Chapter 275: with translation of chapter title

Okay, boss.

Ling Xue'er nodded, then summoned Ling'er and Xiao Anni and others, came to the territory's edge to set up defenses.

No matter what, we must keep these undead creatures outside; we cannot let them enter the territory.

As for whether they can accomplish this, Ling Xue'er and the others felt no worry.

As time passed, the undead creatures within the territory grew more numerous, and Xiao Anni's mutated supernatural plants also gradually increased.

Although still unable to deploy sufficient defensive forces at every position within the entire territory.

But the defense line at the territory's edge has taken shape; even if the enemy sends a group of Third Tier supernaturals, they cannot break through this line and enter the territory.

Even if the enemy is led by a Supernatural Fourth Rank, this line is enough to stall them for some time, delay their advance into the territory, thereby awaiting reinforcements.

After a short while, a fierce rumbling sound came from the territory's edge.

Regarding this, Su Hao could hardly worry; how could he not know his own territory's situation? If not for waiting for the treeman to finish symbiosis, he wanted to see how the Withering Curse of the Withered Ancient Tree would change.

Those undead creatures in the void openings likely had just shown their heads when they were already taken away by powerful firepower.

After about half an hour, the green light on the Withered Ancient Tree gradually began to retract, eventually disappearing as if it had never appeared.

Immediately after.

A cluster of green light flew out from the trunk of the Withered Ancient Tree, landed before Su Hao, and took the form of a treeman.

The treeman felt the changes within his body, and an excited expression involuntarily appeared on his face.

Compared to before symbiosis, he felt he had undergone an earth-shaking change; now he only needs a thought to instantly kill his former self.

The treeman clearly knows who brought about these changes; he hastily performed a great salute to Su Hao.

"Thank you, boss, for your cultivation; from now on my life is yours. Whatever you ask me to do, I will not say a word of nonsense; if you tell me to go east, I will absolutely not go west!"

"I'm not interested in your life; just do your work well for me from now on."

Su Hao shook his head and smiled, patted the treeman's shoulder, then without moving his thought, opened the panel of the Withered Ancient Tree after symbiosis.

Compared to the treeman's oath of loyalty, Su Hao is more curious about what changes the Withered Ancient Tree will undergo after symbiosis.

After all, as long as the treeman isn't brainless, he would never betray Su Hao.

【Withered Ancient Tree】

Type: Shelter building, Supernatural Fourth Rank.

Status: Symbiosis Effect 1——Withering Curse: Within a radius of 20 kilometers around, all species release the Withering Curse, absorbing the opponent's flesh and vitality, accelerating the decay of their flesh.

The closer to the Withered Ancient Tree, the stronger the curse's effect, effective at most against Third Tier supernaturals.

The more vitality the Withered Ancient Tree absorbs, the larger its body, the greater the extension of its roots and stems, and the wider the curse's coverage.

Effect 2——Weakness Scarecrow: Within a radius of 20 kilometers around, all species release the Weakness Curse, reducing the opponent's physical strength, effective at most against Third Tier supernaturals.

Any unit that dies near the ancient tree has a certain chance to transform into a Weakness Scarecrow, increasing the effects of the Weakness Curse and the Withering Curse.

Effect 3——Symbiosis: As long as the treeman is within the range covered by the roots of the Withered Ancient Tree.

Then as long as one party remains alive, even if the other suffers a devastating blow, they can quickly recover bodily injury by absorbing the other and the vitality of surrounding plants.

Furthermore, the treeman's consciousness can merge into the Withered Ancient Tree, controlling the intensity of the Withering Curse and its targets.

……

"Supernatural Fourth Rank?"

Su Hao's eyebrows slightly rose, showing a hint of surprise.

Before symbiosis, the Withered Ancient Tree's Supernatural Grade was only Third Tier, and the Withering Curse could at most affect Supernatural Second Rank.

But now, after completing symbiosis with the treeman, the Supernatural Grade directly rose by one rank, reaching Supernatural Fourth Rank, and the Withering Curse can at most affect Third Tier supernaturals.

