Chapter 473: Occupying Bone-Eroding Valley

Limbs severed, bones dismantled, and bodies bled dry.

Hearing the Old Man's description, the figure beneath the white veil felt her pupils constrict.

Her path of progression had been remarkably smooth. Born with three innate talents for exploring Dungeons, she was heavily cultivated by a powerful Clan in the Second Ring Domain.

At twelve, she was permitted to enter eerie Dungeons. High-tier experts from her Clan used Dungeon Selection Vouchers to take on missions in adjacent Dungeons, escorting her every step of the way.

At fifteen, she successfully advanced to the Fourth Tier, earning the attention of the previous domain lord of Yueyin.

By twenty, she broke through to the Sixth Tier, becoming the most dazzling existence in all of Yueyin.

Although advancing past the Sixth Tier was considerably more difficult, she successfully reached the Seventh Rank on her thirtieth birthday.

A thirty-year-old at the Seventh Rank was nothing short of a legend in that era.

Without a doubt, she was designated as Yueyin's successor.

Afterward, she spent about twenty years at the Seventh Rank before successfully condensing the Heart of reaching the summit.

At fifty-five, she successfully reached the Summit.

For Yueyin at that time, having two experts at the Summit in a single domain was an unparalleled glory.

But in the third year after she reached the Summit, the previous domain lord announced he was leaving to seek an opportunity to step into the Ninth Tier. Thus, she completely took over this territory of four to five million square kilometers, becoming its true master.

And then—

And then she did whatever she pleased.

Those who reached the Summit enjoyed a full lifespan of five hundred years. With her remaining time, she indulged in every pleasure available and accomplished many things ordinary people would consider pure fantasy.

Ultimately, when those worldly pursuits faded like the wind, she finally understood the previous domain lord's state of mind from all those years ago.

A single thought grew increasingly intense in her mind.

She wanted to grow stronger.

But the Eighth Advancing to Ninth Stage was entirely different from advancing from the seventh to the eighth, just as advancing from the seventh to the eighth was fundamentally different from the sixth to the seventh.

Divinity.

Such a thing could only be encountered by luck, not sought by force.

To obtain it easily, one would have to leave Yueyin and travel to the Central Region of the Surface World.

Rumor had it that the corresponding Domains in the Inner World there held items containing Divinity—items that could even be purchased directly in the Surface World.

But—

In the end, she simply lacked the courage.

She had heard that the Central Region of the Surface World was not much different from the Inner World.

Humanity there had adapted to an entirely different culture. There were no nations, but class oppression was crushingly severe. Countless small factions stood like trees in a forest, and they would use any extreme means necessary to seize power.

Unable to cross that psychological hurdle, she had ultimately chosen another path.

Because of this, when she heard of Yan Jing's methods, her first reaction was shock, immediately followed by a deep, visceral disgust.

Most people naturally despised those who were fundamentally different from themselves.

And Yan Jing was clearly not the same kind of person she was.

"Xiao Yan, he..."

Her tone carried a hint of regret, mixed with a trace of helplessness. "He has always acted this way. Sometimes, even I can't fully rein him in."

"His talent is extraordinarily high, so he's a bit arrogant."

"Does having high talent give him the right to act like this?!" The Old Man slammed his cane fiercely against the ground, his face flashing with anger for the first time. "If his talent is really that high, why hasn't he reached the Summit yet to lead our Yueyin toward the Central Region?!"

"If his talent is so great, how does he compare to those monsters in the Central Region?!"

"What use is high talent! Back then, Domain Lord Luo was hailed as a genius rarely seen in a thousand years, yet he still hasn't returned either!"

"Yes." The veiled figure bowed slightly, her voice soft. "I know Xiao Yan went a bit overboard this time. Once he comes out, I will definitely have him apologize to you in person."

"..."

The Old Man raised his eyes coldly. "Our Self Faction still has one person left, so I haven't lost this gamble yet."

"Indeed."

The domain lord spoke softly, "I look forward to your beloved disciple's performance."

