Chapter 76: Winged Race

Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Winged Race

Looking at the hidden location before him, Shen Yun finally understood why Vierlia was so confident that no one else would find them.

Because it was actually the mouth of an active volcano.

"To the Saint Realm, this bit of magma is nothing." Vierlia glanced at Shen Yun. "But with your current technology alone, you have no way to explore the depths of volcanic magma, do you?"

"The main issue is that there’s no value in it." Shen Yun shook his head. Heat-resistant materials weren’t difficult to manufacture, but just as he had said, there was little value in doing so.

"Let’s head down." Vierlia pursed her lips. "I want to make a trip back to my own world. Are you..."

"I’ll pass."

Now wasn’t the best time to visit that world.

"Alright then. I’ll be back soon." Vierlia’s expression showed obvious disappointment.

Over the past ten days or so, her relationship with Shen Yun had improved significantly, but that change only existed under the added weight of their status as "betrothed". Other than that, there hadn’t been any real breakthroughs. Not only was Shen Yun deliberately keeping his distance, but she was also completely at a loss about what she should do.

It felt much harder than cultivation...

However, as a queen, she absolutely couldn’t give up so easily! Vierlia quietly clenched her fists.

Wrapping their bodies in Spiritual Power, the two leaped directly into the magma. The sudden extreme heat made Shen Yun slightly uncomfortable, but fortunately, the hidden location wasn’t very deep.

As expected, it was another Bronze Hall!

"I wonder who built these Ancient Ruins." Noticing that Shen Yun didn’t look very shocked, Vierlia couldn’t help but ask in surprise, "Are you... not amazed?"

Even someone like her, who had grown up hearing legends of the Bronze Hall, felt an indescribable sense of awe upon seeing it for the first time—like humanity’s first glimpse of the starry galaxy.

"I’ve never thought of myself as being particularly incredible." Knowing what Vierlia was thinking, Shen Yun chuckled softly. "In a scientific environment, the most important thing is to recognize your own insignificance. Progress has no bounds, and we must maintain a heart full of humility and reverence for the unknown."

"..."

Vierlia’s eyes sparkled. No wonder. Despite being so powerful, Shen Yun still kept his weak compatriots, and even the entire world, in his heart.

Her Majesty the Queen felt her heartbeat quicken slightly. Her cheeks flushed red, and she hurriedly averted her gaze.

If this kept up... she was truly doomed!

"I-I’ll head back first. I’ll return in an hour at most."

As if trying to cover up her embarrassment, Vierlia stood on the Teleportation Array and activated it.

The surrounding environment changed. She had returned to her own world. The other side was, as expected, another Bronze Hall.

"Your Majesty, you’re finally back!"

A young girl, about twelve or thirteen years old, quickly flew over. That’s right, she flew. But she wasn’t at the Golden Core Stage. The only reason she could fly was because of the pair of swan-like white wings on her back. With just a gentle flap, her entire body hovered steadily in the air.

"Annie." Vierlia revealed a faint smile, waving affectionately before pulling the little girl into a hug. "Has anything happened on the continent recently?"

"Not at all. Just some Black Mages spreading rumors about the Demon King’s resurrection and stuff like that, but nothing actually happened."

Annie rubbed affectionately against Vierlia’s embrace, then tilted up her slightly childish face. Her snow-white skin accentuated her silver eyes, and even the long hair cascading down her back was silver-white. She wasn’t human to begin with. She belonged to the Winged Race.

"Is that so?" A glint flashed through Vierlia’s eyes. "If I remember correctly, Annie, your Winged Race came to our world from an Otherworld five thousand years ago, right?"

"That’s right." Annie nodded obediently, glancing around. "But before seeing this hall, I thought it was just a legend. Your Majesty, is the world on the other side the homeland of the Winged Race?"

"No, which is why I suspect... there’s another set of Ancient Ruins out there." Vierlia gently stroked the winged girl’s head.

"Understood. Then I’ll make a trip back to my clan." Annie’s eyes lit up, but she quickly pouted. "But that means I won’t get to see Your Majesty for several months."

That tearful expression would have undoubtedly tugged at the heartstrings of any lolicon. But Vierlia was long used to it.

"Be good. Your clan should still have plenty of records related to the Ancient Ruins." Vierlia now adopted the majestic air of a queen. "Besides, I only came back temporarily. Accompany me to the Royal Palace to fetch some premium ingredients; I still have to return to the other world."

"Ingredients? Does the other world not have good food?" Annie tilted her head.

"No, but this concerns the survival and prosperity of our entire nation, perhaps even the entire world." Vierlia narrowed her eyes slightly, her expression solemn, looking as if she were preparing for a massive undertaking.

"Oh." Annie shrank her neck back.

Although she couldn’t understand the connection between premium ingredients and the fate of the world, she didn’t dare ask after seeing Her Majesty’s expression. After all, a girl had to be obedient and cute to be loved and doted on.

Vierlia truly had only returned for a brief visit. Others might think the Demon King’s resurrection was merely a rumor, but she knew very well that even if the seal hadn’t been fully broken, the appearance of the Demon King’s Corpse Ghosts was enough to prove that the seal wouldn’t last much longer.

A crisis was fast approaching...

After arranging for another trusted aide to guard the Ancient Ruins and instructing them to notify her immediately if there was any major news, Vierlia returned to Shen Yun’s world.

It truly took less than an hour.

Seeing her carrying a whole bag that seemed rather heavy, Shen Yun couldn’t help but ask, "What’s in there?"

"Ingredients." Vierlia pulled out a crystal from the bag and handed it to Shen Yun, her azure eyes staring straight at him. "The ingredients from our world are much better than the ones from yours."

"This kind of crystal..."

Shen Yun’s focus, however, wasn’t on the ingredients, but on the crystal itself. Although the color was slightly different, it looked remarkably similar to the crystal the Black Mage had used to store the Corpse Ghost.

"This is a unique mineral from our world." Seeing that Shen Yun didn’t show any anticipation for the good food, Vierlia felt a little miffed. "It’s considered a precious resource. After being refined, it can store quite a few things. The quality varies."

"There’s actually such a good thing?" Shen Yun was somewhat surprised, then looked dumbfoundedly at the beautiful girl in front of him. "You actually use a treasure like this to store ingredients?"

"What’s wrong with ingredients!" Vierlia planted her hands on her slender waist and puffed out her cheeks. "Living beings can’t survive without eating. Ingredients are arguably the most important existence! Or could it be, my dear betrothed, that you have a problem with my personal hobbies?"