The next morning, Yun Luohe was up at six. She’d slept badly, mind circling what had to be done today.But her spirit was sharp, with no hint of slackness.Before heading out, Yun Luohe carefully mixed the Emerald Tree Heart powder Yu Chenjin had given her into the golden nutrient solution and watered it lightly around the Starwish Tree’s roots.A faint pulse of vitality rippled out; the black blotches creeping across the trunk slowed their spread by a visible fraction, but the rot-stink and the withered slump of the tree didn’t fundamentally change.The cooking tournament didn’t start until eight. Looked like she’d have to finish her dish on the island.That wasn’t a problem for her anyway.She took out a Designated Island Card, selected Ancient Tree Island as the destination, and soon a light skiff ferried Yun Luohe toward it.The closer they drew, the more obvious the air changed.The damp earth reek mixed with a clean scent of leaves, blossoms, and fruit—crisp on the inhale.From afar, the sky above was blotted by the crowns of towering, ancient giants, yet Ancient Tree Island itself seemed to have become an incubator for radiation fog; even before they arrived, thick banks of it were visible roiling over the sea.The whole island was wrapped in it.[Welcome to Ancient Tree Island……]With the familiar chime, Yun Luohe stepped onto the island’s sandy shore.Yu Chenjin stood not far away.He wore gray monk’s robes, and the staff in his hand looked upgraded. A keep-out aura bled off him in waves. Yun Luohe’s perception trait spiked a warning—not of danger, but of the sheer strength standing in front of her, putting her on guard.They both wore anti-radiation masks; neither could see the other’s face.“Per intel, we have to go deep into the island’s center to find the thousand-year tree. A friend of mine came once before—kept a long distance and offered resin at the altar, never truly approached the tree, but we know ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) the general location,” Yun Luohe said quietly.Yu Chenjin: “Mm. From what I know, the Emerald Ancient Tree’s root system is a snarl that sprawls across the entire forest. Ancient Tree Island is effectively one vast forest, so once we step in, we’re within the tree’s surveillance.”Yun Luohe: “Bottom line—stay sharp.”“I’ll lead,” Yu Chenjin’s voice came through the respirator, low and clear.He took point with the staff; the tip could probe the ground as they went.Less than ten minutes into the forest, the island’s danger made itself felt.Had they come days earlier, it might have been milder; now the radiation’s influence was too great.Radiation-twisted mutants were everywhere.Under a huge fallen rotting trunk, a thick, tar-like black layer had spread.Look closely—it was a hillside’s worth of packed eggs.Each egg was infant-fist sized, skin transparent, the larvae within faintly visible.Yu Chenjin, walking ahead, stopped short at the sight, pulled a bottle from his pack, and sluiced it over the heap.A harsh sizzle—then the eggs slumped into liquid and soaked into the dirt.But that didn’t resolve the crisis.Yun Luohe’s face tightened. “There’s more,” she warned under her breath.Hundreds of just-hatched larvae came writhing out from under the litter all around.Fresh from their shells, they were already palm-sized, chittering at a high frequency like rats as they surged at Yun Luohe and Yu Chenjin in a tide.The sight prickled the scalp.Before Yun Luohe could act, Yu Chenjin whipped out a long stick and smashed the lot.The crush sent ropes of viscous fluid spattering—easy to foul the weapon.Truthfully, the easiest solution was to let Yuntun handle them.But they’d only just entered the forest; Yun Luohe didn’t want to send Yuntun out so early. For now, she and Yu Chenjin could manage.Yuntun didn’t have proper radiation gear; it had to rely on potions to resist exposure, and those were time-limited. Unless it was critical, Yun Luohe wouldn’t bring it out.That was only the beginning.Deeper in, Yun Luohe found conditions worse than the intel suggested, not better.Radiation’s reach was everywhere, forcing out all manner of grotesque mutants.Yes, she could toss irradiated materials into the Trash Bin to purify them, but when the dose was too deep, she had no interest in hauling them back.And this was only the outer forest. Poison moths glimmered with ghostly blue phosphor; their dust was venomous—touch a trace and your whole body went numb.Working in step, Yun Luohe and Yu Chenjin shot down a good number of the moths. At first they didn’t realize the dust was toxic; fortunately it only dusted their armor. When Yun Luohe saw the durability drop, she got even more careful with