「The next day」

The Frost Ice Iron General said to Ye Fan, "I can’t go with you to the Secular World just yet."

"Why?"

Ye Fan assumed the Frost Ice Iron General was once again trying to shirk his responsibility to fight in the Spirit Suppressing Domain. This irritated him. These people are all the same, always trying to run away!

The Frost Ice Iron General explained, "I must first go to the place where the Tianxiong Iron General challenged the Fire Qilin. I need to find his body!"

Although he knew it was an impossible task, the Frost Ice Iron General had to try. To him, the Tianxiong Iron General was both a mentor and a brother.

Ye Fan said, "Then let me come with you!"

"Thank you," the Frost Ice Iron General said gratefully.

Ye Fan replied, "Since you’ve joined the Spirit Suppressing People, that makes us friends. As your friend, it’s only right that I help you."

Young Master Shuangbing, however, was growing frantic. He was eager to meet the female Swordsman of the butterflies, but this detour was his father’s plan, and he would never dare to defy him. He could only endure it for now. I just hope this ends quickly, then I can leave with the King of Heaven!

Ye Fan and the Frost Ice Iron General headed toward the deepest reaches of the small world. It was undoubtedly the forbidden territory established by the Tianxiong Iron General himself. No one had ever dared to enter. The Frost Ice Iron General himself had once come to the edge of this place but had never taken a single step inside. It wasn’t that he feared death; he had simply been abiding by the Tianxiong Iron General’s command. He wasn’t the only one. The now-deceased Cold Blood Iron General and Heartless Iron General had also strictly followed this command. Today, that rule would finally be broken.

Standing on the perimeter, Ye Fan could already feel an intense, uncomfortable heat. The Grassland Bear was even less accustomed to it, panting with its tongue lolling out like a dog. This was understandable, as it was born on the Ice Glacier Grassland and naturally despised the heat. Feeling sorry for the creature, Ye Fan had it wait outside, knowing it wouldn’t be able to withstand the heat the deeper they went.

The two men entered the scorching, boiling wasteland. Ahead of them lay a vast, dark expanse of rock, scorched by intense heat for countless years. The rock formations were massive, stretching out as far as the eye could see.

Ye Fan asked the Frost Ice Iron General, "Did the Fire Qilin create this place?"

"Yes," the Frost Ice Iron General replied. "Now, I’m wondering if it’s still alive."

This was the critical question. If the Fire Qilin was not dead, this small world would never know peace. He had to take on this responsibility. However, with Ye Fan by his side, he didn’t feel quite so nervous. After all, their combined strength already surpassed that of the Tianxiong Iron General in his prime. Even if they encountered the Fire Qilin, it didn’t mean they would be powerless to fight.

Ye Fan said reassuringly, "Don’t worry. Even if it is still alive, we’ll just kill it."

Ye Fan was very confident. It was a shame the Grassland Bear was on the perimeter, so far away. Otherwise, its presence would have been a great help.

The Frost Ice Iron General nodded, and they continued deeper into the scorched land until they finally reached its heart.

The Frost Ice Iron General asked, "King of Heaven, do you feel a suppressing force?"

Ye Fan nodded. "I do, and it’s getting stronger!"

"The Fire Qilin... it isn’t dead?"

"It seems so."

The two immediately went on high alert. If the Fire Qilin was alive, the pressure on them would be immense.

Suddenly, the calm wasteland erupted. As the scorched earth shattered, a pillar of flame shot toward the sky. Just as they’d feared, the Fire Qilin was alive. Both men instantly raised their guard. A massive Fire Qilin rose from the earth, wreathed in roaring flames. It exhaled a torrent of fire that rushed toward them, the immense pressure of the blaze bearing down.

"Frost Ice Barrier!" the Frost Ice Iron General yelled, instantly casting the defensive spell. However, the flames were far more formidable than he had anticipated, and their searing heat shattered his barrier to pieces.

Ye Fan swiftly drew his Yuanhong Sword to block the fierce, domineering flames. The fire was not only overwhelmingly powerful but also carried a potent poison. Anyone touched by it would be either grievously injured or killed. The two were genuinely terrified.

The flames pressed down again.

"Run!"

Ye Fan and the Frost Ice Iron General each dodged to opposite sides. The Fire Qilin stared at them with a mocking expression, clearly intending to devour them both. It opened its great, flaming maw and charged toward Ye Fan.

"Returning to the Sect Sword!" Ye Fan bellowed, unleashing the attack. The sword energy struck the Fire Qilin, sending it flying backward to crash heavily into the scorched earth.

Beneath the cracked wasteland were rolling waves of magma. Standing on the scorched ground, they felt an intense heat. Ye Fan was certain that even a Saint-level Martial Artist would be unable to withstand it. The scorching sensation was simply overwhelming.

"Is it dead?" the Frost Ice Iron General asked.

"Impossible," Ye Fan replied. "This place is the Fire Qilin’s personal Heaven; it won’t die that easily. Stay alert!"

The Frost Ice Iron General nodded. Standing on the charred ground, they carefully sensed their surroundings.

Suddenly, the ground ruptured again. The Fire Qilin’s tail shot out, wrapped around the Frost Ice Iron General, and dragged him down into the rolling magma below!

Horrified, Ye Fan immediately jumped in after him! The temperature here was several times higher than on the surface; even he found it almost unbearable.

He can’t be dead already, can he?

He had lost track of him. If the Frost Ice Iron General truly died here, the Spirit Suppressing Domain would lose a powerful ally. He had to find him.

He continued his descent and discovered a palace forged of pure flame below. Upon reaching it, he saw the unconscious Frost Ice Iron General. He rushed to his side, but the Fire Qilin was nowhere to be seen.

"Frost Ice Iron General, are you okay?" Ye Fan asked.

The Frost Ice Iron General slowly opened his eyes. "I’m fine," he said.

"Then why didn’t the Fire Qilin kill you?" Ye Fan asked, deeply curious. Given the creature’s nature, it should never have spared him. Why was he completely unharmed? He then noticed that the Frost Ice Iron General’s complexion was awful.

"What’s wrong?" Ye Fan asked.

The Frost Ice Iron General said, "I know why now. It was him!"

"Who?"

"The moment the Fire Qilin captured me," the Frost Ice Iron General explained, "I felt the Tianxiong Iron General’s aura coming from it."

"What?"

Ye Fan was completely stunned. The Tianxiong Iron General’s aura? Could it be that the Fire Qilin *is* the Tianxiong Iron General? The possibility was too astonishing to comprehend. The Tianxiong Iron General was a man, while the Fire Qilin was a top-tier Spiritual Beast. How could they possibly be connected?