Ancient Fiend Dragon Emperor

Chapter 1474: Chapter 1473: Escalating Conflict

”Since there’s nothing else, let’s continue on our journey.”

With Wang Chui’s command, everyone packed up their tents and moved forward once more.

Su Han jumped down from the big tree, landed quietly, and followed the crowd in silence.

Luo Ning hesitated for a moment, then bit her lip, slowed her pace, and walked alongside Su Han.

”A bunch of annoying people, why didn’t I realize before how snobbish they are? I really don’t want to be with them!” Luo Ning pouted.

”Overall, they’ve been pretty good to you. Don’t let me cause a rift between you and them,” Su Han replied.

”I understand.”

Luo Ning nodded, saying, ”I’m not someone who can’t distinguish right from wrong. Before, I also found you... quite annoying, but then you helped me improve my cultivation base. I’m very grateful and admire you. But because I got closer to you, Wuche started causing you trouble, so I kept my distance from you.”

”It’s okay,” Su Han said.

”Listen to me!”

Luo Ning widened her eyes, put her hands on her hips, and continued while walking: ”But now I’ve figured it out. Why should I care about how they look at me? I like walking with you; who can tell me otherwise? Besides, it was the Deputy Captain’s direct order for me to protect you, isn’t that enough?”

”So you’re not afraid of Wuche making a move on me?” Su Han joked.

”Afraid of what? He’s Fifth Grade Spirit Transformation Realm, and so am I. Why would I be afraid of him? It’s not like I can’t beat him.” Luo Ning snorted.

”True.”

Su Han smiled slightly, ”Then if someone bullies me, Senior Sister Luo has to protect me.”

”Don’t worry, little brother!”

Su Han: ”...”

...

Two hours later, they arrived at the Swamp Land.

The boundaries between soil and water made it look like a pool of pitch-black filth, and the occasional ripples indicated that beneath the swamp, Demon Beasts or Spirit Beasts were moving.

The surroundings were barren, as if the shrubs had withered for countless years and could no longer grow. As far as the eye could see, vast stretches of mustard yellow extended into the distance.

”Just as I thought, still the same as in the last life; the Swamp Land on Demon Sea Star is filled with a dense concentration of magic elements everywhere.”

Su Han felt the density around him and mused, ”There must be a Demon Crystal Stone Vein beneath this Swamp Land, but unfortunately my cultivation base isn’t enough to explore it deeply.”

Ever since arriving in the Lower-Class Star Region, Su Han hadn’t cultivated his magic cultivation. After all, comparatively speaking, Demon Crystal Stones are even harder to find than Spirit Crystals.

Of course, it’s said to be hard to find, but it’s not really that hard, yet still difficult.

In many places, even in places like the Menghan Black Market, Demon Crystal Stones are sold, though it varies in availability.

The value of Demon Crystal Stones in the Lower-Class Star Region far exceeds that on Dragon Martial Continent, mainly because there is no magic cultivation on Dragon Martial Continent, so even if they had them, they wouldn’t use them.

But the Lower-Class Star Region is different; it has a Magic Association and many mages. Although they may be rare compared to martial artists, it’s nothing like the scarcity on Dragon Martial Continent.

Where there are abundant resources, competition is fierce, like these Demon Crystal Stones and this Swamp Land right now.

It’s not just the Mercenary Group of the Heavenly Sea present here; there are at least tens of thousands of figures at the vast edge of the swamp, either chatting and discussing or scanning others with their eyes.

These are all mercenary groups.

Some are solo mercenary groups, while others, like the Mercenary Group of the Heavenly Sea, are affiliated with a certain force.

Their cultivation ranks are almost the same, so those mercenary groups without backing naturally stand further back.

”Whoosh!”

Someone skimmed over the water and grabbed a pale yellow flower blooming in the swamp, intending to leave immediately.

But at that moment, a giant mouth suddenly emerged from the swamp, moving with incredible speed, almost instantly swallowing the person, leaving no chance to escape.

”No!!!”

The person’s dying scream echoed by the swamp’s edge, causing many people’s expressions to change slightly.

”That’s the Dragon Crocodile Beast.”

Wang Chui’s expression remained unchanged, clearly explaining to Su Han: ”Dragon Crocodile Beasts live in the swamp and ambush cultivators. When they attack, their speed reaches a peak, like that just now. Even a Third-Grade Spirit Transformation Order probably couldn’t escape. That person was clearly here for the first time.”

Of course, Su Han knew all this. His understanding of Demon Sea Star, or rather, of these Spirit Beasts in the Lower-Class Star Region, far surpassed that of Wang Chui and others.

The ranks of Spirit Beasts range from First Grade to Seventh Grade without minor realm divisions; only through battle or sensing their aura can one determine their exact strength.

”If we want Dragon Crocodile Bones, we must lure the Dragon Crocodile Beasts out of the swamp and then kill them.”

Wang Chui continued, ”Besides Dragon Crocodile Bones, the spirit pills of the Dragon Crocodile Beasts are also very valuable. Even the least valuable spirit pill of a First Grade Dragon Crocodile Beast is worth thousands of Spirit Crystals.”

”Let’s begin.”

After speaking, Wang Chui gave instructions to the others.

Everyone nodded and began preparations.

Wuche flipped his palm, taking a few black crystal stones out of his storage ring, then turned to Su Han and said, ”Our great Mortal Realm expert, you better step back a bit, at least... twenty thousand miles away, otherwise, you’ll get eaten by the Dragon Crocodile Beast!”

”Hahaha...” The crowd burst into laughter.

But some shook their heads, feeling that Wuche had gone too far.

From the start, Su Han hadn’t provoked Wuche; it was Wuche who kept taunting and even planned to attack Su Han.

There were fair-minded people who really couldn’t stand Wuche’s behavior and words.

”Just mind your own business,” Su Han said coolly.

”Oh, really?”

Wuche’s laughter was slightly sinister: ”If you’re really dying, make sure not to ask us to save you.”

”If you’re dying, don’t ask me to save you either,” Su Han replied.

”Dream on!”

Wuche’s eyes flashed coldly, and he suddenly waved his hand, directly tossing the black crystals into the swamp.

”Wuche, what... what are you doing?” Wang Chui watched as the crystals fell into the swamp, his face changing.

Others were also surprised for a moment, with many eyes shifting swiftly to Wuche.

This wasn’t part of their plan!

”Bastard, do you know what consequences this will bring?!” Wang Chui realized that Wuche did it on purpose.

”Everyone, you heard it too. If he dies, we don’t have to save him.” Wuche’s sneer widened.