“Where’s the Hellfire Lotus? Are there any nearby?”
Xia Duo scanned the area rapidly, searching for her target through the billowing smoke. Soon, she spotted several glowing plants on a rock wall a few hundred meters away.
Following her lead, Starlight and the others quickly spotted their objective and hurried toward it.
At the edge of the lava, several lotus-like plants swayed in the scorching wind, possessing a suffocating beauty.
Amidst the firelight, the flowers displayed a gradient of colors like burning flames, transitioning from a dark red at the base of the petals to a nearly pale golden-white at the edges.
Most surprisingly, upon closer inspection, the petals of the Hellfire Lotus were translucent like crystal. Tiny flames seemed to dance within the crystalline petals, refracting brilliant light against the backdrop of the molten rock.
Several mature Hellfire Lotuses were currently in full bloom, but they were rooted less than three meters above the steadily rising lava lake. The churning magma occasionally sent up dangerous sparks, scorching honeycomb-like holes into the nearby rock walls.
“It looks like we still have time. I’ll go down, and we’ll leave as soon as I’ve gathered them!”
Starlight made up his mind immediately, but before he could take a step, Xia Duo stopped him.
“Leave this kind of task to me. You guys might not be able to handle the environment down there, and I’m faster. Don’t worry!”
Starlight hesitated for a moment at Xia Duo’s suggestion but eventually nodded in agreement.
He quickly pulled a fine steel chain from his space ring, but as soon as the chain dangled into the crater, it made a terrifying sizzling sound. In the blink of an eye, it turned glowing red and softened, eventually snapping into several pieces that plunged into the magma.
Po Kong tried infusing another rope with his battle qi, but even the War God Battle Qi couldn't block the temperature. The rope was quickly eroded away by the intense heat.
“This temperature is more extreme than a forge. This is going to be difficult! I feel like I’m being roasted just standing here!”
If it weren't for the fact that the four of them were simultaneously buffed by several different types of magic, they wouldn't have fared much better.
“Damn it, we don’t have a suitable rope. We can’t get down there!”
Looking at the Hellfire Lotuses only dozens of meters away, Starlight couldn't help but curse. He blamed himself for not being prepared enough; if he had asked Stark for advice before they left, there might have been another way.
He had considered using instant movement, but the terrifying heat in the crater had completely warped the surrounding space. If even the slightest mistake occurred, he could fall into a state of eternal damnation. He didn't dare take the risk lightly.
“Wait, sister! Do you still have dragon scales?” Xia Duo said quickly as a flash of inspiration struck her while everyone was struggling.
“Huh? Yes!” Moen was surprised but still took out three dark red scales with a metallic luster from her storage. “These are all that's left, but what are you going to—”
“Use wind magic to make them float!” Xia Duo said as she briskly tied back her long hair and tightened her sleeves. “I’ll step on the dragon scales to get across, using them like stepping stones!”
“That’s too risky!” Starlight grabbed her wrist. “It’s very difficult to keep the dragon scales stable under these conditions!”
“There’s no time to hesitate!” Xia Duo pulled her hand away and pointed down. The surface of the lava lake had already risen to less than two meters from the Hellfire Lotuses. “At the rate this magma is rising, it will submerge the lotuses in another minute at most!”
Moen bit her lip and traced a path in the air with her slender hand. The three dragon scales immediately levitated under the support of wind elements, lining up like a staircase above the lava lake.
Seeing that the two women had already taken action, Starlight no longer blocked them. Instead, he condensed a layer of water elements beneath the dragon scales, which could reduce the impact of the hot wind to some extent.
Without the slightest hesitation, Xia Duo released her battle qi to protect her body and leaped lightly onto the first dragon scale. The moment her toes touched it, the dragon scale sank sharply, causing everyone’s hearts to skip a beat.
However, she reacted quickly, using the momentum to leap toward the second scale in the middle.
