190: Chapter 190 A Surge in Strength

"I'll go in and try too."

Mu Cheng released his Bloodline Power, condensing it into a protective shield, and jumped into the sea of fire.

Although his own Bloodline Power was endless, he ultimately couldn't withstand it and only lasted ten minutes.

"This guy is actually quite something; the first time I tried, I could only last a minute." Little Demon Fox Emperor found it somewhat unbelievable.

Another hour passed, and Mu Cheng finally managed to break through one Shackle. As for Xiao Yao, she was eerily quiet and didn't make another sound.

"Is this what it's like to break through one Shackle? I feel like my power has surged more than fivefold." Mu Cheng was extremely shocked.

Little Demon Fox Emperor said, "Don't make such a fuss, okay? Isn't it normal for your strength to skyrocket like this?"

"This... forget it, just act like I never said anything!" Mu Cheng actually didn't know much about Shackles.

He could guess the situation—once a Shackle was broken, strength would definitely surge, so he didn't ask further.

"Alright, since you've already broken through, there's no need to stay here."

Since this didn't have much of an effect on Little Demon Fox Emperor herself, there was indeed no point in wasting time here.

Mu Cheng hesitated for a moment and said, "I observed earlier that they come out in batches. There are probably many Ice-Fire Apes inside. To prevent them from discovering us, we should try to kill them before going in!"

"Inside the Pyramid, their strength shouldn't be that high, so we'll just kill them as we see them." Little Demon Fox Emperor thought the same.

The distance wasn't far; the two reached the Pyramid's entrance in just a minute through the sea of fire. An Ice-Fire Ape was guarding each side inside the doorway.

"Be careful, it might be very dangerous inside." Mu Cheng instantly killed them and entered the Pyramid.

Little Demon Fox Emperor followed closely behind into the Pyramid.

"So the Ice-Fire Apes inside look like this. It seems they use the environment to spray flames and ice mist. I bet there's a whole other world further in."

"Let's get inside quickly, or we'll be in trouble if we're discovered." Mu Cheng didn't care about the details and led the way with his black gold heavy sword.

The further they went, the larger the space became. Sparkling energy crystal mines were everywhere. As they went deeper, the temperature inside became perfectly normal.

Little Demon Fox Emperor said, "We aren't affected by anything in here; we must be careful."

"Mm-hmm." Mu Cheng nodded in agreement.

Not long after advancing, as expected, the two were surrounded by a group of Ice-Fire Apes. Leading them was one wearing golden armor and holding a golden spear.

"Humans, get out! Otherwise, don't blame us for being impolite!"

Mu Cheng was still a bit impulsive and rushed forward with his black gold heavy sword.

"It's fine if you want us to leave, but defeat me first!"

As a general of the Ice-Fire Apes, A-Yuan naturally wasn't afraid and charged forward with his golden spear.

"This general hasn't stretched his muscles in a long time. I'll have a good time playing with the humans. No one is to move without my command!"

The two were evenly matched in strength.

Little Demon Fox Emperor felt very surprised.

"It seems this kid has grown quite a bit stronger. Just his physical strength alone allows him to fight on par with a Nine-Star World King God."

With this exchange, she witnessed Mu Cheng's growth. At the beginning, fighting a Black Giant Rat was very difficult for him, but now he could go back and forth with this opponent.

She estimated that now, even if she didn't use divine power, she probably wouldn't be able to gain any advantage over him.

"With just physical strength, it won't be easy to defeat that Ice-Fire Ape. You should stop holding back your strength."

Little Demon Fox Emperor suddenly realized that Mu Cheng was actually hiding his true strength.

"Fine! Then let's make this quick."

Mu Cheng suddenly accelerated. Before long, A-Yuan was defeated and fell to the ground.

Triumphant, Mu Cheng held the black gold heavy sword at A-Yuan's throat.

"You lost!"

"Kill me or do as you please! We Ice-Fire Apes have never been afraid of death!" Although A-Yuan was unwilling, he still spoke toughly.

Mu Cheng lowered his black gold heavy sword and explained.

"That's not what I meant. We just want to pass through here to reach Heisha Island, nothing more."

A-Yuan, having seen Lin Mo's prowess, hesitated for a moment and said, "Passing through here is indeed a bit troublesome."

"It's not impossible, but I can't make the decision. I can only take you to see our Queen!"

Seeing how sincere he was, Mu Cheng suddenly changed his mind and said, "Then we'll trouble the General to lead the way."

Little Demon Fox Emperor thought about it and ultimately didn't object. "Just be careful."

"Then please lead the way, General."

A-Yuan walked at the front to lead. "Then follow me!"

