Chapter 13

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The mountains were closely clustered together, and the green forests were as vast as the ocean.

The expedition team from Mingjing University were all dressed in professional mountaineering gear as they traversed the area, following their guide’s directions.

The person leading the team, Professor Wang Hongen, had the most experience out of all of them. He walked at the very front of the group with the guide.

A bunch of young students followed behind Wang Hongen. These students all had excited expressions on their faces. They were full of curiosity for everything around them.

The person at the very back of the group was Professor Xu Yin. She was almost thirty years old and was very alluring. Even the bulky mountaineering gear couldn’t hide her svelte figure.

The male students in the team would frequently steal glances at Xu Yin. Not only was Xu Yin beautiful and alluring, but she had a mature, gentle, and knowledgeable air about her—something the female students didn’t have.

“These bunch of people all have shifty gazes. None of them are good men.”

Wei Zhenzhen, who was walking beside Xu Yin, pouted as she said, “Sister Yin, don’t be bothered by them.”

Wei Zhenzhen was only eighteen years old. Even though she’d already been admitted into Mingjing University, she had to wait until September before she was truly a student there.

She was Xu Yin’s relative and had come out here with the expedition team to play. Wei Zhenzhen became very disappointed and heartbroken when she saw the lecherous looks her seniors had.

Xu Yin said, amused, “It’s natural to be attracted to the opposite sex. That’s human nature. What can I do? Forbid them from looking at me?”

“It’s fine to look at a beautiful lady, but why do it so furtively?”

But Wei Zhenzhen was more disappointed in how the male students weren’t looking at her. They were all stealing glances at Xu Yin. How could she satisfy her pride as a beautiful young lady?

Xu Yin dotingly patted Wei Zhenzhen on the head. She knew what a teenage girl like her was thinking about.

Wei Zhenzhen was used to being the center of attention, yet here she didn’t receive that type of treatment. It was only natural that she’d feel a little disappointed.

Wei Zhenzhen, who was young and lively, was also extremely beautiful. However, there were plenty of young, lively women on campus. Thus, comparatively, she didn’t really stand out.

Furthermore, Wei Zhenzhen was putting herself at a disadvantage by standing next to Xu Yin.

Xu Yin was about to console Wei Zhenzhen when a commotion suddenly came from the front, and everyone became a little more excited, as if they’d seen something.

Wei Zhenzhen liked the commotion. She anxiously jumped and hopped to the front and immediately saw the lady on the hill.

The lady’s processed wolf hide looked very crass. Her bulky clothes were made from wolf hide and made her look extremely bloated.

The lady also had a giant hunting bow in her hands and a machete at her waist. There were even a few leaves in her hair.

This lady from the mountains seemed primitive and crass, yet her facial features were exceptionally alluring.

This was especially so of her temperament, which showed in the curve of her eybrows—transparent as water, cold as ice, and extremely chaste.

The group of young men and women who’d come from the city were all dazed. Even Professor Xu Yin, who had seen much of the world, was shocked.

An ancient verse suddenly sprang into her mind: A flair of nobility and purity unmatched amongst her generation.

The White Dragon Mountain Range was a high-altitude area. The people here were all fair, tall, and slender. The work of genetics.

However, this young lady’s cold, noble, and chaste demeanor was a little different from the primordial, barbaric temperament typical of the people in this wilderness.

In terms of appearance, the young lady’s facial features weren’t as exquisite as Wei Zhenzhen’s. However, in terms of demeanor, the young lady triumphed over all of the girls in the expedition team.

Professor Wang Hongen also felt that the young lady was a little strange. He glanced at the middle-aged guide. The guide shook his head and said, “I’ve never seen her before. However, there are a few dozen tribes of various sizes in this area of the mountains. They don’t have dealings with each other and live lives cut off from the outside world.”

Wang Hongen nodded at Xu Yin, motioning for her to head over the lady to ask what was going on.

