Eddie and Inan had just finished accompanying Sophia for a check-up at the medical center when the topic of the Wisdom Fruit and the Rejuvenation Branch from the Tree of Life arose.
Sophia feeled intrigued by these items, especially since the Wisdom Fruit, known for its ability to slightly enhance a beast's intelligence, often fetched a high price at auctions - sometimes reaching two to three thousand gold coins.
However, she was well aware of their exorbitant cost and deemed them beyond her reach.
Similarly, the Rejuvenation Branch was considered highly beneficial for her War Treant, but like the Wisdom Fruit, it was a key ingredient in expensive elixirs such as the 'Beast Spirit Awakening Pill,' and thus, equally unattainable.
"Eddie, let's not bother," Sophia suggested gently, knowing that such treasures were usually the subject of fierce bidding wars between the four major factions and three royal houses.
She was conscious of their limitations, especially as members of the Yue Family's lesser-regarded fourth branch.
The family elders would hardly splurge thousands of gold coins for a Wisdom Fruit or a Rejuvenation Branch for them, unlike for more favored members.
"We should at least take a look," Eddie replied, undeterred by his lack of funds. His plan wasn't to bid in the traditional sense; he was contemplating who might win the auction and then, if necessary, rob them.
For Sophia's future, Eddie was prepared to take on the role of a highway robber without hesitation. To him, strangers were merely NPCs dropping treasures, ripe for the taking.
While they were discussing, three familiar figures emerged from a treatment room in the medical center.
Eddie recognized them immediately - they were the Three Great Killers. It appeared they too had successfully defeated a demon general and returned victorious from their campaign against the demon abyss.
Their appearance, however, was far from triumphant. Wind Seven Kills's armor was shattered, indicating he had sustained serious injuries.
Flame Breaker Army's arms were heavily bandaged, still holding a healing stone, a sign his wounds were yet to fully heal. Only Snow Greedy Wolf seemed to be in relatively better shape, though his clothes were in tatters.
Clearly, their victory had come at a significant cost, unlike Eddie's team, which had returned relatively unscathed.
James, Qeathon, and Tunlun, the three formidable warriors, emerged from the medical ward, their appearance vastly different from their usual daunting presence.
Qeathon's armor was shattered, a clear sign of the intense battles he had endured. Although his wounds had healed, a shadow of fatigue lingered in his demeanor.
James's arms were tightly bandaged, and he clutched a healing stone, indicating his recovery was still in progress.
Among them, Tunlun seemed the least affected, maintaining his icy, distant persona, though his clothes were tattered, betraying the harshness of their recent battles.
They too had emerged victorious in their own fierce confrontations with demon generals, yet Eddie could see the heavy toll it had taken on them, unlike his own unscathed victory.
Their surprise was evident when they saw Eddie and his team, all unharmed and intact.
It was peculiar for them, especially considering Eddie's reputation as a devious trickster. How did a team, perceived as underdogs, manage to survive an encounter with a demon general?
Tunlun, in particular, appeared incredulous at Eddie's unscathed return, which seemed more akin to a leisurely journey than a brutal campaign in the demon abyss. He even brought back two demonic weapons, the Egg Cutters.
Approaching Eddie, Tunlun peered intensely into his eyes and issued a cold challenge: "We'll have a life-and-death duel. You choose when and where."
Without waiting for a response, he turned away, his cool demeanor as unyielding as ever.
Eddie was baffled by Tunlun's cold and challenging demeanor. The whole situation was a big misunderstanding!
If Miss Snow truly wished to marry him, she could have simply arrived in her bridal sedan and proceeded with the wedding, leading to a blissful married life.
Why the need for a duel? If she was reluctant, even better.
Their annulled engagement meant they were both free, regardless of who was at fault. The idea of dueling seemed utterly unnecessary to Eddie.
When Qeathon prepared to leave, he suddenly noticed the transformed Grey Wolf, now a double-headed demonic wolf. He was astonished to see its advancement to a Level 5 Bronze creature. Just earlier during the demon abyss expedition, it was merely a Level 4 Bronze Iron Arm Demon Wolf. In less than half a day, it had evolved and upgraded, an alarmingly rapid progression. Both evolution and upgrade at the same time? What miraculous tonic could have caused this?
He approached, seemingly curious about the wolf's evolutionary process. However, Eddie pretended not to notice him, and his companions followed suit, gazing at the stars or counting ants on the ground. Hessian even started whistling casually. The evolution of a battle beast was a closely guarded secret; who would be foolish enough to share such information?
Sophia and Inan recognized the three great warriors, Qeathon, James, and Tunlun. Yet, they were not the type to scream in excitement upon seeing them. Noticing the lack of rapport between them and Eddie, they too chose to ignore the warriors, engaging in their quiet conversation.
Qeathon, perhaps realizing his intrusion, nodded awkwardly at Eddie and strode away with a forced casualness. He still looked back at Grey Wolf from afar, his interest in the creature apparent.
"Hello, Sophia," James greeted her, his gaze still fixed on Eddie. His face broke into a hearty smile. "It seems the most outstanding youth of the Yue family isn't the eldest, Yue Tian, or the fourth, Yue Yan, but you, the third son. I'm glad to have fought alongside such a remarkable comrade in the demon abyss. Let me introduce myself, I'm James, the president of the Gold Star Elite Student Council at Capital Academy. I sincerely invite you to join our academy and our council."
