115: Xie Ning's Fire Control

Inside the Houtu Secret Realm.

The sky was a hazy yellow, as if yellow sand was suspended overhead. Beneath their feet was soil-yellow sandy ground, and golden flowing water was visible within their line of sight. To the left and right were scattered pale yellow trees, and further away, there were several brownish-yellow high mountains.

As a light flashed, Xie Ning, Lu Bingyun, and the others appeared inside the Secret Realm.

"Fei Shanqiu and I will go ahead first; you guys carry out the plan. Life and death are not restricted here, so be sure to be careful. If necessary, I'd rather you give up than lose your lives for nothing." Xie Ning summoned White Fang, flipped onto the wolf's back, and gave the women instructions.

Lu Bingyun nodded and said, "Understood, go on then."

"Yeah, yeah, you're getting as naggy as my dad. Just go already, Old Xie."

Xie Ning's forehead broke out in sweat. He nodded, and once Fei Shanqiu climbed on, he spurred the wolf forward, kicking up dust as they headed in a certain direction.

Once Xie Ning was far away, Lu Bingyun said to Xiao Ya and Lan Yu, "The Secret Realm is only open for 24 hours. Let's hurry."

"Mhm."

"Mhm."

...Leaving Lu Bingyun and the others aside, after galloping all the way, Xie Ning arrived at a pale yellow forest. After following a strange route, he finally came to a large tree.

Seven people were already waiting there; it was the Mu Family group.

"Sorry, I'm late," Xie Ning said upon arrival.

Mu Tian smiled and said, "Not late. It's just that the location we were teleported to was closer."

"Then let's set off."

The two of them, along with the seven from the Mu Family, set sail again. Xie Ning would look down at the map from time to time.

On the way, Fei Shanqiu suddenly asked, "Mu Tian, why didn't the great beauty Ye come?"

"Don't ask me about that, ask the person in charge."

Xie Ning smiled and said, "I had Feiyu go fetch something first. She'll join us later; it won't delay anything."

"Hey! Xie Ning, I heard you're quite strong. Want to show us something?" Mu Xiaolong, who had been clearing the path at the very front the whole way, suddenly turned back and spoke.

Xie Ning, as if not hearing the resentment in his words, smiled and said, "Black Iron Rank, it's not worth it."

Hearing this, Mu Xiaolong's brow furrowed. With an expression of slight dissatisfaction, he killed a few more Yao Beasts. Then, his sharp eyes spotted a large tree with floating vines in the distance, and he couldn't help but shout, "Aha! There's a Fossil Tree Demon right ahead, Bronze Rank. Xie Ning, it's your turn to show your skills!"

"Alright then." Xie Ning glanced at it and smiled indifferently.

It was a Fossil Tree Demon over twenty meters tall, at Bronze Rank 5. From its appearance, it seemed to be the type that had transformed into a python.

The Fossil Tree Demon was one of the specialties of the Houtu Secret Realm. It was formed by a Fossil Tree absorbing the flesh and blood of Yao Beasts and mutating. Whatever Yao Beast it absorbed, it would transform into that beast, but it couldn't escape since its roots were still there.

Tiger Zhao, who had fought with Xie Ning before, had a Green Tiger Vine that was a weakened version of a Fossil Tree Demon.

When they were still a hundred meters away from the Fossil Tree Demon, Xie Ning patted White Fang, leaped into the air, and with a few jumps between other trees, rose over ten meters high and drew his changhong sword.

Boom!

A burst of purple-red flames erupted from Xie Ning, rising several meters high and then condensing onto the changhong sword. With a 'whoosh', the long sword and the Vine Python crossed paths, striking the Fossil Tree Demon.

Under the gaze of the others, Xie Ning stepped on the Vine Python, moving back and forth as he closed in on the Fossil Tree Demon. Gripping the changhong sword, he gave a loud shout, and the flames poured into it.

Everyone saw the Fossil Tree Demon bulge, and in the next second, it shattered with a bang, exploding into a sky full of firewood with a series of 'crackling' sounds. Only some Vine Pythons of ten, seven, or eight meters remained on the ground, twitching unconsciously.

