The Magma Lake looked like a golden-glazed pearl, embedded in the center of a dark red rock disk. It was both luxurious and dazzling.
Orange-red and golden magma slowly flowed and churned within the lake, occasionally emitting gigantic bubbles.
Waves of scorching heat radiated from the Magma Lake, spreading outwards. When meeting the mountain walls, the heat waves surged towards the sky.
Ning Zhuo and Ning Yong stood atop the mountain wall, their forms swaying intensely under the impact of the uprising heat waves. Despite Ning Zhuo having mobilized his Mana to protect his mouth and nose, the heat still singed the tips of his hair.
Ning Zhanji glanced at the rather disheveled newbies and calmly ordered, "Give each of them a set of vestment robes."
His subordinates immediately handed the spare vestment robes to the two.
Ning Zhuo inspected the robes and found that the complete set included a helmet, a coat, pants, an outer robe, outer armor, and boots.
The vestment robes were adorned with numerous talismans, mainly Frost Talismans.
"Rune treasures," Ning Zhuo identified in his mind.
Rune treasures differed from Magic Artifacts in that frequent usage caused them to self-deplete. They were consumables.
The advantage of rune treasures lay in their cost. Once some basic materials were engraved with runes, they could become rune treasures, significantly increasing their utility value.
Earlier, in the basement, Ning Zhuo had designed a small wooden hammer, which was a rune treasure. He used it to efficiently handle Oil Smoke Mud.
These vestment robes were standard gear for the Ning Family cultivator squad, specifically developed by the Ning Family for their quest at the Magma Fairy Palace.
Once Ning Zhuo and the others donned the complete set of vestment robes, they immediately felt the temperature normalize and the previously pungent smell of sulfur vanished.
Several suspension platforms hung by the mountain wall. Each platform was guarded by personnel from the City Guard Army, partly for security and partly to collect fees.
Leading the group, Ning Zhanji selected a suspension platform and officially stepped into the crater's depression from the mountain top.
Ning Yong stomped excitedly, looking around curiously.
Ning Zhuo's face also showed a mix of excitement and caution.
Ning Zhanji's objective was directed straight towards the central Magma Lake.
The group of over fifty cultivators moving together instantly drew attention.
The crater not only housed Ning Zhuo's group; many other teams or lone cultivators were scattered in the crater's depression.
Regularly, more cultivators descended from the top of the mountain walls.
Some used official suspension platforms, but more of them rigged their own ropes to climb down from the mountain top. Due to the continuous impact and sweep of heat waves, their descent was challenging.
Cultivators who climbed down on their own saved the suspension platform fee.
The City Guard Army observed these loose cultivators descending but did nothing to stop them, their gazes indifferent, turning a blind eye.
Ning Zhuo gradually approached the Magma Lake.
Drawing closer, he noticed life activity within the Magma Lake.
A massive magma bubble burst, and a Red-haired Brocade Mouse, riding the heat currents, soared into the sky and hunted within the white smoke.
When it successfully hunted, one could see the Red-haired Brocade Mouse carrying a Smoke Cloud Sparrow, plunging back underground.
Due to the constant generation of heat waves cushioning the fall, the Red-haired Brocade Mouse always managed to float down to the rocky ground unscathed.
Some cultivators specifically awaited the Red-haired Brocade Mouse's post-hunt descent.
Once the mouse landed, they would use specialized tools to capture it.
Ning Zhuo's heart stirred.
"Flame Mouse. It had extremely high resistance to fire elements, able to swim in magma."
"It lived by preying on birds."
"The most valuable part of the Flame Mouse was its fur. Gathering several hundred pelts and refining them through sewing methods could produce an excellent flame-repelling robe."
Ning Zhanji stopped at this moment.
He was in front of one of many entrances to underground tunnels, showing no distinguishing traits from others.
However, he was sure and lowly commanded, "This is it. Prepare to enter."
The cultivators obediently complied.
First, one cultivator performed hand seals, then pushed out a plume of snow-white mist from his palms.
The mist entered the tunnel entrance, immediately covering the edge with frost.
As the cold air poured into the tunnel, it triggered a reaction, producing a rumbling sound.
The noise grew louder; the next moment, a large amount of mud spewed out from the tunnel.
The mud shot skyward, burning with flames, resembling fireworks.
Ning Zhuo clearly saw that the flaming mud was indeed Oil Smoke Mud.
Once the mud flow ceased, Ning Zhanji was the first to jump into the tunnel.
The other cultivators followed suit, entering one after another.
Newcomers like Ning Chen, Ning Yong, and Ning Zhuo were individually guided by experienced members into the tunnel entrance.
As Ning Zhuo jumped into the tunnel, he shivered, chilled by the surrounding cold air.
Sliding all the way down, the temperature in the passage rapidly increased.
By the latter half, the temperature became very high. Sliding along, Ning Zhuo keenly observed the changes in the passage walls.
Initially, the walls were covered in frost. By the latter half, the frost had entirely melted.
When he finally landed, standing on solid ground, Ning Zhuo looked up and found himself in an underground world filled with flames and rocks.
The rocky ground beneath his feet felt faintly spongy, and the surrounding rock walls were semi-transparent orange-yellow, constantly radiating intense heat.
Ning Yong curiously extended his hand to touch the rock wall.
In the next instant, the runes on his glove dissipated by a third, making him quickly withdraw his hand in fright.
Fortunately, a Ning Family cultivator stepped forward, took out a jade bottle, and released a misty vapor.
The vapor coalesced into blue-white ribbons floating in mid-air, surrounding everyone, helping them fend off the omnipresent heat.
After ensuring the newcomers, including Ning Zhuo, stayed in the middle of the group, Ning Zhanji led the Ning Family cultivators onward.
After the initial curiosity, the sights in the Flame Demon Melting Cave became monotonous.
Ning Yong kept muttering about waiting for some demon beasts to appear.
Ning Chen's wary expression gradually relaxed.
Ning Zhuo was secretly amazed by the concentration of Spiritual Energy, the highest he had ever seen.
"No wonder many powerful cultivators lived in solitary, dangerous areas."
"Alas, my current Mana is frost-based, but the Spiritual Energy here heavily favored fire elements and contained a lot of fire toxins, so it wasn't suitable for me."
The underground passages sometimes widened and sometimes narrowed, but always trended downwards.
The passages were not singular; Ning Zhuo frequently encountered forks. However, the Ning Family cultivators were evidently familiar with the route, choosing paths without hesitation each time.
"Fire Crystal Grass, rooted in rocks, its leaves as transparent as gems, constantly absorbing geothermal heat and flames, capable of emitting firelight."
"Fire Shadow Flower, absorbs magma and toxins, its grass is purplish-black, leaves as thin as cicada wings, its body remains stationary while its shadow sways like flames."
"Power Ginseng, absorbs earth energy, undergoes qualitative change at one hundred thirty years, with long ginseng roots possessing natural earth-burrowing abilities."
Along the way, Ning Zhuo saw several types of Spirit Plants.
The Ning Family cultivators would partition some members for harvesting as they passed by.
Ning Zhanji subtly glanced at Ning Zhuo, then beckoned to Ning Zhuo and the other newcomers, questioning, "Do you know why we must harvest these Spirit Plants?"