Chapter 417: Chapter 409 Rat Demon_1

The Fire Phoenix had dwelt in this mountain for many years and was extremely familiar with the situation here.

Reminded by it, Qin Niu began to seriously contemplate the feasibility of the matter.

The Fire Lotus had extremely stringent requirements for its growing environment, and it would be safer to bring it home for cultivation. However, the cost of cultivation was high, and it demanded continuous investment.

Lava is earth fire, with temperatures easily reaching over a thousand degrees.

If cultivated at home, one could only use firewood as a substitute.

The temperature had to be several hundred degrees.

Not only that, but the energy provided by firewood was far less substantial than that of earth fire.

This was definitely detrimental to the growth of the Fire Lotus.

Planting it back in the cave seemingly left it outdoors, but in reality, it was safe.

That was because the Fire Phoenix was stronger than before.

With its guardianship here, it was nearly impossible for anyone else to steal it.

Qin Niu had now tamed a swarm of fire bees and could assign some to monitor inside the cave. Any disturbance, and he would be the first to know.

Moreover, the strongest creature within this great mountain had been subdued by him, so the entire mountain had essentially become his territory.

This place was no different from his backyard.

After careful consideration, he decided to plant the Fire Lotus back in the cave.

However, he had to ask about some issues clearly.

“Does the lava in that cave always exist?”

“Yes! The reason I chose to reside in this range of mountains was because of the earth fire here that could aid my cultivation.”

It was the need to use earth fire for cultivation that had kept the Fire Phoenix here all this time.

“How often does it erupt?”

Qin Niu was more concerned about this issue.

“It’s hard to say. There’s no set pattern for when the lava in the cave erupts. It only happens when the earth fire accumulates to its limit, which causes the lava to erupt. I have been cultivating here for seven to eight hundred years. Back then, my cultivation was shallow, and I could absorb only limited earth fire, so it would erupt regularly after a certain period.

Later, as my cultivation deepened and I frequented the cave for my practice, continuously absorbing the earth fire, the intervals between eruptions became longer and longer.

Now, it generally takes about seventy or eighty years before it erupts once.

With my current deeper level of cultivation, I can absorb even more earth fire at once, so the interval between eruptions will only get longer.”

The existence of the Fire Phoenix had actually directly extended the intervals of lava eruptions in the cave.

There’s a preordained time for everything.

Qin Niu gained a deeper comprehension of the natural order.

“Since it only erupts once every seventy or eighty years, I can be at ease planting the Fire Lotus back in the cave. In the future, pay extra attention and take good care of this Fire Lotus. During your cultivation, you may peck at the Fire Essence within the Fire Lotus, but do not let it wither.”

Qin Niu set some rules for it.

“The Fire Essence within the Fire Lotus is extremely precious, and it accumulates very slowly. I seldom dare to consume the Fire Essence during my regular cultivation. It’s only during critical moments of cultivation that I dare to use it. Master has a special ability to allow it to accumulate Fire Essence quickly. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t dare believe it.”

The Fire Phoenix mentioned Qin Niu’s special ability with envy.

Qin Niu’s Everlasting Spring Technique was indeed miraculous.

It had a powerful nourishing effect on plants. Even the Ancient Banyan Tree began to take a liking to him and gradually considered him a ‘friend’.

“In the future, I will take some time to help the Fire Lotus accumulate Fire Essence quickly, so you can take the opportunity to peck at it occasionally, instead of waiting decades between each peck.”

Qin Niu quietly used a huge favor to win over the Fire Phoenix.

Binding interests is the most clever tactic.

Only when it gains huge benefits, will it be unable to leave Qin Niu, its master.

From now on, there’s no fear that it won’t obediently serve.

“Thank you, master.”

Upon hearing it could often peck at a large amount of fire essence to cultivate, the Fire Phoenix indeed had no resistance and happily thanked Qin Niu on the spot.

With each mention of “master,” it did so with glee.

In the meantime, the lava spewing inside the cave seemed to be nearing its end.

The speed of the outflow had already significantly decreased by morning, and now, the lava erupting out was minimal.

Large gaps had appeared in the ceiling of the cave.

Qin Niu noticed that the cave seemed to have expanded a bit more.

As the lava spewed, it would continuously melt the walls of the cave, thereby causing the cave to expand.

Fortunately, the stone of the cave was a high-melting-point black rock, so there was no need to worry about the cave expanding too quickly, causing a collapse of the mountain.

“Are there any other formidable demon beasts occupying this range of mountains?”

Seeing that he would have to wait for a while longer, Qin Niu took the opportunity to converse with the Fire Phoenix and deepen his understanding of this mountain range.

Currently, his Green Demon Bees had already laid eggs and hatched young bees.

Having tamed a nest of fire bees added to his ability to conduct more in-depth exploration and surveillance of the entire mountain.

In this mountain region, the demon beasts or half-demons he had so far encountered were just a few.

There was the Pig King he had slaughtered in the beginning, the Black Python in the deep pool, and then the dozen or so Demon Birds living within this highest peak.

All in all, the powerful creatures within the mountain were rarer than he had imagined.

“Are you referring to this entire range of mountains?”

“Yes!”

“In this entire range of mountains, there are only me and the thirteen Demon Birds. There used to be a Pig King, but it disappeared later on. Additionally, there are two or three creatures with the potential to become demons. Over there is a Black Python that’s about to become a spirit, and in that valley, there’s a formidable scorpion.

They are usually very timid, never daring to show themselves for fear that I would eat them.

And in that direction, there’s a Poisonous Miasma Forest with a powerful Rat Demon inside. What kind of Rat Demon it is, I’m not even sure.

It could be a Yellow Weasel or it might be a Rock-Biting Rat with exceptional talent.

Its strength must be very strong; one of my Crow Demon subordinates almost fell prey to it once. It’s extremely cunning, almost never active during the day, and it will hide in its cave at the slightest disturbance.

Once, I wanted to quickly improve my strength, and considering that Rat Demon had killed many members of our Bird Clan, I wanted to eat it.

After guarding near the Poisonous Miasma Forest for over a month, it never showed itself.

Eventually, I lost patience and spewed out several breaths of fierce fire to burn down that forest directly. But the fire I expelled went out quickly once it entered the Poisonous Miasma Forest.

The poisonous gases and miasma there were incredibly potent; I inhaled some and it took me more than half a year to completely clear the poison from my body.

Since then, I’ve not dared to go near that Poisonous Miasma Forest to seek trouble with that Rat Demon again.

That Rat Demon is also very clever, never leaving that Poisonous Miasma Forest.”

I never expected there to be so many formidable creatures in this range of mountains.

Qin Niu, when his strength was still weak, wisely refrained from venturing deeper into the mountains, which was a very correct decision. Otherwise, encountering any demon beast could have potentially cost him his life.

A Rat Demon that even a Fire Phoenix couldn’t contend with is a horrifying thought.

That Rat Demon, entrenched in the Poisonous Miasma Forest, is effectively guarding a natural stronghold, capable of attacking and defending. Within this range of mountains, there seems to be no other demon beast that can handle it.