"Boom!!"
The intense explosion sound spread across the edge of the forest, shaking the surrounding air.
Lin You stared in disbelief at the Flaming Lion that was blown away, along with the crater formed outside the territory, his eyes nearly popping out.
He hadn't expected the Explosive Spores to be so fierce! They had sent the Flaming Lion flying in one go.
Although it wasn't dead, it had caused considerable damage, finally igniting his hope of escaping.
"Go! Keep bombing!"
At Lin You's command, the Thorny Vine Flower immediately resumed the attack, scattering massive spores outside the territory.
Following this was a series of explosions, causing the group of Flaming Lions to leap up and dodge left and right.
Seizing this opportunity, other plants sprang into action, launching attacks on the injured Flaming Lion.
The red spores flying in the air also descended again on the Flaming Lion's wounds, absorbing its blood and taking root.
"Boom boom boom——"
Another cascade of explosions, the Flaming Lion let out a miserable cry, its organs shattered, falling into a pool of blood.
It kept trying to lift itself but was soon entangled by countless vines.
The tighter the vines squeezed, the weaker the Flaming Lion became due to excessive blood loss, unable to break free or even use its flame ability.
In the end, it lost all signs of life.
[Killed Tier Three Flaming Lion, gained 14 Magic Energy points.]
Whew...
It wasn't easy indeed, employing so many methods to finally kill it.
Lin You couldn't help but sigh.
At the low-tier level, the attribute differences between species aren't too significant; with proper strategy, it's possible to kill across tiers.
What's more, he has the bug of the safety period; if faced head-on, he definitely wouldn't be a match for the Flaming Lion.
Seeing their companion dead, the remaining Flaming Lions finally felt fear and gradually retreated.
They bared their teeth and growled at him from across the fence before turning to disappear into the forest.
Seeing this, Lin You finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Honestly, if these Flaming Lions kept surrounding him, he would have been quite worried about being able to handle them.
Thankfully, this world's demons have their own intelligence, know fear, and were subdued by his earlier move.
This could be considered a blessing in disguise, as he earned 14 Magic Energy points effortlessly.
After confirming that the Flaming Lions had gone far away, Lin You returned to the Tree of Life, spent 5 Magic Energy points to recruit an Explosive Mushroom, and then spent 5 Magic Energy points for mutation.
Through yesterday's experiments, Lin You had gained a general understanding of the Mutated Ability.
Simply put, recruiting a species requires consuming Magic Energy, and mutation consumes the same amount, equivalent to twice the recruitment cost.
As a reward, the mutated species will gain an extra skill, becoming stronger.
With this ability, he can completely create powerful plants in different forms, perhaps even compete with those Rare Species.
Thinking of this, Lin You looked again at the plants before him.
As the light faded, the Tier Two Explosive Mushroom had completely changed, transforming into a Tree Spirit wielding a Sharp Sword.
[Name: Tree Spirit Warrior]
[Race: Plant]
[Level: Tier Two (0/25)]
[Power: 22]
[Constitution: 18]
[Agility: 18]
[Spirit: 18]
[Skills: Explosive Spores, Horizontal Slash]
[Introduction: Advanced form of Tree Spirit Guard, excellent in close combat.]
The Tier Two Tree Spirit Warrior stood notably sturdier than the Tier One Tree Spirit Guard.
Just standing there, its extraordinary presence can be felt.
In this way, Lin You has a total of three Tier Two species by his side, finally providing some security for outings.
As long as he doesn't encounter a group like the Flaming Lions earlier, there shouldn't be any major problems.
Having been in this world for such a long time, he has mostly stayed within his territory, knowing little about the surrounding environment.
Just as well, he could take this opportunity to hunt outside, while also checking for any threats or other Lord's presence in the vicinity.
So after preparing in the territory, and crafting a simple protective Bone Blade from Beast Bone, Lin You set out with the three Tier Two species and a Flower Spirit.
...
The location of Lin You's territory is where mountains and forest meet.
