Chapter 69: Triggered Hidden Dungeon!

"Sigh, this is just a tiny flame!"

Xiao Yan's eyes were welling up—he risked his life to save a Dou Huang, invaded the den of a Sixth-Rank Demon Beast, all for the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame, and this was the result? He couldn't accept it!

So exhausting… the Soul Sect really is a shady shop.

The Soul Sect is truly scum!

Just as Xiao Yan thought, at least it was a strand of Spiritual Flame—better than nothing, I'll just swallow it with the Burning Decree—when a lion's roar came from behind him, and a sense of extreme danger flared in his heart.

A small Purple Crystal Winged Lion emerged from nowhere, claws bared, lunging at Xiao Yan.

"Damn!" Xiao Yan cursed—he'd been distracted by the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame, let his guard down for a moment, and hadn't noticed the little Purple Crystal Winged Lion sneaking in through another passage.

"Dou Qi Gauze Garment! Fierce Lion Guard!" Clenching his fists, Xiao Yan summoned the Dou Qi Gauze Garment, crossed his arms before his chest, and immediately activated the Dou Technique: Fierce Lion Roar—a phantom lion's head appeared, shielding his entire body.

Boom! The little Purple Crystal Winged Lion leapt, its claws slamming hard against the phantom lion—its Third-Grade peak Magical Beast strength sent Xiao Yan flying!

Xiao Yan crashed into a pile of gold and silver treasures like a cannonball; if not for his strong body and the Fierce Lion Roar he'd cultivated, that single blow would've killed him.

"Catch this punch! Eight Extremes Shatter!" Leaping forward, Xiao Yan poured all his Dou Qi into his right fist, charging straight at the little Purple Crystal Winged Lion as he unleashed the Eight Extremes Shatter technique.

Roar! The little Purple Crystal Winged Lion likewise slammed out a paw, meeting Xiao Yan's fist head-on.

Xiao Yan's own Cultivation Realm was only Dou Shi—his physical body naturally suffered against the Third-Grade Magical Beast, and he was flung back again.

"Hidden Force—Explode!" Xiao Yan sneered; eight layers of hidden force detonated in succession, catching the unsuspecting little Purple Crystal Winged Lion off-guard and sending it flying.

If the body isn't enough, make up for it with Dou Techniques.

"Huh? Is that a Purple Spirit Crystal hanging around its neck?!" Xiao Yan stood up and noticed a string of purple gems around the little Purple Crystal Winged Lion's neck—exactly like the Purple Spirit Crystals Yun Yun had described.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion knew Yun Yun wouldn't let this go, guessed she and Xiao Yan would sneak into the cave to steal the Purple Spirit Crystals, so it turned all the Purple Spirit Crystals into a necklace, hung it around its pup's neck, and kept the pup hidden in a dark corner of the treasure chamber, waiting for Xiao Yan—the thief—to show up.

But the Purple Crystal Winged Lion never expected Xiao Yan's goal was the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame—and that he possessed Void Swallowing Flame, swallowing the companion Purple Spirit Source whole.

"This old bastard is too sneaky! I can't get the Purple Spirit Crystals unless I defeat the little Purple Crystal Winged Lion!" Xiao Yan cursed the Purple Crystal Winged Lion under his breath.

Roar! Roar!! A searing purple crystal flame erupted from the little Purple Crystal Winged Lion's mouth—though far weaker than the Sixth-Rank Purple Crystal Winged Lion's, it was still powerful enough to burn a Third-Grade Magical Beast to ash!

"Mao Wu!"

Xiao Yan immediately summoned Mao Wu, who copied him, opening his mouth and spitting out Black Flame.

Boom!! The two columns of flame collided—terrible heat incinerated every Spiritual Fruit and Medicinal Material nearby. The temperature inside the stone chamber skyrocketed, even melting the Gold Coins!

"This won't work—I can't match the little Purple Crystal Winged Lion's fire resistance!" Xiao Yan was drenched in sweat; if not for the unique material of his Soul Robe, he'd be naked by now.

Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, pulled out a Pill Bottle from his Storage Ring—it contained the Rising Flame Elixir he'd refined not long ago.

Ding ding ding, Xiao Yan shook the Pill Bottle, smiling sweetly: "You can understand me, right? There are several Third-Rank Rising Flame Elixirs inside—they boost Fire Attribute Energy. Their effect is no worse than your companion Purple Spirit Source. I'll give them all to you. Let's make peace."

