Chapter 149: Minhu's Ten Great Hell Dungeons

Surface World, Yan Jing's home.

"What are your thoughts on Chen Dalang and Fan Jue looking for you, like I mentioned last time, Xiao Yanzi?"

Shen Youran took a sip of tea, smacking her lips in satisfaction as she asked.

"They sent me friend requests, but I haven't accepted them yet."

Yan Jing's expression remained indifferent. "To be honest, I have no idea what they're thinking either."

"I didn't actually interact with them much in the last dungeon."

"Not much?"

Shen Youran's eyes widened. "Then why did I hear that you saved the both of them?"

"I just helped out in passing."

Yan Jing took a sip of his tea. "Any other news?"

"Fan Jue broke through to the Second Tier. The leading figure of the Lin family's current generation announced their participation in the Central City trials. Aside from that, it's mainly the Mu family. Mu Rao's death dealt a massive blow to them. They had originally pinned immense hope on him, wanting to use him to advance into the Central Municipality. Now... rumor has it they urgently recalled the top figure of their previous generation."

Shen Youran recounted the recent events to Yan Jing one by one.

Most of it was trivial gossip concerning the Eight Great Families, which Yan Jing wasn't very interested in. After witnessing the Third Tier siege in Old Sin City, he didn't feel much toward the Third Tier right now.

As long as he broke through to the Second Tier during Stage A of his next dungeon, he wouldn't be entirely defenseless against a Third Tier.

That was until Shen Youran spoke again.

"However, the most bizarre thing was that earthquake yesterday."

An earthquake?

Yan Jing's heart stirred, though he didn't let it show.

At that time, he should have been in the Inner World.

And after exiting the Inner World, he had been so exhausted that he hadn't paid much attention to whether the earthquake had shifted any of his belongings.

"The tremors weren't very strong."

Shen Youran continued, "But rumor has it that this is only the second earthquake to hit Ling'an and its surrounding cities in hundreds of years."

"When was the first time?"

Yan Jing asked.

"The first time was a few centuries ago, I think."

Shen Youran said thoughtfully, "Back then, shortly after the first earthquake, something strange happened."

"Doesn't the Domain corresponding to Ling'an and the surrounding cities happen to be Old Sin City? It apparently wasn't called that name before. Shortly after that earthquake, many people noticed that some previously common dungeons had completely vanished."

"You could still go to them if you used a Dungeon Selection Voucher, but during normal dungeon selections, the option no longer existed."

Shen Youran spoke slowly. "That was a very long time ago. I haven't been in Ling'an for long, so I'm not entirely sure on the details, but people later speculated that this phenomenon was caused by certain shifts occurring within the Inner World."

"Therefore, it's not just Ling'an and its neighboring cities paying attention to this earthquake—Central City is also taking it very seriously. They want to use this opportunity to clarify the connection between the Surface and Inner Worlds."

Saying this, she cupped her teacup with both hands and gently blew on the scalding liquid.

"Actually, the Third Ring Domain has conducted a lot of research on the so-called Surface and Inner Worlds, but it's all just hypotheses."

"They suspect that if certain dungeons disappear, there are usually a few reasons behind it: the corresponding Domain in the Inner World perishing, the disappearance of a Pathway within the Domain, or perhaps the Domain relocating entirely, things like that."

"However, they also discovered that for our Surface World, this phenomenon actually presents a potential opportunity."

"How so?"

Yan Jing looked at Shen Youran.

Shen Youran's expression turned serious.

"They discovered that when a massive change occurs in a certain Domain of the Inner World, the Inner World System will determine that this Domain is no longer suitable for human players to enter in the short term."

"Because of this, the Inner World will select a few dungeons with the highest survival rates from the recent period and conduct a concentrated transfer of the low- and mid-tier human players from this region of the Surface World."

"In other words, a few Super-Large Dungeons will appear for players to enter."

"And while the mission difficulty of such dungeons will be slightly higher, the rewards will be correspondingly bountiful."

"The last time such a dungeon appeared in the Fifth Ring Domain was more than twenty years ago."

"Back then, someone actually managed to draw a Platinum Box from a low-tier Super-Large Dungeon."

A Platinum Box.

Yan Jing recalled the Gold Box he had drawn previously.

The other items were one thing, but that particular item suited for him—the Fear Source Liquid—had upgraded the Fear Sapling from purple-grade to black-purple.

It had also become one of the primary reasons he could fight enemies above his tier.

