Chapter 16: Hello, Earth Spirit.

  Xia Ya packed up her luggage, leaving the poor bug beside her staring in amazement.

  This guy had all the "spoils of war" on his back, a huge bundle tied with ropes in who-knows-how-many circles. It made Shia look like a human snail carrying this big bundle.

  "Hey." The poor worm couldn't help but remind him, "We're going to find treasure... mountains of gold and silver! What do you want these broken copper and iron things for?"

  Other things are nothing, but that suit of armor which has been split open, this guy also collected it as a treasure.

  "Golden mountains and silver mountains? We haven't even got them yet. Maybe we'll make a trip for nothing and come back empty-handed." Xia Ya showed the typical caution of mountain people: "With these things, if there's no treasure, at least I won't return empty-handed. If we really find the treasure, then we can get rid of these things."

  This guy is not only a country bumpkin but also a miser.

  The poor insect redefined Xia Ya in his heart.

  But still feel moved.

  At least, the white rhinoceros armor stripped from Marsha's body was handed over to Xia by Sha Ya and worn on his body!

  Among the spoils of war, this rhinoceros leather armor is the only intact defensive gear! This turtle actually gave it to himself!

  It seems he is not a complete scoundrel after all.

  Unfortunately, the little worm's heart had only just begun to feel a slight sense of excitement, but it was short-lived and soon dissipated.

  "This suit of armor is only lent to you. I've heard that dragons like shiny things, and if you encounter one, wearing this silver-white armor will attract its attention even more."

  Fine! He's just an asshole!

  The poor worm gnashed its teeth: "Gigi, gigi..."

  Xia Ya, where did he have the mind to understand this guy's mood? He took out that map of Beidao painted by Bi Dali, looked at it carefully for a moment, then snickered coldly twice, and casually tore up the map.

  "Hey! What are you doing?" The poor bug was stunned: "How did you get the map..."

  "It's fake." Xia Ya replied without thinking, and instead looked at Kechong Chong deeply: "You don't really think this map is real, do you?"

  "But..."

  "Hmm. The direction this map is pointing to is west!" Xia Ya's tone was very confident: "But I remember when we were hiding in the tree, that magician took out a compass and looked at the terrain, then he pointed to his companion in the northeast direction! At the time, I thought he was a confused person who got the direction wrong. Now it seems that he is the only one of those four guys who has a brain, so he absolutely did not get the direction wrong, but intentionally pointed his companions in the wrong direction... The direction he pointed to, is where the dragon is!"

  Poor insect stared blankly at Xia Ya...

  This guy looks rough, but who would have thought that he even remembers these details? Originally, it seemed like an unimportant detail, but now that I think about it, it's indeed the case! This fellow may be crude, but he's not stupid.

  "So, in that case, we should head northeast then?"

  Xia Ya thought for a moment, tightened his belt, and adjusted the fire fork inserted at his waist - the position of the fire fork was like the swords worn by mercenaries in Ye Huo Town.

  Then Xia Ya winked at Kui Chong: "Going northeast is correct... but I have a question to ask you."

  "What?"

  "Have you ever seen a land spirit in your life?"

  The poor bug's face turned white instantly! In the Wildfire Plains, the earth elementals were a group of guys even more feared than dwarves! Because although dwarves had bad tempers, at least they didn't eat people!

  And the ghouls, numerous and filthy, are more detestable than rats. What's worse, they not only eat human flesh but also grind your bones into powder... Even the fat on your body will be rendered into oil and stored in ceramic jars as their winter provisions!

  "No..." The poor worm hastily shook its head.

  "Congratulations then." Xia Ya sighed, "If we're unlucky, you'll be seeing these 'adorable' guys soon enough." He pointed eastward with his hand: "That direction is where the Earth Elementals gather."

  ……

  All the way northeast, Xia Ya didn't treat the poor worm badly - in fact, the poor worm was treated quite well.

  Because of his leg injury, Xia Ya didn't make him walk, instead he shouldered the giant shield and let Poor Bug sit on it.

