Chapter 36: True Great Terror: The Fire God Descends! Fifth‑Stage Strongmen Can't Hold Back!

No wonder it's an overlord‑level monster; the experience it yields is abundant, once again raising the Nine‑Headed Undying Phoenix by two levels to 86, and it's not far from reaching 87.

And, unbelievably, it even dropped equipment!

As everyone knows, monsters in this world basically don't drop equipment, only materials; equipment that does drop is usually the monster's own built‑in gear.

Lu Zheng recognized at a glance that this so‑called "Flame Crown" is the one the Flame Monarch wears on his head.

Under the effect of the passive skill "True Eye", the equipment is automatically identified.

【Equipment: Flame Crown】

【Quality: Golden Five‑Star】

【Equipment Requirement: Mage of level 60+ with Constitution over 1000】

【Spirit +800】

【Constitution +800】

【Fire Spell Resistance +100%】

【Mana Recovery Speed +50%】

【Spirit Recovery Speed +50%】

【Durability: 100/100】

【Skills: Fire Spirit Shield (Passive), Summon Fire Demon, Flame Domain】

It is undoubtedly a priceless treasure; for fire‑type mages it can be called an artifact, coming with a domain skill, a defensive skill, and a summon skill, each with its own flair. The only drawback is that only mages can wield it, so it must be stored for now.

Lu Zheng then turned his gaze to another dropped item.

【Item: Flame Monarch's Heart (Gem)】

【Effect: Contains abundant fire elemental energy, usable for crafting weapons, gear, and accessories; holding it increases fire mana recovery speed】

This gem is also valuable; the "Flame Heart" gem dropped by the Flame Lord has already been fought over by various factions, so a gem from the Flame Monarch is naturally even rarer.

Put it away and sell it later when the chance arises.

At this moment, Taotie on the other side also completed its upgrade, having essentially wiped out all remaining monsters on Fire God Island, and its level also rose to 86.

He calculated the time; the Fire God projection should arrive in roughly three hours. Just as Lu Zheng was about to take a break, a notification sounded in his ear.

【Alert! Because all Fire God Island devotees have been slain, the Fire God is enraged; the Fire God projection will descend in 30 seconds—29, 28, 27…】

Lu Zheng heard this and erupted in fury; this damn dog‑task had three hours of breathing room, now only thirty seconds remain!

Furious, Lu Zheng still rushed toward the edge, simultaneously summoning a Cavernous Dark Serpent to encircle and shield him as a flesh shield, while Taotie and the Nine‑Headed Undying Phoenix formed a tight formation. Meanwhile, those who fled the Fire God Island instance relayed the news to Red Guard City; upon learning that a level‑200 aberrant BOSS had appeared in the instance, several fifth‑stage strongmen immediately took interest.

For them, ordinary monsters give too little experience, hardly even exciting to fight; this aberrant BOSS is exactly to their taste! Several people flew out of the city, almost simultaneously gathering at the Fire God Island instance entrance.

Before reaching the entrance, the group met, realized they were all acquaintances, and even yielded to each other.

The rotund deputy city lord Wang Jiucheng looked at a crane‑haired child‑faced, square‑faced old man clad in a mage robe, and said:

"President Yao, the refreshed Flame Lord this time belongs to the Sky Hunt Guild; the aberrant Flame Monarch should also be yours. I'll go with you and help slay the monster, how about it?"

President Song Yu of the Holy Flame Guild interjected:

"We can give the experience to President Yao, but I won't surrender the gem dropped by the Flame Monarch. Although this Flame Lord is theirs, they lack the power to kill it and have essentially given up, so it naturally falls to our Holy Flame Guild. Relinquishing the experience would be my greatest concession."

"Thank you, Deputy City Lord; I'm not unreasonable either. The Flame Monarch is a new monster; we'll go in together, each relying on our own skill—whoever kills the Flame Monarch gets the gem!"

Yao Hui said so.

"Ha ha, fine, President Yao, generous. Then we each rely on our own skill, go!"

A total of five fifth‑stage practitioners arrived at the instance entrance; Wang Jiucheng saw a familiar figure nearby and shouted, "You little brat! What are you doing here? Get back quickly!"

Wang Jun turned his gaze, instantly delighted, ran up and shouted, "Grandpa! Why are you here? Are you going in? If you go in, check on my boss's current situation for me!"

Wang Jiucheng frowned and said:

"Your boss? What boss! No nonsense, get back quickly. A level‑200 Flame Monarch has appeared inside; aside from fifth‑stage practitioners, no one will survive."

Wang Jun stubbornly replied:

"Impossible, my boss will definitely survive. If you don't help me, fine; I'll just wait here!"

After speaking, he ran to the back of a large stone on one side and crouched.

Wang Jiucheng, seeing his demeanor, sighed helplessly; the grandson had been spoiled and was too disobedient.

But since the five of them came together, the Flame Monarch inside wouldn't cause much trouble, and the outside remained relatively safe, so they ignored it.

Subsequently, the five entered the Fire God Island instance.

Upon entering, they immediately sensed an incomparably powerful aura that nearly made them kneel, and then they witnessed a scene they would never forget.

Above the core zone of Fire God Island, the sky tore open a literal crack; within the fissure seemed endless fire, and the next instant a figure descended from the crack onto the island.

It stood a hundred meters tall, wielding a staff, clad in crimson armor with a cape, a crown atop its head; every inch radiated the majesty of a superior, high‑order being. It gazed down on all life, spoke slowly as if scornful, and its terrifying flame aura instantly engulfed the entire instance.

"Ants! How dare you provoke a deity!"

【Monster: Fire God Laban's Projection】

【Quality: King‑Level】

【Level: LV. 350】

【HP: 25,000,000/25,000,000】

【Mana: 5,000,000/5,000,000】

【Strength: 40,000】

【Agility: 50,000】

【Spirit: 100,000】

【Constitution: 100,000】

【Skills: Fire God Domain, Judgment Staff, Divine Fury Eruption, Fire God Legion, Resist Fire Ring, Fire Rain, Divine Fire Chains, Fire Explosion Art】

Seeing the Fire God projection's stats, Lu Zheng immediately wanted to curse loudly.

This was a bona fide Saint-rank monster, a level 350 King-rank monster; even if his current master Fu Cangli came, he might not be confident of defeating it—and now they wanted him, a level 60 Summoner who hadn't even completed his second class advancement, to fight it. Was that reasonable!?

It wasn't just Lu Zheng who wanted to curse; the five fifth-tier professionals who had just entered the dungeon also wanted to curse, and Song Yu had already couldn't help but start cursing.

"Damn it! Which bastard was spouting nonsense, calling this a level 200 Flame Monarch? When I look at it with my Eye of Inspection, it's clearly a level 350 projection of the Fire God! The Fire God! The few of us fifth-tier professionals coming in here—isn't this just courting death!? Let's get out of here, now!"

At this moment, Wang Jiucheng said with a dark expression:

"We can't get out. I just tried and got a prompt saying that due to the descent of the Fire God's projection, the Fire God Island dungeon has been forcibly interfered with and closed! I just tried using a Return Scroll too, and it also said it can't be used within the Fire God's domain!"

Hearing this, Song Yu furiously roared at Yao Hui:

"This is all your people's doing!"

(End of this chapter)