"When did you know?"

Chen Pingchuan smiled faintly, paused, then said in a relaxed tone, "Probably the moment we arrived."

Feeling Chen Pingchuan's disdain, the old man felt his blood boil. Mere offerings… and they dare to look at me like that? The thought made him seethe. He snarled in a sinister voice, "Since you already know and haven't run, don't blame me for being merciless!"

"Villagers, attack!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the villagers instantly mutated. Their bodies began to twist and deform. Their muscles bulged, their skin turned hard and rough, and a strange, bark-like hide grew over their faces. Sharp fangs protruded from their mouths, and their eyes flashed with an eerie green light as they completely transformed into terrifying monsters.

"ROAR!"

Wasting no words, the monsters roared and lunged fiercely at Chen Pingchuan and his group.

"Kill them!"

Chen Pingchuan had no intention of holding back, immediately ordering his subordinates to attack the monstrous creatures.

The Porcupine was the first to act. He let out a great shout as his muscles swelled, veins rising on his skin like green serpents, exuding a sense of explosive power. He charged at the villagers like a small mountain, sending any monsterized villager in his path flying. During the charge, two agile villagers managed to jump onto his back, but he simply grabbed each by the collar and flung them away.

In contrast to the Porcupine's raw violence, Lilia and Wei Hao were much more composed.

Lilia raised her hands slightly, blue light flickering in her eyes as she unleashed her telekinesis. The surrounding monster-villagers were seized by an invisible force and lifted into the air. Then, with a sharp flick of her wrists, Lilia sent them flying like cannonballs into the distance. They slammed into houses and trees with a series of tremendous booms.

Wei Hao stood calmly in place, forming hand seals and chanting under his breath. Instantly, a powerful gravitational field emanated from him. The approaching monsters felt their bodies grow heavy, and their movements became sluggish. Some were even crushed to the ground, unable to move.

The Poisonous Widow used her speed to charge toward the villagers' leader, the elder, but halfway there, she lost control of her body and suddenly fell to her knees. The village elder was now holding a simple, unadorned drum. As he beat it rhythmically, the Poisonous Widow writhed in pain and collapsed completely to the ground.

"Boy, you don't want to see your companion harmed, do you?" the elder threatened. "Surrender now, or don't blame me for what happens next."

He had seen how formidable Chen Pingchuan's subordinates were. These villagers received the blessing of the Divine Tree; they're all at least Third Level powerhouses! In the past, they could have been elites in any major city. But now they're being treated like toys! The thought left the elder both shocked and furious. Fortunately, that foolish woman wasn't as cautious as the others this afternoon. She drank the village's Holy Water. Since they're companions, they probably won't abandon her... right? They wouldn't, would they?

Just as the elder was wondering if his tactic would work, Chen Pingchuan gave him a chilling answer.

"Do as you wish," Chen Pingchuan said. "Great Fierce Bear, go break that old man's limbs. I don't like being threatened."

He added, "Remember, just break his limbs. Don't kill him."

Chen Pingchuan's words struck the elder like a verdict from the Nine Nether Hell, sending a chill through his entire body. What kind of person could say something so cold?

"But, Boss, Xiaosi..." Great Fierce Bear started to speak up for the Poisonous Widow. After all, she was the one who had recruited him.

"Hmm?"

Chen Pingchuan shot him an icy glare, and Great Fierce Bear's heart sank. My interactions with him over the past few days have taught me that the boss is no saint. If I defy his orders, I'll really die. Though he was grateful for the Poisonous Widow's help, Great Fierce Bear ultimately chose to follow his instincts and obey.

He vented all his repressed fury on the village elder. The old man saw a figure like an enraged bull charging at him with incredible speed. He didn't even have time to strike his drum.

BAM!

The elder felt as if his bones had shattered. If it weren't for the Seed of the Divine Tree in my body repairing the damage, that single blow would have been enough to kill me. He's trying to take my life!

Since there weren't many villagers, Chen Pingchuan's side felt no pressure. But suddenly, he felt an urge to join the fight, so he began swinging his energy blade at the monster-villagers. Green blood gushed from their wounds as they fell, but Chen Pingchuan didn't feel any of his own energy being restored. He looked at the fallen villagers, their green blood mixing with gore on the ground to form a peculiar pattern.

His brow furrowed. Something's not right. I feel like I'm missing something... Suddenly, he realized and shouted, "Watch out! These people aren't alive!"

As Chen Pingchuan finished speaking, the villagers they had killed bizarrely rose to their feet. Even decapitated bodies stood up. In the next instant, the villagers who still had a human appearance transformed. They became massive Tree-men with giant, woody bodies, limbs like withered trunks, and eyes on their chests.

At the same time, the crooked old pagoda tree also changed. The tree, once only a few men tall, suddenly shot up to a colossal height, reaching dozens of li into the sky. Countless eyes opened on its trunk, its branches writhed like tentacles, and its roots erupted from the ground, snaking toward Chen Pingchuan and his group. The Tree-man monsters renewed their attack.

"Everyone, be careful!" Chen Pingchuan yelled, swinging his energy blade and cleaving one of the bizarre Tree-men in two.

However, his normally unstoppable attack was ineffective. The Tree-man he had split in two simply became two smaller Tree-men. No matter how many times he cut them down, they would slowly reform into new, smaller versions. The only saving grace was that their regeneration was not fast.

Seizing the opportunity while Chen Pingchuan was occupied with the Tree-men, the Porcupine charged fearlessly toward the Divine Tree. He battered aside the roots that swiped at him and reached the monstrous tree's trunk. Grabbing a thick branch with both hands, he pulled with all his might, trying to snap it.

However, the branch was incredibly tough. Despite his immense effort, the Porcupine couldn't budge it an inch.

Chen Pingchuan noticed this, of course. He knew exactly how strong the Porcupine was. Even his strength can't break a single branch... That thing's toughness is unimaginable.

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