Evolution Begins With A Big Tree

Chapter 146, Born Assassin

Translator:  Ashish

Translation Checker: Silavin

“This guy is a born assassin.” Looking at the Unique Ability of the Mantis, the Camouflage, as well as its Innate Talent – the Power of Wind, Yu Zi Yu’s eyes lit up.

Camouflage could be used for hiding itself. And the Power of Wind, combined with the Mantis’ inherent speed, could instantly attack and deliver a deadly blow.

“Hmm…” Smacking his lips, Yu Zi Yu’s tired expression disappeared. Instead, he turned his gaze to the nearby White Tiger and gave a nod of approval.

*Roar, Roar, Roar…* Immediately, successive Tiger’s roars reverberated through the canyon as White Tiger jumped up and down excitedly like a child.

Yu Zi Yu was a little taken aback at the sight of White Tiger’s excited antics.

[Why is he so excited? Isn’t it just a nod?]

Yu Zi Yu was filled with doubt, but he did not want to dwell on it further. Instead, he shifted his gaze back to the Mantis. Staring at the deep wound on the Mantis’s chest, where even the blood had dried up, Yu Zi Yu’s heart skipped a beat. Then, he extended a branch into the Spirit Pond a bit, and then dripped the drops of its water onto the wound.

Afterward, he used the branch to extract the toxins from the Mantis’s body. However, shortly after all this was done…

*Whirr, whirr…* The once immobile Mantis began to flap its wings, causing the very air to vibrate.

“Uh, you’re not thinking of running away, are you?”

Yu Zi Yu’s words had barely finished his sentence when, with a *whoosh,* a streak of green light shot straight into the sky.

“This little guy.” With a tinge of helplessness, Yu Zi Yu gently waved his branch.

In an instant…

That swaying branch had somehow extended into the sky, and then, a resounding crack like that made by a whip reverberated in the sky.

Before it could even react, the Mantis, that had just gained an astonishing seed, plummeted from the sky.

“On my territory, no matter how fast you are, it’s useless.” Sighing, Yu Zi Yu’s branch swirled through the air, coiling around the Mantis before tossing it into the Spirit Pond.

Thanks to the healing properties of the Spirit Pond, it would not be long before the Mantis would have recovered to its original state. 

Mutant Beasts have extremely resilient lives. And the Mantises had the best vitality among most organisms. It should be brought to notice that when the Praying Mantises mate, the extremely hungry female Praying Mantis would choose to eat the male Mantis.

Even while the male Mantis was being eaten, even if its head was being eaten, it would not stop copulating. Just this fact alone spoke volumes for the strong and resilient vitality of the Mantis Family.

However, Yu Zi Yu had a doubt regarding this. The current Mantises had mutated, and not only in strength, but also in the intelligence department. It was unlikely that a female Mantis would eat the male Mantis as delicacy. After all, even male Mantises would resist. Now, with their newfound strength, even if the female Mantis tried to eat them, they might not be able to win.

Thinking this, Yu Zi Yu looked at the lively Mantis in the center of the Spirit Pond, his gaze flickering.

[Fortunately, it’s a male Mantis. I don’t have to worry that he will eat his mate in the future. As for being eaten by his mate, that’s even more unlikely. He has a pretty powerful Innate Talent and is strong on his own. Who knows who could win against him?]

Just as Yu Zi Yu was lost in thought…

*Whirr, whirr…*

The air vibrated once again. Without hesitation, Yu Zi Yu swung his branch, sending the flying Mantis back into the Spirit Pond.

“I want to see how many times you can fly today.” Amused, his voice carried a playful tone. One after another, branches rose around the Spirit Pond, and then, they began to sway slowly, as if threatening.

Time quickly flew by, and it was already noon. Bull Demon, White Tiger, and Golden Ant each found a corner in the canyon, yet their attention was drawn to the Spirit Pond.

With a *snap,* a streak of green light that had just taken off, fell like a comet once again.

“128.”

Leaving another mark on the ground, Bull Demon’s mouth twitched uncontrollably. This was the first time he had seen such a stubborn fellow. Even the Honey Badger did not have the guts to keep doing something like this.

Once or twice might be fine, but the Mantis had been whipped by Yu Zi Yu’s branches a staggering 128 times.

While the healing water of the Spirit Pond might have helped him with his injuries, the mental torment was not something an ordinary person could bear. And now, not only did he withstand the mental torment, but he was still vibrating his thin as Cicada’s wings again, trying to break through the Yu Zi Yu’s branches.

*Crack* A crisp whipping sound rang once again. Yu Zi Yu was also having a headache.

[Did I encounter a suicidal maniac?] Though he thought this, Yu Zi Yu was still very patient with the Mantis. After all, using a branch was as simple as moving his finger, effortless and even refreshing to some extent. He did not find it cumbersome, instead enjoyed moving them. Moreover, he wanted to see just how stubborn this Mantis could be.

Luckily, this Mantis had good Innate Talent, which caught Yu Zi Yu’s attention.

Had his Innate Talent been weak, perhaps the Mantis would not have been whipped straight into the Spirit Pond. Perhaps, if Yu Zi Yu was not careful, it was possible for him to be blown to smithereens.

Chuckling, Yu Zi Yu’s branch whipped his branch once again…

Furthermore, patience was a tree’s virtue. Contesting with the tree in this field was really not a good idea.

According to Yu Zi Yu’s estimation, if there were no other interruptions, he could keep doing this for ten days or even half a year without minding. Of course, the premise was that the Mantis could survive until then.

The healing power of the Spirit Pond was not omnipotent nor eternal. Once the Mantis’s body had adapted to the healing ability of the Spirit Pond, its effectiveness would greatly diminish.

By that time, getting whipped by Yu Zi Yu would not be as simple as lying down for a while.

…

Just at that moment, Bull Demon suddenly spoke up, as if he had thought of something, 

“Divine Tree, why has Elder Sister not returned yet, could it be…” Bull Demon’s concerned voice instantly caused Yu Zi Yu to blink in surprise.

However, a moment later,

*Whirr, whirr…* The vibrating sound resounded once again.

“This is getting annoying now.” A murmur, like thunder, reverberated through the sky. With a loud ‘boom’ a green whip sliced through the sky in an instant.

*Splash* With a splash of water reaching high up into the air, the entire canyon trembled slightly.

The Mantis was struck with such a force that the dozens of meters deep bottom of the Spirit Pond became visible, where the Mantis was now lying in a sorry state.

Yu Zi Yu did not pay much attention to him, or rather his mind was already preoccupied with Bull Demon’s words.

“Nine…Tails…”

Raising his gaze, he looked toward the northern part of the Misty Mountains, his eyes flickering.

[Come to think of it, Nine Tails seems to have been gone for almost half a month. Although it’s highly unlikely for her to encounter any danger given her strength, it is better to be safe than sorry.]

*Ha* A light sigh escaped Yu Zi Yu’s lips as a shade of worry appeared on his face.