Pursuit of the Truth

Su Ming was not the only one who shifted his gaze to the sixth platform. The other four people also looked over, especially Zhu You Cai. There was even a hint of hesitation on his face. He was incredibly puzzled as to what reason could have made Flame Fiends’ Progenitor be the last one to arrive.

As for the white-robed teenager who was the centipede, a dark light shone in his eyes, and when he looked towards the sixth platform, a speculative look appeared on his face.

It could be said that Su Ming’s expression was the most normal among the group. He watched the sixth platform shine and waited for Flame Fiends’ Progenitor to arrive. He wanted to see whether the Progenitor would dare tell the truth.

The sixth platform shone even brighter, and after a moment, an indistinct figure manifested on the platform. The instant that figure appeared, the yellow-browed man and Reverend Zi Long let out faint gasps of surprise.

Zi Long’s eyes focused on the indistinct figure on the sixth platform before he stood up slowly. With surprise in his eyes, he looked towards the white-robed teenager.

His act of getting up and his gaze instantly caused the white-robed teenager to be stunned, and the surprise in Zi Long’s eyes especially puzzled him. He could not understand why Zi Long would do such a thing, because to him, the sixth platform did not seem to have anything special.

Zi Long saw the stunned expression on the white-robed teenager’s face, then frowned before looking towards Zhu You Cai, but he soon averted his gaze. His eyes lingered hesitantly on Su Ming for a moment before he looked towards the yellow-browed man.

At that moment, the yellow-browed man also rose up. His expression turned incomparably grim while he stared intently at the sixth platform. His eyes shone for a few times, and then he also looked first towards the white-robed teenager who was the centipede before he swept his gaze past Zhu You Cai and Su Ming. In the end, he looked at Zi Long, and their gazes met.

Su Ming watched all of this from the platform in the distance, and while his expression was calm, his heart had already become wary. He had been able to tell earlier that Zi Long and Huang Mei were the strongest. Judging by what happened at that moment, the depth of their power was not in Mastery Realm, but the laws of fate, or else it would have been quite impossible for them to see the change in power in the indistinct Flame Fiends’ Progenitor who appeared while the sixth platform shone when the white-robed teenager, Zhu You Cai, and even Su Ming himself were unable to see it.

‘The two of them first suspected the white-robed teenager attacking in the dark, making it clear that he is not as he seems. Perhaps it should be said that this person has a trump card that can make both Zi Long and Yellow Brows regard him seriously.

‘Then it was Zhu You Cai, and the last one is me, but it seems that the two of them aren’t certain of who it was… In fact, they are even suspecting each other.’ Su Ming saw all of this clearly. At that moment, his expression was not his usual calm look, but he a shocked expression he put on while he looked at the sixth platform.

Of course, this shocked expression was an act, or else the perpetrator would be a little too obvious.

Zi Long and Huang Mei’s unusual behavior also caused Zhu You Cai to stand up. He had a vague feeling that something bad had happened. Almost at the instant this feeling appeared, his expression changed drastically, because at that moment, even he had finally sensed that something was wrong about Flame Fiends’ Progenitor, who had now appeared on the sixth platform!

“He-he lost his physical body!” Zhu You Cai said in a low tone, his expression changing.

The white-robed teenager from the other platform had already noticed this. His expression then changed as well. Clearly, he now knew why Reverend Zi Long’s expression was so grim, why he looked towards him, and why the yellow-browed man also fixed his gaze on him.

After all, even if the fifth kiln was dangerous, to them, even though there were things that could endanger their lives in the area beyond the third level’s border, these dangers were rare and few in between. The real dangers would usually appear more frequently the closer they got to the core.

Even though based on their experiences there were indeed cultivators who disappeared or died in the area beyond the third level’s border, there were only one or two who died among those who had truly become Almighties in Mastery Realm.

No one knew the reason behind why those people had died. There was a possibility that they were ambushed and died, and it was also possible that they ran into the rare, dangerous dimensions and died within them.

That was why when they noticed that Flame Fiends’ Progenitor did not possess a physical body, their first reaction was that he was ambushed, but there was also a possibility that he ran into one of the rare, dangerous dimensions, which was why he was in such a pathetic state. In fact, they could already imagine that if Flame Fiends’ Progenitor hadn’t resolutely given up on his physical body, then he would have definitely ended up having his body and soul destroyed.

‘Was Flame Fiends’ Progenitor ambushed or did he run into a dangerous dimension that forced him to become like this?’ This was the thought that appeared in all the people’s hearts except Su Ming’s during that moment.

Several breaths later, the light around the sixth platform reached its brightest. When it reached a piercing degree, it swiftly darkened, and the exhausted Nascent Divinity of Flame Fiends’ Progenitor appeared before the people’s eyes.

Huang Mei and Zi Long stared intently at him with a fierce gaze.

