Chapter 437: Not Even A Blade of Grass
Days passed…
Nie Tian and Dong Li passed numerous volcanoes and came across quite a number of equipment forgers.
Gradually, the volcanoes they passed along their way were no longer occupied and guarded by people from the Tool Sect.
However, foreign equipment forgers could be seen wandering around them. Knowing that loud noises might occur when the Flame Dragon Armor started absorbing flame power from the heart of a volcano, Nie Tian decided to be patient and march further.
Two weeks passed.
The two of them finally arrived in a region rarely visited by people. Under the scorching sun, thick smoke was rising from a nearby volcano as burning lava spewed out of its top.
Rivers of lava streamed down the mountain and slowly flowed in every direction.
The two of them followed one of the rivers of lava to the foot of the mountain. Without any hesitation, Nie Tian condensed and unleashed his nine Heaven Eyes.
They spread out in the air and started scanning the vicinity for signs of life.
Standing beside him, Dong Li dabbed sweat from her forehead from time to time, cursing the unbearable heat in this place.
Dong Li, who was wearing a few layers, had to take off her cape, revealing her curvaceous physique.
Dressed in nothing but a thin, faint, cyan, short suit, her alluring body was now fully displayed.
Even though she had assumed a less charming face, her perfect curves alone were enough to bewitch any man.
Exposed to the fierce sunlight, she had long since been covered in sweat. Even the handkerchief she used to dab her face had become soaking wet.
“What do you think of this one?” She asked, looking at Nie Tian.
Eyes narrowed, Nie Tian was still examining the vicinity with his nine Heaven Eyes.
After withdrawing them, Nie Tian gazed at the short mountain and said, “Alright, it seems that there aren’t any fluctuations of life aura in the vicinity. This is it then.”
The volcano was only several hundred meters high. Not the least bit of vegetation could be seen on it.
In fact, they hadn’t spotted a single plant their whole way here.
“What’s the matter with this place?” Nie Tian asked. “Why didn’t we see any vegetation even after marching for so long?”
Dong Li had already taken out a folding fan. Fanning herself, she said with a tiresome expression on her face, “Originally, this realm belonged to the Bonebrutes. After the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace descended upon the Domain of the Falling Stars, the Bonebrutes suffered crushing defeats. Those that weren’t killed fled. As thousands of years passed, this realm gradually developed into a paradise for human equipment forgers.
“The weather here has always been like this; not even a blade of grass can be seen in most places. This was also true when the Bonebrutes still ruled it.
“However, there’s a fascinating rumor about the strange environment in the Realm of Unbounded Desolation.”
Dong Li intentionally mystified what she was about to tell him.
Intrigued, Nie Tian asked, “What rumor?”
Dong Li pursed her lips into a smile and said, “It’s said that the reason why not even a blade of grass can be seen in most places is because somewhere in the Realm of Unbounded Desolation exists a wondrous place where the wood power is almost as rich and concentrated as water. It’s because that wondrous place absorbs all of the wood power that the Realm of Unbounded Desolation is so barren.”
“Does that place really exist?” Nie Tian seemed very skeptical.
“I don’t know either. But that rumor has been around for many, many years. It’s also said that Fruits of Life grow there.” It seemed that Dong Li didn’t quite believe the rumor either. She curled her lips and continued, “For hundreds of years, countless cultivators have come to the Realm of Unbounded Desolation to try their luck when their time was running out, hoping to find that magical place where Fruits of Life grow.
“However, until this day, no one seems to have actually found the place and secured any Fruits of Life.”
Nie Tian shook his head and said, “If there really is such a place, the Tool Sect would have done something about it already.”
“Yeah, that’s why it’s just a rumor,” Dong Li said.
With that, Nie Tian cast the rumor about the magical place and Fruits of Life out of his mind and said, “Alright, I’m ready to unleash the Flame Dragon Armor.”
Dong Li nodded. “Okay.”
Convinced that no one was in the vicinity, Nie Tian summoned the Flame Dragon Armor from within his bracelet of holding.
The Flame Dragon Armor whooshed out. Like a streak of flames, it shot directly towards the lava-spewing volcano.
Standing at the foot of the mountain, Nie Tian and Dong Li watched with great clarity as the Flame Dragon Armor dove into the mouth of the volcano.
Even though there was a significant distance between Nie Tian and the Flame Dragon Armor, he could sense, by relying on the subtle connection between them, that the Flame Dragon Armor was cheering.
That was when he realized that he had made the right decision by coming to the Realm of Unbounded Desolation to find an active volcano for the Flame Dragon Armor.
