Lava lake, blindingly white lava churns and bubbles.

  Teng Qing Shan walked out of the dark tunnel on the side, and Du Hong Lian asked: "Commander, did you catch up with that little guy?"

  "There are too many tunnels and forks inside, it's like a maze. And it's pitch black..." Teng Qing Shan shook his head and ordered, "Alright, let's not worry about that person for now. We've already found the 'Black Fire Spirit Fruit', but apparently it still needs some time to mature, so let's head back first."

  "Hmm, this matter should be reported to the commander." Du Hong also nodded.

  "In the future when you obtain this Black Fire Spirit Fruit, who will it be given to in the sect?" Teng Qinghu said.

  Du Hongdao said: "It's because the Commander thought there was something strange about this canyon that he rushed over! This is a great achievement for the Commander. Moreover, the Commander's strength is the first among our Guiyuan Sect's young generation. Whether it's from potential or merit, we should give it to the Commander."

  "That's right, you're absolutely right." Teng Qinghu nodded repeatedly.

  "The Black Fire Spirit Fruit is still out of our grasp, what's the point of thinking about these things?" Teng Qing Shan smiled and walked back along the way they came, "Let's head back."

  "After a while in this place, I feel parched." Teng Qinghuo wiped his forehead, which was full of sweat.

  Even if it's a bit far away, the temperature in this underground area is generally around sixty degrees. With such high temperatures, sweating is inevitable. Fortunately, they are all skilled martial artists; if they were ordinary people, it would be normal for them to faint from the heat.

  ……

  Along the dark and deep crevice, Teng Qing Shan grabbed the rattan and quickly climbed up, climbing over a hundred feet in one breath, and then jumped onto the platform of the cave passage.

  Three people jumped out of the crevice and walked towards the entrance of the cave.

  "Wait a moment, don't rush out, first take a peek through the gap and look outside. See if there are any outsiders, if not, we'll go out." Teng Qing Shan said, Du Hong and Teng Qing Hu nodded in agreement, they all understood... This cave passage was a big secret.

  Three people walked to the entrance of the cave, and Teng Qing Shan looked out through the gaps in the branches and leaves of the wisteria.

  In the canyon, apart from the Black Armor Army, there were actually two ordinary warriors.

  "Wait a moment." Teng Qing Shan said.

  Teng Qinghu and Du Hong were also quietly waiting. Teng Qingshan discovered... those two ordinary warriors, apparently fearing the people of Guiyuan Sect, quickly left the gorge area.

  "Go down." Teng Qing Shan took the lead, lifted up the rattan and directly jumped down.

  A height of over ten zhang, even a top-notch martial artist would dare to jump, this will not expose Tan Qing Shan's true strength, but only make the Black Armor Army soldiers admire him more.

  Wow!

  More than ten zhang, directly fell to the ground.

  Teng Qing Shan easily shed off the impact force.

  Only then did Qingtianhu grab the rattan and jump down. After sliding several zhangs below, he used force to grasp the rattan tightly, waited until it stopped, then jumped down again, stepped on the cliff wall, and landed lightly.

  "Hu!" Du Hong unexpectedly followed Teng Qing Shan and also jumped down from the cave entrance.

  "Lao Du." Teng Qing Shan was startled.

  However, when landing, Du Hong directly lowered his body and rolled on the ground, finally dissipating the impact.

  "Governor Du is really formidable, it's so high, even I, old Du, can't completely unload the force and still have to roll over." Du Hong laughed loudly, and next to him, Teng Qinghu walked over and deliberately teased: "Old Du, I'm all relying on Fujian, you just jump down directly, isn't that too humiliating for me? What do you say we should do?"

  "I'll give you an extra jar of wine tonight, okay?" Du Hong said with a chuckle.

  "A pot?" Teng Qinghu shook his head, "No, you won't be drinking tonight, your wine belongs to me!"

  Ji Hong was strict about limiting the amount of drinking, as there would be searches in the afternoon, so little wine was drunk at noon, and more wine was drunk at night. However, there were still restrictions, with a maximum of three jugs of wine per hundred soldiers.

