The man-eating grass had slipped back into the space with practiced ease as soon as the flames surged, hugging itself and trembling. For now, its task was done.
Dongfang Minghui saw the vines form two encircling rings on all sides, separating her from Seventh Sister in the middle. Apparently, they wanted to wrap them up individually like dumplings. She flicked her hand, sending her Plum Blossom Nails shooting toward the old tree's main trunk. Several shrieks like wailing ghosts and howling wolves suddenly rang in her ears. But those cries soon vanished, along with the Plum Blossom Nails she had thrown.
Ding Ding sat on her shoulder, swinging its little feet in a huff. It deeply resented those three days of captivity. Seeing the vines brazenly reach toward it, it seized them with both little hands and yanked them over in one smooth pull, tying knots in them one after another. Then it spat several little fireballs at the vines crowding forward. But its fireballs were like embroidered balls young ladies played with, utterly useless; the vines instantly poked them into nothing.
Dongfang Minghui covered her face, unable to bear the sight.
Ding Ding belatedly realized that its fireballs seemed completely useless. Flapping its wings, it dragged vines everywhere, tying a knot wherever it went, without noticing the vines pressing down from overhead like a blanket covering the sky.
"Ding Ding, watch above you!"
"Oh."
Ding Ding glanced at the drooping branches overhead. Taking advantage of its small size, it darted nimbly through the vine net, winding the vines into a ball. Clearly, it still held a grudge over being trapped in a vine ball earlier.
Dongfang Minghui found it strange that she had not suffered any attacks. The vines thrashed back and forth half a meter away but never