Hongyan's mouth hung slightly open, and he was equally shocked.
Immediately afterward, the flame dragon pressed the tips of its two pairs of wings against Ling Yuan's left and right shoulders.
The next second—
The fire dragon transformed into pure energy and gradually attached itself to Ling Yuan's body.
Amid the firelight—
A figure clad in red-and-white ceremonial robes appeared before everyone.
And in his arms was a completely bewildered Hongyu.
"Who are you?" Hongyan raised a brow and slowly drew his Metal Vessel sword, pointing it at Ling Yuan.
Three figures around Hongyan surrounded Ling Yuan, while the nearby soldiers quickly closed in as well.
"Princess!"
Xia Huangwen was dumbfounded. What was going on?
Everything had been fine just a moment ago. How had things changed so suddenly?
Surrounded by everyone, Ling Yuan showed no panic at all. Instead, he held the little Princess Ren Kougyoku in a bridal carry.
Ling Yuan ignored the others and looked into the distance, his calm voice ringing out. "I originally intended to accompany you to see that so-called labyrinth, but it seems flying there would be faster now."
Anyway, he would never admit, even if he died, that he could not ride a horse!
The only way to break the awkwardness was to make a grand exit!
After speaking, Ling Yuan looked at Hongyan opposite him, a smile curling across his lips. "Ren Kouen, I know you can use Full Body Magic Armor. If you want to save your sister who was abducted by the 'evil dragon,' then follow me."
With that—
Boom!
Dust billowed from the ground as Ling Yuan transformed into a red meteor and vanished into the sky.
"Brother." Koumei walked over.
"Everyone, use magic carpets and fly over."
After speaking, Hongyan looked toward where Ling Yuan had gone and raised his Metal Vessel sword.
The Octagram engraved on the blade lit up, and Hongyan's calm voice echoed out:
"O spirit of terror and meditation, I command you and your servants."
"Entwine my body, dwell within my body, and transform me into a mighty djinn."
"Astaroth!"
White light enveloped him.
When the light faded, his original appearance had completely vanished.
His hair and skin had turned into orange snake scales.
A dragon's robe like white flames coiled around his body.
With a powerful leap, he transformed into a streak of white light and rushed after them.
"How could something this interesting happen without me?" Judal, brimming with interest, followed as well.
"Honestly." Koumei scratched his head, then looked around and swept out a hand. "Everyone, prepare the magic carpets and come support my brother with me!"
"Yes, Lord Koumei!"
After some time—
The army set off in a mighty procession aboard magic carpets.
Tianshan Plateau.
Following the system's guidance, Ling Yuan found Labyrinth No. 37 in the heart of the Tianshan Plateau.
"Brother Ling Yuan, doing this makes it very hard for me to explain things to my brothers." Ren Kougyoku said with a blush, still in Ling Yuan's arms.
This was the first time she had ever been held by a member of the opposite sex.
"You can just beat them up over something like that," Ling Yuan said with a smile.
"Huh?" Hongyu's little face went blank.
There was nothing that could not be solved with a beating. If there was, then two beatings.
In front of the labyrinth—
Ling Yuan and Hongyu landed.
Close behind them—
Were Ren Kouen and Judal.
"What's with you? Why can't I sense even the slightest trace of Rukh around you?"
The moment he landed, Judal rushed forward.
"Move aside. I don't like standing this close to men." Just as Judal was about to approach, a flaming greatsword slashed him back.
Fortunately, he had defensive magic. But what shocked Judal was that the Rukh surrounding him had been burned away completely?
Did that mean the power the other party used truly was not Rukh?!
"You... I'm suddenly very interested in you."
"Who are you? My djinn tells me that no djinn resides within you, nor are you a servant." Though Hongyan's question was calm, the madness of his thirst for knowledge was practically spilling from his eyes.
He could use power comparable to Magic Armor without a Metal Vessel.
That question had always tugged at Hongyan's heart.
