# 188
Chapter 188: Flame-Vein Earth Dragon
“No.” Instructor Hong shook his head firmly. “You want to lure the other three away? They’re genuine River Realm—completely different from the fake River Realm mysteries we used in drills. Don’t think River Realm is easy just because you killed two of them in training. Any one of them can crush you single-handedly, and there’s even a Sea Realm among them!”
“But it’s the only way,” Lin Qiye said calmly. “If I don’t expose myself, they’ll definitely find this place.”
Instructor Hong opened his mouth as if to argue, but Lin Qiye went on:
“Besides, I’m not planning to fight them head-on. I just need to stall for three hours. Once the other instructors arrive, we’ll have the initiative. In this dark forest… catching me won’t be that easy.”
Lin Qiye lifted his head, meeting Instructor Hong’s eyes with unprecedented confidence.
Instructor Hong stared for a long moment; the rumbling explosions in the distant mountains grew louder. He clenched his teeth. “Fine, we’ll do it your way. Remember—no direct confrontation! Staying alive is all that matters!”
Lin Qiye nodded. Without another second’s hesitation Instructor Hong sprinted toward Shen Qingzhu and the others. Every footfall seemed boosted by some mysterious force; in two or three steps he had already flung himself a hundred meters.
Seeing Instructor Hong racing off alone, Baili Pangpang yelped “Damn!” and tore after him at full speed.
Once their figures vanished into the night, Lin Qiye left the village as well, darting like a ghost through the dim forest, quickly putting the settlement far behind.
When he judged the distance sufficient, he drew a deep breath. Brilliant gold flared in his eyes as the full divine might of the Six-Winged Seraph erupted!
In the silent mountains that Seraphic pressure blazed like a beacon.
A moment later the gold faded. Lin Qiye pressed a hand to the air, and a dazzling magic circle constructed itself. Spatial ripples from another dimension intensified; soon a small mummy popped into view.
The little mummy looked around, found no weapons or snacks this time, and drooped in disappointment…
Lin Qiye patted its head, gazing into the dark mountains and murmuring:
“Want to kill me…? Not so easy.”
……
In the hushed mountains a figure in a duck-bill cap strode straight through the trees toward Village No. 1.
Suddenly a surge of divine power blazed from another direction, bright as a star. He gave a soft exclamation and stopped.
“Strange. Weren’t they saying he went to rescue that village? Why is he over there…”
He closed his eyes, sensed carefully, then nodded with certainty.
“No mistake—that’s divine pressure. It’s him.”
He turned toward the source, excitement gleaming in his eyes. “If I kill the dual-god agent this time, I’ll earn a real place among the Believers! I’m done living like a dog! Little agent—hand over your life!!”
He broke into a sprint far faster than before, racing straight toward that aura.
The same scene played out with another River Realm expert.
But there was one exception.
Halfway up a slope of Jin-Nan Mountain a man opened his eyes and looked toward where the Seraphic might had flared.
“Risking himself to protect the others… This dual-god agent is rather interesting.���
He was the only suspected Sea Realm expert Lin Qiye had sensed who had not budged.
He stared into the mountains, hesitation flickering. After a while he shook his head.
“Only a Pond Realm kid. Those trash should be enough. Right now, what’s in front of me is far more interesting…”
He turned back to the huge cave before him. Scorching, mighty breaths pulsed from within, as though the mountain itself were alive.
The man’s eyes lit with wonder. “To think that under these unknown mountains sleeps a Flame-Vein Earth Dragon… What a windfall.”
……
Night. Instructor Hong’s legs glowed faint blue; like a super-human he leapt ten-odd meters at a stride and cleared a whole peak in moments.
With this ability, had he not needed to escort Lin Qiye’s group, he could have reached Village No. 1 in two hours instead of eight.
The rumbling blasts drew nearer; he could already see distant flashes of fire flaring again and again—only Shen Qingzhu could produce that sight.
His face darkened. He crouched, the blue light on his legs blazing, and sprang from the summit straight toward the battle!
Halfway down, thick vines shot out like lightning, lashing his ankles and yanking him from the air!
Balance shattered, centrifugal force slammed him into the stream-bed halfway up the mountain—
THUD!
Stone chips flew. Instructor Hong scrambled up, blood trickling from his forehead.
Whoosh! The vines hauled him toward the dense forest. Calm despite his injuries, he whipped out the star-forged blade from his back and severed the vines in one slash.
He steadied himself and swept the darkness with hawk-sharp eyes.
“I meant to snare some unlucky kid, but caught an instructor instead… tsk tsk.” A figure coalesced from a tree trunk; until that instant Instructor Hong had sensed no one.
An enemy hidden all along!
Instructor Hong’s expression turned grave. With this man delaying him, reaching Shen Qingzhu in time would be impossible…
Things had just gotten messy.
Far off, in an inconspicuous nook, a chubby head poked out, watching the stand-off by the stream, conflicted.
“Good thing I ran slower, or I’d be ambushed too… But do I help the instructor first, or go save Brother Zhu?”
He glanced at the composed Instructor Hong, then at the continuing explosions, and made up his mind.
“Instructor Hong, it’s not that I won’t help—I believe in your strength…”
Muttering, Baili Pangpang sped off toward the place where Shen Qingzhu was fighting!