her dodges.Yu Chenjin snapped his staff and a tonal shockwave rippled out; moths near them reeled, lost their bearing, and dropped like leaves.Next, they ran intoa zone where the pollen induced hallucinations.Pollen—Yun Luohe immediately held her breath.She glanced over; Yu Chenjin looked unaffected, and she moved on, reassured.Without a heads-up from intel, a careless breath here would drag you under. The longer the stay, the more pollen inhaled, the longer you’d be lost; your Sanity would bleed out.But they were prepared, and cleared the zone quickly.Step by step through the forest, hacking through thorns, the two moved in lockstep.At last, they met the camouflage master—a giant python.It lay hidden in the trees; if Yun Luohe hadn’t sensed the wrongness, it would’ve had them on the drop.But she was ready.When the python lunged from the canopy overhead, Yun Luohe and Yu Chenjin moved like they had eyes in their backs, clambering into the branches to vanish from its strike.The serpent’s bloody maw snapped on empty air.While it searched, a monk’s staff crashed down, dead-on the seven-inch spot.Right after, Yun Luohe’s Thunder Vortex Trident cracked with lightning and cleaved across the python’s back.Their assault was relentless, without pause.The python’s hide was thick and meat dense—tough as nails. It refused to die quickly.They raised such a racket the surrounding trees crashed under the serpent’s thrashing.Yun Luohe still took the chance to scoop a few unusual tree seeds.These hadn’t been irradiated; she could plant them on return.She also spotted clean monkey-bread trees, banana trees, and palms.She planned to finish off the python, then pick a haul for cooking.Half an hour later, the python finally failed—slumping boneless to the earth, twitching a few times, then going still.Yun Luohe checked it over. A beast this big would break down to at least a hundred portions of meat. A waste to leave it. The radiation wasn’t heavy; she could run it through the Trash Bin later.She looked at Yu Chenjin. “Want the snake meat? I’ll take it, and give you some finished dishes later.”Yu Chenjin: “Fine.”Yun Luohe didn’t stand on ceremony—finished it with a clean stroke, then chopped and broke it down on the spot.She checked the time.They’d been on the island more than an hour, and the destination was still a long way off.Continuous skirmishes had burned a lot of Stamina.They had to stop and refuel, but radiation fog lay everywhere—no way to unmask and eat.Luckily, Yun Luohe had prepared.On a small patch of relatively dry ground she’d cleared, Yun Luohe pitched the custom anti-radiation tent sewn from Crimson-Blood spider-silk cloth.They could duck inside to grab a bite.She’d commissioned it before coming.Rushed job, short on fabric—only one tent.Tight for two, but this wasn’t the time to be picky; squeeze, and it worked.She explained the plan to Yu Chenjin; he had no objections.Soon the tent was up.“You go in first, rest and eat a bit. I saw a stand of trees over there—I’ll harvest some materials,” Yun Luohe clapped the dust from her palms and scanned the perimeter.“The python’s dead, but this place isn’t safe. I’ll come with you,” Yu Chenjin said.Yun Luohe weighed it a few seconds. “All right. Together.”Two people worked faster.“I’ll strip that monkey-bread tree,” Yu Chenjin said curtly, eyes on the nearby giant loaded with iron-hard pods.“Good. I’ll fell those banana trees, and the palms.”Banana hearts were edible, and the fruits too, even green.She meant to take everything.After the bananas, she wasn’t leaving the palms either.Palm hearts were a delicacy.The cooking tournament had already begun; any good ingredient, Yun Luohe would stockpile. Who knew when she’d see them again.She strode to the banana grove and triggered [Scanning Eye] to confirm the area was clear.She drew a heavy machete.Cold light flashed as it bit into the banana trunk.Several chops in, the banana toppled, revealing a milk-white core breathing a clean, sweet fragrance.Loaded with moisture and sweetness, banana heart could be cooked—or eaten raw.Her hands were quick; she swept the edible hearts and the unripe fruit clusters into the Portable Preservation Ring.She didn’t waste the fallen trunks and leaves either—packed them into her pack.Perfect for papermaking or rope.A few more seeds lay on the ground—those went into her pack too.On the other side, Yu Chenjin was just as efficient.Against the iron-hard monkey-bread pods, he didn’t smash. He levered the sharp tail of his staff under each stem and gave a light pry; the massive pods dropped free.In short order, he had them all.Next, Yun Luohe went for the palms.Palm heart was crisp-tender with a touch of sweetness—fine as a vegetable, ideal for soups or quick stir-fries.Recipes bloomed in her mind.Carefully, she peeled back the outer layers to the tender core within.There!She lifted the intact heart free,then bundled the fronds and bark into her pack as well.With supplies collected, both felt their Stamina bars sliding hard.Sustained high-alert movement and fighting had chewed through them.They ducked into the tent together and zipped the custom seal, keeping radiation fog from seeping in.The space was small—just enough for two to squeeze.Yun Luohe checked the Survival Wristwatch; the tent’s internal radiation index was within safe bounds, so she finally eased off the mask.