The tree trunk is thick and twisted, covered with layers of cracked bark. Judging from its weathered appearance, it must have been alive for a very long time.
The branches of the inverted tree in the mirror image slowly wriggled, twisting in a way that defied the laws of nature, like countless venomous snakes lurking in the shadows.
These branches were covered with sharp claws that gleamed coldly, appearing even more sinister and terrifying under the azure light.
Even from a distance, Xi Xi could clearly see Wei Chenghao's ragged corpse. His face was contorted, and his eyes were wide open, as if the fear and despair he felt before his death still lingered.
There was a clear mark on his head where he had been hit by a hard object; the blood had dried, leaving brown streaks.
The tree branches began to writhe rapidly, wrapping tightly around the corpse at an incredible speed. Wei Chenghao's body hung upside down on the treetop, emitting a foul odor.
Surprisingly, these branches seemed to possess their own consciousness, wrapping around the corpse like a hungry beast tearing at its prey.
The corpse made a "crackling" sound as it was pressed by the branches, like the sound of bones breaking, or the lament of life passing away.
However, this is just the beginning.
On the upside-down tree's crooked branches, a chilling green liquid had begun to slowly seep out.
This mysterious liquid, like tiny green snakes, meandered down the lines of the corpse and seeped in at a visible speed.
The liquid emitted a faint fluorescence, standing out brightly in the darkness. Each drop was like a greedy diner, frantically sucking up the last trace of life essence remaining in the corpse.
As the liquid seeped in, the corpse's body began to shrivel rapidly, its skin turning pale and loose, as if all its life force had been drained away.
Xi Xi was horrified to discover that a wisp of smoke-like substance was slowly being drawn out of Wei Chenghao's head.
As if drawn by some invisible force, the wisp of smoke drifted straight toward the branches and leaves of the upside-down tree, eventually merging into them and disappearing.
In an instant, the branches of the upside-down tree seemed to receive tremendous nourishment, becoming even thicker and stronger.
They trembled slightly, emitting an extremely eerie light that flickered on and off, as if gleefully celebrating this ruthless plunder of life.
Undoubtedly, the life essence absorbed by the upside-down tree has become the nourishment for this strange tree to grow vigorously, allowing it to thrive even more in this desolate cave.
This scene involuntarily reminded Xi Xi of the bloodsucking thorns she had encountered in the desert before, which would also pierce the bodies of their prey with sharp thorns and then drain all their blood and life force.
They are all so cruel and disgusting...
She carefully observed the large tree hanging upside down from the top of the cave, and suddenly, a flood of knowledge about trees rushed into Xi Xi's mind.
“It’s called Mirror Willow,” Xi Xi suddenly whispered to Chu Zhiqin and Shaliman beside her. “Judging from its appearance, it should be a variant of the Manchurian Ash.”
Fortunately, Xi Xi had read "The Lumberjack's Biography," so she could access all her knowledge about trees at any time.
The Manchurian ash is an endangered species in the Oleaceae family in the original world. It is an ancient relict plant with tough wood and beautiful texture.
Even though they are very similar, the mirror willow in front of us is obviously completely different from the ordinary ash tree. It seems to have a soul and its own thoughts and actions.
Finally, after Wei Chenghao's body had been completely drained of its life force, it became a withered, empty shell. The upside-down tree mercilessly tossed him into the nearby mass grave of bones.
Kill this tree, and the dungeon should be finished!
Although Xi Xi was somewhat puzzled as to how the tree had captured Wei Chenghao, she felt no pity whatsoever. She touched the multi-bladed sickle at her waist while pondering to herself.
Battle is imminent.
Sallyman immediately drew her longsword and unleashed her agility reduction skill. Each slash carried the force of thunder, aiming straight for the trunk of the strange tree.
Chu Zhiqin struggled to lift the Thunder Wolf Fang Club with one hand, but she still unleashed lightning to attack the ever-reaching branches of the Mirror Tree.
The tree branches were charred black after being struck by electricity, and a burning smell emanated from them.
Xi Xi also brandished the light-bladed sickle in her hand. She dodged the attacks from the branches and leaves and went straight to the tree trunk to chop it down.
However, to the astonishment of the three, no matter how sharp the dagger was, no matter how many sparks the electric shock ignited, the wounds on the mirror willow always healed quickly, and the new trunk seemed to grow out of nothingness, making it appear even more ferocious and terrifying.
An even worse situation arose! The branches of that strange tree seemed to have eyes that could see everything, and they lashed out at Xi Xi and the other two with unerring precision and ruthlessness.
Each lash was like a heavy hammer blow, bringing waves of excruciating pain, forcing Xi Xi and the other two to retreat continuously to avoid this fierce attack.
Before long, the three people who were originally closely united were forced to separate due to the fierce attack of the strange tree branches. The distance between them grew further and further, and they completely lost the tacit understanding and coordination that they should have had when fighting together.
At this moment, Chu Zhiqin's injuries appeared particularly severe. She was panting heavily, and large beads of sweat slid down her forehead, but she still endured the excruciating pain, her eyes burning as she stared intently at the arrogant and domineering monster in front of her.
This place was a lifeless, desolate wasteland, with countless pale bones and decaying corpses piled on the ground.
The bones were piled up in layers, like mountains, emitting a nauseating stench. It seemed that any corpse that fell into the pile of bones would soon be buried underneath, becoming part of this land of death.
A strong will to survive burned fiercely in Chu Zhiqin's heart. She struggled to raise her head and glanced at Xi Xi not far away.
The moment their eyes met, a feeling of unspoken understanding arose spontaneously.
Immediately afterwards, Xi Xi unleashed the Corrosive Water Blade without hesitation. One after another, water blades flashing with eerie light roared out and rushed straight towards the branches of the strange tree.
At the same time, Chu Zhiqin also vigorously swung the incredibly powerful Thunder Wolf Fang Mace in her hand, following closely behind, and seized the moment when the corrosive water blade hit the target to press her advantage.
When the Thunder Hammer slammed down on the surrounding bones, a deafening roar resounded, sparks flew everywhere, and flames soared into the air, illuminating the entire space in a fiery red glow.
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