Taking a Gamble

"Well, well, that Intermediate Lightning Mage has some skill. He actually led his team to kill a Warrior Level Demon Beast."

Watching the battle, Su Miu offered his praise. After all, Intermediate Mages capable of defeating Warrior Level Demon Beasts were rare these days.

In the original story, even some Intermediate Mages among Pearl Academy's many students had been thrashed by an Advanced Stage servant-level Ghost Wolf Beast.

Judging by that, injuring a Sub-Warrior Level Demon Beast required Intermediate Level Two magic at the very least. Against a lesser warrior-level one, it would probably take Level Three Intermediate Magic.

Of course, having a spirit seed changed the equation. The boost a spirit seed gave a mage was simply enormous.

Soon, the three teams of hunter mages joined forces, driving back many sub-warrior-level Poison Swamp Lizards and even killing three. The group of over forty people finally withstood the pressure and pushed forward.

"They've drawn most of the fire. Let's get ready to move, too."

Su Miu rubbed his hands eagerly. Watching most of the Warrior Level Demon Beasts being drawn toward the distant hunter mage teams, Ling Ling still felt uneasy.

"Su Miu, we haven't explored the bottom of the lake yet. Don't be too reckless."

"I know. We'll get a little closer first. If anything looks wrong, we'll retreat."

He nodded at her words, then led the team toward Green Lake. Along the way, Di Qiu'er conserved her magic energy as much as possible.

The Golden Dragon Spear thrust out like a dragon, killing an Advanced Stage servant-level Demon Beast outright. An Essence Remnant dropped at the same time.

"What a powerful Demon-Slaying Tool!"

Seeing this, Ling Ling took the Golden Dragon Spear for a Demon-Slaying Tool, and a high-grade one at that. She couldn't help wondering whether Di Qiu'er and Bai Xiuxiu came from some major families.

For instance... Bai Xiuxiu... Bai... Could she be from the Bai family of Magic City? And the surname Di was distinguished in itself-the same character as in "emperor." Her background surely wasn't ordinary either.

While the little girl pondered this, Su Miu had already carried her close to Green Lake on his back. With those three hunter mage teams drawing the fire, almost everything they faced was below warrior level.

Whenever they encountered a Warrior Level creature, they avoided it ahead of time, so things were fairly safe.

But a moment later, a thunderous, bull-like roar rang out, and a terrifying aura swept over them. Everyone's expression changed as they turned toward Green Lake.

An enormous Swamp Poison Jiao surfaced, its Advanced Stage Warrior Level aura utterly terrifying.

"Oh no! It's an Advanced Stage Warrior Level Demon Beast—a Swamp Poison Jiao! We're going to die!"

"Damn it! The information was wrong! How could there be such a powerful Demon Beast here?"

In an instant, fear replaced the greed in the hunters' eyes. They had thought they would strike it rich once they obtained the Water Element spirit seed, never expecting such a powerful Demon Beast to appear.

How could such a powerful Demon Beast be in the central region of the Wetland Swamp? Even an Advanced Mage might well die here.

The next moment, the Swamp Poison Jiao roared and charged into the hunter teams. Those who had been so aggressively intent on seizing the Water Element spirit seed instantly lost all their fighting spirit.

The swamp poison dragon lunged at them, spewing green poison that corroded many hunter mages down to bare bones.

"Quick! Light Element mages, get up front!"

Someone directed the Light Element mages forward. Golden shields soon appeared one after another, while others activated Defensive Magic Equipment and Armor Magic Equipment to hold it off. The battle was devastating.

"Stop watching! Let's get out of here!"

Ling Ling hurriedly tugged at Su Miu, urging him to leave. This was an immensely powerful Demon Beast on the verge of commander level, far beyond anything they could handle.

Su Miu swallowed, too. But looking at Green Lake, now completely undefended by demon lizards, he thought this might be an opportunity...

He and Bai Xiuxiu shared a mental connection, and she quickly understood his intentions. Since she was his summoned beast, he only needed a thought to send her back to the Summoning Plane.

She wasn't afraid of danger. Immediately, Bai Xiuxiu stepped onto a Wind Track and rushed toward Green Lake with Di Qiu'er.

"Hey! Have you lost your minds?"

Ling Ling cried out in alarm, desperately tugging at the hem of Su Miu's clothes as she said:

"Su Miu! Get your teammates under control! They'll die doing this!"

"Don't panic! Watch me work!"

Without a hint of panic, Su Miu stepped onto a Wind Track, then raised his hand. Thunder Seal: Wild Strategy erupted, instantly paralyzing the many Advanced Stage servant-level Swamp Giant Lizards trying to surround Bai Xiuxiu and Di Qiu'er.

"Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear! Draw their attention!"

At the same time, he summoned the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear to draw the giant lizards' attention. The pressure on Bai Xiuxiu dropped sharply, and Di Qiu'er raised her hand.

"Glass Flame, Fire Burst: Double Blast!"

With a thunderous boom, numerous servant-level Demon Beasts were blasted away. The two women reached Green Lake, and Bai Xiuxiu dove into the water without hesitation. Then she transformed into a gray-white Little Shark and swam deeper.

"Hmph! If you want to get past, you'll have to go through me!"

Facing the charging Swamp Giant Lizards, with even a few Warrior Level Poison Swamp Lizards among them, she showed no fear. She activated the Mind Element Magic Mind Shock, momentarily stunning one of the Poison Swamp Lizards.

Di Qiu'er leaped into the air, bringing the Golden Dragon Spear down with tremendous force and driving it into the creature's flesh.

"Glass Flame, Fire Burst: Flame Corrosion!"

A mass of platinum flame poured into the Warrior Level Demon Beast's head. After a few spasms, it collapsed with a crash.

"Who else wants some!"

Standing beside the enormous Poison Swamp Lizard's corpse, Di Qiu'er pulled out the Golden Dragon Spear and pointed it straight at the Demon Beasts before her, looking every bit like a lone defender holding back an army.

Meanwhile, watching one of them dive underwater while the other held off a mass of Demon Beasts, Ling Ling couldn't help cursing:

"You lunatics! You've all gone mad! Is money worth more than your lives?"

Carrying Ling Ling on his back, Su Miu retreated at full speed. He recalled the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear and evaded every Demon Beast that attacked along the way.

His spirit seed's twofold speed boost was still working. At the same time, he established a mental connection with both women.

"If anything happens, you have to tell me. Don't push yourselves. You're both far more important than the Water Element spirit seed."

"Got it. I can still hold them off."

Di Qiu'er answered him mentally. At the same time, she activated Curse Element magic, cowing an Advanced Stage servant-level Demon Beast, then thrust her spear and finished it off with Fire Seed: Bone Burning.

"Glass Flame Domain!"

A domain of platinum flame spread outward. Watching the Swamp Poison Jiao prepare to fly back after finishing off the hunter mage teams, Di Qiu'er gave a warning.

"That big one's coming back. Xiu Xiu, how are things on your end?"

Beneath the emerald lake water, Bai Xiuxiu shot toward the source of the energy fluctuations like an arrow loosed from a bow, driving her wind element and water attribute to their limits.

"Just a little farther... If I can just... just reach that spot!"

Just as she was about to touch the azure Water Element spirit seed, several jets of venom shot toward her. Startled, she instantly activated Water Shield Protection, blocking the venomous arrows, but the shield shattered a moment later.

Her expression grew grave as she looked at the Poison Swamp Lizards hidden around her, apparently cultivating with the energy leaking from the spirit seed.

P.S. This was the tenth update on June 19, bringing the total to twenty thousand Chinese characters.