A few days later, on the outskirts of the forest, Tylen was discussing the next hunt with Ju, Oberon, Aron, and Zabel.
Aron was much calmer than yesterday at the restaurant, but his countenance was a bit different.
“He still is acting suspicious.”
Ju noticed that Aron still looked extremely bothered, his eyes shifting as if looking for something. Even Zabel seemed tensed all of a sudden. Ju narrowed his right eye as assumptions formed in his mind.
“I have a bit of bad news,” Tylen said solemnly.
“The other small teams already have word of our recent success, so it would not be so easy to find a safe area without a third party interfering from now; the only place that would have an abundance of spiritual beasts would be the interior of Dark Forest. However, I managed to talk to a powerful group of people; there is even an Essence Artist amongst them; they plan on raiding the Crimson Wolf Den soon; it would not be terrible if we link up with them; at least, we should have decent returns. But first, we should go and confront those silverback apes.”
Tylen said as a power wave of spiritual pressure was excluded from his body, it was evident that he had recently had a breakthrough.
The other members agreed in unison. Even though Ju still had some misgivings, he felt he needed to see an Essence Artist.
“Maybe I would be able to gain something.” Ju thought to himself.
“You have already opened six nodes?” Oberon suddenly asked with an envious tone.
“I was lucky...”
Tylen was about to explain further when suddenly, a massive pressure enveloped Ju and the group. It was so overwhelming that Ju almost fell to his knees, but the young boy's eye showed a stubborn light as he resisted reflexively.
As Essence rumbled in his body, cracks appeared underneath his feet. Finally, after a few seconds that seemed like a lifetime, the pressure disappeared, and a single man appeared before them.
He had a long golden robe with a muscular figure. His facial features were average, but he had a well-defined jaw and a straight nose like a hawk. Ju could not feel any depth of essence from him, but his instincts were screaming danger like never before.
Tylen and Oberon also trembled, but Zabel and Aron seemed even sorrier.
Tylen had a look of recognition.
“Master Pike..”
Ju's heart shook. The man heard Tylen and raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, you know me, well, that is normal. Aron, my boy, you seem to be doing well for yourself; you could even afford to give a lass that inscription tool.” Master Pike carelessly said as he looked at Zabel as if he were exerting pressure again.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Aron and Zabel stood silent. The pressure emitted by the Pike was enormous. Even Ju, who was far away, felt all the essence in his body shake and become uncontrollable.
“He is the strongest person I have ever met.”
Even the Old Kai paled in comparison.
“As expected of the person that runs Ender Town.”
Ju thought to himself grimly.
Fortunately, Ju felt Pike didn’t seem to have any killing intent towards them.
The Essence artist let out a small smile.
Aron’s face changed, but he remained calm. Zabel wanted to speak out but didn’t say anything in the end.
“I know I have offended you, but my group and I planned to scout the silver-horned snake nest. We promise to help get you all those eggs anytime you are ready.
Ju’s face turned ugly. Even Oberon and Tylen wanted to protest, but the group didn't say anything out of fear of provoking Pike.
Pike's smile widened when he heard this.
“Aron, you have a special talent for taming snakes. I plan to raid that snake nest again with a few friends. During the fight, if you and your party can get me at least five eggs, I can overlook everything you have done and never bother you again. But if you are unable to get me what I want...”
Pike's face became expressionless.
The atmosphere soon became incredibly tense.
Aron gritted his teeth.
“I swear we would bring you the eggs.”
Pike didn’t say anything further. He just nodded indifferently just as the Essence Artist was about to leave. He remembered something and looked straight at the Ju.
“Young lad, you remind me of an old friend... Have you worked at the mines before?”
Ju's eye shrank.
“Yes. A little bit east from here, I worked at a medium-sized mine before I came here.”
“So you met him?”
Ju hesitated a bit when he heard this; he was certain that Pike was referring to Old Kai.
Ultimately, the youth felt it was too risky to lie to Pike.
“Senior, if you mean Old Kai, yes. He was still in charge when I was working there.”
Pike had a look of reminiscence.
“I also worked at the mines once, though not as a worker but directly under him. “
Ju thought of the five Essence artists who seemed to be Old Kai's bodyguards.
“Young friend, you have a sort of presence I like; perhaps, after you get me those eggs, we can chat.”
Quick looks of envy appeared on the faces of Tylen and the others
But Ju didn’t feel happy or entitled at all after he remembered Old Kai once talking about a “Scumbag” who was still in Ender Town.
An uneasy feeling could not help but appear in his mind; however, his expression was still calm.
“I would keep it in mind, senior.”
But Pike had already vanished by the time Ju was still speaking.
The atmosphere was somewhat stifling for a few moments.
Aron purposely put the entire Group in danger to make his task easier. Even Zabel was an accomplice.
However, it seemed like a waste of time to start complaining about the current situation. If the Essence Artist was offended, all five could lose their lives.
Ju didn’t know anything about the silver-horned snake, but the fact that a powerful essence artist like Pike treated the matter delicately showed how dangerous the task might be.
Ju doubted Pike would be interested in the eggs of a beast that had not formed a complete core.
But since Aron seemed confident, Ju remained relatively calm.
Tylen’s voice was cold as ice.
“Aron, perhaps you have something to say to us?.”
Ju, Oberon, and Tylen now gathered as a unit, facing Zabel and Aron.
Aron took a deep breath as he began explaining.