Chapter 364: The golden fruit 75.

A third bolt broke a cluster of leaves that would have obscured her vision.

The rhythm became natural.

Bai Li attacked.

Yan Cijin supported.

The tree reacted.

They adapted.

For several minutes, neither side gained an advantage.

Then Bai Li realized something.

The tree was not trying to kill them immediately.

It was trying to push them away from the fruits.

Every major attack forced them outward.

Every root appeared between them and the canopy.

The branches formed a shield around the five fruits.

Bai Li’s eyes narrowed.

"Yan Cijin."

"Yes?"

"It doesn’t want us near the fruit."

Yan Cijin fired another bolt. "Obviously."

"No. I mean it’s protecting something specific."

Yan Cijin followed her gaze.

The five fruits were untouched.

"You think the fruits are controlling it?"

"Maybe."

Bai Li looked at the trunk.

"Or maybe the tree has spent its entire life protecting them."

Yan Cijin’s expression became serious.

"Then we need to break its defense."

"Exactly."

Bai Li suddenly rushed toward the trunk.

The tree reacted instantly.

Every branch on the right side folded toward her.

A giant root came up from below.

Bai Li cut it.

Another came from the left.

She jumped.

A wall of leaves filled the air.

Whisperfang spun in her hand.

The leaves shattered.

She kept moving.

Yan Cijin fired twice.

Both bolts struck the same point on the trunk.

Golden bark cracked.

Bai Li’s eyes flashed.

"That’s it."

She drove Whisperfang into the crack.

The weapon sank deep.

A wave of dark soul power spread through the trunk.

The tree screamed.

It was not a sound exactly.

It was more like the air itself vibrating.

The entire rooftop shook.

The five fruits glowed brighter.

And the tree’s roots went berserk.

Bai Li pulled Whisperfang free and barely avoided a root that tore through the spot where her head had been.

"It really didn’t like that."

Yan Cijin shouted from behind, "You stabbed it in the heart! What did you expect?"

Bai Li laughed.

"I expected it to be easier."

The tree’s trunk opened.

For a second, a hollow cavity appeared beneath the bark.

Inside was a glowing golden core.

Bai Li stared.

"There."

Yan Cijin understood immediately.

"Its core."

"Yes."

The tree protected the core with everything it had.

Roots converged around Bai Li.

The attack density became insane.

She could no longer simply cut her way through.

She began changing tactics.

Whisperfang disappeared.

The revolver appeared in her other hand.

Golden bullets formed inside the cylinder.

Yan Cijin blinked.

"You can do that?"

"Apparently."

Bai Li raised the revolver.

Bang.

The bullet struck a root and exploded.

Bang.

Another branch shattered.

Bang.

A third bullet struck the glowing crack in the trunk.

The tree recoiled.

"That worked," Yan Cijin said.

"I noticed."

Bai Li fired again.

The root network shifted.

Yan Cijin saw the opening first.

"Left."

Bai Li moved left.

"Down."

She ducked.

"Behind."

She spun.

A branch passed through the space behind her shoulder.

Bai Li smiled.

"You’re getting good at this."

"Someone has to keep you from getting hit."

"I don’t get hit."

Yan Cijin paused.

"You almost got hit three times in the last minute."

Bai Li glanced back.

"Details."

Yan Cijin snorted.

Despite the danger, the exchange gave them both a tiny breath of normality.

Then the tree changed again.

The golden roots withdrew.

All of them.

The rooftop went quiet.

Bai Li’s expression immediately hardened.

"That’s bad."

Yan Cijin raised her weapon.

"Very bad?"

"Very."

The trunk split open farther.

The golden core brightened.

The canopy folded inward.

Then every branch pointed downward.

The tree was gathering energy.

Bai Li felt pressure build.

Not physical pressure.

Soul pressure.

"Back."

Yan Cijin moved without arguing.

A golden wave erupted from the trunk.

It crossed the rooftop like a shockwave.

Bai Li crossed Whisperfang in front of herself.

The impact pushed her backward.

Yan Cijin was thrown farther.

Bai Li caught her with one arm.

The moment the wave passed, she looked at Yan Cijin.

"You okay?"

"Yes."

"Good."

The tree’s core pulsed again.

Bai Li’s gaze sharpened.

She understood now.

The tree had one weakness.

Its strength came from the fruit.

The five fruits were feeding it.

Every time the tree was damaged, the fruit sent energy into it.

As long as the fruits remained attached, the tree could regenerate almost endlessly.

Bai Li looked upward.

Five glowing pomelos.

"We need to separate the fruits from the tree."

Yan Cijin stared.

"You’re going to climb it?"

"Yes."

"While it is trying to kill us?"

"Yes."

Yan Cijin looked at her.

"That’s a terrible plan."

Bai Li smiled.

"You have a better one?"

Yan Cijin raised the crossbow.

"No."

"Then it’s a good plan."

Bai Li dashed forward.

She jumped onto a root.

The root immediately tried to throw her off.

She drove Whisperfang into it and held on.

Another branch came down.

She cut it.

A second one swept from behind.

Yan Cijin fired.

The bolt struck the branch and knocked it aside.

Bai Li pulled herself upward.

She moved from root to branch to trunk.

The tree shook violently beneath her.

But she kept climbing.

The first fruit was now only a few meters away.

She reached for it.

A branch struck her from the side.

Bai Li twisted.

The branch scraped her shoulder.

She landed on another branch.

Yan Cijin shouted, "Bai Li!"

"I’m fine!"

"You’re bleeding."

"Later."

Bai Li cut the branch.

The fruit swung.

She grabbed the stem.

The tree reacted instantly.

Every branch converged on her.

Yan Cijin’s revolver cracked twice.

The first bullet hit a branch.

The second hit the stem.

The stem cracked.

Bai Li pulled.

The first golden pomelo came free.

The moment it left the tree, the entire canopy dimmed.

Bai Li caught the fruit against her chest.

It was warm.

Almost alive.

She stared at it for half a second.

Then the tree attacked again.

"That’s one!" Yan Cijin shouted.

"Four more."

Bai Li tossed the fruit toward Yan Cijin.

.

.

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TO BE CONTINUED.