Chapter 195: The Second Step
Chapter 195: The Second Step
Time is life.
With every passing minute, the Tree Mother's chances of recovery increased.
Lindsey dared not waste a moment, his figure darting forward like lightning, only to collide with the ever-growing thorny vines.
The meteor dagger instantly slashed through the air.
"Don't block my way!"
Crack!
Lindsey furrowed his brows.
The meteor dagger, engulfed in flames, struck the thorny vines, immediately encountering a powerful resistance.
He managed to sever them with all his strength.
But the thorny vines before him...
Lindsey looked ahead, and within just a few breaths, the number and density of the vines were rapidly increasing, creating a plant hell that spread like a green ocean, surging towards its surroundings.
Lindsey glanced down at his hands.
Even if he held a weapon in each hand, it was impossible to keep up with this exaggerated rate of growth.
"Just passive defense is enough to give me a headache."
Lindsey shook his head slightly and immediately changed his strategy.
He no longer attempted to push through the thorny vines but instead leaped forward, stepping on the ever-growing vines. This caused minor injuries to his shins, but his speed increased significantly.
Slash!
After just a few steps, the vines suddenly coiled around Lindsey's shins.
He swung his dagger, instantly severing the vines, but the growing resistance on his hand indicated a fact.
To protect the Tree Mother, the vines were repelling all intruders.
Lindsey, the only one still advancing towards the Tree Mother, unsurprisingly became their target.
"This won't do!"
Lindsey's eyes narrowed, and an idea formed in his mind.
He quickly swapped weapons, sheathing the meteor dagger and wielding the ice badger flail.
This way, the meteor dagger's flame and sharpness, effective against plants, were maintained.
The flail's massive size allowed him to sweep away the vines that entangled his legs, and his efficiency increased several times over!
Crack!
Lindsey's speed increased once more.
With each swing of his weapon, large sections of vines were severed, and soon, he was only twenty meters away from the Tree Mother.
Lindsey's expression became determined.
"Almost there... Hmm?"
Just then, his steps halted again.
There was another obstacle beyond the vines!
From a distance, it seemed like a mere Essence Storm stirring up the air, but up close, it was a different story! The half-broken Banyan Core Branch on the Tree Mother's chest was directing the Essence from the surrounding environment, doing its best to repair the Tree Mother's damaged body.
If one were to categorize it in human terms.
The Tree Mother, as a spirit of plants and trees, was also a user of Life Essence.
Coincidentally, Lindsey himself primarily utilized Life Essence.
Under the interference of the same source, he felt a loss of control over his power, as if his internal organs were being affected as well!
"I can't back down now."
Lindsey clenched his teeth.
Having come this far, he would not turn back.
He forced himself to endure the pain emanating from his body, moving his legs with great effort and continuing to step forward.
Twenty meters... fifteen meters... ten meters...
As he drew closer, the Essence Storm became increasingly challenging.
With each step, Lindsey felt like he was in a battle against his will and body, exhaustion pounding his spirit every moment. He felt like prey being pushed into a meat grinder.
"Huff—"
Lindsey took a deep breath, lifting his head.
As his stamina and spirit reached their limits, his vision blurred, and even the equipment's enhancements allowed him to see only a vague outline.
"Another five meters...?"
Thwack!
Suddenly, a support beam appeared behind Lindsey.
"Do you think it's possible for me to just stand here and watch?"
?"
Li Hong's voice echoed from behind, but Lindsey couldn't make out her words.
However, he could guess what this guy would say, and he even wanted to retort:
"You, try using my Vital Essence and see..."
Lindsey couldn't speak.
Such a simple action drained him of a significant amount of strength.
Behind him, compared to Lindsey's state, Li Hong was actually faring better. She wasn't using her Vital Essence, and although she was affected by the Essence Storm near the Mother Tree, it wasn't as exaggerated as Lindsey's condition.
At this very moment, Li Hong stood behind Lindsey.
She spread her arms, shielding Lindsey in front of her, the two of them moving forward one after the other, like travelers struggling to advance in a storm.
...
The final five meters took them over a minute to traverse.
Lindsey felt Li Hong stop behind him, and only then did he suddenly realize they had reached their destination.
Earlier, when they launched their all-out attack, their weapons had shattered before breaking through the Mother Tree's defenses.
But in Lindsey's hand, there was an exceptionally hard object.
- [Erektaen Iron Dagger]
This dagger was renowned for its exceptional durability.
It was highly likely that this weapon had come from the hands of those powerful Awakened ones from the expedition a hundred years ago.
Lindsey believed that.
As long as his strength was sufficient, this weapon would undoubtedly be able to bear the brunt of breaking through the Mother Tree's defenses! The only uncertainty was whether his strength was enough, and this had been his only lingering concern.
"Li Hong!"
Lindsey shouted, and the girl's arms, which were wrapped around him, immediately guided his actions.
The Erektaen Iron Dagger slowly pierced the Mother Tree's chest.
Clang!
A sensation as hard as iron transmitted through his wrist.
Lindsey struggled to maintain his Vital Essence, and at this moment, it was fully activated, pushing his explosive power to the limit.
At this time, Li Hong's palms, which were gripping his arms, also transmitted strength.
Lindsey couldn't distinguish whether this was his own strength or Li Hong's, but in this instant, the nearly indestructible Erektaen Iron Dagger, indeed, pierced through something.
Pierce!
A wound appeared, and the subsequent penetration became much smoother.
Crack!
The next second, the resistance in front of them vanished, and Lindsey and Li Hong tumbled to the ground together.
Before they could get up, a dazzling green light flashed across the sky.
Lindsey, who had used his Vital Essence, felt this especially keenly.
In front of them, the Essence that had just gathered regained its freedom, as if the very heavens and earth themselves.
[Will Essence Advancement]
[Heavenly Ladder (Pain/Joy) → Second Ladder (Cold Embrace of Death/Warmth of Life)]
[Player Upgrade]
[Casual Gamer (Phase 2) → Expert Gamer (Phase 3)]
[Module Slots: 2 → 3]
[RPG Level: 6] → [RPG Level: 7]
[RPG Module: New Skill Acquired - Plot Performance]
Lindsey's attribute panel began to flash rapidly.
Choices in adversity, challenging the limits of willpower, the joy of overcoming the strong, and the warmth of life regained.
Finally, his Will Essence advanced.
The death of a Phase Six boss also resulted in the [RPG Module] leveling up, as it should.
But this 'challenge' was too absurd.
To the point that Lindsey didn't feel the joy of victory in his mind; instead, he thought of something else.
The strength of a Phase Six life had reached such an extent.
Wasn't it a bit excessive?
(End of Chapter)
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