Satisfied? Mmm, Satisfied!

"Snap! Snap! Snap!"

Branches rained down like a downpour.

Cries of agony, groans, and sighs of ecstasy rose one after another.

Some believers began to actively crowd forward, "I beg you, hit me harder!"

Others began to compete with one another, "I took thirty lashes today!" "I took fifty!"

Still others rolled on the ground with intoxicated smiles on their faces, muttering, "So blissful... so blissful..."

Su Mo stood frozen in place, his mind a complete blank.

His perception could not process what was happening before him.

What was this?

A massive S&M party?

Was this the Benevolent Ancient Tree or an Ace Tree?

Converting pain into pleasure...

Wasn't this just a pure, unadulterated explosion of S-tendencies?!

No wonder it was called the Benevolent Heart Sacred Tree—

Dipping the whip in iodine to disinfect while beating them, is that it?

Is this what you call benevolence?

Looking at Tang San, the Big Black Ox, and Ma Hongjun, all three of them kneeling in a row with their backsides stuck up in the air, Su Mo subconsciously reached for his waist.

It was a pity he hadn't brought a camera.

If this scene were captured, it would be enough to make all of Notting City die of laughter.

Xiao Wu watched from the side with great interest, her eyes sparkling.

"Wow, what are they playing? It looks like they're having so much fun!"

Su Mo: "..."

He silently covered Xiao Wu's eyes.

He turned his gaze back to the two humans and one beast.

Tang San knelt among the crowd, his backside raised high, a mysterious smile on his face.

He was still muttering to himself:

"Master... I understand now... Is this the trial of a protagonist... Oh~"

Su Mo covered his face.

This child was completely ruined.

He continued his search.

He soon found the Big Black Ox.

The Big Black Ox was kneeling among the group of Soul Beasts, its rear end stuck high in the air, its tail held aloft.

As a six-hundred-year-old demon king, it was taking the most lashes.

Every time a whip struck, it would let out a "Moo~".

The cry contained three parts pain, three parts pleasure, and four parts of the complex realization of, "How did I, a dignified demon king, fall to this point?"

Yet, it still crowded forward: "Moo~ hit me again~"

Su Mo was silent for three seconds.

Old Ox, where is your dignity?!

Finally, he found Ma Hongjun.

Ma Hongjun was kneeling at the very front, his entire body trembling.

His situation was the most complex.

Every time a whip struck, a burst of flame erupted from his body.

His Evil Fire was being triggered.

But his expression... was extremely complicated.

There was pleasure amidst the pain.

There was confusion amidst the pleasure.

And amidst the confusion, there was the terror of, "Have I awakened some strange hobby?"

He muttered to himself:

"My fate is determined by me, not by the heavens... but... but this is just too good..."

"No, that's not right... but it feels so good..."

"Wrong!!!"

Evil Fire and a sense of ecstasy intertwined wildly within him, smoke rising from his entire body.

The scenes unfolding before him made Su Mo want to scream internally, and he failed to watch his step.

"Snap."

A dead branch was crushed underfoot.

In this field where groans rose and fell in succession, the sound was piercingly loud.

The human face on the Ancient Tree whipped toward the bushes where they were hiding.

A strange red light flickered in those compassionate eyes.

"Oh?"

The voice remained benevolent, yet it sounded undeniably perverted.

"There are still two little darlings who haven't received my blessing~"

Branches snaked out, lashing directly toward Su Mo and Xiao Wu!

A chill ran down Su Mo's spine; he had no desire to be a "darling"!

Golden light surged!

His bones popped and cracked!

Two point two meters!

He threw a punch, and the incoming branches snapped upon impact.

Xiao Wu dodged nimbly, countering with a kick that shattered several more.

The Ancient Tree chuckled.

"Not bad, you have some strength."

Its voice became even more benevolent—no, more perverted.

"Then let my children play with you~"

As soon as the words fell, the kneeling believers turned their heads in unison.

Their eyes had turned into hollow voids of pink.

Then, they moved.

Dozens of Soul Beasts and over a dozen humans lunged at Su Mo and Xiao Wu simultaneously!

