Zhu Ting used her families signature Martial Skill 'tiger claws' and it created an illusion of a tiger claw. Tree demon got hit by claw and roared wildly. Captain and Long Tian also used this opportunity to express goodwill to Zhu Ting, the princess of the tiger clan by fighting against the tree demon.
The Captain used his sword to attack the tree demon and created a chance for others. Long Tian used this chance to perform his family Martial Skill 'Shock punch' to attack its exposed core. Upon his first contact with the tree demon. He felt crazy emotion to devour the core of the tree demon from his body. He thinks the core looked like one his father had given him before getting killed by vile and demonic villagers.
If only he can have it, he can probably surpass most of the so-called geniuses from the royal family and felt this thing must belong to him. So, he already decided to steal it by any means.
Long Tian suddenly changed his aura from a normal boy to a mad dog and attacked the tree demon at unforeseen angles with vigour. Zhu Ting was also surprised at his outrage and thought 'I thought he is just only dog with some talent. I didn't expect him to be a mad dog. Whatever, it ain't gonna change the fact. He's gonna be my dog.'
Long Tian landed a heavy blow to the tree demons core and the tree demon let out a piercing roar. Zhu Ting also used her 'Tiger Claws' on tree demons.
Within in few minutes, the tree demon roared with fury and hatred as it watched the wretched and vile two-legged beasts took its core.
The captain looked at the tree demon core in his hands and the remaining 5 guards. He knows, he lost for a big-time on this trip. He should probably retire from this highness guard post to coach for some sideline young masters.
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The captain took the demon core from the tree demon and presented it to her highness, Zhu Ting " Her highness, the core is safer with you. "
Zhu Ting looked at the core with regretful expression to the captain " Keep it and send it to the treasury in my name. After our return. "
She doesn't want that core. Because it's not useful for her. Only the same attribute demon cores can be used to strengthen the bloodline or improve the realm. But you can give to treasury and exchange it for merits. Family nurtures you, you nurture the family. That's the motto of family. You can't be the one who takes everything and not returning anything. Those types of people are rejected and scorned in the family. Family isn't charity. If a family runs like that, it will end in the second generation.
There are still people like that. But their ancestor, grandfather, father or mother should have contributed more than enough for their descendants. Only descendants of these people are without the teaching of their ancestors. Only to get drunk in pride and glory without any real achievement will rot the family. If these types of people were to overwhelm or bully normal hardworking people. That's the end of the family.
Long Tian eyes were showing great desire while looking at the demon core in the hands of the captain. But he controlled it and planning how to get that thing from the captain's hands without anyone knowing.
Wang Wei also found this and mapped a plan. That will be useful for him and at the same time pushing Long Tian out of his revenge for few years. Few years enough for him to lord over this empire.
So he acted decisively, got out from the shadow of trees completely covered in black cloth and attacked Zhu Ting without saying anything using an iron knife with a black knife technique. But the attack was unsuccessful due to a white glow from her body.
Zhu Ting bounced back and crushed everything in her path until smashing at the tree and got unconscious due to heavy force. The captain guards and others got nervous. But the captain said loudly " Don't think about running away. Because if you run away and her highness died. You and your family will face the wrath of the tiger noble family. But if you fight for her highness and died. Highness will take care of your family. It's a simple matter for her. "
The guards and hunters surrounded Wang Wei and Captain used this chance and handed the tree demon core and said to Long Tian " Take her highness and run away. If you can accomplish it, the clan will reward you heavily. We can only hold him for few minutes. So run away jump into the river with her highness. Don't waste time. run! "
Long Tian was surprised and feared at this situation that escalated beyond his control. He hated that only if he is stronger than this unknown man. He clenched his teeth, hugged Zhu Tong and ran away.
Wang Wei looked at this and acted as he cared about escaping highness by moving forward. But stopped and surrounded by hunters, guards. Captain took the lead by shouting " Formation "
The guards cooperated and formed a formation. Hunters used their skills, hide in trees and bushes ready to attack when the enemy let down his guard.
But Wang Wei doesn't take them seriously. Because even if formation can cause damage or threaten. It has to be in the hands of a talented one and with enough members. Not with six members who were already tired from fighting tree demon.
Wang Wei took a stance and struck his knife at the captain. Captain also took a stance to deflect the incoming blow. But he overestimated his skills in sword and underestimated his enemy.
Wang Wei knife passed through the captain's neck easily and cleanly without any hindrance. Captain dropped the knife and used his hands to close the wound on his neck that spilling blood without any intention of stopping.
Others got scared at this sight and started to run. Everyone from hunters to guards run in a different direction like a chicken without a head. But Wang Wei doesn't pursue them, just slashed some of them on his way and ignored others. He pursued Long Tian at some distance intentionally to allow him to escape at the same time give him some thrilling experience of running for his life.
Long Tian looked back occasionally while running with fear while carrying her highness on his back.
Long Tian 'shit shit shit, I should drop her and run faster. Otherwise, it's very hard to escape. But if I did that it's no better. Even if I manage to escape, the noble family will not let me live at peace. But if I escape successfully, she will reward me.' He is talking to himself while running towards a cliff.
Wang Wei looked at this cliff and remembered countless novels that use the same plot and decided to give the last gift to our local Protagonist who will probably come back with a higher realm. He swung the knife with all his power closing the distance between them in seconds and swept through his Long Tian leg cleanly and separated them making him a worthless piece of shit and cutting his future achievement. He can probably heal them with Protagonist aura bullshit. But that will take time, time is what I need. So it's a win-win situation.
Long Tian who was planning his future suddenly felt lighter and looked down at the space where his left leg used to exist. He got angry and felt hopeless in this situation. He glimpsed at the vast river under the cliff and stared back at the black-clothed figure and said with a hideous facial expression " You wait for me. I will kill you and your family. If not, I am not Long Tian who was born for Long Yu. "
After finishing the dialogue he jumped into the river from the cliff while holding Zhu Ting tightly. Wang Wei looked at the disappearing figure and muttered " I just want to kill you. But now I changed my mind. I want to torture you and make you despair at the thought of living. Just wait for few years. " after saying that, he flashed and disappeared into the forest.
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After few hours
Long Tian woke up at the bank of the river and looked at the unconscious Zhu Ting and took the tree demon core and swallowed it in one gulp. He felt fiery heat rushing out from his stomach and spreading towards every direction in his body and the wound on his knee was recovering to naked speed with energy produced from tree demon core. He also operated his wooden body technique to control the energy from the core and stepped into the marrow washing realm and scars on his face were healed. The wound on his leg also regenerated about fifty percentage and stopped.
Long Tian took a deep breath and opened his eyes and looked at all the change that was taken in his body. He laughed with his heart content. He then looked at the sky and said with hatred " Whoever you are that made me lose my legs. I'll find you and kill you with my own hands. "