.....
The flaming boundary at the border reached up into the clouds, only a thick black iron gate allowed passage. After a meeting in the Demon Terrace, they finally closed the gates to incoming refugees. Woes and devastation echoed beyond the border for a long time.
And Changyi did not wake up. He remained in a deep sleep. Kongming and the others tried their best to conceal the news of his slumber, so as not to disturb their army's morale. They met with Ji Ning and learned a crucial piece of information from him -- the thunder fire lava that had previously erupted might be Shunde's nemesis.
After Ji Yunhe learned of this, she took Lin Haoqing and Kongming out the northern border.
During the volcanic eruption, Changyi formed an ice wall blocking the lava flow from entering the city. After the lava cooled, it formed a rocky mountainous wall that was later set up with weapons for defense.
Lin Haoqing inspected the rocks on the wall and his eyes lit up.
"This rock formed out of thunder fire lava can be made into weapons that might be effective against Shunde's puppet army."
Kongming nodded. "I'll go back and have people get started on this right away."
"Is there still an active thunder fire lava in the mountains?" Lin Haoqing asked.\n\n
"Mhm. After the eruption, I sent someone into the mountains to investigate. They found an extremely hot cave with bubbling lava inside." Lin Haoqing held a piece of black rock and looked at Ji Yunhe.
"You and this lava may be the key to saving the world."
They went to explore the cave. Kongming and Lin Haoqing could not handle the burning heat and were forced to stop more than ten feet away. Ji Yunhe called some fox fire to protect her body and said, "I will go check out the terrain and set up a plan."
She gradually disappeared behind the smoke as the two of them waited patiently outside. She walked all the way to the lava, feeling rather uncomfortable under its searing heat as well.
But whenever she felt her body was about to be torn apart by the flames, a coolness in her chest would appear and shield her heart. This feeling was somewhat familiar to Ji Yunhe, like when Changyi took her to the Frozen Sea and used the sea lingzhi on her...
She touched her chest. Back when Shunde captured Changyi, she ate a couple of sea lingzhi in her haste to save him. Turned out they were still protecting her even now…
Ji Yunhe caressed the silver pearl on her neck and smiled. The sea had been very kind and generous to her.
She looked down at the thunder fire lava, manifesting the power of nature to its fullest. Under such tremendous power, she was so small and insignificant...
She squatted down and drew a formation on the ground with her fingertips.
...
"What took you so long?" Kongming was a bit ill-tempered after Ji Yunhe came back.
"How do you take so much time just to check out some terrain?" Ji Yunhe smiled.
"Would you believe me if I said I took a bath in the lava?"
Kongming gave her a dirty look then turned away, not caring to talk nonsense with her. Lin Haoqing, on the other hand, looked surprised and asked, "Really?" Ji Yunhe glanced at him.
"Of course not. Thunder Fire lava can burn anything. If I jump in, you won't even be able to fish out my bones."
"Wouldn't care to fish you out either." The monk turned to leave.
"Did you get a clear look at the terrain?"
"Mhm," Ji Yunhe said.
"It is circular. If Shunde breaches the southern border, I can lure her here."
"You?" Kongming raised his eyebrows. "Princess Shunde is following the Grand Master's wish to destroy the world. How do you know you'd be able to lure her?"
Ji Yunhe curled her lips rather smugly.
"Shunde is narrow-minded and petty. She can't forget her hatred for me."