NOVPUBThe dome was filled with the scent of blood and smoke.
The two remaining bears had collapsed on their limbs, panting and drained.
But before Aksai could make his move, something unexpected happened.
The Verdant Elder didn't go for the bears.
Instead, he turned around slowly—facing the giant tree at the far edge of the dome. His bloodshot eyes narrowed as if staring right through the bark.
Aksai froze inside the hollow of the tree.
He's looking at me? But I haven't even stepped out yet...
Before he could finish the thought, the Verdant Elder let out a deep, guttural groan. His massive body shifted as Spirit essence surged from within. Then came the first spell.
The ground rumbled, and thick, bark-covered vines shot up like spears.
They twisted and coiled, covered in sharp green thorns, and moved with deadly speed. In a flash, they crashed into the trunk of the tree Aksai was hiding inside.
Boom!
The tree exploded from the impact. Wood splinters and shattered bark flew in every direction. Aksai barely managed to leap out, tumbling across the dirt.
The ground behind him was torn apart by more vines that slammed down where he had just been.
He landed hard, rolled, and used a quick movement spell to widen the gap between himself and the beast.
Breathing hard, Aksai whispered to himself, "How… how did this damn turtle know where I was?"
The answer came quickly—and from the last place he expected.
A voice. Deep, broken, and unnatural.
"Hu… human…. I… I knew… you were here from the moment I started my hunt."
Aksai spun around. The Verdant Elder hadn't moved from his spot, but his head was slightly raised.
The glowing runes on his shell flickered as he let out a strange, croaking sound that almost sounded like laughter.
Aksai's eyes widened.
The voice was in Dadangar—the language of Spirit cultivators from the subcontinent.
Few beasts ever understood it, let alone spoke it. However, the beasts who could speak the human language were very powerful. Some super talented beasts needed to be in the late stage of the 3rd Order beast cultivation while the others could only do so after breaking into the 4th Order beast cultivation realm.
However, Aksai had never heard about a demon beast who could speak the human language while he was merely in the 2nd Order beast cultivation realm.
Aksai narrowed his eyes. "How do you know the language of us Spirit cultivators?" he asked. His tone wasn't angry. He was shaken.
The mutated tortoise's glowing red eyes fixed on him.
"Do you think… I… I only prey on beasts… human?" the Verdant Elder said, his broken words slow but clear.
"I… I also devour… Spirit cultivators. Those who… dare step deep into Duya Forest… and fall… fall into my traps."
Aksai stiffened. He couldn't speak.
The Verdant Elder continued. "I… I am not like the others… who live here. When I devour… I also devour their memories… their thoughts… their experiences."
He made another low, snarling sound.
"You humans… leave behind too much… even after death."
Aksai's mouth went dry. He had never heard of such a thing. A beast that could consume memories? That was a nightmare even among demon beasts.
Indeed, the mutated demon beast Aksai had encountered was a rarity among the rare demon beasts. Not only was it mutated but also had strange bloodline abilities that enabled him to grow quickly at a rapid rate by devouring his prey one after the other.
Aksai stared at the Verdant Elder, his mind racing.
In the next moment, Aksai ran. When his life was threatened, Aksai didn't choose to be bold. He felt that bravery was an act of the privileged. He felt that he hadn't earned that privilege yet.
It was better to be scared, and being called a coward by one's enemies than being called brave after one's death. As long as he lived, there was a tomorrow. And tomorrow always brought new possibilities.
Aksai liked living way too much to not feel scared by the demon beast in front of him. He was spooked by the beast's cunning. It seemed that he had attacked the bears knowing Aksai was here. It meant that the demon beast still had his trump cards, which he hadn't shown yet.
Aksai was not at all curious to know about the demon beast's trump cards. He was already intimidated by the Verdant Elder's beast cultivation that exceeded his own. However, the most scary thing about this mutated demon beast was his sharp mind and cunning.
It seemed that the demon beast had caught some of the traits of the demonic cultivators after devouring them. It made him more dangerous than any enemy Aksai had faced directly so far.
The forest floor shook beneath his feet as he darted through broken roots and fallen leaves, trying to put distance between himself and the monstrous beast behind him. The pain in his chest from earlier still pulsed like a heartbeat, but he forced himself to keep going.
Aksai knew that no matter where he ran, he would eventually stop by the dome. However, he was very confident in piercing through the dome using his Meteor sword. He only needed to reach the dome. He would then unleash all of his Spirit spells and channel his body cultivation to get past the dome.
I need to run away and come up with a plan, he thought. He's too strong to fight head-on. I need to—
A voice echoed in his mind.
"My liege, this beast doesn't seem like someone you could deal with at your level. Don't even think about tailing him to wait for the right opportunity. It is wise to retreat."
It was Yelia. Her voice came through clearly, even though she was inside the Everwood Farm. She could see and hear what Aksai could see and hear. She sounded worried.
Aksai clenched his teeth, skidding behind a large boulder. He touched the wound on his side. It was sticky with blood.
He nodded to himself. "You're right, Yelia. I'll—"
Aksai needed to calm his mind before he could summon himself inside the Everwood Farm. he couldn't have used the artifact if he was in front of a human cultivator. However, this was merely a demon beast. Even though he could speak and think like a human, the demon beasts were not skilled in using the Spirit artifacts.
As such, Aksai was very confident in his ability to retreat. This was why he had dared to hunt the Verdant Elder and turn him into his Aether Beast in the first place.
But…. before he could finish the sentence, a shadow loomed overhead.
His eyes snapped upward just in time to see a thick dome of vines descending from above. It wasn't just a simple attack—it was sharp, fast, and terrifyingly precise. Since he was approaching the edge of the inner dome, it was very easy for the vines to target him.
"Damn it!" Aksai shouted. Only now did Aksai realize the Verdant Elder's trump card.
It was the dome. It was not only a defensive Spirit spell that also acted as an isolation technique. But it could also be used for sudden attacks.
He raised his arms and activated his Spirit spell by instinct.
[ Callous Skin ]
The Druid's Blessing lit up his body. His skin hardened, a faint green glow spreading like ripples across it. A thin, metallic sheen covered his limbs, chest, and back.
But it wasn't enough.
One of the thick, spike-covered vines sliced through the air and slammed into his back. The hardened skin resisted for half a second… then cracked.
A sickening sound followed as the spikes tore into his back.
"Aaaaargh!"
Aksai screamed and fell forward, blood gushing from the wound. His knees hit the ground, but he didn't stay down for long.
Because the attack wasn't over.
The Verdant Elder hadn't waited. As soon as the first wave ended, another followed.
Vines surged from the ground and from above the dome like venomous snakes. They slithered at high speed and latched onto Aksai's wrists and ankles.
"What the—!"
Before he could free himself, the vines yanked him into the air. His limbs were stretched out, pulled tight like he was being hung from four corners. He struggled, but the strength of the vines was too much. They creaked and groaned, refusing to let go.
Then one final vine moved in.
It was thicker, darker, and sharper than the rest. It also had a lance-like wooden protrusion.
It flew up from behind and drove itself into his lower back with such force that the impact shook his whole body. It then pierced all the way through his chest, coming out from the front—right where his heart was.
"Uuuugh!"
Aksai's mouth opened, but no sound came out.
His eyes widened in disbelief. For a moment, everything stood still.
He felt his strength drain away in an instant. His limbs went cold. The pain was unlike anything he had felt before—sharp, deep, and endless.
The vine pulsed once, still stuck through him. His heart didn't stop, but it faltered.
He couldn't think. Couldn't scream. Couldn't move.
The world became a blur of pain and fear.