Although this requires that Third Tier supernaturals, when they approach the Withered Ancient Tree, will be infected by the Withering Curse.

Moreover, to curse a Third Tier supernatural to death takes considerable time.

But this is still a huge increase; the Withering Curse of the Withered Ancient Tree is a passive effect with no numerical limit.

In other words, as long as Third Tier supernaturals approach, no matter how many, they will be infected by the Withering Curse.

As for Supernatural Second Rank and First Rank supernaturals, the impact is even greater.

First Rank supernaturals basically cannot even think of entering Su Hao's territory.

Even if Supernatural Second Rank supernaturals can enter his territory, once they go too deep, they will also be infected by the Withering Curse and turn into a scarecrow standing on the ground.

After the Withered Ancient Tree and the treeman completed symbiosis, capable of such great changes, surely the treeman is not lacking; immediately Su Hao's thought stirred, and he opened the treeman's information panel.

Speaking of which, since the treeman signed the contract and joined the territory, Su Hao has not yet examined his abilities.

【Treeman——La Gulasi】

Supernatural Second Rank.

Talent: Symbiosis.

Symbiosis Target: Withered Ancient Tree.

Symbiosis Effect: As long as the treeman is within the area of the Withered Ancient Tree's roots, he can control the Withering Curse of the Withered Ancient Tree.

The treeman can, through the Withering Curse, sense all intruders who enter the curse's range.

Through the treeman's control of the Withering Curse, one can autonomously select the target of the Withering Curse.

Furthermore, one can concentrate the curse's power onto certain units within certain root distribution areas, strengthening the curse's effect, effective at most against Third Tier supernaturals.

……

"This ability is great!"

Looking at the content displayed on the details page, Su Hao's face involuntarily showed a hint of joy.

Just as he thought, after completing symbiosis, the Withering Curse of the Withered Ancient Tree can indeed be controlled by the treeman, so there's no need to overly worry about friendly fire.

Previously, the uncontrolled Withered Ancient Tree would afflict any outsider entering its curse range with the Withering Curse, causing them to die mysteriously and turn into a scarecrow standing on the ground. But now, after symbiosis with the treeman, this problem will not arise.

From now on, as long as the treeman stays within the territory, all outsiders entering the territory can be sensed by him.

Although, relying solely on this perception, he estimated he couldn't determine the newcomer's identity.

But with the Heavenly Eye Watchtower present, as soon as someone enters the territory, one can confirm the newcomer's identity and then decide whether to apply the Withering Curse.

If the newcomer is a collaborator, naturally let them in.

If it's a fallen creature or a hostile sentient being intruding, there's nothing to say—give them a Withering Curse to send them on their way, turning them into scarecrows standing on the ground, which is their final fate.

Furthermore, after the treant gains control of the Withering Curse, not only can it freely control the target of the curse, but it can also strengthen the curse's power without the Withered Ancient Tree's Supernatural Grade increasing.

For example, if a Third Tier supernatural being intrudes into the territory, because they are relatively far from the Withered Ancient Tree, the Withering Curse cannot inflict too severe an effect on them.

But under the treant's active control, by weakening the curse's power in other areas, one can strengthen the curse on that Third Tier supernatural being.

Even if that Third Tier supernatural being has just entered the edge of the territory, as long as the treant detects them, it can ignore the distance between them and the Withered Ancient Tree, forcibly strengthen the curse, and inflict a deadly danger.

If the opponent disregards the Withering Curse and continues to forcefully intrude, then in the end, even if the curse cannot kill a Third Tier supernatural being, it can greatly weaken their strength, turning them into a lamb ready for slaughter.

"Excellent!"

Su Hao patted the treant's shoulder, nodded satisfactorily, and said with a smile:

"From now on, your main task, besides helping Huayao and the others cultivate supernatural plants, is also to oversee the Withering Curse of the Withered Ancient Tree."

"As long as the opponent is a fallen creature or definitely a hostile normal sentient being, apply the Withering Curse—understood?"

"Applying the Withering Curse to fallen creatures poses no problem; I can determine via aura whether they are fallen creatures, but how do I ascertain whether they harbor hostile intent?"

