Chapter 46

**Chapter 46: A Daring Plunder!*

A minute ago

"Wow, this Ecstasy Powder is really potent," Xiao Ning muttered to himself as he watched the scene below.

Just moments after he had sprinkled the powder, the beasts below began to sway unsteadily, some collapsing to the ground.

Although the more powerful beasts were still conscious, they were struggling to keep their eyes open and were on the verge of fainting.

However, it was clear that they needed a few more minutes to be completely subdued.

Xiao Ning glanced at the distant battlefield, and a sense of urgency welled up within him.

Under normal circumstances, he could afford to wait those three to five minutes, but now, time was of the essence. Every moment he hesitated, the chances of completing his plan and escaping unscathed diminished.

The cave was only a few miles away from the intense battle between Yun Yun and the Amethyst Winged Lion King.

If Xiao Ning were to engage in a fight with the beasts below, it would undoubtedly attract the attention of the Lion King, leading to disastrous consequences.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Ning grabbed another handful of the powder and scattered it into the air.

The powder, carrying a faint fragrance, quickly dissipated and became invisible, blending with the wind.

Finally, the beasts below couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed one after another.

Seizing this opportunity, Xiao Ning activated the Kunpeng treasure technique, lightening his body and moving swiftly. He descended from his perch above the cave, landing softly without making a sound.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he hunched over and rushed towards the cave entrance, disappearing from sight in an instant.

Inside the cave, the light was not as dim as Xiao Ning had anticipated.

The walls were dotted with naturally formed purple crystals, which, while beautiful, also had significant monetary value.

But Xiao Ning had no time to admire the scenery; he sprinted deeper into the cave.

The only sounds were his faint footsteps echoing through the tunnel.

The deeper he ventured, the more winding the passage became.

After a short while, he encountered a fork in the path.

Frowning, Xiao Ning recalled the contents of the original work, then decisively chose the right-hand passage.

He moved cautiously, ensuring that his footsteps were as quiet as possible.

In his hand, he clutched the sachet containing the last bit of Ecstasy Powder.

In the original story, the left passage led to the chamber where the Amethyst Source was kept, while the right passage led to the dwelling of the Amethyst Winged Lion King, along with its offspring, the young Lion King.

Xiao Ning chose to head toward the Lion King's dwelling first because, in order to open the Amethyst Source and extract its energy, he would need a Purple Spirit Crystal.

The outer shell of the Amethyst Source was incredibly tough.

In the original story, even Yao Lao had to exert considerable effort to break it open.

However, with the Purple Spirit Crystal, the shell could be easily cracked with just a light tap, like breaking an egg.

Xiao Ning was cautious, knowing that his actions had triggered a butterfly effect.

In the original story, Xiao Yan had entered the cave a few days later when the young Lion King was asleep, which allowed him to steal the Purple Spirit Crystal.

Now, Xiao Ning was acting ahead of schedule, and the outcomes were unpredictable.

While the young Lion King, at just the third level, was no match for Xiao Ning, any disturbance could alert its father outside.

And with the cave's gourd-shaped entrance, escape would be nearly impossible if he was caught inside.

After advancing for a while, the passage opened up into a larger chamber.

Pressing himself against the cave entrance, Xiao Ning cautiously peered inside.

The chamber was almost entirely filled with amethyst, and his gaze locked onto a small figure that suddenly turned to face him.

It was the young Amethyst Winged Lion King.

For a split second, both Xiao Ning and the young Lion King were startled. Xiao Ning immediately recognized the creature.

Without hesitation, he darted forward, closing the distance in an instant.

Before the young Lion King could react, Xiao Ning flung the sachet at its face, releasing the powder directly into its eyes and nose.

The young Lion King, having never encountered such a threat before, was slow to comprehend what was happening.

Being the offspring of the king of the eastern Warcraft Mountain Range, it had never been challenged or attacked since birth.

It wasn't until Xiao Ning was right in front of it, sprinkling powder, that it realized the intruder's hostile intent.

But by then, it was too late.

The powder took effect almost immediately in the confined space.

With a final breath, the young Lion King's legs gave way, and it collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"Phew, that was close," Xiao Ning exhaled in relief, wiping the cold sweat from his brow. Only then did he take a moment to fully observe the chamber.

The walls were adorned with large clusters of amethyst, giving the space a luxurious appearance.

However, Xiao Ning had no time to admire the decor.

He quickly moved to the central area, where the ground dipped slightly, forming a natural basin.

He squatted down and tapped the ground lightly in various spots.

Soon, he found what he was looking for a hollow spot beneath the surface.

A smile of satisfaction spread across his face.

He struck the ground with a powerful punch, creating a white crack in the amethyst floor, then continued striking until the crystal shattered.

Inside the cavity was an irregularly shaped Purple Spirit Crystal, its surface gleaming with a mysterious light.

Xiao Ning quickly snatched it up, noting its cool touch. There was no time to ponder its properties now. He sprinted back towards the passage.

Reaching the fork again, Xiao Ning took the left passage. Before long, he arrived at a small chamber where a large purple sphere was connected to a crystal stone platform.

"This must be the Amethyst Source. No wonder…"

Xiao Ning murmured, even more eager as he sensed the immense energy contained within it.

Without wasting a second, Xiao Ning retrieved a large bottle from his ring.

Gripping the Purple Spirit Crystal, he struck the sphere with it.

Instantly, a crack appeared on the sphere's surface.

Xiao Ning's face lit up with excitement.

He struck the sphere a few more times, and soon a small hole opened up.

Quickly, he held the bottle to the opening, collecting the purple liquid that began to flow out.

The Amethyst Source, although large, contained surprisingly little liquid.

By the time Xiao Ning's bottle was almost full, his excitement had waned slightly.

But just as he was about to finish, he heard footsteps rapidly approaching from behind, accompanied by an angry roar.

The young Amethyst Winged Lion King had woken up!