Chapter 20: The Breath Within the Molten Flames

Deep within the Molten Flame Domain, the dense forest was shrouded in a night as thick as ink. The ancient trees, their branches and leaves interwoven, formed a vast canopy that blocked out the sky, casting mottled shadows on the ground, resembling a gigantic net that enveloped the three fugitives. Lin Jin, Su Yao, and Duan Hao staggered forward, their footsteps breaking brittle branches in the oppressive silence. Behind them, the faint but unmistakable traces of spiritual flames from the Heavenflame Pavilion's pursuers flickered in the distance, like ghosts relentlessly chasing them. The air was thick with the sulfurous stench unique to the Molten Flame Domain, mingling with the damp smell of earth and a faint trace of blood, making it hard to breathe.

Lin Jin's left shoulder was mangled, his clothes soaked with blood. The Flame Herb Ointment had stopped some of the bleeding, but the frantic running had caused the wound to tear open even more, with blood dripping down his arm, leaving a trail on the ground. He tightly gripped his staff, the purple flame of a Flame Master in the first stage circulating within him, barely sustaining his weakening body. Sweat mixed with blood ran down his face, blurring his vision. Yet, he gritted his teeth and, with sharp eyes, scanned the path ahead, murmuring, "We can't stop, find a place to hide!"

Su Yao supported him, her bright eyes red with bloodshot veins. Dried blood stained the corner of her mouth, and the blue flame swirled like mist around Lin Jin's wound, trying to ease his pain. Her aura was unstable, showing signs of exhaustion, but she held a short sword tightly, her steps light yet unsteady. She whispered, "Lin Jin, your wound is too severe, we need to rest, or you won't make it until dawn!" Her voice was clear, yet laced with a hint of sobs. Her agile figure stayed close to him, unwilling to let go.

Duan Hao, carrying a broad-backed heavy blade, brought up the rear. His rugged face was smeared with sweat and blood, the whip mark on his shoulder deep enough to reveal bone. Blood ran down his arm, staining the hilt of his blade. His crimson flame, at the peak of the first stage of Flame Master, still burned fiercely on the blade, though it couldn't hide the fatigue in his eyes. He growled, "I can still fight! If those Heavenflame Pavilion dogs dare to come, I'll chop them to pieces!" His large hand pressed against the wound, and he glanced behind, the red flame of his blade gathering, ready for battle.

After running for several miles, a lava region appeared ahead. The ground had cracked, and dark red lava light glowed from the crevices, sending waves of heat that twisted the air. The low-lying land was surrounded by jagged rocks, with red vines growing between the cracks, their edges faintly burning, releasing a pungent burnt smell. Su Yao's eyes lit up, her agile form leaping onto a large stone. She pointed to a crack in the ground, saying, "There's a lava cave, we can hide there. They won't find us for a while!"

Lin Jin nodded, whispering, "Good!" He activated his Flame Step, purple flames flashing beneath his feet, and pulled Su Yao down into the crack. Duan Hao followed closely behind, swinging his hand to sweep the ground with a blast of red flame, burning the bloodstains into ash to cover their tracks.

The lava cave was about five meters deep, with uneven walls embedded with several dark red crystals that emitted faint spiritual flame vibrations, like remnants of the earth's pulse. The air inside was hot and thin, the ground scorching, causing the three to feel a slight burning sensation underfoot. The cave's ceiling was low, with lava dripping and sizzling on the ground, sending up small sparks. The air was scorching and thin, making each breath feel like sharp knives, though it masked their presence.

Lin Jin leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. Blood from his left shoulder flowed down his arm, mixing with the lava and creating a thin white mist. He reached into his pouch, took out the last piece of Flame Herb Ointment, and handed it to Su Yao, whispering, "Apply this. We need to recover quickly. The Heavenflame Pavilion will catch up in half an hour."

Su Yao took the ointment, her bright eyes scanning Lin Jin's wound. Seeing the flesh mangled and bones partially visible, her heart jolted. She knelt down, carefully tearing his clothes, and applied the green ointment. Her voice was filled with reprimand, "You just had to block that shot, didn't you? You really don't value your life!" Her voice was sharp but tender, as blue flame leaked from her fingertips into the ointment to accelerate the healing process. Her lively eyes, however, shimmered with unshed tears. "If you keep this up, I won't care about you anymore!"

Lin Jin gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. He whispered, "If something happens to you, I won't survive either." His voice was deep, and his gaze fell on Su Yao's face. Seeing the dried blood at the corner of her mouth and her furrowed brows, he added, "You need to treat your wounds too. Don't be stubborn."

Su Yao blinked in surprise, then wiped the blood from her mouth, forcing a smile. "I'm fine, just a small injury. Take care of yourself first!" She handed the ointment to Duan Hao. "Big Brother Duan, you should treat your shoulder too. Don't push it!"

