Everyone turned their heads. Their pupils shrank at the sight of Brother Red Chicken and World Returns to Fire returning from the bushes, the latter calling out a grim warning.
Then who was standing beside them? Another round of the Real and Fake Monkey Kings?
Zhai Cai, Zhang Yuanqing, Zhao Chenghuang, and Sun Miaomiao leaped backward in unison to open up distance, dropping into defensive stances.
Guan Ya alone remained right where she was. Her tone did not waver in the slightest as she said, "Don't panic. These two are the real ones."
Turning toward the World Returns to Fire and Brother Red Chicken in the distance, her gaze turned sharp.
"Those two over there are fakes. I've been watching them the entire time. Brother Red Chicken and World Returns to Fire never left my line of sight. It's those two who just crawled out from behind the bushes."
World Returns to Fire had not crouched down; he had stayed on his feet on high alert the whole time. If impostors of himself and Brother Red Chicken had appeared, he would have called out a warning immediately instead of waiting for the fakes to interact with their teammates for over half a minute and waiting until Brother Red Chicken's backside had finished emptying itself before shouting...
Realization dawned on Zhang Yuanqing. Shifting his stance, he directed his guard toward the arriving World Returns to Fire and Brother Red Chicken.
Zhai Cai was a second faster than him, barking, "They're two wooden marionettes! Fire Specialists, burn them!"
Brother Red Chicken clenched his palm, gathering a crimson fireball in his hand. The fireball collapsed and condensed, growing increasingly bright. Sprinting forward a few strides, he hurled the fireball with all his might.
Immediately after, he squeezed his fist shut.
The scorching sphere abruptly detonated, dissolving into a torrential spray of fiery sparks that showered over the two impostors and covered the surrounding radius of several meters, leaving them no room to dodge.
*Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!*
The fiery embers perforated the two impostors, the terrifying heat reducing them to two charred, smoking pieces of charcoal.
"That's it?" Brother Red Chicken rested his hands on his hips cockily. "Here I thought they'd be something formidable, but they're just two fragile logs that can't take a beating."
The moment the words left his mouth, the estate ground rumbled and shook. The lawn and flowerbeds split open, exposing moist black soil as thick tree roots shot out from the fissures, clawing viciously toward the sky.
At the same time, from the flowerbeds flanking the cobblestone pathway leading straight to the main door, tender saplings sprouted from the soil and grew rapidly, turning into two treants with graceful, slender figures. Their facial features were exquisite and beautiful, like works of art delicately carved by God Himself, their hair formed of lush green leaves.
The two treants spoke in turn. The one on the left possessed a cold, haughty voice, while the one on the right was clear and crisp.
"Trespassing into Master's courtyard, stealing Master's spiritual plants—you seek death! You seek death!!"
"Villains, disturbing me and Sister while we're sleeping!"
With those words, the claw-like roots bent together and aimed at the group standing before the villa door, firing downward like javelins.
Brother Red Chicken and World Returns to Fire stepped forward in tandem. One conjured two massive fireballs three meters across and hurled them at the two treants, while the other condensed the Crimson Flame Pure Fire Blade, slashing a colossal flaming arc five to six meters long toward the sky.
After several months of cultivation, World Returns to Fire's Crimson Flame Pure Fire Blade had reached an accomplished level. The blistering heat scalded the faces of Zhang Yuanqing and the others, singing their eyelashes, eyebrows, and sideburns until they curled and gave off the distinct stench of burnt hair.
*Bang!*
The flaming blade struck the stabbing root stems, but failed to destroy them. Instead, it scattered into drifting flames that rained down in clusters.
At the same time, Guan Ya drew her ancient bronze sword, unleashing sword energy in rapid succession.
Under the Five Elements, Metal conquered Wood; the sword energy countered the roots even more effectively than the flaming blade. Yet the outcome was identical. The sword energy, capable of cleaving gold and jade, merely threw off dense showers of sparks, unable to sever them.
A thunderous boom echoed from the distance as the fireballs struck the two wooden figures, only to be repelled by a pale green luminescence.
Seeing that the Saints' attacks were ineffective, Zhai Cai, who had long since drawn his knight's broadsword, planted it into the ground and barked, "Get behind me!"
A bronze light flared up, erecting an ethereal wall before everyone!
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
The "spears" slammed into the phantom barrier, producing dull, heavy thuds.
The Wall of Protection shuddered violently, but Zhai Cai stood resolute, his tall and upright silhouette inspiring tremendous security.
Maintaining the Wall of Protection, he declared in a deep voice:
"Rule of this battle: Plants are forbidden from possessing self-awareness!"
The root tendrils that had been crazily stabbing at the Wall of Protection instantly went limp, like a man after his convulsion, going from rigid to flaccid. Although they had not completely lost their vitality, their attacks no longer posed any threat.
"A Level 7 Wood Monster!" Having probed the enemy's strength, Zhai Cai dispelled the Wall of Protection and vaulted over the limp roots writhing like octopus tentacles, charging straight toward the two treants.