  The poor insect didn't feel even a bit moved... because it was very clear in its heart that this turtle treated itself like a fisherman would take care of the bait that lured them. Moreover, this guy's strength was frighteningly great, just like an ancient monster, and yet his build was only slightly more robust than usual, but who would have thought that such astonishing power was hidden within this body!

  It was hidden before, but unfortunately, the poor worm saw Xia Ya pull up a big tree with its roots. This point, even those skilled guards around him before, no one can do it.

  And he even killed a ferocious bloodthirsty giant wolf with his bare hands. This guy, is really a brave warrior that I have never seen before... If he wasn't so rough and also dared to treat me like this, considering he saved my life, maybe when I get back, I'll be in a good mood and might even try to help him get a good social status.

  But now... Hmph!

  The poor worm felt its teeth itching again.

  After going back, catch him and throw him into the workshop to push the millstone! Hmph...

  Xia Ya didn't know that the poor worm sitting on her shoulder had already regarded itself as a donkey in her family.

  As we headed northeast, the trees in the forest gradually became fewer and farther between, no longer dense and lush. The grass on the ground also became dry and sparse.

  The ground underfoot was getting harder and harder, and the rough gravel was increasing.

  Gradually, the trees around became fewer and the terrain began to flatten out. However, what lay before one's eyes was a desolate and barren expanse that stretched as far as the eye could see.

  On this vast expanse, the ground beneath my feet seems to be a faint red color, with little mud and mostly coarse sandstone. Looking around, there's hardly any greenery in sight, only occasional wild plants with thorns growing stubbornly in the cracks of rocks, scattered across the surface.

  "Further ahead, I'm afraid even these thorns won't be visible." Xia Ya said in a low voice: "Do you see the red earth on this land?"

  "Hmm." The poor insect nodded.

  "In fact, in the strict sense of the word, this is where the real 'Wildfire Plains' begin." Xia Ya seemed to smile slightly, but his eyes held a strange emotion hidden within, which the poor insect sitting on his shoulder couldn't see.

  "...Why? Why is this place considered the true Wildfire Plains?" Kechou Bug was puzzled: "Don't count the forest we walked through before?"

  "It's not, but it is." Xia Ya's reply was somewhat ambiguous: "However, the true Wildfire Plains have an ancient legend. Legend has it that a long, long time ago, a rebel army was besieged by the armies of the Byzantine and Odin empires here. The leader of that rebel army was an extremely formidable general. Just as victory seemed impossible, he used some sort of mysterious method to set fire to the entire region, burning a vast area for a very long time. Everyone on this land was burned to death, even the stones and soil turned red... From then on, this place has been known as Wildfire Plains."

  The poor insect was stunned, looking around for a long time before letting out a sigh: "You're telling the truth, the soil here is indeed red... but can mud be burned red too?"

  Xia Ya seemed to smile, his tone somewhat strange: "If... added with blood, it should be able to burn red."

  "......" The poor worm stuck out its tongue: "Fresh blood... to dye such a vast wilderness red, how much fresh blood is needed?"

  He paused for a moment, and then asked pitifully: "Who told you this legend? I've never heard of it before."

  "......" Xia Ya fell silent for a moment, then said in a nearly calm tone: "My foster father, when I was young and sick, he would sit by my bed and tell me these messy legends."

  Although Xia Ya's tone was calm, Kechen Bug sensitively heard a hint of unusual emotion in his voice. After hesitating for a moment, Kechen Bug didn't speak again, as if he also vaguely felt that asking anything at this time seemed inappropriate.

  Xia Ya remained silent and continued to carry the poor worm forward for a while.

  At this moment, the two of them had already completely entered into the vast wilderness, surrounded by large expanses of red sandstone, and even the air seemed to hold a desolate and lonely flavor.

  Just then, the poor worm suddenly shook his body and pointed to a red rock in the distance: "Ah! There! It seems like there's something over there, it just moved and flashed behind! It looks like someone is peeking at us!!"

  Xia Ya's reaction was lukewarm: "Huh, you just noticed? From the moment we stepped into this wilderness, they've been staring at us... Don't be so shocked, just wave your hand and say hello, hehe, this is a memorable moment! You finally saw a living Leaper!"

  Still soliciting votes~~ Voting for books is a matter of integrity~~