"If he can prove that he is the true future, I will spare no effort in cultivating him."

In the Inner World, within a Space Rift.

The Ice Clan existence watched Yan Jing repeatedly inspect and compare the body parts he had severed from the other two, feeling an imaginary ache in her teeth.

This guy in front of her was definitely not an ordinary human.

He acted more like one of them, the Inner World residents.

"Done."

Yan Jing clapped his hands and stood up.

At his feet sat two glass jars: one filled with gleaming golden blood, and the other with thick, pitch-black blood.

There were also several bones of varying lengths. The flesh and blood hadn't been completely scraped off some of them, giving them an unnervingly bright red sheen.

This was his meticulous sorting. According to Wen Xu's memories, the flesh and blood of beings skilled in the path of the physical body were incredibly precious materials, perfect for refining potent medicines or forging items.

Stretching lazily, he tore open a rift, preparing to step out of the space.

Seeing this, the Ice Clan figure immediately panicked, shouting at the top of her lungs from behind the layer of ice, "Don't go! Don't go! Let's talk! Hey! Hey!!"

Finally, just as Yan Jing was about to step into the rift, he paused and looked back at the block of ice.

"Don't understand."

It was the exact same three syllables as last time. The Ice Clan figure had already deduced the meaning of those words and hurriedly yelled, "Switch! Switch!!"

She manifested wisps of white ice crystals over her hands—distinct from the solid ice encasing her—and revealed her true appearance.

She looked like a woman, about 1.7 meters tall, with her hair tied in a high ponytail. She wore light armor resembling that of an ancient warrior, protecting her chest, shoulders, and hips.

She clumsily gestured with her hands.

Trying to tell the man opposite her to switch out.

It was unclear whether Yan Jing understood her. After pondering for a moment, he tore open the rift and left the space.

The surroundings plunged back into pitch-black darkness. The Ice Clan figure let out a sigh, her face filled with dejection.

She hadn't expected the other party to be so resolute, locking her up for so long. Even less did she expect him to be so strong.

Yes, what had truly changed her mind was Yan Jing's battle with those other two just now.

After watching the entire process, she asked herself honestly: even if it were her, she probably wouldn't have been able to defeat those two so easily.

The moment Yan Jing swallowed that apple, everything had changed. It forced her to reevaluate the human who had imprisoned her.

Just as she was lost in thought, a slit of bright light suddenly illuminated the space once more.

Seeing it, the Ice Clan figure's eyes immediately lit up, and she leaned her head forward.

A moment later, Wen Xu's figure appeared before her.

"Good evening."

Yan Jing bowed slightly to the Ice Clan member, then walked directly over to the bones and blood he had left on the ground, beginning to carefully inspect them.

Watching Yan Jing bustle about, the Ice Clan figure quickly said, "Um... I think we can have a talk."

"Didn't you say you wouldn't talk earlier?" Yan Jing looked up.

"Earlier... was earlier." The Ice Clan figure forced a smile, not caring whether Yan Jing could see it or not. "Don't you want to know the secrets of this place?"

Yan Jing lowered his head again. "Earlier was earlier."

"Wait, why are you so fickle?" The Ice Clan figure grew anxious. "You were the one who explicitly promised to let me out if I told you the secrets of this place!"

"Yeah, I did say that." Yan Jing chuckled. "But earlier was earlier."

"..." The Ice Clan figure felt a vein pulsing on her forehead. "Then what are the terms now?"

"Hmm... let me think." Yan Jing continued meticulously sorting the items on the ground as he spoke. "First, admit that you believe I'm a Deity."

'A Deity my ass!'

The Ice Clan figure nearly cursed out loud. Going around in such a huge circle, just for this?

What kind of Deity was this childish?

"..."

But a few seconds later, she ultimately forced the words out. "...I admit it."

"Admit what?"

"...Deity."

"Who is a Deity?"

The Ice Clan figure couldn't hold back anymore and roared, "Don't push your luck!"