When Xie Ning took out the demon core and walked out accompanied by flames, the chicken leg in Fei Shanqiu's hand fell straight to the ground and was swept away by the tongue of some unknown Demon Tamers Beast. However, he couldn't be bothered to care, staring straight at Xie Ning, petrified for two seconds before crying out:

"Holy crap! Why is it that even though we're both f2p players, you can use cheats!"

The other Zhao Family members also looked on in shock.

"To think, a Bronze Rank 5 Fossil Tree Demon was actually insta-killed in one move! He didn't even deploy a Demon Tamers Beast, killing a Bronze Rank 5 using only his own strength!"

"I'll never be able to forget this scene. I bet even many years from now, I won't forget this!"

"No wonder he can cooperate with the Young Master. So powerful! So explosive!"

Mu Xiaolong's eyes widened, filled with disbelief. He had a look like he'd seen a ghost, his heart feeling as if a tsunami had struck it.

You said you'd just show a little something, I didn't tell you to use cheats!

Mu Tian, on the other hand, looked at Xie Ning with a complex expression and sighed, "I'm starting to doubt if our time isn't synchronized. Maybe seven days have passed for me, but you've already Cultivated for seven years? Having not seen you for just a few days, you've not only learned sword techniques, but your strength has also progressed by leaps and bounds. Compared to when you fought Zhao Long, you're practically a different person."

"It's all because the teacher taught well." Xie Ning smiled faintly and sheathed his sword, the flames all over the ground instantly extinguishing.

Under Yan Ruyu's training these past few days, Xie Ning's Ancient Martial Arts strength had improved rapidly, already reaching the Bronze Early Stage, and his use of Martial Skills was even more proficient.

Mu Tian opened his mouth but didn't speak, nodding with deep meaning. "Then let's continue on our way."

"Okay," Xie Ning replied.

After that, the group set off again. This time, the Mu Family's attitude toward Xie Ning underwent a subtle, almost imperceptible change.

Along the way, they would occasionally encounter other teams, but when the others saw that although their numbers were small, their strength was formidable, no one was ignorant enough to step forward and provoke them.

Aside from the occasional attack by a few Yao Beasts, nothing else happened. After an unknown amount of time, the group arrived at the foot of a mountain. This brownish-yellow peak had rock walls and sand that were very moist, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding yellow sand.

"This journey really hasn't been easy. My waist is almost broken from all the bouncing."

Fei Shanqiu complained, to which Mu Xiaolong replied, "If your waist ever breaks, it definitely won't be from sitting on a Demon Tamers Beast, but from long-term high-intensity work."

"High-intensity? Ahahaha~ Xiaolong knows me best." Fei Shanqiu smiled lewdly at whatever he was thinking of, patting Mu Xiaolong's shoulder.

Mu Xiaolong dodged to the side and rubbed his sore shoulder. "You misunderstood. I meant that your body fat is making it bear a weight it shouldn't have to."

"Damn it!"

Xie Ning interjected at this point, "Enough, let's head up."

The group of nine, with the help of flying Demon Tamers Beasts, arrived halfway up the mountain. There was a platform there with a five-meter-tall giant door embedded in the rock wall, with four large characters written on it—Houtu Stone Palace.

"Looks like this is the place. We'll just wait for Ye Feiyu to arrive." Everyone sized up their surroundings.

"Xie Ning, come here," Fei Shanqiu suddenly called out to Xie Ning.

Xie Ning was confused. He walked over to Fei Shanqiu's side and looked down, startled. "It's so high!"

"I didn't ask you here to look at that. I have a question for you." Fei Shanqiu squatted down, looking down the cliff.

"What?"

"Do you know why everyone in Lingnan City thinks Zhao Long will become the overlord?" As he spoke, his voice became slow and his words deep.

"He's domineering enough and strong enough," Xie Ning replied.

Fei Shanqiu suddenly looked up and grinned. "Because he's not just domineering, he's also smart!"

As he finished speaking, green ropes emerged from beneath the cliff and entangled Xie Ning. Fei Shanqiu gave a violent shove, pushing Xie Ning off the cliff!