Chapter 118 - 103: Flame Mountain

"Fellow Daoist Lin, let’s set off!" Tieshan Princess laughed heartily.

Lin Fang gave her a surprised glance, not knowing what had happened overnight that caused such a drastic change in Tieshan Princess.

Following Tieshan Princess, the air gradually became dry. The wind blowing from the distance carried a scorching breath, brushing against Lin Fang’s face, making him feel a terrifying heat.

Before long, a towering high mountain appeared in front of them, completely enveloped by raging flames. The scorching heat baked Heaven and Earth, making it unbearably hot.

"This is Flame Mountain!" Tieshan Princess pointed to the distant mountain wrapped in flames.

Lin Fang squinted his eyes, the scorching breath making it difficult for him to even keep them open. He felt as if the mountain in front of him was a fierce beast ready to devour anyone, lying dormant on the ground.

"What a formidable Flame Mountain!" Lin Fang murmured in awe.

"This Flame Mountain stretches for thousands of miles, from the foothill to the highest peak deep within the mountains, the flames grow stronger. Moreover, at the core, all flames become Samadhi True Fire, which incinerates everything, capable of scorching the soul and reducing the Primordial Spirit, thus practitioners avoid it. If you wish to master the Divine Skills of Samadhi True Fire, you must walk to the deepest part of these flames."

"Therefore, you must be very careful. If you notice anything wrong, run out immediately, or else you will die and your path will vanish," Tieshan Princess said with a sigh.

However, the image of her son flashed through her mind. Years ago, she had also sent Red Boy to practice in Flame Mountain, but at that time, Red Boy held the Banana Fan, which could protect him regardless of the circumstances.

"Thank you for the information, Princess. Then, Lin Fang will take his leave now," Lin Fang said, preparing to part.

But he was unexpectedly stopped by Tieshan Princess, "Fellow Daoist, going in like this is too reckless. Since I am here today, naturally, I cannot watch you enter just like that."

She opened her small mouth and spat out a small Banana Fan into the palm of her hand. With a gentle blow, the Banana Fan grew as it met the wind. Tieshan Princess grasped it in her hand, her body surged with mana, and she waved it powerfully.

A gust of wind appeared out of thin air and swept towards the interior of Flame Mountain, suppressing the flames and revealing the glowing-red ground. The searing heat in the air also lightened.

The power of the Banana Fan was beyond Lin Fang’s expectation. He studied the treasure in surprise, inwardly admiring it as a Spiritual Treasure existing since the chaos of the cosmos began, truly formidable indeed.

But Tieshan Princess did not stop. She continued to swing the Treasure Fan fiercely; the fearful gale seemed endless, continuously bursting from the Banana Fan, sweeping across Flame Mountain.

As the fan danced, the formidable presence of Flame Mountain paused, and water vapor gradually filled the air. The red sky, previously scorched by flames, was suddenly covered with dark clouds.

The cheers from afar reached Lin Fang’s ears. These were the shouts of joy from the people living near Flame Mountain. They hadn’t paid Tieshan Immortal to extinguish the fire this time, but seeing the clouds, they naturally guessed that the Immortal had intervened, saving them a considerable amount of food.

By that time, Tieshan Princess was dripping with sweat, yet the Treasure Fan in her hand was still waving, not stopping until Sweet Rain fell from the sky and large raindrops fell on the red-hot mountain rocks, raising billows of white mist.

Panting, she said, "Fellow Daoist Lin, this is all the help I can offer. When your Divine Skills reach great accomplishment, I will set a feast for you at Banana Cave."

Lin Fang saw the exhausted Tieshan Princess and said with a smile, "May your auspicious words come true, Fellow Taoist."

Once he finished speaking, he turned and walked deeper into Flame Mountain without looking back.

The Tieshan Princess watched his departing figure, sighed softly, put away the Banana Fan in her hand, sighed again, and then turned away from that place.

Her maid, Qing Mei, was waiting for her not far away. Seeing the panting Tieshan Princess, she couldn’t help but complain, "Miss, it’s just a favor; was it really necessary to exhaust yourself to this extent?"

"Since we have decided to do it, we must do it to the best of our ability. The Buddhist Sect is approaching, and we indeed need to unite all our strength. Only then can we protect this hard-earned foundation."

"If you ask me, it would be better to withdraw as early as possible. Your relationship with the King is growing cooler by the day. Why bother to fight to the death against the Buddhist Sect here?"

Upon hearing this, the Tieshan Princess just sighed softly and then said, "After all, we are husband and wife; how can I just sit by and do nothing? Moreover, this foundation was something we fought and risked our lives for from the start. I truly cannot bear to abandon it."

Qing Mei seemed to recall an age-old tale and those gradually fading figures in her memory. She couldn’t help feeling deeply moved as she remembered how spirited these individuals were back in the day and how heroic her King was. Just how many years had passed for things to have changed so much

As Lin Fang entered Flame Mountain, King Niumo also began his mobilization. With just a single command, monster kings from thousands of miles around gathered at Mount Moyun.

So many monsters gathered, and the demon qi they emitted enveloped the entire mountain range. Thick clouds shrouded the sky, occasionally flashing with lightning.

The various monster kings had not gathered together in a long time since King Niumo’s fame had spread. Since then, there had been no major battles, and each had lain back on their laurels, living the life of mountain kings, oblivious to the world beyond their domains.

Now, however, by King Niumo’s single order, they were all called together, many of whom hadn’t seen each other in years. For a while, Mount Moyun was abuzz with voices.

Many monster kings began to reminisce. They had been through life and death together once, so naturally, their bonds were extraordinary. They enjoyed drinks while reminiscing about the past and discussing the present, making merry and enjoying each other’s company. Some of the monster kings even publicly sparred with one another, receiving cheers from the crowd, pushing the banquet to its climax.

A long while later, King Niumo finally dressed in his armor and emerged from the cave with dignity. Upon seeing him, the previously noisy banquet instantly quieted down.

King Niumo looked at the many monster kings standing before him and nodded in satisfaction, saying, "Very well, it seems you have not slackened; being able to gather here so quickly is commendable."

"Rest assured, Your Majesty; we await your summons every day, daring not to slacken in the slightest."

"Indeed, if Your Majesty has called us here today, surely someone audacious must be stirring trouble. There’s no need for Your Majesty to lift a finger; we’ll show them who’s boss."

A chorus of monsters started to jeer; they had occupied this land for many years, their roots burrowing deep, with endless lesser demons under their command. Therefore, each was filled with pride, considering themselves invincible.

Seeing this, King Niumo let out a loud "good," picked up a cup of wine next to him, and drained it, declaring, "Good, that’s the spirit I want to see."