, outer robe, outer armor, and boots.
Each piece was inscribed with various talismans, primarily frost talismans.
"Magic robe," Ning Zhuo realized.
Magic robes differ from artifacts; with frequent use, they wear out on their own, making them consumables.
The advantage of a magic robe lies in its cost.
After inscribing talismans onto some basic materials, they become magic robes, greatly increasing their value.
Previously, Ning Zhuo had designed a small wooden hammer as a magic robe in his basement, which allowed him to handle greasy clay easily.
These robes were standard gear for the Ning family's cultivator squad, likely developed specifically as part of their preparations to conquer the Lava Immortal Palace.
Once Ning Zhuo and the others donned the full set of robes, they immediately felt the temperature return to normal, with the oppressive heat and sulfurous odor disappearing entirely.
Several suspension platforms hung from the mountain wall, each guarded by city guard members.
Their dual purpose was to provide protection and to collect fees.
Leading the group, Ning Zhanji selected a suspension platform and formally stepped down from the mountain peak to the crater basin.
Ning Yong stomped his foot excitedly, eagerly looking around, his curiosity unrestrained.
A mixture of excitement and caution appeared on Ning Zhuo's face as well.
Ning Zhanji's target was the magma lake at the center.
The group of over fifty cultivators moving together immediately attracted attention.
They were not the only ones in the crater basin.
Many other groups and solitary cultivators were scattered throughout the area.
Occasionally, cultivators descended from the top of the mountain wall.
Some used the official suspension platforms, while others improvised with ropes to rappel down from the mountaintop.
However, the relentless blasts of hot air made the descent arduous for everyone.
Those rappelling on their own saved the fee for using the suspension platforms.
The city guards observed these independent cultivators descending but did not intervene, their gazes indifferent as if they saw nothing.
Ning Zhuo gradually drew closer to the magma lake.
As he neared, he noticed signs of life within the magma lake.
A massive magma bubble burst, and a red-furred mouse took advantage of the hot updraft, soaring into the sky and diving into the white smoke above to hunt.
If it succeeded, the red-furred mouse could be seen clutching a mist cloud sparrow, plummeting to the ground below.
The constant waves of hot air slowed the descent, allowing the red-furred mouse to land on the rocky ground with ease, unscathed.
Some cultivators waited specifically for these red-furred mice to finish their hunt and land.
The moment they landed, the cultivators would act, using specially crafted tools to capture them.
Ning Zhuo’s heart stirred.
"Fire Velvet Mouse, known for its high resistance to fire, capable of swimming in magma."
"It feeds on birds."
"The most valuable part of a fire velvet mouse is its fur. Collecting hundreds of pelts and crafting them together can create a fire-resistant robe of exceptional quality."
At this moment, Ning Zhanji halted.
In front of him was one of the many entrances to a cave, which looked no different from the others around it.
But he was certain and commanded in a low voice, "This is the one. Prepare to enter."
The cultivators braced themselves to obey.
First, one cultivator performed hand signs and pushed his palms forward, releasing a misty white frost.
The frost filled the cave entrance, covering its edge in a layer of frost.
The chilling air poured down into the cave, triggering a response that produced a rumbling sound.
The noise grew louder and louder until suddenly, large amounts of mud spewed out from the cave.
The mud shot into the sky, igniting with flames and exploding like fireworks.
Ning Zhuo saw that the burning mud was, in fact, greasy clay.
When the mud finished spraying, Ning Zhanji leapt into the cave first.
The other cultivators followed in a single file.
Ning Chen, Ning Yong, and Ning Zhuo, along with the other newcomers, were each guided by veteran members as they jumped into the cave entrance.
Upon entering, Ning Zhuo shivered from the surrounding chill.
As they descended, the tunnel’s temperature quickly rose.
In the latter half, the heat became intense. While sliding down, Ning Zhuo keenly observed the changing walls of the tunnel.
At first, the tunnel walls were coated in frost. By the latter half, the frost had completely melted away.
When he finally landed, with both feet firmly on the ground, Ning Zhuo looked up and realized he had entered an underground world filled with flames and rock.
The rocky ground beneath his feet felt slightly soft, while the walls around him were semi-transparent and orange, emanating powerful waves of heat.
Curious, Ning Yong reached out to touch the rock wall.
In an instant, the runes on his glove melted by a third, startling him enough to jerk his hand back.
Thankfully, a Ning family cultivator acted quickly, producing a jade bottle that released a fine mist.
The mist formed blue and white ribbons floating in the air, circling around the group to shield them from the pervasive heat.
After positioning the newcomers in the center of the formation, Ning Zhanji led the Ning family cultivators forward.
Once the initial novelty faded, the sight of the Demon Lava Cave became monotonous.
Ning Yong muttered repeatedly, wondering when they would encounter any demon beasts.
The wary expression on Ning Chen's face gradually relaxed.
Ning Zhuo, however, marveled at the unusually high density of spiritual energy here, the likes of which he had never seen before.
"No wonder many powerful cultivators isolate themselves in perilous places like this."
"Unfortunately, my spiritual power is frost-aligned, while the spiritual energy here is strongly fire-aligned and tainted with fire toxins, making it unsuitable for me."
The underground passage varied in width, sometimes spacious, sometimes narrow, always sloping downward.
There was more than one passage; Ning Zhuo frequently encountered side passages. But the Ning family cultivators were clearly familiar with the route, choosing each entrance without hesitation.
"fire crystal grass, rooted in stone, its leaves are as transparent as gems, constantly absorbing geothermal heat and emitting firelight."
"Flame shadow flower, absorbs magma and toxic miasma. Its stems are purple-black, its leaves thin as cicada wings, with a shadow that sways like fire."
"Vital ginseng, absorbs ground power, undergoing transformation every hundred and thirty years. Its roots are thin and possess an innate ability to burrow through the earth."
Along the way, Ning Zhuo encountered several types of spiritual plants.
As they passed, some Ning family cultivators would split off to harvest them.
Ning Zhanji cast an almost imperceptible glance at Ning Zhuo, then gestured for all the newcomers to gather, posing a question to them all: "Do you know why we harvest these spiritual plants?"