Black Pool

Dongfang Wanyu played a little dirty. While they were still fighting, she released the Level Five Winged Elephant, then slipped away with Dongfang Minghui, leaving the others to tear each other apart.

Throughout the journey, Dongfang Minghui's eyelid kept twitching. Her heart fluttered uneasily, and she could not shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

"Seventh Sister, do you think they'll know we did it?" She looked just like a good little girl overcome with guilt after doing something naughty.

Dongfang Wanyu glanced at her. "What are you worried about?" The two groups had fought so viciously over the treasure that there probably would not be many survivors.

Dongfang Minghui hesitated, opening her mouth, but under The Female Lead's piercing gaze, she could not get a single word out.

When Dongfang Minghui realized she had brought her to the injured Winged Elephant's lair, her jaw dropped. Now she truly understood what it meant for the mantis to stalk the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it.

"Seventh Sister, don't tell me you're planning to—" Take the Winged Elephant Demon Beast away?

The Female Lead held a finger to her lips, and Dongfang Minghui immediately covered her mouth in understanding.

On the Seven-Colored Continent, a Level Five Winged Elephant magical beast mount was extremely valuable and difficult to capture. Even in the great families, only a handful of highly gifted geniuses whom their families pinned their hopes on could have mounts of their own.

Someone out of favor like Dongfang Wanyu could only obtain a mount through her own strength.

So... Dongfang Minghui instantly understood what she intended and wholeheartedly supported her decision.

"There's another Winged Elephant in the cave, a female. If you charge in like this, you probably won't gain anything," Qing Mo told her frankly.

Two Level Five Winged Elephant magical beasts were not something just anyone could handle.

"Let's wait a little longer."

Dongfang Wanyu knew how rare opportunities were. She had to seize every one that came her way.

With nothing to do, Dongfang Minghui lay on the ground, concealing her presence so perfectly that even Dongfang Wanyu beside her was surprised.

"Oh, wait." Qing Mo suddenly spoke up. "Wanyu, you really are lucky. The female Winged Elephant inside is giving birth. I think you can make good use of this opportunity."

Dongfang Wanyu's expression shifted as she grasped what Qing Mo meant.

Between a magical beast forced into a contract through violence and one she could raise from infancy, she found the latter far more appealing.

"No wonder that Winged Elephant insisted on returning to its lair despite its severe injuries. Its young are about to be born."

"You need to be careful. The Winged Elephant Tribe is fiercely protective of its young. Once they realize what you intend, they'll probably go berserk on the spot. You'd already struggle against a level-five magical beast, let alone one that's gone berserk," Qing Mo cautioned.

Dongfang Wanyu felt she needed to prepare something. She looked at Dongfang Minghui beside her, and an idea suddenly flashed through her mind.

"Ninth Sister, I remember your spiritual power was wood-type when it underwent Awakening," Dongfang Wanyu suddenly remarked.

Dongfang Minghui stared blankly, then murmured, "It doesn't really count as wood-type." If only it were, the Dongfang Family would not have let her fool around for so many years.

Dongfang Wanyu did not care whether it was truly wood-type. What she knew was that Dongfang Minghui had a mysterious affinity with plants.

"Your Seventh Sister needs you to do something for me."

Hearing those words from The Female Lead nearly scared Dongfang Minghui to death.

"Seventh Sister, what do you need me to do?"

Dongfang Wanyu described what she wanted. Dongfang Minghui was utterly confused, but her contracted Demon Plant understood.

"Purple Cloud Fruit grows in the Black Pool area. It's a nourishing fruit that can restore a magical beast's vitality, and it's incredibly enticing to them. Magical beasts below level nine can't resist it."

For once, the damned Demon Plant gave Dongfang Minghui a serious, straightforward explanation.

Clearly, this request was the perfect chance to demonstrate her goodwill and loyalty to The Female Lead. Dongfang Minghui agreed without a second thought.

"All right."

"Are you sure your Ninth Sister can get you the Purple Cloud Fruit? Don't forget that it grows in the black marshes. A mere Spirit User like her..." Qing Mo had no faith in her, anyway.

Dongfang Wanyu watched her retreating figure. "We won't know until we try."

Along the way, Dongfang Minghui asked here and there, learning the direction of the Purple Cloud Fruit from the flowers and grasses. Before she could ask anything else about it, her damned Demon Plant interrupted.

"Tch, instead of asking them, you'd be better off begging me. Go on, beg. If you put me in a good mood, I might help you get the Purple Cloud Fruit." The damned Demon Plant huffed haughtily.

Dongfang Minghui rolled her eyes, not bothering to respond.

Even now, she could not figure out how this perverted Demon Plant had managed to form a Blood Contract with her.

"Tsk, tsk. You don't believe me?" The damned Demon Plant could sense a little of what she was thinking. "Purple Cloud Fruit isn't easy to get. Your Seventh Sister has set you up."

