I STACK ATTRIBUTES IN THE APOCALYPSE -MyOwnEdit-

Going back a few days...

Black Feather Mountain.

The Giant Clan army, led by Hao Lie, had reached the vicinity of the Mother Tree's location on Black Feather Mountain and established their camp.

Numerous giant warriors lay in wait, ready to crush the Mother Tree at Hao Lie's command.

Beside Hao Lie, Apelo's eyes burned with anticipation. The Mother Tree had annihilated his people, seized their ancestral land, and brought suffering to the surviving Black Feather tribe members.

He had sworn vengeance.

A question lingered...

Between the Mother Tree and the Giant Clan, who was stronger?

The answer was clear. The Giant Clan was stronger, much stronger.

Although the Mother Tree's life form was strange and its abilities terrifying, it had arrived in the Black Mist Zone recently and lacked the time and space for development.

Currently, the Mother Tree's most formidable foe was the Dragon Spirit—a Level 2 Spirit Realm creature. Creating such a being required a significant amount of time and biomass for the Mother Tree.

Currently, the Mother Tree possessed only dozens of Dragon Spirits. As a giant race in this era, so what if they were strong?

The Spirit Realm experts weren't even the strongest within Hao Lie's army. The Giant King's Court had dispatched two Origin Realm experts to support him.

It was clear that once the Origin Realm experts attacked, the Mother Tree would stand no chance. Death or escape were its only options.

However, the subsequent events bewildered Apelo.

On the first day of their arrival, he repeatedly emphasized to Hao Lie the Mother Tree's strength, its threat, and the urgency of eliminating it. He insisted that once the Mother Tree was dealt with, the Tribulation Transcenders under its protection would be easily defeated.

Hao Lie listened attentively and sent a group of warriors to probe the Mother Tree's strength that very day.

That afternoon, the giant warriors returned unharmed, accompanied by a zombie tribulation transcender named Simba and three bizarre human-headed monsters.

Inside the central command tent, negotiations began between representatives of the Mother Tree and Hao Lie's forces.

Apelo couldn't fathom why there was anything to discuss. The contemporary tribulation transcenders were valuable resources; capture them, extract their essence, and be done with it. With the power difference being so stark, what was there to negotiate?

Initially, Hao Lie shared the same sentiment.

However, when Simba spoke, the situation took an unexpected turn.

"There's really no need for needless violence. We actually have a better way to cooperate."

Despite his visible terror in the face of Hao Lie, Simba remained composed and confident.

Hao Lie raised an eyebrow, then downed a large gulp of wine. He jerked his chin at Simba.

"I'll only give you three chances to speak."

Simba trembled inwardly but maintained a confident smile.

"Two chances are enough!"

"The Mother Tree needs biomass to produce these combat weapons," Simba explained, gesturing towards one of the human-headed monsters.

Then, he dropped a bombshell. "And these human-headed monsters are also tribulation transcenders!"

While Hao Lie dismissed the first two statements, the third struck him like lightning, leaving him stunned.

The wine jar slipped from Hao Lie's hand, but he seemed oblivious to the spill. His eyes locked onto Simba, his voice thick with disbelief.

"Say that again!?"

"These combat weapons are also tribulation transcenders who can provide you with the blood essence you desire!!" Simba's words were blunt and to the point.

Hao Lie stared at the three human-headed monsters beside Simba.

The three Black Feather Tribe heads twisted unnaturally, and they dropped dead.

Simba politely gestured to Hao Lie. "Your turn."

The atmosphere in the tent shifted dramatically. Excitement and jubilation replaced apprehension, except for Apelo, who watched in horror.

Simba's words proved true. Upon verification, the humanoid creatures produced by the Mother Tree were indeed tribulation transcenders and could yield blood essence.

Although the extraction amount was less than from normal transcenders, the advantage lay in their sheer numbers and the Mother Tree's ability to continuously produce them.

This revelation was groundbreaking. The Mother Tree had become a factory for ascension qualifications. All they had to do was feed it biomass, and it would churn out unlimited access to the Heaven Ascension Stairs.

Compared to this ability, all tribulation transcenders were mere trash! Hao Lie wouldn't even spare them a glance.

There was no need for war anymore. Now, if anyone dared attack the Mother Tree, Hao Lie would be the first to defend it.

The cooperation between the two sides was established quickly, leaving Apelo the sole injured party in this arrangement.

Apelo seethed with hatred and anger. His enemies and his allies had joined forces, leaving him humiliated and betrayed.

In his rage, Apelo hatched a cunning plan. Leaning into Hao Lie's ear, he whispered, "Big Brother, you're playing with fire here..."

"Think about it," Apelo urged, "no matter how many qualify for the Heaven Ascension Stairs, there can only be one ultimate victor!"

"And this Mother Tree, its potential is immense, its strength formidable. If we don't eliminate it now, who can contend with it when the time comes for ascension?"

Apelo's words held a grain of truth.

However, Hao Lie frowned and glanced coldly at him. The ferocity in his eyes sent a shiver down Apelo's spine.

"I'll make use of it first before eliminating it," Hao Lie said softly. "I can't let fear stop me from moving forward, right?"

"Moreover," he added, "there are only a few Holy Towers in the Black Mist Zone. It's still unknown if this monster can even touch them."

Hao Lie had lowered his voice, but Simba seemed to have overheard. He spoke leisurely,

"By the way, Lord Hao Lie," Simba interjected, "my master would like me to convey a message to you."

Hao Lie immediately smiled and said, "Please go ahead."

"The Mother Tree here is not its true form. It's just a projection. The Giant Clan is not the only potential partner of the Mother Tree..." 

Hao Lie's smile faded, his brow furrowing. "Explain yourself!"

Simba grinned mischievously. "The Insect Clan."

"The Insect Clan had contact with us long before you did."

The Blade Edge Insect Nest was located near the old territory of the Barbarian Tribe and the Spirit Clan.

Not long ago, due to the appearance of tribulation transcenders in the vicinity, the Blade Edge Insect Nest had engaged in a fierce battle against the Barbarian Mountain Tribe's Undead Clan.

In the initial stages of the war, both sides experienced victories and losses, unable to decisively defeat the other. After all, both the Insect Clan and the Undead Clan were top-tier clans of their era, their strengths evenly matched.

This balance might have persisted, but a few days before the Barbarian Tribe's defeat, a human-headed monster arrived at the Blade Edge Insect Nest, carrying a small sapling.

It was the same conversation and the same cooperation proposal.

And the outcome was identical—no clan could resist the Mother Tree's temptation.

This news had spurred the Insect Clan's Origin Realm experts to disregard their own exhaustion and rush to the location with almost frenzied haste.