Although its attack and speed had skyrocketed, it had paid for them with its intelligence.
As soon as it saw Ji Xinghe nestled in the tree, it started headbutting the trunk over and over, without giving a thought to what its greatest strength was.
Wood Arrows struck the White Wolf King one after another.
[Hit monster: HP -36.4, -36.4. Star Feather Repeating Crossbow triggered Bleeding: HP -1, -2...]
[Xiao Xi hit the monster: HP -0...]
[Xiao Xi used the skill Devour: monster HP -5, -5...]
She had no time to bother with the system messages popping up.
The White Wolf King still had half its health left. With the Mist Heart Fruit tree about to fall, Ji Xinghe jumped down herself.
It only had 10 points of speed now, anyway.
She could keep it running around in circles for ten minutes.
When the White Wolf King saw her jump down, it hurriedly turned and pounced at her.
But the more it ran, the farther away she got?
Why did it feel like it was running out of strength?
The next moment, the White Wolf King stopped.
Watching Ji Xinghe's figure and the Wood Arrows flying toward it, it finally remembered that it still had a skill.
When Ji Xinghe saw the White Wolf King stop, she stopped too.
She couldn't run any farther. Not knowing the area was one reason; more importantly, the Star Feather Repeating Crossbow wouldn't have enough range if she went any farther.
She raised her hand, and two Wood Arrows flew out with a whoosh.
Just then, the White Wolf King suddenly raised its head, opened its mouth wide, and let out a long, piercing howl.
"Awoooo..."
The surrounding leaves shook loose and fluttered to the ground. The already-bare Mist Heart Fruit tree was now completely stripped.
Gray mist churned around the White Wolf King, quickly gathering together.
Seeing this, Ji Xinghe's gaze sharpened. She instantly recalled the skill listed on its panel: Wolf Howl.
[Wolf Howl: When facing an enemy you can't defeat, summon three little wolves. Their attributes are half those of the original.]
"Is it calling for backup?"
At the thought, she jumped back into the tree.
The next moment, Ji Xinghe clearly saw three little white wolves drop out of the gray mist.
They bared their teeth and ran toward her.
A flurry of crossbow bolts flew at them, while Xiao Xi guarded her side.
When the three little wolves drew near, before they could pounce, Xiao Xi bound them together with its Vines, stringing them up like beads.
The crossbow's barrel had grown hot from her firing the Star Feather Repeating Crossbow.
She fired bolts while using her skills.
Three minutes later, the White Wolf King in front of her finally fell.
The three little wolves turned into wisps of gray mist and dispersed into the air, leaving nothing behind.
[You have slain a level-nine White Wolf King (Semi-Deformed) while underleveled. Experience Points +5, Wow Coins +2, Raw Wood Treasure Chest +1]
[Disassemble the White Wolf King (Semi-Deformed)?]
She wouldn't disassemble it just yet. Ji Xinghe used her Drain talent on the White Wolf King's corpse.
[Drain failed. No attributes drained this time.]
[Drain succeeded. Agility +0.2]
After obtaining the attribute point, Ji Xinghe looked at the Vine draped over her shoulder.
"Xiao Xi, that Devour skill you used just now—can you devour living things?"
"That monster was a Semi-Deformed Monster. Can you eat those too?"
The two leaves on the Vine nodded, and Xiao Xi's soft, sweet voice answered, "Xi can! Xiao Xi... can!"
"Xi... amazing."
"Master... amazing too!"
Ji Xinghe rubbed Xiao Xi. "Since you can eat Deformed Monsters, I'll pack up the meat and save it for you."
With that, she immediately disassembled the White Wolf King.
[Disassembled White Wolf King. Obtained: Deformed Wolf Meat 500g ×80, Deformed Wolf Bone ×4, Deformed Wolf Hide ×1.]
The materials disassembled by the system were automatically placed in her backpack.
Standing beneath the Mist Heart Fruit tree, Ji Xinghe reviewed the battle.
Xiao Xi clung to her shoulder, using its Vine to stir apart the gray mist nearby.
Watching the mist disperse and gather again, Ji Xinghe suddenly remembered the vortex of gray mist that had formed on the ground when Xiao Xi picked the Mist Heart Fruit.
She hadn't had time to think much about it then.
Now that she thought about it, the vortex had appeared just as Xiao Xi picked the fruit.
Ji Xinghe held one of the Mist Heart Fruits Xiao Xi had picked and ran her fingertip over its hard, smooth skin.
Had the vortex appeared at random?
Or... was it because of the Mist Heart Fruit?
There was only one way to find out: try again. She was determined to get these Mist Heart Fruits!
Deformed Monsters?
She'd kill every one that came, and kill two if they came in pairs.
She had plenty of time and strength now!
This time, Ji Xinghe jumped straight into the Mist Heart Fruit tree first.
"Xiao Xi, let's pick one and see what happens."
The Vine nodded. Xiao Xi didn't understand why there were so many fruits but its master only wanted one.
Still, it would do whatever she asked.
Ji Xinghe watched her surroundings carefully. This time, she held the Star Feather Repeating Crossbow in one hand, while a skill was ready at her fingertips. The moment a monster appeared, she would attack.
Thwack.
Xiao Xi plucked a Mist Heart Fruit with its Vine.
The next moment, a vortex of gray mist formed again.
Ji Xinghe gave a quiet "Oh," her expression showing that she understood.
As soon as the sheep-shaped monster in the gray mist landed, Ji Xinghe hit it with a skill and two Wood Arrows.
It was also a Semi-Deformed Monster, but this time Ji Xinghe was fully prepared.
She took it down in less than two minutes.
[You have slain a level-six Blue Antelope (Semi-Deformed) while underleveled. Experience Points +5, Wow Coins +1]
[Disassemble the Blue Antelope (Semi-Deformed)?]
After using her talent, Ji Xinghe put the Semi-Deformed Blue Antelope's corpse into her backpack.
Disassembling it now would take up space with the other materials too, so she decided to leave it for later rather than waste room.
For the rest of the time, she and Xiao Xi worked together and picked all ten fruits from the Mist Heart Fruit tree.
Before you continue