Chapter 233 Chapter232-The Magic Plant that Could Escape (2nd update, Cheer me with Power Stones!)
While both pieces were epic equipment, their attributes were quite impressive.
They certainly were a significant haul.
Blue Sea turned to consult John, but found him merely shaking his head lightly.
"This is your spoils of war. Distribute it amongst yourselves. I don't care for such trashy equipment..."
Blue Sea pouted.
Although he was slightly offended by John's dismissive remark, considering the god-tier Divine Equipment that John sported, he couldn't really argue.
To John, epic equipment was genuinely akin to trash.
After some thought, Blue Sea said earnestly, "Brother Adam, how about I take the Ring of the Treant? It's perfectly suited for me. As for the Bow of the Treant, it will be your trophy."
Adam rolled his eyes, responding sarcastically, "Since you've already decided, why even ask for my opinion? Neither of these pieces is of much use to me anyway. Whichever you hand me is fine..."
Indeed, both pieces were nature-based and catered to nature and mage classes.
Regardless of which equipment Adam ended up with, it would be stored in the Genesis Guild's warehouse, intended as rewards for other company members.
After the defeat of Desire Treant, John once again approached Blue Sea and Adam.
"Let's venture further. The entity inside has awakened and is awaiting our visit."
Hearing John's nonchalant words, both Blue Sea and Adam simultaneously lost their smiles, their faces taking on a gravely serious expression.
John could afford such indifference when confronting the mysterious being lurking within the Thousand Streams Cave.
His immense power equipped him to handle any adversary.
However, the other two could not afford the same luxury.
The thought of nearly becoming a slave to this mysterious being without any warning sent shivers down Blue Sea's and Adam's spines, causing them to break out in cold sweat.
Navigating through the bizarrely-shaped magical plant forest, John, with his hands folded behind his back, led the way, his face serene and unreadable.
As they delved deeper into the cave, the intangible energy in John's divine perception became increasingly pronounced.
Blue Sea and Adam closely followed, not daring to stray too far.
They were still recuperating from the recent intense battle.
In their weakened state, they were vulnerable, both to impending dangers and the insidious dark energy John had mentioned. All they could do was heed John's warning to stay within a five-yard radius of him.
Strangely, after the defeat of Desire Treant, no other creature emerged to challenge them, and the system's hostility meter remained at zero.
"Is it possible that besides that enigmatic entity, the only elite boss here was the Desire Treant?" Blue Sea looked around, puzzled.
John remarked calmly, "It's expected. The entity inside prefers solitude. The original creatures that inhabited this place were likely consumed as nourishment the moment he arrived."
"As for leaving Desire Treant alive, it might be because this creature was a manifestation of his power—akin to kin. Plus, he would require a servant always ready to do his bidding."
Blue Sea marveled, "So there are such mysterious beings? Aren't the major bosses in Godslayer typically surrounded by hordes of minions?"
Adam let out an exclamation, his expression a mix of amusement and disbelief, "This is the first time I've heard of a lone wolf boss..."
John responded with a light chuckle, "Well, that being had a difficult past. Almost met death at the hands of a servant once, and since then, put his trust in no one — not even in his parents or kin."
He continued, "Moreover, his abilities act directly on the mental plane. He doesn't require auxiliary monsters to assist him in battle."
Blue Sea cast a quizzical glance at John, "Galewind, from the sound of it, you seem very familiar with the being inside..."
John nodded slowly, his voice soft yet firm, "Indeed, I am. Though we've never met face to face, I'm well-aware of his life's journey."
John didn't delve deeper. After awakening the Godslayer class in the Godslayer Temple and repeatedly meeting his demise at the hands of Azazel, only to eventually defeat The Devil and break free from the Godslayer Temple...
After absorbing Azazel, John didn't just inherit The Devil's powers.
He also inherited a vast majority of his memories.
This was the root reason for John's seemingly vast knowledge and prowess.
The Devil Azazel's memories spanned eons.
What hadn't he seen or experienced?
