C22 Illusory Flowerdemon

Blood Rain deftly maneuvered through the onslaught, narrowly avoiding each attack with the aid of Eagle Eye's enhanced vision.

Chen Wu wiped the sweat from his brow, his eyes gleaming with approval. "Excellent, Blood Rain! Keep firing those Feather Arrows!"

Wave after wave, Blood Rain's assault was relentless. The Poison Swamp Crocodiles' attempts to counter were as futile as using an anti-aircraft gun to swat mosquitoes, leaving them infuriated and powerless. They bared their serrated jaws to the sky in anger but to no avail.

"Let's not toy with them any longer."

Despite the prolonged skirmish, Blood Rain had managed to eliminate nearly ten Poison Swamp Crocodiles, yet this hardly made a dent in their numbers. Not to mention, the Grade 4 Poison Swamp Crocodile leader and the three Grade 3s were barely scratched. The Feather Arrows struggled to penetrate their tough hide, prompting Chen Wu to conserve Blood Rain's energy for more pressing matters.

With Blood Rain's protection, the remaining Poison Swamp Crocodiles dared not pursue Chen Wu any further.

Circling around the crocodile-infested pond, Chen Wu advanced another two hundred meters until he reached the mountain the hunters had spoken of. Towering hundreds of meters high, it snaked deeper into the jungle. Upon closer inspection, he noticed numerous dark caves of varying sizes pockmarking the mountainside, clearly not a work of nature.

Indeed, they were artificial. Chen Wu observed several Scarlet Fire Monkeys with their crimson fur, hanging from the cliffside vines.

These sharp-toothed, nimble climbers were unmistakably a species of Demonic Beast.

[Creature]: Scarlet Fire Monkey

[Attribute]: Beast (Fire)

[Type]: Unevolved

[Skill]: Fire Charge, Fire Claw, Bite

[Potential]: High-grade Bronze

[Bloodline]: None

[Level]: Bronze Grade 1

[Status]: Healthy

Chen Wu marveled at the sight before him. "An entire tribe of Scarlet Fire Monkeys resides here!"

Scarlet Fire Monkeys, with their dual affinity for Fire-type and Beast-type attributes, commanded higher market prices than their purely Beast-type counterparts. This was due to their elemental abilities combined with their robust physicality, though it certainly didn't imply that Beast-type Demonic Beasts were inferior.

Beast-type attributes are the innate gifts of all Beast-type Demonic Beasts, offering them an absolute advantage in strength and speed. Take the Blood Wolf, for instance—a pure Beast-type Demonic Beast. Its formidable strength and natural Berserk skill ensure that its power and value are on par with that of the Scarlet Fire Monkey.

Moreover, pure Beast-type Demonic Beasts are easier to raise, unlike those like the Scarlet Fire Monkey that possess Elemental Power. Demonic Pet Masters often invest heavily in Fire-type Demonic Cores to feed Scarlet Fire Monkeys, enhancing their mastery over fire.

Chen Wu, however, wasn't interested in the Scarlet Fire Monkeys. The reason was straightforward: Scarlet Fire Monkeys, being agile Demonic Beasts, were no match for the Blood Wolf in direct combat. That said, Chen Wu wouldn't pass up the opportunity to contract a Scarlet Fire Monkey with exceptional talent, especially since he had a contract slot available. After all, the more Demonic Pets, the better. It's like with Hu Wang—if it weren't for Blood Rain's High-level Treasure Weapon and Chen Wu's Psychic Technique support, he might have been in for an unexpected defeat!

Chen Wu's attention quickly shifted to the base of the mountain.

"What's this?"

A peculiar plant soon caught Chen Wu's eye—a severed root, likely from a Plant-type Demonic Beast, as it still held traces of energy and Demonic Qi. With his enhanced Spiritual Energy and bond with his Demonic Pets, Chen Wu could easily detect this Demonic Qi.

"This is a root from a Plant-type Demonic Beast... Wait, isn't this Uncle Chen's hunting knife?!"

Chen Wu unearthed a dust-covered knife from the ground, about the length of an arm. It was the very knife Chen Guang habitually used for dissecting his prey, and Chen Wu recognized it well.

How did this knife end up here?

"Uncle Chen must have made it this far. Could he be nearby? But that doesn't seem right—the peak is so steep, and it's teeming with Demonic Beasts..."

Just then, Blood Rain perched on Chen Wu's shoulder, fixing him with a gaze that conveyed a message.

"You're saying you can track Uncle Chen by following this scent?"

Chen Wu was both startled and elated.

"Chirp~"

Blood Rain signaled that it had the situation under control!

Blood Rain took to the skies again, heading toward the base of the mountain.

Chen Wu quickly followed suit.

Soon after, Blood Rain emitted a heavy, piercing warning cry and began to circle low over a particular spot.

Chen Wu looked on, immediately taken aback.

At the base of the mountain, next to a small hole, stood a plant as tall as a man with a dark red flower in full bloom. The large flower released waves of exotic fragrance that intoxicated Chen Wu, his gaze becoming somewhat hazy.

"No!"

Chen Wu, with his strong Spiritual Energy, snapped out of it, his eyes sharpening, "It's a Flower-demon!"

Plant-type fairies were exceedingly rare, and the scent from this large Flower-demon was potent enough to make Chen Wu dizzy and sleepy, which spoke volumes about its dangerous allure!

[Creature]: Illusory Flower-demon

[Attributes]: Plant-type

[Type]: Unevolved

[Skills]: Slumber Powder, Fantasy Pollen, Root Bind

[Potential]: High-grade Bronze

[Bloodline]: None

[Level]: Bronze Grade 4

[Status]: Hunting

This was a Bronze Grade 4 Flower-demon, a Plant-type Demonic Beast that was notoriously difficult to handle, especially one that could bewitch and lure its prey into a trap where it would be consumed as nourishment.

This Flower-demon was far more fearsome than an entire tribe of Poison Swamp Crocodiles!

But what truly weighed on Chen Wu's heart was Blood Rain's indication that Chen Guang's presence had vanished near this Flower-demon!

Chen Wu understood all too well what this implied. Either Chen Guang had perished, consumed by the Flower-demon, or he had somehow managed to escape, though the latter seemed highly improbable.

"Damn it!"

Chen Wu's fists tightened as he grappled with his discomfort. Uncle Chen had been like family to him, caring for him and his grandfather since his childhood, always including him in hunts. Uncle Chen had even personally taught him the skills of hunting and how to identify medicinal herbs in the wild.

Could such a simple and honest man really die just like that?

Chen Wu's gaze towards the Illusory Flower-demon was filled with rage!

"Blood Rain, can you take it down? Are you confident?"

Chen Wu's fury mirrored Blood Rain's. With a majestic howl, Blood Rain proclaimed its fearlessness!

"Good, Blood Rain, unleash Feather Arrow, sever its roots, and destroy its flower sac!"

Blood Rain soared through the sky. The Illusory Flower-demon's specialty might be inducing sleep with its illusions, but even if it were a Plant-type Demonic Beast, it would stand no chance against Blood Rain.

Plant-type Demonic Pets all share a common weakness: they are mostly immobile. They are bound to the location of their roots, and even if they can move, it's only by subtly altering the soil underground. For Blood Rain, they were nothing more than sitting ducks!