Chapter 1154: Fireworks and Sparkling Lights

Zu'an continuously summoned strong winds to teleport, while Yu Yanluo’s paintbrush granted them a "light as a swallow" aura. They sped through the mine, moving a third faster than their usual pace.

Unfortunately, no matter their speed, the scale-mimicking death worm showed no signs of being shaken off; in fact, it was getting closer.

Seeing the wall behind them rapidly bulge and churn, it was clear the scale-mimicking death worm was tunneling rapidly through the earth.

Their speed had reached its limit, but unfortunately, their opponent was too agile underground and could travel in a straight line, unlike them who had to navigate the winding mine shafts.

In three breaths, at most, their pursuer would catch them.

"A'Zu, I've dragged you into this. You go first." A determined look flashed in Yu Yanluo's eyes. She intended to stay behind and cover their retreat, buying Zu'an a slim chance of survival, otherwise they would both die here.

For no matter how she calculated, neither of them was a match for the terrifying worm.

Her eyes glowed red as she decided to burn her Medusa bloodline without reservation. Although she couldn't kill the monstrous worm, it should buy them some time.

Just as she was about to push Zu'an away, his hand gripped hers tightly.

"Don't be silly," Zu'an shook his head.

Yu Yanluo grew anxious; if this continued, they would both die together.

Just then, she suddenly heard him sing, "Floating along, floating along, floating with delight, winding through the tunnels, breath silent and light..."

The melody was extremely strange; it seemed like a song, yet she, despite her vast experience, had never heard anything like it.

Yet, it sounded incredibly invigorating.

Immediately after, their bodies suddenly accelerated, moving untold times faster than before. The mine tunnel before them seemed no longer an obstacle but a cover. Their turns defied common sense, as if they were free of inertia.

If they were merely running in the mine shaft before, now they were completely drifting.

In a few blinks of an eye, they shook off the scale-mimicking death worm. Zu'an then pulled her into the shadows, where they hid once more.

Not long after, a scratching sound echoed nearby, and the earth elements violently shifted, clearly indicating the monstrous worm was pursuing them.

However, it did not linger nearby but continued further away.

Feeling the terrifying aura gradually vanish, Yu Yanluo finally let out a sigh of relief. She couldn't help but ask Zu'an, "A'Zu, what was that ability you just used? It's a bit like an orc battle song... Huh, A'Zu, what's wrong?"

At that moment, Zu'an was drenched in sweat, utterly pale, and his breathing seemed uneven.

"It's nothing, just a bit of a side effect," Zu'an forced a smile. In that life-or-death crisis, he had decisively used his "Key Come" ability.

Having used it several times, he understood that this ability must be used in moderation; one must not overdo it, or they would turn to ash before achieving their goal.

His first thought had been Fei Yu-ching's song "A Thousand Miles Away," to send the monstrous worm a thousand miles away. However, he immediately realized he couldn't bear the consequences, so he switched to Jay Chou's "Drifting." It now seemed the backlash was still within an acceptable range.

He also didn't understand why he had sung. Perhaps it was the sense of "drifting" he felt while moving through the mine shafts just now?

"What side effect? How can you be fine when you're sweating so much?" Yu Yanluo said, wiping his sweat, then suddenly realized, "Is this a Dragon Clan's Word Spirit Art?"

"Something like that," Zu'an nodded. In the past, even if he didn't faint from the backlash, he would have felt extremely nauseous and uncomfortable. But after condensing his spirit, he could consume a certain amount of mental energy to withstand the backlash. His current state was much better than before; at least he retained his combat effectiveness.

Yu Yanluo said worriedly, "The Dragon Clan's Word Spirit Art has always been a forbidden technique. Though powerful, it comes with a steep price, often requiring the burning of one's lifespan. Only dragons can afford to use it. You are human, and human lifespan..."

As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. This man was willing to burn his own life for her.

Zu'an chuckled wryly, "I had no other choice in that situation. If you feel guilty, just give me a kiss. One kiss should let me live one more day..."

He hadn't finished speaking when her sweet kisses rained down on him.

Zu'an was startled, then felt a warmth spread through his heart.

Since they had met, Yu Yanluo had always been calm and composed, rarely losing her composure like this.

With her vast experience, she certainly knew such a kiss couldn't increase lifespan. Yet, she still believed it without hesitation...

Zu'an suddenly felt a bit like a scoundrel. He quickly pulled her into an embrace and began to explain, "Actually, I don't need to burn my life..."

Due to their position, he instinctively leaned back against the wall, which suddenly collapsed behind them.

Zu'an was startled, his first reaction being that the scale-mimicking death worm had attacked from behind. However, he immediately realized it was just an underground passage or space behind the wall.

They tumbled down in a heap, rolling over and over.

The scale-mimicking death worm, which had been heading into the distance, suddenly stopped and looked back in the direction where the two had been.

Just as it was about to turn back and strike, a powerful energy fluctuation suddenly erupted further away. It seemed two powerful entities were locked in a life-and-death struggle.

Compared to those two "ants," this powerful energy held a fatal attraction for it.

So it twisted its body, vanished into the earth, and hurried toward the source of the energy burst.

Meanwhile, Zu'an held Yu Yanluo tightly. After passing through a narrow, long passage, they finally landed with a thump.

"Are you alright?" Zu'an asked, while cautiously surveying their surroundings.

Unlike the man-made mine shafts outside, this seemed to be a natural cave.

Logically, being deeper, it should have been darker, but a soft red glow emanated everywhere, as if torches were placed all around.

"You protected me so well, how could I be hurt?" Yu Yanluo said, thoughtfully brushing dust off him. Then, noticing his silence, she instinctively looked up and was also stunned.

Because not far away, there was something that looked like both a tree and a flower, entirely red, and faintly flickering with flames.

All around were glistening primeval stone ores. Near the tree were some special jades, glowing with a crystal-clear red.

"Wuyang Jade!" Zu'an exclaimed excitedly. He had obtained a few pieces from Yu Yanluo before, and he had been thinking about upgrading Daji these past few days; this was the very material he lacked.

"This is a Fire Tree Silver Flower," Yu Yanluo said, also surprised. "In all these years, it's been discovered in the mining area only a handful of times. I can't believe there's one here."

"We've even turned misfortune into a blessing," Zu'an said. Just as he was about to go collect the ores, she held him back.

"Be careful!"