At a time like this, the strength of the three Dragon King scales was evident. Even in the extreme heat of the crater, they showed no sign of melting or shattering, only turning slightly red at the edges.
Using this momentum, Xia Duo shifted her body in mid-air and landed steadily on a protrusion near the Hellfire Lotuses. She let out a long sigh of relief and fixed her gaze on the gorgeous flowers a few meters away.
By now, the magma beneath her had risen again, less than a meter from the rock she was on.
Xia Duo glanced at the surging lava beneath her feet, silently drew her dagger, and leaped toward the Hellfire Lotuses.
The moment she jumped, the rock she had been standing on could no longer withstand the high temperature and completely shattered, sending a cold shiver down the spines of the three people above.
Fortunately, Xia Duo landed safely beside the Hellfire Lotuses, stabbing her short sword into the nearby rock wall to stabilize herself.
“Good! You’re the one!” After confirming she wouldn't fall, Xia Duo decisively bent down and grabbed the base of one of the Hellfire Lotuses.
Branno’s request was to bring back the Hellfire Lotus, and he hadn't specified a quantity. As long as she could get one, it would be enough. This was no time for greed.
To her surprise, the Hellfire Lotus didn't budge at all when she pulled, as if it were integrated with the entire mountain.
“Why is it so tight?!”
Xia Duo’s pupils shrank slightly at the sensation in her palm. She realized that despite being only the size of a hand, the flower's root system was like that of a large tree, deeply embedded in the rock wall.
“Damn it, then how about this?” A ruthless look flashed in Xia Duo’s eyes. She suddenly released her right hand from the flower and thrust her fingers like claws into the scorching rock wall!
Sizzle—
A bone-chilling sound rang out. Despite her multiple layers of protection, the terrifying heat from the direct contact still caused the skin on her palm to split and the flesh to tear instantly.
Xia Duo bit her lower lip hard, forcing back a cry of pain and only letting out a muffled groan.
Using this as a pivot, she decisively turned and pulled the dagger embedded in the wall, using the momentum to strike the Hellfire Lotus with a backhand swing.
Clang!
A crisp metallic ring echoed where the blade met the lotus stem, but this time, Xia Duo succeeded.
The Hellfire Lotus ultimately failed to withstand the edge of the blade and was cleanly severed in two.
Seeing the crystalline lotus about to fall into the magma below, Xia Duo simply let go of her dagger and grabbed the flower. She then looked up and shouted, “I got it! Lower the stepping stones a bit!”
Starlight and Moen immediately understood and lowered the floating dragon scales. Enduring the intense pain, Xia Duo used the dragon scales as support to make several leaps through the air, finally returning to the safe position at the summit.
“Your hand!”
Moen grabbed her sister’s blood-drenched palm, her voice trembling slightly.
Xia Duo’s once fair palm was now charred black, her five fingers covered in shocking burn marks. In the deepest parts, the gleam of white bone was visible.
“It’s fine... Look, I got it!” Xia Duo forced a smile onto her pale face and held up the undamaged Hellfire Lotus.
“And you have the nerve to call me stupid! You’re clearly the stupidest one!” Seeing the burns on Xia Duo’s hand, Po Kong stomped his feet in distress, wanting to reach out to touch her wound but not daring to. “I should have been the one to go...”
“Po Kong, shut up! Starlight, help me with the treatment. Use the water element to wash the wound first.” Moen sharply interrupted his muttering, a faint green light already glowing in her hand.
Although the volcano was nearing the brink of eruption, simple emergency treatment was necessary and wouldn't waste much time.
Starlight nodded and mobilized the mana within him, creating a stream of ice spring to envelop Xia Duo’s hand. Instantly, clouds of white mist rose where the water met the wound.
As he channeled his mana, he looked toward the boiling crater with lingering fear.
This glance caught his attention immediately.
In the center of that boiling lava lake, a black figure had appeared at some point.
...
Rate on N.U.