Yan Jing's smile vanished. "Getting an attitude now, are you? The deal is off."

'What do you mean, attitude—'

Seeing Yan Jing turning to leave again, the Ice Clan figure felt a surge of panic and fury. Finally, forcing down the rage burning in her chest, she yelled, "I admit it! I admit that you are a Deity!!!"

"Very good." Yan Jing nodded.

Hope welled up within the Ice Clan member. "Can you let me out now?"

Yan Jing asked back in confusion, "Who said anything about letting you out?"

"Fuck you—"

The Ice Clan figure dug her nails fiercely into her thighs and demanded, "What the hell do you want?"

"This bone." Yan Jing picked out one of the Eighth Prince's ribs from the ground—a piece a full several meters long—and said, "I'll give you this bone, and you tell me the location of the entity from your era in Bone-Eroding Valley."

At this point, no matter how thick-headed the Ice Clan figure was, she fully realized what was happening.

"Motherfucker, are you treating me like a dog?!"

She roared at Yan Jing, but he simply put the bone away. "This bone has been nourished by Mutation, and it's the one closest to the heart. What a shame. It could have restored at least a tenth of your strength. Since you don't want it, forget it."

"You—"

The Ice Clan figure clenched her fists, veins bulging on the backs of her hands.

'I can't take it. I absolutely cannot take it.'

'If I take it, I'll truly be throwing my last shred of dignity to the ground.'

'Don't take it, Bing Yao. Think about your past. Think about your former glory—'

'But—'

She shifted her gaze toward the massive bone in Yan Jing's hand, which was shimmering with a dark luster.

It was true—if she just absorbed that bone, she could probably recover a sixth of her strength. By then, she would at least be able to move inside the ice block.

'But my dignity—'

She sank into a state of extreme conflict.

In the end, she endured it, firmly resolving not to sell out her dignity.

She carried the glory of her entire race on her shoulders; it was impossible for her to cast aside her soul.

Until—"I'll throw in a finger bone."

Yan Jing left the space, thoroughly satisfied.

Meanwhile, inside Bone-Eroding Valley, the group had already finished clearing out all the entities holding torches.

In truth, they barely had to lift a finger. After the Eighth Prince left, there was no one left to block the ferocious winds.

Aside from a select few, the vast majority of those entities were already on the verge of death from prolonged torment, and they perished on the spot the moment the gales struck them.

Their Crystal Stones had long been conned away by the Eighth Prince, leaving them without even the chance to exit the Dungeon.

According to the survivors, the Eighth Prince would usually show up to shield them from the storms first. Once they gradually lowered their guard, he would suddenly orchestrate a crisis—like a rockslide—and force them to hand over their Crystal Stones.

Then, while they were hesitating, he would launch a sneak attack and snatch the Crystal Stones for himself.

As for the Colossus, his actions weren't much different from the Eighth Prince's.

He harbored a natural hostility toward anyone possessing weird energy. When the Eighth Prince informed him that [Fist] had been eliminated because of Yan Jing, he decided to join forces with the Eighth Prince.

And the area beneath the valley gorge he had been guarding was exactly Wanyao Cliff.

The two of them colluded just like that. The Eighth Prince used the valley's winds to temper his physique, while the Colossus used the ancient herbs on the cliff to refine his bones and muscles. Together, they scammed anyone who entered the valley, enslaving them to mine items containing the Heart of reaching the summit.

The duo had amassed a massive hoard of loot. Aside from a few select items containing Divinity, most of it hadn't even been placed in their Inventories, so all of it now fell into the laps of Yan Jing and his group.

"Keep digging."

Yan Jing ordered. He wasn't about to waste free labor.

As for the problem of blocking the wind, he had already found a solution.

He simply pulled out a few massive, fleshy arms from his space and laid them horizontally across the middle of the valley, filling the gaps between them with flesh and rocks.

This formed a wind-blocking wall.

It was a bit gruesome, but it worked perfectly fine.

"Start digging!!"

He waved his hand grandly, promising the crowd that as long as they hollowed out the items in this area, he would let them go.

