The path back was gone.
Lu Chen blinked. Turned around. Looked again.
The trees behind him. The same ones he'd just walked through had shifted positions like soldiers in formation. Their trunks now formed a wall of bark where open forest should have been.
"What the—"
[Analysis: Formation Array detected.]
[Host has entered a demonic territory nest.]
[Leaving is not an option. Surviving is. ]
The trees around him began to change.
Dozens of eyes opened on their trunks. Their spirit eyes formed from centuries of absorbing earth qi. They blinked slowly and lazily, like noble cultivators examining an amusing mortal who'd wandered into their immortal garden.
Through the root network beneath his feet, their spiritual senses connected. Overlapping, and talking over each other in a chaotic group chat with no mute button.
Fresh meat? Look at this idiot wandering in. Does he not see the bones of his predecessors?
Young one. His blood qi stinks. Like he bathed in rotting essence and then argued with it.
Tough-looking. Probably thinks he's hot stuff. Look at that stance. So serious. Like he's trying to impress someone.
Doesn't matter. They all soften eventually. Look at that face. Like he's comprehending a dao. On what? Breathing?
His robes are ugly. Can we talk about the robes? Who wears that color? It offends my leaves.
Forget the robes. Look at his hair. Did he cut it himself? With a jagged rock?
Maybe he's blind. That would explain why he wandered into our formation.
He's not blind. He's looking at us. Right at us. That's creepy.
Stop staring at me, human. I'm shy.
They didn't even put a trace of concern in their spiritual senses. Their arrogance seemed to compete with the heavens themselves.
Lu Chen's hand went to his sword hilt. He couldn't understand their root-talk. But he understood killing intent when he felt it.
"Well," he muttered. "This is fine. Everything is fine."
A tree near the front. The one with an air of made-up superiority cultivated over two centuries leaned forward. Its branches raised slowly and deliberately, like a sect elder gesturing to a servant.
I call first strike! Watch how easily I swat this insect. It'll be educational for the youngsters.
You always call first strike. Let someone else have a turn. You think you're the only one here with good branches?
I'm older. And wiser. And my branches have absorbed more earth qi. It's only natural that I demonstrate proper technique.
You're slower. He'll dodge you. Then where will you be? Embarrassed in front of everyone. Again. Like last century when that fire cultivator scorched your leaves.
That was one time! And that cultivator had a flame talisman! Not fair!
He won't dodge. Watch. One flick of my branch and he turns to blood paste fertilizer.
The first branch whipped down toward Lu Chen's skull with casual arrogance, carrying the weight of two centuries of accumulated earth essence.
Phantom Mirage Step.
He vanished. The branch slammed into empty ground where his head had been, cracking the earth.
HE DODGED! Did you see that?! That's not allowed!
Told you. You never listen. Now look foolish in front of the youngsters. They'll never respect your seniority now.
Quiet, you. This is embarrassing. He's not supposed to move like that. It's unnatural. What movement technique is that?
Maybe he's a spirit cultivator. Do spirits taste like earth qi?
He's not a spirit. He's just fast. And annoying.
I like him. He's got spirit. Get it? Spirit?
Shut up, Kai Wen.
My name isn't Kai Wen.
It is now.
Lu Chen landed in a crouch ten feet away with sword drawn and eyes scanning, calculating how to break through this formation without wasting blood qi.
Mid-thought, the grove erupted.
Branches rained down like spears, each one sharp enough to pierce through a body tempering 6 cultivator's flesh. Vines snaked toward his ankles like serpents. Roots burst up from the soil like earth dragons rising. And from the deeper grove, thorns launched through the air like flying daggers.
Dozens of attacks converged on him at once.
Get his legs! No, wait, get his face! His face is annoying me now!
No, go for his dantian! He keeps staring at my leaves! Like he's judging my leaves color! Who does he think he is, a wood dao expert?
You're blocking my shot! Move your fat branches! I had him first!
I'm not blocking anything, you're just slow! Also, his robes are ugly. Can we agree on that?
They're very ugly. The ugliest I've ever seen in three centuries.
Finally we're talking about the robes.
I've seen uglier.
When?
That cultivator last spring. Remember? The one with the pink robe? The one who screamed like a girl?
Oh yeah. That was bad. This is still bad, though.
Focus! He's still alive! His life aura hasn't faded!
Lu Chen moved.
Phantom Mirage Step.
He vanished from one spot like morning mist.
As he reappeared ten feet away, a branch slammed into where he'd been, splintering the ground.
Phantom Mirage Step again.
