90 Long Ying Doesn’t Get Lost
“Boom!”
The volcano erupted, spewing massive amounts of lava high into the sky. The lava flowed down the mountainside, collecting in pools, the scene both awe-inspiring and terrifying.
Besides Yang Essence, the lava also contained various minerals, presenting both opportunities and dangers. Being struck by even a small piece of molten rock could injure even a Mystic General protected by Mystic Power. Multiple hits could be fatal.
Especially for those at the foot of the mountain, every piece of ejected ore was a potential bomb.
However, this wasn’t a major threat. After all, Mystic Generals possessed various means of protecting themselves. The real danger came from the “Magma Beasts” that appeared with the lava flow.
These weren’t true Mystic Beasts, but elemental beings formed from Yang Essence, usually dwelling within the volcano’s magma chamber. Although ferocious, they were valuable treasures.
If the script was accurate, three Magma Beasts would appear this time: two Tier 4 and one Tier 5, all landing halfway up the mountain.
Tier 4 Magma Beasts, with strength around five-star Mystic General, weren’t a significant threat or a particularly valuable treasure. The Tier 5 Magma Beast, however, was a different story.
A Tier 5 Magma Beast, with strength comparable to a five-star Mystic King, was too powerful for anyone here to defeat alone, except for a few exceptions. Therefore, the top ten societies would join forces to hunt it down, and naturally, they would claim the spoils.
Yan Zhen wanted to obtain the Fire Spirit Crystal within the Tier 5 Magma Beast. Direct confrontation was out of the question. He had to… steal it!
The eruption lasted for nearly half an hour, gradually subsiding until it finally stopped.
Lava flowed down the mountain, filling the pools, their surfaces rising almost to the level of the stone platforms. The air was thick with the smell of sulfur.
“What luck, encountering a volcanic eruption on our first visit.” Yan Zhen stood up from the platform. “The eruption will bring out a lot of fire crystals. I’ll go collect some. You can continue cultivating. I’ll be back soon.”
“Wait, Zhenzhen!” Long Ying jumped up and landed beside him, grabbing his wrist. “I want to go too! It’s too boring here!”
Yan Zhen had been waiting for her to say this. In the script, he went with Long Ying.
“You can come, but don’t wander off. If you get lost, I won’t come looking for you.”
Long Ying puffed out her chest proudly. “I won’t get lost! Don’t treat me like a child.”
Yan Zhen ruffled her hair. “If you’re not a child, then are you an adult?”
Long Ying snorted, thinking, You’ll see my true form soon, and then you’ll be drooling~
“I’ll go with you too, Yan Zhen,” Huangfu Wenqing said, standing up. “I’m not comfortable with just the two of you going alone.”
Zi Xunyi didn’t speak but also stood up, her intention clear.
Yan Zhen quickly waved his hand. “We’re just collecting some fire crystals. It’s not dangerous. You should continue cultivating. It costs a hundred points a day to stay in the secret realm. There’s no need to waste your time with me.”
Zi Xunyi sat back down and said indifferently, “Use your Extreme Flame to signal us if you encounter any danger.”
Huangfu Wenqing glanced at her rival, seeing her readily agree to stay, and then also followed Yan Zhen’s suggestion. “Be careful then. Contact us with your communication talisman if anything happens.”
Yan Zhen gave them an OK gesture, then, taking Long Ying’s hand, he leaped into the air, retrieved their academy cards from the slots, and headed up the mountain.
He extended his Spiritual Perception, covering several hundred zhang. The bright, fiery spots within its range indicated fire crystals.
Yan Zhen briefly considered using the “87 Million Gilded White Dragon” trump card. Its ultimate move could effortlessly collect all the treasures within the secret realm, including the contents of the students’ storage rings and even the clothes they wore. However, this would cause a huge commotion, and if he was exposed, it would be a disaster.
—I’ll save it for dealing with enemies later, like the Black Horn Empire. I’ll drain them dry, hmph!
As he was thinking, Yan Zhen spotted a fire crystal, extended a tendril of Spiritual Power, and pulled the glowing red crystal into his hand.
Long Ying blinked. “Zhenzhen, is this the kind of stone you’re looking for? I’ll help you collect them.”
Yan Zhen looked at Long Ying strangely. In the script, he was the one who thought collecting them alone was too slow and asked Long Ying for help, and she made him pay with energy-replenishing pills. Now, she was offering to help on her own.
Yan Zhen decided to skip the transaction and offer a reward instead. “Don’t wander off too far. I’ll give you a pill for every fire crystal you find.”
“Yay~”
Long Ying happily went off to collect fire crystals.
If all went according to the script, she would get lost and wander all the way to the volcano’s crater.
Yan Zhen, after a moment of thought, went in the opposite direction. After a while, he had collected nearly ten fire crystals, then he encountered some familiar faces—members of the White Fang.
The White Fang had three Mystic Generals, all of whom had entered the Yang Polar Secret Realm for body tempering. Seeing Yan Zhen, their expressions turned hostile.
Yan Zhen was strong, individually stronger than any of them, but this wasn’t a duel. They had three people, and he was alone.
“Yan Zhen, you’re dead today! Get him!”
The three White Fang members, led by Bai Ao, didn’t waste any words, drawing their weapons, unleashing their Mystic Power, and attacking.
Yan Zhen wasn’t worried. This kind of enemy encounter was a standard plot point, but these three were already defeated opponents, not even worth the effort.
Yan Zhen drew the Gold and Silver Fire Sword Embryo and faced them alone. In a single exchange, he destroyed their weapons, and within ten moves, all three were sent flying, crashing to the ground.
He was now a five-star Mystic Master, much stronger than when he dueled Bai Ao. And the three of them were still traumatized by their previous defeat, quickly collapsing after losing their weapons.
Yan Zhen unceremoniously took their fire crystals. Combined with his own, he now had twenty.
However, this was just a small gain. The real treasures were the three Magma Beasts, especially the Tier 5 Magma Ape.
Just as Yan Zhen was about to continue up the mountain, he sensed a familiar, small figure rapidly approaching through his Spiritual Perception.
Long Ying, who was supposed to be lost, was back?!
—Isn’t she directionally challenged? How did she find her way back?
Yan Zhen couldn’t understand.
If Long Ying didn’t get lost, how could the Black Horn society members chase him?
And if they didn’t chase him, how could he be “forced” to jump into the volcano and trigger the next key plot point?
Hmmm…
Long Ying, not overthinking things, held a pile of fire crystals in her arms and said happily, “Zhenzhen, look! I found so many!”
Yan Zhen’s lips twitched. He took the fire crystals and put them away in his storage ring, then gave her a new bottle of energy-replenishing pills.
“Good work, Long Ying. Let’s continue up the mountain. I sense a powerful aura. There might be a Magma Beast nearby.”