Fruit

What does this mean?

The completely unexpected change caught Linsey off guard.

He could understand that the master of this will must be the main body of the massive tree root buried beneath the earth.

But what Linsey could never understand was the attitude the other party displayed.

From friendly non-hostility to this kind of ingratiating "friendly" approach.

Even if Linsey searched for reasons among all her buffs, she couldn't find one that fit the current situation.

Swipe—

Below ground.

Suddenly, thick plant roots extended out and enveloped Linsey in the blink of an eye.

"Don't even think about leaving!"

Among the crowd, Ya Li Kun was the first to react.

He withstood the immense pressure and pointed a gleaming gold Double Serpent Coin in Linsey's direction.

The vast Essence drives the value inherent in the coins.

Ya Li Kun used this Double Serpent Coin to buy the very wood surrounding Linsey, intending to let it rot and decay, thus stopping what was about to happen.

The Double Serpent Coin, crafted by a Sixth Stage merchant.

Their purchasing power is astonishing; they could easily buy the life of a living person.

Even in the canyons Lake Island Secret Realm, those dilapidated plants were simply the result of Ya Li Kun using only one Double Serpent Coin!

"Um?"

Seeing this, Linsey naturally dared not ignore it.

He reached into his bag with his right hand and took out the Double Serpent Coin he had obtained earlier, intending to counteract the opponent's power.

But before Linsey could make her next move...

The tree roots surrounding him then unleashed an even more powerful force.

A vibrant, emerald-green Essence emerges on the earth.

The Double Serpent Coin that Ya Li Kun threw out looked just like a coin tossed into the Wishing Well.

Apart from splashing a few tiny water droplets.

There was no further movement; it simply fell limply to the ground and remained motionless.

brush--

He easily deflected Ya Li Kun's attack.

The tree roots immediately closed up, carrying Linsey underground, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

But the changes on the earth's surface did not end there.

The previously hidden lake island was unaffected by the Forest Will, like a tranquil paradise.

But at this moment, that special feeling vanished.

It even appeared more intense!

The tender grass began to grow wildly, like green nooses extending from the ground, shooting up several meters in length, and then binding and strangling all living things around it.

And those flowers that seem harmless and emit a faint fragrance.

At this moment, clusters of pollen, some yellow and some white, are also emerging.

The Element Manipulator, still wielding their skills and attempting to escape the Forest Veins, were the first to be enveloped by a cloud of yellow floral mist.

He only had skin contact with it; he did not inhale it through his nose.

But as he prepared to use his skills to blow away the surrounding pollen, a strong feeling of dizziness struck his brain.

"Ugh... Ugh—!"

A sudden wave of dizziness washed over me, followed by vomiting.

The Element Manipulator collapsed helplessly to the ground.

Unable to look away, he stared weakly at the ground beside him.

He then discovered that the Awakened One responsible for collecting information had also fallen to the ground, just like him, both of them succumbing to the darkness of death under the attack of highly toxic pollen.

Damn it!

The surrounding area was in chaos.

Ya Li Kun thought of his chamber of commerce colleagues who disagreed with him and had left earlier.

He then uttered a curse.

But there was no emotion in that voice.

It's as if he was just an observer who felt that doing this was the most logical thing to do at that moment, and that's why he took this reasonable action.

Cold, business-driven reason told him that the tide had turned.

Further resistance is futile.

So this wealthy merchant simply abandoned his companions.

He took out another coin, threw it on the ground in front of him, and bought himself a way out of the incredibly turbulent lake island.

Swipe—

A straight road was carved out of the ground where flowers and grasses grew wildly.

The plants on the ground seemed to deliberately avoid this route, making way for Ya Li Kun to reach the outside world.

The wealthy businessman calmly walked up, still having the energy to analyze the situation. "Why is the Forest Veins suddenly showing signs of activation?"

"This shouldn't have happened, and there were no signs of it beforehand."

"Our plan..."

Ya Li Kun's voice abruptly stopped.

His current state of business rationality allowed him to notice some subtle changes.

The path to survival bought with Double Serpent Coin was indeed unobstructed.

But at the end of the road, the surrounding land and vegetation reveal a different kind of vitality.

Ya Li Kun has witnessed the abilities of countless Awakened Ones.

The difference was immediately apparent.

"Is this... the skill of Life Scholar?"

Accompanied by the voice of a businessman.

Green Fir's figure slowly emerged from the mist beside her.

The female scholar glared angrily at the businessman in front of her.

The deep voice, though not angry, carried an imposing aura, as if it would devour the enemy before it at any moment. "Ya Li Kun, where is Kang Qi?"

Ya Li Kun calmly countered, "I'd like to ask you, what's going on here?"

"Before he arrived, everything was exactly as planned, but as soon as Kang Qi set foot on the lake island, the entire forest fell into this violent state."

"Green Fir, do you want to start a war with our Riverbank Merchant Guild?"

"..."

Green Fir slowly raised her right hand.

Her aura had completely blended into the surrounding forest, so there was no need to worry about attacks from the plants.

The next second, they blocked the path that Ya Li Kun was about to leave.

The surrounding vegetation, soil, and rocks were all integrated and revitalized. They combined like a cell, transforming into a giant, earth-yellow arm that raised a series of composite spears brimming with vitality.

swish swish swish —

Countless weapons were aimed at the merchant in front of them, blocking all his escape routes. From the outside, it looked like a giant hedgehog.

At this moment, Green Fir's voice rang out again:

"Ya Li Kun, hand him over right now!"

I won't say it a second time!

"..."

The Sixth Stage big merchant remained silent.

His business acumen told him a reality.

If it were any other enemy present, his patient explanation might have helped to quell the conflict.

But Green Fir in front of me is definitely not a reasonable person.

So, with a flick of his wrist, Ya Li Kun grasped a dagger adorned with countless jewels in the merchant's space.

A vast amount of Essence energy also erupted from this awakened being. "I am the value that can think!"

"This is just a transaction, the essence of wealth management!"

"..."

Just as the two sides were about to start the war.

Linsey, who was swept into the ground by the tree roots, was somewhat bewildered.

He was surrounded by darkness, but he could sense that he was deep underground.

Not long after, it was right in front of Linsey.

A seedling emitting a pale green glow sprouts from the ground, illuminating its surroundings as it quickly blossoms, eventually bearing a bright red, crisp fruit.

"Ah?"

Linsey instinctively sensed something and extended her right hand.

Snap—

The fruit fell from the branch and landed directly in Linsey's hand, as if it had been prepared just for him.

At that moment, an old and weak voice spoke.

A voice echoed in the pale green underground space, "Honorable member of the Divine Court, please consume this fruit to heal the injury to your arm."

Linsey raised an eyebrow.

Many of his doubts were answered in this sentence.

However, Linsey did not immediately consume the fruit to heal her injuries.

His first thought was of the situation on the ground and his friends trapped in the raging forest, "My two friends are still up there, please don't hurt them!"