Proud Goddess Falls in Love with Me
Chapter 1383: 1342: Volcano Entrance

Chapter 1383: Chapter 1342: Volcano Entrance

“What did you say? Lu Chuan has already gone to the volcano alone?”

“Yes, Mr. Lu Chuan said so. He also said he’d wait for you there.”

Feeling the overwhelming aura emanating from Xiu Niang, the squad captain didn’t dare lift his head, trembling as he stood behind the screen.

“Alright, I understand. I’ll leave promptly. Besides that, did Lu Chuan say anything else?”

“This… Mr. Lu Chuan only said those words. Your subordinate takes their leave.”

As he exited the room, the squad captain finally exhaled in relief.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that standing before this woman was even more suffocating than being in front of his lady. Her aura easily overshadowed even that of Mr. Lu Chuan, which suggested she was likely a Nascent Soul Realm expert.

“Mr. Lu Chuan truly is something…”

Everyone could tell that their young lady fancied Mr. Lu Chuan. Ever since his arrival, her smiles in the past few days outnumbered those she’d shown all year. Clearly, she had feelings for him.

But their young lady’s cultivation was only in the Golden Core Realm—how could she ever compare to this woman?

If Mr. Lu Chuan sided with their lady, that’d be ideal. If not, what kind of treatment would their lady endure?

At the thought, the squad captain couldn’t help but click his tongue.

…

Meanwhile, near the volcano.

Lu Chuan trekked along the mountain ridge, leaving behind a trail of footprints in the snow as he ascended to the summit.

Since the Suzumiya family discovered that a Nascent Soul Realm expert of Nine Layers was sealed within the volcano, they restricted access to the snowy mountain, forbidding outsiders from climbing it to prevent irreparable damage.

But that hardly changed anything. Grand Elder Huang Quan could still extend his influence through the Yin Ghost Sect. Dealing with such a Half-Step Spirit Division expert would be incredibly troublesome unless the Tower Spirit or the Nine Spirits Primordial Saint intervened.

Yet the Tower Spirit had repeatedly emphasized that it would only act in absolute necessity. As for the Nine Spirits Primordial Saint, after his brief taste of freedom, Lu Chuan noticeably felt his mood had taken a turn for the worse.

“In the end, I’ll have to figure it out myself…”

Lu Chuan exhaled as he stood atop the summit, gazing down at the seemingly calm volcano crater that hid deadly perils beneath.

It was clear that if Grand Elder Huang Quan broke free from his seal and the volcano erupted, half of the Island Country’s population would perish. It would be a catastrophe beyond human intervention, and Lu Chuan himself could do nothing to stop it. All he could do was try his best to prevent it.

Though he harbored little affection for the Island Country and never claimed to be a saint, mass extinction was still something he’d rather not see happen.

“Tower Spirit, can you sense his presence?”

“Yes, but there’s no need to worry. The seal is very secure; he won’t escape it anytime soon.”

“But I can’t help feeling something’s off.”

The Earth Amulet appeared in the Island Country, only to end up in Grand Elder Huang Quan’s grasp through a series of coincidental events. To add to it, Huang Quan knew the true purpose of the Earth Amulet. How could all this possibly be sheer coincidence?

Lu Chuan couldn’t shake the feeling that something was operating in the shadows, subtly pushing and steering everything to this point. He wished it was just his paranoia, but an increasing number of events confirmed his fears weren’t unfounded.

Lu Chuan waited from daylight into the night, until a familiar presence finally arrived late.

“Xiu Niang, why’d you take so long?”

“I came as quickly as I could. I’m not skilled in Shrinking Earth into Inches. As soon as I got your message, I rushed over. So, what are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you, and confirming a few things. You mentioned there’s an ancient ruin nearby. Can you sense where it is?”

“It’s difficult. But I can try. Lu Chuan, are you alright? You seem a little off to me.”

“I’m fine. Get started.”

At this moment, Lu Chuan couldn’t break the seal to release Grand Elder Huang Quan, nor could he retrieve the Earth Amulet. All he could do was gamble that the ancient ruins might be linked to the Earth Amulet.

“Alright then.”

Upon hearing this, Xiu Niang ceased to hesitate. She formed hand seals promptly as spiritual power surged, sweeping away the surrounding snow and enveloping the sky!

Soon, an array began to rotate beneath Xiu Niang’s feet, bursting with brilliant crimson light. Even merely standing within it, Lu Chuan could feel his blood boiling in his veins!

Thankfully, Lu Chuan was long accustomed to this kind of sensation. The Divine Fire of the Sun flared within him, easily neutralizing the discomfort caused by the array.

“I’ve found it…”

At that moment, Xiu Niang’s eyes flashed open, a trace of delight appearing in her expression.

“The entrance lies within the volcano crater!”

“Inside the volcano crater? Are you sure?”

Xiu Niang shot him an irritated look, displeased. “If you don’t believe me, why not figure it out yourself!”

“I believe you! I believe you completely!”

Lu Chuan wiped some cold sweat off his forehead, responding with an awkward smile.

There was no helping it. Men always had a natural disadvantage when facing women they’d previously been intimate with—especially a woman whose strength was at least equal to, if not greater than, their own. Lu Chuan really had no way to deal with Xiu Niang.

Still, since entering the volcano crater was necessary, it was imperative to make proper preparations first. After all, no one could say for certain what dangers lay hidden in the ancient ruins.

Once he adjusted his energies to their optimal state, Lu Chuan took the Haolock Spike in hand, ready to confront any threats that might emerge. Noticing the spike in Lu Chuan’s grasp, Xiu Niang was startled.

“Is that… the Mystic Spirit Haunting Spike? Why is it in your hands?”

“My mother-in-law gave it to me. Is there a problem?”

“Lu Chuan, your mother-in-law wouldn’t happen to be Li Yingnu, would she?”

Whereupon Lu Chuan was visibly surprised. “You know Li Yingnu?”

Xiu Niang snorted coldly and replied, “Know her? Our enmity is to the death! I thought she had long perished. I didn’t expect her to have regenerated a physical body! Why of all people would you side with her?”

“How was I supposed to know about your feud? Besides, it’s been so long—how can you still remember?”

“Of course! We women are naturally petty. So, Lu Chuan, don’t you dare cross me, or I’ll hold a grudge against you for life!”

Xiu Niang let out a cold snort, knowing now wasn’t the time to discuss such matters. Setting her grievances aside, she followed Lu Chuan as they leaped into the volcano crater.

The scene within the volcano wasn’t as harsh as Lu Chuan had anticipated.

Being a dormant volcano that had ceased activity for over a century, the magma was nearly solidified and the temperature wasn’t as oppressively hot as expected. But despite this, Lu Chuan refused to drop his guard.

Others may be unaware, but he was fully cognizant. This volcano, after hundreds of years of slumber, was now teetering dangerously close to eruption. Any external disruptions could awaken it, unleashing destruction and turning the Island Country into a fiery inferno!