Gathering strength into his legs, the ground cracked beneath him with a bang. The Knight turned into a streak of light imperceptible to the naked eye, sweeping toward the wooden woman on the left.
Brushing past the wooden figure, the streak of light snapped around at a sharp angle and crashed into the wooden woman on the right.
In the eyes of the spectators under the eaves, the bronze stream of light traced a fleeting 'V', with the two wooden women positioned right at its tips.
*Crack! Crack!*
Both wooden figures snapped clean in two. The roots in the courtyard lost all vitality, ceasing to move entirely.
"Handled!" Zhai Cai flourished his broadsword with a deft flick of his wrist.
He strode back, but after taking only a few paces, his body suddenly seized up. Clutching his chest, his face contorted in agony as a grayish-black sheen crept over his skin and his lips turned a bruised, purplish black.
The Knight's knees buckled. He collapsed onto his knees, propping himself up on his sword as he panted heavily, eyes bloodshot and blue veins bulging across his forehead.
The sudden turn of events stunned everyone.
Fresh roots broke through the ground, re-forming two wooden beauties identical to the ones before, though their auras were noticeably diminished.
The cold and crisp voices echoed across the flowerbeds:
"Fools, fools! Killing both of us at once triggers the curse! The curse Master left behind is enough to kill a Dominator! Sister, drag him down to use as fertilizer!"
"You're the fool! How many times do I have to tell you, that's poison, not a curse!"
Even as the two wooden figures spoke, a root thrust out from the soil, snapping straight into a lance that lunged toward Zhai Cai's back.
Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing opened his inventory and summoned the Purple-Gold Shield, hurling the round shield like Captain Freedom.
*Clang!*
The root lance struck the spinning shield and snapped instantly. The Purple-Gold Shield ricocheted back and lodged itself into the ground.
"Get inside the house!" Zhang Yuanqing roared as he charged toward Zhai Cai, scooping up the round shield into a defensive guard.
More and more roots pierced through the surface, lashing into the air like claws before abruptly stiffening and whistling through the air in a barrage.
In this perilous moment, Zhang Yuanqing ignored the hail of projectiles. Whipping around, he knocked Zhai Cai unconscious with a shield bash, flicked his toe beneath him, and lofted him back under the eaves.
Allowing the spears to slam into his back, a pale gold sheen flowed over his entire body at the same moment, solidifying into a suit of armor.
*Ding, ding, ding, ding...*
A dense, crisp clatter rang out from behind him.
Sun Miaomiao and the others hoisted the unconscious Zhai Cai and fled hurriedly into the house.
*Their auras weakened considerably, but they still retain Dominator-level strength. Wood Monsters are notorious for their endurance, while my Purple-Gold set only gives me three seconds of peak invincibility—drawn-out attrition is its greatest weakness...* Weighing his options for a split second, Zhang Yuanqing abandoned all thought of fighting. Coiling his legs, he catapulted inside as a purple flash.
Aside from his inability to sustain the fight, he feared succumbing to the curse just like Zhai Cai.
A Knight renowned for formidable physique and endurance had collapsed before that affliction; how could a Level 6 like him hope to fare better?
Bursting into the house, Zhang Yuanqing swept his hands behind him. The double wooden doors slammed shut with a bang. The vines and roots pursuing them recoiled the instant they neared the threshold, creeping up the outer walls in bitter frustration, not daring to enter.
"Phew..." Zhang Yuanqing let out a breath of relief. His gaze swept across the main hall. The decor was extraordinarily lavish, yet utterly incongruous—Western crystal chandeliers hung alongside Eastern lanterns, and Chinese high-backed chairs sat across from Western sofas.
One could find classical Chinese furniture alongside ornaments boasting a heavy European flair.
Ink washes and oil paintings adorned the walls. Among the numerous portraits, the one hanging dead center was the most eye-catching.
It depicted a woman clad in a light blue cheongsam, with gentle features and a dignified air, looking identical to the two statues outside the door.
"His life force is extremely faint; he could die at any second." Guan Ya monitored Zhai Cai's vitals, her expression exceptionally grave.
"No wonder the reading said he had a bloody calamity coming and we didn't!" Brother Red Chicken scratched his head in agitation. "What kind of poison is this? It can even kill a Dominator!"
"Give him a vial of Life Source Fluid first." Zhang Yuanqing kept his eyes glued to the main door, terrified the roots would smash through.
Guan Ya gave an unoptimistic hum. Drawing a syringe filled with clear golden fluid, she injected it into his jugular vein.
Zhai Cai's life aura visibly recovered, but the grayish-black discoloration on his face and the blackened hue of his lips showed no sign of receding. Life Source Fluid could only nourish cells and replenish depleted vitality; it possessed no detoxifying properties.
Still, it bought him a breath of life.
Zhang Yuanqing stood guard by the door on full alert. Meanwhile, Guan Ya and the others repeatedly brought out healing items and antidote pills in an attempt to purge the poison from the Knight of the Single Succession, to little avail.
The poison afflicting him was of an exceedingly high rank, in all likelihood at the Dominator stage.
