"Mr. Fen, what took you so long!" Su Ze put on a pitiful look. "If it werenât for my good luck, Iâd have died several times over by now."
Chen Suifeng felt a little embarrassed. He was the one who had insisted on bringing Su Ze out to hunt, but he never expected so much to happen. He truly hadnât done a good job protecting Su Ze.
He felt a pang of guilt, wondering how he could make it up to Su Ze, but then he suddenly realized something. âIs this really my fault?â
âIâm a Venerable Powerhouse, taking a junior in the Butterfly Stage out hunting. What danger could there possibly be?â
âWasnât it Su Ze who insisted on that whole "luring the snake out of its hole" plan? And I actually fell for his nonsense and agreed to it.â
âInitially, he hadnât thought it would be a big deal. But who could have predicted that this kid, Su Ze, was such a trouble magnet? Luring out a few Saint-level Overlords was one thing, but he even managed to draw out the Pope of the Evolution Divine Teachings!â
âAnd now? Heâd been gone for just a moment, and the kid had already managed to provoke two fifth-rank beasts.â
âWhat kind of trouble magnet are you?!â
âWhat normal person in the Butterfly Stage could possibly provoke so many fifth and sixth-rank powerhouses?â
âWait a second... that Tree-man doesnât seem to be a monster, nor is it a Spiritual Plant.â
Only then did Chen Suifeng notice something strange about Feng Bqing. Being well-informed, he immediately made a connection and figured out Feng Bqingâs identity.
At that moment, Feng Bqing and the River Fish Monster were locked in a fierce battle. Countless vines sprouted from Feng Bqingâs body, piercing the River Fish Monster and frantically draining its blood.
The River Fish Monsterâs main advantage, on the other hand, was its massive size, which it used to crush everything in its path.
Because of its large frame, the power of all its skills was greatly enhanced.
For instance, its Air Cannon, Pufferfish Poison Thorn, and so on.
This wasnât just a simple increase in size; every physical attribute, along with all its skills, grew stronger as its body expanded.
To Su Zeâs surprise, Feng Bqing appeared to be at a disadvantage, constantly suppressed by the River Fish Monster that was ten times his size. In reality, however, he was relying on his powerful regenerative abilities and the constant blood-draining from his vines. Any injury he sustained healed in an instant.
Moreover, the River Fish Monsterâs toxins didnât seem particularly effective against the half-man, half-tree Feng Bqing.
If this kept up, Feng Bqing would likely wear down the River Fish Monster and eventually kill it. However, a fifth-rank monster wasnât a fool; it would surely flee if the situation became unfavorable.
The crucial point was that the evolutionary light emanating from Feng Bqing was still green!
This meant he had only undergone four evolutions, making him equivalent to a human Saint-level Overlord. If one considered him a tree, he would be a fourth-rank Spiritual Plant. Yet, he was currently suppressing a fifth-rank monster, fighting above his rank.
âHow strong would he become if he completed his fifth evolution?â
Su Ze couldnât help but marvel, âWhat kind of monster did I create with my own two hands?!â
The only question was how Feng Bqing was evolving now. Was it by absorbing extracts like a human evolver, or was he absorbing natural energy to evolve on his own, like a Spiritual Plant?
The person Feng Bqing wanted to kill was Su Ze, but he was currently tied up with the River Fish Monster. Now, seeing Chen Suifeng appear beside Su Ze, he knew his chances of killing him were gone.
Feng Bqing said resentfully, "Su Ze, sooner or later, you will die by my hand!"
"People... or trees, for that matter, should know to be grateful. If it werenât for me, would you be as strong as you are now?"
"You..." Feng Bqing was so angry he could have spat blood. The price for this power was being turned into this ghastly thing; he would rather have done without it.
"What about me? Youâre disgusted with what you are now? You think your old self, reeking of a stench ten times more nauseating than a dung-eaterâs, was really any better?" Su Zeâs words were mercilessly sharp. "All I did was help you turn from a reviled cockroach into a big, green, eco-friendly tree."
âThough heâs still stinky as a tree...â
"Thatâs enough." Chen Suifeng pulled Su Ze back, afraid that if he provoked Feng Bqing any further, the man-tree might risk injury to attack them. "Letâs go."
Chen Suifeng had no intention of getting involved in the fight between Feng Bqing and the River Fish Monster. He just wanted to take this opportunity to leave with Su Ze.
But Su Ze, it seemed, didnât want to leave. He had other ideas.
"Mr. Fen, what kind of monster were you planning to help me hunt?" Su Ze asked.
"Wasnât I supposed to listen to you?" Chen Suifeng had a bad feeling. "You have a target in mind?"
"What do you think of this River Fish Monster?" Su Ze asked with a somewhat shy smile.
Chen Suifengâs face screamed, "Are you kidding me?" He reminded him, "Thatâs a fifth-rank monster!"
"I know. Iâll save it and absorb it after I reach the Saint level," Su Ze said, fabricating a reason. "Honestly, I have enough money to buy a suitable fourth-rank, S-grade extract for myself right now. My biggest headache is figuring out how to get a fifth-rank extract in the future."
"But by the time youâre a Saint, you might have better options," Chen Suifeng tried to reason. "This River Fish Monster doesnât look weak, but itâs certainly not one of the strongest among fifth-rank monsters."
Of course, Su Ze knew that. However, he didnât want this fifth-rank extract for after he became a Saint-level Overlord; he wanted to absorb it while still in the Butterfly Stage, skipping a rank.
Absorbing a fifth-rank extract during the Butterfly Stage was much more difficult than when he had absorbed the fourth-rank Iron-blooded Honey Badger Extract during his Cocoon Stage. Therefore, he couldnât possibly take on a fifth-rank, S-grade extract directly.
The River Fish Monster wasnât an S-grade beast, but its "Enlarge" ability gave Su Ze an idea. The skill would be a perfect match for his Liquid Clone.
Theoretically, as long as his Spiritual Power was strong enough, Su Ze could divide into countless clones while in his liquid state. His physical size, however, limited this ability.