Roots erupted beneath him but he was already gone, his sword flashing as he severed a vine mid-air with Flowing River Slash.
Phantom Mirage Step a third time.
He appeared behind a cluster of attacking branches. With a spinning flowing river slash combo he severed three of them in one clean arc.
[Discovered: New Skill — Whirlwind Lotus Cleave]
[A combination technique born from desperate improvisation. Flowing River Slash multiplied by centrifugal force.]
[Efficiency: Moderate. Style: Flashy. Practicality: Surprisingly effective. ]
Green sap sprayed like blood essence and branches fell like harvested firewood.
He's too fast! Someone bind his movement! Why is his movement technique so profound?!
I'm trying! He keeps disappearing! It's like fighting smoke refined for ten thousand years!
Well, try harder! Also, his hair is stupid. Very stupid. The worst hair I've ever seen on a human cultivator.
I've seen worse.
When?
That bald monk last year. Remember? The one with the shiny head who kept chanting sutras?
Bald isn't hair. Bald is no hair. That's different.
Is it worse?
Debatable. Let's focus on killing him.
A vine caught his ankle. He sliced it with Flowing River, but the momentary hesitation cost him a branch glanced off his shoulder.
Got him! Finally! Did you see that? That was my branch!
Barely. That was pathetic. You call that a hit? My great-grandleaf hits harder, and she's been dead for six hundred years.
I did more than you! At least I hit him!
You've done nothing. You've been standing there photosynthesizing dramatically.
I've been providing tactical dao insights! That's important!
Your insights are useless.
It's not useless! I pointed out his hair!
Everyone pointed out his hair. You weren't special.
Focus brothers.
All of a sudden, Lu Chen stopped running.
Instead, he turned to face the nearest tree. A smug-looking tree with its branches arranged in what might have been a pose of superiority, like a minor cultivator showing off in front of the ladies.
Showing off in front of the great Lu Chen?
This tree had the audacity to pose.
He felt irritated.
And charged.
The tree instantly panicked, its spiritual senses flaring through the root network.
What is he doing?! Why is he coming toward me?! That's not how this works!
He's coming toward you! Run!
I can't run! I'm a tree! My roots are for absorbing earth qi, not fleeing!
Then fight! Use your century old techniques!
I don't want to fight! He looks angry! His killing intent is rising!
Too late! He's here!
Too late.
Branches whipped toward Lu Chen.
He ducked under them like a swallow evading rain.
Vines shot from the ground.
He leaped over them like a crane.
Roots erupted and tried to stop him.
He landed on one, used it as a springboard, and kept going.
Flowing River Slash.
A branch fell, severed cleanly.
Thunder Strike. A vine snapped, its thorned tip flying into the distance.
Phantom Mirage Step.
Past the last line of defense.
He reached the trunk and drove his sword deep into the wood, piercing its tree core.
Through the roots, a spiritual scream that every tree in the grove heard.
GENG LEI! NO!
GENG LEI IS DEAD! HIS TREE CORE IS SHATTERED!
THEY KILLED GENG LEI!
WHO'S GENG LEI?
That was Geng Lei! The one with the nice bark formation! The one who always complained about sunlight distribution!
Oh. I didn't know his name.
You've been rooted next to him for two centuries!
We never formally introduced ourselves. I'm shy. Also, his cultivation felt mediocre.
The tree went still. Green sap poured from the wound like blood essence, steaming in the cold air. The eyes on its trunk went dark one by one as its spirit dissipated.
[Defeated: Soldier Tree — Body Tempering 7 (180 years cultivation) ]
[EXP Gained: +50]
[Breakthrough Progress: 106 / 640 → 156 / 640]
[Basic Sword Lvl. 1: 19% → 20%]
The grove went silent for a moment. Perhaps a minute of silence for the one they'd lost. Or maybe it was shock. Who knows?
Then fury erupted.
The remaining trees attacked with fury and not with the casual arrogance they'd shown before. How dare this insect kill one of their kin? It must be because they weren't paying attention. Because they were negligent. They could shake the mountains with a flick of their leaves if they bothered. They'd show him now.
You killed my cousin! Do you know how long I've nurtured my earth qi beside him?! Two hundred years of joint cultivation!
Geng Lei was my bridge partner in the root network! We had a spiritual tournament next week!
Geng Lei owed me ten years of sap essence! Who's going to pay his debt now?!
I'm going to grind his bones into mulch! I'll scatter him across the forest as fertilizer!
I'll help! I'll stomp his remnant aura!
