C26 Demonic Blood Fruit

The new section of the tunnel was considerably more spacious, stretching over two meters in width. Chen Wu walked roughly fifty meters before arriving at the end, where he discovered an expansive cave, three meters in height and approximately fifty square meters in size.

What caught Chen Wu's eye the most was an enormous skeleton on the floor, larger even than that of a falcon-type Demonic Beast. The mere sight of the bones exuded an oppressive aura.

The skeleton belonged to a beast, resembling a type of tiger-like Demonic Beast, with massive tiger bones and Strength-type tiger claws. Sadly, it had been dead for countless years.

Following the skeleton with his gaze, Chen Wu noticed the only stone chair in the cave.

The sight of a human skeleton, still clothed, sitting upon the stone chair was truly astonishing.

This place was undoubtedly where a Demonic Pet Master had chosen to spend eternity!

Chen Wu knew that if a powerful Demonic Pet Master had a family, they would be buried and honored by their descendants. However, solitary Demonic Pet Masters often selected a place with good Feng Shui to bury themselves along with their Demonic Beast. Some, unwilling to fade into obscurity, would create Treasure Maps of their possessions and release them into the world, waiting for a destined individual to claim their legacy years later.

He couldn't believe his luck in stumbling upon such a site!

But Chen Wu's excitement quickly faded when he realized that, aside from the skeleton and its clothing, there was absolutely nothing left!

Where was the inheritance, the treasure he had hoped for?

Chen Wu was exasperated!

Seriously? All he wanted was to find a treasure, but it seemed like a cruel joke was played on him, giving him hope only to shatter it immediately. What kind of treasure hunt was this?

"Someone appears to have been here before!"

Noticing footprints on the ground, Chen Wu grew contemplative. The Treasure Map was supposed to be with Hu Wang, so how could someone have arrived here first and taken the treasure?

"I'll need to look into the Hu Family when I get the chance, to find out how Hu Wang came into possession of this Treasure Map."

As Chen Wu looked down, his expression turned to one of intrigue. There was, in fact, something here.

Next to the seat, there was a small flower pot containing a plant that thrived like a blossoming flower. What was even more peculiar was that it had already fruited, bearing a thumb-sized, tomato-like fruit that was vibrantly red with hints of green, seemingly on the verge of ripening.

"What is this thing?"

Chen Wu was at a loss. He suspected it might be some kind of Heaven-earth Materials And Treasures, so why hadn't someone taken it with them when they had the chance?

Chen Wu figured that if he had been the first to arrive, he wouldn't have hesitated to take anything he could from this place, whether it seemed useful or not. True to the saying, 'pluck the goose as it passes.'

"Could it be possible that this is a precious medicinal plant that can't be transplanted? Maybe that's why the person left it here temporarily... which means they'll likely return, at least to harvest the ripe fruit!"

Unfortunately for them, whatever it was, it now belonged to Chen Wu!

"System, do you recognize what this is?"

After pondering over it for a while, Chen Wu decided to consult the system. The system was straightforward—if you didn't ask, it wouldn't tell.

"Ding! Scanning..."

"Host, this plant is the Demonic Blood Fruit, unique to the Demonic Pet World. It's born when a powerful creature with a mutated bloodline drips its blood onto a plant, which then has a chance to mutate. The host plant can be any species."

"The Demonic Blood Fruit's effects are straightforward. When consumed by a Demonic Beast, there's a chance to purify and concentrate its bloodline, enhancing its realm. There's even a slim chance of inheriting the bloodline gene of the powerful creature whose blood created the fruit. Answer concluded!"

This succinct explanation from the system was a revelation for Chen Wu—it was indeed a treasure!

It had the power to refine the bloodline of a Demonic Beast, with a chance to inherit the bloodline of the mighty creature that had bled onto the plant!

This was a major windfall—a true gem!

Chen Wu wished he could feed it to Blood Rain immediately!

"However, it looks like this Demonic Blood Fruit will need about three more days to mature. I'll wait here to ensure no one beats me to it. For Blood Rain, this is an invaluable Treasured Pill that could significantly enhance its strength!"

Chen Wu wouldn't miss an opportunity to grow stronger. With the system's sign-up rewards coming to an end, and before the shopping system was activated, he knew he had to focus on nurturing his Demonic Pets.

Chen Wu was acutely aware that even with the system, he was merely on a path to becoming the strongest. This advantage had already surpassed 99.9% of the people in this world. But potential was just that—potential. If he were to meet an untimely end, he couldn't be sure he'd have the chance to return to Earth.

Hard work is certainly crucial.

To prevent the mysterious individual from returning unexpectedly within the next three days, Chen Wu, feeling uneasy, set up a small alarm device at the cave's entrance. If any creature stepped inside, it would activate a bell he had buried in the ground, allowing him to be warned in advance.

Chen Wu speculated that this person might be Hu Wang's brother, sharing the same father but a different mother. This individual was the formidable member of the Hu Family who had ventured out... Hu Liang!

Hu Liang's ascent was the stuff of legend. The Hu Family, initially a minor clan, didn't even rank among the top ten in Green-mount Town. Yet, when Hu Liang unexpectedly became a Grade 1 Demonic Pet Master at fifteen, he shot to fame overnight. No one could have imagined that the direct heir, already managing the family's shops, would suddenly ascend to the ranks of Demonic Pet Master!

Previously, the Hu Family was merely a wealthy merchant lineage, with a father who had served as a prison officer in Green-mount Town, a position of some nobility.

But Hu Liang's emergence transformed their status. With the full backing and substantial investment from the patriarch, Hu Liang lived up to the high expectations. In just one year, to the amazement of many, he elevated his own Demonic Pet to Grade 3!

Following that, at sixteen, he was admitted to the Primary Demonic Pet Academy in Flame City. Upon graduation, his prowess was rumored to have reached the pinnacle of a Grade 1 Demonic Pet Master, just a step away from ascending to the Silver-ring Level. He then took a position in the imperial department of Flame City, becoming a celebrated figure of Green-mount Town.

It was Hu Liang's formidable presence, and with his assistance in Hu Wang becoming a Demonic Pet Master, that allowed Hu Wang to act with impunity. The old mayor and many smaller families felt compelled to overlook his actions, as no one dared to antagonize Hu Liang. They all recognized that if he lived, his future accomplishments and power would surely eclipse the current strongest in Green-mount Town, including the mayor and his family.

The Hu Family's growth and status as one of the top five families in Green-mount Town can be attributed to the influence wielded by Hu Liang alone.

"If everything adds up as he claimed, then he's hit the jackpot with this inheritance. It's bound to catapult him to new heights. The question is, what level of a Demonic Pet Master was the original inheritor, and what kind of treasures did they leave behind?"

It's never easy to watch someone else devour the cake you had your eye on, leaving you with nothing but the cherry on top.

Chen Wu was on edge as he waited, silently hoping that Hu Liang wouldn't return prematurely. If he did, Chen Wu, with his current abilities, would stand no chance against an adversary with a fearsome Bronze Grade 8 Demonic Pet.