Chapter 286: Returning to the Abyssal Planet
Chapter 286: Returning to the Abyssal Planet
The next morning, Ji Xinghuo woke up early as the sun rose.
"It's the hot season now," he remarked as he stepped outside the treehouse. Despite the icy snow still covering the land, he could sense a subtle shift in the temperature—the chill of winter was beginning to give way to the warmth of spring.
The night before had been devoid of stars, a long period of darkness. But from today onward, the nights would gradually lengthen, and the stars would return, signaling the changing of the seasons.
After a hearty breakfast prepared by Ren Mian, Ji Xinghuo changed into his battle attire, donning a long skirt and a belt with numerous compartments, each holding a variety of plants. However, this was merely a disguise, as he had a spatial equipment where he stored his most valuable possessions.
Ren Mian, ever so graceful, covered her exquisite face with a light veil before putting on her straw hat.
Just like the old days in Olympia.
Ji Xinghuo felt a twinge of nostalgia as he recalled their time there. Of course, things were even better now.
"Sister, are you leaving again?" Little Sunflower flew over and perched on Ren Mian's shoulder, her big eyes brimming with reluctance at the thought of their departure.
"Mm," Ren Mian comforted, "Xiao Qi, don't worry. Your brother Xinghuo and I will be back soon."
Xiao Qi noticed the change in Qinghong's size and asked, "Is Qinghong coming too?"
"Yes," Ji Xinghuo replied as he mounted the beast. "Otherwise, Little Sunflower, you could come with us. It'll be boring for you here alone without Qinghong for company."
Xiao Kui hesitated, tempted by the idea, but ultimately shook her head. "Never mind, I prefer to stay home. Sister, Brother Xinghuo, come back soon, okay?"
"We will," Ren Mian assured her, gently stroking her little head.
Ji Xinghuo helped Ren Mian onto Qinghong's back, taking a seat in front of her. After bidding farewell to Little Lotus, Qinghong sprinted across the spatial ripple, leaving the secret realm behind.
Even with two passengers, Qinghong's speed remained unaffected. She raced across the frozen lake and through the snowy terrain, swiftly exiting the Peach Blossom Gully.
Ji Xinghuo inhaled the faint fragrance of Ren Mian's hair, feeling the softness of her body against his, and found his mind wandering.
To distract himself, he asked, "How did you travel to the City of Eternal Day in the past? It's quite a distance from the Peach Blossom Gully, after all."
"I can create venomous thorn dragons," Ren Mian replied.
"Why aren't you doing that now?" Ji Xinghuo asked, curious.
Ren Mian turned and shot him a playful glare. "Don't you like having me sit in your lap?"
Ji Xinghuo felt a bit embarrassed, understanding her reference to their time in Olympia and the rented mount they had shared. Yet, he couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness, knowing that she was willing to indulge his preferences. It showed how important he was to her.
"That's too slow," he said. "I have a faster way."
Ji Xinghuo signaled for Qinghong to stop, and he hopped off, followed by Ren Mian. He then shrank Qinghong to its miniature form and stored it in his pocket.
As Ren Mian looked on with curiosity, Ji Xinghuo stepped forward and swept her into his arms.
"You're going to fly while carrying me?" She wrapped her arms around his neck, her breath tickling his skin. The intimate pose brought a flush to her cheeks, hidden only by the veil and hat.
She knew he had recently merged with a flying species, but she had no idea how fast he could go. She suspected he was just looking for an excuse to hold her.
Yet, she acquiesced.
With a smile, Ji Xinghuo took off into the sky, cradling Ren Mian in his arms. This trip to the Abyssal Planet would likely reveal much of his strength, so he might as well get there quickly and save some time.
With a thought, he manipulated the magnetic poles, reducing his weight, and generated a powerful thrust with the turbulent shockwaves.
Boom!
The ground shook as Ji Xinghuo soared into the sky with Ren Mian in his arms, piercing through the clouds.
Ren Mian's hat nearly blew away, and the gust of wind lifted her veil, exposing her shocked expression.
"So fast!" she exclaimed.
The howling wind whipped past their ears as the ground and sky rushed by. Ren Mian estimated their speed to be over 150 kilometers per hour.
After breaking through the 5,000-point mark, the repulsive force of the rotating magnetic field had intensified, allowing for greater speed.
More stellar power meant faster speeds!
Ren Mian plucked a green leaf and caused it to grow rapidly. It transformed into a translucent green force field that enveloped both her and Ji Xinghuo, tapering to a point at the front like a fighter jet. This reduced air resistance and lessened the strain on Ji Xinghuo's flight.
"If you get tired, don't push yourself," she said with a soft laugh. "It's fine to take a break."
Ji Xinghuo huffed, "I could fly from here to Olympia, circle the Earth, and fly back without stopping."
"Show-off!" Ren Mian teased, attributing his boast to male pride.
Ji Xinghuo just smiled, not bothering to argue.
He continued to speed through the sky, showing no signs of slowing down or stopping. One hour passed, then two...
After five hours, seeing that Ji Xinghuo still looked relaxed, Ren Mian finally conceded.
"You always manage to surprise me," she said with a hint of wonder.
She shifted in his arms, loosening her grip around his neck and resting her head on his sturdy shoulder. In that moment, she felt a sense of security she had never known before, and her heart swelled with contentment.
