Chapter 97: Getting the Fruits
After saying that, Yu Nianzhen and Jiang Yue walked a distance from the other two.
It wasn’t that they didn’t want to help the two women, it’s just that everyone was an elite.
They each had the pride of an elite, and none wanted to depend on others when they could rely on themselves.
Most importantly, they didn’t know how long the tree would be there.
After consideration, the best option was for everyone to endeavour to grab a fruit as soon as possible.
Whether they would get what they wanted depended on both luck and ability.
"I will try to grab them, and you will take care of my back." Jiang Yue said.
Although Yu Nianzhen didn’t want Jiang Yue to be involved, he knew the other’s method was the better plan.
With his whip, Jiang Yue could grab the fruits at a distance while Yu Nianzhen fought the tree limbs.
"Be careful."
"Alright. Let’s start now."
As soon as the words fell, a whip appeared in Jiang Yue’s hand, while a sword appeared in Yu Nianzhen’s.
"Don’t go too far in."
"I know."
From where they stood, the tree had hundreds, if not thousands of fruits.
Each fruit was shaped like a watermelon and was the size of a human head.
Its skin looked like that of a pumpkin. However, the two couldn’t be sure it felt the same until they touched it.
"I will go for that bunch."
Jiang Yue pointed to a bunch of three fruits that were at the periphery.
"Good. I will cover you."
"Let’s move on three."
Soon after, two figures streaked forward.
One brandished a whip directed at the bunch of fruits while a sword blocked the branches that had rushed out to attack.
"Heavy mountain strike." Yu Nianzhen shouted.
He planned to counter force with force, but the heavy mountain strike was a child in front of the tree branches.
Without delay, the branches broke through the attack and rushed toward Yu Nianzhen.
Although they were fast, he had already expected that his attack wouldn’t do much to delay the branches.
He looked at Jiang Yue and saw his whip had hooked one fruit.
However, more branches were headed his way.
’He can’t be hit.’ The thought flashed in Yu Nianzhen’s mind, and he acted without hesitation.
In one moment, he was standing two metres from Jiang Yue and in the next, he was right beside him.
He wanted to drag the other back, but there was no time.
"Brace for impact." He said as he activated a turtle shell talisman.
He knew the talisman couldn’t protect them, but it could delay the branches long enough for them to retreat a distance.
Although they still received a part of the attack, the two were able to escape to the periphery.
"I got one."
Jiang Yue recalled his whip and took the fruit wrapped at the end.
He initially thought he could grab the entire batch, but he was mistaken.
"It looks like only fruit can be taken at a time." He lamented as he looked at the fruit.
As expected, its skin had the same texture as a pumpkin.
"I wonder how it tastes."
"You can eat it if you want. We still have enough time and chances to grab a few more."
When he heard that, Jiang Yue smiled, but didn’t plan to eat the fruit.
He waved his hand to place it in his storage ring and then turned to Yu Nianzhen.
"Let’s get what we need first. We can eat any extras."
"Good."
Yu Nianzhen ruffled Jiang Yue’s hair and turned his attention to the tree.
After the previous attack, a few tree branches were now protecting the remaining two fruits of the bunch.
"This tree should have a spirit."
Yu Nianzhen narrowed his eyes and looked at the tree a little closer.
Although the spirit had not communicated with them, the tree’s behaviour revealed its existence.
"Let’s find another place to attack."
With that, the two began to walk around.
From what they had observed, the tree couldn’t grow new branches at a moment’s notice.
This meant that the additional branches that had moved to protect the two remaining fruits were moved from somewhere else.
If they could find the place, the area would be less guarded than others.
With such thoughts in mind, the two kept their eyes open.
Soon after, they came across a place with fewer branches than others.
"Are you ready?"
"I am."
As before, the two moved as one.
Jiang Yue tried to grab it with his whip while Yu Nianzhen defended with his sword.
However, they had underestimated the tree’s intelligence.
