Chapter 386 - Stalking the Mantis (Part-3)

Everyone suddenly felt a group of erratic KI moving fast towards their location, Ryuu's eyes widen slightly as the KI was all too familiar as he grimaced, 'Damn they will be here.', he shared a knowing look with Frozen Ocean as they slowly began to move deeper into their base but not before they started to drag other members of their team with them.

Zywia frowned as she spoke, "Brother Ryuu what happened?"

Ryuu looked at her as he spoke, "We set up a prank on our eavesdropper and I swear when they will arrive you would not want to be within a hundred miles of them without some protection."

Every member of his team had a grim look on their face as Frozen Ocean nodded sagely in agreement with Ryuu as she spoke, "Yes what brother Ryuu said is absolutely correct we have to prepare proper protection if you do not wish to driven mad and commit suicide."

At that the listener's eyes widen as they hurried quickly after Ryuu and Frozen Ocean, True-Spear was nearby saw them acting strangely as such he and Frost Flames followed after them as they caught up to them True-Spear could not help but ask Zywia, "Is there something wrong?"

Zywia looked at him as she smiled sending butterflies in his stomach as she spoke, "Oh nothing a few people amongst us were spying on us trying to eavesdrop on us many a times and Ryuu not only caught them but prank them as well."

Frost Flames gained a look of alarm on her face as she spoke, "Surely not."

Zywia gave her a small nod as she spoke, "Unfortunately it is the truth."

True-Spear frowned hard at that as he spoke, "That is despicable no person without nefarious intentions would do so."

As they spoke amongst themselves Ryuu's eyes twitched as he had the sudden urge to drown Zywia in the blood of the 'Imperial Skunk', his anger further increased as he felt Daniella and Amnon nodding in agreement with her, 'Have they never learned the idea of subtlety what in the Heaven's name is wrong with them.', he looked to his side and had the urge to facepalm seeing Su-Min agreeing as well only Frozen Ocean looking at their other teammates with annoyance.

As they moved to a more secluded region they stopped as Ryuu handed everyone a talisman as he spoke, "Stick them to your body and do not let someone take it off or you will really die."

As they took the talisman a bit skeptical a shout came to their ears, "OH HEAVENS WHAT IS THIS SMELL SOMEONE DO SOMETHING."

A flash of light came from both Ryuu and Frozen Flames as Ryuu looked at them with a raised eyebrow as he spoke, "Are you waiting for an invitation?"

They quickly followed Ryuu and Frozen Ocean's actions before they hastily followed after them, as they neared the outer edges of their base their eyes were wide open as they saw a few of the cultivators emptying the contents of their stomach as they looked rather sick but what came next did not prepare them in the slightest, the entrance was practically empty except a few cultivators who seemed to be writhing on the floor in their own vomit and the environment around the base seemed to have died out as well.

Ryuu and True-Spear both fell on their knees as they looked towards a certain direction, tears seemed to have acc.u.mulated in their eyes as True-Spear spoke in a hollow tone, "My precious my beloved is gone"

Ryuu seemed to hiccup as he spoke, "No it cannot be true please tell me it is a lie.", the broken look on their faces shocked the others as they both stood up like zombie.

Ryuu looked at True-Spear with dull eyes as he spoke in a hollow tone, "Our precious and beloved tea plant is dead and gone."

True-Spear replied in the same monotone, "And it is those bastards fall."

An unholy fire lit in Ryuu's eyes as he spoke, "We will avenge our beloved."

The fire seemed to infectious as True-Spear displayed similar symptom as he let out a war cry while raising his spear high up in the air, "FOR OUR BELOVED TEA PLANT!!!!!"

Ryuu was about to join only for him to end up along with True-Spear face first into the floor courtesy of Zywia and Frost Flames as they spoke out in unison with a terrifying glare, "Stop acting like an immature brat and think of a solution as we cannot stay in such a pathetic condition the horrible smell caused."

Meanwhile for Chasing Winds it was the worst day of her entire existence they had somehow managed to break out of the cave but she might have lost a couple of her minions there but she did not care she wanted to get as far away from that horrible smell as possible but alas no matter what she did it did not disappear, she did not know nor did she care for her minions any longer the only thing that ran in her mind was getting rid of the smell, as she ran towards a lake that she spotted she had torn her clothes off as the smell clung to her skin and then she dived into a the lake a few seconds later the water became a turbulent mess as a few creatures ran off then it was all calm and peaceful as slowly and steadily various creatures floated dead as the lake water itself seemed to have taken a sickly greenish hue as if the water itself had begun to rot.

