Chapter 981: Fulfilling Another's Trust with Loyalty

Boom!

A Fire Dragon roared as it attacked, causing the terrifying flames to distort the space. Lin Chen flicked his finger, sending out a gust of Finger Wind, instantly splitting the Fire Dragon in two.

But Lin Chen didn’t stop there. He flicked his fingers repeatedly, scattering the several Fire Dragons that attacked him one after another.

“There are already six Fire Dragons upon landing.”

Lin Chen looked around to see the clusters of fire floating in the air. The six Fire Dragons had detected his presence and launched an attack.

The Holy Fire Realm is dangerous — Lin Chen had heard Zhao Haoyang mention this before entering. However, it shouldn’t be this perilous.

The Holy Fire Realm is vast, and everyone who enters is teleported to a different location. According to Zhao Haoyang, as long as one has reached the Innate Second Realm, they should manage.

Yet, each of these six Fire Dragons was as powerful as those in the Innate Second Realm. An average Martial Artist at the Innate Second Realm might not be able to cope unprepared.

“Could this be why the disciples of the Holy Fire Realm haven’t returned?”

Lin Chen pondered, but then dismissed the thought. Even though the Innate Second Realm might struggle to handle this, it shouldn’t be fatal. Furthermore, the lowest rank of Ten Thousand Flames Sect disciples entering the realm is the Innate Second Realm, and many are in the Innate Third Realm.

As a Super Sect, the Ten Thousand Flames Sect has about ten disciples under thirty in the Innate Third Realm.

These disciples shouldn’t be in peril upon entering, so something else must have happened in the Holy Fire Realm.

As Lin Chen was thinking, he suddenly turned sharply, reaching towards the left side through the air. In the air on the left, a wisp of green light was struggling in his palm, and as it struggled, flames engulfed Lin Chen’s hand.

Unfortunately, the flames did not harm Lin Chen.

A few breaths later, the flames dissipated, and Lin Chen looked at the green glazed bead in his palm, within which waves of fire flowed.

Fire Source Pearl.

A unique treasure of the Holy Fire Realm, born from Fire Spirits.

Fire Spirits are a special existence, more advanced than common flames but still not quite at the level of Innate Fire.

Using the Ten Thousand Flames Sect’s description of Fire Spirits: Fire Spirits don’t all become Innate Fire, but all Innate Fire comes from matured Fire Spirits.

This object is used to enhance the grade of Innate Fire and is the main treasure collected by Ten Thousand Flames Sect disciples recently.

There are two paths to enhancing the power of Innate Fire: one is for the Innate Fire to absorb Heaven and Earth Energy and grow independently. However, this path takes hundreds of years, long enough to outlive the Martial Artist.

The other path is to provide energy to the Innate Fire, such as allowing it to devour weaker Innate Fire. But this path is risky, and Innate Fire is extremely precious, even the Ten Thousand Flames Sect cannot afford to sacrifice one Innate Fire to nourish another.

Therefore, Fire Source Pearls, which can enhance the grade of Innate Fire, are extremely valuable.

A hundred Fire Source Pearls can enhance one grade of Innate Fire power.

However, for Lin Chen, to enhance the power of his Innate Fire by one grade, he needs a thousand Fire Source Pearls.

Because he doesn’t have a single Innate Fire, but a new Innate Fire formed by merging four Innate Fires, its power is inherently stronger than a single Innate Fire, making advancement more difficult.

Storing the Fire Source Pearl safely, Lin Chen chose a direction and pressed forward.

Amid the fire clusters, Lin Chen’s speed didn’t slow, nor did he specifically collect Fire Source Pearls.

It’s not that he didn’t want the Fire Source Pearls, but it’s a matter of principle.

His entry into the Holy Fire Realm was recommended by Elder Zhuang to find the whereabouts of the Ten Thousand Flames Sect disciples, but as they say, entrusted by someone, loyal to the matter.

Elder Zhuang treated him well, so he couldn’t let Elder Zhuang down.

Find the whereabouts of the Ten Thousand Flames Sect disciples first, then consider his own interests.

One day, two days…

For five consecutive days, Lin Chen was on the move, but he hadn’t found the whereabouts of the Ten Thousand Flames Sect disciples. Instead, he collected over thirty Fire Source Pearls.

These were all from Fire Spirits that attacked him on the way and were captured and refined by him.

“Did I go in the wrong direction?”

After five days without any trace of Holy Fire Realm disciples, Lin Chen considered changing direction but suddenly looked to the front left.

…

“Junior Brother, you go first. I’ll hold off these beasts!”

“Senior Brother, you go. I’ll stay.”

The two young men were frantically escaping, pursued by five or six roaring Fire Dragons. Their clothes were tattered, and they were being rapidly caught up by the Fire Dragons. At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before the dragons caught up to them.

To survive, one must stay behind to hold off the Fire Dragons.

“Senior Brother, you’re stronger than I am, and have a better chance of escaping. Only you can report the situation in the Holy Fire Realm to the Elders and save our other brothers.”

The young man called Senior Brother clenched his teeth at these words. He knew his Junior Brother was right; even if the Junior Brother avoided immediate danger at the Innate Second Realm, he might not escape. But he couldn’t bring himself to leave his Junior Brother behind.

“Senior Brother, don’t forget the others!”