Chapter 321: 夺取火种

"Damn it! I can't believe we didn't completely eradicate the War-Splendor Clan's spies who had infiltrated our tribe. We made a crucial mistake after all!"

Ling Qing Shu's face was filled with sadness.

"Oh? So, your two clans were already at daggers drawn?" Xu Yang asked, puzzled. "Why then did you risk entering such a dangerous area at this critical juncture?"

"Xuan Kun, the clan leader of the War-Splendor lineage, has already entered the Great Martial Soul Realm and refined the most powerful lightning-attribute runes. We are currently no match for him," Ling Qing Shu explained, pointing to the clan mark on her forehead. "Only by obtaining the fire seed from this Barren Poison Forest do we have a chance to defeat them."

"This is the mark of the Profound Fire Seed, and it's also the core belief of our Shepherd God lineage," she continued. "Legend says that countless years ago, deep within the volcano at the heart of this dense forest, the true Profound Fire Seed was nurtured. It is capable of refining the most powerful runes in the world! This is the sole purpose of our journey."

Long Kun sighed helplessly: "You tribal people are truly naive. Haven't you ever considered that this might just be a legend, and that the power of the fire seed doesn't exist at all?"

Ling Qing Shu didn't say much. She simply opened her palm, and a supremely pure fiery rune materialized.

"If the original heritage of the fire seed didn't exist, how could our Shepherd God lineage have achieved its past glory?" she challenged. "Thousands of years ago, the entire Cloud Hill was our territory, and all other races bowed before us! It was all thanks to the power of this fire seed!"

Xu Yang sighed softly: "Say no more. Since you are determined to find the fire seed, tell us its location. Only with our help will you have a chance to obtain its power."

Ling Qing Shu fell into thought, while the dozen or so clan elites behind her exchanged glances, pondering for a long time before finally nodding.

"From the current situation, it's better to have more people than fewer," one of them murmured. "These people don't seem like bad guys, and although I don't know why they want to help us, given our current predicament, their assistance would undoubtedly be beneficial."

Ling Qing Shu finally nodded gravely: "Then thank you very much! As long as you can help us obtain the fire seed, my Shepherd God lineage will forever be your allies!"

Little Tuan Tuan spread her hands helplessly: "You don't even have a tribe anymore. What's the point of making such an empty promise? You might as well offer something practical!"

Ling Qing Shu glanced at the little girl and couldn't help but ask in return, "Then what do you want?"

"It's simple," Little Tuan Tuan replied. "If we help you get the fire seed, successfully eliminate the threat of the War-Splendor lineage, and avenge your fallen clan members, then from now on, you must become our boss's attendant and leave this place with us, entrusting the clan leader position to someone else."

Little Tuan Tuan was quite clever this time, expressing Xu Yang's true intentions.

"No!" one of the clansmen immediately protested. "She is our future clan leader. What right do you have to ask her to leave?"

Ling Qing Shu, however, waved her hand dismissively: "I agree! As long as the fire seed exists, even without me, the Shepherd God Clan will still have a chance to rise."

Looking at Ling Qing Shu's resolute gaze, Xu Yang's thoughts drifted back to when he had just emerged from seclusion and returned to the Sky-Lantern Sect. The image of her unyielding spirit when the sect was under siege was still so vivid.

Even though he was in a fantasy world, a person's essence would not change. Xu Yang firmly believed that there was always a way to help his team return to the real world and break free from the shackles of the Endless Tower.

Finally, the team was temporarily expanded once more, and the group headed towards the central volcanic region under Ling Qing Shu's lead.

The deeper they ventured into the jungle, the higher the air temperature became, naturally increasing the pressure on everyone.

Fortunately, their overall strength was relatively high, and the high temperature alone did not pose a fatal threat.

Moreover, with true powerhouses like Xu Yang and Wushuang in the team, mere external environmental factors could never threaten the team's overall progress.

Two days later, Xu Yang and the others arrived near the core of the Barren Poison Forest, the Barren Poison Volcano.

Soaring into the sky with the help of the amphibious vehicle, Xu Yang gained a bird's-eye view of the volcano and quickly spotted the blazing scarlet-gold fire seed burning fiercely in its center.

"Indeed," he confirmed. "The volcano truly harbors a fire seed identical to the mark on your foreheads."

Ling Qing Shu and the others were extremely excited.

"Wonderful! The glory of our lineage can finally be restored!" Ling Qing Shu exclaimed.

She made a move to retrieve it herself, but alas, the extreme heat inside the volcano was too fierce. Alone, she couldn't even get close to the fire seed, let alone take it.

"I say," Long Kun interjected, "don't waste your energy. Just leave it to our boss. Other than him, I don't think anyone else in this team has that kind of ability."

Long Kun said this based on his own judgment. Although he overlooked Princess Wushuang's true capabilities, Xu Yang was indeed the only one with such an ability.

He summoned the Asura Sword, and powerful sword energy radiated around it, plunging into the depths of the volcanic crater under Xu Yang's guidance.

Boom! A deafening roar erupted, and an endless blackness nearly swallowed the flames deep within the crater. Immediately after, a powerful devouring force quickly locked onto the fire seed. Under Xu Yang's control, the Asura Sword flew out of the volcano with the fire seed.

"Oh my god! You... you actually did it!" Ling Qing Shu was completely stunned by Xu Yang. When she saw him standing proudly in the air, holding the Asura Sword in one hand and cradling the dazzling fire seed in the other, her eyes shone with immense excitement and admiration.

Landing back on the ground, Xu Yang did not immediately hand the fire seed to Ling Qing Shu.

"This thing is too scorching and fierce," he explained. "I need some time to cool it down before I can give it to you. Otherwise, not only will you have no chance to refine it, but even if you forcibly absorb it, it could completely cripple you. Whether your cultivation remains or even if you survive would be an unknown."

Ling Qing Shu did not contradict Xu Yang. At this moment, she viewed Xu Yang as the savior of her lineage, and his strength was the ultimate guarantee of his authority. Even the dozen brawny clansmen behind her dared not show him the slightest disrespect and naturally obeyed his every command.

A full two hours passed before Xu Yang's Asura power completely cooled the fire seed and absorbed some of its power into his body. Only then was the task complete, and he confidently handed the fire seed to Ling Qing Shu.

Even so, when the fire seed's power was perfectly presented, Ling Qing Shu still found it somewhat difficult to absorb.

"Lady Qing Shu!" one of the clansmen asked anxiously. "Will you... be in danger?"

Ling Qing Shu smiled bitterly and shook her head: "For the hope of my clansmen, I will do it, even if it means going to hell!"