Since the Crystal Stones confiscated by the Eighth Prince were all in his possession now, everyone had no choice but to resign themselves to their fate.

Yan Jing left Zhao Dongchuan in charge of the excavation work. Then, under the guise of searching for ancient inheritances in the area, he switched his consciousness.

Inside a rocky cave.

"Wen Xu" opened his eyes. By the faint, dim light filtering in from the layer of dirt overhead, he looked around at everyone.

The group had been staying here for quite some time now.

Ever since the Dungeon began, he hadn't let anyone wander around.

Over the past few days, the rock cave had been hollowed out to be increasingly spacious, even developing separate room partitions and a common area. For everyone here, staying put seemed like a pretty good option compared to going outside to die.

But one thing puzzled the group: every night, Wen Xu would suffer excruciating pain due to the magma eruptions in this area, yet he still absolutely refused to leave.

"I like fire."

Whenever people asked him about it, this was always his reply.

"Everyone stand by."

Yan Jing ordered.

The crowd knew the drill by now; they knew he was about to head out again. Whenever nightfall approached, he would leave the cave for a while, claiming he was going to scout the situation.

"It is extremely dangerous outside right now."

Yan Jing would say this every time he returned.

Only Ning Wei, standing off to the side, curled his lips. He followed Yan Jing out every time, so he knew full well that Yan Jing wasn't scouting the situation at all. Instead, he would wait for the volcano to erupt, find a burning flame, and silently stare

Limbs severed, bones dismantled, and bled dry.

Hearing the Old Man's description, the figure beneath the white veil felt her pupils constrict.

Her path of progression had been remarkably smooth. Born with three innate talents for exploring Dungeons, she was heavily cultivated by a powerful Clan in the Second Ring Domain.

At twelve, she was permitted to enter eerie Dungeons. High-tier experts from her Clan used Dungeon Selection Vouchers to take on missions in adjacent Dungeons, escorting her every step of the way.

At fifteen, she successfully advanced to the Fourth Tier, earning the attention of the previous domain lord of Yueyin.

By twenty, she broke through to the Sixth Tier, becoming the most dazzling existence in all of Yueyin.

Although advancing past the Sixth Tier was considerably more difficult, she successfully reached the Seventh Rank on her thirtieth birthday.

A thirty-year-old at the Seventh Rank was nothing short of a legend in that era.

Without a doubt, she was designated as the next successor to Yueyin.

Afterward, she spent about twenty years at the Seventh Rank before successfully condensing the heart of reaching the summit.

At fifty-five, she successfully reached the Summit.

For Yueyin at that time, having two experts at the Summit in a single domain was an unparalleled glory.

But in the third year after she reached the Summit, the previous domain lord announced he was leaving to seek an opportunity to step into the Ninth Tier. Thus, she completely took over this territory of four to five million square kilometers, becoming its true master.

And then—

And then she did whatever she pleased.

Those who reached the Summit enjoyed a full lifespan of five hundred years. In the time she had left, she indulged in every pleasure available to her and accomplished many things that ordinary people would consider pure fantasy.

Ultimately, when all those worldly pursuits faded like the wind, she finally understood the state of mind the previous domain lord had reached all those years ago.

A single thought grew increasingly intense in her mind.

She wanted to grow stronger.

But the Eighth Advancing to Ninth Stage was entirely different from the seventh advancing to the eighth, just as the seventh advancing to the eighth was fundamentally different from the sixth advancing to the seventh.

Divinity.

Such a thing could only be encountered by luck, not sought out.

To obtain it easily, one would have to leave Yueyin and travel to the Central Region of the Surface World.

Rumor had it that the corresponding Domains in the Inner World there held items containing divinity—items that could even be purchased directly in the Surface World.

But—

In the end, she simply lacked the courage.

She had heard that the Central Region of the Surface World was not much different from the Inner World.

Humanity there had adapted to an entirely different culture. There were no nations, yet class oppression was crushingly severe. Countless small factions had sprung up, and they would use any extreme means necessary to seize power.