Xu Yin was the teacher in charge of the group. She was also a woman, which made it more suitable for her to establish a rapport with the other party.

Xu Yin walked a few steps forward, then greeted, “Hello, we are an expedition team from Mingjing University. My name is Xu Yin. Can I ask what yours is? Also, is this the Red Dragon Volcano?”

“My name is Yun Qingshang.”

The young lady was Yun Qingshang. She had seen the expedition team a long time ago and had been waiting here for them per Gao Xuan’s instructions.

Yun Qingshang pointed to the east and said, “If you want to find the volcano that just erupted, it’s in that direction. It’s a few dozen miles away from here.”

Yun Qingshang spoke in the standard language of the alliance. Her voice was clear and soothing to the ear.

The group of boys from Mingjing University were all staring right at Yun Qingshang. The crass wolf hide clothing accentuated how beautiful and alluring she was.

There were exquisite beauties all around the city, but it was rare to come across a woman with such a cold, chaste demeanor.

Wei Zhenzhen couldn’t care less when she noticed how smitten the boys around her were. She thought that she was more beautiful than Yun Qingshang, yet no one was looking at her. Those boys were all fools!

However, Xu Yin took a fancy to Yun Qingshang. It was easy to dote on such a pure young lady. She gave a friendly smile. “Thank you.”

Wang Hongen looked at the smartwatch on his wrist. The coordinates of the erupted volcano were clearly marked on the three-dimensional map

Even the radius of the mountain fires was noted clearly on the map.

However, the terrain in the mountains was extremely complex, and there was a myriad of ferocious beasts and poisonous insects. The guide also wasn’t as familiar with this area, which made it such that the group had to travel slowly.

Wang Hongen waved to Yun Qingshang and said, “Goodbye, young lady.”

He then called to the rest of the group, “Let’s hurry up and try to reach the volcano before dark.”

To them, a few dozen miles wasn’t too great a distance.

Yun Qingshang said calmly, “Even though the mountain fires have been extinguished, there are still some ashes that haven’t been completely put out yet. It’d be easy for them to ignite again. Recklessly entering the area where the fires have been is very dangerous.”

Wang Hongen deliberated for a moment. He also knew that the areas where the fire had been could easily ignite again. However, he wasn’t too concerned about that. Though, recklessly entering the area would definitely pose some sort of risk.

The guide said, “The grass and roots on the ground have already been reduced to carbon. It looks like the fire has been extinguished, but it could easily reignite again. It’s very dangerous. Professor Wang, we should search for a safe path first to make sure we don’t get hurt.”

The guide stayed in the mountains all year round and knew just how terrifying a mountain fire could be. Once the area where the fire had been was reignited, the thick billows of smoke could suffocate anyone who was in the area.

Wang Hongen looked at Xu Yin. “Professor Xu, what do you think about this?”

“We have time. We don’t have to hurry. Let’s find a place to set up camp first, then decide on our course of action after we’ve assessed the situation.”

As the professor leading the team, Xu Yin was responsible for the dozen students they’d brought along. Naturally, she wanted to go about things as safely as possible.

“All right.”

Even though Wang Hongen was anxious to enter the area where the volcano was, it wouldn’t be appropriate to risk his students’ safety.

Xu Yin smiled at Yun Qingshang. “Qingshang, is there a suitable place to set up camp nearby?”

“There’s a spot at my house.”

Yun Qingshang pointed behind her. “A few miles from here. Follow me.”

Yun Qingshang didn’t care if Xu Yin agreed or not. She turned around and left.

“Professor Wang?”

Wang Hongen was the real leader of the expedition team. Even though Xu Yin was willing to follow Yun Qingshang, she had to ask Wang Hongen for his opinion first.

“She’s already extended a warm invitation. Let’s follow her.”

Wang Hongen didn’t mind. It was best if there was a place for them to rest in. He wasn’t worried that Yun Qingshang would play any tricks on them.