"No, she hasn't." Dongfang Minghui stubbornly refused to admit it.

"Purple Cloud Fruit grows in Black Pool, which is a marsh. Do you know how many bones lie beneath it? There are countless magical beasts that want Purple Cloud Fruit, but you can count the ones that actually get it on one hand."

"And do you know what's beneath the marsh?"

"A Three-Headed Snake. Apparently, it's lived beneath Black Pool for a very long time. With that spiritual power of yours, it's bound to swallow you alive."

Dongfang Minghui was speechless. Couldn't they just get along?

At first, Dongfang Minghui had sworn to herself that she would get the Purple Cloud Fruit. But after listening to her damned Demon Plant's endless nagging along the way, her resolve began to waver.

"Heh. If I get swallowed alive, you'll die too."

The damned Demon Plant immediately fell silent.

Dongfang Minghui felt rather pleased with herself. At last, she had found a way to shut this perverted Demon Plant up. She had almost forgotten that the Blood Contract bound not just her, but this damned magical pet as well. From now on, they stood on equal footing: they would prosper or suffer together.

She had finally broken free of her previous mindset as the weaker party.

The closer she came to Black Pool, the more cautious Dongfang Minghui became. Every few steps, she checked her surroundings, afraid that a moment's inattention would let a magical beast snatch her away.

"Could you show a little backbone? My lifelong reputation is about to be ruined by you," the damned Demon Plant said helplessly in its childish voice.

"Just daring to come here is already doing you a favor." If this had not involved The Female Lead, she would have fled long ago. No normal person would come somewhere this dangerous.

Soon, she discovered a group of decidedly abnormal people trying to approach the marsh at the center of Black Pool.

Dongfang Minghui was speechless. For fuck's sake. These people were after the Purple Cloud Fruit too.

"They're stronger fighters than you. Their chances of getting the Purple Cloud Fruit are very high." That ill-timed voice sounded in her mind again.

"Even a blind person could tell." Dongfang Minghui had long since learned to conceal her presence. Since her aura resembled that of the wood element, ordinary people would have a hard time detecting her in this forest unless she exposed herself.

"Once they defeat the Three-Headed Snake, we'll snatch the Purple Cloud Fruit," Dongfang Minghui discussed with her damned little companion.

"That could work, but I have one condition." See? She still needed it after all.

"Go ahead," Dongfang Minghui said helplessly. Anything too difficult would be beyond her anyway. Besides, stealing the Purple Cloud Fruit from so many people really would require its help—yes, she needed those long, tormenting vines.

"If there's an extra Purple Cloud Fruit, it's mine."

"Aren't you and that thing the same kind?" Born from the same root, why torment each other so cruelly? Dongfang Minghui stared in disbelief. Her little companion had overturned her entire worldview.

"Idiot," the childish voice cursed outright.

"Do you still want it or not? Insult me again, and I'll eat any good things we find from now on first." She had already learned to use her advantages.

Her damned little companion fell silent.

"I may be a Demon Plant, but I still need to absorb energy." Besides, its true body had been injured earlier. It had been forced to settle for such a useless person, resorting to the worst possible option to save its life.

Dongfang Minghui finally understood. Demon Plants needed energy, she needed energy, and everything needed energy. They simply needed different kinds.

"All right, deal." She agreed immediately. Purple Cloud Fruit was no use to her anyway, and more importantly, someone else would be doing most of the work.

For the first time, person and pet reached a harmonious, mutually satisfactory agreement.

"Young Master, once we lure the Three-Headed Snake out of its den, we'll draw it away. You and the grand elders can seize the opportunity to take the Purple Cloud Fruit."

Outside, a single Purple Cloud Fruit was priceless and impossible to buy.

Dongfang Minghui hid in the grass, watching the group split into two teams. One team kept throwing pitch-black balls into the marsh from above Black Pool. Each ball exploded as soon as it landed.

Boom—boom—boom!

The explosions continued without pause, blasting the marsh into a mess. Countless bones, pelts, and creatures living in the marsh were blown out. Even lying on the ground, Dongfang Minghui could feel the powerful tremors, let alone the Three-Headed Snake that lived inside the marsh.

Seeing no movement within the marsh, the group threw several more balls into it in succession.

A deafening sound rang out, accompanied by an enraged roar.

"Hide. The Three-Headed Snake is furious." At her little companion's warning, Dongfang Minghui scrambled up a tree as quickly as a monkey. With the help of its vines, she wrapped herself up, disguising herself as part of the tree.

Sure enough, after three waves of explosions, the entire marsh began to churn. Black spiders about the size of ants poured out from within.

"Aah! It itches!"

"They're poisonous! Run—hurry!"

The sight of those densely packed creatures made Dongfang Minghui's scalp prickle and goosebumps rise all over her body. The little creatures swarmed excitedly straight toward the crowd, not even sparing the trees.