TOP SECRET: Adventures in the Dark Continent Chapter 492: Challenge

"Yeah, I escaped mere minutes before the curse struck this place thousands of years ago," Rhexia answered, her voice carrying a hint of sorrow.

She alone had survived, fleeing just before the Curse of the Night wiped out her entire race.

"I understand... Now that you've come back, you must meet the empress. She has been waiting for your arrival."

"Where is she?" Rhexia knew exactly who this empress was.

Nostalgia colored her tone, as vivid memories from long ago still lingered.

"Come with me, but this human male cannot join us. He would taint our air." The dryad gestured toward Liu Yang. No outsider could step into their domain.

"He's my man. I won't let you forbid his entry." Rhexia stood firm. She was already relying on Liu Yang's help and refused to let harm come to him.

"You can't defy dryad laws. Only our kind or women may enter our lands. Males are strictly banned."

"This isn't dryad territory anymore. It's merely a cursed wasteland, just like all of you," Rhexia shot back icily. Her words rang true.

Ever since the Curse of the Night engulfed the area, the ancient dryad realm had turned into a barren, lifeless zone.

The afflicted dryads had kept their minds intact over countless years, yet they remained cursed creatures all the same.

"Enough debate on this. Bring the human male along." A melodic voice resounded from every direction, laced with irritation and chill.

"Empress, are you truly permitting this man into our territory? It breaks every rule!" Several dryads protested the notion.

Whether the curse fueled their defiance or it stemmed from their own convictions remained unclear.

"This is no longer dryad land. Our pristine forest stands defiled by the curse. Until it lifts, this spot is nothing but another cursed domain." The voice reverberated once more.

"Empress, I won't accept that. This place belongs solely to our race—no man may trespass." A few dryads persisted in blocking Liu Yang's entry, defying even the empress's command.

"I see... If some of you reject his presence, I must issue a harsh ruling. Those opposing him shall battle this man. Victory for you means he stays out, and only his wife enters. But should he triumph, you'll submit as he tends you like a gardener with his essence—a penalty for your loss."

"We accept the challenge." Certain dryads stepped up to face Liu Yang.

Out of tens of thousands, merely dozens retained their senses, while the others roamed lost in the vicinity.

Liu Yang faced only a limited number of foes.

"Man, you can't decline this duel, or you must leave your wife behind alone."

"I accept the challenge. I won't abandon her to you." Liu Yang declared gravely. Unfamiliar with the perils there, leaving Rhexia solo would prove too risky.

Moreover, as the father aiding in birthing her nine children, he couldn't forsake her.

"Liu Yang, is this alright? There are roughly seven of them." Rhexia fretted over him. Unaware of his full strength, her concern was natural.

"Rhexia, no need to fret. I'll handle them. But first, I crave a kiss for good luck," Liu Yang said tenderly, aiming to soothe her worries.

"My love, I trust you completely." Rhexia wrapped her slender arms around his neck and delivered the kiss.

Before the dryads' gazes, the pair shared a fiery, intense kiss, undisturbed by onlookers.

It endured for around ten minutes until they parted.

"Liu Yang, I'll reward you handsomely once you dispatch these pests," Rhexia murmured into his ear.

"I look forward to it," Liu Yang replied, his spirits lifted.

"Human male, finished with your display? We grow restless." The dryads formed their array.

"I'm prepared. Will you battle from there? Or emerge from those trees?" Liu Yang adopted a combat stance.

His armor donned, he opted for fists over blades.

"We begin now."

crack crack crack

The seven dryads wrenched free from their decayed trees. Their bare forms, marked by dark stains, revealed themselves to Liu Yang.

Shameless in their nudity, they typically draped mere scraps over vital areas.

Thus, appearing like this felt ordinary to them.

Rhexia donned sheer, light garments, reserving her bare form solely for Liu Yang's eyes.

In a spot somewhat removed...

A colossal tree towered into view. Its trunk stretched hundreds of meters tall and spanned tens of meters thick. The foliage resembled massive umbrellas.

What shocked everyone most was the tree's vitality—it wasn't withered or decayed like the other dryads. In various spots, fresh green and glossy leaves gleamed brightly.

At the tree's roots, a mature woman with verdant skin came into sight.

She radiated stunning beauty, infused with a ripe and alluring charm. Crowning her head was a wreath of green leaves, though many had turned brittle and dry.

Even with her eyes shut and seventy percent of her form merged into the tree, her allure remained vivid and tangible. This captive within the tree was the dryad hailed as empress by the others.

The empress gradually unveiled her eyes, a soft green radiance flickering briefly before vanishing. Her pair of emerald pupils sparkled like flawless gems.

"You finally came back ... I won't be able to hold on much longer ... Try to resolve this matter as soon as possible..." Her gentle voice carried a rasp, brimming with a whirlwind of feelings. She gazed upon the scene, yet it stirred deep unease within her.