Weird Survival: I can devour thousands of talents

Chapter 196 Chapter 195: Don’t order yet! (Happy New Year)

Ling Xiao stood at the valley's entrance, his gaze sweeping sharply around him. Sunlight filtered through the dense treetops, dappling the ground and casting patches of light. The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and leaves, but beneath this tranquil surface, he could sense an ominous agitation. His hand gently stroked the longsword at his waist, the blade reflecting a cold light in the sunlight.

"This is the territory of the tree spirits," Ling Xiao whispered to Qi Heng and the other team members, a hint of warning in his voice. "We must be careful. These tree spirit monsters are cunning and powerful."

Qi Heng nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. "We're ready, Ling Xiao." He gripped his bow tightly, ready to respond to any threats that might arise.

The team spread out and formed a defensive formation. Their steps were light and cautious, trying not to make any noise so as not to alert the monsters hiding in the shadows of the trees.

Suddenly, a breeze blew, and the leaves rustled. Ling Xiao's nerves were stretched to the limit. He could sense the presence of the tree spirits. They were nearby, observing them with their pupil-less eyes.

"Prepare for battle!" Ling Xiao shouted, drawing his longsword and pointing it forward. The team members immediately entered combat mode. Archers drew their bowstrings, while swordsmen and shieldbearers stood at the front, ready to meet the impending attack.

At that moment, vines erupted from the ground like venomous snakes, attacking them. Ling Xiao swung his sword to sever one vine, but more followed. Dryads emerged from the shadows, their bodies composed of trees and vines, their faces adorned with twisted smiles, their eyes gleaming with green light.

"Spread out! Don't get surrounded by them!" Ling Xiao commanded the team, his voice echoing through the valley. The team members quickly dispersed and engaged in a fierce battle with the tree spirits.

Qi Heng's arrows shot out like meteors, each one accurately hitting the tree spirit's vital points. His archery skills were superb, and every time he pulled the string, he was filled with immense confidence and determination.

Ling Xiao faced off against a tree spirit. His swordsmanship was sharp and precise, and every swing of his sword was accompanied by a sound of piercing the air. Although the tree spirit was extremely powerful, its movements seemed clumsy and slow under Ling Xiao's sword.

The battle lasted for a long time, the sound of metal clashing and the roar of the tree spirits echoing in the valley. Ling Xiao and his teammates relied on tacit cooperation and excellent fighting skills to gradually suppress the tree spirits' offensive.

However, just as they thought the battle was over, a massive shadow enveloped the entire valley. Ling Xiao looked up and saw a gigantic tree spirit slowly approaching them. Its body was taller than the surrounding trees, and every step it took shook the earth.

"This is the King of Dryads!" Ling Xiao's voice was filled with a hint of nervousness. He knew that the real challenge of this battle had just begun.

The Dryad King's eyes flashed with anger, and its arms transformed into two giant vines, swinging towards Ling Xiao and the team members. The team members quickly dodged, but the Dryad King's power was too great, and every attack made the valley tremble.

"We must find its weakness!" Ling Xiao shouted, his eyes gleaming with an unyielding light. "Qi Heng, you are responsible for the cover, everyone else follow me!"

Qi Heng nodded, and his arrows shot towards the King of Tree Spirits like raindrops, buying precious time for Ling Xiao and others.

Ling Xiao led the team members around to the back of the Dryad King, and they found a glowing crystal on the Dryad King's torso, which was the source of its power.

"Right there!" Ling Xiao pointed at the crystal, his voice tinged with excitement. "If we attack that crystal, we can weaken its power!"

The team members immediately understood Ling Xiao's intention and began to concentrate their firepower on the crystal. Arrows, sword energy, magic, all attacks were focused on that point.

The King of Dryads felt threatened and roared angrily, but Ling Xiao and his team members did not retreat. Their attacks became more and more fierce, and cracks began to appear on the crystal.

