<h4>Chapter 283 - Sky Lake</h4>


    A true man had to know what to do and what not to do. Saving Goldfish Ind was something he had to do.


    “I am Long Chen. Miss Xiao Yu told me about the problem on Goldfish Ind, and I decided to contribute,” said Long Chen, nodding.


    The ind chief eyed Long Chen and realized he could not sense the depth of Long Chen’s cultivation. He was in dire need of an expert like that.


    “Little Long Chen! My name is Chen Feng. If you don’t mind, you can call me ‘Old Chen!’ I’m very grateful that you would like to help protect Goldfish Ind!” Gratitude filled Chen Feng’s eyes.


    “Come,e here!” Chen Feng was naturally receptive towards Long Chen and hurriedly led him into an elegant bamboo house. He instructed someone to serve them tea and brought out local pastries to serve Long Chen.


    Long Chen did not have much need for food himself, but Ling xi, as a normal human, was very interested in the delicious delicacies. Long Chen did not hold back and passed the food to her so she could enjoy them while he spoke with Chen Feng.


    “May I ask where you’re from?” Seeing as Long Chen had reached the Heavenly River Realm at such a young age, he guessed that he was from the imperial capital.


    “I can’t say,” Long Chen answered apologetically, shaking his head with a smile. It would be inconvenient, and he did not want to tell him.


    “My apologies for intruding!” Chen Feng said.


    “Old Chen, I won’t waste time on small talk. When I passed Goldfish Ind just now, I saw a man harming Xiao Yu and saved her. She told me about Goldfish Ind and what the dwarves are doing, and it’s infuriating. That is why I decided to help. However, I don’t know anything about the dwarves at all, so I hope you can tell me more,” said Long Chen.


    “I see. So that’s why the girl brought you here.” Chen Feng raised his eyebrows slightly. “It’s one of the dwarf families that set their eyes on Goldfish Ind. That family has always been living near Goldfish Ind, and we’re afraid of them. There is a couple in that family, husband and wife, who are both Second River Stage cultivators. They also have a few First River Stage cultivators, so ...”


    Long Chen was shocked. There were only two First River Stage cultivators on the ind.


    “Sir, forgive me, but the enemy is much stronger than you guys. You guys have almost no chance of winning, so why aren’t you moving away? Why would you stay here and die for nothing?” he asked solemnly.


    “Migrate the whole tribe? I wanted that too, but only a few people agreed. Thisnd was left to us by our ancestors; how could we give it away just like that? My people have said that it does not matter how strong the enemy is—we will fight until we have shed ourst drop of blood! And we refuse to allow the enemy to take it without paying a great price! We will die, but our spirit will live on forever!” Towards the end, Chen Feng was as emotional as Xiao Yu.


    When Long Chen saw the old man’s face redden with passion, he was affected too, and he felt his blood boil. Previously, he mainly wanted to help because of Xiang, but now we was willing to give it his all.


    “Little Long Chen, you have decided to help us and for that, I thank you sincerely. However, the odds of Goldfish Ind winning are just too small. You’re still young; you shouldn’t waste your life like that.


    “Don’t worry, Old Chen. Even if I am no match for them, staying alive is not a problem. I will do my very best to minimize the casualties on Goldfish Ind.”


    Chen Feng had told him about the dwarves’ military strength, but Long Chen was still fearless, which moved Chen Feng.


    “I think he’s just bullshitting us.” A tall middle-aged man walked into the bamboo house and nced at Long Chen mildly.


    This man’s aura indicated that he was no weaker than Chen Feng. He had to be the other Heavenly River Realm cultivator on Goldfish Ind.


    “Nonsense!” Chen Feng reprimanded, then he smiled at Long Chen. “This is my son, Chen Lei! Lei’er, this is little Long Chen, who has agreed to help Goldfish Ind! You must have heard about this already. He’s young, but he has already reached Heavenly River Realm! He’s much stronger than you!”


    Chen Lei had indeed heard about this. He eyed Long Chen up and down but was still suspicious. He asked, “You don’t have any hidden intentions, do you? I refuse to believe that some idiot woulde to Goldfish Ind to get himself killed!”


    “Chen Lei! What are you talking about? Get the hell out of here!” Chen Feng shot up from his bamboo chair with a whoosh, ring sternly at him.


    “Alright, alright!” Chen Lei was furious that his father had yelled at him. He remarked with a mocking tone, “Father, look at how slick this brat looks. He doesn’t look like a good person to me. Maybe he’s a spy sent by the dwarves.”


    “You donkey-brained idiot! Get out! Have you seen such a tall spy from the dwarf tribe?” Based on Long Chen’s age, current cultivation level, facial features, and height, it was impossible for him to be a dwarf spy.


    Recalling the dwarves’ heights, Chen Lei did not know how to rebut his father. All he knew was that something was not right with Long Chen, but he could not put a finger on it. So he left in a rage.


