“Who is it?” the Vermilion Demon Lord asked wearily.
“It’s me, Lindsay…” Her voice rang clearly through the door, but beneath the brightness lay exhaustion and a fragile thread of worry.
Vermilion swung the door open. Lindsay stepped inside, a tray cradled in her hands. On it rested several ornate emerald vials and a cluster of scarlet spirit fruits.
The moment her gaze landed on Jared sitting upright, relief bloomed across her tired face. “You’re awake!”
She hurried over and set the tray on the low table. “How do you feel? Does the pain still bite? I brought our best Crimson Flame Pills and these Earthfire Spirit Fruits. They’ll help restore your strength.”
Jared noticed the redness around her swollen eyes and the pallor beneath them. Warmth stirred in his chest. “Thank you, Your Highness. The wounds are heavy, but still bearable.”
“No more titles,” she murmured softly. “Just call me Lindsay.”
She drew a shaky breath, her shoulders trembling. “Jared… thank you. Truly. If not for you, none of us would have returned. Lyndon, Ethan, and so many of our people from Earthfire Pavilion fell. It was my foolish insistence on going with you.”
Her words stirred memories of Lizbeth.
Faces of countless women flickered through his mind like sparks over embers, then vanished just as quickly. This was no time for sentiment.
Jared offered a faint smile. “You don’t need to blame yourself, Your Highness. The Malevolent Path Hall planned this long ago. Even if you had stayed behind, they would have struck elsewhere. What matters now is finding the traitor—and avenging the fallen.”
Lindsay nodded firmly, brushing away a tear. “Father is investigating with everything he has. But… about Elliot…”
Her words trailed off. Doubt clouded her eyes, yet disbelief sealed her lips.
Jared met her gaze, then gently steered the conversation away. “Your Highness, I have a favor to ask.”
“Name it. If it’s within my power, I’ll do it,” Lindsay replied immediately.
“I need a place completely secluded, where no one will disturb me while I recover. This chamber is safe, but people still pass through. Some of my recovery methods are best kept hidden,” Jared explained.
Lindsay blinked, then understanding lit her face.
Jared possessed the Golden Dragon Bloodline and other secret techniques. She bit her lip in thought—then her eyes brightened. “I know a place! The forbidden ground. Aside from Father and a few elders, no one is allowed to enter. I can take you there.”
“A forbidden ground?” the Vermilion Demon Lord echoed.
“Is that really okay?” he asked. “If Master Ignatius finds out, you could get into trouble.”
“I don’t care,” Lindsay snapped.
“Jared pulled us back from the brink of death. Even Father would honor that debt. The forbidden ground remains empty year-round. It’s perfect for healing without interference.”
Jared exchanged a glance with Vermilion and nodded. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Then let’s go now. It’s midnight—there are fewer guards. I know the route and can avoid them,” Lindsay said.
She pulled a black cloak from her satchel and pressed it into Jared’s hands. “Wear this. It can conceal your aura.”
Lindsay led Jared and the Vermilion Demon Lord out of the chamber, slipping past patrols and heading into the deep mountains.
Behind Earthfire Pavilion stretched a crimson mountain range protected by a powerful restriction spell.
The deeper they went, the hotter the air became, saturated with dense fire-type spiritual energy.
Occasionally, red crystals embedded in the rock emitted a gentle, warm glow.
“That’s the entrance to the forbidden ground,” Lindsay said, pointing to a stone wall. “Numerous illusion and defensive arrays protect this place. Only core members of Earthfire Pavilion know how to enter.”
She formed hand seals and chanted softly. Crimson runes flowed from her fingers and sank into the wall. The stone rippled and parted, revealing a cave.
Inside, a spiraling staircase descended, its walls embedded with faintly glowing rubicund crystals that illuminated the path.
“Follow me,” Lindsay said as she stepped down first.
Jared and Vermilion followed.
Once inside, the wall sealed behind them, cutting off all outside sound.
The cave was deathly quiet, broken only by their footsteps. The deeper they descended, the more intense the heat became.
After fifteen minutes, they emerged into a massive underground cavern.
It rose nearly thirty feet high and stretched over a hundred feet wide.
At its center lay a pool of molten lava, flowing slowly and releasing scorching heat and pure fire-type spiritual energy.
Rare fire-aligned spiritual plants and medicinal herbs flourished around the lava—some over a thousand years old.
Crimson crystals were embedded throughout the cavern walls, bathing the entire space in a red glow.
“This is the forbidden ground—Earth Fire Core,” Lindsay explained. “My ancestors cultivated fire techniques here when founding Earthfire Pavilion. The fire-type spiritual energy here is a hundred times denser than anywhere else.”
“It’s ideal for cultivating fire techniques,” she continued. “But the temperature is extreme. Ordinary cultivators can’t endure it. Jared, you’re still injured—can you handle this?”
Jared felt the dense fire energy surge around him. His chaotic celestial energy instinctively absorbed it, converting it into nourishment that repaired his meridians.
“It suits me perfectly. Thank you,” he replied.
“I told you—just call me Lindsay,” she said with a small wave. “Stay here and recover. I’ll bring pills and food regularly. For now, I won’t tell Father. We’ll decide what to do once you’re healed.”
“Your kindness will not be forgotten,” Jared said, bowing deeply. A soft blush crept across Lindsay’s cheeks.
“Rest well. I’ll check on you tomorrow,” she said shyly, then turned and ascended the stone staircase.