The two followed A-Yuan inside. It truly was a different world—a vast forest.

Mu Cheng said, "It's quite unexpected that we're actually beneath the Ice-Fire Coexistence Desert."

"It's not that unexpected. It would be stranger if it weren't underground." Little Demon Fox Emperor had already guessed it, so she wasn't surprised.

Soon, the three arrived inside a giant tree hollow, which led into a very luxurious palace.

It was decorated with energy crystal ores. Seated above was a human woman in a white ancient dress, wearing a veil, looking every bit like a powerful leader.

A-Yuan went up and knelt. "Respected Queen, they wish to go to Heisha Island. Your subordinate could only bring them here for your decision."

Little Demon Fox Emperor suddenly warned, "Be careful, this woman is very strong. She's already close to the level of a God of Destruction."

Luo Tianyi stood up and said, "If I'm not mistaken, you must be from the Super Ability Academy!"

"Since you already know, then let us pass through here!" Yu Guoguo said, stepping forward slowly with newfound courage.

The woman, Luo Tianyi, spoke truthfully:

"I'm afraid that's a bit troublesome. More importantly, it involves an internal split within the Ice-Fire Apes. Passing through won't be easy."

Mu Cheng had a sudden inspiration and said, "Sister, you don't have to help us. Just tell us the general direction."

Luo Tianyi said, "Even if you know the direction, with my sister's strength, you won't be able to get past at all. First, let me test your strength!"

Suddenly, a sparkling golden staff appeared in her hand. With a gentle wave, twelve Wood Vine People emerged from the ground.

"Dammit, she just starts fighting without a word." Mu Cheng was a bit dazed, completely unclear about the current situation.

"Master, let me." Xiao Yao appeared once again.

At this moment, her aura had become very ordinary, which was enough to show that her strength had improved by leaps and bounds.

However, she still hadn't broken through.

Without hesitation, she summoned over a dozen Wood Vine People. Luo Tianyi was very surprised to see these Wood Vine People and controlled hers to attack.

Xiao Yao was not to be outdone. Twelve Wood Vine People against twelve Wood Vine People—they were evenly matched, and a winner couldn't be decided in the short term.

"Peak Nine-Star World King God strength... that was just a warm-up. Next, you'd better be careful." Luo Tianyi waved the golden staff in her hand again.

The twelve Wood Vine People merged into one giant Wood Vine Person.

Xiao Yao withdrew her twelve Wood Vine People and also summoned a giant Wood Vine Person.

"Sister, if you only have this much strength, I'm afraid you won't be able to beat me!"

"Then I'll get a little more serious. You'd better be careful."

Luo Tianyi waved the golden staff in her hand, and a streak of green Bloodline Power entered the Wood Vine Person's body.

Instantly, its entire body emitted a green light, and it knocked back Xiao Yao's Wood Vine Person.

"What's going on? How can she do that?"

It was the first time Xiao Yao had seen Bloodline Power being injected into a controlled object.

"I'll try it too!"

No sooner said than done. Sure enough, she successfully injected Bloodline Power into her Wood Vine Person, and it suddenly looked exactly like Luo Tianyi's.

"It really works." Even Xiao Yao found it unbelievable.

After a while, Xiao Yao's Wood Vine Person gained the upper hand. "Sister, is this really all the strength you have? It seems it's nothing special."

"Of course not. You'd better be careful!" She waved the golden staff in her hand, and another identical Wood Vine Person appeared.

Two against one, Xiao Yao was quickly defeated, and her Wood Vine Person was beaten until it vanished.

Luo Tianyi waved the golden staff in her hand again.

"You all had better be careful!"

Twelve identical large Wood Vine People surrounded Little Demon Fox Emperor and Mu Cheng. Lin Mo looked at what was before him, not knowing what to do.

"What should we do?"

"I'll teach you another move today." Xiao Yao suddenly seemed like a completely different person; her aura could no longer be sensed at all.

"What... what exactly is going on with her?" Little Demon Fox Emperor was shocked.

Luo Tianyi was also very startled the moment she saw Xiao Yao.

"It seems I underestimated you. Time to get serious."

In just a few moves, the dozen or so Wood Vine People were all taken out by the Bloodline Power released by Xiao Yao!

"Sister, if you have any other tricks, feel free to use them!" Mu Cheng became triumphant.

Luo Tianyi once again waved her Life Staff.

"Materializing bloodline into physical form—I can do that too!"

Suddenly, three wooden swords flew toward Mu Cheng's group from three directions. Their aura was much more terrifying than regular sword qi.

"Sister, it's time to stop!"

Little Demon Fox Emperor had no choice but to act. With a wave of her hand, the three wooden swords instantly stopped in mid-air.