  "Everything belongs to you, San Hu?"

  "What's wrong, is it too little? Otherwise, I'll have your wine tomorrow night as well."

  ……

  Teng Qing Shan didn't bother with the two of them, and directly ordered the other Black Armor Army soldiers: "The first squad will temporarily stay in this valley, it's best to hide, and wait among those weeds. Keep an eye on that cave entrance! If you see that thin man I brought in earlier come out, capture him."

  "Yes!" The first squad's soldier responded.

  "Commander, what if he tries to escape?" said the first squad.

  "Heng Qing Shan said calmly: 'Then break his leg! If we're going to fight to the death, then there's no need to hold back!'"

  "Yes." The soldiers let out a sigh of relief, and with Teng Qing Shan's words, they no longer had to be cautious.

  *******

  At noon, Guan Lü led his troops back to the main camp first, and Ji Hong returned later. As soon as these two groups of people arrived, Teng Qingshan, who had rushed back early, immediately asked Guan Lü and Ji Hong to come into the main camp for a secret meeting.

  "What did you say?!" Ji Hong's face showed a shocked expression.

  Guan Lü was also surprised and looked at Tan Qing Shan. In these days, no one had spread the news that someone had discovered the location of the Black Fire Spirit Fruit.

  Hong Qing Shan nodded and said, "Yes, just this afternoon, I just discovered the place where the Black Fire Spirit Fruit grows. That place is indeed scorching hot." The place with lava flows was of course deadly hot.

  "Hurry up and tell me carefully." Ji Hong was overjoyed.

  Hong Qing Shan immediately began to explain in detail, and Ji Hong and Guan Lu on the side also showed a joyful expression upon hearing that the Black Fire Spirit Fruit was actually located at the place where the magma was, which was somewhat surprising.

  "But that little guy who led the way, escaped into the tunnel and I couldn't find him. It's pitch black inside, like a maze." Teng Qing Shan said, "I've already ordered a team of men to quietly ambush in the valley, waiting silently. Once that person comes out of the cave, he'll definitely not escape."

  Ji Hong nodded repeatedly as he listened.

  "Haha, Qing Shan, you've done a great job this time!" Ji Hong excitedly patted Qing Shan on the shoulder. "As long as we catch that escaped person, then this news will be known only to us and Yuan Zong! At that time, the Black Fire Spirit Fruit and Black Fire Spirit Root will be in our grasp!"

  Guan Lü also took a look at Tun Qing Shan.

  She doesn't understand why Tong Qing Shan can always achieve meritorious service.

  "We must keep it a secret now!" Ji Hong said, "Can't let others know... So, this lunch, we'll still go as usual, everything as usual. When we go out to search in the afternoon, Qing Shan, Guan Lu, just you two follow me quietly into that cave and take a good look."

  Ji Hong and Guan Lu did not see the Black Fire Spirit Fruit, but they didn't dare to look away either.

  ……

  That afternoon, Teng Qing Shan, Ji Hong and Guan Lu led their men into the Flame Mountain. Before long, they quietly arrived at the location of that valley.

  "Commander, it's Commander." The small group of people immediately walked out of the bushes.

  "Have you found that little guy?" Teng Qing Shan said.

  "No." The squad leader shook his head.

  Teng Qing Shan did not know... that thin man would never come out again.

  "Hmm, I think we've fallen into a maze and can't find our way out." Teng Qing Shan immediately ordered, "Alright, you all take a rest first. Second squad, bring out the food and let them eat first." The members of the second squad took out the still-warm meals from their packs and handed them to the soldiers of the first squad.

  Teng Qing Shan, Ji Hong and Guan Lu walked towards that low cliff.

  Hong Qing Shan looked around and saw no one, then pointed towards the cave: "It's that one!"

  "Indeed, the cleverness of Guo Zhen is on the cliff wall, and there is also a rattan curtain to cover it!" Ji Hong laughed, "A big fire flame mountain, countless ordinary small peaks are not counted, who would climb the cliff wall to find, even if they notice the cliff wall, it's hard to find this hidden cave. Alright, Qing Shan, you go first."