Unable to cross that psychological hurdle, she had ultimately chosen another path.

Because of this, when she heard of Yan Jing's methods, her first reaction was shock, immediately followed by a deep, visceral disgust.

Most people naturally despised those who were fundamentally different from themselves.

And Yan Jing was clearly not the same kind of person she was.

"Xiao Yan, he..."

Her tone carried a hint of regret, mixed with a trace of helplessness. "He has always acted this way. Sometimes, even I can't fully rein him in."

"His talent is extraordinarily high, which makes him a bit arrogant."

"Does having high talent give him the right to act like this?!" The Old Man slammed his cane fiercely against the ground, his face flashing with anger for the first time. "If his talent is really that high, why hasn't he reached the Summit yet to lead our Yueyin toward the Central Region?!"

"If his talent is so great, how does he compare to those monsters in the Central Region?!"

"What use is high talent! Back then, Domain Lord Luo was hailed as a genius rarely seen in a thousand years, yet he hasn't returned either!"

"Yes," the veiled figure bowed slightly, her voice soft. "I also know Xiao Yan went a bit overboard this time. Once he comes out, I will definitely have him come before you to apologize in person."

"..."

The Old Man raised his eyes coldly. "Our Self Faction still has one person left, so I haven't lost this gamble yet."

"Indeed."

The domain lord spoke softly, "I look forward to your beloved disciple's performance."

"If he can prove that he is the true future, I will spare no effort in cultivating him."

In the Inner World, within a Space Rift.

The Ice Clan existence watched Yan Jing repeatedly inspect and compare the body parts he had severed from the other two, feeling an imaginary ache in her teeth.

This guy in front of her was definitely not an ordinary human.

He acted more like one of them, the inner world residents.

"Done."

Yan Jing clapped his hands and stood up.

At his feet sat two glass jars: one filled with gleaming golden blood, and the other with a thick, pitch-black blood.

There were also several bones of varying lengths. The flesh and blood hadn't been completely scraped off some of them, giving them an unnervingly bright red sheen.

This was his meticulous sorting. According to Wen Xu's memories, the flesh and blood of beings skilled in the path of the physical body were incredibly precious materials, perfect for refining potent medicines or forging items.

Stretching his arms lazily, he tore open a rift, preparing to step out of the space.

Seeing this, the Ice Clan figure immediately panicked, shouting at the top of her lungs from behind the layer of ice: "Don't go! Don't go! Let's talk! Hey! Hey!!"

Finally, just as Yan Jing was about to step into the rift, he paused and looked back at the block of ice.

"Don't understand."

It was the exact same three syllables as last time. The Ice Clan figure had already deduced the meaning of those words and hurriedly yelled, "Switch! Switch to the other person!!"

She manifested wisps of white ice crystals over her hands—distinct from the solid ice encasing her—and revealed her true appearance.

She looked like a woman, about 1.7 meters tall, with her hair tied in a high ponytail. She wore light armor resembling that of an ancient warrior, protecting her chest, shoulders, and hips.

She clumsily gestured with her hands.

Trying to tell him to switch to the other person.

It was unclear whether Yan Jing understood her. After pondering for a moment, he tore open the rift and left the space.

The surroundings plunged back into pitch-black darkness. The Ice Clan figure let out a sigh, her face filled with dejection.

She hadn't expected the other party to be so resolute, locking her up for so long. Even less did she expect him to be so strong.

Yes, what had truly changed her mind was Yan Jing's battle with those other two just now.

After watching the entire process, she asked herself honestly: even if it were her, she probably wouldn't have been able to defeat those two so easily.

The moment Yan Jing swallowed that apple, everything changed. It forced her to reevaluate the human who had imprisoned her.

Just as she was lost in thought, a slit of bright light suddenly illuminated the space once more.

Seeing it, the Ice Clan figure's eyes immediately lit up, and she leaned her head forward.

A moment later, Wen Xu's figure appeared before her.

