CHAPTER 535: CHAPTER 344 THE LEGEND OF FLAME DEMON GROSS

Legend has it, the Flame Demon Gross was originally the ruler of the Molten Lava Crown on the Dragon Sleep Continent.

Later, a Black Iron Dwarf Tribe named Copper Furnace migrated to the Molten Lava Crown to escape the Abyss. Realizing there were abundant geothermal resources underground, they decided to settle there.

From that day, the Copper Furnace Black Iron Tribe and the Flame Demon Gross began a prolonged ten-year struggle.

The struggle between the Copper Furnace Black Iron Tribe and the Flame Demon Gross went on for too long. Many times, the Copper Furnace Tribe considered giving up and seeking another habitat.

Until a Black Iron Dwarf King named Sorondar Copper Furnace emerged, leading the Black Iron Dwarves to defeat the Flame Demon Gross and secure the victory.

After the Flame Demon Gross died, its ashes scattered beneath the Molten Lava Crown, seeking an opportunity to revive.

Before Sorondar Copper Furnace passed away, he feared that the Flame Demon Gross would make a comeback and destroy the kingdom that the Copper Furnace Tribe had built over half the world. Thus, he used his last strength to seal the ashes of the Flame Demon Gross underground.

Such is the legend of the Flame Demon Gross and the Black Iron Dwarf Kingdom.

Lu Heng had heard this legend, but it only spread two years after the Abyss Descent.

Unexpectedly, the Gros Embers have appeared now.

The volcanic ash transported by this sunken ship contains Gros Embers, which is why it will ignite and form conscious flames once set on fire.

Understanding this, Lu Heng finally realized why the Black Iron Dwarves wanted to dump this volcanic ash into the Tidal Sea.

The Black Iron Dwarves must have wanted to dispose of the embers of the Flame Demon Gross into the deep sea, believing this could prevent its revival.

...

Lu Heng immediately returned to the Sea Demon Clan Temple to find High Priestess Sona, and upon meeting, he said: "I know what the volcanic ash is, take me to the place where the Black Iron Dwarves dump the ash."

High Priestess Sona furrowed her brow in thought, gazing sharply at Lu Heng, and only after a moment did she nod in agreement: "Alright. I’ll take you, hoping you truly have a way to resolve this crisis."

This time, Sona did not dispatch guards to escort Lu Heng to the destination but led the team in person.

Lu Heng, with a group of ten people, followed the Sea Demon Clan’s team through the Deep Freeze Sea Trench to the deepest part of the Tidal Sea.

High Priestess Sona floated in the seawater, pointing downward: "It’s right below here, the deepest part of the Deep Freeze Trench, you might not be able to go down."

As she spoke, she raised her hand to release a bubble that enveloped Lu Heng and his companions, then she led the way downward.

The deeper they went, the cooler the water became, dropping from twenty degrees to just over ten degrees after diving six thousand meters.

Nearing the seabed, Lu Heng finally glimpsed the seabed’s situation.

There was a sunken area on the seabed, currently filled with a lot of black soil, which was clearly wet volcanic ash.

Not all volcanic ash contained Gros Embers, but some did.

The Black Iron Dwarves seemingly couldn’t extract the Gros Embers from the volcanic ash, so they simply transported the excavated volcanic ash here to dump it.

With the bubble covering, Lu Heng could speak: "Why do the Black Iron Dwarves dump the volcanic ash here?"

High Priestess Sona paused, then replied with a question: "Didn’t you say you know what the volcanic ash is?"

"If I’m not mistaken, the volcanic ash contains Gros Embers." Lu Heng voiced his suspicion.

High Priestess Sona nodded to confirm: "From this perspective, you indeed know part of the truth. Let me tell you the remaining part.

"This place is called the Deep Freeze Trench, the coldest spot in the Tidal Sea.

"Ten years ago, the seabed here was covered in ice all year round, and the sea temperature could reach below minus three to four degrees.

"But now, do you see any ice layers?

Lu Heng realized what it meant.

Dumping the Gros Embers here by the Black Iron Dwarves actually increased the nearby seawater temperature by more than ten degrees.

The Gros Embers managed to heat the seawater, and had it not been dumped into the deep sea, what would have happened?

It’s likely the Flame Demon Gross would have already revived, and even if not fully, some embers would have.

No wonder the Black Iron Dwarves would rather confront the Sea Demon Clan than not dump the volcanic ash into the sea, they were making a choice for survival.

The ashes of the Flame Demon Gross had been buried beneath the Black Iron Dwarf Kingdom for a century, and once awakened, one can only imagine the fate awaiting the Black Iron Dwarf Kingdom.

Without a means to deal with the Flame Demon Gross, the Black Iron Dwarves had no choice but to excavate Gros’s embers and find a cold place to dump them.

So they chose the coldest spot in the Tidal Sea.

But the Black Iron Dwarves never expected that dumping Gros Embers into the Deep Freeze Trench would increase the seawater temperature here.

Lu Heng thought of this and questioned: "So, did the seawater temperature in the Sea Demon Clan territory increase as well?"

High Priestess Sona sighed, a bubble emerging from her mouth, as she nodded her answer: "Yes, the temperature in the sea area we inhabit rose by two degrees over ten years, do you realize what a drastic change this is for us?"

Lu Heng certainly understood.

To draw a comparison, the environmental changes facing the Sea Demon Clan are similar to the greenhouse effect on Blue Star.

Humans are trying various methods to manage the climate changes caused by the greenhouse effect globally.

The Sea Demon Clan’s situation is more severe, as changes in seawater temperature have broader impacts than atmospheric temperature changes.