The treant scratched his head, looking puzzled, and said:

After completing symbiosis with the Withered Ancient Tree, although he hasn't yet put it into practice, it is certain that, given his current state, controlling the Withering Curse is as easy as eating and drinking, and even his mental energy need not be expended much.

If it's merely applying the Withering Curse to all invading fallen creatures, it would be even easier.

Although he cannot determine the intruder's exact appearance without seeing them himself, he can roughly sense their aura through the Withered Ancient Tree.

All fallen beings are sources of an ominous curse, emitting a strong ominous aura; via this, the treant can remotely determine whether someone is a fallen creature.

But the only thing he can confirm is whether the opponent is a fallen creature; as for whether they harbor hostile intent, he has no way.

He lacks any psychic ability; how could he know from aura alone whether they bear hostile intent?

However, what he doesn't know is that his ability to determine via aura whether someone is a fallen creature exceeds Su Hao's expectations.

Originally Su Hao thought, having him alone handle the precise release of the Withering Curse might be too much work.

But after hearing him say that, it's clear he overthought it.

If the treant can determine via aura whether someone is a fallen creature, then his actual workload will be reduced by seventy or eighty percent.

After all, few survivors remain alive in the Dark Forest.

These surviving normal sentient beings are not reckless youths; without profit motive, they are unlikely to trespass into unknown territory.

Thus, the survivors who mistakenly enter Su Hao's territory are actually not many—about twenty or thirty out of a hundred.

Subsequently, Su Hao brought several people to the side of the Heavenly Eye Watchtower and introduced:

"This structure is called the Heavenly Eye Watchtower; it can monitor in real time who enters the territory."

"You just need to rely on your own sensing; once a normal sentient being intrudes, based on the Watchtower's monitoring results, discuss the handling with Lingxue'er and the others."

"If they come to trade, let them in; if they entered by mistake, let them leave; if they harbor ill intent, turn them into scarecrows to remain in the territory!"

Gazing at the numerous three-dimensional projections around the Heavenly Eye Watchtower, the treant took a while to regain his composure.

"Okay, okay..."

He must admit that he still underestimated Su Hao's strength.

Originally he thought that Su Hao's territory possessed formidable combat power, with high-speed flying vehicles, and large quantities of normally cultivable supernatural plants that grow extremely fast—this already put him far ahead of other survivors.

Now he also saw a building capable of 24/7 all-around, blind-spot-free surveillance of the territory.

With such a building, no matter how large the territory, there would be no possibility of a sneak attack... right?

What shocked him even more was that, in these surveillance feeds, he saw black openings.

Large numbers of undead creatures emerge from these openings; now, in front of each opening, tens of thousands of undead have gathered.

Even if these undead creatures are merely rankless ordinary undead, relying on numerical superiority they could defeat a Third Tier supernatural being.

Moreover, among these undead creatures, there isn't even a common undead; the lowest are First Rank, Second Tier supernaturals are not rare, and there are even several Third Tier monsters.

Yet such a mighty army is being suppressed and forced to retreat by peach‑shaped shells and flames falling from the sky, making even approaching the territory difficult.

This made the treant suddenly feel that perhaps what he saw was merely the tip of the iceberg of Su Hao's territory.

"Unfathomable, truly too unfathomable!" "Alright, don't look anymore; there will be plenty of time later for you to watch. Now let me see the full power of the Withering Curse unleashed."

"Apply the Withering Curse to all undead creatures!"

Su Hao smiled faintly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He never shows mercy to enemies; since the evil god is his foe, there's no need for courtesy.

"Okay, boss, I will surely complete the task."

The treant nodded heavily, his face grave.

This is the treant's first order from Su Hao; to demonstrate his worth, no matter what, he must handle this well.

Immediately, he closed his eyes, and based on the Watchtower's monitoring and his own sensing, he quickly pinpointed the enemy's location.

Next.

By controlling the Withered Ancient Tree, he reduced the curse's power elsewhere and increased it around these sixteen void openings.

(End of chapter)