To my readers, before I start today, I would like to beg your forgiveness, as owing to exams i had an irregular release this last few days. I know how frustrating and disappointing you felt, but I am also grateful to you all for bearing with my selfishness, as such I promise to release a few bonus chapters in the coming weak as a reward for your patience. Thank you all and without further ado here is today's chapter and as always if you like it please comment or give a review, if you have some complain please free to comment, I will try to rectify my wrong doings to the best of my abilities.
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Half a day had passed the group had already amassed a total of more than 30,000 points they just finished a nest of snakes.
Veronica was busy patching up Ruth and Han, she had just finished patching up others, the most difficult was treating the poison, because getting bitten by multiple snakes can be very deadly.
Long Yu aka Ryuu proved very helpful, he quickly identified the type of poisons and collected the required herbs for treatment correctly, thus saving their lives. Bashista, was very grateful to Long Yu, a few moments ago he thought he might lose his beloved wife, but because of their newest member she survived, hell she is laughing and joking as if nothing happened. Then there was the 'wonder boy 'himself, the queen of the nest herself had doused him completely with her poison, yet here he is helping them by gathering all various medical plants and herbs which saved their lives. 'Is he even human', only to slap himself mentally, 'what is wrong with me he saved the life of my beloved, if not for him she would be dead, now I am even doubting him I am ashamed such thoughts crossed my mind.'
Long Yu: "I am fine for the last time, see all the cuts and bruises had been cleaned and bandaged already.", as he pouted towards Veronica and Jessie who had been fussing about his health.
Jack: "Yeah Vero, Sis cut the poor kid some slack plus getting a few scars is manly.", as he winked at Long Yu, who giggled at his response.
Jessie: "Shut up idiot you were not the one who was drenched in a poison by a 'Crowned Viper', not just a simple snake but a 2nd rank Wanxiang Adept, the 'Queen' of the nest, he shook it off like it was nothing before killing her, not to mention all those snakes that bit him, hell we had near death experience, specially Tina, her was the worst she was closest to Long Yu, and only had breathed in the noxious fumes of the poison she almost died, but he survived and later on saved us, the least we could do is make sure he is completely fine.", she finished her rant with a huff.
Jack raised his hands in a manner to signify his surrender, "I give up I give up, but sis he might have some secret because of which he might have survived, it is his secret to keep, so stop pestering him, if he says he is alright then he is."
Ruth: "Sorry Jessie but your brother is right Lady Mei might have given him some kind of protective talisman which saved his life so you do not have to worry about him, but at the same time Veronica is doing a splendid job of bandaging and healing I believe he will be alright."
Jessie sighed at him in defeat.
Long Yu: "Granny Mei did not give me ant protective talisman, as such I can assure you I never used any talisman or any special techniques to survive the poison bath."
At that everyone was curious but it would be rude and uncultured to ask of Long Yu how he survived if he himself did not answer the question of his own violation.
Long Yu: "Well about it I do not know how to answer it", he fidgeted in his place as he tried to fork out an answer.
Bashista: "Brother you do not have to answer if you feel uncomfortable, we all have our secrets, so do not worry about it.", the others nodded it in support.
Long Yu took a deep breath before he began," Actually to tell you all the truth, I myself do not know how I survived, when the snake drenched me in poison, I felt my skin burning, my eyes watering in irritation, but I survived, how and why I do not know but I will get to the bottom of it .", he finished his voice showing clear determination.
Everyone around him had inclined forward to hear his secret only to face fault on hearing his answer.
Jack stood up with anger in his face, "You stinking brat, I am only 28 years old, 28!!!!!!!!!"
Ryuu snorted at that, "I am only 7 you are so old, at least four times older than me and who are you calling stinking brat, I jumped into that pond and washed up all those bad smelling stuff covering me."
Han stepped between two, "STOP. TIME MOVING. A FEW POINTS. LET US FINISH."
Bashista, "Han is right we have to move there are a few more points left to gather before we move on to the next biome. Brother Long thank you for protecting my wife and our lives."
Long Yu blushed being praised so he replied bashfully, "It is nothing it is nothing you do not have to thank me, anyone would have done such a thing."
The shadow wolves smiled at him, then quickly picked their things and left the clearing.
Meanwhile Long Yu narrowed his eyes, as he looked at the small lake where he jumped off to wash of the poison from his body, although he put up a brave face he knew how much the poison hurt him, he felt as if his entire skin was burning, his throat felt parched, his eyes were burning. The lake was completely devoid of life, the poison had killed of all its inhabitants, the poison was so strong that a few birds who tried to catch some of this fishes, died immediately. Long Yu gulped at that he would have to consult with his masters regarding this incident.
Meanwhile, unknown to them not only Ryuu's elder sisters but his masters as well as his mother were keeping an eye on him.
Antariskh: "Seems like all those medicines mother and you sneaked into his food, showed its result.
Shamiran: "Yup I am pleased with the pleased with the result, and I think if his body builds a little bit more immunity towards poison then mother Veena and I will be able to perform that on him."
Sylvana: "I cannot wait to see that day."
Xiao Xiao: "If not for those medicines my baby boy would have died today.", she shivered at the thought of it getting drenched in Crowned Viper's poison is a very painful way to die.
