To be honest, the old man had lived for decades.
And this was the first time he had ever encountered something so outrageous.
Could it be...
That this young man had awakened the legendary Phasing skill?
Or perhaps some kind of SSS-rank skill that made him invincible for a short time?!
But...
Wasn't he only C-rank?
Since when could a C-rank Shield Guard awaken skills like Phasing or Invincibility?
This didn't make any sense.
Suddenly, the old man thought of another possibility.
By then, Chen Ming had already come out with [Azure Flame Molten Fire] and [Moonlight Glaze].
"Your Moonlight Essence."
Chen Ming was straightforward and simply handed over the [Moonlight Glaze] in his hand.
That was what they had agreed on beforehand.
He knew the [Moonlight Glaze] must be just as precious and rare as the [Azure Flame Molten Fire].
But he kept his word, so he didn't hesitate at all.
Getting the Molten Fire was already a pleasant surprise.
Besides, the properties of this Moonlight resource were clearly incompatible with those of the Azure Flame resource.
He had already absorbed the Azure Flame, so the Moonlight Glaze was no use to him.
Unless he saved it to awaken a skill when he eventually broke through the 40% mental-power threshold.
The old man accepted the bottle Chen Ming held out.
He gazed at the translucent [Moonlight Glaze] in his hand, silver light flowing through it in wisps.
The old man still found it hard to believe. Then, almost unconsciously, he glanced at the [Azure Flame Molten Fire] in Chen Ming's hand.
Unexpectedly, in the very next second, he saw Chen Ming lift the bottle and tip his head back...
He gulped down the Azure Flame Molten Fire in one go!
"You..."
The old man gaped in shock.
What was this young man doing?
Although the [Azure Flame Molten Fire] was a resource that Class Changers could absorb,
it wasn't something you absorbed by drinking it straight!
Forget the immense attribute energy it contained—this was molten fire condensed from flames!
How was that any different from drinking lava?
And he had downed it in one gulp.
Wasn't he afraid it would burn right through his internal organs?
"Urrp~"
The old man got his answer in the form of a rather loud belch.
He could even feel a wave of scorching heat wash over him.
What a mouthful!
Chen Ming rubbed his stomach, feeling warmth spread through his body.
He had chosen to drink the [Azure Flame Molten Fire] on the spot for a reason.
For one thing, he had the stuff in hand now.
Although the old man with the Angel class didn't seem like a bad person, Chen Ming still had to guard against him.
He wasn't afraid the old man would suddenly attack him, but he was worried about him making a move for his resources.
If the old man tried to snatch them, Chen Ming knew he wouldn't be able to hold on to them.
So he had simply gulped it down right in front of him!
He hadn't had any ulterior motives. He was just very attached to it.
"Young man, you're... one tough nut."
The old man finally understood why Chen Ming had done it.
Then he turned to glance toward the night sky.
"We're done here. Hurry up and go."
As he spoke, he grabbed Chen Ming by the shoulder without waiting for a response.
White light surged around them, wrapping the old man and Chen Ming in a transparent shield.
A pair of white wings took shape, glowing brightly.
Then the two of them became a streak of light and shot away from the hollow at incredible speed, heading toward the Exotic Beast Forest.
Elsewhere.
Beneath the night sky.
The battle between the Pale Moon Wolf King and the Metal Crow had already ended.
A battle at this level wasn't something whose outcome could be decided in a short while.
Most of it had just been a test of each other's strength.
After all, the Pale Moon Wolf King and the Inspector had no grudge against each other.
Both sides had held back.
If either side had been pushed too far and a real battle had broken out, it would've been difficult to contain.
"Pale Moon Wolf King, are you willing to have a proper talk now?"
The Inspector stood beneath the night sky with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Hmph..."
The Pale Moon Wolf King was enormous, casting a vast shadow across the night sky. The pressure of the giant beast was immense.
"Human... There's nothing to talk about..."
"Hmm?"
Just then, the Pale Moon Wolf King's bright eyes suddenly quivered.
It whipped around to look behind it.
The next second, its huge body moved with a thunderous rumble, crossing the entire valley at an almost unbelievable speed.
It arrived above the hollow.
The Wolf King's gaze immediately swept toward the hollow. When it saw that the barrier had vanished, dazzling light shot from its eyes.
But when it saw that the phantom of its skill was still guarding the area, it breathed a sigh of relief.
However.
When it entered the hollow to investigate, its entire body froze.
Empty...
The pool was empty!
"Awooooo!!!"
An enraged howl rang out across the entire valley.
The Pale Moon Wolf King flew into a rage.
It was gone. All of it was gone!
It hadn't even left a single drop behind.
"...Who... was it!!!"
A voice like thunder erupted across the entire area.
Elsewhere.
Seeing the Pale Moon Wolf King suddenly leave, the principals breathed a sigh of relief.
"The Pale Moon Wolf King's true strength must already be above level 50."
If the Inspector hadn't been with them, the few principals of Cloud Sea City probably wouldn't have been able to handle it.
"We need to take this seriously. A giant beast of this level appearing on the outskirts of Cloud Sea City's border is a huge threat."
Principal Zhou of First High School spoke gravely.
He was saying this for the Inspector's benefit.
Given Cloud Sea City's overall strength, taking on the Pale Moon Wolf King would be difficult.
So all they could do was rely on the higher-ups.
At his words, the principals of Third High School and Fifth High School also turned their eyes toward the Inspector.
"I'll report this to the Alliance and ask the higher-ups to send more personnel from the relevant departments to Cloud Sea City."
The Inspector reassured the principals. "I'll stay in Cloud Sea City for now to prevent the Wolf King from making a move against the city."
"Also, how much do you know about this valley?"
The Inspector suddenly changed the subject and questioned the three principals.
He had sensed something was wrong with this place from the moment he arrived. It clearly wasn't an ordinary area.
And the fact that the Pale Moon Wolf King had also appeared here was enough to prove it.
The Inspector's question made the three principals realize the problem as well.
"This place..."
Before he could finish, an enraged howl cut him off.
They looked toward the night sky in the distance and saw that the Pale Moon Wolf King had returned.
And its condition seemed rather strange.
Its body alone had grown twice as large as before!
Its eyes were blood-red, and an aura of fury radiated from it.
As it came toward them, it seemed to press down on the entire night sky.
"Why did the Wolf King suddenly go berserk?!"
Before you continue