Big Game

In the following days Zhang Wuji teamed up with Gold and alongside his formation drawing, he started hunting grade zero beasts. The returns were great. They managed to hunt quite a few grade one beasts with his formation. On Zhang Wuji and Gold's side, Zhang Wuji was becoming more and more proficient in hunting beasts.

A few days later, the news came.

The hunt at the central marsh would be held in three days.

"Why wait for others? Let's attack asap." Zhang Wuji thought it would be risky to hunt with others.

"Every team scouts the central area periodically. If we were to go alone, four elite teams no weaker than ours would be waiting for us right after we succeed at our mission. IF we succeed. Brother Zhang do you know what we would be facing?" Du Feng asked.

"Yeah, a mid stage grade one feathered serpent. Actually, I need it's beast core, that's what I've been toiling for all these days." He laughed sheepishly.

"The feather jewel?"

"Brother Feng, this guy doesn't have a movement technique. You know, in one of our hunts, he let a beast get away with an injury to it's leg! Che!" Gold spat out in contempt.

"It was a rabbit type beast! They are known for their speeds." - Zhang Wuji.

"It's leg was almost incapacitated. You should be ashamed to defend yourself." - Gold.

"Alright alright. We steered off topic. Brother Zhang, you seem to underestimate the prowess of a mid stage grade one beast. They have greater control over their qi and are even able to project it out. Your formation couldn't even kill low stage beasts in three hits, the serpent would find you and kill you before you could activate the formation a second time." Du Feng said with not a change in his expression.

"Then how will we beat it?" Zhang Wuji was already used to it. Whenever he was discussing a hunt, Du Feng donned a super serious face.

"We won't. Even xiao Shui and I aren't able to damage the serpent. Our strength lies in our coordination and poison. So we will wait for others to take out the serpent and then use your formation to take them down and collect the loot." Du Feng said calmly. But the audience wasn't so calm.

"Awesome!"

"As expected of I, Du Shui's brother."

.

.

Among the various excited voices, one stood out.

"No!" Zhang Wuji flat out disagreed.

"Hm? What's the problem?" Du Feng asked.

"You said four teams, four teams! That's forty people! How can you suggest we kill them all!"

"Back to this! Didn't we already have this discussion!" The big bearded Jun Hei said with exasperation. "Leader, let's do this mission without him."

"Ok good, go learn that formation." Gold pointed at the pattern Zhang Wuji drew previously to teach them.

"Uh.."

"Idiot!" Gold ignored him and turned to Zhang Wuji "The moment you step into this realm, it's kill or be killed. If you continue to be stubborn, you'll be in the second category."

"Let's not get so serious." Du Shui intervened to diffuse the situation. "Only elites can fight the serpent right, how about we subdue the rest in their teams and big bro attacks only the elites? They would all have white tokens. There shouldn't be a problem right?"

Zhang Wuji's expression brightened at the suggestion and he was about to show his support when Du Feng spoke.

"Xiao Shui, what plan do you have for when the central district opens? Are you going to subdue the tens of people that will have gathered there? Brother Zhang, you should know, although one can leave when the central district opens, it isn't that simple. The exit is blocked and anyone that is considered weak is killed for their token. There was a case where only one person left the realm alive. He waited for others at the exit and killed them all. There is none that crazy this time but various teams will block the exit. If you wait for them to attack before making your move, this is going to be your final resting place."

"This.. this.. how can weaker countries ever.." He only now realized how scary less than one in ten survival rate was.

Seeing that Zhang Wuji was shaken Du Shui spoke "It isn't as bad as elder brother says. The weak have majority, they team up and fight. Also you can stick with us we will-"

"Put ourselves in risk to protect him? We can't even guarantee our survival at that time." A tall guy, Pen Wu cut him off.

Du Shui was angered but couldn't say anything to refute him.

Du Feng gestured to stop all discussions and looked at Zhang Wuji, struggle apparent on his face. He didn't say anything and waited.

After a while Zhang Wuji took a deep breath and said "Let's do as Du Shui said."

"What!! Are you-" the tall guy's flow was broken by Du Feng.

"Alright. We'll do as you say." - Du Feng.

"But leader -" - Pen Wu.

"Also, let's part ways after the marsh. What brother said is true. I can't put all you guys in risk." Zhang Wuji looked at the tall guy and said.