He let out a sigh of relief, knowing that the Flame Dragon Armor had entered the heart of the volcano, where no life could ever reach, and started absorbing fierce flame power.
Finally relaxed, Nie Tian turned to look at Dong Li and said, “Half a month has passed.”
As he did, his eyes couldn’t help but linger a few seconds on Dong Li’s ample chest. “The Tool Sect’s assessment pageant is opening soon. If you go back now, following the route we’ve taken to get here, you can still catch it. So do you want to go back to Desolate City or do you want to stay here?”
With chuckle, Dong Li stretched, highlighting the curves of her breasts and making them mind-stirring, although it was impossible to know whether or not she was doing it deliberately.
Nie Tian, who was waiting for her answer, was once again attracted; his gaze involuntarily lowered and fixated on them.
Dong Li’s face was full of smiles as she said, “Do you still remember what I told you in the Realm of Dark Underworld?”
“Told me what?” Nie Tian asked.
Eyes glittering with a bewildering light, Dong Li started leaning towards Nie Tian. “That if you go all-out to help me during our trip in the Realm of Dark Underworld, I’ll let you get intimate with me.”
Only when her ample breasts, which her garment seemed to be failing to contain, were about to touch Nie Tian’s chest did she stop.
Gazing directly into Nie Tian’s eyes, she said with an extremely soft and tempting tone, “I’m rather satisfied with your performance during our trip in the Realm of Dark Underworld. My word is still good. Do you wanna…?”
Looking down at Dong Li’s full bosom, which was only a finger’s breadth away from touching his chest, Nie Tian felt as if an insuppressible fire was burning inside of him.
He immediately started feeling dry-mouthed.
“What? Are you scared?” Dong Li chuckled. “You seemed rather bold when we were in the dense forest.”
Provoked, Nie Tian grinned as he suddenly stuck out his chest.
However, the contact he expected didn’t occur, since the moment he stuck out his chest, Dong Li took a step backwards, putting some space between them.
Nie Tian stared at her, discontent filling his eyes.
Dong Li gazed back at him with a flirtatious look on her face. Then, she said with a taunting and pretentious tone, “I thought you’d changed, but who would have guessed that you’re still the lecher you are! Do you really think you’ve won my heart and I’m ready to give myself to you? Quit dreaming! I’m just having fun with you!”
Nie Tian didn’t seem to be very embarrassed. Scratching his nose, he said, “Thank you for taking me here. You shouldn’t waste more of your time with me. You should return to Desolate City and observe the Tool Sect’s assessment pageant.”
Dong Li pursed her lips into a smile. “What? Getting angry?”
A tiresome expression spread across Nie Tian’s face. “No, I just don’t think you should continue to waste your time by staying here with me.”
“I like it here,” Dong Li said with a cold snort. “What I do is none of your business. I’m not an equipment forger. Why would the Tool Sect’s assessment pageant concern me?”
“Suit yourself then.” Nie Tian turned his back on her.
Dong Li actually stayed by Nie Tian’s side over the next two days. Thick-skinned, she taunted and teased Nie Tian from time to time, as if she enjoyed it very much.
One night.
Nie Tian curled up in the cave he had opened in the mountain, where he waited for the Flame Dragon Armor to absorb flame power while putting up with Dong Li’s constant teasing. All of a sudden, his eyebrows furrowed as he said, “Two men are coming towards us.”
Dong Li quit messing around and asked, “Who are they?”
“I don’t know, but they don’t seem to be from the Tool Sect,” Nie Tian answered.
A quarter hour later, the two men stopped at the foot of the volcano. One of them, who was a Premium grade equipment forger, discovered the cave created by Nie Tian and Dong Li and said with a frown, “I can’t believe that such a remote volcano is also occupied. Come on. Let’s go find another one, Lu Shen.”
The other man unleashed his psychic awareness. After a brief scan, he said, “That won’t be necessary. It’s just a couple of early Greater Heaven stage lovers. Who knows what kind of things they are doing here. I’ll drive them away.”
With those words, he dashed towards the cave where Dong Li and Nie Tian were, while shouting, “Get the hell out of there!”
Nie Tian’s face fell.
Dong Li, however, smiled as she asked in a low voice, “Is your Flame Dragon Armor still absorbing flame power in the heart of this volcano?”
“Yeah,” Nie Tian answered.
Dong Li’s bright eyes glittered as she said, “Good. Let me handle this. Don’t say a word.”
“Okay…”
