Elliot kept his head lowered, darkness flashing in his eyes. He secretly used a message talisman to inform the Malevolent Path Hall, telling them that Jared had the Golden Dragon Bloodline and might be injured from fighting the Flame Dragon. He also gave them Jared’s current location.
When he looked up again, his smile was warm. “Mr. Chance, we owe you. Once we reach the Earthfire Pavilion, my father will see your heroism properly rewarded!”
Lindsay added, her voice bright as crackling tinder, “Yes! I’ll demand Father shower you with gifts!”
Jared answered with a calm nod. “I appreciate it, but first we move. The Flame Dragon may rethink its mercy at any moment.”
“Agreed,” Ferdinand said, forcing himself upright. “Let’s head back to Crimson Flame City!”
They moved once more, but the atmosphere was different. At first, Jared was looked down upon. Now, he had become the Earthfire Pavilion’s savior. Lindsay hovered at his side, never more than an arm’s length away. She tended to Jared’s needs, and her eyes showed affection.
Elliot was calm, but his murderous intent was intense. Vermilion Demon Lord was wary of him and reminded Jared to be watchful. Jared, meanwhile, breathed slowly to recover his body while planning his next step. He had revealed his Golden Dragon Bloodline; although only Elliot and Lindsay saw it, he did not trust Elliot. The Malevolent Path Hall was after him, so he needed to improve his strength as soon as possible. Moreover, he needed the Earthfire Pavilion’s help to locate the Jadeheart Marrow.
The convoy headed for the Flame Gorge exit. Far behind, deep within the lava lake, the Flame Dragon opened its eyes. Confusion filled its gaze, then changed to reverence. It rumbled low, the sound trembling stone. Beneath the growl hid a note of submission.
Elsewhere, outside the Flame Gorge, several dark-robed figures appeared. The man leading the group was Bennett from the Malevolent Path Hall. His red eyes traced the convoy’s dust with a crooked smile. “Golden Dragon Bloodline… What an unexpected treasure. Bonefiend, is the array ready?”
Bonefiend, wrapped head to toe in jagged white spikes, cackled. “No worries. I have set the Almighty Soul Devourer. When they reach the outside of Flame Gorge, they can’t escape.”
“Excellent,” Bennett replied. He licked his lips. “Spread the word. This time, I shall extract the Golden Dragon Bloodline myself. Such nourishment is too rare to waste.”
Danger was lurking for Jared’s group.
A hundred kilometers on, Jared and the others had reached the Dragonfall Ravine. The cliffs were riddled with honeycomb hollows said to have been drenched in dragon blood ages ago, the stain refusing to fade even after ten millennia. Only a single passage wound through the ravine, barely nine feet wide, twisting like a serpent and lit by grudging shards of sunlight. A faint odor of decay clung to the air, stark against the Blaze Region’s usual scent of flames and life.
“Move! We need to get past Dragonfall Ravine soon!” Ferdinand still looked pale, even though he had taken a pill. “The negative energy is dense here. We shouldn’t stay for long,” he ordered.
At the warning, the Earthfire Pavilion disciples lashed their Crimson Flame Steeds. Jared and Vermilion Demon Lord flew in the air, guarding the convoy. Since leaving the Flame Gorge, an uneasy tug had gnawed at Jared’s gut. The surroundings were eerily quiet. Dragonfall Ravine was infamous for its negative energy, yet even here, vicious beasts normally prowled. Aside from the sounds of the wheels rolling and footsteps, the rest was dead silence.
“Something’s not right… The negative energy is too dense. My demonic technique is reacting to it,” Vermilion Demon Lord said through telepathy.
Jared nodded. He activated the chaotic celestial energy to expand his senses. He could sense that the holes in the cliff walls were filled with a weak aura. The aura belonged to Demonic Cultivators, not vicious beasts.
“Ambush! Prepare to battle!” Jared informed everyone through telepathy.
The next instant, a creepy laugh echoed from all sides. “Hahaha! You’re quick! But too late!”
Then every hole within the cliff walls erupted in sickly green light, hundreds upon hundreds igniting at once. Each light was a pair of eyes. Hundreds of black-robed figures jumped out of the holes and filled the cliff walls. They wore the signature robes of Malevolent Path Hall, faces hidden behind demon masks, twisted weapons gleaming in their grasp.
Worse still, the instant they appeared, the ground, the cliffs, even the air pulsed with the same ghastly green runes igniting everywhere at once. The runes formed a colossal array covering the Dragonfall Ravine.
“Almighty Soul Devourer! Activate!” The creepy voice appeared again. The entrance and exit of the ravine were blocked with a ten-foot green barrier. Numerous malicious spirits crawled out of the runes and started screaming. The negative energy caused the temperature to drop vigorously.
