They day after Ming Yue made a move on Hun Zao, the group had traveled deep into the second zone. With Xiao Yin watching from above, they were always prepared for an attack.
The landscape was different from before. It was not as well maintained at the first zone, filled with with much more vegetation. It looked less like a garden and more like a forest. The creatures here were stronger. They seemed to have more intelligence, able to move with a bit of grace compared to those hornets that only knew how to charge forward.
But with that heightened danger, the quality in plants was also greater. No longer were there rank 1 or 2 medicinal herbs but rank 3 and 4 herbs that had many more purposes than just for medicine. Just like before, Ming Yue gathered a bit of everything, roots, sprigs, flowers.
However these were relatively young, only between the ten to hundred year mark. Real treasures were guarded, protected by strong beasts that wait for its maturity before taking it. There could be treasures that are several hundred years in age, perhaps in the thousand range.
Ming Yue and the others were currently hiding behind some bushes, peeking over as a large mantis stood guard. Behind it was a small clearing to which none of them knew what was within. Whatever it was, a strong and sharp energy emanated from it which they had noticed earlier.
It was the energy of Metal!
"Should we fight it?" asked Xukun.
"That depends on you. You practice the Dao of Metal and behind that mantis is a source of pure metal energy."
Ming Yue's response made him think hard. After all, this was no ordinary mantis but a rank 3 Emerald Fang Mantis!
Two meters tall and a brilliant green shell, this fearsome creature stood on four legs. It's two arms revealed razor sharp claws, with edges that gave off a metallic sheen. It must've been feeding on the Metak Energy to have gained such an appearance.
Two bulbous eyes that flickered around, watching its surroundings.
Still, whatever was giving off this Metal Energy must've been alive for at least a several hundred years. With it, Xukun's Dao Comprehension would reach another level, his Dao of Metal could reach the state of a Grand Dao.
"Is there anyone around us?" Anqing asked Ming Yue.
"...It doesn't seem so. I don't think there is anyone within a kilometer of us", she said.
"It should be so. Each zone is ten kilometers long and twenty kilometers long. Not to mention, there are around three hundred other people, all spread out. Most generally stay in the first zone", Xukun added.
He wasn't afraid of dying to this monster. With the three of them and Ming Yue's pets, defeating the mantis would not be an issue. However, should they be found by another group, there lied the problem. He did not want to waste time and effort only for it to be stolen from him.
"Should I try poisoning it?" Anqing suggested.
She pulled out several vials of a purplish red liquid.
"That wouldn't work" he said, "The shell of an Emerald Fang Mantis is thick and sturdy. Unless, you force your poison down its throat, it would not work."
"Then, our only way is to kill it?"
"I suppose so."
"Can the both of you stall it?" Ming Yue interjected, "If you can preoccupy it, I could sneak past and grab whatever it was protecting. Once I've returned, we can just run."
"That could work... especially with your movement", he said.
"We should do it quick. Before anyone else find out."
Ming Yue prepared to move, circling to the side of the mantis. From where she was, Xukun's sword left its scabbard, floating on the ground.
Noticing the movement, the mantis's eyes suddenly focused on Xukun's position. From its mouth came small dribbles of drool, was this an opponent or a morsel?
Like a flash of light, the sword flew straight for one of it's eyes. The mantis was quick, lashing one of its arms out and blocking the sword. Still, Xukun's sword was most likely a peak sage weapon, for the tip of the blade dug several inches into the metallic claw.
The mantis began to screech angrily as Xukun controlled his sword, forcing it to go even deeper. At the same time, Anqing made her move, tossing out a small vial of her blood poison. Breaking it on the ground, it turned into a gas that surrounded the giant insect.
"Go!" Xukun yelled out.
Ming Yue made her move and dashed past the mantis. For a split second, the mantis locked on to her. It's eyes sharpened as the mantis turned towards her, attempting to stop Ming Yue from entering its domain. But neither Xukun or Anqing would let it do as it pleased, taking advantage and attacking it. Hei Yue had also made his move, leaping up and biting one of the mantis's legs.
In those few moments, Ming Yue left its grasp and entered the clearing. There the Metal Energy grew thicker, it was sharp and unrelenting. Moving towards the center she saw what the Mantis had been guarding!
"They're Dao Roots!" she exclaimed.
It was a mystifying sight. Two sprouts planted in the ground, several feet from each other. Each one seemed to emit their own energy. One had turned the surrounding grass into sharp blades, the tips of were colored to resemble steel. The other seemed to spark with electricity, the grass around it was singed as if it had been struck by lightning.
Dao Roots were quite rare and unique, only able to grow if a large amount of energy gathered in one place. That energy would find its way into a blade of grass, feeding it and transforming it into a Dao Root. Not to mention this is one of the few items where rank was determined by age. The older it was the higher the rank.
Still, to find two of them in one place was very lucky. She did find it strange that two different Dao Roots grew side to side.
Perhaps a great battle took place here. It would explain why nothing but grass grew here. Compared to the what she had seen of the garden, this seemed quite barren.
With her dagger, she carefully dug out each root. The Metal Dao Root was almost a foot long, an indication that it was reaching five hundred years. This was equivalent to a Rank 4. The Lightning Dao root was merely four inches, only two hundred of so years. This root was comparable to a Rank 2. That would explain why the metal energy was so thick, overpowering the lightning energy.
She stopped lingering on her thoughts and wrapped the two roots in some leftover cloth. Placing it within her ring, she left the clearing and found her comrades in the thick of battle. The mantis had sustained several injuries. One of its eyes were stabbed, bluish blood flowed down its face. Its legs were covered in bite marks.
But it was still brimming with life, continually growing more and more aggressive.
"I got it!" Ming Yue called out, capturing their attention.
Hearing her words, everyone quickly dashed back as the mantis chased furiously.
From its mouth was an angry screech as it charged forward.
Running through tree and brush, Anqing pointed to their right and yelled out.
"Towards this direction!"
No one questioned her and followed. Where she pointed, the vegetation was much thicker. A large cluster of bushes and trees stood ahead.
Ming Yue turned at the mantis behind her, quickly forming a wind lance that shot forth. Unfortunately, it could not pierce through the creature's body but that did not matter. It stopped the mantis, knocking it to the side.
Everyone jumped into the bushes as the mantis recovered and looked around. As it began to search the area, they all breathed silently waiting for it to leave.