Grinding EXP From a Demon Hunting Ship

Chapter 494: Chapter 450: Fire Elemental Spirits, Temple Complex

In the blink of an eye.

Two months passed.

This pace wasn’t slow at all.

The Grotto Heaven node needed time to appear, open, and then stabilize.

Back during the aerial dogfight, this Grotto Heaven node had only just begun to open, revealing a mere crack. It wasn’t even large enough for a Golden Core Stage cultivator to enter.

As for stability, that was out of the question.

For the past two months, the Golden Core cultivators outside could only wait patiently for it to open completely and for its spatial structure to stabilize, forming a permanent passage.

Of course.

The cultivators outside weren’t just sitting around twiddling their thumbs.

Although it had only partially opened and couldn’t admit Golden Core cultivators, the factions—be it the Star Casting Hall, the True Treasure Pavilion, or even the Jade Void Sword Sect, Profound Light Cave, and Immortal Peak Palace—had all brought many Crystallization and even Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Under the orders of the Golden Core masters, these low-level cultivators acted as vanguards, entering the Grotto Heaven with dauntless spirits to explore.

In two months, a total of nine Crystallization Perfected Masters and six Foundation Establishment cultivators from both sides had died or gone missing.

’Fewer Foundation Establishment cultivators died than Crystallization cultivators?’

This was actually normal. The temperature inside this Grotto Heaven node was extremely high, far harsher and more scorching than the regions corresponding to other volcanic Grotto Heaven portals.

With a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s resistance to high temperatures, they would melt the instant they stepped inside.

The True Treasure Pavilion’s side had sent in six Foundation Establishment cultivators in three batches. All of them melted instantly.

Thus, Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators were discouraged from further exploration tasks. They were replaced by Crystallization cultivators, who had stronger resistance to heat and greater survivability.

’Having a high cultivation base, but not *too* high, isn’t necessarily a good thing in some ways.’

However, their sacrifices were not in vain.

By relying on one Crystallization cultivator after another to venture deep into the Grotto Heaven node and explore...

A large amount of intelligence was laid on the desks of the various Golden Core masters for their review.

...

Ghostly Flood Dragon.

Captain’s quarters.

Su Ye sat in the main seat, with several jade slips floating before him.

These jade slips had a recording function and were sturdy enough to be considered camera drones. They contained precious, first-hand information from the exploration of the volcanic Grotto Heaven!

HUM.

A jade slip flickered, projecting a screen of light.

The figure of Zhao Shao appeared on the light screen. This former Crystallization cultivator of the Flame Alliance who had defected to Su Ye... or perhaps ’former’ was the wrong word?

After all, given the current situation, the entire Flame Alliance had become Su Ye’s one-man show.

With Zuo Hongtu missing and Yunchong River killed in battle, Su Ye, as the strongest person in the entire faction, didn’t need to do anything extra. He naturally took over the reins of power.

Therefore, many Crystallization cultivators who recognized the situation and wanted to advance their positions switched allegiances and pledged loyalty to Su Ye.

Zhao Shao had been the quickest among these cultivators to switch sides.

For that reason, he was appointed leader of the volcanic Grotto Heaven exploration team this time and was granted several protective treasures, greatly reducing his chances of death.

For Crystallization cultivators, entering the Grotto Heaven was a double-edged sword. It was a crisis, but also an opportunity.

Third and fourth-tier Spiritual Objects were hard to find in the Day Flame Sea Region, but within the Grotto Heaven, while not exactly everywhere, they were abundant.

SWOOSH.

The scene inside the Grotto Heaven appeared on the light screen.

Swirls of crimson filled the air above a dark-red, rocky wasteland. A river of magma, as wide as the Yangtze and radiating astonishing heat, snaked its way through the landscape.

On both sides of the Magma River stood many steep and desolate, dark-red mountains.

"According to our initial survey, these dark-red mountains contain few Spirit Plants or precious herbs, but they hold vast amounts of rare metallic minerals!"

"In the past five days, our side has already discovered two third-tier Blazing Fire Gold veins and one Melting Phoenix Crystal vein. The reserves are quite astounding, and the quality is excellent."

Blazing Fire Gold and Melting Phoenix Crystal were both high-grade, third-tier fire-attribute ores of considerable value. This was especially true for the latter; based on experience, a Melting Phoenix Crystal vein of that size was bound to contain Melting Phoenix Crystal Essence.

’That’s a high-grade, fourth-tier crystal essence. On the outside market, a piece the size of a fingernail can sell for a million Spirit Stones.’

’The volcanic Grotto Heaven really is a treasure trove!’

Su Ye stroked his chin and clicked his tongue in amazement.

If a Grotto Heaven of this caliber were developed, even a tenth of its resources would be enough to cultivate several Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

It was no wonder that inner-sea factions like the True Treasure Pavilion and Star Casting Hall placed so much importance on this volcanic Grotto Heaven.

Of course.

Such abundant resources also concealed great danger.

The high-temperature environment alone was enough to melt any being below the Crystallization level.

At the same time, the incredibly dense, high-quality fire-attribute Spiritual Qi, while killing off conventional lifeforms, had also given rise to a unique form of life—the Fire Essence Spirits.

These beings looked like burning flames on the outside, but they were living creatures, and they held extreme hostility toward all outsiders.

The high-quality fire-attribute Spiritual Qi meant that the Fire Essence Spirits’ strength was generally at the third tier, and in an environment like the volcanic Grotto Heaven, they were like tigers with wings!

It was not uncommon to encounter these Fire Elemental Life forms near the Magma River and in the mountains, and they were very difficult to deal with.

During this time, the Crystallization cultivators who had fallen or disappeared had almost all been because of the Fire Essence Spirits.

