kvmb Chapter 161 Strange Fire
Chapter 161 Strange Fire
"Yao'er, do you smell something...?" Zhuang Yu's words stopped abruptly. He stared into the distance, his gaze deep and unfathomable, as if he had pierced through layers of space and seen something that shocked him.
"Strange fire...it's the aura of a strange fire!" he murmured to himself, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement.
Strange Fire, a wondrous object born between heaven and earth, possesses the power to burn the sky and boil the sea, and is a treasure coveted by countless cultivators.
For Zhuang Yu, the strange fire not only enhances his strength, but also provides him with an extra layer of protection for survival in the upcoming great calamity of heaven and earth.
Without the slightest hesitation, Zhuang Yu made his decision.
"I'm going to find this strange fire!" He turned his head and looked firmly toward the location of the strange fire. There, a cluster of volcanoes stretched out, and crimson light illuminated half the sky, like a sleeping giant waiting for someone to awaken its fury.
The sect's buildings behind him appeared particularly solemn and majestic in the afterglow of the setting sun. The towering peaks and layered pavilions seemed to be infected by Zhuang Yu's determination, exuding a calm and powerful aura.
Wang Yao watched Zhuang Yu's retreating figure, feeling both worried and excited.
She knew what the strange fire meant to Zhuang Yu, and she knew that this path was full of dangers, but she chose to trust him, just as she had always done.
"Zhuang Yu, you must come back safely!" she prayed silently in her heart.
However, Zhuang Yu did not go directly to the volcano, but instead chose to go to a nearby town to gather information first.
He knew very well that the news of the emergence of the strange fire would inevitably attract the covetousness of various forces, including some with ulterior motives.
Going there rashly will only put you in a passive position.
This move puzzled the rogue cultivators who had originally planned to ambush Zhuang Yu along the way.
"Why isn't this kid playing by the rules?" Hong Qi, the leader of the rogue cultivators, frowned, holding a wine gourd in his hand and continuously pouring wine into it, trying to suppress the unease in his heart.
"Boss, could it be that this kid has discovered something?" Ah San asked cautiously. He was greedy by nature, but also timid and afraid of trouble.
"Impossible!" Ah Si retorted gruffly. "With his meager cultivation level, how could he possibly detect us? He's definitely scared and wants to find a place to hide!"
Hong Qi didn't speak, but squinted at the direction of the distant town, feeling a vague unease in his heart.
Meanwhile, in an inconspicuous inn in the small town, Zhuang Yu was sitting by the window, listening to the conversations around him.
While savoring the local specialty wine, he discreetly gathered information about the strange fire and the volcano.
Suddenly, the inn door was pushed open, and several ragged, burly cultivators walked in.
They looked around, their gaze finally settling on Zhuang Yu.
One of the leading rogue cultivators, a cold smile playing on his lips, walked straight toward Zhuang Yu.
"Boy, you..." The rogue cultivator had just opened his mouth when Zhuang Yu raised his head and looked at him with a half-smile.
"Oh? Is something the matter?"
The burly rogue cultivator walked up to Zhuang Yu's table with a disdainful look and slammed his fist heavily on the table, causing ripples to spread in the wine in his glass.
"Kid, you look unfamiliar. You're new here, aren't you? If you know what's good for you, get out of this town right now. This isn't a place for you!" A strong smell of alcohol mixed with the stench of sweat hit Zhuang Yu, making him frown slightly.
Zhuang Yu put down his wine glass, looked at the burly man in front of him with great interest, and a playful smile appeared on his lips.
"Oh? This town is yours? How come I didn't know?" He spoke in a flippant tone, but his eyes held a hint of coldness that was hard to detect.
Enraged by Zhuang Yu's nonchalant attitude, the burly man roared, "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to drink the penalty cup!" With that, he swung his fist, as big as a clay pot, toward Zhuang Yu's face.
The force of the punch was whistling, carrying a suffocating sense of oppression.
Upon seeing this, the surrounding diners cried out in alarm and scattered, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire.
However, Zhuang Yu remained seated, seemingly unconcerned about the burly man's attack.
Just as the fist was about to land on his face, he dodged the blow with ease.
The burly man's punch missed its mark, and he was startled. Before he could react, he saw Zhuang Yu's figure appear behind him in a blur.
Immediately afterwards, he felt a sharp pain in his back, and his whole body flew out like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground with a scream.
"Is this all the skill you have? You dare to come out and embarrass yourself?" Zhuang Yu clapped his hands and said with a disdainful look.