Finally, under a powerful attack, the crystal shattered. The Dryad King roared in pain, and its body began to disintegrate, eventually turning into a pile of dead wood and dust.

The battle was over, and the valley returned to peace. Ling Xiao and his team stood beside the remains of the Dryad King, their breathing heavy but their eyes gleaming with victory.

"We did it."

Ling Xiao's voice was filled with a hint of fatigue, but more of a sense of relief. "We worked together to defeat the Dryad King."

Qi Heng walked over to Ling Xiao, his eyes wandering across the valley. "This is just the beginning, Ling Xiao."

There was a hint of anticipation in his voice.

"We still have a long journey ahead of us, but I believe that as long as we stand together, there is nothing we cannot overcome."

Sunlight filtered through the treetops, dappling the forest floor in patches of light. Ling Xiao and his team stood beside the remains of the Dryad King. Their breathing gradually calmed, but their hearts were still filled with the tension and excitement of the battle. They knew that this victory was only temporary, and that more unknowns awaited them in the forest.

"We must be careful. There may be other threats in the forest," Ling Xiao warned the team, his eyes warily scanning the shadows of the surrounding trees. They began to pack up their equipment and prepare to continue on.

Suddenly, a strange sound broke the silence of the forest, like someone whispering, or the rustling of wind through leaves. Ling Xiao and his team members stopped immediately, their eyes focused on the direction of the sound.

"What is that?" Qi Heng asked in a low voice, his hand already on the arrow, ready to shoot at any time.

Ling Xiao shook his head, unsure of what it was. He signaled his team members to remain alert, then cautiously walked towards the source of the sound.

As they approached, the sound became clearer and clearer, no longer a whisper, but a strange chant. Ling Xiao felt an ominous premonition in his heart, knowing that this might be the new enemy they were about to face.

They passed through dense undergrowth and came to a clearing. In the center stood a robed wizard, holding a staff with a glowing crystal inlaid on the top. The crystal radiated the same energy as the Dryad King.

The mage's eyes were closed, and he muttered something, as if performing some ritual. As he chanted, the crystal's light grew stronger, and the air around him was filled with magical fluctuations. Ling Xiao and his team immediately realized that this mage might be after the crystal fragment of the Dryad King. They had to stop him, or the balance of the forest would be disrupted.

"Prepare for battle!" Ling Xiao commanded in a low voice, a hint of urgency in his voice. The team members quickly entered combat mode, knowing that this battle might be even more difficult than the previous ones.

The wizard seemed to have sensed their arrival. He slowly opened his eyes, a cunning glint in his eyes. "You've arrived just in time," he said in a low, magical voice. "I need some fresh blood to complete my ritual."

Before he finished speaking, the mage swung his staff, and streams of magical energy shot out from the tip, attacking Ling Xiao and his teammates. Ling Xiao quickly drew his sword to block it, and the sword collided with the magical energy, emitting dazzling sparks.

Qi Heng and other team members also began to fight back. Arrows, magic and the mage's attacks intertwined in the air, forming a fierce magic duel.

The battle lasted for a long time, with both sides showing their powerful strength. The mage's magic was powerful and varied, but Ling Xiao and his teammates gradually gained the upper hand with their tacit cooperation and excellent combat skills.

However, just when they thought they were about to win, the wizard suddenly stopped attacking, a cunning glint in his eyes. "Do you think this is all I have?" He sneered, then began to recite a more complex spell.

As the spell was chanted, the trees in the forest began to tremble, their branches like living creatures, attacking Ling Xiao and his team. The trees seemed to be controlled by the wizard, becoming his weapons.

Ling Xiao and his team were forced to separate, and they had to deal with the wizard's magic and the tree's attacks at the same time. The battle became more difficult, but they did not give up, knowing that only by persisting could they find a chance of victory.

In the chaos, Ling Xiao discovered a flaw in the mage. He signaled Qi Heng and the other team members to attract the mage's attention, and then he quietly went around behind the mage.

