My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

Activate the mechanism in the stone wall, and the passage will suddenly appear.

Chen Ziliang was filled with apprehension, fearing that Venerable Qianyan might return at any moment, so he dared not delay any longer and immediately entered.

Just before the stone wall closed, Chu Lengyu's figure, like a wisp of smoke, silently entered the portal.

The array formations and restrictions here are more complex and dangerous than those outside.

Even Chen Ziliang dared not be careless, taking each step cautiously, afraid of triggering the hidden mechanisms, but his eyes kept flashing with excitement.

He was originally a rogue cultivator from an outer island. Ten years ago, he went through countless life-or-death experiences in the Blazing Fire Tower and finally tamed a sub-flame of the Great Sun Blazing Fire. Since then, he has been able to join the Heavenly Fire Island, enjoying immense prestige and becoming an admired figure.

However, a year ago, he inadvertently discovered a shocking secret about the Great Sun Blazing Fire.

Since then, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his heart filled with fear and unease. He was terrified that he was nothing more than a furnace to cultivate the sub-flames, and that when he "matured," he would be ruthlessly abandoned by Venerable Qianyan, who might even kill the goose that lays the golden eggs to prevent future troubles.

But a year ago, he accidentally discovered a secret about the Great Sun Blazing Fire. Since then, he has been carefully investigating, and the more he investigates, the more horrifying it becomes.

Chen Ziliang worried day and night that he was nothing more than a furnace for cultivating sub-fire, and that once he "matured," he would be killed by Venerable Qianyan for the sake of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

He suggested going out to collect materials, but Venerable Qianyan said that he should just give orders to the Yang family subordinates if he needed anything, and did not give him a reason to leave Tianhuo Island alone. In the end, he decided that he could not sit and wait for death.

He knew that Venerable Qianyan possessed countless treasures in the forbidden area behind the mountain, which he regarded as precious gems and would never easily show to others.

Now, if he could seize the opportunity to acquire one or two treasures, he would have something to rely on after betraying his sect.

Thinking of this, Chen Ziliang's steps became even more hurried.

Chu Lengyu followed closely behind, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

The two of them, one in front and one behind, ventured deep into the forbidden area behind the Yang family's mountain.

Within the forbidden area, spiritual herbs and trees were everywhere, like a fairyland. However, Chen Ziliang had no heart to appreciate the beautiful scenery. He headed towards a cave.

There was a flame barrier guarding the entrance to the cave. Chen Ziliang activated the sub-fire of the Great Sun Blazing Fire within his body.

The flame danced in his palm, emitting a faint golden light, like a small sun, blazing and dazzling.

He brought the flame close to the barrier to test its aura.

After a brief flash of light, the barrier slowly opened, revealing a passage leading into the cave.

Chen Ziliang stepped inside without hesitation.

After the ban was lifted, it was no longer a canyon, but a gray cave with jagged rocks, rising temperatures, rolling heat waves, and a faint smell of burning.

However, not long after Chen Ziliang went inside, he suddenly saw a huge fire python slithering over and coiling on a boulder. Its python skin shone like flames, making it look extraordinary.

Two small stone horns bulged on the fire python's head, and its pair of golden vertical pupils gleamed with doubt as it stared intently at the person in front of it.

Chen Ziliang's expression changed instantly as he recognized it as the mutated fire python responsible for guarding the forbidden area.

The forbidden area is teeming with monsters captured from all over, so we must be on guard. Therefore, this passage is constantly guarded by Venerable Qianyan.

Normally, this place is guarded by Yin Zhu insects. These demonic insects are extremely skilled in soul attacks. Although they are powerful, they are not very intelligent.

Chen Ziliang has the Zi Huo (a type of fire elemental weapon) by his side, which will not hinder his coming and going at all, and may even obey some of his commands. This is one of the reasons why he dares to take this risk today.

But the mutated fire python is different.

It was a late-stage fourth-order demon beast with great potential. It was highly valued and cultivated by Venerable Qianyan. Chen Ziliang knew that even if he went all out, he would be no match for this demon. Even if a hundred of him were added together, they probably wouldn't be able to shake it in the slightest.

Although this mutated fire python could never take human form due to its bloodline mutation, it developed intelligence early on and was no less intelligent than human cultivators.

The mutated fire python was enormous, entirely crimson, and radiated a scorching aura. It stared at him and asked, "Master, why have you trespassed into this forbidden area?"

A strong sense of crisis suddenly welled up in Chen Ziliang's heart.

He knew that this fire python was not only powerful but also not stupid, and it would be no easy task to fool it.

Chen Ziliang quickly took out a jade box, respectfully presented it, and said, "My master ordered me to collect Soul Cleansing Grass to help the Yin Candle Worm advance. I just collected it and brought it over immediately, afraid of delaying my master's important matter."

Upon hearing this, the mutated fire python remembered that there was indeed such a thing, but it was still somewhat surprised that it had collected it so quickly, and asked, "How potent is the medicine?"

"Eight hundred years of medicinal power," Chen Ziliang said, opening the jade box to reveal a black herb inside.

The mutated fire python remembered that Venerable Qianyan had instructed it to collect the Soul Cleansing Grass, which had the medicinal power of a thousand years, to help the Yin Candle Worm advance.

But to be able to collect eight hundred years' worth in such a short time is not bad, and it can be used to some extent.

Why didn't this kid send the Blazing Fire Tower directly to Venerable Qianyan, instead of running to the back mountain? The Fire Python's suspicions remained undiminished.

In the shadows, Chu Lengyu saw Chen Ziliang take out other treasures and herbs, and attempt to bribe the fire python.

It seems that this late-stage fourth-tier fire python is the guardian of this place.

While Chen Ziliang was holding her back, it created an opportunity for Chu Lengyu. Taking advantage of the moment when he was dealing with the fire python, she quietly slipped into the passage behind the fire python.

The stone path was dark and about six or seven zhang wide.

However, this level of darkness is no challenge for cultivators. As long as they slightly circulate their spiritual energy into their eyes, they can see everything clearly and have no problem seeing objects.

The deeper Chu Lengyu went into the cave, the hotter it became, like a furnace. She dared not use her divine sense to investigate, lest she be discovered. But even without using her divine sense, she knew that there must be subterranean fire beneath the surface.

Heavenly Fire Island is famous for its earth fire; otherwise, Venerable Thousand Flames wouldn't have seized and occupied it.

As she ventured deeper, she gradually saw stone cages, simply hollowed out from the stone walls, appearing on both sides, but inside were only broken bones.

Upon seeing this scene, Chu Lengyu had a bad feeling.

The deeper you go into the cave, the denser the gabions become, like silent tombs of white bones piled up on both sides of the dark stone path.

Soon, a huge brass-colored alchemy furnace appeared in front of Chu Lengyu, about five zhang tall.

Sure enough, the ground beneath it was dug up, drawing in a raging fire that continuously scorched the furnace.

The lid of the alchemy furnace was not closed, revealing the liquid being refined inside.

The liquid was bubbling and emitting a strong smell of blood, but there was also a strange, pleasant fragrance mixed in with the blood, which was puzzling.

Chu Lengyu frowned, her eyes revealing a sense of vigilance.

She carefully examined the alchemy furnace and found that there were no restrictions on it. So she took some of the thick liquid from the furnace and put it into a jade bottle.

On the stone wall behind the alchemy furnace, there are three openings, like three huge, dark mouths.

Chu Lengyu flicked her finger, and more than a dozen insect puppets instantly transformed into black shadows, flying into the three stone caves respectively.