"This materializing bloodline into physical form is too terrifying!" Mu Cheng said, swallowing hard.

Xiao Yao explained, "Master, of course it's powerful. It's a whole level higher than sword qi."

"Wait... sword qi has levels too?" Mu Cheng could tell there was more to it and asked curiously.

Little Demon Fox Emperor said, "Of course it does. But whether it's materialized sword qi or a simple blade of sword qi, they are both foundations."

Mu Cheng had no choice but to believe it. "So sword qi is also quite extraordinary. It seems I still know too little."

"Mm-hmm. Master, there are thousands of paths in cultivation; the most important thing is how you choose to walk yours."

"Who on earth is this girl? Why is her strength so terrifying?" Luo Tianyi was completely shocked.

However, she continued to wave the golden staff in her hand. Countless wooden swords flew toward Little Demon Fox Emperor, but she stood her ground and still blocked them all.

"Sister, your materialized bloodline isn't all that much."

Refusing to believe it, Luo Tianyi waved the golden staff again, but before Little Demon Fox Emperor, it was completely useless.

Luo Tianyi suddenly stopped her attack. "Your strength is decent enough! I'll tell you the general direction, but you must be careful yourselves."

"What do you mean 'decent enough'? How about we continue?" Little Demon Fox Emperor was naturally not having it.

"This girl seems intent on making me lose face." Luo Tianyi had already seen her prowess, so she said thick-skinnedly,

"Sister, what are you saying? This big sister admits defeat, alright?"

"That's more like it." Only then was Little Demon Fox Emperor satisfied.

Luo Tianyi was also very shocked. She hadn't expected Little Demon Fox Emperor's strength to be so terrifying, but after thinking it over, she felt much more at ease.

Mu Cheng asked, "Sister, please tell us the direction as soon as possible!"

Luo Tianyi shouted, "General!"

After a moment, A-Yuan walked in and knelt.

"Respected Queen, what are your orders?"

Luo Tianyi said, "Take them there!"

After saying that, she turned into a streak of green energy and instantly vanished. A-Yuan didn't dare to delay.

"Follow me!"

Mu Cheng said politely, "Then we'll trouble the General."

With A-Yuan leading them, they encountered many outposts along the way, but they passed through all of them easily.

Six hours later.

A-Yuan led the three to the final outpost. "Ahead is enemy territory. Just keep going straight to reach Heiya Island. You must be careful!"

Mu Cheng became very polite. "Thank you for escorting us, General!"

Ultimately, he couldn't help but ask, "By the way, Xiao Yao, why do you sometimes seem like a different person?"

Xiao Yao said, "Master, she is the source of all things, not Xiao Yao."

Little Demon Fox Emperor finally understood. "The source of all things has existed for at least hundreds of millions of years; it has indeed developed its own sentience."

"I see."

After the three said goodbye to A-Yuan, they continued forward.

Before long, they arrived at an Ice-Fire Ape outpost. A figure with a build almost identical to A-Yuan's was standing guard there, wearing golden armor and holding a large golden saber.

Seeing Mu Cheng's group, he stepped forward to block them. "I don't know where you came from, but you'd better get lost, or don't blame me for being impolite!"

Before his voice even faded, the black gold heavy sword in Mu Cheng's hand had already swept across his shoulder, and the massive body fell to the ground.

He shouted dominantly at the remaining guards, "You'd better get lost quickly, or die!"

When those Ice-Fire Ape guards saw their general had already fallen, they all fled in panic.

Little Demon Fox Emperor stepped forward to scold him. "You guy, you're too impulsive!"

Xiao Yao, on the other hand, didn't have any objections. "If not this way, Sister, how else would you do it? Isn't it faster to just kill our way in?"

Instead, she felt this was much more efficient.

Little Demon Fox Emperor was completely unable to refute and walked at the front. "Fine! On to the next outpost."

The three continued forward. An hour later, they encountered another outpost, guarded by a relatively tall general.

He rested a large black-gold club on his shoulder with one hand and walked forward arrogantly.

"So it was you who killed my fifth brother. Today, you must die!"

Judging by his aura, he was several times more terrifying than A-Yuan.

Mu Cheng also took out a black-gold club and stepped forward, resting it on his shoulder without the slightest panic.

"I'm the one who killed him. If you have the guts, come and take your revenge!"

Little Demon Fox Emperor shouted worriedly, "You'd better be careful, he doesn't look simple!"

Xiao Yao wasn't worried at all. "Sister, don't worry, Master isn't as weak as you think."

"Big Sister, just watch!" Mu Cheng walked forward with a swagger.