Xiao Jian raised his thumb, smiling gently as her smile grew even brighter.
Xiao Yan also smiled at her in thanks, then walked to the dark cave entrance. With a flip of his hand, a moonlight stone appeared. He tossed it into the cave.
The faint glow rolled a few times before vanishing completely into darkness.
Xiao Yan frowned slightly.
"Looks like the passage isn't straight."
"Yes," the mercenary replied bitterly. "We did a preliminary survey.
There are at least a dozen passages down there, all twisting like tunnels left by a giant serpent."
Xiao Jian nodded thoughtfully.
"So it was trying to burrow out."
His expression remained calm, but he already had a guess. Most likely, Queen Medusa had already taken the Heavenly Flame.
Qinglian had said the disturbance occurred three months ago.
Xiao Ding's voice came from behind.
"Should I send people down to search each passage?"
Xiao Yan turned and shook his head.
"There may still be danger below. Everyone has already helped me enough. If someone gets hurt down there, that's not something I want."
"Fourth Captain, don't worry," the surrounding mercenaries laughed. "The Desert Iron Mercenary Group doesn't fear death."
Xiao Jian smiled.
"Big Brother, I'll go down with Xiao Yan. You can trust my strength. I'll leave markings along the way.
If we don't come back after a long time, you can follow them down."
Xiao Ding pondered for a moment, then nodded solemnly.
"If even your strength isn't enough, going down would be meaningless. You two are the Xiao family's future... protect yourselves."
Xiao Jian and Xiao Yan both nodded.
At that moment, Qinglian tugged lightly at Xiao Jian's robe.
"Young Master… there are traces of that person's aura left in the tunnels from three months ago. I think I can help find the right path."
Xiao Jian didn't hesitate.
"Then come with me."
He wrapped an arm around her waist and patted her back gently.
Hold tight."
"Mm."
Blushing, Qinglian nodded and hugged him tightly.
"Xiao Yan, I'll go first. You follow and mark the way."
Xiao Jian spoke calmly.
His Earth Kun Scripture was already cultivated. With a low-tier Earth-grade earth attribute technique, he could sense underground conditions and stabilize the tunnels.
"Alright!"
Xiao Yan nodded eagerly.
After a final reminder to Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, Xiao Jian stepped forward.
"Qinglian, hold on."
The next instant, gravity took hold.
In the dark tunnel, Xiao Jian held Qinglian tightly as they slid downward along the slope. Earth-attribute Dou Qi spread wherever he passed, reinforcing the tunnel walls.
Xiao Yan followed closely behind, alert. With Yao Lao secretly probing ahead, there was little worry of ambush.
As they descended, Xiao Yan noticed the tunnel walls were unnaturally smooth—almost as if blasted open by an enormous column of energy.
After two to three minutes, Xiao Jian reached the bottom and landed steadily.
Ahead lay more than ten intersecting tunnels, twisting and branching in all directions.
"Try sensing it," Xiao Jian said gently.
Qinglian nodded, still holding his neck. Her eyes shimmered as three tiny green dots silently appeared around her emerald pupils.
Her Green Snake Triple-Pupil was extremely sensitive to serpent-related auras.
She didn't know this herself—only that she could feel it.
After a moment, she pointed left.
"This tunnel has the strongest remaining aura. That person stayed here the longest."
Xiao Jian sensed it as well.
Deep within the tunnel, earth-attribute energy was almost completely suppressed—overwhelmed by intense fire-attribute energy.
"This way."
He stepped forward.
Xiao Yan followed.
"Xiao Yan," Xiao Jian said calmly, "our chances of finding the Heavenly Flame this time aren't very high."
"Because Queen Medusa has already been here?"
Xiao Yan's heart sank.
"Yes. She's at peak Dou Huang. Only she could make something like this. There's a high chance the flame is already in her hands."
What would she want a Heavenly Flame for?"
"To advance to Dou Zong."
Xiao Jian explained quietly.
"When a Snake-People Queen reaches peak Dou Huang, there's a chance for a rare evolution.
Afterward, she can freely take human form and advance to Dou Zong. But the success rate is extremely low—and the key requirement is a Heavenly Flame."
Xiao Yan sucked in a breath.
"If she succeeds… the Snake-People would gain a Dou Zong."
"Not guaranteed," Xiao Jian said lightly. "She may fail. Or she may not have taken the flame."
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