Mystic Eyes: My Eyes Steal the Laws of Cultivation Chapter 369 - 370

Not long before Kyrian emerged from the secluded cave where he had been concealed for five days, the four prominent leaders and their considerable contingent of cultivators finally arrived at the territory where the Five-Horned Lava Lizard had last been observed.

The young man tasked with navigation halted his stride.

A slight pallor touched his face as he surveyed the somber mountains encasing them.

The scenery contrasted sharply with the remainder of the Intermediate Area, appearing more desolate, more ravaged, as if a cataclysmic force had recently swept through.

"It was here..." he murmured, indicating a particular section amidst the rocky expanses.

"This is where our last encounter with the lizard occurred."

He swallowed audibly, his gaze sweeping the landscape as though anticipating the beast’s sudden reappearance from the earth.

"Frankly... I'm still astounded we escaped with our lives."

The assembled groups immediately moderated their pace.

Numerous cultivators cast nervous glances around, their grips tightening on their weapon hilts. The chilling fear from their desperate flight remained vividly etched in their recollections.

Even without clear visibility through the dense plumes of volcanic smoke and the ash-laden sky, an palpable sense of difference pervaded this region compared to the rest of the Great Volcano.

It was colder.

Significantly colder.

Not entirely frigid, of course. The ambient temperature was still high enough to incapacitate ordinary cultivators within moments.

The air still shimmered with heat, and the rocks continued to radiate warmth. Yet, in comparison to the rest of the Intermediate Area, this specific locale felt almost temperate.

This defied all logic.

The Great Volcano was a veritable crucible. The closer one ascended towards its apex, the more the infernal heat intensified.

Layers of ash grew progressively thicker, lava flows became more frequent, and the very atmosphere grew oppressive.

But here…

The heat had demonstrably subsided.

The four leaders’ brows furrowed simultaneously. Possessing spiritual perception far exceeding that of the others, as cultivators in the Spiritual Awakening Realm, their senses had already permeated the region like unseen tendrils long before they could visually ascertain the details.

The revelations garnered caused their expressions to shift dramatically.

Upon drawing near enough to examine the terrain with their own eyes, the sight that greeted them was utterly staggering.

The devastation was immense.

Mountains stood partially demolished, some having lost entire summits, while others were fractured from base to peak, as though rent asunder by an unimaginable colossal power.

Deep chasms scarred the mountainsides, reminiscent of a titanic wave that had swept everything in its destructive path.

The fire Qi within the area was in utter disarray, as though it had been violently churned only days prior, twisted, compressed, and subsequently detonated.

However, that was not the most perplexing aspect.

Intermingled with the fire…

Was ice.

Not in abundance; the majority had already sublimated, vaporizing under the volcano's unyielding heat. Nevertheless, exceedingly faint traces persisted in locations where the impact had been most severe.

The four leaders distinctly perceived the ice Qi permeating the air, embedded within the rocks and the fractured earth. A chilling, anomalous energy that was entirely incongruous with the environment.

It suggested the recent detonation of a terrifying ice-based technique.

This precisely explained the region's diminished temperature.

"A conflict transpired here..." one of the leaders vocalized slowly, scrutinizing the ravaged landscape. His voice, deep and resonant, held a discernible note of admiration.

"And an exceptionally ferocious one at that."

Another leader narrowed his eyes, his spiritual senses extending further afield in a bid to apprehend any lingering essence of the past events.

"Did someone contend with the Five-Horned Lava Lizard?"

Silence ensued; no immediate response was offered.

The leaders’ visages grew increasingly grave. They exchanged meaningful glances, engaging in silent communion via spiritual transmission.

Even they, cultivators of the Spiritual Awakening Realm, vastly superior to all others present, were taken aback by the sheer scale of destruction surrounding them. The residual evidence pointed to a titanic clash between two overwhelmingly potent forces.

Abruptly, the eldest among the four leaders ceased his advance.

His eyes narrowed. His head tilted slightly, as though attempting to perceive something imperceptible to the others.

"Hm?"

The remaining three immediately directed their attention towards him.

"What is it?" one inquired.

The old man remained quiescent for a few moments before slowly pivoting his head towards a specific direction within the mountain range. His ancient yet piercing gaze seemed to penetrate the veils of smoke and ash.

"There is something over there."

His tone deepened, imbued with increased seriousness and caution.

"Follow me."

Without awaiting affirmation, he commenced a slow, deliberate, yet swift, progression in the indicated direction. His footsteps were resolute and measured.

The other leaders promptly fell into step behind him.

Consequently, the assembled cultivators followed in their wake.

...

After approximately ten minutes traversing the desolate volcanic landscape, navigating treacherous ascents and descents across shattered terrain, and circumventing gaping calderas, they finally reached their destination.

The four leaders were the initial ones to perceive its presence, their expressions undergoing another drastic shift.

"This..." one of the leaders uttered, his voice saturated with incredulence and astonishment.

"...Is that a paw?"

Lying on the ground, partially concealed by volcanic debris and the thick layer of ash that had descended in recent days, was a colossal, partially petrified paw. Even separated from its originating body, its sheer immensity was undeniable, and dormant heat still faintly emanated from its claws.

The obsidian claws, shaped like curved blades of polished jet, gleamed with such sharpness that they mirrored the volcanic mountain's fiery glow. Mottled with reddish scales over ravaged flesh, the limb exuded a subtle warmth, appearing almost sentient despite its severed state.

The mere proximity of this colossal appendage sent shivers down the spines of numerous disciples, awakening a primal instinct that recognized a predator of immense power.

"Indeed..." a second leader confirmed, his voice measured as he knelt to conduct a closer inspection of the dismembered limb. "Judging by its dimensions and the residual pressure still radiating from it, it undoubtedly belonged not to a common beast, but one possessing draconic lineage."

A third leader cautiously approached the paw, his gaze scrutinizing the fractures and deep gouges marring the icy surface. He extended a finger, brushing against one of the fissures.

"This appears to be a forelimb from one of the Five-Horned Lava Lizards," he stated.

His eyes narrowed in contemplation.

"And it was wrenched off by sheer force."

A heavy silence descended upon the group, broken only by the hushed whispers spreading amongst the cultivators like a wildfire. The implication was staggering: someone had managed to overpower and dismember that monstrous creature, and not by the hand of any of the four regional leaders.