Chapter 34: Blood Demon Volcano, The Blood Demon Jade Within the Lava!

The night sky of the Crimson Secret Realm grew darker and redder, the dry air filling the atmosphere making one feel restless.

On the halfway point of the canyon's steep cliffs, there happened to be a protruding platform where a giant spicy stick had been coiled—though now, it had been reduced to roasted meat.

The resting place of this creature had now become Zhou Luo and Yue Lingling's resting spot.

Yue Lingling leaned silently against the leg of her Mecha, the armored suits they wore rendering them impervious to the cold.

Yet, her arm still throbbed faintly with pain. At first, it hadn't seemed like much, but now the stinging sensation had intensified.

Yue Lingling removed the upper half of her Silverlight Armor, then lifted her gaze toward Zhou Luo by the fire.

The sight of him illuminated by the flames made her pause momentarily.

Noticing her stare, Zhou Luo turned his head.

"Applying medicine?"

His starry eyes held no unnecessary emotions.

The main reason Yue Lingling avoided seeking help from senior students was the unmistakable heat in their gazes when they looked at her. Zhou Luo was different—his eyes were pure, and his presence put her at ease.

"Mhm." Yue Lingling gave a small nod, her expression slightly awkward.

Zhou Luo turned his back to her.

"Aren't you from the Yue Family? With your talent, shouldn't you be well-treated? If you can even produce Fusion Crystals, why can't you wear higher-grade armor?"

Zhou Luo had noticed earlier that Yue Lingling's Silverlight Armor was only second-tier.

"That's not it." The sound of rustling clothes came from behind her as she continued, "My family arranged for me to attend Emperor Starsea Mech Academy, but I chose War God Academy instead."

"Then my father froze all my accounts. I couldn't even sell my spoils—no one dared to buy them out of fear of him."

"This armor was a gift from my mother before I became a Mecha Master. It's already discontinued—she wore it herself long ago. It's outdated, and many of its functions can't keep up anymore."

There was a hint of melancholy in her voice.

"Then why didn't your mother give you better armor? If what you say is true, your father is controlling, but your mother must love you dearly."

At these words, the light in Yue Lingling's pupils dimmed, and her hands stilled.

She remained silent for several minutes, and Zhou Luo could guess the reason.

"Can you... help me?" Suddenly, Yue Lingling's voice came from behind, soft as a mosquito's hum.

"What?"

"I said, can you help me apply the medicine? I can't reach my back."

"Your back?"

Yue Lingling closed her eyes and took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to hit someone. She repeated in her mind, I can't beat him, hold back, I can't beat him, hold back—

"My shoulders! The back of my shoulders!"

"You should've said so earlier. I didn't hear you clearly."

Since Yue Lingling had asked, Zhou Luo saw no reason to feign indifference.

He turned around to face her and found Yue Lingling kneeling on the ground, her legs forming an M-shape. Her shoulders were already bruised purple, her pitiful appearance enough to stir dark thoughts.

Don't misunderstand.

Nothing happened.

Though Yue Lingling had removed her short-sleeved top, she still wore a snug undershirt—though certain sights were still visible.

"What are you looking at? Hurry up." Yue Lingling shot Zhou Luo a fierce glare.

Zhou Luo walked over and took the ointment from Yue Lingling. When his fingers brushed against her fair skin, he clearly felt her body tense up.

"Bear with it."

Applying slight pressure, Zhou Luo spread the ointment thoroughly across Yue Lingling's shoulder.

"Mmm~" Yue Lingling gritted her pearly white teeth against the stinging pain.

This was the first time a boy had been so close to her, stirring unfamiliar emotions in her heart.

She kept her head turned sideways, not daring to look back. Her flushed face betrayed both nervousness and shyness, while her tightly clasped hands revealed her current state of mind.

"Done. Put your Mecha back on. With this ointment, you'll recover within a day."

Zhou Luo worked quickly.

Yue Lingling felt an inexplicable disappointment—it seemed to end before it even began.

"Ah, oh—" Yue Lingling put on her short sleeves and then donned her Mecha.

Nights in the Secret Realm were chilly, and the Exotic Beasts here were more aggressive. Wearing the Mecha provided an extra layer of protection.

"Your accounts are frozen. Can you really produce a Fusion Crystal?" Zhou Luo suddenly doubted whether this girl could offer something so precious.

"Don't look down on me! Just because I'm down on my luck now doesn't mean I always was. The elders used to give me plenty of gifts." Yue Lingling's lively eyes sparkled with mischief.

"How much farther to the entrance of Bloodfiend Cave? I only have one day left."

"Whether we make it or not, I have to leave after one day."

Meng Li had devised a rigorous training plan for Zhou Luo—Combat Level was just one aspect. Blade Technique, theory, and physical conditioning were equally important.

If his level was high but his Blade Technique lagged behind, he'd just be a fool with power but no skill to wield it.

"Cross this canyon, then pass through a primeval forest, and we'll be there. Bloodfiend Cave is inside an active volcano."

Yue Lingling glanced into the distance and answered instinctively.

The night passed without incident.

Zhou Luo and Yue Lingling traversed the forest directly again, slaying all second-tier Exotic Beasts they encountered and detouring around third-tier ones.

This primeval forest was noticeably smaller than the previous desert plains. By noon, they had entered the territory of Blood Demon Volcano.

Among the numerous caves, only four entrances led to Bloodfiend Cave.

Along the way, they encountered several freshmen from War God Academy, but all of them avoided Zhou Luo upon sight.

No one could guarantee that the academy's rules would restrain someone bold enough to force Xiong Zhan into a wager right after enrollment.

Guided by Yue Lingling, the two entered a narrow cave opening.

As soon as Zhou Luo stepped inside, a wave of heat hit him. Surprisingly, Fire Thunder received an even stronger boost here—an unexpected advantage.

At first, the path was so narrow it barely fit a person. After several thousand steps, it suddenly opened up.

The vast space inside could accommodate several mountains. Countless caverns dotted the walls, flanked by golden molten lava.

Only one path led deeper.

Inside her Mecha, Yue Lingling was now covered in fine sweat, her cheeks flushed.

In such extreme environments, most Mecha would be restricted, with the exception of high-quality ones like the Doomsday Evil God.

It just feels really uncomfortable.

"Zhou Luo, do you see those red-glowing crystals in the lava? Those are Blood Demon Jades!"

"I see them."

"These Blood Demon Jades that fell into the lava are of extremely poor quality. Only those growing within the walls are good, but unfortunately there aren't any here - they were probably collected by that Monstrous Beast."

Yue Lingling was pleasantly surprised when she saw the Blood Demon Jades.

Her family members received very few Blood Demon Jades each month, and the quality varied greatly.

After her account information was cut off, she didn't even have access to her allocated resources. With no other options, she had to enter the Crimson Secret Realm to find a way.