He reached into the mysterious space and took out a small and exquisite magic weapon. The magic weapon emitted a faint golden light, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
A flash of golden light instantly enveloped the remaining few rogue cultivators.
The rogue cultivators only felt a golden light before their eyes, heard a series of buzzing sounds in their ears, were unable to move their bodies, and were filled with fear.
The surrounding crowd was stunned. They had never seen such a powerful magic weapon before and were all amazed by Zhuang Yu's strength.
"Boss, this kid is not to be trifled with..." Ah San said, his face pale and his voice trembling.
Ah Si was also terrified, his face turning pale. He had never imagined that a cultivator who looked so young would possess such great strength.
"Don't panic!" Hong Qi tried to remain calm, but his heart was filled with unease. "Let's attack together! I don't believe he can stop the three of us by himself!"
Ah San and Ah Si exchanged a glance, nodded, and attacked Zhuang Yu simultaneously.
Zhuang Yu moved nimbly, easily dodging the attacks of the two men while constantly counterattacking.
The tables, chairs, and benches inside the inn were shattered by the aftershocks of the battle, and shards of bowls and plates flew everywhere.
The surrounding crowd had already kept their distance, fearing they would be drawn into the battle.
"This...this is too strong..." A diner hiding in a corner watched the intense battle and muttered to himself.
“Yes, this young man’s strength has probably reached the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm…” another diner chimed in.
The battle intensified, and Ah San and Ah Si gradually found themselves at a disadvantage, both sustaining injuries.
"Damn it, this kid's spiritual power seems to be inexhaustible..." Ah San said breathlessly.
Ah Si also sensed something was wrong; he discovered that his spiritual energy was being consumed much faster than expected.
"Boss..." Ah Si was about to speak when he suddenly felt a powerful force approaching...
Zhuang Yu moved like a ghost, effortlessly navigating the attacks of Ah San and Ah Si.
Fists and feet clashed, producing bursts of cracking sounds. The tables, chairs, and benches in the inn had long since turned to dust, and the wood chips that filled the air made people cough incessantly.
He thought he could finish the battle quickly, but the spiritual power within his body poured out like water, far exceeding his expectations.
Alarm bells rang in his mind as he keenly sensed the unusual fluctuations in the surrounding spiritual energy, and a scorching aura was rapidly approaching from afar.
"Damn it, it's the aura of the Flame Demon!" Zhuang Yu cursed inwardly. This beast really came at the right time.
He had to finish the battle quickly, otherwise, if he were to be entangled by the Flame Demon, the consequences would be unimaginable.
An invisible pressure descended, and the surrounding trees seemed to sense this powerful force, their leaves rustling like ghostly whispers.
The once lush green forest now appeared sinister and terrifying in Zhuang Yu's eyes, its branches twisted like claws, as if they might devour him at any moment.
The air was filled with a nauseating smell of sulfur.
Just then, a familiar figure came into his view. Wang Yao, she had actually caught up with him.
"Zhuang Yu! Are you alright?" Wang Yao called out anxiously, her voice trembling slightly.
She pushed aside the branches blocking her way and ran to Zhuang Yu's side. Seeing that he was safe and sound, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Why are you here? It's dangerous here, go back quickly!" Zhuang Yu's tone was stern, but a warm feeling welled up in his heart.
"No! I want to go with you!" Wang Yao stubbornly raised her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know it's dangerous for you to go find the strange fire, and I don't want you to go on the risk alone."
"Nonsense! You'll only be a burden to me if you go!" Zhuang Yu's tone was icy; he knew he couldn't be soft-hearted.
This search for the strange fire is extremely dangerous, and he doesn't want Wang Yao to be involved.
Crystalline tears slid down Wang Yao's fair cheeks as she choked out, "But... I'm worried about you..." Her voice was as weak as a wounded little animal, making one feel an irresistible pity.
Zhuang Yu looked at Wang Yao, whose face was streaked with tears, and his heart softened.
He took a deep breath, his tone softening slightly: "Yao'er, listen to me, this time it's really different, I..."
Before he could finish speaking, Wang Yao suddenly threw herself into his arms, hugged him tightly, and cried even more bitterly.
Feeling the soft body in his arms and smelling her faint fragrance, Zhuang Yu felt a mix of emotions.
He gently patted Wang Yao's back and said softly, "I promise you, I will definitely come back safely."
After a long while, Wang Yao's emotions gradually calmed down.
She looked up at Zhuang Yu, her eyes blurry with tears.