As expected, the little Purple Crystal Winged Lion understood human speech—it instantly extinguished its flame, eyes greedily locked on the Pill Bottle in Xiao Yan's hand.

It was currently a Third-Grade Magical Beast, perfectly suited to consume Third-Rank Elixirs—this Rising Flame Elixir was ideal for it.

"I'll put it here. Come get it. I'm leaving." Xiao Yan placed the Pill Bottle on the ground; if the little Purple Crystal Winged Lion came forward to take it, it would have to vacate the passage entrance—then Xiao Yan could use his Purple Cloud Wings to escape.

The little Purple Crystal Winged Lion couldn't fly.

Xiao Yan slowly shifted his body; the little Purple Crystal Winged Lion slowly crept toward the Pill Bottle—both sides seemed to have reached a mutual understanding.

Roar! Roar!!! Suddenly, the little Purple Crystal Winged Lion spun and lunged at Xiao Yan—its eyes screamed: Adults choose one—I want it all!

Xiao Yan looked down at the charging little lion with disdain, sneering: "You think I don't know what you're thinking?"

A bottle filled with Ice Spirit Cold Spring appeared in Xiao Yan's hand—his real goal was never to trade with the little lion, but to make it move away from the doorway.

Outsmarting? Playing mind games? You think you can outwit a human?

Bang! The bottle smashed into the little lion—the Ice Spirit Cold Spring instantly burst, freezing the little lion in an instant with terrifying cold.

Xiao Yan didn't strike while it was frozen—he knew the Ice Spirit Cold Spring's freeze effect wouldn't last long, maybe only ten seconds.

"Don't waste time."

Xiao Yan tore off a piece of Purple Spirit Crystal, pressed his right hand against the Purple Crystal Stone Platform, and rapidly activated the Burning Decree, sucking the strand of Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame into his body—no time to refine it—he unfurled his Purple Cloud Wings and ran like hell!

Fully activated, his Purple Cloud Wings carried him faster than a gale—his form even blurred slightly.

As soon as Xiao Yan burst out of the passage, he didn't pause—he kept sprinting full speed toward the cave's exit.

But moments after he exited, a furious lion's roar echoed from behind him.

The Ice Spirit Cold Spring couldn't even hold it for ten seconds!

Whoosh! Xiao Yan shot out of the cave mouth, had no time to explain—his Black Weighted Ruler appeared in hand, the Earth-Rank Dou Technique: Flame Splitting, Wave Swallowing Ruler descended!

With one swing of the Black Weighted Ruler, a streak of Black Flame slashed through—the Void Swallowing Flame instantly incinerated every First and Second-Tier Magical Beast at the cave entrance, leaving no ash, not even bone dust; even Third-Grade Magical Beasts couldn't withstand it and had to dodge.

"Damn you! You hurt my son! Today, I won't let you live!" At the instant Xiao Yan flew out, violent purple flames rained from the sky—the Purple Crystal Winged Lion's enraged roar shook the heavens.

"Hmph." Yun Yun's Jade Hand rotated slightly before her, a swirling green tornado spun violently, flinging back the torrent of purple flames, shielding Xiao Yan's escape.

Seeing Xiao Yan safely gone, Yun Yun had no interest in fighting—it flew straight upward.

"Damn humans!!" The Purple Crystal Winged Lion was furious, but dared not chase—it couldn't leave its territory; its son was still inside the cave.

In the end, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion forced down its rage, turned back toward the cave, and calmed when it saw its son unharmed—but when it noticed the companion Purple Spirit Source had been stolen, it let out a deafening, sky-shaking roar!

"Damn humans!!" The entire Shan Mai trembled under the force of its roar.

Ding ding ding—the Rising Flame Elixir bottle, shaken by the vibration, slowly rolled to the Purple Crystal Winged Lion's feet.

Seeing the bottle, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion frowned and asked: "Son, who gave you this pill?"

Roar, roar~

"The man with the black flame? He's an Alchemist? Then—" The Purple Crystal Winged Lion frowned, turned to the Purple Crystal Stone Platform—and sure enough, the strand of Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame sealed within was gone.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion recalled everything about Xiao Yan, then muttered to itself: "Was that Alchemist after the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame inside the Shou Zhong?"

Xiao Yan triggered the Hidden Dungeon!