Join my patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel along with weekly chapters mass release:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated.
******
Accompanied by earth-shaking thunderous roars, rocks soared and tumbled, while the intensely hot magma surged like ferocious dragons, spewing out from underground. It rose and swirled within the dark smog, then cascaded down the mountainside, engulfing everything in its path.
In an instant, with the volcano's crater as the epicenter, an area of several dozen square miles was shrouded in thick smoke and mist.
Watching this spectacular scene, Huo Wu couldn't help but exclaim, "The power of a volcanic eruption is awe-inspiring. Even for me, it's difficult to withstand such extreme heat. Can even Titled Douluo-level experts endure this natural force?"
"As far as the known Titled Douluos on the continent, those below level ninety-five cannot," Tang San shook his head, "Even those above level ninety-five, I estimate, wouldn't endure for long. Martial souls like those capable of swimming in lava, or those with shield-like abilities, might withstand it."
"What kind of soul beast can swim in lava?" Huo Wu became intrigued.
"According to the Spirit Hall's 'Records of Volcanic Observations,' there's a soul beast known as the Fire Spirit Snake that can survive in lava. It directly absorbs fire attribute energy as sustenance. However, once it leaves the lava, its body rapidly cools, leading to instant death."
Tang San described the habits of this soul beast, "Accustomed to the high temperatures of lava, they can't adapt to sudden shifts to lower temperatures, much like fish out of water. The same principle applies."
"Lower temperatures?" Huo Wu puzzled, "Is the temperature low in the air?"
"It's a relative issue. The air temperature suitable for us humans isn't suitable for Fire Spirit Snakes. It's akin to a fish on land, unable to flop around for long. The same goes for soul beasts." Tang San provided an analogy, "Of course, it's not just about temperature. The environment of lava is different from that of air, like how when you put your hand in water, you can feel the pressure on your skin. The deeper you go, the greater the pressure."
"Lava is the same, even more viscous."
"Fish suffocate when removed from water not because they can't breathe air, but mainly because their organs can't adapt to the air environment. Similarly, Fire Spirit Snakes can't adapt to non-lava air environments."
Huo Wu suddenly realized, saying, "So, every soul beast has its suitable living environment, and once they leave, they die, right?"
"The former is correct, the latter is a bit exaggerated. After all, most soul beasts adapt to general environmental factors like temperature, humidity, air density, gravity, which are similar to humans."
Tang San corrected, looking towards the erupting volcano in the distance, concluding the discussion on "environment and organisms."
"According to the locals, this area of the lava volcano often erupts, usually lasting between one to three hours. And after each eruption, it leaves behind many extremely hard ores."
"In addition, some fire attribute soul beasts will also come afterwards to devour those ores, refining the fire attribute energy within to enhance their cultivation."
"By then, we'll just wait for opportunities."
The two leisurely walked towards the volcano. Three hours later, they arrived about fifty kilometers away from the volcano, where, through the thick smoke, they saw other volcanoes.
Counting carefully, there were about a hundred of various sizes.
And it wasn't just the volcano in front of them erupting; there were signs of eruptions from three other volcanoes about a hundred miles away, emitting dense gray-black smoke from their peaks.
Between these volcanoes were folds of thick lava forming large and small gullies, but undoubtedly, there was no sign of life here.
"This volcano hasn't stopped erupting yet." Another hour passed, and Huo Wu frowned, "Didn't they say it usually lasts up to three hours? It's been four hours already."
"Unexpected situations are inevitable," Tang San shrugged, not too concerned. After all, even in his previous life, weather forecasts often erred, let alone in this world without artificial satellites?
However, as night fell, the eruption of that volcano showed no signs of stopping. Even the other volcanoes began to rumble, as if they were about to erupt together.
Reluctantly, Tang San could only lead Huo Wu away from the volcano, retreating back a hundred miles.
He estimated that this eruption in the lava volcano area might be a rare major eruption that only occurs once in a century, an unexpected but welcome event.
Spectacular, magnificent.
But it did indeed affect their "wait-and-see" plan.
However, Tang San believed that after this eruption, there would be more precious ores left behind, surely attracting more soul beasts to come and forage afterward.
"The smell of sulfur in the air is getting stronger," Huo Wu pinched her nose, waving away the odor.
"Here," Tang San handed her two masks woven from Blue Silver Emperor. After obtaining the sixth soul ring, Blue Silver Emperor could materialize illusions into reality. Masks made from Blue Silver Emperor leaves could filter harmful substances and gases from the air.