The group of male students became excited. They huddled together and quietly engaged in a discussion.

An Hui, who was very handsome, said mysteriously, “I heard that many tribes here still retain several traditional customs, the most famous being having their wives entertain the guests!”

Peng Yuanshan, who had an honest-looking face, asked curiously, “What do you mean by having their wives entertain the guests?”

“You dummy. It means that the wives are in charge of satisfying the guests,” a lad with an oily complexion smiled as he answered.

Peng Yuanshan was dumbfounded. His innocence was shattered. Such a thing existed?

“There’s a logic behind it. Primordial tribes had few members, and marriage was arranged between members within the tribe. Because of this, the next generation often had defects. So, they needed fresh blood. That’s why such a custom was developed.”

An Hui knew a few things. He explained, “From the perspective of mating, this practice is very scientific.”

Zhou Jun, the boy with the oily complexion, said boastfully, “That Yun Qingshang sure is beautiful. I’m willing to donate my blood to her free of charge.”

“Dream on.”

Peng Yunshan was a little unhappy. He had developed a liking for Yun Qingshang, and what Zhou Jun had said was a direct insult against his goddess.

“Look at how spineless you are. You’ve regarded her as your goddess since the moment you first saw her, haven’t you!?”

Zhou Jun shook his head disdainfully. “Don’t women exist to be played with? It’s because there are so many lackeys like you in the world that women think they’re superior!”

Zhou Jun then said, a little conceitedly, “With my exquisite city aura, don’t you think I can make a wild girl who’s never seen the world submit to me?!”

“Dream on. She won’t take a fancy to someone like you.”

An Hui patted Zhou Jun on his head. “Are you as handsome as me? Are you as rich as me? Are you as talented as me? Are you as powerful as me?”

Filled with self-confidence, he said, “Yun Qingshang is mine. You guys shouldn’t pine after her.”

Zhou Jun paled in comparison to An Hui in all of those areas. He was at a loss for words.

“Morals…”

Wei Zhenzhen, who was to the side, heard the male students’ conversation, and she couldn’t help but spit, “Scumbags!”

Xu Yin grabbed Wei Zhenzhen’s hand and signaled for her to not talk nonsense.

University students were adults. They could do whatever they wanted in their own time as long as they weren’t breaking the school’s rules or the law.

Even though Xu Yin was the professor in charge of the team, she would never interfere in her students’ personal lives.

However, it was detestable how flippant An Hui and Zhou Jun were.

Xu Yin shook her head internally. These two men thought too highly of themselves. They reeked of superiority from being a teenager in a large city.

Yun Qingshang had a unique air about her. She definitely wasn’t an ordinary girl from a mountain village. Xu Yin didn’t think that these two students could take advantage of her.

Wei Zhenzhen still felt a little indignant. She said, fuming, “I’ll tell Yun Qingshang, lest she be deceived.”

In front, Yun Qingshang had already disappeared, but Wei Zhenzhen wanted to tell Yun Qingshang about the boys’ plans, so she dragged Xu Yin behind her and quickly walked forward.

When the group got up a hill, Wei Zhenzhen saw a giant cavern in front of her.

Yun Qingshang was standing at the entrance of the cavern, and a man was lying on a crude wooden chair beside her. He lazily had his eyes closed. It was obvious that he was sunbathing.

Wei Zhenzhen wasn’t sure how old the man was, nor did she notice what he was wearing. Her attention was drawn to his tightly closed eyes.

She was immediately dazed. She couldn’t believe there existed such a handsome man in this world!

Even Xu Yin, who was mature and knowledgeable, froze when she saw how handsome the man was.

There was an unusual luster in her eyes. She became excited.

This man wasn’t just handsome. There was an air of uninhibited freedom about him. He was like a hermit who’d chosen a life of seclusion in the thick forest. No, he was like a deity who dined on cloud and vapor!