Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 853: Chapter 853: Buying Time

Ye Qingchen’s heart was tightly wound like a string; he knew he must maintain this state until Xue Zhao successfully retrieved the Fire Crystal Stone.

Taking advantage of the moment when Ye Qingchen attracted the attention of the Fire Dragon, Xue Zhao moved swiftly.

She concentrated, mobilizing the ice element within her body, and was instantly enveloped in a thin layer of icy blue light.

The ice element formed a crystalline Ice Armor around her, glimmering with a deep blue light, emitting a chilling aura in the scorching environment.

The Ice Armor could not only repel high temperatures but also mitigate the burning flames to a certain extent, allowing her to move freely in the Lava Lake.

Xue Zhao cautiously approached the edge of the Lava Lake, took a deep breath, and then leapt into the searing lava without hesitation.

Her body was wrapped in the protective ice element; though she could feel the heat of the lava, the Ice Armor effectively shielded her from most of the heat, allowing her to traverse freely in the lava.

The scene inside the Lava Lake was vastly different from the outside. Although surrounded by boiling magma, at the bottom of the lake lay scattered many dazzling Fire Crystal Stones.

These Fire Crystal Stones were vividly red, each flashing with dazzling light, as if containing infinite fiery energy.

The shapes of the Fire Crystal Stones varied, some resembling polished, translucent gemstones, while others were naturally formed, sharply-edged crystals.

They trembled slightly in the lava, emitting a scorching glow, illuminating the entire lakebed like a burning sea of fire.

Xue Zhao moved cautiously through the lava, searching for the most suitable Fire Crystal Stone.

Her gaze swiftly swept over each Fire Crystal Stone, finding some half-formed and unusable.

She needed to find those that were the purest and most energy-laden.

The protective ice element formed a transparent shield around her, blocking the lava’s onslaught, while allowing her to clearly see the surroundings.

Next to a larger rock, Xue Zhao discovered an exceptionally dazzling Fire Crystal Stone. It was fiery red all over, with a smooth, translucent surface, and seemed to have a flame slowly burning inside it, emitting strong energy fluctuations. Xue Zhao was delighted, swam over quickly, and carefully took the Fire Crystal Stone.

She continued to search the bottom of the Lava Lake and soon found several more pure Fire Crystal Stones. Each time she found one, she would carefully store it, ensuring they were not affected by the lava.

As time ticked by, just after Xue Zhao had grabbed several Fire Crystal Stones, she suddenly felt the surrounding temperature soar.

Originally, her protective ice element could resist the lava’s intense heat, but now she felt an unprecedented heat wave approach, as if the air itself was filled with scorching flames.

Xue Zhao frowned, realizing the situation was dire.

She could sense that each time she removed a Fire Crystal Stone, the surrounding lava temperature would rise by several tens of degrees, the searing heat penetrating through the Ice Armor to her skin, causing a stinging burn.

The temperature increase not only made her movements more difficult but also caused the surrounding lava to become more active.

Previously calm, the lakebed now bubbled fiercely, with lava churning and spouting hot magma bubbles.

The lava’s color gradually changed from orange-red to a more intense bright red, and in some places, it had become blindingly white, clearly indicating extreme temperatures.

Xue Zhao felt wave after wave of heat pouring in the air, each breath seemed to swallow flames.

Her forehead began to bead with sweat, and though the protective ice element was still resisting, she could feel its energy rapidly depleting.

She realized she must leave quickly, or the constantly rising temperature would make it difficult for her to endure.

She quickly surveyed her surroundings, realizing that the lava lake’s temperature gauge had skyrocketed to the dangerous redline zone, silently warning her of the danger here.

”This seems to be a self-protection mechanism of the Lava Lake; whenever someone takes away a Fire Crystal Stone, the lava’s temperature rises accordingly to prevent further attempts. This mechanism makes acquiring Fire Crystal Stones particularly challenging, with only a few able to succeed in such extreme conditions.”

Xue Zhao muttered, recalling the information stored in her memory.

After thinking through these points, Xue Zhao couldn’t help but inwardly lament; although she had obtained several top-quality Fire Crystal Stones, she was still far from the target of a hundred stones.

If she gave up now, all their previous efforts would be in vain.

Xue Zhao hesitated for only two seconds before deciding to face the heat waves and continue collecting.

She concentrated again, mobilizing the ice element within her body, boosting the energy of the protective ice element to its peak, forming a more robust Ice Armor. The Ice Armor shone more brilliantly, emitting a biting cold, contrasting sharply with the scorching surroundings.

She once again wandered through the Lava Lake, feeling the searing magma more rambunctious than before, wave after wave of heat trying to erode her Ice Armor.

With every move, she could feel the temperature rising further, the searing air seemingly trying to engulf her entirely.

Xue Zhao gritted her teeth, enduring the scalding pain, and continued searching for the Fire Crystal Stones at the lakebed. Her gaze rapidly scanned the lakebed, seeking those purest and most energy-filled Fire Crystal Stones.

Whenever she found one, she would quickly take it down, carefully storing it away.

The seething magma kept boiling, emitting a low roar, as if angry at her actions.

Sweat continuously dripped down Xue Zhao’s forehead, but she remained expressionless as she continued gathering.

Every time she obtained a crystal-clear Fire Crystal Stone, the surrounding temperature would instantly spike by several degrees.

The lively magma seemed even more active. Xue Zhao endured the scorching pain, swiftly extracting the Fire Crystal Stone.

She felt the Fire Crystal Stone in her hands emitting strong energy fluctuations, seemingly containing endless flames.

As she continuously gathered the Fire Crystal Stones, the surrounding temperature also continuously rose. The searing air almost suffocating her, but she stubbornly persevered.

Her Ice Armor was beginning to melt, but she still refused to give up.

Outside, Ye Qingchen kept evading the Fire Dragon’s attacks, anxiously observing the movements of the Lava Lake.

He quickly noticed the lava’s temperature was steadily climbing, and the surface color had become more incendiary. Yet, Xue Zhao was still missing, causing him some concern.

The Fire Dragon hovered in the air, spitting out searing flames, attempting to incinerate Ye Qingchen completely.

Ye Qingchen expertly navigated between the rocks and lava, cleverly avoiding the Fire Dragon’s attacks with his agile movements.

While dodging, he calculated in his mind that he must quickly locate Xue Zhao.