Zhuang Yu took a deep breath, resolutely turned around, and walked towards the volcano.
With every step he took, he felt his heart bleeding.
"Wait!" Wang Yao suddenly shouted.
Zhuang Yu stopped walking, but did not turn around.
"This is for you." Wang Yao's voice was soft, but it carried a hint of determination.
Zhuang Yu turned around and saw that Wang Yao was holding one...
Zhuang Yu ultimately embarked on his journey alone.
He glanced back at the town, his gaze deep, as if he wanted to etch everything into his heart.
As he turned around, a glimpse of a light blue hem flashed past in his peripheral vision.
He sighed helplessly; he knew who it was without even having to guess.
This girl, really...
He shook his head, but a slight smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Her pace quickened, as if she wanted to shake off the tail behind her, but she deliberately controlled her speed so that the pale blue figure wouldn't have to struggle too much to keep up.
As the volcanoes drew closer, the air was thick with the pungent smell of sulfur, and the scorching heat was intense, making it feel as if we were in a giant furnace.
In the distance, crimson magma churned, emitting a deep rumble, like the breath of a giant beast, sending chills down one's spine.
The ground is covered with uneven, sharp black volcanic rocks that can easily tear clothes or cut skin.
Zhuang Yu slowed his pace, his eyes scanning his surroundings warily.
For some reason, he felt uneasy, as if something was lurking in the shadows and watching him.
He released his divine sense and carefully examined everything around him, but found nothing unusual.
Is it an illusion?
He was puzzled, but his years of experience in cultivating immortality told him that this feeling was not unfounded.
He quickened his pace again, wanting to get through this dangerous area as quickly as possible.
"Yao'er, stay close and be careful," he whispered, though he knew Wang Yao might not hear him, he still couldn't help but remind her.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, a dense forest appeared before us. The lush trees blocked out the sun, making it look particularly eerie.
"Strange, the map doesn't mark this area as a jungle..." Zhuang Yu wondered. He stopped and carefully observed his surroundings.
Suddenly, he sensed a powerful spiritual energy fluctuation coming from the depths of the jungle. This spiritual energy fluctuation was cold and evil, making him feel a chill run down his spine.
"Oh no, an ambush!" He was startled and immediately prepared for battle.
"Hehe, kid, we've finally waited for you!" A cold voice came from the jungle, and then several figures emerged from behind the trees, surrounding Zhuang Yu.
The leader was Hong Qi, who had a sinister smile on his face and held a blood-red longsword in his hand, the blade emanating a nauseating stench of blood.
"Hong Qi? You actually dare to show your face in front of me!" Zhuang Yu sneered.
"Hmph, you managed to escape last time, but this time it won't be so easy!" Hong Qi sneered. "Brothers, get him! Grab this kid, I'll make him wish he were dead!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than several rogue cultivators swarmed forward and attacked Zhuang Yu.
Swords gleamed, and the air was thick with murderous intent.
Zhuang Yu remained fearless, his movements as elusive as a ghost, weaving freely amidst the flashing blades and deadly punches and kicks.
"Ah!" With a scream, a rogue cultivator was sent flying by Zhuang Yu's punch, crashing heavily to the ground, spitting out blood, and it was clear that he was not going to survive.
"This kid... is even stronger than before!" Hong Qi was shocked, and a trace of fear flashed across his face.
He brandished his long sword and attacked Zhuang Yu once again.
"Boy, prepare to die!" he roared, his blade flashing like a bolt of lightning as he slashed towards Zhuang Yu.
Zhuang Yu dodged to the side and then punched Hong Qi in the chest with his backhand, knocking him back several steps.
"Is that all you've got? You dare come here to die?" he sneered.
Hong Qi's face was gloomy. He took a deep breath, gripped the knife with both hands, and attacked Zhuang Yu again.
This time, his attack was even more ferocious, the blade flashing like lightning, so fast that it was almost impossible for the naked eye to catch it.
Zhuang Yu dared not be careless; he focused intently and dealt with the situation cautiously.
The two men were fighting back and forth in a fierce battle.
“Boss…” Ah San couldn’t help but speak as he watched the fierce battle.
Hong Qi whirled around and roared, "Shut up! Focus on the fight!"
The Indian was so frightened that he dared not speak again, and quickly brandished his weapon to join the battle.
However, he was unaware that danger was lurking nearby...
"Boss Hong, it seems we're... surrounded..." Ah Si's voice trembled, tinged with fear.
Hong Qi's heart sank. He turned around abruptly, only to see...