Eddie almost laughed at his own plight, portraying himself as a poor mountain boy who couldn't even afford schooling. "I'm sorry, but my family is too impoverished to afford education. I must decline your kind offer, President James."
Inan rolled her eyes at Eddie's lame excuse, and Sophia couldn't help but laugh, her face brightening with amusement at her brother's antics.
Porking, barely containing his irritation, gave Eddie a strained smile. "Eddie, you must be joking. Education isn't an issue at our Gold Star Elite Student Council. We offer exceptional students like you special admissions. Not only is tuition free, but there are also generous scholarships available. If you're in need of financial support, just say the word."
Eddie's claim about his impoverished state was preposterous, especially for a member of the esteemed Yue family. But Porking could see through Eddie's act. This so-called black sheep of the Yue family was actually a cunning strategist. If Eddie truly lacked strength, why would the Mayor of Luohua City entrust him with such a crucial mission to the demon abyss? How could he return unscathed, with the Demon General's Moon Blades in tow? And why would the stoic Tunlun openly challenge him to a duel? Clearly, underestimating Eddie was a grave mistake.
Porking understood the intricate politics of the Yue family. If Eddie were to gain power, he certainly wouldn't let his cousins, Yehky and Blaze, off the hook. Building a rapport with Eddie now could yield significant benefits.
At this juncture, Hessian interjected with an air of superiority, "Actually, where Eddie chooses to study should be up to me, his 'Big Brother'!"
Porking glanced at Hessian, his gaze akin to one observing an oddly oversized ant, wondering about his identity.
"What? You don't know me?" Hessian exclaimed in surprise, his exaggerated gestures and spittle flying everywhere. "In the first layer of the Heaven-Reaching Tower, who doesn't know Hessian the Great? Though I'm a low-key person, even owning a Summoning Tome and a Bronze Level 2 Ironskin Rhino without showing off, my strength is undeniable. I led a team to the top 100 in the Worldwide Elite Academy Competition. You really don't know me?"
His expression was one of disbelief, as if Porking's ignorance of him was a personal loss.
Porking, frowning in thought, finally recalled, "Ah, now I remember! Aren't you the guy who got knocked out in the preliminaries of last year's competition by my brother in a single move? You're quite famous indeed. You set a record for the quickest defeat in the competition's history, less than ten seconds!"
"That's because I wasn't prepared, and I was too kind-hearted to hurt your brother!" Hessian retorted, to which Porking almost choked in disbelief.
"Really? Then we should thank you for your mercy," Porking sarcastically responded, realizing that Hessian's shamelessness exceeded his expectations by a hundredfold.
"No need to thank me. My greatest virtue is kindness; being low-key is just my secondary trait." Hessian hadn't finished his sentence when Lyqeen and Lyken couldn't stand it anymore and found a corner to vomit.
Ignoring Hessian, who was basking in self-glory, Porking turned to Eddie with a smile, "So, Eddie, are you planning to attend the Ivy Vine Academy next year?"
"Like a useless person like me, without a 'Big Brother' to cover for me, it's not possible. Whatever he says, goes. If he tells me to go east, I wouldn't dare go west," Eddie replied with a slight smile.
"It doesn't really matter which academy we attend; we're all warriors from the same Kingdom. Hopefully, we can team up for some adventures sometime." Porking knew he couldn't easily win Eddie over, especially with his previous support for James and Eddie's cousins.
But he wasn't in a hurry, believing that exploiting the Yue family's internal strife would eventually work to his advantage.
Porking offered a conciliatory smile to Sophia, hoping to dissolve any resentment she might harbor. He made a point of shaking hands with Yehken and the others, maintaining his composed demeanor before leaving.
Once he was gone, Yehken's expression immediately darkened. "That guy is no simple character," he remarked.
Inan chuckled, "Isn't that obvious? He's the leader of the Three Great Assassins, not only powerful but also much more astute and mature than the battle-addicted Qeathon and the aloof Tunlun. To be snubbed by you all and still maintain a friendly demeanor shows he's not ordinary. In his eyes, you guys might be insignificant, yet he took the initiative to shake hands amicably. Could you do the same in his place?"
Sophia nodded in agreement, "I've heard Grandpa's evaluation. Among the Three Great Assassins, the one with the most promising future and the most difficult to deal with is Porking."
Eddie, who could see through most of Porking's abilities with his Clairvoyant Eye, was somewhat disdainful. "Porking's cunning, but the real deal is that cool ice block, Tunlun!" He chose to keep silent, not revealing what he had seen with his special ability.
Upon arriving at the warriors' auction house, they were met with disappointment. The Storm Mercenary Group, in possession of the Wisdom Fruit and the Sprouting Branch of the Tree of Life, had postponed their auction due to disagreements over the starting price and bundle sale.
Their conditions were quite peculiar – they preferred a trade over an auction. The Storm Mercenary Group sought a Bronze Level, at least five-star rated powerful beast, in exchange for the Wisdom Fruit and the Sprouting Branch. Moreover, they specifically demanded a juvenile beast, not an egg.
"I have a plan. Let's head to the Black Stone Labyrinth for the Heart of the Oak Tree mission," Eddie said, believing there was hope in a trade.
"Does that make a difference?" Inan asked, puzzled.
"Yes!" Eddie replied, not wanting to alarm Sophia and Inan with his plan to capture a juvenile Nine-Headed Beast - a daring and potentially challenging task. Yet, he felt confident in his ability to outsmart the situation.