"All the kindness I've shown you hasn't been wasted."Yu Zi Yu chuckled softly, relieved by the Red Fox and the Peregrine Falcons' reactions.
Such protective behavior alone proves that all my efforts weren't in vain.With that thought, Yu Zi Yu's consciousness slowly sank deeper into his body. Hidden from sight, an even deeper transformation was quietly unfolding…
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the canyon…
Two figures approached slowly. At this moment, both sisters — He Qing Er and He Ling Er — were pale. In their vision, the entire canyon shimmered as if dusted with starlight.
"Sis… am I seeing things?"
The younger sister, He Ling Er, tightened her clothes, staring blankly at the Giant Golden Eagle lying not too far ahead.
Fresh blood flowed down its golden wings. Each wound was so gruesome that anyone who saw it would involuntarily tense up.
But what truly terrified her were the nine black "lances" piercing through the Giant Golden Eagle's body.
No… not lances.
Upon a closer look, He Ling Er realized they were roots — tightly entwined, holding the eagle in place.
She turned to her older sister, He Qing Er, who wore the same expression of disbelief. Hesitating, she whispered:
"A… A Tree Demon?"
Yes. A Tree Demon.
According to ancient myths, Tree Demons were trees that had gained sentience through cultivation.
"I… I don't know," He Qing Er murmured.
The usually decisive older sister was lost for words. Her pale cheeks betrayed her fear.
They had only come for a simple bath. Who would ever expect to witness such a horrifying scene?
A battle between a Giant Golden Eagle and a Willow Tree… and the Willow Tree's branches were piercing the eagle's body.
My goodness… is this still the world I know?Is everything they reported on TV true?
Over the past month or two, He Qing Er had seen countless unbelievable news reports:
A massive current in the Pacific Ocean, followed by a shadow that swallowed an entire luxury cruise ship…A passenger plane surrounded mid-air by a murder of crows, disappearing without a trace…Even though He Qing Er lived deep in the mountains, she didn't believe any of it. At most, she assumed the strange weather and overly aggressive wildlife were coincidences.
Experts claimed an unknown substance in the air was mutating animals.In the East, it was called Spiritual Energy.In the West, Mana.
Some even proclaimed the coming of a Transcendent Era.
But He Qing Er scoffed at the idea.
How could an atheistic world suddenly talk about transcendents?
Yet now, standing before this terrifying scene, she couldn't help but tremble.
This was no longer the world she used to know.
A Willow Tree turning into a demon… a Giant Golden Eagle dripping blood…The brutal laws of survival laid bare.
"S-sis… sis…" He Ling Er's trembling voice broke her thoughts.
He Qing Er grabbed her sister's hand tightly, swallowed her panic, and forced a calm tone:
"Don't worry. We'll go back to the village and report this to Grandpa."
A spark of excitement flickered in her eyes as she remembered something.
"Grandpa said anyone who reports unusual events will be rewarded."
"Mm…" He Ling Er nodded repeatedly, too shaken to speak.Her legs had gone weak, and an embarrassing smell lingered from her fear.
Gulp.
Taking one last look at the monstrous Willow Tree, He Qing Er tightened her grip on her sister's hand and ran.
But moments after they turned to flee—
"Ahhhh!"
"Help!!"
Terrified screams echoed through the canyon.
"What's going on?"
Startled, Yu Zi Yu slowly lifted a branch and looked toward the horizon.
A horde of dark figures surged from all directions like a living tide.
Black Boars the size of cows, eyes glowing scarlet…Green Snakes dozens of meters long shooting forward like arrows…Packs of Wolves flickering with green phosphorescent light…And buzzing Swarms of Bees — the creatures Yu Zi Yu despised the most.
But what caught his attention were the two girls racing wildly ahead of the beast tide, hair disheveled, running like madwomen…