The Magma Fire… had actually been swallowed by the Vermilion Drake Beast!!
Lin Feng felt the blood drain from his face in shock. What horrified him even more was that the instant the Magma Fire was swallowed, he felt his connection to the Spiritfire waver dangerously, threatening to break!
Clang!!
Simultaneously, Yan Can's flying sword struck its target, only to be violently slapped aside by the beast's razor-sharp claws. The Vermilion Drake Beast continued its violent thrashing, evidently still in considerable agony.
But Lin Feng sensed something terrifyingly different. With each desperate convulsion, his psychic link to the Magma Fire grew weaker. It was unmistakable—the beast was actively suppressing the Spiritfire raging inside its belly!
Lin Feng understood immediately—the Vermilion Drake Beast was trying to steal his Spiritfire!!
Impossible! Ridiculous!!
A storm of fury and dread surged within Lin Feng. He channeled every ounce of his true energy, raising his other hand as well. He thrust both fists forward, fingers clawing at the air as if physically trying to rip the Magma Fire back out of the beast's core.
The Vermilion Drake Beast was a fire-attribute demon beast. All fire-elemental spiritual treasures were potent nourishment for it, just as the Magma Fire had aided the Flame-Tailed Scorpion beneath Crimson Rock Mountain. To this beast, the Magma Fire was akin to a miraculous elixir. It wanted to seize it. However, the Spiritfire was now profoundly bonded to Lin Feng. Stealing it was anything but easy. Despite the beast's vastly superior cultivation level, forcibly wresting control was nearly unthinkable.
Compounding the beast's difficulties, Yan Can relentlessly drove his flying sword, aiming for its vulnerable spots. Even Chang Gong Xiaojing and the others coordinated their attacks, bombarding it with spirit talismans. This constant harassment was maddening. Moreover, while suppressed, the Magma Fire within its body imposed a significant burden.
Finally, the Vermilion Drake Beast realized the truth: as long as Lin Feng resisted, claiming the Spiritfire was impossible. Therefore… kill Lin Feng. With its master dead, the Magma Fire inside it would become ownerless, easily tamed...
A flash of murderous understanding ignited in its eyes. Abruptly, it ceased its thrashing. With a deafening roar that shook the cavern, it launched itself not away, but directly at Lin Feng!
Suppressing the internal Magma Fire consumed much of its power, so it didn't unleash another fiery blast. Instead, it charged like a living battering ram. Its colossal tail, slicing through the air with a terrifying whistle, swept down towards Lin Feng's head!
Lin Feng, Yan Can, and everyone behind them scrambled frantically for cover. The instant they scattered— CRASH!!! —the massive tail slammed into the spot Lin Feng had occupied moments before. The impact pulverized the stone floor in a ten-meter radius and sent jagged cracks spider-webbing across the cavern walls.
"Hmph!" Lin Feng gritted his teeth. He kept his eyes locked on the rampaging beast, desperately seeking an opening, pouring every shred of his will into trying to detonate the Magma Fire buried deep within it. His psychic assault elicited another shriek of agony from the creature.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!...
The Vermilion Drake Beast seemed to descend into pure frenzy. It relentlessly pursued Lin Feng, its attacks wild and indiscriminate, sometimes lashing out at the others. Within the vast cavern, it became an engine of destruction. Every charge shook the ground, sending tremors through the rock, transforming the battle into pure, chaotic bedlam.
After mere minutes, Lin Feng felt his strength rapidly waning. In a contest of sheer true energy reserves, he stood no chance against a Tier 3 Level 9 beast. A knot of panic tightened in his chest. Retreat was almost impossible. Giving up the Magma Fire was unthinkable. And the grim reality was clear: even if he wanted to surrender it, the Vermilion Drake Beast had no intention of letting him live.
"Ah!!"
Just as Lin Feng grappled with his desperation, a sharp cry of alarm pierced the chaos. His heart lurched—it sounded like Chang Gong Xiaojing!
He snapped his head up. The Vermilion Drake Beast had charged into the group once more. Its sweeping tail forced Yan Can and the others into frantic, stumbling retreats. Zhang Fangzhou, caught slightly off-balance, was clipped by the tail's edge. The blow sent him flying through the air, blood spraying from his mouth. Chang Gong Xiaojing lunged to catch him, only to be knocked off her feet by the sheer force, tumbling across the rough stone.
Rage exploded within Lin Feng. He poured every last drop of his strength into the Magma Fire once more. The beast shuddered violently. For a split second, its abdomen glowed like a lantern from within! A howl of fresh agony ripped from its throat. It whipped its massive head around, bloodshot eyes fixing solely on Lin Feng. With another earth-shaking roar, it charged again!
Lin Feng braced himself to leap backward, but— A wave of dizziness crashed over him. His vision swam, legs buckling. He stumbled, nearly collapsing. True energy exhaustion! Worse, that split-second lapse was all the opening the beast needed. Its colossal tail was already whistling down, filling his vision!
