The volcanic ash filled the air, covering a hundred meters around the enormous mountain.
A captivating red fire light surged into the sky, dazzlingly forming a fire lotus. Occasionally, falling stones and magma would fall from the fire lotus, smashing into the mountain. On this already ruined mountain, they would leave deep pockets or holes.
This enormous volcano would randomly erupt. When the six of them returned from their shock over the enormous diagram, the fiery rain that covered the sky caused them to see a beautiful and terrifying scene in this world!
The fiery rain was intense, like a dream or an illusion. Their faces were illuminated in a fiery light and even their pupils were filled with the reflection of flames.
A loud rumbling noise rang in their ears. The intense fiery rain was filled with destructive burning energy; the six of them didn’t dare stay any longer. Braving the meteor-like fiery rain, they ran towards the Phoenix species’ peak.
The fiery mountain was tall, the spine about 5000 meters high. This was countless times higher than the tallest volcano in the human world.
The height of 5000 meters was enormous. Even the large beasts residing near the volcano felt as small as ants.
Accompanying the volcanic spine, the fiery rain would occasionally fall next to them. As they continued on, they were greeted by incomparably scalding magma that seeped out from the top of the volcano.
The bright red color was like circulating blood that circulated along the pulsating volcanic spine before slowly cooling and congealing somewhere on the volcano, forming a new mountain figure.
In this environment, only fire type soul pets could withstand the high heat. The six soul pet trainers stood on a tall cooled rock and looked at the fiery liquid that flowed on either side of them.
“We’re still under the volcano and the heat is so high. By the time we get up there, soul pets not of the fire type attribute will be greatly weakened. It will probably be even a problem to use more than 60% of their strength.” Shen Mo creased his brows.
“I’m basically useless.” bitterly laughed Teng Lang.
Teng Lang relied on his Ice Mountain Lion. Ice type soul pets wouldn’t be able to use even 40% of their strength here.
The 40% strength Ice Mountain Lion wasn’t too far off from a high class emperor. However, the foot of the volcano was crawling with all emperors and this wasn’t even accounting for the mouth of the volcano that was composed solely of violent fire.
Mu Qingyi glanced at Chu Mu and quietly said to him: “My White Tiger’s strength will also be suppressed. If a dominator rank creature appears up there, we’ll have to rely on you.”
Mu Qingyi’s ice type White Tiger would suffer a great reduction in strength while Chao Lengchuan’s Thousand Wave Beast would probably only be able to use 70% of its strength. Only Chu Mu’s White Nightmare wouldn’t be affected. If a dominator rank creature appeared, they indeed could only rely on Chu Mu.
“Don’t worry, I can deal with it.” Chu Mu smiled as he spoke.
Mu Qingyi nodded her head. She sat against her Immortal Ming Bird, and stared at the beautiful curtain of fiery rain. Gradually, as she looked on, she became entranced.
Natural landscapes were the most indescribable beauties. Even if they were those of destruction, they would still make one’s heart move.
As the beautiful red fire fell, it let out a tragic whistle and a split second of magnificence. In this instant, Mu Qingyi’s thoughts drifted and she remembered many unforgettable memories in this curtain of fiery rain…
Chu Mu stood to the side and when he looked over, he saw Mu Qingyi elegantly sitting there like a young woman whose eyes were filled with hope as she stared at the dreamlike fiery rain that was filled with destruction. She no longer had the arrogance and might of a war goddess as the only thing in her mind right now were the matters in her heart.
Women would often display their utmost beauty naturally.
Chu Mu had initially wanted to ask Mu Qingyi about something, but when he saw her entranced, he didn’t disturb her. Instead, he inadvertently ended up staring at her from the side. He began pondering what experiences this woman, who had stood out among countless experts, had been through.
Chu Mu was believed that not every expert was blessed by the heavens or always had good luck. Instead, every expert had their own stories filled with bumps. The further one walked, the more they wouldn’t be able to help but sigh when they turned around and looked at the path they had just travelled; or perhaps they would be filled with fulfillment, loneliness, bewilderment or resolution.
“Chu Fangchen, what was your original motive for stepping onto the soul pet trainer path?” Mu Qingyi already noticed Chu Mu staring at her, but her eyes remained fixed on the fiery rain as she softly muttered.
Chu Mu was feeling pretty brazen and didn’t feel like stealing a glance at someone was something rude. He said: “It should have been my father’s encouragement. When I was very young, he would never stop telling me about the legends and marvels of the soul pet trainer life…”
Chu Tianmang was a father who was great at telling stories. Chu Mu remembered them even now. The stories he spoke of were filled with riding mighty dragons as they soared through the sky and the magnificent scenes of the earth and cities that one would fill one’s view from up there…
Or they were the palpitating and exciting stories of being chased by a group of crazy fanged soul pets.
