In the Black Stone Labyrinth, Eddie didn't proceed with the group as Hessian had imagined.
Instead, he split the team into two groups.
"Eddie, take them north. Remember, this is more than just getting the 'Heart of the Oak Tree.' It's also a learning experience. You need to think more during the journey. Simply reaching the destination is not enough," Eddie advised.
He glanced at Hessian, who, despite possessing a Summoning Codex and a Bronze Level II Ironhide Rhino, probably had close to zero experience in such expeditions.
Eddie hinted to Yehken to keep a close eye on him to avoid any mishaps with snakes or magic insects.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of them. After all, I am the leader!" boasted Hessian, patting his trembling fat chest.
Yehken rolled his eyes in response. Who's taking care of whom?
Eddie, with Sophia and Inan, headed down a southern fork they had previously traversed, sharing his experience and insights along the way.
"Let's talk about those challenges when we get there. It's still early," Inan remarked, finding it strange to discuss them so soon.
"I'll go ahead. You two take your time," Eddie said, aware he couldn't take them along for his audacious plan to capture a juvenile Nine-Headed Beast.
"Sophia, be especially careful of snakes and magic insects. Avoid dark places. I'll wait for you at the ancient oak tree. If you don't see me in three days, use a teleportation scroll. I'll wait for you outside the Warrior's Guild!"
Sophia, sensing Eddie's adventurous intentions since leaving the auction house, understood he had a challenging and dangerous plan.
She thought about dissuading him but decided to fully support her brother, trusting his judgment. Her confidence in him grew, sensing his aura as steadfast as a mountain.
Eddie then turned to Inan with a light warning: "Inan, I'm entrusting Sophia to your protection. She's still young and naive. Make sure to take care of her as her brother. And don't get any funny ideas. Next time, I'll introduce you to someone nice, okay?"
"What are you talking about?" Inan felt a bit weak when Eddie suddenly embraced her, but his words instantly baffled her.
"Inan, I trust you completely. You can't let me down!" Eddie earnestly patted Inan's shoulder, nearly driving her crazy with frustration.
Sophia was equally exasperated, "Inan, there's nothing we can do. My brother has been cooped up at home for too long!"
She was unaware that Eddie was doing this deliberately, pretending not to recognize Inan as a girl. If he acknowledged her true identity, his casual physical familiarity would no longer be possible.
Currently, he could hug, hold, or touch as he pleased without raising suspicions.
Having previously navigated the Black Stone Labyrinth with the help of the Gold-Seeking Mouse in just six hours, a journey that usually took others at least three days, Eddie didn't need the mouse's assistance this time.
He rushed forward at full speed, reaching the ancient oak tree in three hours.
Instead of immediately heading to the Bloodwater Swamp to hunt the Nine-Headed Beast, Eddie climbed the tree to rest and harness the tree's spiritual energy, enhancing his abilities to peak condition.
His objective wasn't simply to kill a Nine-Headed Beast but to capture a juvenile alive for exchange with the Wisdom Fruit and the Rejuvenating Branch of the Tree of Life.
This task was daunting even for Eddie, who had reached the Innate Realm.
Adult Nine-Headed Beasts were at least Bronze Level VII creatures, formidable due to their size, lethal toxins, and relentless attacks from their nine heads.
In the Star Domain, where Eddie could only defend himself without attacking, a direct confrontation using Vivien, the Barbarian Bull Shadow, and the Two-Headed Demon Wolf to defeat and capture a juvenile Nine-Headed Beast was unrealistic and unwise.
He needed a clever strategy to capture a juvenile and escape unscathed.
Before setting out for the Black Stone Labyrinth, Eddie had already devised a daring plan, albeit fraught with peril. A single misstep could cost him his life. The strategy involved using a teleportation scroll to lure a juvenile Nine-Headed Beast out of the swamp and then teleporting with it. If successful, the beast would be teleported either to a pre-arranged location near the Warrior's Guild or a hidden spot designated during the expedition to the Demon Abyss.
