A surging molten river flowed through. The walls squeezed tightly around the river, heating them until they glowed red. Over countless years, the intense heat of the magma had transformed the walls into a vivid reddish glass-like state. They were solid, smooth, and impervious to any ordinary force.
Beside the river, after an unknown distance, a gorge appeared on the wall. It was over a hundred zhang wide. A small, sturdy, and ancient-looking stone mountain, standing several hundred zhang tall with a base of a hundred zhang in diameter, was placed right in the middle of the gorge. On the stone mountain, faintly visible, were three ancient and rustic characters: "Shi Gan Dang" (Stone Able).
Because of the Stone Able's presence, there were only two cracks on either side of the stone mountain, each several zhang wide. The high-temperature magma rushed into the gorge but, in front of the Stone Able, it became calm and gentle. Not a single drop of magma could cross the Stone Able. An invisible force field enveloped the entire gorge, and droplets of red-translucent juice, resembling melting crystals, seeped from the magma, forming a clear and hot river that flowed into the gorge.
This transparent juice, extracted from the magma by the Stone Able, was named "Magma Stone Milk" by the elders of the Yan Family. It was high-temperature and pure, containing no impurities or toxins mixed in with the magma.
The Magma Stone Milk flowed along the passage behind the gorge for more than ten li, eventually reaching a plain with a diameter of several li. The roughly triangular plain had reddish soil, and small crystalline particles were faintly visible mixed within the soil.
Lava grass, as well as various other strange and rare elemental grasses, were densely planted here. Occasionally, hot winds blew from the direction of the lava river, causing the thousands of lava grasses to sway. Glistening droplets of dew sparkled with enchanting light.
At the end of this plain stood a towering wall, embedded with large red crystalline blocks. These crystals absorbed the raging hot air, continually emitting dazzling red light. The red light illuminated the small plain, and all the elemental grasses grown here were of the fire attribute, adorned in shades of red.
This plain resembled a flaming hell, completely red. Every inch of land emanated an unsettling heat.
Galu crawled out of the river of Magma Stone Milk, gasping for breath. The intense heat had turned his dark red scales into a vivid crimson, almost translucent. The immense heat entered his body, nourishing his organs and suppressing his hunger to some extent.
After a few jumps on the riverbank, Galu shook off the Magma Stone Milk adhering to his body. He touched his shriveled belly, and his stomach emitted a gurgling sound. The suppressed hunger had resurfaced.
Soon after, the unbearable hunger spread like wildfire, causing Galu's eyes to turn bloodshot. He looked back at the ninety-nine subordinates—fire crocodile warriors over two meters tall—who were lazily soaking in the high-temperature river, making soft and ambiguous noises that seemed a mix of joy and pain.
Fire crocodile warriors were a kind of crocodile-human hybrid, born with an affinity for flames. With thick skin and strong resistance to fire, they could endure being in the lava for a short time and retrieve various precious gemstones and ores from it.
This temperature was lower than the lava and contained purer flame energy. Galu and his comrades could soak in it for a longer time.
Soaking in the Magma Stone Milk could temper their scales, making them harder. It could also increase their strength. Galu and his subordinates could effortlessly handle seven to eight warriors of their kind each.
Of course, soaking in the Magma Stone Milk was not only about increasing their cultivation... It was even more essential for alleviating the unbearable hunger.
"Eat meat!" Galu frowned, donned a crude armor made of iron pieces, and strode toward the storage cave carved into the end of the plain.
The hunger made Galu unusually irritable, and he ran faster than usual. He stomped into the storage cave, kicking a withered leather bag away. As the bag opened, a piece of meat, dried like firewood, fell out.
It was a piece of meat about half a chi long, as thick as a child's wrist.
With one hand pressing his stomach, Galu looked at the vast storage cave. It was empty, completely clean. This was the last piece of meat in the entire Elemental Cave's storage cave.
Galu cursed and opened his mouth, swallowing the meat in one bite. The hunger in his belly temporarily subsided, but it was like stopping a boiling pot— the hungry flame immediately surged higher... Galu covered his belly with both hands, and with a grim expression, he walked out of the cave.
Subconsciously, Galu's terrifying alligator head turned to the other side of the plain.
Under a small tree around three meters tall, a girl with fair and unremarkable looks but clean temperament, like a blue crystal moisturized by clear water, stood under the tree.
"Wish I could take a bite." Galu gritted his teeth, and drool kept dripping from the corners of his mouth.
Damn the Warblade City... Those violent maniacs from the Yan Family always forget to send supplies to this Elemental Cave. They forget time and time again...
Although fire crocodile people could get by with a full meal for a month, when was the last time they sent supplies here?
Wasn't it half a year ago?
The fresh meat they sent had already turned into jerky... Three months ago, they should have received a batch of supplies, but those bastards from Warblade City... they forgot again...
"Hungry... I really want to bite off her thighs." Galu's eyes, burning with hunger, glanced left and right. He felt somewhat hesitant.
As an affiliated tribe of the Yan Family, the fire crocodile people had a higher status compared to the slaves. However, compared to the direct bloodline members of the Yan Family, they were still considered expendable.
The consequences were terrible for anyone who dared challenge the status and dignity of the Yan Family's warriors, who were known for their violence.
This girl seemed to hold a considerable position in the Yan Family.
At least four or five months ago, two elders from the Yan Family personally escorted her when she came to this Elemental Cave.
"Hungry... why not negotiate with her and take a bite of her arm?" Galu, with his fierce-looking alligator head, had conflicting thoughts.
However, he hesitated.
After all, the fire crocodile people were not foolish. At least among their kind, he was considered astute, cunning, and exceptionally intelligent.
When he returned to the Elemental Cave with his subordinates, Galu rushed into the nearest elemental grass cultivation field. He grabbed a handful of lava grass and stuffed it into his mouth. He gobbled it down, and a hot flow rushed inside him. His shriveled stomach immediately expanded, and his strength returned.
There was an enemy invasion. No matter how much elemental grass Galu and his subordinates wasted, it would be blamed on the enemy!
As long as they could repel the enemy, any loss of elemental grass... their contributions would outweigh their faults...
Not only would they be without fault, they could also take this opportunity to replenish their strength. It would be a very cost-effective situation.
Who asked Warblade City to forget to send meat for three months?
Galu grumbled while swallowing the lava grass fiercely.
Under the small tree, the Yan Family girl was also alarmed. She turned around abruptly, trembling slightly, and two strange-shaped knives slipped out of her sleeves and were tightly held in her hands.
"What's going on? How could there be enemies here? Galu? What are you doing?" The girl stepped back two steps, subconsciously glancing at the small tree behind her and the three fist-sized red fruits on it.
The fruits seemed like flames condensed, with large patches of fire rising around them.
The fruit's skin was engraved with three twisted golden fire lines, faintly visible.
The Flames of the Three Calamities Fruit. It was the highest-grade elemental plant in the Yan Family's elemental caves. The girl had been waiting here for so many days just for them.
"Did you come for the Flames of the Three Calamities Fruit?" The girl's expression grew gloomy. "How does an outsider know the exact location of this elemental cave?"
"Someone is collaborating with outsiders..." The girl bit her lip tightly, and her once rosy lips turned pale.
"Coming for the Flames of the Three Calamities Fruit?" The girl's complexion became increasingly dark. "How did outsiders find the exact location of this elemental cave?"
"Somebody collaborated with outsiders..." The girl gritted her teeth, blood drained from her once-red lips.
(End of Chapter 96)