    “Long Chen, I hope you won’t take that to heart. It’s just one of his silly antics. He’s just gotten a bit sensitive because his wife, whom he loved for many years, was killed by the dwarves,” said Chen Feng apologetically as he sat down.


    “It’s fine. I understand,” Long Chen responded with a nod.


    Dongfang Yunxiao had once said that the most terrifying thing in the world was being unable to protect one’s own woman. Long Chen was understanding, given Chen Lei’s past.


    “That is all, then. It’s gettingte, and I humbly request a ce to stay, Old Chen. I will stay on Goldfish Ind for the next few days. When the dwarves arrive, I promise I will fight with all I have!” Long Chen stood up, tugging on Ling Xi, who was still eating pastries.


    “Good, good! This way, please! Right, Long Chen, I have already sent someone to prepare a feast for you ...”


    “There’s no need for that. Old Chen, this is an emergency situation after all. If you have any food, you can send it directly to my room. You only need to send enough to fill Ling Xi’s belly,” Long Chen said with a smile, pinching Ling Xi’s cheek.


    Since Ling Xi had turned into a normal person thanks to the Profound Heavenly Jade Lotus, Long Chen had started stockpiling food in his Universe Pouch.


    Chen Feng had prepared an elegant bamboo house for Long Chen. After showing him to his quarters, Chen Feng left. Dinner was delivered two hourster, and the host left after Long Chen and the others finished their meal.


    The trio remained in the tiny house. Xiang howled, then he left the room knowingly. He did not forget to close the door for Long Chen when he walked out.


    “Brother Chen, is it inconvenient to have me around?” Ling Xi asked anxiously, tugging at the corner of his sleeve.


    When cultivators started to cultivate, their main energy source was the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth, and their reliance on food would decrease. Long Chen only ate when he wanted to taste delicious food. However, right now, food provided Ling Xi with energy to live. That was why she had asked him this question, because Long Chen had been preparing food for her daily.


    “Silly girl, don’t you feel loved like this?” Long Chen grinned and patted her pink cheek.


    Ever since the Star Devil Prison incident, Ling Xi’s personality had started to change. She seemed to be more reserved, and Long Chen could see a hint of worry in her gaze.


    “Xiao Xi, are you worried about something?” he asked.


    “Me? No.”


    “Then why are you sulking? You look like a miserable auntie!” Long Chenughed.


    “<i>You’re </i>the miserable auntie! I’m not!” huffed Ling Xi.


    ***


    It was a cool night.


    “I can’t sleep,” said Ling Xi, who was lying in Long Chen’s arms.


    “Really?”


    “Mhm.”


    “I have this nagging feeling that there’s something strange with that mountain. Xiang also felt it, I think. But I didn’t want to leave you here. Since you can’t sleep, I’ll take you with me,” said Long Chen, sitting up.


    Once Ling Xi put on some thick clothes and tidied herself, Long Chen took her out and called for Xiang, who was some distance away from their quarters. The trio then headed towards the center of Goldfish Ind.


    “Indeed, it’s the aura of a demonic beast. But it is in a deep slumber.” Long Chen noticed this when he approached the mountain. He believed that Chen Feng and the rest were aware that a beast was hiding within Goldfish Ind.


    When they hiked to the peak, there was a smallke filled with emerald-green water.


    Long Chen dipped his hand into theke and took some out. “The water is warm. This beast should be a fire-type beast. A fire-type beast’s beast core will be useful for you, Xiang. Protect Ling Xi while I enter theke to check it out.”


    Xiang gave an <i>a-woo </i>and nodded.


    Ling Xi was currently very weak, so Long Chen had no choice but to be meticulous about keeping her safe. He set Ling Xi aside, gave her a few reminders, then dove into the warmke and disappeared beneath the emerald waters.


    What surprised him was that despite it being a smallke, it was very deep. It took him a long time to reach the bottom. The temperature was very high here, but a strange type of grass grew at the bottom.


    Long Chen looked around the bottom of theke. The heat wasing from underneath. He wanted to check it out, but there was no opening that would allow him to descend directly.


    Of course, he could use brute force to break thekebed, but that would startle the beast, whose strength level was currently unknown. That was why Long Chen would not dare take the risk.


    He scoured thekebed and finally found a small gap between two boulders in a corner next to a wall. Long Chen entered the gap and found that it was a small underwater pool. It was not a deep pool, so he easily floated to the surface and arrived in an underground cave.


    The cave led him downwards.


    <i>It’s very likely that this cave will lead to the beast. </i>With that thought, he had no choice but to be extra cautious and not make a single sound. He descended through the cave; the deeper he went, the hotter it became. About fifty meterster, he realized that the rocks around him had turned fire-red.


    <i>The beast must be just up ahead ...</i>