Surrounding are towering giant trees, shrouded in mist, more primitive than any place he's ever seen, with earth-shaking beast roars occasionally echoing from afar, shaking the air.
Lin You dared not be careless.
Just stepping out of the territory, he positioned Thorny Vine Flowers and Tree Spirit Warriors around him, while the Flower Spirit flew overhead, ready to assist at any time.
Uncertain of what might lurk inside the forest, he was reluctant to enter, so he walked along its edge, gradually leaving the territory behind.
"Stop!"
Suddenly, passing by a grove, Lin You sensed movement and halted the team.
The plants, connected by mind, immediately stopped in their tracks.
Lin You moved to the forest's edge, his gaze piercing through the grove, indeed spotting five or six creatures with wolf heads and ape bodies, tearing a demon's corpse for sustenance.
[Name: Blood Wolf Demon]
[Race: Wild Beast]
[Level: Tier Two]
[Power: 13]
[Constitution: 13]
[Agility: 24]
[Spirit: 16]
[Skills: Tearing Claw]
[Introduction: A demon with Wolf Race lineage, bloodthirsty by nature, attacking all creatures except its kind.]
Lin You hadn't expected to encounter demons so soon.
By just glancing at the information, he knew they were speed-type demons, with speed nearly maxed out for Tier Two, far faster than his clumsy plants.
But Lin You did not retreat; instead, he felt excited by the hunt.
He understood that this world is full of dangers; relying solely on species isn't enough, he must enhance his combat awareness, laying a foundation for the future.
Though he couldn't confront Tier Three demons directly, there shouldn't be any problem with Tier Two ones, right?
More so, his plant species, albeit slow moving, have swift attacks and long range, perfect for practicing with these Blood Wolf Demons.
With that in mind, he stealthily approached with two Thorny Vine Flowers, while the Tree Spirit Warrior circled to the back, waiting to strike.
Waiting until all the Blood Wolf Demons bowed their heads to feast, Lin You's gaze suddenly sharpened.
Now!
With a loud blast from underfoot, Lin You shot forth like a sharp arrow; simultaneously, vines crept along the ground, rolling swiftly toward the Blood Wolf Demons.
"Roar!"
One Blood Wolf Demon noticed the commotion, quickly raised its head and snarled at Lin You, trying to alert its companions.
But, in the next second, the Tree Spirit Warrior hidden on the other side had already reached behind it, the blade fell, and "puff," its head was instantly severed.
Meanwhile, a voice resounded in Lin You's mind.
[Killed Tier Two Blood Wolf Demon, gained 6 Magic Energy points.]
Lin You ignored the voice, his Bone Blade whirling in hand, stabbing at the nearest Blood Wolf Demon.
Just as the Blood Wolf Demon attempted to counterattack, it failed to notice the vines appearing at its feet, tethering its legs.
"Puff!"
The sound of the Bone Blade piercing the chest echoed, and the Blood Wolf Demon, its movements restricted by the vines, was swiftly killed by Lin You.
The remaining three Blood Wolf Demons, witnessing this, roared in rage and lunged at Lin You, seeking vengeance for their fallen comrade.
Yet, they were heedless.
Just moments earlier, red spores had attached to them via the air, with surrounding vines swiftly withdrawing.
"Boom boom boom——"
A cascade of violent explosions sent the three Blood Wolf Demons flying, landing on the ground.
Lin You, quick-eyed and swift, charged alongside the Tree Spirit Warrior, finishing them off with one strike each.
The entire battle lasted less than a minute!
"Well done."
Lin You praised, proud of himself too; though aided by the plants, no flaws emerged.
This was credited to his past training in combat techniques, unexpectedly handy now.
Through the entire battle, he acquired a total of 30 Magic Energy points and eliminated a potential threat, bringing considerable gains.
His greatest delight was, after this battle, the Flower Spirit's experience reached maximum!
Amidst a glow, a beautiful flower crown gradually formed atop the Flower Spirit's head, and its attributes underwent a dramatic change.