“It’s safe in here now. You can take yours off—breathe a little.”Mask on all the way was stifling, and they’d been marching and fighting nonstop—unpleasant.“Whew…” Yun Luohe slipped her mask off too and drew a deep breath of the relatively clean air inside. It still held an earthy tang, but it was far better than outside.She was tired, a thread of fatigue in her expression, but her eyes stayed clear and bright.She took out two bottles of water, handed one to Yu Chenjin, and drank a few swallows herself.Then she brought out a dish she’d prepped—Starlight Kelp Bisque.It would quickly restore Sanity and add Stamina.A big pot—enough for two to drink their fill.There were also two braised-meat rolls: thin wrappers folded around juicy braised pork, bean curd sheets, lotus-root strips, and greens,the outside brushed with a touch of chili oil.The aroma alone stirred hunger.“Here. Refill your Stamina.” She passed one to Yu Chenjin.They weren’t golden-tier, but they were high-grade quality.Eating them not only restored a large chunk of Stamina, but also boosted Speed and Strength.Effect fully on par with golden dishes.Yun Luohe had recreated and improved them from the braised rolls she’d eaten back in school—now a portable snack.“The cooking tournament’s started. When are you planning to make today’s dish?”Yu Chenjin hadn’t entered the Mad Chef Tournament, but he’d read the rules and knew there was a daily recipe-development requirement.Yun Luohe would likely spend the whole day on Ancient Tree Island—not realistic to bank on getting home first. Best to cook when a safe window opened and submit.“Later. Once we have the sap and we’re safe, I’ll cook,” Yun Luohe decided.@Unlimited Good Reads, all at Jinjiang Literature CityShe could play it safer and cook now, but if she couldn’t even secure the tree heart and get back, what did a tournament task matter? In a place like this, they had no chance after dark. Better to move fast and get the sap in daylight; she couldn’t afford to lose time to cooking.Time was tight, so they ate and rested hard. After, Yun Luohe couldn’t help touching the Red Coral Prayer Beads at her wrist; with them, her mood and mind sat steadier.Curious, she asked, “How did you make these beads—able to steadily raise Sanity? Such a precious gift, and you just handed it to me.”Yu Chenjin said blandly, “Think nothing of it.”He wiped the corner of his mouth with a paper, then took out another and handed it to Yun Luohe. “We should move.”Yun Luohe had another question on her tongue, but he’d wrong-footed the topic. She let it go.——Recharged, they masked up again, broke down the tent, and set out.They moved even more warily now, knowing the closer to the center, the worse it would get.After a while, Yun Luohe frowned. The forest was unnaturally silent; even the insect hum was gone. Only the crunch of dead branches underfoot remained.It made the skin crawl. Her perception skill was little help here; the sense of threat pressed in from every direction at once, as if nowhere was safe.That made it hard to pinpoint where the real strike would come from.But she had [Scanning Eye]—within dozens of meters, nothing could hide.They had to mind their footing and the canopy at the same time.Tree roots writhed through the soil like coiled dragons, much of them exposed, crossed and tangled.A thick mat of leaves carpeted the surface, but under it yawned deep holes—natural pit traps that would swallow a careless step.A fall wouldn’t kill, but climbing back out would cost time and effort.Cheng Xuening had paid for it here before—down a root hole and a hard time getting out.Yun Luohe checked her watch; ambient radiation readings wavered—spiking, then dipping.It seemed the radiation here wasn’t acutely dense; the outer trees had screened much of it.Only a few spots steamed with concentrated green fog.Suddenly, a sharp, grating screech split down from the canopy.Yun Luohe had been braced—no surprise.The arrivals were exactly the animals she’d expected.A dozen