Just as Wei Yuan was about to dodge, he suddenly felt another pang of dread. The ground trembled slightly, and a strange sensation—a mixture of icy cold and searing heat—swept over both of them.

The Vajra Guardian was searching for them using a great mystic ability. Wei Yuan immediately held his breath and stopped moving.

The Vajra Guardian’s perception swept back and forth several times. Reluctant to give up, it would sweep through the area two more times before finally ceasing. Wei Yuan was about to exhale deeply when he realized his mouth had already been covered.

Wei Yuan felt a surge of irritation: how could she be so reckless at a moment of life-and-death? He pushed the girl away and cautiously extended his perception, intending to gauge the situation outside.

But his perception hadn’t traveled more than a few zhang upward when he suddenly felt a searing heat. He was forced to withdraw it. That heat carried the power of World-purifying Lapis Lazuli Fire and inflicted additional damage to perception. Wei Yuan dared not touch it.

Judging by the distance, the heat had already penetrated more than two zhang into the earth. What was happening on the surface? Could it be that the Vajra Guardian had started burning the mountain?

The mountain was not devoid of life. The grass, the trees, and the countless small creatures living in the forests were all living. Some, having listened to the sutras day and night, had already awakened their...