Su Mo's expression shifted.

There were too many of them.

They attacked without a shred of mercy.

A hunter rushed forward, swinging his axe down.

Su Mo dodged to the side and slammed a fist into the man's chest.

The hunter flew backward, slammed into a tree, and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Then—

He crawled back up, a dazed, intoxicated smile on his face.

"Again~ hit me again~"

Su Mo: "..."

He was genuinely afraid he might accidentally pleasure the guy to death.

Fortunately, their desires had almost entirely consumed their intellect, leaving all their actions driven by raw, primitive instinct.

Xiao Wu shouted from the side, "Master, just knock them out! They can't feel pain, but they'll stop moving if they're unconscious!"

Su Mo nodded.

The two began to strike with precision, knocking out the rushing believers one by one.

But there were too many; they couldn't finish them all.

"Tang San!" Su Mo shouted.

No response.

He scanned the crowd.

Tang San was still there with his rear end in the air, getting whipped, a blissful smile plastered on his face.

Su Mo's face darkened.

He charged into the crowd, sending the believers blocking his path flying with single punches, and reached Tang San's side.

"Smack!"

A slap landed squarely on Tang San's face.

Tang San looked up, dazed. "Master? Why are you here? I'm in the middle of undergoing the protagonist's trial..."

Su Mo slapped him again.

"Trial my ass! Look at your own backside!"

Tang San lowered his head and saw the pose he was stuck in.

His face flushed crimson in an instant.

"Wh-what is going on?!"

Su Mo snapped, "You've been controlled by the tree! Stop talking nonsense and help me!"

Seeing the other person and beast who had also been controlled, Tang San felt like a man recovering his memories after a drunken blackout.

He was mortified!

Turning his shame into combat power, he instantly manifested a Blue Silver Grass sword and joined the fray.

Su Mo headed over to wake up the Big Black Ox.

At that moment, it was currently enjoying its Nth lash.

"Moo~ harder~"

Su Mo kicked it right in the rump.

"Old Ox! Wake up!"

The Big Black Ox turned its head in a daze, its eyes gradually clearing.

Then, it looked down at its own posture.

Its butt was stuck in the air.

Its tail was cocked up.

It was even twitching.

It fell silent for three seconds.

"MOOO!!!"

A roar echoed through the forest.

I am a dignified six-hundred-year-old Demon King!!!

Overwhelmed by shame, the Big Black Ox went berserk.

With its four hooves flying, it charged straight at the Ancient Tree and slammed its head into the trunk.

"Boom!"

The Ancient Tree swayed, shedding a few leaves.

The leaves drifted down toward Ma Hongjun.

He was still trembling where he stood.

Evil Fire and pleasure were fighting a war inside his body.

Two voices echoed in his mind:

"It feels so good! Give me more!"

"Wake up! You're supposed to be a Phoenix!"

"A Phoenix can enjoy it too!"

"Not this kind of enjoyment!!!"

Ma Hongjun was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Su Mo rushed in front of him and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him violently.

"Ma Hongjun! Wake up!"

"Aren't you supposed to be Nezha?!"

"My fate is determined by me, not by heaven! And certainly not by a tree!"

Ma Hongjun's eyes struggled. "But... but it feels so good... oh~"

Su Mo took a deep breath.

"Good my ass!"

"If you like this kind of thing, I'll find you other ways to enjoy yourself later!"

"Isn't cultivating and getting stronger enjoyable?"

"Isn't slapping villains in the face enjoyable?"

"Isn't eating delicious food enjoyable?"

Ma Hongjun's eyes began to brighten, bit by bit.

Finally, he bit down hard on the tip of his tongue, snapping himself back to reality.

"Boss Su... you're right..."

"The pleasure I'm looking for isn't this kind of pleasure!"

He forcibly suppressed the Evil Fire.

But this time, he had gained a new realization—

So, the things that can give me pleasure aren't limited to just that one kind...

Su Mo patted him on the shoulder.

"Alright, enough with the philosophy, hit the tree first!"

By this moment, the four people and one beast had finally all recovered.