Three Biyou Palace Disciples stood between Su Bai and the Blood Infant Fruit.
Clearly, they intended to snatch away Su Bai's fortuitous opportunity.
This Blood Infant Fruit was a Third-tier Spirit Medicine, and one of the supplementary spirit medicines for a certain Foundation Establishment Pill formula.
Even within the Blood River Secret Realm, it was not something one could easily encounter.
No wonder these three Biyou Palace Disciples were so excited.
Once the three Biyou Palace Disciples blocked Su Bai's line of sight toward the Blood Infant Fruit, the deadly sensation in the warning from his Clear Heart Sword Intent faded considerably.
Su Bai spread his hands. "There are more of you, so you call the shots. This Blood Infant Fruit is yours."
You are heartless, so do not blame me for being unjust.
This was a perfect chance to use these three to see exactly what kind of monster was causing the deadly sensation around the Blood Infant Fruit.
By the way, he could also see whether he could wait beside a tree stump for a hare.
The three Biyou Palace Disciples watched Su Bai warily, but since he had immediately admitted defeat, they found it difficult to make a move against him.
The leader among them looked toward a tall, thin Biyou Palace Disciple at his side. "Go pick the Blood Infant Fruit."
Although few disciples from the Three Sects dared approach the Blood River's banks, there would inevitably be bold fools like themselves.
If several more groups arrived, this Blood Infant Fruit might spark a bloody battle. Picking it and leaving this place as soon as possible was the proper course.
"Senior Brother, it is only half a zhang from the Blood River. There is a high chance the Blood River Monsters will attack. Keep watch for me," said the tall, thin Biyou Palace Disciple. He did not refuse, but his expression was tense.
"Mm. We will watch for you. This is only the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Blood River; the monsters cannot be that formidable. Just move quickly." The leader took out a talisman and pinched it between his fingers, then cast Su Bai a concealed warning glance.
With his sharp eyes, Su Bai recognized it as a costly Second-grade Talisman.
Second-grade Talismans were exceedingly valuable. It seemed this leading Biyou Palace Disciple was also highly valued within Biyou Palace.
The tall, thin Biyou Palace Disciple also saw the talisman in his Senior Brother's hand. With a Second-grade Talisman holding the field, his heart settled somewhat.
He activated a movement spell, wind swirling around his body as he swiftly darted toward the Blood Infant Fruit.
Just as he neared the Blood Infant Fruit and even stretched out his hand to touch it—
The deadly premonition in Su Bai's heart surged to its limit.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, a massive bloody hand burst from the Blood River. Before the tall, thin Biyou Palace Disciple could react, it seized his body and dragged him into the river.
Throughout the entire process, the tall, thin Biyou Palace Disciple had no chance to react. As for the leading Biyou Palace Disciple in the distance, how could he have had time to activate the Second-grade Talisman?
"Now!" The leading Biyou Palace Disciple's reaction exceeded Su Bai's expectations. Rather than retreating, he advanced, activating his movement technique and rushing toward the Blood Infant Fruit.
"He wants to use his Junior Brother to draw the monster's attention and pick the Blood Infant Fruit," Su Bai said in mild surprise.
Perhaps this man had intended to use his Junior Brother as bait from the beginning.
Yet the deadly sensation foretold by Su Bai's Clear Heart Sword Intent had not fully subsided. This man is ruthless enough, but it should not be so easy for him to pick the Blood Infant Fruit.
Sure enough, another giant hand emerged from the river and grabbed toward the leading Biyou Palace Disciple.
That is more like it. Hands are body parts that naturally come in pairs.
"Go!"
Though the leading Biyou Palace Disciple had been prepared, terror still surged through his heart. Gritting his teeth, he unleashed the Second-grade Talisman in his hand.
It was a Lightning Attribute Tier 2 Spell. A bolt of azure lightning roared forth and struck the Blood-Colored Giant Hand.
"I got it!" The leading Biyou Palace Disciple's hand had already touched the Blood Infant Fruit, his face glowing with delight.
