Transmigrating Into a Fantasy World: Signing in During Pregnancy, Reaching the Summit with My Childhood Sweetheart

118: Chapter 118: The Fiery Hell and the First Appearance of MarsThe deeper one went into the Molten Path, the more terrifying the sights became. The rock walls on both sides were no longer dark red but displayed a bright orange hue that was nearly molten. Viscous lava slid down like drool, converging into scorching streams below. The sulfurous toxic aura permeating the air was so thick it had almost solidified. Even with the protection of the Ice Heart Jade Pendant, one had to constantly circulate their power to barely resist that all-pervasive erosion.

Li Mubai and his two companions found it even more difficult. Their cultivation was not as high as Nangong Xuan and the other’s. Although they had fire-avoidance talismans bestowed by their Sect, they still needed Nangong Xuan to occasionally use his Nirvana Dao Rhyme to help clear the overly thick fire poison ahead before they could continue. Zhou Chen and Zhao Jing’s faces were pale, clearly exhausted.

”Ahead is the ’Coiling Fire Snakes’ area. The earth fire is active there, and monsters condensed from Fire Fiend Qi often appear. We must be extra careful.” Li Mubai pointed to an even narrower and more dangerous stretch ahead where pillars of fire erupted continuously, his voice heavy with gravity.

Before his voice had even faded, several hideous fire snakes, entirely composed of crimson flames and with single horns on their heads, lunged out from the erupting fire pillars! They carried a scorching, fishy wind as they pounced toward the group. These fire snakes were not living creatures but Essence Spirits formed from the dense Fire Fiend Qi and the resentful energy of the earth veins in this place. They were fearless of death and could ignore physical attacks to a certain extent.

”Form the formation!” Li Mubai barked. He, Zhou Chen, and Zhao Jing immediately stood back-to-back. Their sword light flowed, forming a simple Three Talents Sword Formation. The intersecting sword light wove into a net, shredding the lunging fire snakes. However, the fire snakes were shattered but not destroyed; they reconsolidated upon hitting the ground, appearing endless.

Seeing this, the Starlight at Su Muxue’s brow flashed, and her Taiyin Star Power transformed into a sky full of ice crystals and snowflakes that swept forth. The extreme cold power clashed violently with the extreme heat of the Fire Fiend Qi, producing a ”hissing” sound as a large number of fire snakes were instantly frozen and annihilated. However, the Fire Fiend Qi here was simply too potent, and her Taiyin Star Power was being consumed rapidly.

Nangong Xuan did not act directly. He closed his eyes slightly, but his Divine Sense spread out with unprecedented intensity. He wasn’t targeting the fire snakes but was instead perceiving the veins of the earth fire’s flow in this area and the Cores where those Fire Fiend Qi Essence Spirits formed. After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes and pointed his fingers like a sword. A strand of extremely condensed gray-black Nirvana Dao Rhyme shot out silently. It wasn’t aimed at any fire snake but toward a seemingly normal lava pool to the front-side that was continuously bubbling!

Pfft!

With a faint muffled sound, that lava pool suddenly stalled, as if its Core had been instantly ”extinguished” by Nirvana. Immediately afterward, the surrounding fire snakes, which had been pouncing frantically, all shuddered. Their movements became sluggish and blurred, and then, as if they had lost their support, they scattered one after another, turning into pure Fire Fiend Qi energy and merging back into the environment.

”This...” Li Mubai and the other two watched, dumbfounded. The fire snake Essence Spirits they had been struggling against were completely resolved by Nangong Xuan’s seemingly casual finger strike?

”The Fire Fiend Qi Essence Spirits here are formed from the stagnant energy of the earth veins. Simply find their nodes and sever their source,” Nangong Xuan explained indifferently. Relying on his Nirvana Dao Rhyme’s keen Perception of energy Origins, he had found the ”Core” where the Fire Fiend Qi in this area temporarily condensed and destroyed it in one go.

Upon hearing this, the trio’s gaze toward Nangong Xuan became even more filled with a mix of awe and respect. This Senior’s methods were truly unfathomable.

After passing through the fire snake area, the terrain suddenly dipped, and a massive, boiling lava lake appeared before them. In the center of the lake was a solitary island that continuously erupted with crimson flames and thick smoke. That was the Core of the Blazing Sun Valley and the location of the ”Eye of Mars”—the Earth Fire Eye.