golden monkeys vaulted and swung through the crowns, fast as sparks, dropping from the leaves! From the heights they glared down, hostile.These were the mutant golden monkeys from the intel.Bigger than normal, their golden pelts like living metal armor, fangs bared, claws long and needle-sharp—enough to make the gut clench. One swipe looked like it could peel a slab of flesh.A dozen didn’t rattle Yun Luohe—but more came. And more…Even she went still.The canopy above was crowded solid with golden monkeys—old and young alike, as if the whole tribe had mustered.No way…Nearly a hundred.Too many!Yun Luohe pulled a wry smile and glanced at Yu Chenjin.A few impatient monkeys dropped to taunt.Yu Chenjin tightened his grip and swept the staff crosswise, flinging the front rank back.That only enraged the troop. There were many, and cunning besides.Tree-born and team-savvy, they used the gnarled ground to strike from every angle.Some looped behind for backstabs, a dozen tried to swarm, and a few dove from above.It was impossible to cover everything.Time to bring out Yuntun.Yun Luohe didn’t hesitate—she pulled the pet satchel.“Your turn, Yuntun,” she called in her heart.If Yu Chenjin weren’t here, she might have shouted it—but yelling would feel embarrassingly chūni if someone heard. Anyway, she and Yuntun were mind-linked; it would hear.“Hehe—Hehe, I’m here! Watch me beat them all!”Yuntun hissed, voice thrumming with zeal.This was its first true battle since inheriting the Spider Queen’s legacy. @Unlimited Good Reads, all at Jinjiang Literature CityLast night had only been a warm-up. It hadn’t even deployed its skills.Now it finally had the chance.It wanted Yun Luohe to see how much stronger it was after evolving.Then she’d know it could protect her—and keep it by her side with confidence.——The instant Yuntun hit the ground, its body swelled from the size of a small pet to half a person. It started to grow larger still, but quickly realized being too big cramped maneuvering, and shrank a notch.Its eight raptorial limbs flexed with a whisper of machinery.Yun Luohe and Yu Chenjin stood behind it, shielded by its bulk.“Hehe, just watch. Leave it to me!”The blood-red patterning on its abdomen rose and fell with its breath; combat mode locked in.Yun Luohe smiled. “Don’t get cocky. Bind them with silk first.”Yuntun spat dozens of silver threads and latticed them all around, webbing high and low. The golden monkeys couldn’t rush in; any attempt met silk that checked their charge.Then it flipped more strands and flicked them like lassos, snaring the nearest monkeys and cinching them to the trunks.The cords tightened; tough as steel wire, they bit into flesh. Fur split; red lines welled.The golden monkeys screamed.Some froze, cowed for a heartbeat.But a bolder knot answered with furious snarls and leapt from the canopy—bigger than the first wave, stronger, meaner.Their claws were stained dark—likely full adults.Yuntun didn’t flinch. [Poison-Gland Snipe] triggered in a snap; ten pale-green jets shot out and hit every target within ten meters dead center.Where the venom kissed fur, white smoke curled; motions faltered; throats rattled with pain.“Nice work, Yuntun!” Yun Luohe couldn’t help the praise.To Yuntun, her praise was the best reward. It chittered happily and spat more venom.“Hssss~”It even taunted them, bouncing, daring them to come again.Right then, seven or eight hulking golden monkeys dropped.Leaders, by the look.The gold on their brows was darker; their coats thicker, coarser.They circled Yuntun, bodies low, eyes fixed on its mouthparts.As soon as it spat, they darted out of range—then rushed to strike before the next volley.Yuntun’s dorsal silver stripes flashed to life. It still had [Silver-Armor Shield]—blades and bullets might as well be nothing. Those claws weren’t getting through!It didn’t even try to dodge—just slammed into the foremost leader. Sparks rang as the monkey king’s talons scraped Yuntun’s back.@Unlimited Good Reads, all at Jinjiang Literature CityYuntun shrilled, thrilled.The monkeys traded looks—and a few went berserk, swarming in, wrapping Yuntun’s limbs and wrenching hard.Smarter than average, they’d read its kit: silk for ranged control, venom, and armor. So they gambled on brute force—rip a limb off, pry at the weak point, then strike the wound.Yuntun had been a little overconfident and got a limb grabbed.It tried to shake them off, but the golden monkeys were strong—iron grips locked tight.Yun Luohe tensed to step in, then checked herself. If she bailed it out now, Yuntun might sulk. She called quickly instead: “Yuntun—use [Queen’s Dominion].”

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