Ling Yuan raised a brow. "If you can give Phoenix to me, perhaps I can tell you the secrets hidden in this world."
"The secrets hidden in this world..." Ren Kouen murmured softly before raising his head and staring intensely at Ling Yuan. "Do you know something?"
"If you can give me the answer, you can take Phoenix's djinn!"
Judal, who had been watching the show, was displeased.
"Hey, I summoned this labyrinth with all my strength! How can you just give it away?"
"As a MAGI, you can summon as many as you want. But there is only one person who knows the secrets!" As he spoke, Hongyan did not even look at Judal.
At this moment, his eyes held only Ling Yuan!
It was as though he wanted to 'swallow' him alive.
Ling Yuan: "..."
He then revealed an awkward yet polite smile.
If he had not known that the man's thirst for knowledge was overwhelming, he would have wanted to hack him to death with a strike of 'With this blazing flame, nothing shall remain uncut.'
A grown man with his eyes full of another man—wasn't that disgusting?
The 37th Djinn—Phoenix
Phoenix's labyrinth had not been explained much in the original story.
The only thing known was that it possessed two exceptionally powerful abilities: healing and the Wheel of Wisdom.
Healing could mend any wound, and it was something Ling Yuan needed badly.
The Wheel of Wisdom could even prevent someone from using Full Body Magic Armor. For Metal Vessel users who relied on their power, that was practically fatal.
Katarina: "How is it going? Why haven't you replied after so long?"
Inside her room, Katarina was anxiously pacing and jumping about.
She was even more worried than the person involved.
Lightning Dragon Slayer: "So impatient. Are you a child?"
Katarina: "I'm eight this year..."
She said it quietly.
Lightning Dragon Slayer: "..."
Well damn, everyone in the group chat was younger than the last.
Akame: "..."
Maple: "..."
Katarina: "Maple, you're not cute anymore."
The Monkey King stood with her hands on her hips, clearly very unhappy.
Maple: "Ehe, sorry. The plus one was too tempting."
Eighth Princess: "I'm a little confused right now. Brother Ling Yuan seems to have reached an agreement with Brother Hongyan."
Katarina: "? What exactly is going on? @Eighth Princess, start a livestream so we can see."
Akame: "Livestream? What is that?"
Maple: "I know this. It's something that projects what is happening right now. Some streamers use it specifically to attract viewers."
Akame: "So it's an Imperial Arm used to record images?"
Lightning Dragon Slayer: "Something similar to Projection Magic?"
Maple: "Huh?"
Honjo Kaede, who was doing her homework, froze. Was that what she meant?
Well, the meanings were close enough. Everyone could understand it their own way.
Thinking that, Honjo Kaede resumed doing her homework.
Eighth Princess: "Let me look for it."
Ding! Group member 'Eighth Princess' has started a livestream!
A group of bored members with nothing to do entered the livestream room.
Katarina: "Whoa, who's that handsome guy? He even has a fire dragon draped over his shoulders."
Eighth Princess: "That is my brother."
Lightning Dragon Slayer: "You're already such a fangirl at such a young age?"
Akame: "That little black-haired one beside him is cute too. I remember some perverts in the Imperial Capital liked that sort."
Akame: "After those people were done playing with them, they would bring them over for mass execution."
Lightning Dragon Slayer: "..."
Katarina: "..."
Eighth Princess: "..."
Stop talking. You made the whole mood dark.
Akame: "What's wrong? Why has everyone stopped talking?"
Katarina: "Um, Miss Black Pupil, has anyone ever told you that you're really bad at conversation?"
Akame: "No. In our assassination unit, orders were everything. There was no conversation between us."
Lightning Dragon Slayer: "No wonder."
At that moment, the view shifted to third person.
Katarina: "Hongyu is so cute! She looks like she could be the child of the Group Owner and Hongyan, hehe."
Akame: "..."
Ling Yuan: "..."
Before you continue