A senior disciple nodded gravely. "It only surfaced two months ago. There was an eruption. We thought it was just a normal spike in volcanic activity. But when the lava settled, it was there. Still smoking, half-buried in magma. Even now, it hasn’t fully cooled. The temperature near it is..."
"Deadly," the elder interjected. "Even our strongest heat-resistant formations can’t get close without failing. If you approach recklessly, you’ll cook alive before you can blink."
Another disciple muttered, "Then how do we reach it?"
"We don’t," someone else said. "Not yet. We wait."
As Han Yu listened, the topic shifted. One disciple mentioned having spotted two Nascent Soul beasts near the center of the caldera—his voice laced with tension and awe.
"There’s a Magma Catfish... easily three times the size of an elephant. It swallowed a whole hunting party of Steel Sand mercenaries we sent earlier as a scout party. Nothing was left."
"And the Scaled Magmalith Hound," added another. "Massive beast. Covered in molten stone armor. Breaths like a forge. Vicious."
One of the newer disciples asked curiously, "What does it look like? I’ve only heard rumors."
"Tall as a house," the senior said. "Cracked obsidian armor all over, glowing magma under the plates. Red eyes. Looks like it’s carved out of the mountain itself. Claws that can pierce stone. It howls like a collapsing cave."
Han Yu’s breath caught.
The one that fought the massive snake in the depths.
"So that’s the Scaled Magmalith Hound..."
Which meant... the snake was no ordinary serpent either.
The elder in black robes—Elder Wei—spoke again, his tone calm but full of dark forewarning.
"This is only the beginning. As the altar awakens, more will rise from the magma chambers below. Ancient breeds. Elemental beasts. And more..." his voice trailed off ominously.
He turned slightly, addressing the disciples. "Prepare yourselves. You will soon see Fire Fang Snakes—some the size of towers. And some... strong enough to rival a Nascent Soul cultivator."
Han Yu’s expression darkened.
’So that snake... it was new. It hadn’t known about the Magmalith Hound. That’s why they fought—it had only just emerged from the deep magma chambers. And if this elder is right...’
Then that meant the beasts were rising.
Not just one. Not two.
But an entire wave of elemental creatures, being drawn out by the Ancient Altar’s awakening or something worse... much worse.
Han Yu swallowed hard, the sulfur-laced air burning his throat.
Whatever his original mission had been—this was far beyond it now. Something ancient and dangerous slumbered below, and it was beginning to stir.
As the disciples continued to talk, Han Yu’s mind raced, each new revelation layering over the last like sediment on an ancient ruin.
The Magma Catfish, the Magmalith Hound, and now the threat of more Nascent Soul-level beasts rising from the magma... it was all too much. And yet, one thing tugged at his thoughts like a burr on his boot:
’Why aren’t they scared?’
He narrowed his eyes at the Mist Eye Sect disciples, watching as they casually discussed ancient altars and apex predators like they were planning a picnic. They stood without tension, relaxed despite being surrounded by enough heat and beastly power to vaporize a small army.
Han Yu’s eyes slid back to the man in black—Elder Wei.
That man barely spoke, but his every word carried weight. His robes, though plain, seemed untouched by the soot and smoke swirling around. He stood in the very heart of one of the most dangerous places Han Yu had ever seen... as if he belonged there.
And that’s when it hit him.
’They aren’t fearless. They’re powerful.’
Han Yu’s back tensed against the warm stone beneath him as he realized the truth. Elder Wei was no ordinary cultivator—he was likely Nascent Soul Realm or even higher. That explained his calm demeanor, the lack of panic, the way the disciples deferred to him with reverence more than fear.
But with that realization came dread.
A man like that... could easily detect someone like him.
Han Yu instinctively pressed further into the rock crevice, mouth suddenly dry. A Nascent Soul cultivator’s spiritual sense could sweep through a valley like wind across grass, sniffing out hiding beasts, tracking movement, and shattering illusions.
But the scan never came.
Han Yu frowned, his gaze flicking between the disciples and the elder.
’Why aren’t they using their spiritual sense?’
’They can’t afford to.’
Unleashing spiritual sense in a place would be like waving a flag made of meat at a pack of starving wolves. The caldera was crawling with beasts, and many of them were intelligent. Not as intelligent as humans of course, but at least as much as a toddler. Any invasive wave of spirit energy would be picked up immediately—and interpreted as a threat.
’So they’re flying blind. Just like me.’
A dry chuckle almost escaped Han Yu’s throat, only to turn into a hacking cough as the vile sulfur-laced air stung his lungs.
’The same beasts that would turn me into a snack are now the very reason I’m still alive. What a world.’
He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, the taste of ash bitter on his tongue. The Mist Eye Sect disciples had begun moving again, slowly fanning out and taking notes, collecting samples, and placing small talismans on the ground. Elder Wei stood still, hands behind his back, like a statue carved from obsidian.
Eventually, the group began to leave, heading back the way they came.
Han Yu waited until even their footsteps vanished into the distance before he finally dared to exhale. His breath wheezed out like the last gasp of a dying bellows, followed by another cough that made his ribs ache.
He slumped further behind the rock, eyes fluttering shut for a moment, letting the silence return.
And then the anxiety crept back in.
He had to get closer.
That altar was the key.
Han Yu had already been there and obtained the vial from there, and he couldn’t let others find out.