When Zhang Nu heard the Tree YaoGuai speak so confidently, he knew the creature had fallen for his ploy. The Tree YaoGuai assumed that Zhang Nu's only asset was his speed, but it was gravely mistaken. Zhang Nu wasn't just fast; he possessed formidable strength as well.
With a smirk, Zhang Nu replied, "Oh? Is that so? Are you so certain speed is all I've got?"
The Tree YaoGuai felt a sudden wave of unease. It realized that Zhang Nu might be concealing more than just speed, perhaps he had power beyond what the Tree YaoGuai anticipated. Acting on this suspicion, the Tree YaoGuai swiftly shifted positions, instantly moving behind Zhang Nu. It was determined not to give Zhang Nu any opportunity to strike.
The YaoGuai's movement was astonishing, almost as if it had stepped into another dimension. Its speed was beyond anything Zhang Nu had expected. In the blink of an eye, it had appeared behind him.
"Do you think I only have strength?" the Tree YaoGuai sneered. "I've already told you, this entire mountain is my domain, but you refused to listen. If you think you can kill me here, you're gravely mistaken."
Zhang Nu was beginning to realize the gravity of the situation. This was the Tree YaoGuai's home turf, its roots were intertwined with the mountain itself, allowing it to move anywhere effortlessly. It could escape or launch an attack from any point. Killing it in this place would be far more difficult than Zhang Nu had initially thought.
"You two trust each other so much, don't you? Standing there with your backs to one another... Aren't you even a little worried that I might possess one of you?"
When Liu Hai heard the Tree YaoGuai's voice, he instinctively wanted to pull away from Zhang Nu's back. However, Zhang Nu immediately understood that the YaoGuai was just trying to sow fear and division between them.
"Liu Hai, calm down," Zhang Nu said firmly. "It's me. Are you really afraid the Tree YaoGuai could possess me? If anyone should be worried, it should be me, not you."
Hearing Zhang Nu's words, Liu Hai found an unexpected sense of calm. Zhang Nu was right; it made no sense for him to be the one worrying when it was Zhang Nu who should have been more concerned. With this realization, Liu Hai steadied himself, standing firm and scanning their surroundings with renewed confidence.
Meanwhile, the Tree YaoGuai, hidden in the shadows, ground its teeth in frustration. It had hoped to break their trust, to get them to expose their weaknesses. But Zhang Nu had seen through the trick immediately, and now, the YaoGuai realized that defeating these two might not be as simple as it first thought. Injured and outmatched, it knew it had to change tactics before it was too late.
"I'll give you both one chance," the Tree YaoGuai called out. "If you leave now, I'll allow you to go unharmed."