"Good evening."

Yan Jing bowed slightly to the Ice Clan member, then walked directly over to the bones and blood he had left on the ground, beginning to carefully inspect them.

Watching Yan Jing bustle about, the Ice Clan figure quickly said, "Um... I think we can have a talk."

"Didn't you say you wouldn't talk earlier?" Yan Jing looked up.

"Earlier... was earlier." The Ice Clan figure forced a smile, not caring whether Yan Jing could see it or not. "Don't you want to know the secrets of this place?"

Yan Jing lowered his head again. "Earlier was earlier."

"Wait, why are you so fickle?" The Ice Clan figure grew anxious. "You were the one who explicitly promised to let me out if I told you the secrets of this place!"

"Yeah, I did say that." Yan Jing chuckled. "But as you said, earlier was earlier."

"..." The Ice Clan figure felt a vein pulsing on her forehead. "Then what are the terms now?"

"Hmm... let me think." Yan Jing continued meticulously sorting the items on the ground as he spoke. "First, admit that you believe I am a Deity."

'A Deity my ass!'

The Ice Clan figure nearly cursed out loud. Going around in such a huge circle, just for this?

What kind of Deity was this childish?

"..."

But a few seconds later, she ultimately forced the words out. "...I admit it."

"Admit what?"

"...Deity."

"Who is a Deity?"

The Ice Clan figure couldn't hold back anymore and roared, "Don't push your luck!"

Yan Jing's smile vanished. "Getting an attitude, are you? The deal is off."

'What do you mean attitude—'

Seeing Yan Jing turning to leave again, the Ice Clan figure felt a surge of panic and fury. Finally, forcing down the rage burning in her chest, she yelled, "I admit it! I admit that you are a Deity!!!"

"Very good." Yan Jing nodded.

Hope welled up within the Ice Clan member. "Can you let me out now?"

Yan Jing asked back in confusion, "Who said anything about letting you out?"

"Fuck you—"

The Ice Clan figure dug her nails fiercely into her thighs and demanded, "What the hell do you want?"

"This bone." Yan Jing picked out one of the Eighth Prince's ribs from the ground—a piece a full several meters long—and said, "I'll give you this bone, and you tell me the location of the existence from your era within Bone-Eroding Valley."

At this point, no matter how thick-headed the Ice Clan figure was, she fully realized what was happening.

"Motherfucker, are you treating me like a dog?!"

She roared at Yan Jing, but he simply put the bone away. "This bone has been nourished by Mutation, and it's the one closest to the heart. What a shame. It could have restored at least a tenth of your strength. Since you don't want it, forget it."

"You—"

The Ice Clan figure clenched her fists, veins bulging on the backs of her hands.

'I can't take it. I absolutely cannot take it.'

'If I take it, I'll truly be throwing my last shred of dignity to the ground.'

'Don't take it, Bing Yao. Think about your past. Think about your former glory—'

'But—'

She shifted her gaze toward the massive bone in Yan Jing's hand, which was shimmering with a dark luster.

It was true—if she just absorbed that bone, she could probably recover a sixth of her strength. By then, she would at least be able to move inside the ice block.

'But my dignity—'

She sank into a state of extreme conflict.

In the end, she endured it, resolving firmly not to sell out her dignity.

She carried the glory of her entire race on her shoulders; it was impossible for her to cast aside her soul.

Until—"I'll throw in a finger bone."

Yan Jing left the space, thoroughly satisfied.

Meanwhile, inside Bone-Eroding Valley, the group had already finished clearing out all the entities holding torches.

In truth, they barely had to lift a finger. After the Eighth Prince left, there was no one left to block the ferocious winds.

Aside from a select few, the vast majority of those entities were already on the verge of death from prolonged torment, and they perished on the spot the moment the gales struck them.

Their Crystal Stones had long been conned away by the Eighth Prince, leaving them without even the chance to exit the Dungeon.

According to the survivors, the Eighth Prince would usually show up to shield them from the storms first. Once they gradually lowered their guard, he would suddenly orchestrate a crisis—like a rockslide—and force them to hand over their Crystal Stones.