Currently, according to cultivators’ observations, there were even large numbers of fourth-tier Fire Essence Spirits upstream in the Magma River. A rough estimate put their numbers at no less than twenty!

This was also normal. The lifespan of Elemental Life was generally extremely long. It was common for such a number of high-tier Fire Essence Spirits to accumulate over the years.

’To wipe out this group of fourth-tier fire spirits, either camp would need to gather the power of most of their Golden Core cultivators for an all-out battle.’

Su Ye made his assessment.

The Golden Core cultivators were strong, but these Fire Essence Spirits were not weak either, and they had the home-field advantage.

However, even though it would be very difficult, Su Ye was certain that this group of Fire Essence Spirits would eventually be annihilated.

The reason was simple.

It all came down to two words: self-interest.

HUM.

Su Ye turned his head and looked at another jade slip.

Compared to the other jade slips, this one was quite new and smooth.

Its surface bore none of the scorch marks that came from long-term exposure to high temperatures.

Clearly, this jade slip had never entered the volcanic Grotto Heaven.

It was just a copy, and the information it contained came from another jade slip—one that had been recovered from a corpse.

HUM.

The jade slip lit up.

"Day twelve of entering the Grotto Heaven."

"We followed the Magma River upstream, killed some Fire Essence Spirits, and finally reached the upper reaches of the river."

"Of the six exploration teams that entered the Grotto Heaven, we should be the one that has traveled the farthest... It’s so hot here. Even a Crystallization cultivator’s protective barrier can’t block out the heatwaves."

"Damn it... I’m completely drenched in sweat right now..."

"Leader, we’ve got a situation!"

"Look! At the source of the Magma River, there’s a set of sect ruins!"

"Hm?"

The perspective of the image projected by the jade slip shifted, panning to gaze into the far distance, revealing a massive, magnificent, and imposing complex of buildings!

"There are buildings!"

"Let’s go check it out!"

Having discovered the complex, the exploration team was instantly thrilled!

Based on established patterns, the most precious treasures and even legacies in a Pocket World Secret Realm were always located in architectural ruins!

But just then.

The Magma River beside them suddenly surged.

Fourth-tier Fire Essence Spirits, with their enormous and terrifying elemental bodies, rose from the river—no fewer than twenty of them!

Naturally, the entire exploration team was wiped out.

The jade slip’s image filled with bright spots and then went black.

It wasn’t until several days later that another exploration team found the jade slip in the middle to lower reaches of the river, clutched tightly in a charred arm.

It was also encased in a layer of rock and earth formed by a magical art.

These measures made it possible to repair the jade slip and read the information.

The jade slip in Su Ye’s hand was the intelligence copied by the True Treasure Pavilion cultivators after they had repaired the original.

This precious piece of intelligence was no longer a secret to the True Treasure Pavilion’s camp, or rather... to the Golden Core Perfected Masters of the three-sect alliance.

Because.

"The Jade Void Sword Sect, True Treasure Pavilion, and Profound Light Cave have discussed the matter and reached a consensus to clear out this group of Fire Essence Spirits."

"In a little over a month, once the Grotto Heaven node has completely stabilized, the Golden Core cultivators of the three sects will venture deep into the Magma River to clear out the Fire Essence Spirits and attempt to explore these so-called ’sect ruins’."

’But...’

Su Ye squinted, studying the complex of buildings that had appeared in the recording.

’Hmm...’

’Sect ruins?’

He felt that this dilapidated complex looked less like sect ruins and more like...

’A temple!’

’A temple of the Southern Deities!’

His guess was correct.

This volcanic Grotto Heaven was indeed deeply connected to the Far South Continent.

So...

The Divinity Transformation legacy that the three sects’ cultivators were hoping for was probably not in this complex.

’However, with so many Fire Essence Spirits guarding this temple, the benefits within must be considerable... Perhaps there’s a dying deity hidden inside?’

’How much EXP would killing a deity give?’

Su Ye raised an eyebrow, his mind wandering.

At the same time, the divine core of a Southern Deity was definitely a high-energy-value item, worth far more than a Golden Core. He estimated... it could even be equivalent to the Nascent Soul of a Nascent Soul True Monarch!

A benefit like that was enough to tempt Su Ye to go and investigate.

’With the combined power of the three sects’ Golden Core cultivators, wiping out the Fire Essence Spirits shouldn’t be a problem.’

’The only risk is what happens after entering the temple. But... the volcanic Grotto Heaven has been sealed for a long time. The deity would have no believers, no blood sacrifices, and would be deep behind enemy lines.’

’Even if a deity did survive, its power couldn’t be that strong... They might just be able to surround and kill it. There are dozens of Golden Core cultivators, plus great cultivators like Four Extremes Sword and Mr. Guan!’

Su Ye calculated the odds and felt the risk wasn’t high.

’It’s worth a look!’

...

A little over a month.

To a Golden Core cultivator, it was but the blink of an eye.

During this month, Su Ye focused on his cultivation, increasing his comprehension of his two rule-based arts, ’Annihilation Flow’ and ’Life and Death,’ by 1% each, reaching 27%.

Meanwhile.

Two days later.

The Grotto Heaven node finally stabilized completely, forming a permanent passage.

The golden portal shimmered, ripples spreading across it as it emanated spatial fluctuations.

"Let’s begin."

"The cultivators of our three sects—a total of fifteen Golden Core and forty Crystallization—will enter the Grotto Heaven."

Four Extremes Sword Lu Chen took the lead, guiding the cultivators of the Jade Void Sword Sect through the portal.

Su Ye, Feng Shaochai, Zheng Yunzhe... and the other cultivators belonging to the True Treasure Pavilion and Profound Light Cave...

...followed close behind, stepping into the portal one after another!

The volcanic Grotto Heaven!

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