"Boom—"
Master Fuli used all his strength to uproot the drooping willow, which caused the entire cave to collapse under the weight of the Treasure Tree.
A giant tree several hundred meters tall fell amidst the ruins as the cave collapsed.
A gentle stream trickled from the top of the cave, carrying rectangular clay boxes that crashed onto the rocks, producing a series of crackling sounds.
Strange human skeletons rolled out from inside the clay boxes into the cave space.
The interior of the cave, shrouded in dust, fell into silence due to the earth-shaking power displayed by Master Fuli.
"Boom—"
Visible waves of air current erupted from the bottom of the ruins, overturning the crushed rocks and sweeping away the dust obstructing the view in the cave.
A figure with nine tails of white stood prominently at the bottom of the cave ruins. Master Fuli, holding a heavy hammer, solemnly lifted his gaze, sharp eyes fixed on the mountainous figure.
The form of the Treasure Tree was entirely exposed.
Its shape was extraordinarily strange, as it had lost the normal form due to its quest for Spiritual Particles.
It resembled an elliptical wooden stump, with roots and branches at both ends seeking nutrients.
"Tree Lord! Come out!"
"I've boldly stood before you according to your wish, now you can manipulate bamboo shoots to ambush my behind!"
"I guarantee you won't hear a peep from me!"
Master Fuli stepped forward, pushing the Gravity Hammer in his hands toward the surface of the giant tree.
Tree Lord's form was extraordinarily large, almost like a small mountain.
But Master Fuli had already seen through its seemingly vast size. The Spiritual Particles in the cave flowed towards the green core from the roots on the tree's end.
Recalling what Ba Mountain Mosquito once said, Tree Lord packed up and left in the night without alerting any creatures.
Everything pointed to one thing.
Tree Lord already held a human shape.
Master Fuli uprooted Tree Lord not only for an easier confrontation but more importantly to find the true form hidden within the giant tree.
"Ooo—"
The Treasure Tree sensed Master Fuli's malice, and its green core seemed to snap out of the shock induced by the fox.
The core emitted a resonant "ooo" sound.
Suddenly, dense wooden spikes grew from the previously smooth trunk, and the twisted tree bark rose like a gigantic hand blocking out the sun, heavily covering Master Fuli heading towards the core.
The entire tree distorted with a "ooo" sound, or tales of new life, transforming into a new form.
"Boom—"
The bark of the entire tree resembled a turbulent sea, and Master Fuli struggled to maintain footing.
Yet Master Fuli's claws tightly gripped the bark, holding the Gravity Hammer against the incoming spiked hand, releasing a Spiritual Particle shockwave into the air.
The hammer smashed into the void, creating a fiery red light at the point where the hammer head and the air met.
A milky white wave surged from the hammer, forming a whirlwind that met the hand, shredding it into fragments that cascaded down.
The spiral current hit the cave, causing another collapse and rocks to smash onto the Treasure Tree's head.
"Ooo..."
This time, the Treasure Tree whimpered, though its transformation continued.
The entire tree liquefied, an opaque river seeped into the cave's surroundings, ingrained on surfaces or ceilings, and produced dense protrusions.
Ancient wooden fibers coated with a metallic shine, countless vines and root spears emerged, engaging in an implacable onslaught within the cave against two creatures.
The cave rumbled violently, the rocks trembled.
A 50-meter woodman bust formed over the tree-bark-covered cave ceiling, with a green core hovering over its head, observing below.
The Treasure Tree was huge but lacked Unos's Spiritual Telekinesis.
It relied on eyes and sensory feedback from the tree fibers to perceive the outside.
In the cave, a living creature was a white fox.
The other creature or entity was a non-human abomination escaping the ruins.
One target or two, the choice was clear; the Treasure Tree decided to battle both.
All are precious Spiritual Particles — nothing should be wasted.
"Whiz—"
A white beam tore through the plant ocean, piercing the woodman's shoulder, producing a shattered dent.
"?"
The Treasure Tree glanced at its shoulder, stunned, and looked at the ruptured hole in the plant waves. Below stood Master Fuli, his body pierced by golden-glowing plant spears.
Although sharp spears attacked head-on, Master Fuli stood firm.
Spears bent upon contact, releasing tree sap sliding off Master Fuli's fur while diverting sideways to hit other vine spears.
The roots meant to strangle life tightened around Master Fuli's body but failed to move him at all.
Amidst the endless plant ocean, Master Fuli's modest frame stood like a shoreline rock, calm eyes looked up, shining like a beacon.
Seemingly saying, I've captured you—
"Boom—"
The Fuli Cannon reached its reaction threshold, the deafening roar drowned out the "crack-crack" tension noise of creeping plants.
The woodman's shoulder shattered, its head flew high amidst the explosive roar, plummeting down.
"Had I known you're on a physical ascension journey like me, I should have brought the New Energy Warhammer for a Fuli moon worship..."
"Your Overlord dreams—"
"End Now!"
Master Fuli, long prepared, broke free from the binding vines, stomping heavily on the ground, snapping obstructing roots and spears, dragging the entire plant forest forward.
"Crack—"
Master Fuli grasped firmly, pulling the Gravity Hammer through the swampy plant sea, lifting the plant forest, hammering the head.
"Sizzle—"
The Gravity Tenderizing Hammer struck the woodman's head, and at the instant of impact, intense heat seeped into the woodman's head. The wood carbonized under high temperatures, with the 15-meter head in disintegration.
"Boom—"
The surging waves cut like a machine, shaving off the outer layer of wood fibers, grinding to powder.
In the rolling waves.
A dark green humanoid figure crashed against the cave ceiling, shattering a corner, demolishing several clay tombs, tumbling into a rock wall, embedding a formidable force, creating a several-meter dent.
Master Fuli prepared for the hammer strike, finally landing a decisive blow on the Treasure Tree's true form, embedding it in the wall, becoming one with the cave wall, hard to extract.
"Ambush my behind—"
"I'll kick your basket and see if you still dream of being Overlord..."
Breathing heavily, Master Fuli dragged the entwined plant forest from the cave, pulling the forest roots from the wall, chasing after Tree Lord.
A black humanoid slime, confused, hung onto the plant forest's end, dragged away as well.