Yet the Blood-Colored Giant Hand passed through the lightning at the same time. In the next instant, it reached out and clenched him in its grasp.
A Tier 2 Thunder Spell could not even slow the Blood-Colored Giant Hand in the slightest!
"No!" The leading Biyou Palace Disciple screamed as the Blood-Colored Giant Hand dragged him down to the riverbed.
A massive head could vaguely be seen opening its mouth above the river and swallowing him. Was that the owner of the bloody hands? Perhaps a terrifying Blood Giant stood upon the riverbed.
The sole remaining Biyou Palace Disciple watched as his two fellow disciples were devoured by the Blood River Monster in the span of moments. He was so terrified that his courage shattered. "I told you not to get close to the Blood River! You just would not listen! Have the bloody lessons of those before us not been enough?!"
At that moment, he suddenly noticed the Jade Mist Sect Disciple in the distance activating a movement technique and rushing toward the Blood Infant Fruit.
"Crazy, he has gone crazy!"
"Can't he cultivate properly? Is he throwing his life away for a single spirit medicine?!"
"Could this Blood Infant Fruit be a trap? Could it emit some special energy that draws Cultivators close on its own?!"
As this thought flashed through his mind, the Biyou Palace Disciple believed he had understood the truth. Terror rose even stronger in his heart, and he immediately turned and fled without looking back.
He feared that he would be the next one lured by the Blood Infant Fruit, dying without ever knowing why.
Meanwhile, Su Bai's hand had already touched the Blood Infant Fruit.
Yet he stared tensely at the river's surface. Though he had ample confidence in his Clear Heart Sword Intent, the Blood-Colored Giant Hands beneath the riverbed were no joking matter.
"Got it!" Su Bai condensed Spiritual Power and plucked the Blood Infant Fruit.
Su Bai turned and left at once, not daring to linger for even a moment. Only after he had dashed more than a hundred meters, until crimson vegetation blocked the Blood River from view behind him, did he stop and let out a breath.
Just moments ago, after the leading Biyou Palace Disciple had been swallowed, the deadly sensation from the Blood-Colored Giant Hands predicted by Su Bai's Clear Heart Sword Intent had rapidly ebbed away like a receding tide.
Su Bai did not know whether the owner of those Blood-Colored Giant Hands had eaten its fill or run out of energy.
He only knew this was a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity, so he had struck decisively.
Now, gazing at the Third-tier Blood Infant Fruit in his hand, Su Bai felt a thousand emotions stir within him. Six hundred Spirit Stones had fallen into his hands just like that.
Of course, once the Blood Infant Fruit was taken out, it had to be handed over. He could not truly receive six hundred Spirit Stones.
In truth, disciples of the Three Sects were merely gatherers for their respective sects, with competition added at most.
However, Jade Mist Sect would tally the value of spirit medicines brought out by its disciples and distribute rewards according to their value.
The reward for first place in Jade Mist Sect was also extraordinarily generous.
Most disciples spent three days in the Blood River Secret Realm and brought out spirit medicines worth only around a thousand Spirit Stones.
This single Blood Infant Fruit of Su Bai's was worth more than half the spirit medicine value an ordinary disciple would obtain in the Secret Realm.
Su Bai took out a Jade Box and carefully placed the Blood Infant Fruit inside.
This Blood Infant Fruit was round and plump, crimson-red throughout, with faint facial features resembling a smile on its front. It truly lived up to the name Blood Infant Fruit.
After placing the Jade Box into his Storage Bag, Su Bai continued walking upstream along the Blood River's bank.
The predictive ability of his Clear Heart Sword Intent was Su Bai's greatest source of confidence in searching for spirit medicines within this dangerous region.
As he drew closer to the Upper Reaches of the Blood River, more and more spirit medicines appeared along the banks.
There were even several Third-tier Spirit Medicines.
But most of those spirit medicines were extremely close to the river's surface, filling Su Bai with a deadly sensation.
Before you continue