  Hong Qing Shan bore the Wheel of Reincarnation on his back, and with one leap he was nearly ten zhang high. His foot touched down again, and he swiftly darted into the cave entrance.

  "Qingshan's lightness skill is really good." Ji Hong praised.

  Guan Lü let out a hum and also jumped up, unexpectedly having a height of several zhang. A protruding stone on the cliff wall also flew into the cave. Ji Hong looked around and quickly followed!

  ……

  The deep and profound crevices, the thick water vapor, and the scorching lava flows all left Ji Hong and Guan Lu in awe. Especially the high temperature of the lava flow made Ji Hong and Guan Lu apprehensive, keeping them several zhang away from it. It wasn't that they didn't dare to get close, but rather they were unwilling to waste too much internal energy!

  The closer you get, the more inner strength is consumed.

  Who can be like Teng Qing Shan, walking on the edge of the lava flow without caring? Of course, Teng Qing Shan also followed Ji Hong and others, keeping a safe distance from the lava flow.

  "Haha...... As expected, it's the Black Fire Spirit Fruit!" On the lakeside of the Lava Lake, the three looked afar at the Black Fire Spirit Fruit in the center of the lake.

  "Green Mountain, you have done a great job!" Ji Hong exclaimed with a smile.

  "From today on, we'll come to check every morning and afternoon. Once it's ripe, we'll pick it immediately. Don't let that Red Scale Beast get ahead of us!" Ji Hong said seriously, "This place grows Black Fire Spirit Fruit, the Red Scale Beast must be coming here often. Moreover, the Red Scale Beast should have reached maturity by now, over two zhang tall... A lone postnatal warrior can't threaten it at all. Only a prenatal strongman or a group of postnatal strongmen can deal with it."

  ……

  So, Teng Qing Shan and the others still looked as usual, but every day, Ji Hong, Guan Lu, and Teng Qing Shan would quietly and carefully enter the cave twice, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. After all, even Teng Qing Shan and the others couldn't be certain when the Black Fire Spirit Fruit would ripen.

  Three days passed just like this.

  ******

  Wudang is a martial artist who loves to travel the world, and Flame Mountain has gathered countless martial artists. Such a grand event, of course, he came to participate. However, for him, every night's various challenges or vendettas make him excited. As for searching for the Black Fire Spirit Fruit during the day, it's a bit boring.

  "With my current strength, even if I obtain the Black Fire Spirit Fruit, it's still impossible to keep it safe." Wu Duan searched for a while before finding a mountain peak and comfortably lay down under a large tree at the summit, enjoying the mountain breeze as he took a nap.

  "Is there a voice?"

  Wudai opened his eyes and turned over to climb to the edge of the cliff, looking down at the valley below. Sure enough, there were three people together.

  "It's not Ji Hong who is in charge of the Yuanyuan sect, it's Teng Qing Shan... and that woman..." Wu Dang's eyes lit up immediately, he quickly lowered his head and quietly looked down through the weeds. He saw Teng Qing Shan, Ji Hong, and the woman swiftly crawling into a cave on another cliff face.

  Each time these three people would look around, as if checking if anyone was there.

  "Huh! So cautious and that place is so secluded! Could it be...?" Wu Duan's eyes lit up, his smile growing even brighter, "I, Wu Duan, have been muddling along for so many years, looks like my luck is about to change!"

  ……

  September 28th at midnight!

  A moment of great importance!

  Because, starting from September 28th, this month's ticket will be counted as two! Tomato doesn't want to lose! However, the monthly tickets are in everyone's hands, and Tomato wants to make a final push to surpass them, relying on everyone! At the most critical moment at the end of the month, one ticket will again count as two, Tomato has persisted for ten consecutive days of explosive growth, now requesting everyone...

  Cast your monthly ticket vote for Tomato!

  Voting method: Click on 'Recommend monthly ticket to support author' below!

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