Ultragene Warlord

Chapter 410: The Best Opportunity

“Six.”

The shaman of the wood spirits gritted their teeth.
“The wood spirits will fight with you.
We can only control trees and plants, but we'll do so at your bidding wherever necessary.”

This was one of the reasons Zhang Lie believed that the wood spirits distrusted them.

It was true that the wood spirits were eminently unsuited for a direct confrontation: if the corrupted creatures' claws were to strike the trees they occupied, the trees would become corrupted and swiftly blacken.
If the wood spirits didn't extricate themselves from the trees in time, they would die within them.

The wood spirits' true forms were almost as fragile as those of the rock spirits, but the entire forest was filled with trees.
As long as they took control of the safer trees behind the humans, they would have been able to provide invaluable support.

However, the shaman of the wood spirits hadn't seen fit to send any of the wood spirits to the humans to assist them.
On the other hand, they had allowed an elder to do as they pleased.
Otherwise, Zhang Lie wouldn't have been so upset, and the wood spirits wouldn't be in such dire straits now.

“Five.”

The shaman of the wood spirits racked their brains.
“We will hand over the spiritual herbs we've collected all these years!”

The hunters behind Zhang Lie licked their lips in excitement.
Spiritual herbs! They had all heard from Zhang Lie that the wood spirits were singularly talented at cultivating plant life, and they had protected such a large patch of forest for all these years.
They simply couldn't imagine how many herbs the wood spirits had collected in all that time.

If nothing else, it was clear that that number would be astronomical: it might very well dwarf the number of herbs they had gathered from the sura king's treasury by several times.

“Four.” On the other hand, Zhang Lie didn't seem very tempted.

The shaman of the wood spirits continued making more and more enticing offers.
“I will personally join the delegation headed toward your city.”

With the shaman themself going, far more of the wood spirits would go along with Zhang Lie.

“Three!”

The shaman cried out, “What more do you want?!”

As the corrupted lifeforms drew ever closer, howling at the air, they knew that they didn't have much time left.

“Two!”

“The entire tribe of wood spirits will follow you!” they shouted.
With the forest destroyed to this extent, there was little value in staying.

Behind Zhang Lie, the hunters' eyes widened in amazement.

“One!”

The shaman gritted their teeth.
“I, along with my entire tribe, will swear loyalty to you!”

Zhang Lie finally reacted.
“Very good.
Don't forget that promise, or your entire clan will pay a hefty price.”

The shaman slumped on the ground lifelessly as they drew breath.
Their tribe was finally saved.

Zhang Lie strode up to the beast stampede and shouted, “Hunters, we strike now!”

The members of Team Zenith, along with the three thousand hunters that had accompanied Zhang Lie, began to make their move.

“[Lunarflame Shot]!” Sun Mengmeng loosed a flight of arrows into the sky, ones which burst into scarlet fireballs in the middle of the beast stampede.

“[The Boundless Blade: Yawning Wave]!” Yang Ze sent wave after wave of energy heading their way, inundating and wiping out the beasts.

“[Dragon's Triumph]!” Li Feng raised his greatsword high into the sky, allowing it to catch and reflect the rays of the sun.
The sword began to glow larger and larger until a dragon of light spawned from its midst.
All the corrupted creatures it touched melted like snow.

Just the three hunters' skills had taken care of the larger part of the corrupted stampede; the remaining hunters made easy work of the rest.

Only then did the wood spirits realize that the band of humans in front of them had been hiding their skill all along: they had never seriously tried to deal with the problem, but had only pretended to slaughter a few corrupted lifeforms.

They didn't know whether to be relieved or angry: angry that they hadn't done their best from the outset, relieved that the problem that had plagued them for all this time wouldn't be a problem any longer.

A gigantic black bird rose up into the skies.
Its beady eyes surveyed the members of Team Zenith as it swooped down and tried to strike at them.
Its speed marked it as at least a superior-grade lifeform.

“[Heaven's Judgment]!” Fang Yi's spear struck the bird with the power of wind and storm.

Covered in a domain of moonlight, the bird could feel its strength being sapped from it.
Fang Yi's spear pierced its wings and caused feathers to fall.

“[Golden Divide]!” Sun Xiaowu leaped high into the air as he chopped off the bird's head with his blade.

Hong Xi stepped forward with her moonlit domain.
Behind her was a black sun, much like Zhang Lie's own.
Pure-white moonlight shone underneath her feet, making her look like a fairy who had descended from the heavens.

Fang Yi and Sun Xiaowu both gave Hong Xi a thumbs up: her domain had noticeably weakened the bird enough that both their blows had easily landed.

Hong Xi smiled.
Her domain expanded until it surrounded a large portion of the corrupted lifeforms, dramatically weakening them and hence increasing the speed at which they were slaughtered.
With Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng's guidance, the three thousand hunters made quick work of the remaining beasts.

Just then, two superior-grade lifeforms, a lion and a rhinoceros, rushed out of the stampede.
The members of Team Zenith tried to give assistance, but someone got there before them. 

“[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!” A punch so intense that it warped the space all around it flew toward the two creatures, turning them into ash.
Zhang Lie commanded, “Team Zenith, spread out and block the stampede.
Hunters, charge forward!”

As Zhang Lie rushed into the stampede, the horde of creatures parted around him.
None of them were willing to get close to Zhang Lie.

Zhang Lie strode casually through the creatures as though he were taking a stroll.
Any creature that tried to sneak toward him found a fist disintegrating their body.

“Indeed, now was the right time to strike,” Zhang Lie murmured, glancing at the corrupted lifeforms surrounding him.

He had bided his time not just to force the wood spirits to submit to him, but also to make the corrupted stampede appear.

Had Zhang Lie struck earlier, the peak-grade lifeform would realize the danger that Zhang Lie and the others possessed and go into hiding.
Trying to find that hiding spot would have been a Herculean task; in comparison, it was far easier to wait until the lifeform made its move before striking back.