Seeing that the Wood Monsters in the courtyard showed no signs of forcing their way in, Zhang Yuanqing breathed a slight sigh of relief. Backing up toward his teammates, he bent down to inspect Zhai Cai lying on the soft sheepskin rug.
His breathing was faint, and a pungent odor drifted from his nostrils—the scent of vaporizing venom.
The toxicity had already seeped into his internal organs.
Fortunately, the three-pronged treatment of antidote pills, Life Source Fluid, and healing items kept him out of immediate mortal danger.
*I can only use the Azure Emperor Jade Belt. A Dominator-grade poison can only be neutralized by a Dominator item...* Zhang Yuanqing opened his inventory and pulled out the verdant sash inlaid with jade stones.
Buckling the Azure Emperor Jade Belt around Zhai Cai's waist, he activated the Azure Thearch Longevity Art.
A brilliant, gentle green radiance engulfed Zhai Cai. A few seconds later, the light subsided. The grayish-black hue on Zhai Cai's face receded, and his blackened lips regained their rosy color.
The Knight's heartbeat and pulse returned to normal, though he remained asleep rather than waking up.
A trace of residual toxin lingered in his system, but it was no longer lethal; the rest would depend on the Knight's own liver to filter out.
Only now did the group have the luxury to examine the hall's furnishings. Brother Red Chicken surveyed the room and strode directly over to the portrait.
"Hey, aren't these the two Wood Monsters at the door? She must be the master they were talking about... Old Berent's lover?"
Guan Ya analyzed:
"Hanging the painting here indicates that Old Berent loved this woman dearly and took great pride in her. Judging from her demeanor, she was likely a Wood Monster herself. No wonder she could cultivate a neurotoxin and grow those treants outside."
Zhang Yuanqing pondered and said:
"So this really is a safehouse—it's Old Berent's storage room. We overlooked one thing: from the perspective of Pan's Labyrinth, Room 503 is indeed a safehouse.
"But why wouldn't Old Berent arrange security when he treasured the items here so much?"
Those two treants outside were the guards of this storeroom.
Guan Ya glanced toward the doorway. "It's a good thing they don't dare enter. Once we secure the Holy Plate fragment, we can fight our way back out."
If this were a regular trial in Pan's Labyrinth, clearing the room would be mandatory to leave. But since this was a safehouse, the two treants were merely guards Old Berent had stationed here; defeating them was not strictly necessary.
With Yuanshi and the Knight's capabilities, breaking out was entirely within their power.
Right then, light and brisk footsteps drifted over from the staircase. Their ears twitching, the group instantly snapped into defensive postures, turning toward the stairs leading up to the second floor.
As the footsteps drew closer, a black-and-grey tabby cat stepped out from the stairwell with graceful strides.
Pale green feline eyes gazed eerily at the party.
The tabby cat spoke in a clear, pleasant woman's voice:
"Reckless intruders, did you just mention the Holy Plate fragment?"
It spoke Chinese, though somewhat clumsily, its pronunciation slightly off.
"Whoa! A talking cat!" Brother Red Chicken gasped in astonishment.
"Don't make a fuss. I've even seen talking dogs." Zhang Yuanqing signaled Brother Red Chicken not to speak out of turn and ruin things. Taking several steps forward to confront the tabby, he probed cautiously:
"May I ask who Senior is...?"
He could not tell whether this cat was a Wood Monster's beast form or a spirit beast nurtured by one.
The tabby lifted its chin with pride. "You may call me JoJo. I am a spirit beast raised by Master. You may address me as Lady JoJo."
As it spoke, it cast a glance toward the painting hanging on the wall, its implication unmistakable.
*A spirit beast...* Zhang Yuanqing breathed an inward sigh of relief. Compared to a Dominator-rank Wood Monster in the flesh, a spirit beast was far easier to handle.
However, since the tabby had shown itself capable of communication and displayed little hostility, he had no intention of striking first and inviting trouble. Thus, he said:
"Lady JoJo, we are friends of Old Berent. We've come here to retrieve an item, and we hope you might..."
Before he could finish, the tabby cut him off coldly:
"Old Berent never brings outsiders here. You are nothing but thieves."
Zhang Yuanqing choked on his words. Behind him, his teammates tensed in silent preparation.
The tabby shifted the topic, pressing again:
"You mentioned the Holy Plate fragment just now? How do you know there is a Holy Plate fragment here? That is a secret not even Old Berent knows."
*Huh?* Zhang Yuanqing froze. The tabby knew about the Holy Plate fragment, yet Old Berent did not... Wasn't the tabby raised here by Old Berent's woman?
A pet knew a secret that its master didn't?
*No, Zhai Cai did say Old Berent had no idea a Holy Plate fragment was hidden among Huo Zhengkui's relics. This cat wasn't raised by Old Berent...*
Frowning, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Your master is this lady, correct? What was her relationship with Old Berent?"
The tabby said flatly, "She had nothing to do with Old Berent. She was Huo Zhengkui's woman."
Chapter 747