After putting on the masks, Huo Wu took a deep breath, feeling the air entering her lungs exceptionally fresh, and sighed, "Your Blue Silver Emperor is truly versatile."
Tang San also put on his mask, smiling without saying a word.
As the two discussed setting up their tents for the night, a group of people, clad in windbreakers, wearing hoods and veils, were heading towards them from a hundred miles away.
"Those shouldn't be soul-hunting parties, right?" Huo Wu wondered with suspicion. "I've never heard of any soul-hunting team with over a hundred people."
In reality, a soul-hunting team with over twenty people was considered large. In soul-hunting, too many people would cause too much commotion, potentially alerting soul beasts prematurely and making them flee, thus increasing the difficulty for soul masters to hunt them.
"They shouldn't be soul hunters; they're people from the Lava City in the extreme south." Tang San, through mental probing, identified their origins based on their darker skin compared to others.
The Lava City was located thousands of miles away from this lava volcano.
Before coming to this lava volcano, Tang San and Huo Wu had also procured corresponding medicines and equipment from there. Their current attire was similar to that of these people, quite well-covered.
As the hundred individuals approached, Tang San and Huo Wu exchanged glances and stepped forward to meet them.
"Hello, we're here for soul hunting, but the volcano has been erupting. What's going on with so many of you coming here?" Tang San grabbed one of them, who was carrying a large basket filled with neatly arranged empty bags and holding a pickaxe. He inquired about the situation.
"You guys are from out of town, right? I can tell by your accents," the man said. "The volcano here has a major eruption every three hundred years."
"I'm sure you've heard that every time the volcano erupts, it leaves behind various precious ores. Our Lava City has developed by selling these ores."
"In the past, we mainly sold to Gengxin City, but now, we sell to the Martial Soul City."
Huo Wu asked, "So, you're here to mine ores?"
The man nodded, "What else could it be? None of us like staying here. Speaking of which, I always thought the major volcanic eruptions every three hundred years were a myth. I didn't expect to witness it in my lifetime. It's worth it!"
Tang San was puzzled, "Some soul beasts feed on the ores left after a volcanic eruption. Among you, aren't there many soul masters? Aren't you afraid of being attacked by soul beasts?"
"Of course, we're afraid," the man shivered, then continued, "But every time we mine, we wait until those soul beasts are full before we act."
"After this major eruption, we'll do the same."
"We can't compete with soul beasts, but what they leave behind is enough for us to sell at good prices. Moreover, the feces left by most of the ore-eating soul beasts are not much different from refined metals. It saves us time and effort by picking them up directly."
Tang San nodded inwardly. For the soul beasts here, consuming ores requires minerals and fire attribute energy, while metals are impurities, or even toxins, for them and need to be expelled from their bodies.
"Moreover, about this major eruption, our Lava City has a legend!" The man suddenly lowered his voice, arousing Tang San and Huo Wu's curiosity.
"It's an old story; don't try to deceive outsiders."
Just as Tang San was about to ask, another person walked over slowly and said, "We have a legend here that beneath the Lava Volcano lies a world of magma. Every three hundred years, during a major volcanic eruption, the earth cracks open, revealing a passage to the inside... but legends are just legends. They're not to be believed at all. Below the volcano is just magma. People who go in get burned to ashes, or even before they get close, they're roasted."
"I see," Tang San thanked him.
In fact, this legend was also recorded in the Martial Soul Hall's library, and even three hundred years ago, the Martial Soul Hall had dispatched a Titled Douluo to investigate. Unfortunately, that Titled Douluo never returned.
Tang San had only glanced through it hastily at the time, not remembering much. Now, thinking about it, he felt that the magma world below might actually be real.
After following the crowd for more than ten miles, the hundreds of people set up their tents nearby, waiting for an explanation of the volcanic eruption.
Some even took out soul-guided cameras and soul-guided photography balls to start capturing scenes of the volcanic eruption.
Either for keepsake or to sell to the relevant newspapers for money.
"We've found out; this volcano will continue to erupt for seven days and nights," Tang San walked out of the tent cluster and came to Huo Wu's side. "Within these seven days, residents from Lava City and nearby towns and villages will also come over."
Huo Wu asked, "Are we staying here?"
"Our main purpose is to hunt soul beasts, not to mine." Tang San shook his head, taking out a map of the explored areas in the lava volcano zone. "Creatures like Fire Cloud Birds and Titan Fire Apes are likely to appear in deeper areas. We'll spend these days exploring the flow of lava from the volcano to plan a safer route into the deeper areas of the lava volcano zone..."
(End of this chapter)