Me too! I'll use my roots to crush his dantian!
I'll provide moral support with my leaf dao!
We don't need moral support! We need vengeance!
Moral support is important! You can't have righteous vengeance without morale!
That's... actually a valid point.
Of course it is. I've comprehended the dao of encouragement.
They came at him with everything they had. Their branches like spears, roots like whips, vines like constrictors. They were faster now, more coordinated, their arrogance now replaced by killing intent.
But Lu Chen neither understood what was going on in their minds nor was he connected to their root network. And even if he did, he didn't care.
They were walking EXP.
Try talking about morals with a hungry tiger.
He met them head-on.
Phantom Mirage Step. Avoid a root strike. Thunder Strike. Sever a branch. Flowing River Slash. Chop a tree in two.
Another tree fell.
He got Mu Dan!
MU DAN! NO! NOT MU DAN WITH THE PRETTY LEAVES!
Who's Mu Dan?
The one with the pretty leaves! The one who always absorbed earth qi at dawn!
Oh. I liked her leaves. They had a nice aura.
Everyone liked her leaves. She knew it too. So vain about her photosynthesis.
Is it wrong to be vain about having good leaf dao?
Not the time! Focus on the demon!
[Defeated: Soldier Tree ×1]
[EXP Gained: +50]
[Progress: 156 → 206]
The remaining trees paused. Communicated through the root network via their connected spiritual senses.
For the first time, something shifted in their chatter.
...is he supposed to do that? Is his blood qi really only Body Tempering 7?
...he wasn't supposed to do that... the formation should hold against his level...
...he's too strong... his battle intent is terrifying...
...maybe we should...
Don't say it.
...retreat?
Another fell.
[Defeated: Soldier Tree ×1]
[Progress: 206 → 256]
Fear spread like wildfire through their spiritual senses. Their former arrogance now used to mop the floor of the grove. But they didn't care about face anymore. All they cared about now was survival.
HE'S KILLING US! HE'S ACTUALLY KILLING US! His battle intent is rising!
Fight back! Fight back harder! Activate your century techniques!
I'm trying! He won't stop moving! His movement technique is beyond our comprehension!
Retreat! Everyone retreat!
We're trees! We can't retreat! Our roots are anchors!
Then what do we do?!
I don't know! Panic! Panic is a valid strategy!
Another fell.
[Defeated: Soldier Tree ×1]
[Progress: 256 → 306]
And then, as one, the remaining Soldier Trees began to move.
Not forward since the danger was from the front.
But backward.
RETREAT! EVERYONE RETREAT! ABANDON POSITION!
I'M RETREATING! I'M RETREATING AS FAST AS MY ROOTS CAN MOVE!
RETREAT FASTER! HE'S GAINING! HIS KILLING INTENT IS CLOSING IN!
I CAN'T RETREAT FASTER! I'M A TREE! OUR ROOTS ARE FOR ABSORBING EARTH QI, NOT SPRINTING!
MY ROOTS ARE TANGLING! I'M TRIPPING OVER MY OWN ROOTS!
UN-TANGLE THEM! USE YOUR CENTURY OLD WISDOM!
I DON'T KNOW HOW! THIS ISN'T SOMETHING WE PRACTICE! WE'RE SUPPOSED TO STAND MAJESTICALLY!
WHY DIDN'T WE PRACTICE RETREATING?!
BECAUSE WE'RE TREES! TREES DON'T RETREAT! WE STAND! WE ENDURE! WE LOOK IMPRESSIVE DOING IT!
Lu Chen watched them flee. The trees uprooted themselves and ran through the grove like startled spirit deer, their branches flailing, their roots tripping over each other. It would have been comical if he wasn't so focused on the numbers ticking up in his vision.
Must grind EXP.
They were escaping.
With his EXP.
"Hey," he called out. "Hey! Don't run! Come back here! I'm not done with you!"
HE'S TELLING US TO COME BACK!
WHY WOULD HE SAY THAT?! IS HE INSANE?!
I DON'T KNOW! BUT DON'T LISTEN! DON'T LISTEN TO THE DEMON!
I'M NOT LISTENING! I'M RETREATING!
RETREAT FASTER!
I'M TRYING!
Lu Chen chased them down one by one.
Phantom Mirage Step.
Catch up.
Thunder Strike.
Another corpse. Rather, timber. Even better. Firewood for winter.
NO! NOT BAO TIE! BAO TIE WITH THE BARK LIKE IRON!
BAO TIE! WHO'S BAO TIE?!
