Ever since the fall of the Ziyun Territory, Shui Qingrou had disappeared, leaving no clue as to where the random teleportation array had sent her.
Now, there was finally some news.
To Qin Chuan, this information wasn't particularly significant, but for Qin Zi, it was of utmost importance.
After all, spring had come, everything was coming back to life, and it was mating season. The air in the mountains was filled with the scent of hormones...
"How is she?"
Qin Chuan asked casually.
Qin Zi carefully read the message, his face turning pale as he exclaimed, "She said she's trapped on a pitch-black island surrounded by lava! The island is filled with mysterious energy that prevents her from flying, and the lava is about to flood the entire island!"
Panicked, he turned to Qin Chuan, clutching at him like a drowning man grabbing a lifeline. "Father, what should we do? What should we do!!"
Qin Chuan furrowed his brow.
Resting his right hand under his chin, he pondered, "A pitch-black island surrounded by lava... Is there such a place in the Jiucang Realm?"
Truthfully, his knowledge of the Jiucang Realm's geography was still quite limited. He could only say he knew the basics.
"I know where it is!"
At this moment, Ye Lingshuang suddenly spoke up. "At the western edge of the human territory, there's a lava sea with many strange black islands. Shui Qingrou is likely trapped on one of those islands."
"Master, please take us there!"
Qin Zi immediately pleaded.
However, Ye Lingshuang hesitated for a moment, her tone grave. "That place is dangerous. Even a Martial Emperor wouldn't dare enter easily. Beneath the lava, there are unspeakable and terrifying monsters."
"It's fine! My father is stronger than a Martial Emperor, and dealing with mere monsters will be a piece of cake."
Qin Zi was in a rush, driven by his hormones and utterly unconcerned with anything but rescuing the girl.
"But even Dragon-Capturing Martial Emperor and Sun-Swallowing Emperor wouldn't easily venture there…"
Ye Lingshuang was still hesitant.
In her heart, Qin Chuan's safety was far more important than Shui Qingrou's, and she naturally didn't want him to take unnecessary risks.
"Let's go. Saving her is the priority."
At this moment, Qin Chuan spoke calmly.
Since it was the woman his son liked, how could he stand by and watch her die? If he did that, how could he continue to exploit his son without guilt?
"But…"
"Lead the way."
Ye Lingshuang still wanted to say something, but Qin Chuan's tone was resolute, leaving no room for argument. So, she didn't protest any further.
"This way."
She obediently pointed the direction, and then Qin Chuan's body emitted a radiant light, enveloping her and Qin Zi as they flew towards the distant horizon.
Whoosh!
Their speed was so fast that it felt like the stars were shifting, and everything around them became a blur of darkness.
Even light couldn't keep up with them. Before the light could reach them, they were already miles away.
Such is the terrifying power of an extreme realm expert!
It was hard to say how long had passed—perhaps just an instant, or maybe a long while. Their speed was so fast that even time seemed to distort.
Finally, the trio arrived at the lava sea.
"Splash!"
The red-hot lava churned like ocean waves, with massive waves rising hundreds of meters high, as if mountains were slowly writhing.
"Buzz!"
A vast spiritual consciousness radiated from Qin Chuan's forehead, spreading across the lava sea.
His spiritual power was immense!
It could easily cover more than a dozen Ziyun Territories, while the lava sea was only about half the size of one Ziyun Territory.
However, his spiritual power didn't immediately envelop the lava sea because he encountered some kind of obstruction.
It was an invisible force, like mercury flowing through the air, making the atmosphere thick and sticky.
"Disperse, foul energy!"
Qin Chuan snorted coldly, and his spiritual power ignited, releasing unparalleled might.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
A series of explosions echoed through the air, and that mysterious energy was forced back beneath the lava.
It had come from below the lava!
But Qin Chuan wasn't interested in investigating further. His spiritual power quickly covered the entire lava sea, and soon, his brow furrowed.
"Father, how is it?"
Qin Zi immediately grew anxious.
"Shui Qingrou isn't here," Qin Chuan said gravely.
"How could that be?"
Qin Zi's face turned pale, and he muttered in horror, "Could it be… she's already…"
Looking around at the vast lava sea, it seemed capable of devouring anything in its path.
"No, her aura is beneath the lava!"
At that moment, Qin Chuan's eyes gleamed as he spoke seriously, "Stay here and don't move. I'll go down and take a look."
Boom!
With that, his body radiated like a sun as he plunged into the lava sea.
Qin Zi wanted to follow, but Ye Lingshuang held him back. She sternly warned, "This is no ordinary lava. Even Martial Emperors can't withstand it, and there are monsters below. If we go, we'll only be a burden."
Hearing this, Qin Zi had no choice but to give up.
Meanwhile, beneath the lava, Qin Chuan swiftly descended, following Shui Qingrou's aura. The surrounding lava was repelled by the light radiating from his body.
"With her low cultivation, how did she get this deep? She should have turned to ash the moment she fell into the lava."
Qin Chuan was puzzled.
The destructive power and heat within the lava were unbearable, even for an average Martial Emperor.
Perhaps Shui Qingrou had some extraordinary treasure on her. That was the only explanation that made sense.
The lava sea was incredibly deep.
After descending about a hundred thousand zhang, Qin Chuan finally found the source of the aura—a piece of clothing!
The clothing was wrapped in a crimson light orb, resembling a giant pearl, quietly resting at the bottom of the lava sea.
"Not good!"
Qin Chuan's expression changed, and in an instant, he realized it was a trap. He quickly flew upward.
"Roar!"
At that moment, a massive, foul-smelling mouth rushed toward him from ahead, accompanied by a surge of violent energy.
"Hmph!"
Qin Chuan snorted coldly and punched forward.
"Boom!!"
A terrifying force of destruction erupted, colliding with the gaping mouth. In an instant, the surrounding lava was completely vaporized, forming a vacuum space beneath the lava sea.
As for the surface of the lava sea, it was impossible to know what kind of storm had been triggered. Perhaps the entire sea had been overturned!
"Splash!"
Just then, a massive crimson-scaled claw descended from above, its terrifying power seemingly capable of tearing the heavens apart!
"Boom!"
Qin Chuan stomped his right foot onto the seabed, causing the entire lava sea to quake by two inches. He raised both hands and slowly brought them together. A golden spear materialized above his head and then shot forward with force.
"Whoosh! Thud!"
The golden spear pierced through the scaled claw without resistance. Qin Chuan followed the spear's path, passing through the wound and swiftly shooting upward, breaking free from the seabed!
"Roar!!"
The monster beneath the lava sea roared in fury, causing waves to rise to the sky. Its enormous body seemed ready to burst out of the lava sea.
"Stay down!"
Qin Chuan coldly snorted. After escaping the strange lava sea, his strength surged. With a flip of his hand, he summoned an entire continent, pressing it down.
"Boom!"
"Roar!!"
The scaled beast was suppressed back into the depths of the lava sea, and waves of molten rock shot up as if trying to drown the sky.
At that moment...
Qin Chuan furrowed his brow, his expression turning grim. He had just realized... Qin Zi and Ye Lingshuang were gone.
In fact, from the moment he saw the clothing, he had suspected this would happen.
They had fallen into a trap.
Clearly, the enemy had come prepared!