The only path to the solitary island consisted of several black stone pillars flickering in and out of sight within the lava. The surfaces of the stone pillars were roasted red, the gaps between them were enormous, and waves of lava crashed against them from time to time, making it extremely dangerous.

At this moment, on several stone pillars near the lakeshore and at the edge of the solitary island in the lake’s center, figures could actually be seen moving!

At the edge of the island in the lake’s center, seven or eight Red Ghost Sect Cultivators were crowding around an old man dressed in a dark red robe with a withered face and exceptionally deep eyes. The old man’s Aura was gloomy and powerful; he was actually an evil Cultivator at the False Core Realm! He held a White Bone Banner in his hand, with black energy swirling around its surface and countless pained faces struggling and wailing within it. He was continuously extracting the hot and violent energy rising from the Earth Fire Eye, seemingly brewing something.

Meanwhile, on a stone pillar near the lakeshore, two Cultivators who were not dressed in Red Ghost Sect attire were struggling to hold their ground back-to-back. They were surrounded by a tortoise-shell-shaped Magic Treasure that emitted a brownish-yellow glow, barely resisting the siege of several Red Ghost Sect Cultivators and the occasional waves of fire from the lava below. Both of them were at the Foundation Establishment Perfection stage, but they were clearly at the end of their ropes, as the spiritual light on the tortoise shell Magic Treasure was extremely dim.

”It’s Senior Brother Liu and Senior Sister Zhao from the Vast Sea Pavilion!” Li Mubai exclaimed softly, recognizing the two people under siege. ”They are actually here as well!”

Nangong Xuan’s gaze swept across the scene, and he instantly understood the situation. The main force of the Red Ghost Sect, led by that False Core evil Cultivator, was performing some kind of ritual at the center of the island, while a portion of their manpower was sent to clear out external competitors. The two from the Vast Sea Pavilion had clearly come for the treasure in the Earth Fire Eye but were blocked here.

”Senior, we...” Li Mubai looked at Nangong Xuan, his meaning obvious: he wanted to save them.

Nangong Xuan nodded slightly. The Red Ghost Sect was a common enemy, and having an extra bit of strength would provide more support when entering the Earth Fire Eye.

”Mu Xue, protect them. I’ll be right back.” Before Nangong Xuan’s voice had even finished, his figure had already darted out like a wisp of faint smoke. His toes tapped lightly on the surface of the scalding lava, yet he moved as if on level ground, crossing dozens of yards in an instant and silently appearing behind the Red Ghost Sect Cultivators besieging the Vast Sea Pavilion Disciples.

Those Red Ghost Sect Cultivators were attacking with gusto, seeing that they were about to break through the tortoise shell defense. Suddenly, they felt a heart-palpitatingly cold and deathly still intent coming from behind. Before they could even turn around, several subtle but lethal strands of gray-black Dao Rhyme accurately sank into the centers of their backs.

Their bodies suddenly stiffened, and the expressions of wild joy on their faces instantly froze, turning into extreme terror and disbelief. Then, their eyes grew dim, and the spiritual energy throughout their bodies leaked away rapidly like a punctured balloon. Without making a sound, they tumbled into the lava lake below, instantly turning into blue smoke.

This sudden turn of events stunned both the two from the Vast Sea Pavilion, who were struggling on the stone pillar, and Li Mubai’s group in the distance.

Nangong Xuan’s figure landed on the stone pillar, and he looked at the two shaken people. ”Can you still fight?”

The Cultivator surnamed Liu suddenly snapped back to his senses. Although he didn’t know if the newcomer was friend or foe, seeing him instantly kill several Red Ghost Sect Cultivators made it clear he was an ally. He quickly put away the tortoise shell Magic Treasure and cupped his hands. ”Thank you for your assistance, Fellow Daoist! We can still fight!”

At this time, Su Muxue also led Li Mubai and the other two across the lake’s surface to join them. The Cloud Heaven Sword Sect and the Vast Sea Pavilion had no grievances and even shared some friendship, so the two groups immediately joined forces.