Teleporting near the Warrior's Guild posed the risk of exposing his identity as an Innate Realm warrior, potentially attracting greedy mercenaries and warriors. Chaos could ensue, leading to casualties, and the ancient laws might hold him responsible, punishing him as they did Immon with a fatal explosion. Eddie didn't fully understand these ancient laws, and the thought of them rigidly assigning blame worried him.
The second option was teleporting to the ancient battlefield in the Demon Abyss, where a hundred thousand demons awaited an opportunity to attack Longteng Continent or the Heaven-Reaching Tower. Teleporting there meant facing a brutal onslaught from these demons.
"I will succeed. I must!" Eddie bolstered himself.
A true man should be fearless and forge ahead. Faced with the choice, he preferred the Demon Abyss over the unpredictable and uncontrollable ancient laws. Even if surrounded by a hundred thousand demons, he had a chance to fight his way out.
With his Innate invisible sword energy, two Summoning Books, Vivien, the Barbarian Bull Shadow, the mysterious metal beast, the Golden Thorn Flower, the Gold-Seeking Mouse, and the Two-Headed Demon Wolf, Eddie felt confident. Would a journey to the Demon Abyss truly be a path of no return?
No. Eddie trusted his abilities. Unless he encountered a Demon Lord-level adversary, he feared no confrontation, even if it meant facing a Demon General in a brutal battle.
Emerging from the shadow of the ancient oak tree and gazing at the star-filled sky, Eddie reaffirmed his resolve to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
As Eddie gazed at the stars, feeling their closeness yet their immense distance, he was struck by the universe's vastness and mystery. At that moment, his spirit entered a peculiar state of enlightenment. His consciousness expanded boundlessly, soaring freely through the sky, encompassing the earth and its myriad forms of life.
He witnessed the dance of flora and fauna, the ebb and flow of life's complex cycle, feeling like a creator observing the world.
Through this experience, Eddie felt as though he grasped an ineffable secret of nature, yet he was also overwhelmed by a sense of bewilderment.
The more he learned, the more he realized how little he knew in the grand scheme of things.
Compared to the forces of nature, his own might seemed insignificant. Against the backdrop of the universe, he was but a tiny molecule, a mere droplet in an ocean.
Suddenly, a spark of wisdom ignited in his soul. An energy sphere formed within him, distinct from his Innate Sword Qi, yet similar in its concentration of power.
As the ancient oak tree radiated a gentle green light, resonating with the energy sphere inside Eddie, he realized he had attained the 'Heart of Nature' – a key to understanding the Innate Path. Only those who harmonize with nature can truly command the universe.
This realization marked a new stage in Eddie's journey, unlocking a door on the path of the Innate. As he meditated under the ancient oak tree, feeling the ancient laws' restrictions on his body lessen, Eddie's confidence grew.
After a day of contemplation, Eddie approached the Bloodwater Swamp, now armed with the Heart of Nature. Instead of deploying the Two-Headed Demon Wolf, he sent a phantom to ambush a juvenile Nine-Headed Beast.
The female Nine-Headed Beast, vigilant after losing an egg, instantly detected the phantom.
Emerging from the swamp, she roared in anger, stirring the entire Nine-Headed Beast family into a frenzy.
As they charged at Eddie on the shore, the Nine-Headed Beasts were fearsome and aggressive.
"Welcome, enjoy your journey to the Demon Abyss!" Eddie first unfurled a small teleportation scroll, followed by an enhancement scroll worth ten gold coins, which expanded the teleportation portal tenfold for thirty seconds.
All the Nine-Headed Beasts that rushed into the portal were instantly transported to the Demon Abyss, precisely where Eddie had previously marked.
A second later, Eddie, along with an adult male Nine-Headed Beast, two adolescent Nine-Headed Beasts, and two juvenile Nine-Headed Beasts, found themselves in the ancient battleground of the Demon Abyss.
Looking up, Eddie was met with tens of thousands of demons, led by several demon generals, all staring at him in stunned silence.