Or sometimes they were about using wits and experience to emerge victorious while weaker under the vicious attacks of a ten foot beast.
Or perhaps they were about the feeling of accomplishment of using his own hands to train and raise soul pets before finally defeating those undefeatable enemies.
Or maybe they were about the feelings of excitement and happiness, hard to describe, when obtaining new soul pets….
“Hence, from a young age, my mind has been filled with soul pets. There were a few other things that just added fuel to the fire… Haha, the truth is that there wasn’t some special reason. I just liked it.”
Mu Qingyi nodded her head before eventually saying: “My initial reason was very simple.”
Chu Mu sat next to Mu Qingyi to listen to this war goddess’ history.
“Both my mother and father were soul pet trainers. They had the same goal; but they never indoctrinated me with anything; moreover, neither wanted me to walk the soul pet trainer path because they felt this path was filled with danger…” softly said Mu Qingyi.
Chu Mu could understand this. If he was the father in that situation, he wouldn’t want his child to always wander in between life and death.
“I was really curious back then why they themselves were immersed on that path despite knowing it was full of danger, and thus prevented me from choosing that path. Indeed, they never returned from one of their training excursions when I was five…”
When Mu Qingyi reached this point, Chu Mu glanced at her eyes. He found that her eyes were calm, the only thing reflected there was the moving fire light. His heart indescribably trembled.
The calmness in her eyes wasn’t the emotionless or apathy towards her family. Instead, it was a habit she picked up after learning to remain strong. She was already used to them not existing.
“The Phoenix was my birthday present when I was five. They took the Phoenix from this place, and sealed its perfect emperor strength, turning it into a small house pet for me. They had it accompany my side for many years. Slowly, its strength was awakened one bit at a time. I was afraid that it would fly away and wanted to sign a soul pact with it so that it would continue to accompany me. Thus, I chose to the soul pet trainer path.”
At this point, a small bitter smile rose on Mu Qingyi’s face as she continued: “What I didn’t realize was how high its rank was. The only thing I could do was limit its growth while striving to raise my strength…”
Hearing Mu Qingyi’s simple explanation, Chu Mu couldn’t help but tease: “So it was just the fantasies of a young girl. I had thought that Goddess Mu had some mighty ambition or goal like take on the burdens of the heavens, delivering all creatures from suffering or bringing glory to humanity.”
Dimples appeared on Mu Qingyi’s smiling face as she said: “That would be Goddess Chu’s motivation.”
“Goddess Chu?” Chu Mu was stunned.
“Yes, the Empress Concubine is surnamed Chu.” Mu Qingyi slightly raised her thin brows.
“Sure. She’s surnamed Chu?” Chu Mu bitterly laughed.
“I don’t think many people know her real name. I only know that she’s surnamed Chu. Could she be related to your Chu Family somehow? You two happen to share the same surname.” Mu Qingyi pretended to stiffen her face and act angry.
Was the defector woman truly surnamed Chu?
That was obviously impossible. Chu Mu still remembered when they had signed a soul pact, he had asked her what she was called. She had told him she didn’t have a name; thus, Chu Mu had given her the name Chu Xi.
There was no meaning behind this name; he had only given it to her because his name was Chu Mu, and the Xi in Chu Xi came from the Xi in sunset. Chu Mu had thought then that his first soul pet would accompany him the longest. How would he realize that this woman’s heart was extremely warped. On the one hand she was the graceful and holy goddess that would deliver all creatures from suffering; on the other hand she was a scheming demoness that ruled the land under the heavens…
However, Chu Mu was surprised that despite her ostentatious actions, she couldn’t even be bothered to think of a new name. Instead, she just used the one he gave her. She truly wasn’t afraid he would find trouble for her in the future.
Speaking of which, the agreed moment of time to fight to the last gasp he had made with the defector young woman back then was nearly here. That woman probably still believed he had transformed into a devil and died; it would be impossible for him to find her. But in another year or two, when his soul pets returned and the Dead Dream reached the tenth phase, Chu Mu would give her a huge surprise!!
Chu Mu shook his head and expelled thoughts of her from his mind.
He raised his head and looked at the volcano above him which was already starting to calm down.
“Don’t worry, it will revive.” Chu Mu lightly patted Mu Qingyi’s soft shoulders as he spoke.
“Yes.” Mu Qingyi nodded her head.
Perhaps being able to sign a soul pact with the small phoenix and have this house pet of special meaning accompany her for life was the only reason why she stepped on the soul pet trainer path. However, in the many years that had passed, this initial reason had become a mental investment that was even more important than her life. The moment she lost it, it would undoubtedly bring her heart-wrenching pain as if her soul had been stripped.
Therefore, on this volcano danger ground, no matter how dangerous it was, Mu Qingyi was duty bound to climb it.