As for Zhu You Cai, he sighed in his heart and looked at Flame Fiends’ Progenitor with an expression full of emotion.

The white-robed teenager narrowed his eyes, and a faint glint shone within them. Even though it might seem normal, those who understood him would definitely be able to see the darkness in his eyes, along with the hint of greed within there.

It was very quiet in the area. Everyone looked towards Flame Fiends’ Progenitor. Su Ming narrowed his eyes slightly, but the calmness and indifference in them didn’t allow people to tell what he was thinking.

With the dead silence came an indistinct mighty pressure. It enveloped Flame Fiends’ Progenitor, but it did not cause his expression to change. Clearly, from the moment he decided to walk out, he had already thought of all the things he might encounter. He thought about his companions’ greed and the dangers he would have to face after he lost his physical body and his power fell.

After all, not only did his power fall, he also only had his Nascent Divinity left. A Nascent Divinity that belonged to an Almighty in Mastery Realm was a great supplement for some cultivators. They could also turn it into the best Vessel Spirit for a supreme treasure.

In fact, there were other uses as well, such as turning it into a puppet or a medicinal core. There were plenty of uses for him, and the level of misery in it was enough to make people regret why they had not died right away.

Everyone was silent. Flame Fiends’ Progenitor was also silent. While standing on the sixth platform, he lifted his head to look around him coldly. At that moment, under everyone’s gazes, the first one he looked towards was not Su Ming… but the white-robed teenager!

When he looked towards him, a powerful resentment appeared in his eyes. That resentment was so strong and distinct that it was immediately noticed by the others.

The white-robed teenager was first stunned, then his expression changed drastically, because not only did Reverend Zi Long look towards him, even Huang Mei and Zhu You Cai turned their gazes towards him.

“It’s not me!” the white-robed teenager immediately shouted and glared at Flame Fiends’ Progenitor. “You old fool, what’s the meaning of this?! Do you want your entire race to die?!”

Su Ming saw this, and his eyes flashed slightly. A barely noticeable smile appeared on his lips.

‘What a diabolical and scheming man you are, Flame Fiends’ Progenitor…’ Su Ming’s smile gradually grew cold.

‘He knew that he would definitely be targeted by others as a Nascent Divinity, but he doesn’t want to die. If he told the others that he was injured by me, it would bring no benefit to him. It would just make the others wary. After all, it’s unlikely for anyone who is wary of me to stand up for him and make things troublesome for me. Besides, he is of the same value as a supreme treasure right now. That’s why… he forced down his resentment against me and chose not to say it because he’s waiting for others to end up in the same state as he is.

‘He directed the target to the white-robed teenager, making the others suspect him. This should be a part of his plan. If I were him, then my next step would be…’

When Su Ming looked towards Flame Fiends’ Progenitor, he saw the Progenitor move, and with an incredibly quick speed, he rushed out of the sixth platform as a Nascent Divinity to instantly appear on Su Ming’s platform.

This scene drew all the others’ attention.

“Fellow Daoist, if you ensure my safety, then I am willing to give you the planet my race calls its home as a price, and I have a deep understanding towards the fifth kiln. I can help you avoid detours. I wonder what you think about it?” Flame Fiends’ Progenitor wrapped his fist in his palm towards Su Ming while he stood on his platform.

The others might not know about this, but Su Ming knew about it. The bitterness and grievances in Flame Fiends’ Progenitor’s heart had to be monstrous while he bowed to him.

‘He’s shifting the direction of the disaster.’ Su Ming’s expression remained the same, but he started laughing coldly in his heart.

Flame Fiends’ Progenitor had to have a good relationship with Zhu You Cai, which was why he did not want to drag Zhu You Cai into this mess. The one he hated the most was Su Ming, which was why as long as he stayed by his side, the disaster would be brought to him. The Progenitor himself would be a bait to draw the other people’s greed to him.

Before he came over though, he first provoked the white-robed teenager, and it could be said that the person who would definitely not let him go easily would be the white-robed teenager.

The actions might have seemed sudden, but when Su Ming thought about them carefully, this was very logical. After all, Su Ming’s power was the lowest among the group, and at that moment, the weakened Flame Fiends’ Progenitor looked as if he was choosing Su Ming as an equal and it was something that was fitting in other people’s eyes.

If he chose other people to protect him, then there was a high possibility that he would be walking straight into his own death.

Flame Fiends’ Progenitor lifted his head. When he looked at Su Ming, there was a madness within them that only Su Ming could notice, and this madness was very easy to understand.

If Su Ming refused, then Flame Fiends’ Progenitor would do everything that he could, even willingly become a Vessel Spirit for the person who agreed to kill Su Ming. This was him using his death to drag Su Ming down to hell with him.

However, he didn’t really want to die, so his intentions were very clear.

He was betting that Su Ming was unable to kill him instantly and betting that the others would follow after them after they stepped into the next dimension.