Chapter 410: Still Must Go Up

If I could regain control of the Heavenly Fire Secret Realm, I could break the seal of the Ancient Sword Tomb and let it reappear.

Having said that, it paused for a few seconds, then spoke with a complex tone: "However, he cannot leave the Necro Beast City, nor can I go there."

Yuan Yao heard this and also fell into silence.

Seeing her not speak, the little creature thought she couldn't come up with any plan; at this moment it stared longingly at the food box beside Yuan Yao and swallowed silently.

Yuan Yao was thinking of countermeasures and did not notice the little creature's action.

Only when the little creature darted into the food box did she come back to her senses.

Yuan Yao looked closely and saw the black little creature holding a roasted bird egg with its tiny short hands and shoving it straight into its mouth.

"Is it tasty?" she laughed.

The little creature nodded repeatedly, "Mmm mmm mmm."

But as it ate, it seemed to realize something; the roasted bird egg fell from its hands, and it lifted its head, meeting Yuan Yao's smiling gaze.

Seeing it stunned, Yuan Yao couldn't help but say, "Go ahead and eat."

After receiving her permission, the little creature began to clutch the roasted bird egg and devour it voraciously.

At this moment, Yuan Yao noticed Dongfangxiu frequently glancing in her direction; he seemed to have grown suspicious.

Yuan Yao's gaze fell on the little creature: "If we can help you weaken that necro's strength, could you enter the Necro Beast City and eliminate it together with us?"

The little creature paused its nibbling of the bird egg, its round eyes lifting to look at Yuan Yao.

"Can you?" Yuan Yao asked solemnly.

At this moment, the little creature's heart was also in great turmoil.

It cautiously asked, "You wouldn't be colluding with that necro to deceive me, would you?"

"If I say I won't, you definitely won't believe me." Yuan Yao said, "But I will still say, I won't."

She earnestly asked, "Are you willing to believe me?"

The little creature gave no answer, merely nibbling the bird egg in silence.

After a moment, it said, "If you can injure its source power, I will come as promised."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao smiled: "Good."

"What should I call you?"

"Heavenly Fire."

The little creature is the consciousness embodiment of the Heavenly Fire Secret Realm, so it naturally bears the name Heavenly Fire.

Yuan Yao extended a finger toward it: "Then it's agreed."

Heavenly Fire hesitated a few seconds, then extended its tiny short hand and touched hers.

Heavenly Fire raised its little head, its round eyes showing a hint of resolve, and said in a low voice: "If you cannot harm its source power, I will absolutely not lend you aid."

"Alright." Yuan Yao agreed.

"Aren't you really afraid?" Heavenly Fire, seeing her show no hesitation, felt a bit puzzled and asked.

Yuan Yao nodded, "I'm afraid. But when it's time to go forward, we still must go."

If she only kept retreating, she would certainly make no progress.

"These bird eggs are all yours." Yuan Yao told it, "It's also time for us to head to the Ruined City."

Hearing this, Heavenly Fire carried all the roasted bird eggs from the food box into the cave.

After moving them, Heavenly Fire huddled at the cave entrance, looking up at Yuan Yao: "If you cannot defeat the Necro King, then flee to the city walls; at that time I can still control the Heavenly Fire to counter the Necro Beast City, giving you a place to stay."

"Good!"

Heavenly Fire gave her a deep look, then retreated into the cave.

Yuan Yao put away the food box, then rose and dispelled the soundproof barrier she had just set up.

"What exactly are you doing?" Dongfangxiu said in a low voice.

Cang Li said, "We're strangers; it's none of your business what we're doing."

Dongfangxiu snorted, "Don't think I don't recognize you. Your voice has given away your identity—you're Cang Li! She's Yuan Yao!"

Cang Li spread his hands, "What Cang Li, what Yuan Yao—I don't know them."

"I can't be bothered to talk to you!" Dongfangxiu tried to go around him, walking toward Yuan Yao.

He had taken just two steps when Cang Li blocked him again.

Cang Li said irritably, "You person, can't you understand human speech?"

Dongfangxiu's eyes turned gloomy, "I want to fight her—move out of the way!"

Cang Li was speechless.

At this moment, Yuan Yao's voice came: "I don't have time to fight you now; if we meet again at the Immortal Sect Grand Competition, I'll gladly fight you properly."

Dongfangxiu's expression flickered, "Do you admit you're Yuan Yao?"

"No." Yuan Yao also spread her hands, then immediately told Cang Li, "Let's go."

The two had just intended to leave when Dongfangxiu blocked them.

"I want to fight you right now." Dongfangxiu stared coldly at Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao smiled.

In the next instant, Dongfangxiu felt a buzzing in his head; his consciousness fell into a brief chaos, and when he came to, he found Yuan Yao and Cang Li had already run far away.

"Stop!"

He shouted loudly.

At this moment, Cang Li, while running, turned his head to Yuan Yao and asked, "Did you do something to him? Why is he so obsessively wanting to fight you?"

Yuan Yao said, "Earlier, in the assessment secret realm of the Sect Grand Competition, I kicked him off a cliff into the abyss."

Upon hearing this, Cang Li's mouth twitched slightly.

No wonder he bears such a grudge against you.

Sure enough, there is a cause.

The two swiftly darted forward.

Dongfangxiu followed behind.

After about half an hour, Yuan Yao and Cang Li arrived before the city wall.

They exchanged a glance, then leapt onto the top of the city wall.

They stood on the wall, looking down over this ruined city, which exuded an eerie stillness, occasionally pierced by one or two mournful screams.

Cang Li tilted their head at her and asked, "Are you afraid?"

"Even if I'm afraid, I have to go up." Yuan Yao replied.

Cang Li let out a light chuckle.

The two swiftly leapt down and entered the ruined city.

Elsewhere.

Somewhere in the ruined city.

The white-clad maiden arrived alone before a palace whose strange shape resembled, from afar, a grinning ghost's face split open in laughter, or a ferocious beast with a grotesque visage. Its whole body was covered in moss and mottled marks, making it look especially ancient and dilapidated.

She lifted her foot to enter the palace, but just then——

Something beneath the ground began to surge.

A pair of pitch-black claws protruded from the ground, seeking to seize the white-clad maiden's feet and drag her down.

The white-clad maiden remained calm, raising her hand in a wave; instantly, countless white light points swirled around her.

Those ferocious claws, upon touching the white light points, seemed to strike something terrifying and snapped back.

The white-clad maiden lifted her gaze to the dilapidated Blue-Faced Palace and said slowly, "Death Spirit King, I wish to make a deal with you."

There was no response.

The white-clad maiden's expression remained unchanged as she spoke again: "I can help you devour the remaining primordial power of the Heavenly Fire Secret Realm, and I can also help you return to the cultivation world."