The Red Ghost Sect members on the island also noticed the changes here. The False Core old man suddenly opened his eyes, his deep gaze sweeping over like a venomous snake as he snorted coldly, ”Useless!” However, he seemed to be at a critical moment and could not move away. He barked at a subordinate at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment beside him, ”Scarlet Specter, take some men, kill them, and take back the Earth Core Jade Marrow!”

The burly Cultivator named Scarlet Specter gave a sinister laugh. With a wave of his hand, he led the remaining five Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators from the island, aggressively lunging across the stone pillars. These five were clearly a level stronger than the previous small fry, especially Scarlet Specter, whose Aura was fierce. He held a crimson blood battle axe the size of a door, exuding a menacing Evil Qi.

”Form the formation to meet the enemy!” Li Mubai and Senior Brother Liu of the Vast Sea Pavilion shouted simultaneously. The seven Foundation Establishment Cultivators immediately formed a simple combined defensive formation. Sword lights and Magic Treasures lit up as they stood ready. They knew that the real hard battle had begun.

Nangong Xuan, however, did not look at the approaching Scarlet Specter and the others. His gaze went past them, staring intently at the actions of the False Core old man on the island and the Earth Fire Eye behind him, which was continuously erupting and gradually changing from crimson to dark gold.

He felt that deep within the Earth Fire Eye, an incomparably violent and scorching power, as if it could incinerate the stars, was accelerating its awakening! The ”mars” star key that Lin Mo’s star Core had sensed was about to appear!

At the same time, he also noticed that the ritual the False Core old man was performing didn’t seem to be merely waiting but was instead... guiding, or even attempting to forcibly catalyze the formation of that star key and take control of it!

He had to stop him!

”Mu Xue, Fellow Daoist Liu, Martial Nephew Li, I’ll leave these people to you. I’m going to interrupt that old monster’s ritual!” Nangong Xuan spoke extremely fast, leaving no room for doubt.

Su Muxue immediately understood his intention and nodded heavily. ”careful!”

Although Liu, Li, and the others felt it was too risky for Nangong Xuan to charge alone into a position guarded by a False Core Cultivator, they had witnessed his supernatural methods and could only choose to believe. ”Be careful, Senior!”

Nangong Xuan’s figure moved again. This time, he no longer concealed his Aura. Surrounded by Nirvana Dao Rhyme, he was like a bolt of gray lightning cutting through the scorching space. He actually ignored the approaching Scarlet Specter and the others, charging toward the island in an almost overbearing, straight line!

”Stop him!” Scarlet Specter roared, his crimson blood battle axe swinging a massive blood-colored axe light that carried a shrill soul-wail as it slashed toward Nangong Xuan. The other five Red Ghost Sect Cultivators also unleashed their strongest demonic arts: blood-colored ghost hands, toxic fire black evil, resentful soul impacts... all blasting toward Nangong Xuan from all directions.

Facing such a combined attack, Nangong Xuan actually neither dodged nor avoided!

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he barked, ”Nirvana Domain, open!”

Buzz!

An invisible yet vast force field suddenly expanded with him as the center! It was not a protective shield formed by spiritual energy but a pure ”Dao” Domain that transcended the energy level! Within this Domain, the intent of all things returning to nothingness permeated everything.

The blood-colored axe light slashed into the Domain, its speed decreasing sharply. The blood-evil Soul Power attached to it melted and disintegrated rapidly like snow under a blazing sun. By the time it reached Nangong Xuan, only a faint breeze remained.

The demonic art attacks were the same; as soon as they entered the Nirvana Domain, they seemed to lose their Foundation and collapsed and annihilated themselves one after another, failing to even touch the corner of Nangong Xuan’s clothes!

”What?!” Scarlet Specter and the others’ eyes nearly popped out of their heads; this was completely beyond their comprehension!

In the instant they were dazed, Nangong Xuan had already passed through their midst like a ghost. Without slowing down at all, he lunged straight for the False Core old man at the center of the island!

”Bastard!” Scarlet Specter was both shocked and enraged. He wanted to turn back and give chase, but he was pinned down by the Taiyin ice crystals Su Muxue had activated and the sword formation of Li Mubai and the others.