"What happened to that person later?"

Yan Jing asked calmly.

"What do you think?"

Shen Youran took small sips of her tea. "A Platinum Box isn't something you can get through sheer luck. That guy was already one of the heirs to several colossal powerhouses in the Fifth Ring Domain."

"Within ten years of obtaining that box, he had already been crowned a Venerable."

A Venerable.

The current Yan Jing was no longer the clueless novice he used to be.

Those who achieved such a status all possessed their own Honorary Title.

And there was only one condition to be crowned a Venerable: ascending to the Fifth Tier.

The Third Tier was known as the Transcendent Tier. The Fifth Tier was fit for a Venerable.

Reaching that stage meant standing at the absolute summit in any Central Municipality within the Fifth Ring Domain.

"Listening to you, it sounds like Ling'an is going to become quite lively soon."

Yan Jing said slowly.

"Compared to Rainbow City, it should be fine."

Shen Youran set down her cup.

Rainbow City was the Central Municipality governing Ling'an and the surrounding cities.

The reporter Shen Youran had hired last time, Lin Xiaoran, was a journalist from Rainbow City's Rainbow Newspaper.

"So, what do you think? Got any ideas?"

Shen Youran looked at Yan Jing with a smile.

"Not particularly."

Yan Jing smiled faintly.

"But it sounds like there's plenty of room to maneuver."

"So you caught on, Xiao Yanzi."

Shen Youran beamed brilliantly.

"Exactly. As long as you use a Dungeon Selection Voucher to pick a dungeon and then artificially control its survival rate, you can increase the probability of it being selected."

"This is a common tactic used by those major families."

Saying this, Shen Youran confidently tossed her head back.

"So don't worry. Once the Super-Large Dungeon appears, I'll definitely get the news right away."

"Then I'll leave it in your capable hands, Teacher Shen."

Yan Jing laughed.

In truth, his actual intentions went a step further than that.

However, now wasn't the time to bring it up.

"Xiao Yanzi, what's your next dungeon? Now that our protective measures are in place, we can finally study it together."

Shen Youran looked at Yan Jing excitedly.

"I've thoroughly researched every single dungeon within the Old Sin City Domain over the past few days. I even put together a strategy guide for a standalone restroom dungeon."

"It's Bianliu County."

Yan Jing stood up to refill their tea.

"Bianliu County..."

Shen Youran froze. "Why don't I remember a place like that..."

"But... the name does sound familiar."

Just like that, her eyes went blank for a few seconds. Then, as if her brain had finally connected to the information network, her pitch sharply rose.

"Bianliu County?!!"

"Are you talking about the Bianliu County in Minhu?!!"

Yan Jing smiled and nodded.

"It seems Teacher Shen knows it well."

"It's beyond just knowing it."

Shen Youran slumped backward, collapsing completely onto the sofa.

"The Domains corresponding to the Second Ring Domain and the Third Ring Domain are both located in Minhu."

She stared blankly at the ceiling, a faint aura of deathly despair radiating from her body as she muttered in a daze, "Xiao Yanzi."

"Hmm?"

"You've got it so rough."

"A little."

"Why does it always have to be so hard for you?"

"There are probably others who have it just as hard, or even harder than me."

A smile danced in Yan Jing's eyes. "But they don't have my kind of luck."

Hearing this, Shen Youran shot straight up and stared at him.

A few seconds passed before she finally asked, "Xiao Yanzi, do you know much about Bianliu County?"

"Not really."

Yan Jing finished topping off both of their teacups.

Shen Youran, however, had lost all desire to drink tea. She looked at him with utmost solemnity.

"Bianliu County can be divided into six sub-dungeons."

"East Street — Ghost Market."

"North Street — Lin Family Farmyard."

"West Street — Artisan Alley."

"South Street — Slum Alley."

"Middle Courtyard — Feinan Temple."

"And the one from which no one has ever returned alive: the County Yamen."

"But no matter which sub-dungeon it is, the survival rate in Bianliu County has never been high. Even with maximum preparation and endless strategy guides, the moment you step into Stage B, the mortality rate practically skyrockets."

"And what you mentioned, Xiao Yanzi, is the overarching mega-dungeon of Bianliu County. Its survival rate is infinitely close to... zero."

"That place is known as one of Minhu's Ten Great Hell Dungeons."

"Do you understand now?"

"I understand now." Yan Jing nodded upon hearing this and smiled faintly.

"So, Teacher Shen, I'm counting on you."