The black toxic fog instantly invaded Lin Lei's mind, even beginning to corrode the repaired "gap" in his soul defense membrane — something that had taken Lin Lei over two hundred years after reaching Highgod to restore to its current state. If it breached that defense, all two centuries of progress would be lost in an instant.
"Hmph." Lin Lei's soul power surged forward like a shockwave, crashing into the black toxic fog.
Soul power radiating a blue-green halo hammered against the black fog in rapid, lightning-like bursts until it was completely annihilated.
"Boss, this big serpent is really tough," Bei Bei transmitted.
"Hooo~~" The green giant serpent furiously lashed its tail, its enormous body becoming a green blur as it whipped toward Lin Lei and Bei Bei.
Lin Lei's gaze turned cold.
"Whoosh!" Lin Lei's dragon tail also lashed out violently, colliding with the serpent's tail with a sharp "Crack!" Lin Lei's body was sent tumbling backward several dozen meters, while the green giant serpent coiled back around the trunk of the Netherworld Fruit Tree.
"That big serpent's hide is really tough," Lin Lei thought, startled. "And slippery too!"
"Hmph." Bei Bei, however, had already lunged straight for the Netherworld Fruit after Lin Lei was knocked back. The green giant serpent naturally whipped its tail, churning the space like a whirlwind as it struck directly at Bei Bei. But Bei Bei flashed a sinister grin, and a divine-grade dagger materialized in his hand. He stabbed it hard at the incoming tail!
"Thuck—"
The dagger slid across the serpent's hide, leaving only a fairly deep white scratch. Only two or three of the fine scales had cracked.
"Oh?" Bei Bei was surprised. At the same time, he transmitted, "Boss, how come this big serpent is so much stronger than those little green snakes? It's so slippery that even my divine-grade weapon couldn't pierce through it in one strike! By the way, Boss… go grab the Netherworld Fruit quick. I'll keep this big serpent busy! It can't do anything to me!"
"You brat, I'll make you die!"
When the green giant serpent saw that two or three of its scales had cracked, it flew into a rage, roaring as it swept toward Bei Bei once more. Its venomous fangs were sharp, but not particularly tough. As for toughness, its hide was the strongest. For all these years… no one had ever managed to leave a mark on it.
"Whoosh." Lin Lei trusted Bei Bei completely and charged straight toward the Netherworld Fruit.
"Oooo~~"
Bei Bei was stunned. The moment the green giant serpent touched him, it had coiled around his entire body, binding him tight, as if trying to squeeze him to death. "Heh, you've got some strength. But if you think you can crush me with just that, dream on." Bei Bei tilted his head back and stared at the serpent's head, utterly fearless.
The green giant serpent contracted its whole body, trying to crush Bei Bei.
It was born with extraordinary talent. Killing a Highgod by constricting them with its body was easy. Even a Highgod artifact would be twisted out of shape by its coils. But today it discovered… the youth caught in its grip was like an indestructible lump of metal that could not be any harder.
"Come on, put some more muscle into it!" Bei Bei laughed. He was happy to keep the green giant serpent occupied, and he kept an eye on Lin Lei's situation as well.
"Hm?" Bei Bei suddenly looked alarmed.
He saw that as Lin Lei approached the Netherworld Fruit, a mass of branches — soft as willow fronds — all surged toward Lin Lei at once. Lin Lei angrily struck out with the Shadow Sword, channeling the Law of Earth. The Shadow Sword's power reached its peak. A faint sound echoed as the space itself cracked open.
"Thuck!" The Shadow Sword split into one of the branches.
The branch was as thick as a thigh, yet despite Lin Lei's full-power strike, the blade only sank in to the midpoint, stuck fast. "Hm?" Lin Lei suddenly sensed… a powerful wave of energy emanating from where the Netherworld Fruit Tree's branch met the Shadow Sword.
It struck directly at his mind!
"Buzz~~" Lin Lei's head went dizzy for an instant, but he managed to hold on. At the same time, the rest of the branches swept in.
"Retreat!" Lin Lei yanked out his sword and retreated rapidly!
Simultaneously, an earthy yellow glow spread over his body surface, forming a spherical "Black Stone Space" of immense repulsive force that immediately acted on those branches. Though their speed was reduced, they still closed in from all directions. Lin Lei had no choice but to dodge further back.
Lin Lei was struggling, but Bellemaire wasn't faring any better — he too couldn't deal with the Netherworld Fruit Tree.
"Bellemaire, you said this Netherworld Fruit Tree is controlled by the serpent spirit? How can the tree also launch soul attacks?" Lin Lei called out. He had already retreated over a hundred meters, and Bellemaire had withdrawn just as far. Bellemaire shook his head. "The first time I encountered the Netherworld Fruit… there were far too many green snakes. I never got close. I had no idea the Netherworld Fruit Tree could launch soul attacks. But now it seems — this tree has developed intelligence of its own!"
A sudden understanding flashed through Lin Lei's mind —
He finally knew what the red-haired beauty had meant by "tree" and "serpent."
"The serpent she spoke of must be this kind of big snake. And the tree… should be the Netherworld Fruit Tree," Lin Lei thought. He had just experienced the tree's power firsthand — a single branch had been able to withstand his full-power strike. And his divine-grade weapon had only sunk halfway in.
"Hm? It's healed?" Lin Lei noticed with surprise that the branch he had just cut had already recovered.
"This Netherworld Fruit Tree is just like a normal god — its body heals easily," Lin Lei thought, his head aching.
"Haha… can't do it anymore, huh? Then it's my turn!" Bei Bei's voice suddenly rang out.
Lin Lei looked over —
He saw Bei Bei still wrapped in the green giant serpent's coils, seemingly being crushed to death. But at that moment, "Yoooo~~~" A piercing sound filled with madness rang out as Bei Bei opened his mouth. At the same time, a massive phantom of a God-Devouring Mouse appeared around his body. The phantom's cold, emotionless eyes fixed on the green giant serpent.
The green giant serpent froze, sensing something was terribly wrong!
A flash of cold light passed through Bei Bei's eyes!
"Ahh~~" The scream had barely begun when a black divine crystal popped out of the green giant serpent's head, directly swallowed into Bei Bei's stomach. The green giant serpent went limp and fell, dead!
Heavenly Talent Ability — God Devouring!
At the exact moment the green giant serpent died, all of the small green snakes still surviving on the Netherworld Fruit Tree's leaves simultaneously transformed into motes of green energy, then burst apart and dissipated into heaven and earth. Every last one perished!
"Oh?" Lin Lei suddenly understood something.
Those small green serpents had been part of the green giant serpent — or rather, they had existed dependent upon it. Now that the serpent spirit was dead, those small snakes were finished as well.
"You still dare act tough with me!" Bei Bei snorted.
In the distance, Bellemaire and the Brell brothers stared at Bei Bei in disbelief. They had witnessed his "God Devouring" ability — a heavenly talent that belonged to no law or rule, transcending them entirely. Once unleashed, it filled Bellemaire and the Brell brothers with horror.
How could anyone defend against such a move?
It targeted the divine crystal directly. No matter how deep your comprehension of profound mysteries, you wouldn't even have time to react!
"The Netherworld Fruit is mine!" Bei Bei charged toward the Netherworld Fruit Tree once more.