Dense Dragon Abominations clung to the tree trunk, gnawing at its core and tearing at the bark.
Verdant sap splattered across the ground.
The Sophora tree giant’s situation appeared precarious.
“Go!”
Huang Xiu pointed her right hand into the distance, and the army of mutated plants escorting her surged forward.
Receiving their queen’s command, the melee-type mutated plants instantly charged like rabid dogs.
They engaged in a brutal close-quarters struggle with the distant cluster of Dragon Abominations.
Boom! Boom!
Remote attacks of every color and type rained down from the mutated plants surrounding Huang Xiu.
They struck the horde of Dragon Abominations like a torrential downpour.
Not to be outdone, Huang Xiu casually grabbed a foxtail-grass-mutated crossbow-like weapon and swiftly fired grass arrows.
A dual assault, from above and below, immediately launched.
Although the thick scales of the Dragon Abominations minimized the effectiveness of ranged attacks, the Sophora tree giant seized the opportunity to temporarily escape danger, disengaging from the battle to approach Huang Xiu.
Seeing this, Huang Xiu let out a slight breath of relief.
Upon landing, her first action had been to mutate every plant she could see nearby.
She had then used these plants to snowball her forces.
Now, the entire district was occupied by her mutated flora.
Dragon Abominations hiding in various corners, attempting stealth attacks with their invisibility, were systematically found, killed, or forced into the open.
The Dragon Abominations on the streets were the only ones remaining in the district.
Thump, thump, thump!
Silent footsteps drew near, accompanied by the rustling dance of leaves in the wind.
A colossal shadow enveloped Huang Xiu.
She stepped forward, placing her right hand on the Sophora tree giant.
Within her, a tornado of Void Energy spontaneously arose from her internal sea, transmitting wave after wave into the Sophora tree giant through [Senluo].
The large sections of bark that had been torn away regenerated.
The ‘hair’—its branches—that the Dragon Abominations had repeatedly pulverized, also sprouted anew, rapidly growing fresh limbs.
From battle-scarred to pristine, the Sophora tree giant was restored in less than ten seconds.
The cost, naturally, was a drain of Void Energy sufficient to deplete an ordinary Awakened individual of the Awakening Period.
After briefly sensing her internal Void Energy, noting about half remained, Huang Xiu decided it was time to cut through the chaos decisively.
She did not withdraw her right hand from the Sophora tree giant, instead reshaping its trunk through [Senluo].
It was often said that battle was the best catalyst for progress and development.
Sure enough, after a brief observation of the battlefield, a new idea sparked within her.
The Sophora tree giant’s ten fingers closed, no longer bifurcating.
Its arms became elongated and flattened, the wood forcefully compressed to be dense and solid.
One side gleamed with a sharp, dark sheen.
Like a long blade.
“Update Announcement: Sophora tree giant — Slayer Type. Original flashy yet impractical arms removed, replaced with majestic, formidable, and exceptionally sturdy great longblades.”
Huang Xiu muttered to herself in the tone of a game developer, quite pleased with her sudden inspiration.
*Smack!*
She patted the giant’s backside, then shouted sweetly, “Charge for me! Use Blade Storm on them!”
The Sophora tree giant didn’t know what a “Blade Storm” was, but through their mental link, it understood Huang Xiu’s intent.
Its legs bent slightly, then pushed off the ground with immense force, its incredibly long limbs propelling it rapidly towards the battlefield.
Its hands—no, its twin blades—crossed, then swung down in a sweeping arc.
The wood blades, tough as iron, were indistinguishable from steel longblades.
Wielded by the Sophora tree giant’s immense strength, they produced terrifying whooshing sounds as they cut through the air.
Every Dragon Abomination struck by the blades had its scales shattered, sent flying backward, some even diagonally sliced clean in half.
Such was the power of overwhelming force!
****
Elsewhere, on a nearby battlefield.
Wen Erya swept her right hand forward in an arc, effortlessly tearing through the body of a Dragon Abomination before her.
Blood dripped from her sharp nails, and her diamond-pupiled eyes darted nimbly, surveying the battlefield.
‘Monsters were the primary target; evacuating residents was the last resort, only when absolutely necessary.’
After realizing Huang Xiu possessed formidable, non-newly-Awakened combat power and helping her clear out most of the Dragon Abominations, she and Yun Yu had entered Sector D1.
A small team was also present here, though they hadn’t yet completed clearing the monsters in their assigned area.
As soon as she and Yun Yu arrived, they were ambushed by a horde of monsters.
She flicked the dripping blood from her right hand, then raised it, and like a cat grooming itself, Wen Erya extended her tongue and licked her arm.
“There are too many Soldier-rank Dragon Abominations here, far more than in Sector D2,” she stated coldly. “There might be a General-rank Dragon Abomination nearby.”
Soldier-rank Dragon Abominations were mere soldiers in the [Dragon’s Den] Void Realm, expendable fodder with limited intelligence.
General-rank, however, possessed rudimentary intelligence, acting as leaders commanding numerous Soldier-rank Dragon Abominations.
Their strength far surpassed that of Soldier-rank Dragon Abominations, reaching the Gold Rank.
“General-rank Dragon Abomination? Perfect,” Yun Yu exclaimed, punching away an approaching Dragon Abomination with a mighty blow, then laughing uproariously towards the sky. “I’ve really been wanting to test myself.”
Despite only being Mercury Rank, his words betrayed not the slightest regard for a Gold-rank General-rank Dragon Abomination.
Dragon Abominations were a species that relied on sheer numbers, much like Zerg, and their individual strength often had significant discrepancies.
The so-called Gold Rank strength of a General-rank might be formidable against a typical Awakened individual of the same rank.
Yet, against the monstrous talents of Tiandu University, eliminating them at the same rank was as simple as plucking an item from a pouch.
Even some exceptionally outstanding Mercury-rank Awakened individuals, working in coordination, could achieve this.
Of course, this was assuming the General-rank Dragon Abomination wasn’t surrounded by an army of Soldier-rank Dragon Abominations.
‘If that’s the case, then there’s nothing more to say!’
A fierce glint appeared in Wen Erya’s eyes. “Let’s make a bigger commotion!”
Her bare feet were stained faintly green with monster blood, and her formal dress had become quite soiled.
Yet, this did not deter her fighting spirit in the slightest.
As an Awakened individual of the Abyssal Fey lineage, she typically used a tempering method to bind her aggressive emotions.
However, merely suppressing without releasing would only lead to a gradual breakdown.
Thus, during combat, she would unbind the tempering method, fully unleashing her pugnacious temperament.
“Count me in for such a good time!” a clear, sweet shout echoed from a girl not far behind them.
Immediately, a chaotic yet dense sound of movement drew closer.
There were the soft thuds of bouncing plants, and the rustling sounds of hard wood treading the ground.
They turned to look.
Miss Huang Xiu sat upon the Sophora tree giant’s shoulder, approaching them, enveloped by an ocean of mutated plants.
Huang Xiu raised her right hand.
The giant mirrored her, lifting its right longblade, from which new sprouts began to emerge.
Tiny branches twisted and spread upwards, eventually forming a two-meter-long, spiral-shaped verdant tree spear.
The giant took small, quick steps forward, then thrust the spear out.
The tree spear spun, piercing the air with a terrifying whooshing sound, flying directly between the two of them.
It impaled several Dragon Abominations before finally plummeting to earth, puncturing the ground and leaving a spiderweb of cracks.
[Senluo: Tree Spear]