Chapter 198: Chapter 169: Volcanic Ash Disaster
For the next while, Han Ning remained in the barren, rocky area to test Egg Pancake’s other two Soul Techniques.
When Egg Pancake unleashed its Primordial Power, dark patterns resembling molten-red lava appeared on its body. It would swell by another ten meters, and its Power would be enhanced. However, due to its current low Skill Level, it could only maintain this state for about ten seconds—somewhat similar to Demonization.
Moreover, each use of Primordial Power consumed a huge amount of Egg Pancake’s Physical Strength. Han Ning estimated that at its current level, Egg Pancake could probably only use it once per day.
Red Lotus Breath, on the other hand, was more like a particle beam, similar to Yin Yi’s Cyan Wood Radiance. However, it was far more powerful. The resulting flames clung to their target like an incurable plague and possessed incredible Penetration Power. They would only be extinguished once the Spiritual Energy within them was completely depleted.
’Egg Pancake’s previous Soul Techniques were mostly defensive or for close-quarters combat. Now, it finally has some with high-damage.
’But even Egg Pancake can barely control these new Soul Techniques right now. It’s going to take a lot of hard work to master them.’
Han Ning retracted his gaze, got up, and smiled at the two Soul Beasts beside him.
"That’s enough for today. Let’s head back."
"Ling~" "Jiji~"
"By the way, Egg Pancake, can you fly?"
Looking at Egg Pancake’s enormous body and its relatively dainty wings, Han Ning had long wanted to experience the feeling of riding a Giant Dragon and soaring through the sky.
Although Egg Pancake was far from a legendary Giant Dragon—a Sub-dragon at best—it already possessed a hint of that future majesty.
"Jiji..."
Upon hearing this, Egg Pancake flapped its pair of thirty-meter-long, red membranous wings, kicking up fierce gusts of wind.
Then, a faint yellow halo suddenly lit up around its body. As its Dragon Wings flapped slowly, they lifted its massive frame, causing it to levitate off the ground.
’Super Gravity?’
’Seeing this, Han Ning had a sudden realization. Despite Egg Pancake’s heavy body, it could control Gravity within a certain range, and by extension, its own weight. Paired with these wings, flying shouldn’t be a problem.’
He didn’t hesitate any longer. Waving off the two Soul Beasts’ offers to help, he walked to Egg Pancake’s leg, grabbed onto its scales, and began to climb.
The dragon’s back was spacious, but aside from one spot along the spine, the rest was covered in sharp bone spikes of various sizes, clearly unsuitable for standing.
Han Ning climbed directly onto Egg Pancake’s head. He gripped the pair of dragon horns, which were taller than he was, pointed toward the academy, and shouted, "Yin Yi! Egg Pancake! Let’s go!"
ROAR!!
A dragon’s roar that shook the heavens and parted the clouds echoed across the sky.
Egg Pancake burst through the cloud layer. A frost-white Energy Shield materialized over its back, shielding Han Ning on its head from the high-altitude air currents.
Fiery streams of light, visible to the naked eye, wove through the gaps between Egg Pancake’s scales, enveloping its body. It looked like a giant red meteor streaking through the atmosphere.
...
"Han Ning, have you noticed? Ever since the volcano erupted, the number of Soul Beasts wandering near the academy has suddenly increased quite a bit."
In the open space before the academy dorms, Han Ning and Dean Wu stood together, watching the volcanic ash drift down from the sky.
Egg Pancake was lying in front of Da Yan’s rock house while dozens of students lined up to take turns getting their picture with it.
"That’s true..."
Han Ning recalled what he had seen on his way back to the academy the day before. The variety of Soul Beasts wandering the swamp had suddenly increased, and he had even spotted species that didn’t normally appear in the marshlands.
Like birds and other beasts...
"Could it be that the disappearance of Trembling Peak is causing many of the nearby Soul Beasts to migrate outwards?"
"That’s most likely the reason. I’m worried the signal relay stations we set up will be destroyed by some of these wandering Soul Beasts."
Dean Wu gazed worriedly at the sky.
"Besides... who knows how long it will take for all this volcanic ash to dissipate. The temperature today has already dropped at least 8°C compared to two days ago."
When volcanic ash accumulates beneath the clouds, it blocks the light from celestial bodies from reaching the ground, causing a sharp drop in temperature.
’Han Ning didn’t know if this world had a star, or if it was a separate plane of existence like in novels. But based on his observations, the sky still provided light and warmth. That had to mean something like a star existed in the distant firmament, bringing light and heat to the land.
’It’s just that this place is shrouded in a perpetual fog, making it hard to see the sky’s true form.’
"The Gold-Eating Insects and Electric Fire Cannon Insects are very sensitive to temperature changes," Dean Wu said. "If it gets too cold, they’ll enter a state similar to hibernation, and their growth will slow down drastically."
"If the temperature keeps dropping and falls below freezing, even greenhouses and climate-control equipment won’t do much good."
Hearing this, Han Ning raised his wrist and glanced at the sports watch he had scavenged from one of the other dorms. It read: 10°C.
"What rotten luck," he sighed.
After a moment of silence, Han Ning spoke. "Dean Wu, how many Crude Oil Rubber Insects have we collected? And roughly how much electrical energy does it take to cultivate an Extraordinary Level Electric Fire Cannon Insect?"
"We’ve collected a total of 43 mother Crude Oil Rubber Insects and 57 adults so far. After eight days of cultivation, this batch of mothers has mostly matured and reached the egg-laying stage."
"The substance they excrete is indeed similar to crude oil. On average, each adult can produce about five kilograms of this ’crude oil’ per day."
"That much?" Han Ning was stunned.
’Five kilograms each... with 57 adults, that means they can produce almost 300 kilograms of crude oil in a single day!’
