The sun blazed like a furious god in the sky as Little Fire (Xiao Huo) stood before the first of the Volcano Mountains. Jagged black rocks radiated heat, and the air shimmered with waves of fiery essence. This was the threshold to Fire Land, a country surrounded by molten rivers and magma lakes, where cultivators lived in harmony with flames—or were consumed by them.
His robes were scorched at the edges, and the soles of his boots had long since given up their grip. Sweat rolled down his back, but his crimson eyes burned with determination.
"Seven days," he whispered. "I'll make it in seven days, even if I have to crawl through fire."
The path twisted steeply upward. The mountain was massive—11,000 meters high and 3,600 meters wide—a natural fortress that tested anyone seeking entrance to the land of fire. For Little Fire, it was a trial of will.
Day One to Six passed in exhaustion. He fought through ash storms, scale-scalding winds, and creatures of molten stone. He had no shelter, only moments of shallow rest pressed between sharp rocks, his body blistering, healing, and burning again.
But on the seventh day, as his legs nearly gave out, he saw it—an inn, shaped like a lotus, glowing with protective formation runes. Fireproof and ancient, it stood alone near the mountain's peak, the gateway to Fire Land proper.
He stumbled in, collapsing by the counter.
The innkeeper, an old man with flames dancing in his eyes, laughed. "You didn't die. That makes you the 5th one this year. Rest, boy. You'll need it if you want to survive what lies beyond."
Little Fire stayed one night, recovering and gathering information. He listened to drunk cultivators, bribed a silent maid, and bought a map. The biggest news: The High Fire Clan was holding a Disciple Selection Tournament. One who could obtain the Fire Lotus—a rank-7 fire-element treasure—would be accepted directly into the clan.
"They say the lotus lies deep inside the Secret Realm of Lava," whispered the innkeeper. "But the realm opens randomly... and it's filled with beasts—especially that freakish thing that looks like a chicken."
"A chicken?" Little Fire blinked.
"Don't laugh. It's a Lava Beast, Split Soul level. That thing's fried more cultivators than I can count."
Two days later, the Secret Realm cracked open. Little Fire entered, his cloak burning at the edges, his eyes alert.
As he moved through fields of bubbling magma, he saw a battle in progress—a group of cultivators fighting a fire-feathered chicken beast, its molten wings flapping thunderously. Among them was a veiled girl, her elegant swordplay marking her as no ordinary disciple. She radiated cold authority, standing out like a lotus above the flame.
He crouched behind a ridge and narrowed his eyes. Not my fight. Waste of time.
Just as he turned to leave, the Lava Beast turned sharply and charged at him, sensing another presence.
"Damn it!"
He barely dodged a talon slash.
"Fine!" he shouted toward the group. "I'll distract it—run or heal yourselves, I don't care! But you owe me one!"
He led the beast away in a mad sprint, leaping over magma pits and ducking explosions of lava. Thirty minutes of chase ended with both of them slipping on an unstable bridge of stone and plunging into magma.
The world went red.
The beast, already wounded, died instantly. But Little Fire didn't.
Its core melted in the magma, releasing a surge of essence that entered his body, fusing with his fire qi. His veins screamed in agony as his cultivation core reshaped, becoming immune to extreme heat and magma.
He blacked out.
When he woke up, he was lying near a magma lake's edge, wrapped in a glowing veil of healing energy. His blurry gaze caught sight of the veiled girl from earlier, collapsed next to him, breathing heavily.
She had saved him.
His hands trembled. He gently cradled her in his arms and carried her back toward the mountain inn, ignoring the jealous and envious stares of others.
He placed her in his room, covering her with a blanket to protect her modesty. He chose the cold floor beside her bed to meditate, processing the fiery storm inside his body.
She stirred in her sleep, whispering softly, "Don't go… don't leave me again…"
He moved to lift her veil, but his fingers stopped mid-air. He didn't dare.
Instead, he caressed her hair gently.
Suddenly, her hand gripped his wrist—tight, desperate.
He froze.
Later, she woke up to find herself clutching someone's hand. Her eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, she kicked him across the room.
"Pervert!"
"What?!" Little Fire yelped, hitting the wall. "You were the one holding me!"
Their shouting echoed, causing murmurs from other guests.
Misunderstandings bloomed like wildfire.
"What happened last night?"
"I heard noises from their room."
"Heh… lucky bastard…"
Inside, the girl was already interrogating him.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"I'm Little Fire. I came to join the sect. And you are?"
She stared at him for a moment before turning away. "Just call me Spirit Fairy. If you want the Fire Lotus, follow me. I know where it is."
Without another word, she walked away.
Little Fire blinked, stunned. Spirit Fairy… who the hell is she?
Still, he couldn't help the strange warmth in his chest. He picked up his sword and followed her into the blazing unknown.
[To be Continued]