Chapter 367: Flame Pool

As soon as the door opened, it got that hot. How far is the Flame Pool from here? Gu Rongjin asked.

Mu Yuanzhi had just entered and was so hot she took off her shawl, but even after taking it off she was still hot.

Gu Rongjin felt even hotter, as if his whole body had fallen into an oven.

I say that door of yours must be heat‑proof—how can you not feel even a hint of heat outside?

The Flame Pool is about a quarter‑hour's walk from here, but that door is heat‑insulating—I don't know the principle, the material is something I've never seen, not an ordinary iron door; inside it must be fused with some special substance. Qilin said.

Mu Yuanzhi: "We've just stepped inside and it's already this hot, and we still have a quarter‑hour to go……"

She took out a handkerchief to wipe her sweat.

Qilin, wearing short sleeves and shorts, said: "I told you to dress coolly inside."

There's no helping it—if we dress coolly inside, we just feel empty and chilly. Mu Yuanzhi said.

Senior Sister, you should be waiting outside; the Flame Pool is too dangerous.

Gu Rongjin: "I was advising her the same way, but she's too worried about me, so we can only go in as husband‑and‑wife troops."

I don't know why, coming from your mouth it sounds like a special prelude! Qilin walked ahead, annoyed.

Don't be jealous, little Qilin, don't be so possessive toward Senior Sister—she's not your mother. Gu Rongjin teased.

Qilin ignored that smug person, leading the way ahead: "The stone road here is rough, watch your step."

I'll hold your hand. Gu Rongjin said, taking Mu Yuanzhi's hand.

The two supported each other as they carefully walked along the uneven stone road.

The hotter they got, the more the three of them sweated; Qilin pulled two ice cans from his sleeves, gave one to each of them to keep in their pockets, and kept one himself pressed to his cheek.

The stone road was hard to walk; Gu Rongjin had wanted to suggest using lightness skill to get there quickly, but Qilin said walking slowly would let them adapt better—otherwise, arriving all at once in such a hot place would surely cause heat stroke and fainting.

Although a quarter‑hour's journey is not far, the stone road was truly difficult, and they walked at least half an hour before arriving.

By the time they reached the vicinity of the Flame Pool, all three were drenched in sweat, breathing required great effort, and they felt oppressive.

Mu Yuanzhi wiped her sweat while gazing at the Flame Pool ahead—just as she'd imagined, it was huge, stretching across the middle, impossible to cross to the opposite side; the flames burned fiercely, tongues of fire leapt high, the air seemed to scorch and melt, making the far side indistinct.

How long has this fire been burning? Gu Rongjin asked, like the legendary Flaming Mountain.

Qilin: "According to records, the Flame Pool has existed since Juechen Valley was founded; exactly how long it's been burning, even the local gazetteer doesn't record it—outsiders probably don't know."

He added: "The miasma of Juechen Valley probably seeps out from the back, but we still can't get past it."

Does Master Yuan Yan know about this place? What did he say?

Qilin: "He said he could split it with one palm, but it's fire—if he split it with one palm and accidentally set the whole mountain ablaze, what would we do?"

That's also true. Gu Rongjin endured the wave of heat hitting his face, observing and studying.

Mu Yuanzhi stood far back, yet even there she was so hot her head felt dazed.

Gu Rongjin rummaged in his bosom, pulled out a piece resembling a metal sheet, tossed it onto the leaping flames, then channeled his energy, raised his hand—the sheet was drawn back to him, and he held it bare‑handed to observe the flames up close.

He leaned in and sniffed: "The sulphur smell is really strong!"

Do we really need to get closer to smell it? I'm about to vomit! Qilin snapped.

What I mean is there's no other smell. Gu Rongjin also snapped.

You're not suspecting there's miasma in there, are you?

That's a reasonable suspicion. Gu Rongjin asked Qilin: "Did you study that piece of meat you burned earlier?"

It fell in.

Useless! Gu Rongjin again pulled a can from his bosom; inside was meat that was quickly chilled, which he took out and roasted over the fire.

Mu Yuanzhi laughed helplessly: "Your Eight Treasures Bag really has everything."

Since we're on an expedition, we naturally need to be fully prepared. Gu Rongjin said while roasting that piece of lamb.

A fragrant aroma instantly assailed them.

But Qilin still found it repulsive; just thinking about the fire source killed any appetite, plus there was the sulphur smell.

What do you see? Mu Yuanzhi asked.

It feels a bit like wood‑fire roasted, judging by the meat's texture. Gu Rongjin evaluated.

Qilin: "I think you're just hungry."

A little—I didn't eat much breakfast. Gu Rongjin finished roasting the meat and asked Mu Yuanzhi: "Want some, Little Yuanzhi?"

You're crazy giving this to my senior sister! Qilin protested loudly.

Mu Yuanzhi still declined: "You eat it yourself."

Your senior sister told me to eat—she's just as crazy as I am, we really click! Gu Rongjin said with a grin.

Qilin: "... Give it to me, I'll eat it."

First test it with a silver needle. Mu Yuanzhi reminded.

Qilin nodded, pulled out a long silver needle and stabbed it in.

Excellent, no toxins! Gu Rongjin said, shoving the meat toward Qilin's face: "Here's yours—look how good your master is."

You're just doing this to ease your own conscience, huh? Qilin chuckled.

You're the one who wants to eat it—no more talk. Gu Rongjin shoved the roasted meat into Qilin's mouth without further ado.

Qilin chewed with a complex expression—the outside was charred, the inside tender—but there was an unmistakable sulphur smell, plus a strange fragrance.

Wait, a fragrance?!

Qilin stopped chewing: "This fragrance is weird—not like meat, more like the miasma of Juechen Valley!"

Gu Rongjin raised his brows: "Could the source of the miasma really be here?"

Mu Yuanzhi had a different opinion: "Not necessarily—the gas below must be continuous; its source is likely elsewhere, we can't just jump to conclusions."

Qilin agreed wholeheartedly: "I still think the root of the miasma lies opposite the Flame Pool."

Gu Rongjin: "It's a shame—whether here at the Flame Pool or on its far side, we can't deal with it; it's all for naught."

"It's too hot; we should go back first, otherwise we can come again tomorrow." Qilin was already overheated to the point of being unbearable, his whole body looked like it had been fished out of water.

Gu Rongjin and Mu Yuanzhi nodded; Gu Rongjin looked at the fire source in his hand that had not yet been extinguished and said, "I'll go back to study it."

"This piece of iron, is it iron? What material is it, and why does the fire burn on it without spreading or going out?" Mu Yuanzhi asked Gu Rongjin curiously.

Gu Rongjin just laughed: "Last time, I took those iron-masked warriors of the Third Prince from a corpse."

"What?!" Qilin instantly felt a surge of nausea, covered his mouth and vomited.

"What are you nervous about? I've already disinfected it." Gu Rongjin spread his hands helplessly.