The Portal of Wonderland

“Brother Shi, good news!” Yu Yi said excitedly as he walked into the house.

“Is it about the Lava Pool?” Shi Mu asked excitedly.

“Well yes. I’ve inquired about the Lava Pool on your behalf. I’m told the city has no extra Lava Pools to be rented out at the moment, but I’ve asked the Celestial Fire Armory about it too. They said there are more than a dozen Lava Pools under them. One of the Lava Pools is unstable so it was vacated,” Yu Yi said.

“Does this mean they are renting it out?” Shimu asked anxiously.

“The deacon said it might be considered, but in exchange, you would need to meet one of their conditions,” Yu Yi said.

“What kind of conditions? Let’s hear it.” Shi Mu asked, relieved that he might have a chance at renting it.

It was good that it came with conditions. This was certainly a breakthrough.

Yu Yi hesitated for a second before saying, “They require a Demon Pill produced by the Flaming Crown Demon Snake.”

“A Flaming Crown Demon Snake?” Shi Mu looked puzzled. He had never heard of such a monster in his life.

“This is a kind of monster that is found only in the Hundred-Thousand Volcanoes. They dwell mainly in the valleys filled with fire that no ordinary person can get through. However, if you have a way to restrain and control the fire, it won’t be an obstacle,” Yu Yi said.

Shi Mu nodded and looked at his left hand. The fire would not pose too much of a threat to him. Unfortunately, monsters of the fire attribute held the advantage in this type of environment. If one were to be careful and found a Flaming Crown Demon Snake that was still in its early stage, it should not be a problem, he thought.

Shi Mu paused before asking, “Why would the members of the Celestial Fire Armory want a Demon Pill of the Flaming Crown Demon Snake?”

“Rest assured Brother Shi, this matter is no secret in the Red Flame City. The son of Master Gong Xi has fallen ill and he needs the Demon Pill of the Flaming Crown Demon Snake from the Hundred-Thousand Volcano to make the necessary medicines. In order for his son to live on, the Celestial Fire Armory will reward anyone able to obtain the Demon Pill. With your strength and skills, Brother Shi can definitely take on the mission of hunting for the Demon Pill of the Flaming Crown Demon Snake in exchange for a Lava Pool,” Yu Yi said once he noticed Shi Mu’s concern.

“Ah… I see. Sorry for troubling you with something that had nothing to do with you in the first place,” Shi Mu said as his facial expression relaxed a little.

“Don’t worry about it,” Yu Yi quickly waved his hand in a casual manner.

“Not that I don’t trust you, Brother Yu, but I’d like to meet with the Celestial Fire Armory and discuss it myself,” Shi Mu said.

“Of course! Since Brother Shi intends to accept the task, I’ll arrange a meeting with the people in charge of the Celestial Fire Armory on Brother Shi’s behalf,” Yu Yi said as he excitedly got up and left the courtyard once again.

“Hey Shi Mu, this Yu Yi sure is all up in your business huh?!” Cai said as he pointed at Yu Yi walking out of the small courtyard.

“Maybe after I’ve completed the task, he might get to reap the fruits of my labor too. As long as I can rent a Lava Pool without any difficulty, it’s all a small matter.” Shi Mu said.

Upon replying, he took out a book from his dusk ring and resumed reading.

…

Early the next day, Shi Mu and Yu Yi visited the bustling street of the inner city.

There were several grand-looking shops on either side, and the streets were filled with people. The two made their way to a gorgeous five-story building.

The building’s exterior was covered with red tiles and white walls. The door was wide open and the entrance hall was not only spacious but also looked very atmospheric. Hanging by the top of the door was a big blackboard with the words “Celestial Fire Armory” written in gold.

Even situated on such a bustling street alongside other imposing and tacky shops, the Celestial Fire Armory still stood out the most.

Shi Mu and Yu Yi paused at the doorstep they finally mustered the courage to walk in.

In the attic was a large hall, approximately thirty feet long with a row of white jade shelves on which were placed numerous shimmering weapons. It seemed that all the weapons were at their peak level.

Business in the store was booming. There was at least one salesperson standing by each shelf, expounding the strengths and use of the weapons.

Shi Mu took a deep breath as he witnessed the negotiations.

An attendant in a green robe came over and smilingly said, “Greetings, fellow predecessors. May I know what kind of weapons you’re looking for? I can recommend one or two.”

“Sorry but we’re not here for weapons,” Yu Yi said as he took out a red jade slip and showed it to the attendant.

Upon seeing the tag, he said, “Ah… You must be the special guests. Please come with me,” Yu Yi and Shi Mu did not hesitate in following the attendant to the upper floor.

Compared to the grand hall, the second floor was a slightly smaller exhibition hall. There were several wooden frames on the side holding multiple weapons. There were estimated to be about twenty to thirty weapons inside.

In the exhibition hall, four or five people paced anxiously. Based on their mannerisms, Shi Mu was sure that these were not ordinary people.

Shi Mu now had a better understanding of the strength and position the Celestial Fire Armory held.

The three of them did not stay on the second floor but walked directly to a small solitary hall on the third floor.

“Please take a seat and wait a short while,” the green-robed attendant said as he served them a cup of spirit tea before walking out of the room.

Shi Mu and Yu Yi sat silently together.

Moments later, the door was pushed open and an old man in a black robe walked in.

