The magma basin stretched endlessly before them, glowing faintly with the shimmer of molten rock. As Gao Tian and Shu Yu continued their path, the heat thick in the air, they finally came upon a massive crimson gate embedded in the mountainside.
The ground before it was stained with blood, dried and dark, and claw marks raked the surrounding stone like echoes of ancient fury.
They stopped in front of it.
Shu Yu's cold gaze remained fixed on the gate. "Do you want to go in?"
Gao Tian's eyes narrowed. "We already have the most dangerous thing in your hands. What else could be worse? Let's go."
Shu Yu turned her head, eyes calm and still. "You've already sealed his core. Why are you still treating him like a threat?"
"He is a threat," Gao Tian replied. "If he grows, I'm not confident I can stop him. And if I can't, I don't think anyone else in this world can."
A moment passed before Shu Yu glanced back at the gate. "You think highly of yourself for someone still in Qi Refining."
Gao Tian gave an awkward smile. "You're right."
Why can't I think highly of myself? I was an Immortal Emperor in my past life… Hah.
They both stared at the imposing gate, then turned to face each other.
"Do you know how to open it?" they asked in unison.
Silence followed.
Gao Tian blinked. "Wait, you don't know either?"
Shu Yu gave no response—just her usual expressionless stare.
So he doesn't know either, she thought.
In her arms, the Ruler Dog stirred and let out a soft yawn, blinking at the gate. Its fluffy ears twitched as it looked around with innocent eyes.
Gao Tian's expression twisted into a mischievous grin. "Hey, maybe we need to sacrifice something to open the gate. Let's kill that beast."
The Ruler Dog immediately shivered, hiding its face in its tiny paws.
Shu Yu stared at the trembling creature, then turned her cold eyes to Gao Tian. "I'll sacrifice you if that's the case."
Gao Tian looked away, chuckling nervously. "What? I think you misheard. I didn't say anything like that."
Shu Yu turned back to the gate, unimpressed.
Gao Tian walked up to it, placing his hand on the heavy crimson surface. Closing his eyes, he channeled his spiritual energy into the gate. The surface warmed under his palm, but nothing else happened.
Then the ground trembled.
The altar behind them cracked apart.
A deep roar echoed through the basin, sending waves of heat rolling across the stone.
They both turned.
A massive white tiger emerged from behind the altar, flame aura rippling across its striped body. Its eyes burned with molten fire, its very breath sizzling against the air. It let out another thunderous roar—flames erupting just from its voice.
Shu Yu's gaze didn't falter. "Are you going to fight him? I can sense he's more powerful than me."
Gao Tian scanned the tiger's energy. His heart skipped.
"Rank Three High-Tier... Damn. I don't think I can win this one. Can't you fight him just this once?"
Shu Yu looked at him. "Have you forgotten our one-year protection contract?"
Gao Tian groaned, gritting his teeth. "Fine. But if I'm about to die—please save me."
She nodded slightly.
The white tiger roared again and charged.
Its speed was blinding, and flames trailed behind its claws like streaks of fire.
Gao Tian took a deep breath, then burst forward to meet it. His Dynamic Palm surged with blue energy, colliding with the tiger's flaming claws.
Their attacks clashed in a fiery explosion.
Dust engulfed the basin.
Gao Tian was thrown back. He managed to twist in the air, landing hard but controlling the slide. Before he could recover, the tiger burst from the dust with its maw open, flames wrapped around its razor teeth.
He couldn't escape.
Gao Tian brought up both arms to defend.
The tiger's jaws snapped shut on his forearms.
Pain surged through him.
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Gao Tian screamed.
From behind, Shu Yu stood motionless, watching in silence. Her gaze never changed.
In her arms, the Ruler Dog giggled gleefully at the sight of Gao Tian getting mauled.
And yet, even as blood dripped from his arms, Gao Tian gritted his teeth, eyes fierce and unyielding.
Gao Tian's leg was still free.
Drawing in a deep breath, he gritted his teeth and focused all his remaining spiritual energy into his lower body. A faint blue glow shimmered around his foot. With a swift, explosive motion, he kicked upward with all his strength, landing a solid blow beneath the tiger beast's flaming jaw.
The beast roared in pain and stumbled back, finally releasing Gao Tian's mauled arms.
Blood soaked his sleeves, and the searing pain throbbed through his nerves, but Gao Tian remained on his feet. He staggered back, hand trembling as he reached into his spiritual ring and pulled out a small bottle of healing pills.
The tiger beast, catching sight of the motion, roared furiously and charged.
