Don't mess with that Miao boy, he's sickly and perverted.

Just as Chai Xiaomi's lips were about to touch that cold body, a hand suddenly appeared in front of her, gently pressing against her lips.

Although the palm was cold, it carried a trace of the warmth of a living person.

"Fool!"

A clear, cold voice, like a secluded valley, lacked its usual casual and playful tone, instead revealing a subtle, almost imperceptible panic.

"Open your eyes wide and look carefully at what's in front of you."

Chai Xiaomi was suddenly taken aback.

She blinked slowly, surprised to find that there was no one on the ground, just a dead tree branch lying horizontally!

Chai Xiaomi followed the hand that was blocking her lips, her gaze slowly moving upwards along the slender wrist.

The boy's excessively handsome face came into view, his features refined and captivating, his starry eyes sparkling beneath his long lashes, carrying a chaotic bewilderment.

"Wu Li..." Chai Xiaomi's voice was still choked with sobs, light and airy, like a dream, "You're not dead..."

Wu Li's eyes suddenly darkened, and the panic in them became even more obvious.

The girl's voice came through the gap in his palm, soft and indistinct, like a feather brushing against him. Her clear, watery eyes were unfocused, as if she hadn't yet recovered from the scene from a moment ago.

Her long eyelashes, still glistening with undried tears, fluttered a few times, like black butterflies about to take flight.

As she spoke, her soft lips unconsciously parted and closed, gently brushing against his palm.

It felt like... a delicate, intimate kiss.

Wu Li abruptly pulled his hand back, a tingling sensation rising from his palm and spreading rapidly, like countless tiny ants crawling across his heart, leaving him momentarily at a loss.

"You're not dead." Chai Xiaomi repeated herself with an extremely serious expression, as if to confirm.

Wu Li rubbed her burning palm with her thumb, and was speechless for a moment, recalling how she had just hugged that piece of dead wood and cried her heart out.

"Am I that easy to die? You just entered an illusion created by the tree spirit." He turned his head, trying to regain his usual sarcasm, but his voice trailed off. "When you pass away, I'll still be alive. So there's no need for you to die with me, what's there to cry about—"

The words were cut short before they could be finished.

Suddenly, Chai Xiaomi bumped into his arms and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

The person in his arms burst into tears without warning, crying even harder than when he was holding the piece of wood, tears soaking his clothes: "That's great... Waaah... Do you want some sweet soup? I'll buy you some!"

Wu Li stood frozen in place, his arms hanging limply at his sides, forgetting to push him away.

"Sweet soup..." he murmured softly.

I used to hear people say that sweet soup is sweet, but when I finally tasted it after growing up, I found it to be nothing special.

Perhaps I've long since passed the age of craving sweet soup.

Or perhaps, they've simply grown accustomed to the taste of bitterness.

He had no interest whatsoever, but for some reason, when he heard her sobbing and asking, he suddenly felt thirsty. A thought struck him, and he was about to answer, "I want to drink."

Wu Li's lips moved slightly, but then she saw the person in her arms suddenly leave.

Chai Xiaomi rubbed her nose. The layered silver necklace around his neck was certainly beautiful, but its hardness made her nose hurt. Through her teary eyes, she saw Wu Li's lips seem to part slightly.

"What did you just say? I didn't hear you clearly, say it again."

After rubbing her nose, Chai Xiaomi raised her hand to wipe away her tears.

As she wiped her hand, the scorpion tattoo on the back of her fair hand became particularly striking.

A sinister glint flashed in Wu Li's eyes.

He almost forgot...

She was infused with his love potion, so it was only natural that she would devote all her passion to him.

Illusions can reveal the most terrifying scene in people's hearts. The reason why she was most afraid of his death and shed tears for him was simply because the love potion was catalyzed in her body.

Wu Li remained silent for a long time, his dark eyelashes concealing the emotions in his eyes. The corners of his mouth curled up, and he suddenly let out a soft sneer, his voice filled with unspeakable mockery.

"No, I don't drink it. I hate sweets."

Chai Xiaomi paused in wiping her tears, then asked eagerly, "What do you like to eat?"

"I don't like anything."

Chai Xiaomi looked up at him in confusion. She had noticed a hint of softness in his eyes earlier, but now he had reverted to his arrogant and cold demeanor.

Did this person go to study "Sichuan Opera face-changing"?

But when she thought of that small, thin figure, Chai Xiaomi's heart suddenly softened.

Just as she was about to say something, a sinister and terrifying voice suddenly came from all directions—

"Little girl, why don't you ask me what I like to eat?"

Who is speaking?

The voice was neither male nor female, sometimes near, sometimes far, as if it were drifting from afar, or as if it were right next to her ear.

Chai Xiaomi suddenly felt a numbness in her back, and a chill spread throughout her body.

She then realized that the surrounding scenery had long since changed back to the Drum Tower. She had followed Song Yueyao here after hearing her say that Jiang Zhiyu and Wu Li were in danger.

"I love eating virgins like you, so delicate and tender, with such a pretty face, it's truly mouthwatering!"

As he finished speaking, a series of sinister laughs followed.

Chai Xiaomi's teeth chattered. When Wu Li mentioned the tree demon, she immediately thought of the tree demon in the deep forest of Chishan that had sucked Chi Lie dry. Judging from its words, it was going to suck her dry too.

Chai Xiaomi asked the system, "Isn't the tree spirit rooted in one place? How can it get here?"

The fried dough sticks had already been tested; it would have told them if the host hadn't suddenly interrupted it.

"This system has just determined that what is in front of you is a tree spirit that has been a spirit for a thousand years. This kind of spirit is called the Banana Spirit. It is the most powerful of the tree spirits and is much more powerful than the one you saw in the mountains earlier. Its body and branches can freely transform into human form and can also create illusions for people."

After a two-second silence, You Tiao kindly reminded him, "In this novel, this is merely an SS-level demon. With the current abilities of the main characters, they might not be able to contend with it. Host, you'd better pray for yourself~~~"

SS-rank!

The original work rated the evil spirits in the novel as A, S, SS, and SSS.

In the early stages of the story, the main characters encounter A-level evil spirits, but they gradually grow stronger as the story progresses.

Why are we playing such high-stakes games right from the start in the beginner village?

The laughter grew closer, but Jiang Zhiyu and Song Yueyao were nowhere to be seen.

Chai Xiaomi took a half step back without making a sound, but her back pressed against something cold and hard.

The next instant, a dark brown branch covered with fine veins emerged from the side of her neck as if it were alive, carrying a damp, cold, putrid smell, and gently brushed against her chin.

Before she could even utter a cry of surprise, Chai Xiaomi felt a sudden tightening around her waist as an arm scooped her up, pulling her backward into a cool, breezy embrace.

A faint, refreshing scent, like that of green bamboo, wafted over; it was Wu Li. This scent instantly masked the stench of the decaying branches.

Wu Li shielded her to his side, glancing up at a certain point in the void, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips:

"Old man, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," he said lazily but clearly, "she's no virgin."

Chai Xiaomi was taken aback.

"She's pregnant," he paused, drawing out the last syllable, "which might not suit your taste."

Chai Xiaomi looked up at him. The young man's lips curled up in a cold smile, deliberately using her previous excuse.