Even just at the early-stage Martial Master realm, Aiden was confident that he would not be defeated!
As for the top-grade weapon artifact, coupled with his ebony blade, the killing power released by Rygintarth would be even more terrifying!
If someone of a similar combat strength as himself was using the ebony blade and unleashed such series of attacks, Aiden would not dare guarantee that he could escape unscathed.
"Aiden, you…"
Slyff Nae frowned slightly but did not continue.
He knew that Aiden had a decisive character – it was hard for outsiders to change a decision made by him.
After a moment of hesitation, Slyff Nae instructed, "Be careful. Don't push beyond your limits."
"Alright!"
Aiden nodded.
Slyff Nae and the other two had many spirit herbs tucked in their storage bags and they were injured. Fearful that circumstances might change the longer they delayed, they did not dare to linger on.
Summoning a spirit vessel, the three of them leaped on it and waved farewell to Aiden before turning into a streak of light that gradually vanished by the horizon.
Taking a deep breath of air, Aiden turned and headed towards the palace.
He was not worried that someone else might have gotten their hands on or destroyed the Vermilion Fruit during this period of time.
Now that the Vermilion Fruit was about to ripen, this was the most dangerous period of time!
Any living being that approached the Vermilion Fruit would have their life essences drained.
Along the way, Aiden noticed that there were many martial artists speeding away from the ruins.
To be precise, they seemed like they were scared out of their wits and were scurrying off!
"This is bad! It's bad!"
A martial artist panted in a pathetic manner. "Everyone, run! The Vermilion Fruit's eating people!"
Some martial artists had disheveled hair and were only left with one arm – the flesh on their other arm had disintegrated, leaving a hanging white bone as they fled for their lives.
Aiden sneered internally.
There were still ignorant and greedy martial artists that tried to pluck the Vermilion Fruit, resulting in their life essences drained and their fleshes taken in as a nutrient for the Vermilion Fruit!
Before long, Aiden reentered the underground palace.
After walking for a while, he paused in his tracks and looked at the medicinal field.
After Aiden and the other three collected the spirit herbs, it became bare and barren, leaving a single stalk of Vermilion Fruit that was extremely striking.
And now, fresh white bones were scattered in the vicinity of the Vermilion Fruit!
Every single set of skeleton on the ground had a hand that was reaching forward, as though it was trying to pluck the Vermilion Fruit.
A rough calculation showed that there were around a hundred corpses around the Vermilion Fruit!
The Vermilion Fruit seemed to have gotten even more vibrant.
Sparkling, translucent, and bright red, it emitted an intoxicating fragrance that attracted nearby living beings!
All living beings possessed spirit.
Humans had the innate capability to kill other living beings; demon beasts had the innate capability of hunting and certain spirit herbs had the innate capability to lure and kill other living beings too!
The life essence draining radius of the Vermilion Fruit was expanding rapidly!
Initially, it was only around the vicinity of the medicinal field.
But now, it was extending outwards wildly!
The Vermilion Fruit swayed and a scarlet mist spread, shrouding in all directions. Ten, twenty, a hundred feet…
There were only a few people left in the underground palace.
The few martial artists had wary expressions and were hidden far away, shifting their gazes between the thousands of years old Vermillion Fruit and Aiden, only retreating after ensuring that no one could pluck the Vermilion Fruit in advance.
Before long, Aiden was the only one left in the underground palace.
Of course, that was only for the time being.
He was certain that the Great Forbidden Ruins would definitely not be peaceful in the coming month!
The closer it was to the ripening of the Vermilion Fruit, the more martial artists would be gathered in the underground palace and the atmosphere would turn even tenser and chaotic!
The draining radius of the Vermilion Fruit expanded continuously and its mist surged, sealing any exit paths.
If Aiden wanted to reenter the underground cave, he would have to pass through the mist!
Although he was confident in the strength of his body and regeneration capabilities, he did not dare to take the risk to fight against this universal spirit fruit.