THE ONE WITH THE BARK LIKE FORGED IRON! THE ONE WHO ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT HIS DEFENSIVE DAO!
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!
I DON'T KNOW BUT HE'S DEAD NOW! HIS BARK DIDN'T SAVE HIM!
Phantom Mirage Step.
Flowing River Slash.
Another firewood.
HE GOT MU HUA!
MU HUA WAS ONLY TWO HUNDRED YEARS OLD!
THAT'S YOUNG FOR A TREE! A BABY!
SHE HAD SO MUCH SAP ESSENCE LEFT TO REFINE! SO MUCH POTENTIAL!
WHAT'S WITH THAT PERVERT LOOK ON YOUR FACE?! WE ARE ABOUT TO DIE!
I'M NOT MAKING A PERVERT LOOK! THIS IS JUST MY PANIC FACE!
Phantom Mirage Step.
Thunder Strike.
Firewood.
I CAN SEE THE EDGE OF THE FORMATION! I CAN ALMOST—
A sword through the trunk. Tree core shattered.
...so close... but yet so far... my earth qi dao ends here...
[Defeated: Soldier Tree ×1]
[Progress: 306 → 356]
The carnage continued.
For what felt like hours, Lu Chen hunted them through the grove. They scattered in every direction, but they were trees. They were slow. Rooted by nature.
He was not.
Phantom Mirage Step.
Thunder Strike.
Flowing River Slash.
Repeat. Then more firewood.
[Defeated: Soldier Trees ×10]
[Progress: 356 → 856]
(Excess: 216 stored, will apply after next breakthrough)
[DING!]
[Cultivation Level Up: Body Tempering 7 → Body Tempering 8]
[New EXP Cap: 1280 required for next level]
[Excess EXP: 216 stored (will apply toward Body Tempering 9) ]
The warmth surged through him mid-chase.
His body getting stronger and faster from the influx of blood qi. His meridians expanding. His flesh tempering. His dantian thrumming with power and renewed stamina.
Iron Hide didn't evolve further, but he could feel the reinforcement a higher cultivation level had on it.
Probably due to their hurry, the fleeing trees didn't sense his blood qi aura getting stronger through their spiritual senses.
If they did, they'd stop in their tracks and start kowtowing, crying about how they failed to see Mount Tai. Unfortunately for the trees and fortunately for Lu Chen, that didn't happen.
They just kept running. Kept panicking. Kept dying.
Phantom Mirage Step.
Thunder Strike Execution.
Flowing River Slash.
Repeat. More firewood.
HE'S STILL COMING! HIS AURA IS STRONGER NOW!
HOW IS HE STILL COMING?! WE'VE BEEN RETREATING FOR HOURS!
HOW IS HE EVEN STILL GETTING STRONGER?
I DON'T KNOW! JUST KEEP RETREATING!
MY ROOTS ARE BLEEDING SAP ESSENCE!
YOUR ROOTS CAN'T BLEED! THAT'S NOT HOW TREE PHYSIOLOGY WORKS!
THEY'RE BLEEDING METAPHORICALLY!
THAT'S NOT A THING!
IT IS NOW! I'M MAKING IT A THING!
One by one, they fell. The EXP notifications slowed after his breakthrough. Each kill now worth half of what it was before. But with so many still running, it hardly mattered. The numbers kept climbing.
By the time the last fleeing Soldier fell, Lu Chen stood alone in a clearing littered with firewood corpses.
The former arrogant trees now turned into nothing but timber and fuel for winter fires. If only they were wiser. If only they'd comprehended the dao of knowing when to retreat.
[Soldier Trees Defeated: 50 total (each 1-3 centuries old) ]
[Breakthrough Progress: Body Tempering 8 — 991 / 1280 toward Body Tempering 9]
[Basic Sword Lvl. 1: 25% → 35%]
"If there are soldier trees," he muttered, catching his breath and circulating blood qi through his tired meridians, "doesn't that mean there are generals and kings—?"
He didn't finish the thought.
Before he could rest or even take a proper breather, he felt them.
Seven auras. Stronger. Much, much stronger. Each at least five centuries old.
They overlapped with each other multiplicatively, their presence alone condensing into physical pressure that weighed down on the surroundings. The air grew heavy. The remaining leaves on the fallen logs trembled.
He wiped his blade and looked deeper into the grove.
Unknown to him, danger lurked not only within the nest.
It also lurked outside.
The mantis stalks the cicada unaware of the oriole behind.
But now Lu Chen is the cicada.
Who is the oriole?
[TO BE CONTINUED...]