Then, while they were hesitating, he would launch a sneak attack and snatch the Crystal Stones for himself.

As for the Colossus, his actions weren't much different from the Eighth Prince's.

He harbored a natural hostility toward anyone possessing weird energy. When the Eighth Prince informed him that [Fist] had been eliminated because of Yan Jing, he decided to join forces with the Eighth Prince.

And the area beneath the valley gorge he had been guarding was exactly Wanyao Cliff.

The two of them colluded just like that. The Eighth Prince used the valley's winds to temper his physique, while the Colossus used the ancient herbs on the cliff to refine his bones and muscles. Together, they scammed anyone who entered the valley, enslaving them to mine items containing the heart of reaching the summit.

The duo had amassed a massive hoard of loot. Aside from a few select items containing divinity, most of it hadn't even been placed in their Inventories, so all of it now fell into the laps of Yan Jing and his group.

"Keep digging."

Yan Jing ordered. He wasn't about to waste free labor.

As for the problem of blocking the wind, he had already found a solution.

He simply pulled out a few massive, fleshy arms from his Space and laid them horizontally across the middle of the valley, filling the gaps between them with flesh and rocks.

This formed a wind-blocking wall.

It was a bit gruesome, but it worked perfectly fine.

"Start digging!!"

He waved his hand grandly, promising the crowd that as long as they hollowed out the items in this area, he would let them go.

Since the Crystal Stones confiscated by the Eighth Prince were all in his possession now, everyone had no choice but to resign themselves to their fate.

Yan Jing left Zhao Dongchuan in charge of the excavation work. Then, under the guise of searching for ancient inheritances in the area, he switched his consciousness.

Inside a rocky cave.

"Wen Xu" opened his eyes. By the faint, dim light filtering in from the layer of dirt overhead, he looked around at everyone.

The group had been staying here for quite some time now.

Ever since the Dungeon began, he hadn't let anyone wander around.

Over the past few days, the rock cave had been hollowed out to be increasingly spacious, even developing separate room partitions and a common area. For everyone here, staying put seemed like a pretty good option compared to going outside to die.

But one thing puzzled the group: every night, Wen Xu would suffer excruciating pain due to the magma eruptions in this area, yet he still absolutely refused to leave.

"I like fire."

Whenever people asked him about it, this was always his reply.

"Everyone stand by."

Yan Jing ordered.

The crowd knew the drill by now; they knew he was about to head out again. Whenever nightfall approached, he would leave the cave for a while, claiming he was going to scout the situation.

"It is extremely dangerous outside right now."

Yan Jing would say this every time he returned.

Only Ning Wei, standing off to the side, curled his lips. He followed Yan Jing out every time, so he knew full well that Yan Jing wasn't scouting the situation at all. Instead, he would wait for the volcano to erupt, find a burning flame, and silently stare into it.

This time was no exception.

Not long after the two of them walked out of the cave, Yan Jing found a bush thoroughly engulfed in flames from the intense heat and stood quietly watching it.

"Officer Ning, what do you think of fire?"

Staring at the flames before him, Yan Jing suddenly asked.

Ning Wei had no idea why Yan Jing would ask such a question out of the blue, so he replied, "It's alright. It's warm, and it brings light."

Yan Jing nodded, then shook his head. "But it also brings harm."

He turned his head to look at Ning Wei beside him, the searing firelight reflecting in his pupils.

It was only then that Ning Wei saw clearly: within Yan Jing's eyes, there seemed to be a trace of deeply hidden fear.

He was taken aback. In his eyes, if an outlaw like Yan Jing actually showed fear of something, it meant he must care about it immensely.

"You're right." Ning Wei pondered for a moment before speaking. "Everyone has things they don't like."

"It's perfectly normal."

Yan Jing looked like he wanted to say something else, but he merely opened his mouth and ultimately said nothing.

The two of them simply stood there in silence, right up until another player discovered them.