"Oh damn, there's not even a single sun down here, so why is it this hot?"

Within the vast, pitch-black underground talisman formation space, Seagull wiped the sweat off his face and couldn't help but complain.

After everyone had steadied themselves and immediately set off toward the direction of the former Willow Town, Mystic Cloud Master naturally withdrew the bluish-green protective bell barrier around them.

The moment the protection was removed, a heat far more scorching than what was above ground instantly made everyone feel intense discomfort.

If the direct sunlight and blazing sun up there were like roasting meat over a fire, then this underground space was like a steam basket.

Hearing Seagull's words, Lin Yu explained calmly: "Because there are magma veins down here. The talisman formation trapping that spider definitely has them. Whether Mystic Cloud Master's new talisman formation space has any now that it's all integrated... I don't know either... but at least the two spaces are connected."

Mystic Cloud Master nodded and continued Lin Yu's explanation: "Indeed, this talisman formation has incorporated quite a few magma earth veins... In fact, you visitors from beyond may not know this, but the extreme heat and scorching heat of the Fire Hell are definitely not caused solely by three suns blazing in the sky."

"The structure of the Two Mountains, Six Hells is very simple—the Six Hells are situated at different positions of two sky-piercing colossal mountains and are separated from each other by these two mountains."

"As for these two mountains, many denizens of the Prison Mountain Realm don't even know their mystical wonders. Their names vary among different people."

"However, according to the records of our Four Great Daoist Sects, these two mountains have divinely bestowed names—one is called Ninefold Cold, and the other is Righteous Sun!"

"Ninefold Cold Mountain is supremely yin and supremely cold. Righteous Sun Mountain is supremely yang and supremely hot."

"Most of the Fire Hell's territory lies on the sun-facing side of Righteous Sun Mountain. At the same time, it is also where the earth veins of Righteous Sun Mountain converge and move most frequently."

"The area around Twin Saw Mountain and the old Willow Town is relatively inactive," Mystic Cloud Master said while stroking his beard. "But deep underground, there are still too many accumulated volcanoes."

After Mystic Cloud Master finished his explanation, Li Nian also had a moment of realization.

"No wonder there's a strong smell of sulfur in the air..."

"Now that you've explained so much, Daoist Master, could you maybe open that barrier again?" Seagull said, drenched in sweat in the sweltering, humid environment as he trudged along, looking like a dog just pulled out of the water. "No matter what the cause of this high temperature is, I'm afraid I'll pass out before I even make it to the destination."

Mystic Cloud Master smiled bitterly: "Good sir, if this old Taoist could cast it whenever he wished, that would be fine, but maintaining the Azure Gold Protective Bell consumes a great deal of energy. We still have the Thousand-Eyed Thousand-Silk Demon Lord to deal with soon, and I need to conserve some of my strength and magical power to fight the demon."

Li Nian curled her lips: "Ah, just don't open it then—I have some talismans here that can dispel the heat. You guys can use them."

"However... they won't be free."

Li Nian pulled out a few sheets of talisman paper from her bosom and handed them to Seagull.

Seagull took the talismans. Snowy Owl frowned slightly, but feeling the hot, sticky sensation on her skin—especially the stinging pain from her still-unhealed, oozing wounds being eroded by sweat—could only nod.

"'Master Thief,' I owe you one."

High Mountain also said in a low voice: "You've really surprised me, 'Master Thief'... I, High Mountain, owe you one too."

"What's this talk about owing favors? This dungeon is tough enough as it is. We're all bugs in the same boat."

Li Nian said with a grin.

"Don't you mean 'on the same rope'?"

Seagull couldn't help but correct her.

"It's all the same. If the boat capsizes, it's not like the bugs can swim," Li Nian curled her lips. "Keep arguing, and give me back the talisman."

Then, she handed out three more talismans to Lin Yu, Flying Knife, and Mystic Cloud Master.

"The employer, Sister Yao—you two get some too."

"And you, old Taoist."

As for Li Nian herself, she didn't keep any, since she was still wearing those temperature-regulating clothes. Although the heat underground exceeded that above ground, it was still within the range her clothes could handle.

From the darkness came the sound of "ripping" and "tearing" as the talismans were broken, and then, waves of cool, refreshing breezes slowly formed.

Mystic Cloud Master let out a surprised "Oh."

"This... this talisman is actually my Taiqing Sect's 'Gentle Breeze Winding Talisman'... Do you, benefactor, have ties to my Taiqing Sect?"

"No, I took it from the box under the statue of your Taoist temple. I saw the temple was about to collapse, so I took it out to avoid waste. You're welcome, old Taoist."

Li Nian said with a grin.

Mystic Cloud Master was stunned for a moment, then said: "You... how did you manage that?"

Hearing these words, Lin Yu's doubts in his heart instantly dissipated.

No wonder Li Nian had been so generous this time, handing things out—especially consumable-type talismans...

Turned out she had just swiped them, too.

"Senior, this one is known as the 'Master Thief' among us outsiders. Don't say you put it in a box; even if you kept it on your person, it wouldn't be safe around her."

Lin Yu said, and Mystic Cloud Master slowly nodded. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"I see... then this 'Master Thief' benefactor really does have some remarkable skills and methods."

Meanwhile, Snowy Owl and High Mountain, who had been enjoying the coolness brought by the talismans, suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable.

Thinking about how they had been criticizing the 'Master Thief' the whole way, only to now be enjoying the convenience of things she had stolen, both of them felt somewhat conflicted inside.

They wanted to stop using them, but they had already promised favors earlier... they couldn't just take them back now, could they?

If they really did that, they would just be a bunch of capricious, ungrateful bastards.

However, although the two were upright, they were not rigid or pedantic. They soon came to terms with it.

Just like Li Nian had said, this dungeon was extremely difficult, and now they were about to face the "Thousand-Eyed Thousand-Silk Demon Lord," a spider demon bigger than a mountain. Maintaining their own condition was far more important.

Besides...

Although Li Nian had indeed "stolen" them, the act of stealing was somewhat justifiable—after all, as Li Nian had said, the Taoist temple had collapsed. If she hadn't taken the talismans, they would have truly gone to waste.

And as the owner of these talismans, Mystic Cloud Master, the old Taoist, didn't seem to have any objection to this behavior either.

So, Snowy Owl and High Mountain stopped agonizing over it and continued their journey forward without looking back.

With the blessing of these talismans and the guidance of Mystic Cloud Master, who knew the way, soon enough...

They arrived at the boundary of this talisman formation space—although the old and new talisman formation spaces were connected, there was still a layer of rock wall at the boundary.

The earth vein activity triggered by Mystic Cloud Master's Hundred Calamity Forbidden Art had created several gaps and openings in that rock wall. Although not large, they were enough for several people to walk through side by side.

"Let's go. Once we're inside, we'll be at the location of the 'old Willow Town' and the 'Thousand-Eyed Thousand-Silk Demon Lord'!"

Mystic Cloud Master said, and as the guide, the old Taoist was the first to dive into the passage in the rock wall.