Duan Hao took the ointment, rubbing it on his wound with a rough hand. The red flame surged, and the ointment turned into hot fluid, sinking into the injury. He grinned, "I'm tough, this little wound won't kill me! Those three dogs I chopped down earlier were worth it!" His hearty laughter echoed in the cave, but he lowered his voice, fearing the pursuers might hear them.

Lin Jin took out a fragment of the Source Flame Crystal. Its golden-red light was faint, and he whispered, "This bit of spiritual flame is still usable. We'll refine it tonight to heal our injuries. The Heavenflame Pavilion has three more Flame Master experts, and reinforcements are on the way. We don't have time to waste." He looked toward the cave entrance, the scorching heat waves hinting at impending danger.

"How close are they, Ancestor Yan Hun?" Lin Jin asked softly.

Ancestor Yan Hun's voice was heavy. "Two miles away. Three Flame Master-level auras are searching. The gunman leads the group. Reinforcements are almost here—five Flame Masters, two in the second stage, three in the first stage. They'll be outside the cave within half an hour! Hurry up, or you'll have no place to bury yourselves!" The ancestor's tone was urgent, thick with a sense of impending danger.

Lin Jin's heart sank, and he whispered, "Five Flame Masters…" He suspended the Source Flame Crystal in front of him, purple flame surging as it devoured the residual spiritual flame. The golden-red flames seeped into his body, stabilizing his first-stage Flame Master aura. The wound on his left shoulder healed faster, the flesh moving and the pain easing. He gritted his teeth and said, "Half an hour, we'll fight for our lives!"

Su Yao sat cross-legged, her blue flames swirling around her as she absorbed the dissipating spiritual flames. "I need to recover too. With five Flame Masters, we have to endure together!" Her bright eyes flashed with cold light as her aura strengthened, becoming more solid in the fourth stage of the First Flame.

Duan Hao sat down with a thud, his red flame roaring as it devoured the spiritual flames. "I've broken through to the first stage of Flame Master! Five Flame Masters, what does it matter? I'll chop them down!" His rugged face tightened as his wounds stopped bleeding under the nourishment of the spiritual flames, and the red flame surged with increasing power, nearly breaking through its limits.

The spiritual flame within the cave swirled ceaselessly, and the dark red crystals on the walls hummed as they responded to the energy. The dripping lava grew more frequent, sounding like a countdown. The three of them immersed themselves in cultivation, every second slipping away, the tension growing like an ever-present shadow.

A quarter of an hour later, the low sound of footsteps reached their ears. Lin Jin's eyes snapped open, and he withdrew his purple flame. "They're here!" He rose to his feet, gripping his staff tightly. Though his left shoulder wasn't fully healed, he could move it again. He murmured, "Prepare to counterattack. The terrain is narrow; we have a chance!"

Su Yao's agile form leaped up, her bright eyes locked on the cave entrance. "Five Flame Masters, we have to fight!" Her short sword crossed her chest, and blue flames enveloped her. She stood ready for battle.

Duan Hao grabbed his large blade, his red flame exploding as he roared, "I've broken through! I'm a Flame Master in the first stage! Come at me!" His imposing figure blocked the cave entrance, his blade glowing coldly as his aura soared.

Outside the cave, a middle-aged man wielding a flame gun stood, his red flame flickering. Four Flame Master-level experts appeared beside him: a man with a black umbrella, dark flames like needles, a dual-blade expert, a slender man wielding a long whip in the second stage of Flame Master, his whip shadowed in red flame like a dragon, and a burly man with a giant axe, also in the second stage. Behind them, ten black-robed subordinates from the First Flame realm armed with blades advanced, their killing intent overwhelming.

"We found you!" The middle-aged man sneered. With a swing of his flame gun, a torrent of red flames shot toward the cave entrance, sending waves of heat and cracking the ground of the lava region.

"Block it!" Lin Jin roared. The purple flame spiraled forward to meet the torrent, devouring some of the red flames. Su Yao's blue flame whirlwind emerged, and Duan Hao's blade swung down. The three of them combined their forces to block the attack but were forced back, the cave walls cracking, and the lava drips intensifying.

"Fight back in the narrow passage!" Lin Jin shouted. With a burst of his Flame Step, purple flames shot toward the middle-aged man. Su Yao's blue flame sword aura locked onto the black umbrella man, while Duan Hao's blade cleaved toward the dual-blade expert. The battle raged on, the spiritual flames colliding both inside and outside the cave as bloodshed ensued.

The middle-aged man sneered, "Die!" With a thrust of his flame gun, a fire tiger roared out, and the heat from the cave entrance pressed forward, forcing the three into a life-or-death battle.