Veena: "I am glad his immunity held out, also his performance till now is admirable, his usage of array, knowledge on botany and zoology is truly admirable, not to mention his battle prowess. But he really is unlucky.", which they all silently agreed to thinking back to the events that transpired a few hour ago.
A few hours ago,
Ruth: "I spotted a ruin, should we go to check it."
Bashista: "We will but who knows what we might find there it can be dangerous as well as worthy of our time , or it might have been completely empty."
All of them agreed with their leader, as the ventured into the ruin.
They moved cautiously as they checked for any traps, but it seemed like the place had been cleaned of any valuable a long time ago.
Tina sighed, "It seems it is really empty."
They took a few steps when suddenly with a loud rumble, the ground caved in, causing the members of shadow wolves to fall in.
~Rumble Rumble~, the whole ruin collapsed as the pit which formed from the cave in tried to fill itself with the debris, fortunately the cave in was only a hundred feet deep, the team moved swiftly and got out of the way to save themselves from being buried alive by those falling rocks.
Bashista: "Is everyone all right?"
Jack: "I dislocated my shoulder.", he replied while holding his shoulder in pain.
Jessie:"tch, grow up you whiny brat.", as she pulled her brother's shoulder in place.
Suddenly a loud hissing sound was heard, before a voice full anger and hatred spoke out, "You mongrels!!!! How dare you assassinate My Mate My King!!!!!!! How dare you kill my unborn children!!!!!!!", the slowly turned their head to see a badly injured Crowned Viper, half of her body crushed because of falling rocks, then a very terrible and sickening bloodlust hit them at full force. The beast in front of them was a 2nd rank Wanxiang Adept 'Crowned Viper', who just went berserk when her mate died due to cave in and now seeing them in front she was going for the kill.
The crazed bloodlust paralyzed them, as she lunged towards the nearest member, Long Yu and Tina, but owing to being pinned down by debris she could capture her prey so she did the next best thing she spat out her deadly venom towards the paralyzed duo."Die Die Die Die", as she shouted out, the array on Long Yu's neck activated which forced him out of the fear induced paralysis. He swiftly kicked Tina out of harm's way, the member's of Shadow Wolves watched in horror as their youngest member was dosed in venom, Long Yu cried out in pain as he felt his skin burning.
Tina, "LONG YU!!!!!!!!!", her shout brought everyone out of their shock, she took a few steps until the poisonous fumes caused her to throw up some blood and fall down to her knees. The entire team was enraged as the saw the fate of their youngest teammate. The moved into action only to stop on hearing a voice shout out, 'Joyous Rain Version 28 Hell Stabbing Thrust', as a bright sword light erupted from Long Yu's sword tip, as it pierced the badly injured snake in her mouth, killing her as it blew his brains out.
Long Yu stood up as the venom still on him fell to the floor making a sizzling sound, as steam rose from him. He coughed a little bit, "Captain please find a way out we have to leave this place now.", as he grimaced seeing the crushed corpse of the king and many broken eggs.
Suddenly they heard a lot of hissing sound, although they could not understand but came to the same conclusion as him those snakes came to take revenge for their fallen king and queen.
The next few minutes were a blur, the hacked and slashed their way out of the snake nest, they got bitten by those snakes who gave up their safety in order to kill the assassins, Long Yu slashed stabbed wildly, even with his amazing reflexes he was getting overwhelmed more often than not he kept laying various arrays on the ground, walls or ceiling of the nest as much as he could, soon they were out of the nest, as soon as they stepped out Long Yu placed another array on the entrance, he felt his heart skipped a beat as he saw snakes of various realms shape and size chasing after them, mad with bloodlust, he jumped backward as he uttered the word, "BOOM", no sooner did he utter the word a humongous sound was heard as multiple detonation took place the entire cavern system collapsed, burying and killing thousands of snakes, he turned around to see his team mates were all covered in guts and blood from snake extermination.
Meanwhile the Ryuu's mother almost suffered from a heart attack on seeing Ryuu getting drenched in poison.
He did not waste any time as he plunged into a nearby small lake in order to get rid of the burning feeling, the icy cold water washed out the poison on his body he swam back to the surface, where he saw his entire team poisoned, among them Tina looked the worst, Veronica trying her hardest to save her team, as he neared them, he took off his hood.
Jessie gave a weak smile on seeing him, "Kid you look like a boiled lobster hahahahaha."
Long Yu would have argued and fought with her for calling him boiled lobster normally but seeing his teammates poisoned he quickly went towards Veronica, "Sis Veronica tell me what do you need I am a decent Alchemist I might be able to find some of the herbs or medicinal plants you need."
Veronica turned her head and winced at seeing Long Yu he might have shrugged the poison like nothing but he looked as if his skin had been pealed of completely living the red under skin beneath, 'The kid has high pain tolerance.', "Long Yu if you can please search for....."
Those few agonizing near death gruesome experience was really something. But unknown to them in the deepest part of the forest, a near dozen eyes glowed red with fury, "Children let us go and avenge your fallen elder sisters.", it gave out a command, as thousands of glowing red eyes lit up all around the cave as jittery noise came, the gigantic beast started crawling along with its children.