The old man appeared to be in his mid-fifties or sixties. Despite some wrinkles on his face, his body looked extremely tough. His hands and feet were similarly thick. His palms were somewhat yellowed and wrinkled from frequent proximity to flames.

The black-robed old man stood erect, his gaze sharp as he exhaled. So this was the man Yu Yi talked about last night.

Following behind him was a middle-aged man wearing a red robe. It was Deacon Wan of the Red Flame Palace.

“Master Gong Xi! Deacon Wan!” Yu Yi hurriedly stood up and greeted them with great reverence.

Shi Mu also stood and glanced in the direction of the elder in black robes.

The old man first looked at Yu Yi but his eyes shifted as soon as he saw Shi Mu. He glared at Shi Mu from top to bottom and furrowed his brows.

“Is this seriously the one you recommended? Are you sure someone like this is up to the task? Yu Yi, are you playing me for a fool?!” the black-robed old man spoke with a heavy voice.

The middle-aged man in the red robe looked annoyed as he glared at Shi Mu and blurted out, “Yu Yi, what is the meaning of this? You told me you found a professional with the skills to obtain the Demon Pill from the Flaming Crown Demon Snake. So for what are you bringing someone like this here for?”

“I didn’t lie. Brother Shi Wu here is a good friend of mine. Although he’s still in the last stage of his Xian Tian level, his strength is formidable. I have personally seen him single-handedly killed a Red-winged Tiger Beast. Not to mention, Brother Shi possesses the ability to control flames and poisonous haze. I have no doubt that he’d be able to complete the mission,” Yu Yi hastily interjected in defense of his friend.

“He was able to kill a Red-winged Tiger Demon?!” The two men in robes were shocked upon hearing this.

“Then do you have any proof to back up your claims?” the middle-aged man in the red robe asked sternly as he shifted his gaze to Shi Mu.

Shi Mu did not speak at all, as all he had to do was show them what he had up his sleeve. With a wave of his hand, he produced a fist-sized Demon Pill that emitted a great force of Qi. This was the Demon Pill of the Red-winged Tiger Beast.

The old man’s expression toned down slightly but the middle-aged man in red did not soften one bit.

“Even if it is a demon, you have no proof that you’re the one who killed it!” the black-robed old man stated.

Shi Mu chuckled and instantly the breath of the Secret Totem Technique emerged from his body.

The breath was strong enough to even reach the floors above them!

“I apologize for my manners. I was blind to question your capability,” the old man in black said ashamedly for doubting Shi Mu’s skills.

Meanwhile, Yu Yi who had been standing beside Shi Wu the whole time was dumbfounded. All he could do was stare at Shi Mu.

Shi Mu shocked Yu Yi so many times in the past few days, yet he still had some hidden skills up his sleeve.

“Master Gong Xi, you’re being too polite. There’s no need to be surprised,” said Shi Mu.

“Oh, this is human nature. There’s nothing wrong with it,” the old man said as he waved his hand.

“However, I won’t deny that the secret technique Shi Mu possesses is brilliant. It was so masterful I hadn’t even noticed it myself,” the black-robed man said while peering at Shi Mu.

“Master Gong Xi, you’re overpraising me. Since I’ve met the requirements, can we discuss the mission now? I heard you’re looking to hunt a Flaming Crown Demon Snake. Do you perhaps have a clue where this demon resides?” Shi Mu said with a big smile across his face.

“Of course!” the old man said quickly and glanced at his red-robed colleague.

The middle-aged man agreed and promptly handed Shi Mu a jade slip from his sleeve.

“I’ve been sending people to explore the Hundred-Thousand Volcanoes for the past few months and finally, a month ago, we found a Flaming Crown Demon Snake that was still in its early stage in one of the hot valleys. I dispatched a number of warriors and hunters after it but this Demon Snake is very cunning. It was able to get passed us with the help of the haze from the hot flames in the valley. A few of our friends even lost their lives there…” the black-robed old man sighed with a frown on his face.

Shi Mu arched his rows as he lifted the Jade Scroll on his forehead to get all the information needed in his head.

The Jade Scroll was a map of the Hundred-Thousand Volcano, which had been marked.

Shi Mu studied a lot about the Hundred-Thousand Volcanoes from the books he bought last night, so he was quite familiar with the map. It placed them a thousand miles away from Red Flame City but fortunately, Master Gong Xi was able to pinpoint its location precisely.

“Since I have the exact location now, I will go and return in a week with the Demon Pill of the Flaming Crown Demon Snake!” Shi Mu reassured the old man put away the Jade Slip.

“If Shi Mu can really bring back a Demon Pill of the Flaming Crown Demon Snake, I would absolutely uphold the agreement and rent a Lava Pool under the Celestial Fire Armory to Shi Mu for five years at half the actual price!” the black-robe old man said with a glimpse of hope, joy, and a sparkle in his eyes.

“That’s a promise!” Shi Mu replied happily.

Shi Mu said his goodbyes to both men and left the Celestial Fire Armory with Yu Yi.

“Brother Yu, I am planning to leave now. I apologize for being such a burden on you for the past two days,” Shi Mu said as he and Yu Yi walked out.

“Brother Shi… You’re my predecessor. You don’t need to thank me for anything,” Yu Yi said respectfully.

“Brother Yu, we’ve known each other for some time now. There’s no need for you to act this way.” Shi Mu said.