"Nonsense! Big bro there is no-"

"Du Shui, I'm guessing you guys will continue to target poisonous areas. I need different materials. So-"

"Brother Zhang," Du Feng stopped him from continuing "Don't take what Pen Wu said to heart. We from Poison Valley aren't that helpless. Whether you kill or not, your formations are a great assist."

"No. I'm serious about materials."

Feeling that Zhang Wuji seemed to have decided, Du Feng stopped trying to persuade him and continued to discuss the plan for the hunt. Seeing his brother agree Du Shui could only stay silent.

....

Aurora Marsh. Central area.

"The fuck! How can one fight here!" Zhang Wuji cried out. His ankles were submerged in the mud. Even walking was cumbersome. Fighting in these conditions with an enemy like the serpent would by doubly difficult.

"Big bro you really need to learn a movement technique. This kind of terrain is nothing at all. Remember the bull horn snake? even without the spikes surrounding it, elder brother and I would've been fine fighting on a swamp. Of course the spikes prevented it from submerging itself otherwise no amount of movement techniques could help us defeat the snake."

Zhang Wuji sighed and continued walking.

Soon they reached their destination. There were two teams already waiting. One wore dark brown robes and had seven members and the other had only four members donning dark blue robes. No one spoke.

In the distance Zhang Wuji could see the feathered serpent. It was much larger than the bull horn snake. This one had multicolor feathered wings, too small to carry it but large enough to glide.

Behind it he could see an elevated ground full of herbs. In the fog he couldn't properly identify any herbs but he knew they were all at least grade one herbs.

After a while two more teams came. One of them were dressed similar to Poison Valley, all back with ten members and the other had nine wearing green.

The feathered serpent continued to guard it's precious herbs while glaring warily at them.

As if they had all previously discussed, the leader from each team moved at the same time. They gathered to discuss terms.

Before any other spoke Du Feng said "Give us the gall bladder and fangs, and we won't participate in the hunt."

"Hmph, do you really think there is such a good deal?" The black robed leader retorted.

"Would you rather us brothers participate? Poison Valley's poison is no joke. It doesn't matter who wins in the end, all will suffer. Don't forget it won't be long before the central district opens."

"Fangs and gall bladder. No herbs, scales, beast core nothing. If you go back on your words, all four of us will hunt you down regardless of how powerful your poison is." The green leader thought for a while and said.

"Of course." Du Feng cupped his fists and retreated to his team.

Only the four remained. They discussed the attack plan and soon separated from the crowd. With the four of them, the attacking and distracting work would be shared among themselves according to the situation. There was no need for their teams to interfere.

Zhang Wuji stealthily placed his array flags and slowly the fog increased in density. Soon except for the serpent which was covered in the fogfly's mist everything else was obscured from their eyes.

The four teams got jittery at this sudden increase in the density of the fog. Instead of thirty meters, they could only see till a few meters.

At this time, Poison Valley took action. They left their tokens with Gold and Zhang Wuji and went for their targets.

The Du brothers took the green team and the rest handled the brown robed. With the detector formation Zhang Wuji made for them, the fog wasn't much of an issue. It was important they do this quick. If the four elites were alerted and they brought the serpent with them, that would be disastrous.

Zhang Wuji waited patiently. Neither of them spoke. Half hour, one, around two hours later, with a loud hiss a heat signal disappeared from the formation. By now the rest had subdued all four teams. Gold urged Zhang Wuji to start the formation but he continued to wait.

The four's life force signals were too close to the glowing body of the snake. If the dead snake body blocked the first spikes, the surprise element would disappear. With how agile they were, there was no guarantee that the spikes would hit them if they knew they were coming.

He waited. With the heat movements on his stomach he could guess that they had started fighting among themselves. They moment they moved further from the snake, he hit the pattern on the ground. Soon the four heat spots on his stomach disappeared. Now only the many heat spots on his back marking his friends and captured enemies were remaining.

Everyone felt it.

"Damn that was easy!" Du Shui slapped Zhang Wuji on the back and laughed.

The rest were still stunned at the ease with which they obtained the prize.

"Ok. Now remove the fog array. Red, Pen Wu, Da Xu, collect everything the four teams have. Gold you stay here with brother Zhang. The rest come with me." Saying that, Du Feng walked towards the dead snake.