Trapped. No time to dodge. Instinct took over. Lin Feng crossed his arms in front of his face— THUD!!! An unimaginable force smashed into his guard. The sickening sound of impact echoed. Pain exploded through his arms and chest. He was flung bodily backwards, soaring through the air like a ragdoll.
"Lin Feng!!"
Horrified shouts erupted from Yan Can and the others. Before they could react, a streak of white silk shot out like a bolt of lightning! It whipped through the air, wrapping tightly around Lin Feng's waist!
The silk snapped taut with a twang, instantly arresting Lin Feng's flight and yanking him sideways. Just as he was pulled clear— SNAP! —the Vermilion Drake Beast's cavernous jaws snapped shut with terrifying force on the empty space where Lin Feng's body had been milliseconds before!
Chang Gong Xiaojing! She had saved him, using her enchanted silk ribbon exactly as she had done back in Crimson Rock Mountain.
Lin Feng was hauled through the air towards Chang Gong Xiaojing. A fleeting wave of relief washed over him. But that relief lasted less than a heartbeat. A chilling gust of wind, thick with the stench of the beast, struck his back. He twisted his head— The Vermilion Drake Beast was already bearing down on him, jaws gaping once more!
"AAAAAGH!" Lin Feng roared in defiance. His right hand shot out in a violent grabbing motion. A streak of crimson-silver light sliced through the air, slamming into his palm. Gripping the hilt of his Crimson Soul flying sword with desperate strength, he thrust it forward with all his might—straight into the monstrous maw lunging at him!
Shhhk! The blade sank deep into the softer flesh beneath the beast's lower jaw, lodging firmly in its mouth!
"ROOOOOOAAAARRRGHHH!!!" The beast screamed in agony, its head whipping violently to the side. Whump! Its massive skull slammed into Lin Feng's body like a wrecking ball, hurling him away again.
Lin Feng tumbled through the air. But the white silk was still coiled tightly around his waist. The brutal momentum yanked Chang Gong Xiaojing, holding the other end, completely off her feet! She flew through the air behind him. Yet, stubbornly, she refused to let go. As they hurtled towards the cavern wall, Chang Gong Xiaojing managed to plant her feet against a large boulder. Twisting her waist, she pulled with all her strength! The ribbon went taut. Lin Feng's trajectory shifted violently. He veered away from the crushing impact with the rock wall and shot towards Chang Gong Xiaojin instead.
Seeing Lin Feng land heavily but safely before her, Chang Gong Xiaojing's face relaxed slightly. A faint, relieved smile touched her lips. She opened her mouth, perhaps to speak— Lin Feng's eyes widened in alarm behind her. Without a word, his arms shot out, encircling her waist. He pulled her roughly against his chest. Simultaneously, he planted his foot against a nearby boulder and shoved off with explosive force! Their positions flipped instantly. Lin Feng's back was now turned towards the charging horror.
Before Chang Gong Xiaojing could even gasp in confusion— THWUMP!!! A sickening impact sounded against Lin Feng's back. The force was colossal. She felt his body shudder violently against hers. Then, locked together, they were catapulted through the air once more.
Twisting in his arms, Chang Gong Xiaojing caught a horrifying glimpse: the Vermilion Drake Beast's massive tail, recoiling from the blow that had struck Lin Feng!
"Brother!!" "Lin Feng!" "Xiaojing!"
The shouts merged into a chorus of pure despair. Everything happened too swiftly. Yan Can and the others were utterly powerless to intervene. They could only watch, frozen in horror, as Lin Feng and Chang Gong Xiaojing, locked in a desperate embrace, tumbled helplessly through the air… directly towards the churning, turbulent expanse of the subterranean river!
SPLASH!!!!
The sound of their impact with the water was swallowed instantly by the river's roar. Two figures vanished beneath the surging, ink-black currents.
"ROOOOOAAAARRR!!!!" The Vermilion Drake Beast threw its head back in a final, triumphant, earth-shaking bellow. Without hesitation, it gathered its immense body and leaped. KER-SPLOOOOOSH!!!! A geyser of water erupted skyward. When the massive waves subsided… the beast, too, was gone.
"NO!!!" Zhang Fangzhou screamed, his voice raw and tearing. Ignoring his injuries, he staggered towards the riverbank. Staring wildly into the raging torrent, overcome by panic and grief, he made a frantic lunge towards the edge.
"Junior Brother Zhang, STOP!" Yan Can's hand clamped down hard on his shoulder, dragging him back just in time. "You jump in there, you're dead!"
"But…" Zhang Fangzhou stammered, his voice thick with terror and helplessness. "Brother and Xiaojing… they fell in!! We have to save them!"
Yan Can stared bleakly at the rushing black water for several agonizing seconds. When he finally spoke, his voice was heavy with defeat. "It's useless. My divine sense... I can't sense them anymore. The Vermilion Drake Beast… it's gone too. This underground river… who knows where it leads? There's… there's simply nowhere to search..."
"..." Zhang Fangzhou stood utterly still. All strength left his body. He stared blankly, uncomprehendingly, at the relentless, churning water. It was as if his very soul had been ripped away.