Chapter 58: Sun Ruohua’s Promise

All things in this world refuse to be confined by humanity.

Even the most cold-blooded and powerful creatures, such as the Cobalt-backed Golden-eyed Crocodile, cannot escape the greatness and selflessness that comes with parenthood.

Yu Yan carefully gathered the remains of the Cobalt-backed Golden-eyed Crocodile and stored them in her Phantom Lotus space.

She had no intention of eating its flesh. Once she left the dungeon, she would find a place in the Little Plant Spirit World to bury it.

This way, it could remain with its three surviving hatchlings forever—though, in the end, its blood and flesh would be absorbed and refined by the Little Plant Spirit World, nourishing the world as it grew.

A trivial matter, really.

Yu Yan nodded confidently, convinced the crocodile would not mind... probably.

Returning to the temporary resting place of the six people and one dog, Yu Yan couldn't help but feel fortunate she had moved everyone further away.

The aftermath of the battle had scattered the fallen leaves and humus, exposing the moist, dark earth beneath. Several saplings had been uprooted; had they been any closer, Sun Ruohua and the others would have suffered.

This group was fragile, their strongest member surprisingly the Chow Chow, Huanhuan!

At least it had awakened its bloodline power and become a first-rank spirit beast.

Of the rest, only Sun Ruohua, who had eaten more than a dozen third-rank Purple Star Dragon Fruits, was somewhat formidable, but none could withstand even a casual earth spike from the sixth-rank Cobalt-backed Golden-eyed Crocodile.

With skills at the Profound level, the sheer surge of spiritual energy unleashed would be enough to tear apart the frail bodies of anything below first rank.

"Yan, you're back!"

Seeing Yu Yan return, Sun Ruohua's eyes lit up.

Supporting the weakened Hu Jianming, she hurried forward, "That big crocodile..."

Yu Yan nodded. "For the next few days, stay nearby. I doubt any foolish creatures will dare attack you." Half-step Earth rank—already close to the pinnacle of power in an A-class dungeon.

Dungeon creatures are, for the most part, inherently cautious.

Unless absolutely necessary, none would dare trespass the territory of a Cobalt-backed Golden-eyed Crocodile.

However, "In three days, the crocodile's aura will fade, and you'll need to find a new place to stay."

"If you want to leave the dungeon..."

Yu Yan paused, considering the strength of these six people and one dog. Defeating Profound rank monsters was pure fantasy. And with seven of them, they'd need to slay seven Profound rank dungeon beasts! Without using the Fire Rhino Horn, even Yu Yan herself couldn't claim to kill seven Profound rank monsters in a short time.

"Well, perhaps it's best to forget it. My advice is to find a secluded corner where high-level creatures rarely appear and lay low."

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"Slowly build your strength and plan for the future."

There was another option—seeking spirit treasures above Profound rank.

But such treasures are always guarded by monsters whose strength would be formidable. Yu Yan did not mention this, lest she give the group false hope and inadvertently lead them to their doom.

"...You're leaving?"

Sun Ruohua caught the hint of departure in Yu Yan's words and was at a loss. "Why?"

The moment she spoke, Sun Ruohua realized it was a foolish question.

Why else? Clearly, they were burdens.

The gap in power between them and Yu Yan's mother-daughter pair was vast. There was no benefit for Yu Yan in keeping them around. They had met by chance, and Yu Yan had already saved them more than once out of kindness. Could they really expect her to play bodyguard indefinitely?

Sun Ruohua flushed.

"Yan, we're holding you back."

But that wasn't quite true.

Yu Yan smiled. Before she'd gone to rescue Sun Ruohua and the others yesterday, she had planned to rest. Saving them and stumbling into the Cobalt-backed Golden-eyed Crocodile's territory, killing a Profound rank dungeon monster by chance, had not delayed her at all.

"Honestly, if I weren't pressed for time, I'd love to spend a few more days with you."

She meant every word.

Yu Yan admired and respected people like Sun Ruohua, even if she herself could not attain such selflessness.

It was said Sun Ruohua had risked conflict with the leadership of Hope Base, nearly getting expelled, to share painstakingly developed wheat fruit cultivation techniques for the benefit of struggling humanity.

Yu Yan herself could never have done such things.

But it was because of people like Sun Ruohua that, in her previous life, Yu Yan did not lose hope completely after her daughter's death. If her parents, family, and Lin Zhe had survived thanks to the spread of wheat fruit cultivation, not perishing in the dungeon world—

Then one day, she might still see her loved ones alive!

With this belief, Yu Yan managed to survive for three years after losing her daughter.

"Sun, thank you."

Sun Ruohua: ???

Sun Ruohua was bewildered. No matter how she looked at it, Yu Yan had no reason to thank her!

On the contrary, she and her husband owed Yu Yan their lives.

Originally, she'd planned to follow Yu Yan and serve her forever to repay the debt of life and care. But she lacked the strength—even the right to stay by Yu Yan's side. To insist on this now would be inconsiderate.

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"Yan, you're quite the joker. It should be my husband and I thanking you."

"Just saying thanks can't express my gratitude. I, Sun Ruohua, will remember your kindness. If we meet again, I'll find a way to repay you in a tangible way."

Though she said so,

Sun Ruohua had little hope of leaving this dungeon alive.

The battle between Yu Yan and the Cobalt-backed Golden-eyed Crocodile had been terrifying, far beyond their ability to resist. If, after Yu Yan left, they encountered another such monster, there would be no escape.

"I'll hold you to that."

Yu Yan said meaningfully, "I hope you remember what you said today."

They would meet again, certainly.

In her previous life, Sun Ruohua had not met Yu Yan, yet had survived to the third year of the dungeon world.

Even after Yu Yan died in the Golden Stream Forest, Sun Ruohua was still alive and well.

That meant even in the A-class dungeon Giant Crocodile Island, ordinary people had a slim chance of survival. Whether others survived, Yu Yan could not be sure; she had not heard much about Song Yi and the rest in her previous life. But Sun Ruohua definitely escaped Giant Crocodile Island alive!

A great person's promise.

In her previous life, Sun Ruohua had never met Yu Yan, nor gained wood-type powers, yet still cultivated wheat fruit.

Now, with wood-type abilities, what new miracles would she create? Yu Yan looked forward to seeing it.

Among Sun Ruohua's group, Yu Yan cared only for her.

After bidding farewell, Yu Yan took her daughter's hand in one, and in the other, the Bloodthirsty Vine binding three young crocodiles. Ignoring their pleas to stay, she quickly vanished from the sight of the six people and one dog.

"Damn, what's so great about that!"

Qu Zi Mo cursed under her breath.

After finally enjoying a day of comfortable dungeon life—food, water, and no terrifying monsters—who would have thought Yu Yan would be so cold and ruthless, abandoning them without a second thought?

Truly, the most poisonous heart is a woman's!

Song Yi was a bit disappointed, but quickly rallied. "My master and the others drew away the bomb ant swarm, but who knows where they are now. Since this place is safe for the next three days, let's use it as a temporary base."

"From here, we'll search the surroundings and see if we can find any trace of my master and the others."

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