It turned out that when it moved its branches to guard another area, it didn’t leave the area undefended.
Branches from all sides rushed toward the two, and they couldn’t hold on for a breath.
They retreated to the periphery and tried to still their beating hearts.
"Bloody tree." Jiang Yue grumbled as he glared at the said tree.
"No wonder it’s so difficult to enter the inner region." Yu Nianzhen commented.
While walking with the two female cultivators, he gained a lot of information about the secret realm and the Cangxing world.
From surnamed Wang, he learned that less than one hundred people could enter the inner region at each opening.
Initially, Yu Nianzhen thought it was because the remaining nine hundred did not have the luck to encounter the fruit tree.
However, after meeting the tree, he understood the true reason.
Although it was difficult to encounter the tree, it was more difficult to snatch fruits from it.
’There must be something in the inner region. Something more than a heaven and earth treasure herb maybe...’ He thought.
"I don’t believe we can’t grab another one."
"Don’t be hasty." Yu Nianzhen warned.
After that, they continued to walk around the tree’s periphery.
Every time they came across a fruit at the edge, they would try to grab it, but it was incomparably difficult compared to their first attempt.
"I think we should risk injury." Jiang Yue finally said.
He was worried that the tree would leave before they could safely grab the second fruit.
Most of all, he was worried that the skirmish would attract others.
If the black masked people came, they would be forced to run away with their tails between their legs.
After considering it, Yu Nianzhen also felt this was the only option.
"Focus on grabbing the fruit, and I will make sure to protect you." He finally said.
"En."
Jiang Yue looked at the other for a moment and then turned his attention back to the tree.
"Let’s try that one."
His choice was a single fruit situated a metre from the edge of the tree canopy.
Although the fruit was a little too interior, there weren’t too many thick branches close to it.
This was because there were several batches of fruit a few metres from it, and the thicker tree branches were guarding them.
"Don’t worry about your safety, and focus on taking the fruit."
"It goes without saying that you shouldn’t neglect your own safety.
"Don’t worry."
Yu Nianzhen had a plan.
The look on his face must have convinced the other because Jiang Yue didn’t continue to argue.
Instead, he moved forward and brandished his whip at the lone fruit.
Soon after, tree branches rushed toward him, but a rectangular object appeared in front of him.
This object was the coffin they got after killing the cultivator from the Corpse Yin Sect.
Although its main purpose was to store corpse qi, its exterior was sturdy and had defensive capabilities.
After deploying the coffin, Yu Nianzhen didn’t stop there.
He moved next to Yu Nianzhen and activated five turtle shell talismans.
Unfortunately, the talismans were low-grade silver rank.
In front of the tree branches, the coffin and talismans were like paper in front of a fire.
They crumbled without resistance, and the two boys were sent flying.
Blood spewed out of their mouths, and their limbs flailed uncontrollably as they flew.
"Nianzhen." Jiang Yue called as soon as they landed.
When the tree branches broke the turtle shell defence, Yu Nianzhen stood in front of Jiang Yue.
Compared to the other, Jiang Yue only received a small part of the attack and was relatively unharmed.
"What part of ’don’t neglect your own safety’ didn’t you understand?" Jiang Yue said through gritted teeth.
He removed a rejuvenation pill from his storage ring and stuffed it into the other’s mouth.
"I am fine, don’t worry." Yu Nianzhen spoke, but his voice was slightly breathy.
The tree branch had knocked the breath out of him, and he was slowly trying to recover.
"What about the fruit? Did we get it?"
At his question, Jiang Yue smiled.
He reeled in his whip and displayed the fruit tied at the end.
When Yu Nianzhen saw it, he sighed in relief.
If they hadn’t managed to get it, he would force himself to continue without taking a break.
Now that they managed, he would take a moment to recover and then try to get another one.
After all, his XiaoYue wanted to eat the fruit, and he would help him do it.