On the island, the False Core old man finally changed his expression. He hadn’t expected the opponent to have such bizarre methods, being able to ignore the siege of several Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators and charge straight at him. Seeing Nangong Xuan arrive in an instant, a flash of ruthlessness and heartache crossed his eyes. He suddenly bit the tip of his tongue and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the White Bone Banner in his hand.

”Ten Thousand Souls Protecting the Master!”

The White Bone Banner flared with intense black light. The countless pained faces on the banner shrieked as they rushed out, transforming into a massive, hideous black ghost head. It opened its large mouth, carrying a sinister power that could devour Divine Souls, and lunged at Nangong Xuan head-on!

This was a full-strength blow from a False Core Cultivator using his life-bound Demonic Weapon, its power far exceeding the previous attacks!

Nangong Xuan’s pupils constricted slightly. Feeling the terrifying soul-evil power contained within that ghost head, he knew that the Nirvana Domain alone could not completely neutralize it. He took a deep breath, and the Aura he had been restraining erupted completely. It was not a fluctuation of spiritual energy but a pure and majestic Soul Power mixed with Nirvana Dao Rhyme!

He pointed his fingers like a sword, the gray-black light at his fingertips condensing to the extreme, as if he were holding a small piece of the nirvanic abyss. He pointed a finger at the massive ghost head that was devouring toward him!

”Nirvana... Finger!”

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a heart-palpitating, bizarre sound as if a concept were being erased.

At the point where the fingertip touched the ghost head, space seemed to collapse slightly. The hideous, roaring ghost head was like a painting thrown into the void; starting from the point of contact, it silently and rapidly annihilated and disappeared! Along with it, the countless resentful souls and pure soul-evil within were completely turned into nothingness by that bit of Nirvana True Intent!

Pfft—! His life-bound Demonic Weapon was damaged, and the False Core old man felt as if he had been struck heavily. He spat out a large mouthful of black blood, his body staggering backward. His gaze toward Nangong Xuan was filled with shock and disbelief: ”You... what kind of power is this?!”

Having destroyed the ghost head, Nangong Xuan did not stop at all. He instantly closed in on the old man and pointed another finger toward his brow, intending to completely subdue him.

However, just at this moment—

Rumble!!!

The entire lava lake shook violently! The Earth Fire Eye at the lake’s center erupted like an explosion, shooting out a terrifying pillar of fire nearly pure gold in color and over ten yards in diameter! Within the pillar of fire, a rhomboid crystal about the size of a baby’s fist, entirely reddish-gold with liquid fire seemingly flowing on its surface and emitting endless light, heat, and violent star power, slowly emerged!

The mars key has appeared!

Incomparably terrifying heat and violent power swept out like a tsunami. The temperature of the entire space instantly soared to a frightening level, and the rocks by the lake actually began to melt! Everyone felt as if their own spiritual energy were about to ignite, and even their Divine Souls were scorched with pain!

Seeing this, the False Core old man was not alarmed but overjoyed. He laughed wildly, ”Hahaha! It worked! It finally worked!” He completely ignored Nangong Xuan’s finger pointing at his brow and violently stabbed the damaged White Bone Banner into the ground. His hands frantically performed hand seals, and he spat out a large amount of essence blood, roaring hoarsely, ”With blood as the guide, with souls as the sacrifice, Star of mars, hear my command!”

A massive blood-colored rune lit up on the ground, attempting to envelop the newly appeared mars key!

Nangong Xuan’s finger strike was eventually a split second too slow, hitting the protective blood light the old man had hastily propped up. The blood light fluctuated violently, and the old man was once again sent flying while spitting blood, yet he had successfully completed the technique!

The blood-colored rune entwined around the mars key. The star key shuddered violently, and the light it emitted was suddenly tinged with a bizarre blood-stained color. Its violent will seemed to be forcibly guided, locking onto all living beings on the field whose Aura did not belong to the Red Ghost Sect’s Cultivation Techniques—and the first among them was Nangong Xuan!

Boom!

A gold-red pillar of light, composed entirely of destructive star fire, erupted from the contaminated star key like a heavenly punishment, blasting straight toward Nangong Xuan!

At this moment, Nangong Xuan faced an unprecedented crisis! Before him was the destructive strike of the star key triggered by the evil technique, and to his side and rear was the False Core old monster, who had barely steadied himself and was preparing a sneak attack with a venomous gaze!