With a scream she came out of the water as she tried to rub her skin raw, well more like trying to skin herself in order to get rid of the smell, but nothing worked and about an hour later she had used every beauty products and toiletries that she still had and that she was able to use for a moment before the effect of the level kicked in and destroyed it.

After the funeral of the plant took place as the duo hugged each other and cried to those who had not known whose funeral it was would assume that someone extremely closed to them had passed away both Zywia and Frost Flames were on the verge of a mental breakdown because of their antics.

As the duo calmed down Daniella asked the most important question, "What do we do now?"

Ryuu growled at that as he spoke, "Do what one of them had fainted in front of the base as such we have to abandoned it, I can supply enough talisman so that others might be able to get any stuff that is still left behind though I will not supply the paper for the talisman, everyone will have to bring something suitable for me to write the array if they want me to create one for them, I know some may think I am being cruel but you forget we have more levels to go and I do not have any means to restock."

A few others who were nearby shrugged in acceptance as one of them spoke, "Fair enough if anyone wants to venture forth into that place their funeral but now we should try to find a suitable base also does anyone know what caused this incident?"

As others mulled over the situation Frozen Ocean decided to speak, "I do not know what that poor cultivator did but we all have already arrived at the same conclusion that it might be some kind of animal or plant that he had come across that caused it as such we should be careful, what if a very intelligent beast used the method to distract us and then attack us."

One of the fellow cultivators frowned before he spoke with a grim look on his face, "You know that is a classical example of causing disruption in the enemy camp before picking them apart, infecting one of our own with such a strong intolerable smell that made us scatter to the four winds out of disgust and those who were unable to escape in time have fallen horribly ill but thanks to our brave and courageous fellow cultivators they were rescued.", as he spoke he send a nod of appreciation towards Ryuu and his group.

Ryuu meanwhile frowned as he spoke, "What our fellow Daoist brother has said has some merit, how familiar are you with collection of honey from beehive?", as many gained a contemplative look on their face as Ryuu continued, "The collector uses smoke to chase away the bees and then he collects the honey from them, in this case we are the bees and the smoke was the smell so the major question is what is the 'Honey'?"

At that many of them had a look of alarm on their faces as Ryuu continued again, "We do not know when and how the enemy will attack again we have to be careful I hope all of us are here now as such ….", Ryuu looked towards a small dumpy looking cultivator who had a look of concern on his face, "Daoist Severing Saber do you have any problem you looked visibly concerned."

Daoist Severing Saber he looked a bit on the dumpy side but was exceptional with saber techniques spoke with a frown, "Daoist Ryuu forgive for remembering such a crucial information so late but I had seen our fellow Daoist Sister Chasing Wind had leaving with a group today and the poor cultivator over there was one of them, and I do not see any of them here with us."

Ryuu had a look of alarm as Frost Flames spoke hurriedly, "We have already seen what that dastardly creature had done to that poor cultivator if cultivator Chasing Winds has fallen prey to something so sinister I cannot forgive myself if something happened to my good friend, she is so nice and helpful to us all."

Ryuu decided to add more oil to the fire as he spoke with such a profound look of sadness that made many to break into tears as well, "I remember her with how eager she was to learn new things always volunteering herself first to help she wanted to learn from me about my special array but unfortunately I was unable to teach her at the current moment because of various circ.u.mstances as such I promised her I would but now….", Zywia was about to retort, 'why are you two giving eulogy speeches already.'

Frozen Ocean balled her fist in anger as she spoke, "We cannot let this attack on us go unprovoked we will avenge our brethren and teach that beast the consequences of messing with us."

Every cultivator roared in agreement except Ryuu's group who looked at the duo in awe especially Zywia who so badly wanted to shout at them, 'It was YOU!!!!!, so stop trying to blame on some nonexistent creature you two are the cause of their misfortune.', but held her tongue after all Chasing Winds was guilty and guilty should be punished though she silently praised the acting skill of the duo.