Eddie was about to summon Thorn Flower to investigate the strange plant bulb when it began to move. The cactus-like shell slowly opened, emitting a pure white light that cleansed the filthy ground around it, turning it to black vapor that rose up into the air.
Initially, Eddie thought there might be a pearl inside the bulb, like a pearl forming inside a clamshell. But when the blinding light subsided, he leaned in to discover something unexpected: nestled within the plant's flesh, resembling a coconut, was a jade-like beetle, translucent and pure.
The beetle resembled a rhinoceros beetle but with less prominent and sharp horns, giving off a smooth, lustrous appearance. It looked like a handcrafted, polished sculpture, its entire body shimmering like white jade, except for its amethyst-gold eyes. Even the small horns, claws, and body were exceedingly cute.
Eddie, surprised, found that even his third-level discerning eyes couldn't penetrate the beetle's mystery. The Ashen Wolf seemed to dislike the beetle, as its pure light energy seemed to repel its demonic aura, causing the wolf to avoid close contact.
Curious, Eddie picked up the beetle, which remained mostly motionless, only occasionally twitching its tiny claws and horns. He opened his beast compendium to identify it but found no match. When he transferred a bit of Qi into the beetle, it radiated an intense white light, causing the Ashen Wolf to flee the area, uncomfortable with the purity of the energy.
Unable to determine the beetle's nature, Eddie decided to take it with him for further study. Just as he stored the beetle, the Ashen Wolf lunged for the plant's flesh. Eddie kicked the wolf away, reprimanding it for ignoring his command.
The wolf acted obediently, wagging its tail as if to plead for forgiveness. Eddie then wondered if the plant's flesh could be used to cultivate war beasts, especially young ones, as it contained a life energy similar to the Heart of Oak but with an additional pure energy.
Eddie gave a piece of the flesh to the Ashen Wolf, which devoured it eagerly. He also offered some to Little Wenli, but she showed no interest and returned it to Eddie, who gently patted her head and remarked that children shouldn't be picky eaters.
Little Wenli refused the fruit flesh, playfully clinging to Eddie's leg and pretending to eat before sneakily feeding it to the Ashen Wolf.
She then transformed into a rainbow light and entered Eddie's body to rest. Eddie was amused, but the Ashen Wolf happily devoured the fruit, wagging its tail energetically.
Eddie then offered a piece of the fruit to the Blood Queen, who tasted it and made some gestures and spoke in the language of the Abyss, which Eddie couldn't understand.
He guessed that she found the fruit flesh acceptable but not exceptional, as the core or seed, likely the best part, had already been consumed by the jade beetle.
Eddie decided to keep the remaining fruit flesh for future use, storing it in the Lich Ring, which made collecting treasures more convenient.
Suddenly, a rumbling sound came from the distance, and the sky filled with five children on flying beasts, screaming for everyone to teleport back as a swarm of insects approached.
Down in the valley, Eddie saw Leaf Sky and Hessian running frantically, pursued by the giant rhinoceros beetle, which caused chaos in the valley with its massive size and strength.
Eddie urged them to use their teleportation scrolls, but Leaf Sky explained that Hessian needed time to summon his.
Eddie distracted the beetle by attacking it with the Ashen Wolf and his Ashen Demon Blade. As he kept the beetle busy, the others managed to teleport away safely.
Eddie and the Ashen Wolf finally teleported directly from the beetle's head, narrowly escaping an incoming swarm of parasitic demon bees.
Back at the academy, the long-haired girl noted everyone's safe return and commended Eddie's role in their survival. However, a smug male student mocked the newcomers for their empty hands, questioning their ability to stay in the Death Class.
Eddie, unfazed, knew that the challenges they faced in the Abyss would only make them stronger.
The harsh environment ensured that only the strongest survived, shaping them into formidable beings.
Eddie and his companions were ushered to a medical center after their mission, where they were met with a vast crowd of injured soldiers and students from various academies, including the prestigious Shangjing Academy.
The medical center was bustling with activity as students from different academies handed in their collected herbs.
Eddie observed the large number of injured soldiers, confirming his suspicion that the task was not exclusive to the Ivy League Academy but involved multiple teams.
He noted that the Ivy League Academy was responsible for 300 soldiers, and if they failed to collect enough Black Ear Withered Heart Orchids, those soldiers' lives would be at risk.
A sweet-voiced medical assistant guided the Ivy League Academy students to a kind-looking elderly lady, who meticulously checked each herb pouch.
Most of the students surpassed the required ten herbs, with only five falling short.
Despite this, the elderly lady commended their efforts, highlighting the importance of each herb in saving lives.
However, a dispute arose when a male student from Capital Academy protested the grading system, arguing it was unfair that he received a failing grade despite meeting the task requirements while others who fell short were passed.
The elderly lady explained that honesty is essential in saving lives, and the student's dishonest act of mixing herbs collected by others affected the quality of the herbs. She thanked him for his efforts but emphasized the importance of integrity in medical practice.
Eddie observed that the total number of herbs collected by students from various academies was close to 200, with Shangjing Academy being an exception, having collected over 500 herbs. This impressive achievement by Shangjing Academy students highlighted their skill and dedication to the task.
Eddie was concerned about the insufficient number of Black Ear Withered Heart Orchids collected, realizing that the total fell short of what was needed to treat the over 3,000 poisoned soldiers. He was troubled by the fact that only a fraction of the required herbs had been gathered, leaving the fate of the remaining soldiers uncertain.
As he pondered the situation, Eddie's thoughts turned to the Jade Beetle, a creature he had discovered with pure energy that could dispel demonic energy. He wondered if this same energy might also have an effect on toxins. The possibility that the Jade Beetle's energy could be a solution to the poisoning crisis sparked his curiosity and determination to explore this potential remedy.