Chapter 21: The Secret Under the Lava Pool

After escaping the volcano, Zhang Yi and his group found a relatively safe cave to rest for a while.

Ju Niao Mu Qin lovingly used her wings to help Zhang Yi groom his slightly messy feathers, chattering away as she did so.

"You child, you just don't let anyone rest easy! How do you get into such dangerous situations every time? If something were to happen to you, how would your mother go on living!"

While enjoying the "massage" service, Zhang Yi replied nonchalantly: "Relax, relax, Mother (of course, this was what he thought in his heart, he wouldn't dare say it out loud), I have great fortune and a long life, how could I die so easily? Besides, this 'Fire Poison Body' I just obtained is practically a bug-like existence; from now on, coming and going through fire will be as comfortable as taking a bath!"

The Red Fire Demon Ape Patriarch scratched his furry chest from the side and said in a muffled voice: "Little friend, this volcanic eruption, this old ape feels there is something suspicious about it; could it be related to that Fire Poison Spirit?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yi immediately perked up and crawled out from under Ju Niao Mu Qin's wing: "Patriarch, great minds think alike! I was thinking the same thing! The volcano erupted immediately after I absorbed the Fire Poison Spirit; isn't that too much of a coincidence? When things are abnormal, there must be a demon; there is definitely a problem!"

He took a deep breath and circulated his "Fire Poison Body," carefully sensing the residual fire poison aura in the surroundings.

Sure enough, the fire poison energy was exceptionally dense and was converging in one direction like tiny fire snakes.

"Let's go! Let's go take a look!"

Zhang Yi flapped his wings and took the lead, flying toward the direction where the fire poison energy was converging.

Ju Niao Mu Qin and the Red Fire Demon Ape Patriarch naturally could not rest easy with him going alone, so they hurriedly followed.

"Hey, I say, little friend, can you change that impulsive nature of yours? At least wait for us two old folks!"

Ju Niao Mu Qin complained while struggling to catch up.

The Red Fire Demon Ape Patriarch also panted as he chimed in: "That's right, that's right, young man, don't be so hot-headed!"

Zhang Yi looked back and gave a cheeky grin: "I'm just afraid someone else will snatch the good stuff first! You two elders, put in some effort!"

The three of them followed the trail of fire poison energy all the way and finally arrived at a hidden valley.

Before they even got close, a wave of heat rushed toward them, and the air was filled with a pungent smell of sulfur and a dense aura of fire poison.

"Hiss—this place is practically a natural fire poison oven! At this temperature, it could probably melt steel!"

Zhang Yi exclaimed.

Ju Niao Mu Qin and the Red Fire Demon Ape Patriarch had grave expressions; although they were fire-attribute Demon Beasts, it was difficult for them to withstand such a high concentration of fire poison.

"Son, this valley is too dangerous, why don't we go back?"

Ju Niao Mu Qin said worriedly.

"That's right, at worst, I'll just lead my clansmen to find another place; we really can't take any more risks!"

The Red Fire Demon Ape Patriarch also advised.

Zhang Yi waved his hand and said with a relaxed expression: "What are you afraid of? I am a bird with the 'Fire Poison Body'! This little bit of fire poison is just a light drizzle to me! You guys just wait outside, I'll go in and check out the situation."

After saying this, he ignored the persuasion of the Ju Niao and the others and dove straight into the valley.

Inside the valley, the temperature was several times higher than outside; scorching magma flowed on the ground, and the air was distorted and deformed, as if one were inside a giant furnace.

Relying on the immunity of his "Fire Poison Body," Zhang Yi moved freely through the magma, like a fire dragon swimming in a sea of fire.

After going deep into the valley, he discovered a huge lava pool in the center of the valley, with golden-red magma churning within it, emitting heart-palpitating energy fluctuations.

And in the center of the lava pool, a new Fire Poison Spirit was slowly forming; its size was several times larger than the one he had encountered before, and it emitted a suffocating pressure.

"Holy crap! This thing, I'm afraid it's about to become a spirit!"

Zhang Yi couldn't help but curse.

This newborn Fire Poison Spirit was a strange dark red all over, with magma-like patterns flowing on its surface, and its two eyes were like burning flames, staring fixedly at Zhang Yi, full of hostility.

"It seems the previous volcanic eruption was caused by this guy!"

Zhang Yi thought to himself.

"If this thing continues to grow, who knows what kind of disaster it will cause! I must nip it in the bud before it fully forms!"

He took a deep breath and circulated the fire poison power throughout his body, preparing to give this newborn Fire Poison Spirit a heavy blow.

Just at this moment, a sudden change occurred!

The magma in the lava pool suddenly churned violently, forming a huge vortex that sucked Zhang Yi into it...

"My child!"

"Brother!"

Outside the valley, Ju Niao Mu Qin and Nudi and the others exclaimed upon seeing this scene.

Zhang Yi, who had been sucked into the magma vortex, only felt a powerful suction force pulling him downward, and the surrounding magma kept pounding against his body like boiling water.

He struggled desperately, but it was to no avail; he could only watch helplessly as he was pulled into the depths of the lava pool.

Zhang Yi, sucked into the magma vortex, felt as if he had fallen into a giant washing machine; the world was spinning, and his internal organs felt like they were about to be crushed.

The scorching magma drilled into his nostrils and ears, choking him until he coughed incessantly.

"Damn it! This thing has quite a strong suction! It won't actually digest me, will it?"

While complaining, Zhang Yi desperately circulated his "Fire Poison Body," absorbing the surrounding fire poison energy to resist the erosion of the magma.

Strangely enough, this fire poison energy poured into his body frantically, as if it were free of charge.

Zhang Yi felt like a balloon about to burst, his whole body filled with power.

"Hehe, it seems this lava pool isn't such a bad place after all! Maybe it can even help me level up again!"

However, just as he was smugly planning to take this opportunity to have a big feast.

From below, an even more powerful suction force suddenly came, pulling him down violently.

"Holy crap! Is there no end to this?!"

Zhang Yi only felt his vision go black, and then he lost consciousness.

I don't know how much time passed before Zhang Yi woke up in a daze.

He found himself lying in a warm and soft place, as if... lying in a hot spring?

"Hmm? A hot spring?"

He opened his eyes, only to find himself in a giant bird's nest.

This bird's nest was constructed from unknown soft materials, emitting a faint golden light, warm and comfortable.

And before him, impressively standing there, was a massive golden bird egg, a full person's height tall! The surface of the bird egg flowed with mysterious runes, emitting energy fluctuations that made one's heart palpitate.

"This... what is the situation?"

Zhang Yi had a bewildered look on his face.

Suddenly, the bird egg trembled slightly, and a crack split open...