A massive figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

  It was an ape-type demon beast, over one zhang tall, its entire body covered in long blue-black fur. Its arms hung past its knees, claws curved like hooks. Most striking of all was the cluster of moss-like growth atop its head—vivid green in color, pulsing faintly with light in rhythm with its breathing.

  “A Wood Wight,” Li Han said solemnly. “This beast is innately attuned to wood-aspected spiritual energy and often guards rare wood-type treasures. Judging by its size and the brightness of the Woodheart Moss on its head… its strength is at least equivalent to the eighth layer of Qi Condensation. In this forest, where it can draw upon the power of vegetation, it’s no less troublesome than an early Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

  The Wood Wight’s crimson eyes locked onto Yun Che. With a low roar, it slammed both claws into the ground!

  Boom!

  Dozens of vines, each as thick as a child’s arm, burst through the snow and lashed toward Yun Che like venomous serpents!

  Yun Che retreated rapidly, the Frost Radiance Prosperity Sword already in his grasp—damaged though it was, it would have to suffice. He slashed repeatedly, golden light flashing as the blade cut through the vines one after another.

  Yet the severed vines regenerated the instant they hit the ground, sprouting anew and spreading even faster than before!

  “The Wood Wight’s control over vegetation is amplified severalfold in this forest!” Li Han warned urgently. “You must not drag this out! Either retreat at once—or strike its Woodheart Moss in a single decisive blow!”

  Yun Che’s gaze flicked to the green moss atop the Wood Wight’s head. That was indeed the core of its demonic power—and also the most heavily protected point.

  His thoughts raced. Suddenly, he sheathed his sword and withdrew, while his left hand reached into his storage pouch and pulled out three gray-blue spheres—

  The remaining three Filth Snow Pellets!

  Seeing Yun Che retreat, the Wood Wight assumed he was fleeing and roared as it gave chase. Its massive body smashed through several ironwood trees, the noise thunderous.

  Yun Che calculated the distance precisely. When the Wood Wight closed to within five zhang, he hurled all three Filth Snow Pellets with full force!

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  Not at the Wood Wight—but at the ground beside it!

  “Detonate!”

  Driven by divine sense, all three pellets exploded at once!

  Gray-blue icy mist surged skyward, instantly engulfing an area ten zhang wide. Filthy frost mixed with a pungent stench spread rapidly, while the yin-cold intent within disrupted the surrounding wood-aspected spiritual energy.

  The Wood Wight clearly loathed this foul aura. Its movements stalled as it flailed wildly, trying to disperse the mist.

  Now!

  Yun Che shot forward like an arrow, charging straight through the icy fog. He raised the Frost Radiance Prosperity Sword high overhead, forcibly driving its remaining golden radiance with void-infused light, forming a dazzling arc of gold!

  Slash!

  The sword light descended, aimed directly at the Woodheart Moss!

  The Wood Wight sensed danger and raised its arms to block. But its perception had been disrupted by the icy mist—its reaction slowed by half a beat—

  Rip!

  The blade swept across the top of its head, slicing away half of the Woodheart Moss!

  “ROOOAR—!!”

  A shrill, agonized howl tore from the Wood Wight’s throat as the green glow atop its head dimmed sharply. The rampant vines around them instantly withered by more than half.

  Yun Che withdrew the moment he succeeded, not lingering for an instant. He lunged straight for the roots of the thousand-year ironwood!

  Brushing away the snow, he revealed three lingzhi-like spiritual plants, each as large as a washbasin, entirely jade-green and lustrous. Natural wood-grain patterns covered their caps, faintly forming profound, arcane designs.

  “Ironwood Jade Lingzhi! At least three hundred years old!” Li Han exclaimed with delight. “This—this is a true wood-aspected treasure!”

  Using a jade spade, Yun Che carefully harvested them and stored them in a wooden box. He then swiftly scraped off some fragments of bark from the thousand-year ironwood—valuable wood-aspected material in its own right.

  Once finished, he turned and vanished into the forest without a backward glance.

  Behind him came the Wood Wight’s furious roars and the crashing of falling trees, but the sounds gradually faded. Having lost half its Woodheart Moss, the Wood Wight’s power was severely diminished—it no longer had the strength to pursue.

  Only after sprinting over twenty li and confirming his safety did Yun Che stop, leaning against an ironwood tree and breathing heavily.

  The battle had been brief, yet perilous in the extreme. Without using the Filth Snow Pellets to disrupt his foe—and without relying on the Frost Radiance Prosperity Sword’s remaining exorcising golden radiance to break its defenses—success would have been impossible.

  He took out the wooden box containing the Ironwood Jade Lingzhi and opened it. The three jade-green lingzhi lay quietly within, radiating soft light and pure wood-aspected spiritual energy.

  The gray-white stone bead at his chest suddenly grew warm.

  Beside the ice-crystal tree-leaf imprint on its surface, a faint, tender green speck of light silently emerged.

  Li Han laughed heartily. “Excellent! The wood attribute has begun to resonate! Once you gather more wood-aspected materials and complete the Wood Phase, the Heaven-Defying Pearl will reveal its next stage of transformation!”

  Yun Che clenched the stone bead and looked northward.

  The Ten Thousand Wood Ridge still lay far ahead.

  But this path—he had already set foot upon it.

  The wind and snow rose once more, the ironwood forest whispering softly.

  The young man stood, adjusted his gear, and continued northward.

  His figure receded into the distance, until it finally vanished into the boundless snowy woods.

  ?? What makes environment-type demon beasts like the Wood Wight truly dangerous?

  Their raw strength—or the terrain advantage they command?