Ji Xinghuo offered her a subtle smile. "Knowing I wasn't boasting is enough."
"I underestimated you," Ren Mian admitted.
A pillar of light shot up from the horizon ahead of them.
"We're almost there," Ji Xinghuo said.
He landed and helped Ren Mian dismount. She summoned two tall Wood Wolves, and they each mounted one, traveling several dozen kilometers to reach the city just before nightfall.
Before entering the city, Ji Xinghuo donned the Ferocious Armguard, reverting to his usual fierce and cold demeanor as a Highlander.
The Crystal Elves guarding the city gate stopped them.
Ji Xinghuo showed his Eternal Day badge, prompting a change in the guards' expressions as they also checked Ren Mian's badge. Without a word, they immediately let them pass.
"Let's find a place to stay, and then we can apply to enter the Abyssal Planet and wait for the next batch to depart," Ren Mian said through the mind link, keeping her thoughts active with the thought chain.
"No need," Ji Xinghuo replied. "We're heading to the stargate below Light Shining Peak right now."
As an Eternal Day General, he had high-level clearance and could travel to the Abyssal Planet without applying, returning whenever he wanted, and coming and going as he pleased.
"Oh?" Ren Mian immediately guessed, "So, you're an Eternal Day General, no wonder that guard treated you differently."
"Hehe..." Ji Xinghuo was quite proud.
The two Wood Wolves ran along the street, and soon they arrived at the stargate passage at the foot of Light Shining Peak. Ji Xinghuo took out his Eternal Day badge, and after his identity was verified, the Crystal Elf guards immediately opened the gate, leading to the underground stargate.
Their path was unobstructed.
The two of them passed through the stargate and arrived on the Abyssal Planet.
At the Crystal Elves' request, Ji Xinghuo and Ren Mian implanted positioning chips, gaining access to the Sky Net. They then made their way to the City of Wardens.
"Where to now?" Ji Xinghuo asked.
Since they were on the Abyssal Planet and had the chips, they had to communicate normally to avoid arousing the Crystal Elves' suspicion.
The two of them had agreed beforehand to speak when necessary and use the thought chain for more sensitive information, maintaining a tacit understanding.
Ren Mian operated her badge and projected a satellite map of the Abyssal Planet.
"This region here."
She pointed to a location on the map.
It was a Level Four region near the equator of the Abyssal Planet, located on the largest continent, which was divided into over 200 areas. This included the four most dangerous Level Six regions, with the Crystal Elves' capital, the City of Eternal Night, buried deep underground at the continent's center.
Ji Xinghuo immediately understood the situation.
The closer one got to the City of Eternal Night, the more perilous it became. And it wasn't just the surface; the Gene Mother Trees were constantly invading underground, seeking to capture the stargate.
Hence, the Crystal Elves' underground transportation network was limited to Level Four regions and below.
For Level Five regions and above, one could only travel on the surface.
The number of shelters also decreased.
The two of them boarded a train and left the City of Wardens, soon arriving at their destination. As they exited the elevator, it was daytime outside, and as far as the eye could see was an endless primeval forest, with towering trees standing tall on the earth.
Ji Xinghuo's electromagnetic sensing spread out, and his expression changed slightly.
There were dozens of monsters nearby!
Most of them were lurking underground, and each one was enormous, with strange shapes formed from various plants' roots, stems, leaves, and tendrils. They were at least at the Super Beast King level.
Although they didn't pose much of a threat to him, this place was far more dangerous than a Level One region.
"Don't move yet," Ren Mian said, taking out several dozen seeds and scattering them on the ground. They quickly grew into tall Wood Wolves, forming a pack of monsters.
These Wood Wolves were far more powerful than ordinary ones and were considered top-tier even in a Level Four region.
She produced two green mushrooms, one of which flew over and landed on Ji Xinghuo, taking root and sprouting. Within seconds, it grew into a layer of greenish-blue shell that enveloped his entire body. The outermost layer resembled wrinkled skin covered in knots, making his entire body look bloated like a fungal giant.
When in a non-combat state, this peculiar giant could shrink to a size similar to that of a human.
After Ji Xinghuo donned this disguise, he appeared to be a fungal giant.
Not only did it mask his scent, but it also altered his aura.
Ren Mian also disguised herself as a fungal giant, and her voice echoed from within the shell, "This will allow us to move safely on the surface. Those monsters will consider us their kind and won't attack unless provoked."
Ji Xinghuo nodded to indicate his understanding.
On the Abyssal Planet, Plant Witches like Ren Mian had a significant advantage, and their methods were far more convenient than other professions.
"Let's go," Ren Mian urged the Wood Wolf pack to start running.
Soon, they entered the vast forest, and not far away, a monster lurked. Ji Xinghuo's electromagnetic sensing showed that it had no reaction to the passing wolves, which eased his worries.
For the next few hours, the wolf pack continued their frenzied run, passing through multiple Level Four regions and entering a Level Five region.
Not long after entering this area, Ji Xinghuo sensed danger ahead.
There was a swamp up ahead.
Beneath the seemingly calm swamp were countless monsters with tangled roots and tendrils, hiding in ambush. They were Swamp Lurkers, countless, perhaps in the hundreds of thousands, and their numbers seemed endless from Ren Mian's perspective!
(End of Chapter)
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