The mage seemed unaware of Ling Xiao's actions. He was concentrating on controlling the trees and was completely defenseless against Ling Xiao's approach. Ling Xiao seized the opportunity and swung his sword towards the mage's back.

Just as the sword tip was about to touch the mage, he suddenly turned around, a glint of triumph in his eyes. "Do you think you can defeat me so easily?" He laughed loudly, then swung his staff, and a powerful magical energy deflected Ling Xiao's sword.

Ling Xiao was knocked back by the powerful force, feeling dizzy. The mage took the opportunity to attack him, with streams of magical energy hitting him like a violent storm.

At this critical moment, Qi Heng and other team members arrived in time. They used their bodies to block the mage's attack, buying Ling Xiao a precious chance to breathe.

"Ling Xiao, are you okay?" There was a hint of worry in Qi Heng's voice, and his eyes were fixed on Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao shook his head, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I'm fine. We must end this battle as soon as possible."

They reorganized and started a new round of attack. Although the mage was powerful, his magic gradually lost its power due to the tacit cooperation between Ling Xiao and his teammates.

Finally, under a powerful attack, the mage's staff was knocked away, and his body was hit by Ling Xiao's sword energy, making him groan in pain. His body began to disintegrate, eventually turning into a pile of dust and tattered robes.

Ling Xiao stood beside the remains of the wizard, his hand gently touching the crystal fragment that had fallen from the wizard's staff. Sunlight filtered through the treetops, illuminating the crystal, refracting a dazzling array of colors. An unprecedented feeling surged within him: the awakening of a power, a strength deep within his blood.

He closed his eyes, feeling the energy flowing through the crystal. Like a warm river, it slowly flowed through his body, resonating with his soul. His heartbeat quickened with the flow of energy, each beat seeming to awaken the dormant power within him.

"Ling Xiao, do you feel it?" Qi Heng's voice interrupted Ling Xiao's thoughts. He stood beside Ling Xiao, his eyes also fixed on the crystal fragment. "This power...it seems to be calling us."

Ling Xiao nodded, his eyes opening with a glint of determination. "This is our power, and we must learn to control it." His voice was filled with determination; he knew this power could be the key to their future adventures.

The team members gathered around, their eyes focused on the crystal fragments. They could feel the presence of that power, a powerful and mysterious power that made them feel both excited and afraid.

"What should we do?" one of the team members asked, a hint of unease in his voice. "We've never come into contact with a force like this."

Ling Xiao took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping across the team members' faces. "We must pass the test and learn to control this power." His voice carried a hint of authority, his eyes gleaming with determination. "This is our responsibility, and our mission."

The team members nodded. They trusted Ling Xiao and were willing to follow him to face the unknown challenges. They knew that only by passing the trials could they truly master this power and protect themselves and the forest in future adventures.

Ling Xiao led the team to a wide open space where sunlight streamed down unimpeded, creating a natural training ground. They formed a circle and placed the crystal shard in the center. Ling Xiao gestured for the team to sit down, close their eyes, and feel the power within the crystal.

"Relax your minds and let the power flow naturally." Ling Xiao's voice was deep and powerful as he guided the team members into a meditative state. "Don't resist, don't force it, let the power become a part of you."

Following Ling Xiao's instructions, the team members began to try to connect with the power within the crystal. Initially, they encountered some difficulty; the power seemed difficult to harness. But as time went on, they gradually found their connection, and the power began to flow within them, resonating with their souls.

Ling Xiao also entered a meditative state. He could feel the team members' progress: their breathing gradually became steady, their minds gradually opened up. He knew that they were gradually mastering this power and becoming stronger.

Suddenly, a strong energy wave interrupted their meditation.

Ling Xiao opened his eyes and saw the crystal fragments emitting dazzling light.

The light shot straight into the sky, illuminating the entire forest.

(End of this chapter)