Gao Tian's fingers tightened around a pill just as the beast's claws sliced through the air. He leapt sideways, narrowly dodging the assault, and managed to toss the pill into his mouth midair. He landed hard on the cracked stone floor, rolling as the medicinal energy rushed through his veins.
The tiger snarled and turned again, eyes ablaze with fury. With another thunderous roar, it lunged.
Gao Tian stood his ground, ready to evade.
But this time, he wasn't fast enough.
The claws raked across his side, sending him flying once more. He crashed into the wall of the basin, the impact shaking loose a flurry of dust and ash. Blood splattered across the stone as he slumped to the ground, breathless, vision spinning.
His arms ached. His ribs throbbed. And the healing pill hadn't been enough.
He couldn't win like this. Not against a beast of this level.
He clenched his teeth.
I can't use my high-level techniques… the backlash will kill me. I have to think—there has to be something I can use.
The beast let out another roar, and flames poured from its mouth like smoke from a furnace. It advanced slowly this time, each step echoing in Gao Tian's ears like the toll of a death bell.
Shu Yu watched from a distance, her eyes still cold and unreadable, but her hand hovered near her sword hilt. Even the Ruler Dog tilted his head and chuckled, clearly amused by Gao Tian's suffering.
The tiger's killing intent was rising, a tangible pressure that pressed down on the entire basin.
Gao Tian swayed as he stood, his legs quivering under the weight of his own body. His vision was blurry now, blood dripping down his chin.
And yet, he refused to fall.
The tiger beast drew closer, preparing for the final strike.
Think, damn it... What can I use?
Then something clicked in his mind.
His eyes sharpened.
There was one technique. Low-level. Looked down upon in the Immortal World. But it might be enough.
He focused on the beast, locking eyes with it.
His pupils glimmered with a strange light.
"Sacrificial Illusion."
A wave of spiritual energy burst forth from his gaze, subtle yet powerful. The tiger beast blinked in confusion. Its steps slowed. The flames around it dimmed.
Then… it stopped moving.
The massive beast sat down with a low growl, its fiery eyes glazing over. Within moments, it curled up like a sleeping cat, laid its head on its massive paws, and dozed off.
Silence fell across the basin.
Shu Yu tilted her head slightly, her gaze shifting from the slumbering beast to the staggering figure of Gao Tian.
He wiped the blood from his lips and laughed weakly.
He had done it.
But how long the illusion would last—he didn't know.
Gao Tian's lips trembled as he turned his head slowly toward Shu Yu, blood still trailing down his jaw.
His voice was faint, barely audible.
"Hey… I'm out of spiritual energy… kill him… before he wa—"
Before he could finish his sentence, his body gave out. His knees buckled and he collapsed where he stood, eyes rolling back as unconsciousness overtook him. The toll of battle, the drain of techniques, and his injuries had pushed him beyond his limits.
Shu Yu stepped forward with measured calmness, her face still blank and emotionless.
She stood before the sleeping tiger beast, whose chest rose and fell with every breath. Though entrapped by Gao Tian's illusion, there was no telling how long it would last.
With no hesitation, Shu Yu drew her sword, its blade glinting under the light of the magma that bathed the chamber in an eerie glow.
In one precise motion, she plunged it into the tiger beast's neck.
The steel sank deep, piercing through muscle and bone. The beast's body convulsed slightly, a final twitch of life—and then it stilled.
Shu Yu left the blade embedded in its flesh.
Turning around, she walked slowly back to Gao Tian, who now lay slumped beside the rocky edge. The little Ruler Dog had crept close and sat beside him, its large ears drooping slightly as it stared at Gao Tian's battered form. Its usual smugness was gone.
Shu Yu knelt and gently pushed the beast aside.
Then, wordlessly, she reached into Gao Tian's spiritual ring and retrieved two pills—one for spiritual recovery, the other for healing. Her fingers hovered for a moment, eyes lingering on his pale, unconscious face.
Her expression didn't change, but a quiet thought passed through her mind.
Why do I have to feed him every time? I doubt he'd do the same for me if our roles were reversed.
Still, she didn't hesitate.
She placed the first pill between her lips and leaned forward.
Her mouth met his, transferring the pill gently. Her hand tilted his chin to help him swallow.
She backed off, then repeated the action with the second pill. Another soft contact, another quiet breath shared.
Once done, she sat back on her heels with Ruler Dog on her lap, gaze lowering to the resting young man.
The magma basin was quiet again.
Only the sound of lava bubbling in the distance filled the silence.