296: Chapter 239 296: Chapter 239 The Earl asked them to rest for a while longer, as it was nearly evening, and they wouldn’t be able to return to the stockade before dark, so they had to choose to stay here for the night.
Although there were fruits to eat in the cave, staying here for the night made them think about the prospect of hunting nearby; grilling their catch would be far preferable to fruit, which couldn’t thoroughly satisfy their hunger.
The dry food they brought in the morning was already eaten, and the Veteran Hunter prepared to take the young men out of the cave to hunt.
The Earl was concerned that they might encounter wild beasts, especially since beasts prowled in the night; for their safety, he decided to accompany them.
Outside, the mountain was covered with a dense forest, many trees so old that two men couldn’t encircle them with their arms.
On the mountain, only the cries of cicadas and birds could be heard—no sound of wild animals; as the night approached, the beasts and small creatures of the deep woods had gone into hiding.
The Veteran Hunter, experienced as he was, looked for places where animals might have left traces in search of their dens, skilled at catching pheasants and hares.
The Earl and the Viscounts, a group of young men, had some experience with hunting, but fearing danger in the mountains, they all stuck together.
When they passed by a tree that four or five people couldn’t encircle, whose seed type was unnameable and leaves lush, with vine whips extending everywhere, even latching onto many more places, they noticed that not only were there no small trees around this vine tree but also the large trees had cleared a path around it.
This particularly unusual tree didn’t draw anyone’s attention, and they passed by without any precautions.
And who among them could know that trees could also turn into Tree Demons, that the previously still vine whips would suddenly lash out at them with extreme speed?
In their attack, the vine whips entangled their hands, feet, and bodies, rendering them immobile, tightening ever more as they struggled in vain to free themselves.
“Ah, what kind of tree is this?
A Demon!” The sudden change terrified the Viscounts, and they screamed in panic.
The Earl, too, was stunned by the sudden turn of events and didn’t immediately use his Magic Wand; by the time he reacted, his limbs were immobilized.
The Veteran Hunter stood frozen, but they had more experience—they had heard ancient legends that not only vine whips could turn into demons, but also flowers, plants, and insects could evolve, and in the Cultivation World, there were Demonic Beasts.
Tree Demons existed in the mountains, but this was an encounter they had never expected.
The route they previously took when returning to the stockade was not this way, and they never imagined hunting would lead to such an ambush.
“Don’t move recklessly, please don’t move—the vines will tighten even more, and don’t even think about using knives or swords.”
“Uncle, forget the knives and swords, we’re tied up and immobilized; what can we do now?
Wuu wuu, we haven’t even found food and now we’re about to become food for something else.”
“Earl, you must think of something quickly.
We have a mission; we can’t die here.”
The Earl attempted to utter a Curse, but his Magic Wand remained unresponsive, without the slightest change.
The Earl began to panic.
As their leader, he found himself unable to rescue everyone from peril.
“It’s no use; the Magic Wand isn’t working.
“Earl, try again— we can’t be trapped here.
Wuu wuu, forget about grilled meat today; we might just be eaten by fairies in these deep dark woods.”
The young men felt they hadn’t yet taken wives and were dying with such great unwillingness, that they began to cry.
“Haha, the more you struggle, the more thrilled I get.
Such a bunch of handsome men, I quite like you, haha…”
The voice and laughter belonged to an old woman, and as the daylight dimmed, her voice, at the moment she trapped everyone, became terrifying.
“Demon, release us at once, or we will kill you.”
The Viscounts steadied their spirits and uttered threats, more to embolden themselves than anything else.
Even the Earl was out of ideas, so they could only bluster to disguise their fear.
“You…, to call me a Demon, hmph, I’ll show you my power.”
At that moment, the Tree Demon appeared before everyone, emerging from the aforementioned tree, transforming between a woman as beautiful as a Heavenly Immortal and a white-haired old lady with an incredibly hideous visage.
“Ah, a Demon…” Upon seeing the Tree Demon, everyone grew even more terrified.
Apart from the Earl, who possessed a Magic Staff, the others only practiced Martial Arts to strengthen their bodies.
Though they had the heads of men and the bodies of beasts, they were slowly evolving, becoming indistinguishable from ordinary humans.
“Hmph, to call me a Demon—you don’t look all that human either.
What’s the difference?
It’s just that you’ve evolved into spirits as well.
Once I transform into the likeness of a Fox Demon, you’ll find me beautiful and won’t be afraid of me anymore.”
As the Tree Demon’s words fell, another delicate and pleasant female voice floated through the woods.
They could only hear the voice, unseen by them all.
“Tree Demon, even if you turn beautiful, you’ll never be as gorgeous as me.
The Tree Demon, angered by the voice, looked towards its direction and yelled, “Fox Demon, you want to spoil my fun?
Let’s see if you have the skill.
So I’m not as beautiful as you, that’s only because I haven’t evolved fully yet.”
“With your ugly face, even a thousand years of purification won’t change a thing, you freak of nature.
I’ll take the young men, and you can have the old!”
“Hmph, I want them all, young and old.
You want to steal my prey?
See if you can pass this challenge!”