"Indeed, we meet again!"
Upon seeing Liu Sandao, the approaching figure recognized him and stopped.
"Hand over the Fruit of Fortune, and I can let you go!" Liu Sandao said. Since he had encountered the approaching figure, the previous black shadow must have been related to him.
"What if I don't?"
"Then don't blame me for being impolite!"
"Hahaha, then let's see if you have the ability!" The approaching figure laughed heartily, which surprised Liu Sandao. He hadn't expected the approaching figure to say that. It seemed that not having beaten him down before had made him so arrogant. Sometimes, showcasing strength could simplify certain matters.
The approaching figure waved his right hand, and a flock of crows flew out from his sleeves. Wherever they passed, leaves rustled, and a chill swept through the air. Liu Sandao was not alarmed, but his heart trembled. The crows this time were darker and larger than before, clearly indicating a significant improvement in their strength. In less than a few months, such terrifying power was almost unimaginable. Last time, he had used ice spikes; these would likely be ineffective now, otherwise, the approaching figure wouldn't be so brazen.
Liu Sandao waved his right hand, drawing a clockwise arc from his chest outward. The mist in the night sky suddenly emitted a dazzling golden light. Wherever the light reached, all the dark energy was dispersed. However, the crows did not retreat, cawing loudly as they charged forward, seemingly seeking revenge for the previous encounter.
Liu Sandao calmly responded according to the secret technique of the "Ruoshui Fu." Under the illumination of the golden light, the surrounding mist transformed into countless crystal-clear water droplets. These droplets formed a massive circle, divided into three layers: the outermost layer rotated clockwise, the inner layer counterclockwise, and the innermost layer rotated clockwise again. It resembled a giant wheel in motion, awaiting the crows to enter.
The crows, initially fearless, quickly retreated when dozens of them entered. "Return!" The approaching figure made a gathering gesture with his left hand, swiftly recalling the remaining crows. Liu Sandao did not cease his technique, as he was unsure if the approaching figure had further attacks prepared. As for the crows that had entered, they fell to the ground without a sound, dissolving into a wisp of dark energy that vanished instantly.
"I can give you your Fruit of Fortune, but I will take the other two fake Fruits of Fortune with me!" the approaching figure said to Liu Sandao. Liu Sandao then ceased his technique and replied, "No, you cannot take the fake Fruits of Fortune. Otherwise, you will harm other deities and disrupt the Fruit of Fortune system!"
"How is that possible? Don't you think about it, I am in control of the Fruit of Fortune system now, how can I let it be destroyed!"
"Then why did you create those fake Fruits of Fortune and try to snatch them?"
"Hahaha, ridiculous, who is creating fakes? As for snatching the Fruits of Fortune, I was merely checking their authenticity!"
After a round of conversation, Liu Sandao finally understood that the approaching figure was also here to investigate the counterfeit Fruits of Fortune. However, upon seeing a black shadow snatching a Fruit of Fortune earlier, he had acted first and taken it. Unfortunately, the black shadow had slipped up and immediately fled. Thus, the approaching figure had taken the Fruit of Fortune to chase after the black shadow, contrary to what Liu Sandao and Suni had thought.
"So, you also followed the black shadow here? However, you still owe me the Fruit of Fortune, as it is Suni's reward." Liu Sandao said. The approaching figure casually tossed the real Fruit of Fortune to Liu Sandao but did not give him the fake ones.
"I am going to chase that monster. I bid you farewell!" With those words, the approaching figure leaped away and vanished into the forest. Liu Sandao first secured the Fruit of Fortune and then followed.
In the misty forest, a black figure was running, eager to reach a safe location. In fact, his lair was not far away, with over a dozen brothers waiting. Although the mission had failed, escaping was the priority. After all, possessions were only valuable if one could survive to enjoy them. This was a mountainous region in Sandong City. Due to its dense forest vegetation and rich biodiversity, it was a protected hunting area in China. As it was hundreds of miles from the edge of the forest and Shuishui Village, few people visited here normally. Aside from the animals inhabiting the deep forests, there were also them. Their primary food source was the animals in these deep forests. Occasionally, they would also consume humans, but only those who stumbled in by mistake. Although people in China had sometimes speculated about man-eating monsters in this area, no one had ever truly discovered them, and the matter remained a whispered legend, never made public. Even in China's national archives, all traces were sealed and could not be accessed without permission.
"Chun Liu, why are you back so late? How was it, did you succeed?" a hoarse voice inquired, full of concern. Chun Liu shook his head, said nothing, entered the cave, and walked directly to a water pool, taking a drink. The hoarse voice sighed, "Alas! You failed again."
"This is your third failure. If there's a next time, you don't have to come back!" At this point, a stern voice reprimanded him.
"Yes, boss. I promise there won't be a next time!" Upon hearing this voice, Chun Liu, who had been listless, suddenly stood at attention and bowed to a tall man. The man had bushy hair, with a large willow leaf on top of his head. His beard was long, reaching a palm's length.
"Heehee, you say that every time, but you still fail next time!" a young man said disdainfully, turning his head in another direction.
"Chou Lao Ba, why are you butting in? What right do you have to speak here? Have you ever succeeded even once?"
"You!..." The young man said indignantly, but he had nothing to retort, as, indeed, he had not succeeded to date.
"Both of you shut up! This is something I've put immense effort into imitating. If we can't exchange it for a few more Fruits of Fortune, then we'll just have to wait to be wiped out by the Mountain God!" Liu Da declared. This was a cave, perpetually damp and humid, with a suitable temperature that nurtured exceptionally lush vegetation. At some point, these tree demons had gathered here. Although they were driven away by the local Mountain God upon their arrival, their sheer numbers and the previous Mountain God's preoccupation with higher pursuits naturally gave them an opportunity to survive. The current Mountain God had barely had any contact with them. However, with so many brothers, it was inevitable that they would expand towards the forest exit in the future, so they needed to quickly improve their strength to ensure they could defend themselves when facing the Mountain God. A while ago, they heard that "Fruits of Fortune" could enhance cultivation, especially for cultivators who were not deities. Therefore, Liu Da conceived the idea of snatching Fruits of Fortune.