58: Chapter 58 The Ferocious Beast Zhu Yan

Mo Zixing raised an eyebrow, still not letting go of her back collar, and said with a half-smile,

"Of course, your mission won't be considered fully complete until we at least get the Innate Thunder Fire."

"My cultivation is low; if I go up there, I'll just be a snack for that Zhu Yan. I really can't do anything!"

Hu Jiuying said with a bitter face, her whole body practically shrinking into a ball.

"Can't I just squat obediently to the side while you guys fight? I definitely won't cause any trouble!"

"Of course not."

Mo Zixing ruthlessly rejected her proposal.

Liu Qingyan stood at the front observing the environment, her spiritual sense already quietly spreading out.

After confirming repeatedly and detecting no abnormalities, she silently moved up along the shadows of the rock wall.

Seeing this, Mo Zixing dragged along the despondent Hu Jiuying and followed.

The three of them pressed against the scorching rock wall, slowly poking their heads out to look into the crater.

Inside the massive circular crater, churning crimson lava occupied most of the space.

In the very center of the pool, a crimson flame seed wrapped in silver lightning was floating above the lava.

The bud-shaped flame seed slowly unfurled, lightning and fire interweaving. Every pulse of spiritual energy caused the surrounding lava to tremble slightly.

Mo Zixing pulled up the System panel:

[Item: Nine Heavens Swift Thunder Fire]

[An Innate flame seed born from the Fusion of heavenly thunder and earthly fire. A perfect Fusion of thunder and fire attributes. It is both a top-tier treasure for thunder cultivators to temper their Spiritual Roots and a dream Alchemy Fire for Alchemy Cultivators.]

And on a rock platform on the western side of the crater...

A massive Vicious Beast lay there resting with its eyes closed.

The beast looked like a giant ape with a white head and red feet. Its entire body was covered in crimson fur, and its front claws were as sharp as knives. With every breath, turbid air carrying sparks puffed from its nose and mouth.

The System panel popped up immediately after:

[Zhu Yan]

[Cultivation: Crystal Stage Level 5]

[Personality: Ferocious, prudent]

[Luck: Indestructible Vajra Body (Gold): Physically robust with hardened skin; high resistance to external physical attacks.]

That's not right!

This thing is at Crystal Stage Level 5!

Mo Zixing took a deep breath.

The gap between minor levels in the Crystallization Stage was not small at all.

Liu Qingyan was only at Crystal Stage Level 2, a full three minor levels below this Zhu Yan.

Even if she only intended to lure it away, the danger level was extremely high!

He reached out and grabbed Liu Qingyan's sleeve, saying,

"Elder, this Zhu Yan looks very powerful. Should we prepare a bit more?"

She turned her head, feeling a hint of warmth in her heart. Assuming Mo Zixing was worried about her safety, she raised her hand and gently patted the back of his hand.

"Don't worry, it's just a Vicious Beast at the Early Stage of Crystallization. If it's just to lure it away, I can handle it."

"Be prudent. Once I lure it away, go down immediately to get the Thunder Fire."

Before her voice had even faded, her figure blurred, and she appeared on a stone platform some distance away from them.

Then, she unleashed a sharp burst of spiritual energy, slashing it fiercely toward the Zhu Yan's head!

Boom!

A loud explosion rang out.

Fragments of stone flew from the nearby rock wall.

The Zhu Yan, which had seemingly been resting, had actually been paying attention to its surroundings and dodged Liu Qingyan's attack!

The Zhu Yan's massive eyes flared with a murderous light as it let out a deafening roar.

A wave of scorching air swept across the area, and even the lava in the crater was whipped into fire waves several meters high.

Seeing this, Liu Qingyan realized that this Yao Beast's strength and intelligence were higher than expected, making it more troublesome than she had anticipated.

Her figure retreated as she fired off several more bursts of spiritual energy in succession.

Those attacks successfully slammed into the Zhu Yan's body.

The Zhu Yan's naturally violent temper was now completely ignited, and it let out another roar that shook the valley.

Its heavy footsteps made the rock walls tremble as its massive body leaped off the wall, chasing after Liu Qingyan.

The Zhu Yan's figure disappeared from the crater.

Mo Zixing breathed a small sigh of relief.

Although this Zhu Yan's cultivation was absurdly high, fortunately, Liu Qingyan's plan to lure the tiger from the mountain had succeeded for now.

"Quick, take the Thunder Fire while we can!"

Mo Zixing grabbed the dazed Hu Jiuying and leaped down, soaring toward the Nine Heavens Swift Thunder Fire in the center of the lava pool.

As Hu Jiuying was dragged through the air, she muttered incessantly,

"Slower, slower! Don't fall in!"

Mo Zixing didn't dare to delay.

The Zhu Yan could return at any moment; the Thunder Fire had to be obtained as quickly as possible.

He had his Burning Flame Body and Fire-Avoidance Talismans for protection, so the heat waves from the lava had almost no physical effect on him.

Hu Jiuying was different. Although her demon power was helping her resist, the fur all over her body was still slightly curling from the high temperature.

In just a few breaths, Mo Zixing landed on a protruding rock next to the Thunder Fire.

The Nine Heavens Swift Thunder Fire was right in front of him.

Mo Zixing's heart couldn't help but beat a few times faster as he reached out toward it.

But the moment he touched the Thunder Fire...

A world-destroying power suddenly crashed down from above!

Mo Zixing looked up sharply.

He saw that the three-meter-tall crimson giant ape had actually returned and was jumping down from the crater's rock wall.

It hadn't chased her far at all!

This Zhu Yan was naturally prudent; even when provoked, it didn't leave the vicinity of the flame seed.

It had turned back after only a hundred meters, catching Mo Zixing right in the act of taking the fire!

"Not good!"

Lightning crackled at Mo Zixing's fingertips as he instantly condensed the Wave-Breaking Thunder Rush Technique, blasting it fiercely toward the Zhu Yan.

But the lightning arcs hit the Zhu Yan's crimson fur and only kicked up a few tiny sparks.

Mo Zixing sucked in a breath of cold air.

The gap between Foundation Establishment Third Level and Crystal Stage Level 5 was too vast.

This attack had no effect at all.

"Go!"

He didn't dare to waste another second. He grabbed the Nine Heavens Swift Thunder Fire with one hand and Hu Jiuying's arm with the other, turning to sprint desperately toward the crater's exit.

If they were a step too late, they would be smashed into meat paste.

Hu Jiuying could no longer care about hiding her cultivation and demon power; if they didn't run now, they would really die here!

She unleashed her Foundation Establishment Level 6 demon power without reservation. Her feet seemed to ride the wind as her little legs pedaled furiously, and she even grabbed Mo Zixing to pull him forward.

"Take the small path I stepped on earlier!"

"With the rock wall blocking, its giant claws won't be able to hit us easily!"

But the chasm between the Foundation Establishment Stage and the Crystallization Stage...

...was not something that could be bridged simply by trying one's hardest.

Even escaping was not easy at all.

They had barely covered fifty yards when another deafening roar echoed behind them.

A ferocious pressure locked onto them tightly.

Their bodies suddenly became incredibly heavy, as if they were carrying a great mountain on their backs, making it impossible to run fast.

The Zhu Yan's shadow already loomed over them, seemingly about to crush them.

Right then—

"Mo Zixing!"

A clear shout came from the side as Liu Qingyan's figure sped back.

Green light surged around her as she fired several streaks of spiritual energy, infused with her life's cultivation, aimed sharply and precisely at the Zhu Yan's eyes!