At least the secrets in John's mind were so profound that even an omniscient deity might not be aware of them.
And the entity deep within the Thousand Streams Cave?
It shared an extraordinary connection with Azazel...
Blue Sea ceased to examine the oddly shaped magic plants around them, realizing his ability to discern had met its match in these mutated species.
On the other hand, Adam remained ever curious, his eyes darting around energetically, not missing a single new species of magic plant that emerged before him.
John chuckled lightly and inquired, "Given how these magic plants have mutated into such bizarre forms, even if we were to find the Aqua Blue Flower, do you truly believe it would still be usable?"
Adam, upon hearing this, could only muster a wry smile, "I don't know. I'm not even sure if the mutated Aqua Blue Flower can still produce pollen... But since we're here, we might as well give it a try. I wouldn't want to leave empty-handed."
John teased, "What if you do find the Aqua Blue Flower, only to realize it has mutated into a new species? Instead of pollen, you might collect some unknown substance."
Adam grimaced dramatically, "Galewind, please don't jinx our mission... After all the trouble we went through to find out about the Aqua Blue Flower's whereabouts, if we come away with nothing, I might just roast and eat those two pet eggs."
John burst into hearty laughter at the quip, and Blue Sea, standing on the side, couldn't help but chuckle too.
However, Adam shot Blue Sea a disdainful glance, "It's one thing for Galewind to jest, but what are you laughing about? Isn't one of those pet eggs yours?"
Blue Sea's smile froze instantly. Right, one of the Cloud Beasts was his.
Without hesitation, he began earnestly scanning the surrounding magic plants, hoping to trace any sign of the Aqua Blue Flower.
John shook his head with a hint of amusement.
These two, in the presence of others, always acted the part of mature, composed guild leaders.
Yet whenever they were with him, their demeanor shifted—becoming playful, casual, their emotions readily apparent.
Still, this change in behavior from Blue Sea and Adam was heartening to John.
It meant they truly regarded him as a friend.
Only among friends can one shed the thick veneer and be their truest self...
They journeyed deeper into the magic plant forest for another half hour.
Blue Sea and Adam still hadn't found any trace of the elusive Aqua Blue Flower.
Instead, the magic plants, corrupted by dark energy, began to take increasingly abstract forms.
As Adam released a Detection spell and bent down to closely examine a dark purple plant with a grotesque human face, the plant suddenly opened its eyes, locking gaze with Adam.
Both man and plant were startled, jumping in surprise.
Then, to everyone's astonishment, the plant shrieked, yanked its roots from the earth, and dashed off deeper into the forest.
Adam was left speechless, finally remarking, "Good heavens! Was that a plant or an animal? It ran faster than a rabbit..."
After his heartbeat finally settled, Adam couldn't help but comment on the bizarre encounter.
He had moved so close to the fleeing plant to read its attributes that when it opened its eyes, he was nearly scared off his feet.
Blue Sea remarked coolly, "You should be thankful it didn't attack you. That thing was a Snakebone Vine, a highly toxic plant often used as a primary ingredient for lethal potions by alchemists."
"After mutation, its toxicity would be even more potent. Had it sprayed even a droplet of its venom on your face from that close, it might have been the end of you."
A relieved expression washed over Adam's face as he exclaimed, "That was close. Ruining my looks would have been a real tragedy."
Blue Sea furrowed his brows, his voice growing somber, "What I really want to know now is if the Aqua Blue Flower exists here."
"Even if it's rare, it's odd that we haven't seen a single one so far. Were we given false information? Or were they all picked clean by previous mages?"
Before Blue Sea's words could fully settle, John's calm voice cut through, "The Aqua Blue Flower is definitely here... Look, isn't that one right there?"
Blue Sea and Adam turned in surprise, following John's gaze.
Their steps halted, and their pupils shrank to the size of pinpoints.
A mere hundred meters ahead, amidst a sea of Aqua Blue Flowers, lay a captivating and eerily handsome young man.
With an amused glint in his eyes, he looked curiously at the three unexpected visitors...
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel