Her lips were soft.
And sweet.
As expected, a beautiful girl has a natural fragrance.
However, Mo Fan overestimated his self-control, and his hands started to roam.
Although Mo Fan was starting to lose himself, Mu Nu Jiao quickly snapped out of it. She dodged his touch and gently said, "No, we can't, Mo Fan."
Hearing her soft, sweet voice brought Mo Fan back to his senses. He immediately released her, saying, "You should rest. I'll head out first."
He had forgotten that they were still on an expedition, not relaxing back at the apartment.
Though it all started with the intention of teasing Mu Nujiao, things accidentally escalated, and the barrier between them was broken.
"Mm~"
Mu Nu Jiao murmured in response, her hand lightly touching her lips as she recalled what had just happened.
She wasn't sure whether this was right or wrong, but one thing was certain: with Mo Fan's talent, even her family wouldn't reject him.
But soon, thoughts of Mu Ningxue and Ye Xinxia came to her mind. Their relationship with Mo Fan wasn't simple either.
She was also trying hard to suppress her feelings for him...
After successfully crossing the Sha Wang River, the group found themselves on a vast land that looked as if it had been scorched by fire.
This was the northern part of the Scorching Plains, a mysterious and uncharted land with few human footprints.
Hunters were scattered all across the country, and most famous regions infested by monsters had been thoroughly explored by them. It was increasingly difficult to find resources and treasures in such places.
However, the northern corner of the Scorching Plains, being cut off by the Sha Wang River, remained mostly unexplored. It was a rich, untapped land, likely hiding rare resources that would make hunters willing to risk their lives.
The true size of the northern corner of the Scorching Plains had yet to be fully measured. According to the information Mo Fan had bought for 9 million yuan, the Flame Belle resided in the middle of this region.
The Scorching Plains were shaped like a basin. Even though the land appeared flat from a distance, previous explorers had mapped out its terrain. The deeper one ventured into the center, the lower the ground sank, turning the entire area into a "fire pit." The surrounding soil and sand took on a reddish-brown hue, and it was said that the heart of the plains was a land aflame.
Flames erupted from cracks in the ground, and from afar, it looked like scattered red stalks of wheat. Without fire-resistant abilities, one simply couldn't move through that area.
In fact, without being a mage, there was no way to travel through these harsh conditions. Even Lingling, the little girl in the group, had to be carried by the Flame Howl Wolf.
This place, with its fiery environment, could even produce soul seeds, a valuable resource for mages.
In the previous timeline, Mo Fan and his companions passed through here quickly without much fuss. However, this time, Mo Fan planned to stay for a while.
Since he didn't need to participate in any upcoming challenges, he saw this as the perfect opportunity to scour the area for resources to help the Flame Belle grow. It would be uncharacteristic of him to pass up on the treasures this land might offer.
"You guys go bury these things in the ground." Lingling instructed, pulling four cone-shaped devices from her bag.
The strange cone-like instruments resembled tops, but they were encased in metal and looked quite advanced.
"Isn't this an elemental detector?" Zhang Xiaohou exclaimed, recognizing the tool from when they'd faced the Skull Lizard Giant.
"I've read about the habits of Flame Elemental Royalty. They like to reside in areas where the concentration of fire elements is five times higher than usual. But when they're preparing to give birth, they prefer to settle near a flame spirit. So, if we can find a flame spirit, we should be close to a Flame Elemental Royalty." Lingling explained.
Although Lingling's reasoning was off, Mo Fan didn't correct her.
After all, no one had ever truly witnessed the birth of a Flame Elemental Royalty, so it wasn't her fault for making a mistake.
In truth, the Flame Elemental Royalty is born when fire elements gather into a fruit-like form that eventually matures and gives life to the fairy.
Once the detectors were activated, everyone became alert. While these devices were useful, they had a downside — they also broadcast the group's location to nearby monsters.
Before long, Lingling identified a result and pointed the group in the right direction. "Let's head this way. We need to move quickly. Some creatures are already being drawn to us."
Upon hearing this, everyone scrambled to pack up the instruments.
However, Chen Ying was moving slowly, as if something was holding her back.
In the end, she was just a girl who wasn't good at lying or explaining things, which caused her hesitation.
"Look ahead! It's like something's on fire, and the flames are towering!" Zhang Xiaohou pointed towards the horizon.
Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing and saw what he was talking about — a towering blaze.
"Run, head back toward the Sha Wang River!" Mo Fan ordered immediately.
That wasn't just a simple fire. It looked like a waterfall of flames cascading down from the sky!
The flames surged like mountains and oceans. At first, it seemed distant, just a flicker on the horizon, but as it swallowed the skyline and rushed towards them, they realized just how enormous and terrifying it truly was!
Although it was still far away, the rolling heatwaves had already hit them, making their skin dry and their mouths parched.
As they fled, the ground beneath their feet suddenly began to tremble. Behind them, the dust was billowing, and a large group of creatures was charging forward.
Amidst the swirling dust, they could make out the strong, bull-like silhouettes of the creatures. Their heads, limbs, and joints were covered in layers of hard armor, which had a reddish-brown color, likely from constant exposure to fire.
Their numbers were staggering, and their iron hooves caused the ground to shake violently as they stampeded forward.
"What are those? They're not coming after us, are they?" Zhao Manyan asked nervously as he glanced back.
Those armored creatures looked fierce and formidable, clearly not ordinary beasts.
"Those are Slaughter Armor Beasts, known for their exceptional defense. They're usually commander-level creatures, but unlike others of that rank, they prefer to move in herds. Their armor makes them perfect material for crafting magical gear, but to kill one, you'd have to fight through an entire herd!" Lingling identified them immediately.
"They're fleeing, too." Mo Fan remarked.
"Forget talking, just run! Run!!"
(End of Chapter)