The shadow wolves trudged through the marsh, the last biome they had to visit, the marsh was full of murky water, strange looking plants and in some places quick sand. The team moved slowly through it, and the only person who was in good shape was Long Yu who was riding on Han's shoulder as apparently the water level was higher than his height and Han being the tallest and strongest was made into volunteer before he could protest, not that he mind as Long Yu saved his life couple of times.
Jessie: "Yuck, these marshes are worst, the rotten smell, the humidity the mud, I want a bath a good proper bath after this."
Long Yu: "Aww but it is fun of the adventuring, going through unknown."
Jessie: "You brat get down now, 'fun of adventuring', tell it to me when you walk actually."
Long Yu showed incredible maturity by sticking out his tongue towards her.
Others laughed at their exchange. Only to fall silent when their scout Ruth told them to stop, everyone's heart leaped out of their throat the last time when Ruth stopped with such serious expression they had to fight in an invasion.
Ruth quietly pointed in front of him, as they looked in front of them was a 'Purple Heart Shaped Pear', a very useful but rare fruit for anyone below 'Primal Daoist Realm', the fruit can easily help anyone to cross the threshold to next realm with ease no matter how long they were stuck in previous realm, even some Primal Daoist coveted it as even if they could not cross to next realm it easily helped them to rise in rank within the same realm. Long Yu knew about the fruit to well as it was among those 'never to eat list' of his, as his masters explicitly forbid him to eat the fruit as it would cause a momentous increase in his realm but he knew well after having been beaten into his quite literally the sudden and fast rise in realm like his is never good, his foundation would crumble if he goes through increase fast. But he also knew his teammates would covet for it, he grimaced they have to fight a powerful beast now.
Bashista: "So, we have 'Purple Heart Shaped Pear' in front of us it is guarded by some powerful beast, if I have to guess it will surely be something Serpentine seeing the mark around the trees and it must be hidden. So the main question is should we take it or leave it we have enough points to move on to the next trials."
The Shadow wolves all agreed to take the fruit, except Long Yu who was quiet during the entire exchange as such everyone turned towards him, "So what do you want to do Long Yu."
Long Yu replied with a smile, "I have no need for the fruit, my speed is already too fast if I eat it I might destabilize my foundation so I will pass, but if you want for yourselves I will help you all."
Inwardly they sighed in relief, as they were worried that Long Yu would want the fruit and then they will have to give it to him as because he saved their lives they were honor bound but most importantly they were mere grunts working at a place where Long Yu's grandmother was the head honcho. But now since he gave up on the fruit instead offered his help they can take it for themselves, although the next big question is what kind of enemy they are going to face. They did not have to wait long as Han brought to their attention towards a rank 7th Zifu Disciple, Stone Crocodile, despite its name a Stone Crocodile is not made up of stones but anyone who gazes at its eyes get petrified unable to move or react a very deadly opponent indeed. The Crocodile moved cautiously as it neared the fruit, which would mature fully in the next few hours, but no one was in sight he thought himself lucky to stumble upon such a place by accident now after eating it he will ascend into next realm the he would carve out his own territory no more bowing down to others but they would bow to him so engrossed in his thoughts that he never noticed dark shadow stalking him, without warning the shadow struck and before it could understand it died of the poison.
The team Shadow Wolves watched in horror as 6 heads came out as it drag away the deceased Crocodile, the creature was terrifying nightmarish creature that no sane person would like to come across, it was a Wanxiang Adept ranked 6 headed Hydra. The creature which grows its head with each realm and once it matures to immortal level it evolves into terrifying 9 headed hydra, a creature with insane regeneration to the point it is said to even bring the Mythical bird Phoenix to shame, on top of that it is said to be within top ten of the most poisonous creatures in existence.
The team mentally wept at the lost of such good fortune the only thing they could do is to get as far away from here as possible without drawing the beasts attention towards them , as such they turned around but as they were leaving Long Yu whispered back to his teammates, "So what is the plan Captain."
This bought the team to an abrupt halt, 'plan what plan oh he must be thinking about escape plan', but even among them there were some who were very hot headed such as Jack, who whispered back harshly the loss of such good fortune was too much for him to bear, "Did you hit you head when you were baby kid, what is there to plan we move quietly and swiftly far away from this accursed place, or do you think we would attack that creature."
Long Yu frowned he did not like Jack's tone but still he swallowed his anger as he replied, "Of course I am asking our attack plan what do you think I was asking Captain."
At this everyone almost had a heart attack, 'attack plan what the hell the kid has been thinking, ah must be all those misfortunes during the forest biome has finally driven him insane or he does not know about such nightmarish creature, yes it must be he does not know about it.', a thought mirrored by everyone in the team.
Tina thus explained him kindly, "Long Yu, this creature is a Wanxiang Adept ranked 6 headed Hydra, a nightmarish creature, it has very high level regeneration to the point it is almost instantaneous not only that it is highly poisonous to the point it is always on top ten of the most poisonous creature, even Primal Daoists would be unable to defeat him, a creature not only cunning but also incredibly ruthless , thus we won't be able to take the fruit thus we are moving towards the teleportation tower."
Long Yu frowned he was not amused, "I know big sis Tina, I know too well about it thus I want to slay it, I want to take its poison.", he said the last part with a hint of desire as an alchemist who could pass of such a chance to extract such highly toxic poison, an ingredient which is very rare, if he asks his master would grant him but the allure of gathering fresh ingredient was too much to resist.
Everyone was stunned on hearing his reply, 'the kid has finally lost his marbles, only someone insane would want to fight it.'
Ruth: "Kid please listen to reason, we are not qualified neither are we equipped enough to take on the beast of its caliber, so please let us leave. If you still want the poison I am sure Shangri-la can provide you."
Long Yu frowned he replied back in a whiny tone like the tone when a child uses when he or she is denied their favorite candy by their parent and has to reluctantly agree to it, "Ok then let us leave.", he finished it with a pout.
The females had a sudden urge to console him and maybe even help him, but stopped themselves from doing so thinking about how dangerous it will be.
Veronica, "Stop I hear voices, let us hide.", the team quickly hid themselves within the tall trees of the marsh.
A group of unknown people appeared, there were 15 people among them. "See I told you I found a 'Purple Heart Shaped Pear'", a man boasted to someone who seemed to be the leader.
A haughty but very beautiful looking woman replied, "Good work, now prepare to draw out the beast guarding it.", she commanded to the man who guided her to the fruit.
The man gulped such a fruit would surely have a Wanxiang Adept beast guarding it to draw it out.
The woman replied in an impatient manner, "Did you not hear me to prepare to draw out the beast, the fruit would mature within a few hour, when I would not only pluck it, but also slay the beast.", his subordinates hurried of leaving the woman alone with a couple of other woman as her guard.
The Shadow wolves watched them from afar as they were turning to leave, a wild idea popped in Long Yu's head as such he whispered hurriedly, "Brothers wait, let us watch their fight surely you guys would not want to miss such a fight against such a nightmarish creature. Plus we are far away to not get caught in crossfire, so please please let us watch.", long Yu pleaded with teary eyes a dreadful technique he had mastered and uses against his mother to get her to agree with him sometimes.
The Shadow Wolves had their heart strings pulled as they were melted by those eyes of Long Yu, Bashista coughed in his hands as he decided for the rest of them, "Well I see no harm in observing from far.", the others nodded in consent as they turned to observe with an elated Long Yu who could not wait to see one of the creatures from his ' I must get as pet' list in action.