Looking at the advancing mist, Aiden pondered for a moment and suddenly extended his left fingertip. Slowly, he touched the edge of the mist carefully.
*Psst!*
The moment his fingertip made contact with the mist, Aiden's expression changed starkly.
The flesh on his finger was disappearing at a speed visible to the naked eye, devoured by the scarlet mist!
What a domineering Vermilion Fruit!
The veins of the fingers were connected to one's heart.
A wrenching sharp pain almost caused Aiden to yell.
Shuddering, he retracted his palm and looked at his left hand with a sense of trepidation.
That momentary contact already caused the flesh on his finger to vanish, revealing stark-white bones beneath.
Aiden's gaze shimmered and extended his right hand, touching the fog in an experimenting manner.
It was perfectly fine!
He could clearly sense a mysterious energy trying to drain the life essence of his right hand, but retreated in shock as though it was met with something fearful!
Although the Vermilion Fruit was strong and its mist was domineering, it could not do any real harm to Aiden's true power, his real form lying underneath these shapeshifted appearances.
Unfortunately, it would still not be a wise choice to shred his reptilian style form and become his human-like or 'bareskinned' form. He needed to battle through this like this.
He could not make it through the scarlet mist still.
Aiden frowned.
If he was stuck at the corner, unable to enter the cave, he would have to wait an entire month for the Vermilion Fruit to ripen and the fog to dissipate before he could refine his flying blades and repair the top grade artifact weapons.
However, there would be many additional factors by then!
No, I've got to think of a way.
Aiden paced around the underground palace and contemplated deeply.
After a moment of silence, he paused in his tracks and slapped his storage bag, withdrawing a battered bronze square tripod that was filled with cracks.
Since this bronze square tripod was able to withstand the corrosion of the Scarlet Armored Gigantic Crocodile, it should have no issues dealing with the mist.
Aiden placed the bronze square tripod into the mist.
True enough!
The scarlet mist shrouded around the bronze square tripod but was unable to penetrate it.
Success!
Smiling gently, Aiden leaped into the bronze square tripod and became one with it, traveling through the scarlet mist until he arrived beside the spirit spring.
After exiting the bronze square tripod, Aiden turned to look at the mist that was turning thicker and thought to himself, 'Actually, it's not a bad thing that the mist is around. At the very least, it would ensure that no one would cross it for a month and discover the secret of the cave!'
Surveying his surroundings for a while and twitching his ears to ensure that no one was hidden here, Aiden pressed the switch on the wall of the pool.
The stone slab beneath his feet slid to both sides silently, revealing a pitch-black passageway.
Leaping down, Aiden's figure disappeared.
The underground palace went silent once more.
In the underground cave.
The red lava was flowing slowly, giving off a scorching heatwave.
On a parcel of land in the middle of the lava ocean, the little fox stood on both hind legs and placed its tiny paws before its chest. Gazing at the corpse of the demon fox in front of it, a lost, hazy look could be seen in its big, bright eyes.
She had been living in fear for the past dozens of years.
The Fire Blocking Basket that looked like a black pot beside her was the final treasure left for her by her mother.
The little fox hid in the Fire Blocking Basket everyday as if that little space was the only place that could make her feel safer.
However, in reality, the little fox also knew that it was extremely easy for that gigantic crocodile to kill her!
She had never thought about escaping from the claws of that crocodile one day, or even taking revenge for her mother.
Everything was all thanks to that mysterious figure.
The first time she caught sight of his handsome figure, the little fox had a hunch that he wasn't a bad person.
That was the reason why she reminded him to watch out previously.
When the calm heroic man was devoured by the crocodile, the little fox was despaired, thinking that he was dead for sure and that she would be trapped here for all eternity.
However, she was completely shocked by what happened later on!
An extremely terrifying flame lit up within the gigantic crocodile and burned its body to complete ashes. As for that handsome man, he escaped unscathed!
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