Genius in the whole system: The useless young lady dominates the world

The four headed north in the direction indicated by the giant skeleton.

As they ventured deeper, the surrounding environment changed; the original lava and rift valleys gradually disappeared, replaced by a strange forest.

The trees in the forest were twisted, their trunks covered with strange patterns, their leaves were dark red, and they emitted a faint smell of blood.

"This place is so eerie," Baihu said, frowning. He felt a sense of unease about the place.

"Everyone be careful, this might be the Mirage Forest," Nine-Tailed Fox warned, her expression turning serious.

"Mirage Forest?" Lu Lingxi asked in confusion.

"The Mirage Forest is an illusion formed by mirage energy. Mirage energy can bewitch people's minds, causing them to hallucinate and even lose their way," Nine-Tailed Fox explained. "Moreover, various dangerous creatures may also exist in the Mirage Forest."

"Then how can we get through safely?" Lu Lingxi asked.

“Although the Mirage Forest is dangerous, it is not without ways to break through it,” Nine-Tailed Fox said. “As long as we keep a clear head and are not misled by illusions, we can find the right path.”

"It's easier said than done," Baihu sighed.

"No matter what, we must be careful," Lu Lingxi said. "Youming, can your flames dispel the mirage?"

“We can give it a try.” Youming said, a ball of black flame ignited in his palm and spread outwards. Wherever the flame passed, the scenery changed. The originally twisted trees became blurred, and the dark red leaves gradually faded.

"It works!" A hint of joy flashed in Lu Lingxi's eyes.

“However, the mirage energy in this Mirage Forest seems to be much denser than ordinary mirage energy; my flames can only dispel a portion of it,” Youming said.

"It's alright, as long as we stay alert," Lu Lingxi said. "Let's keep going."

The four continued deeper into the Mirage Forest, encountering all sorts of illusions along the way.

Sometimes it's a beautiful landscape, sometimes a terrifying monster, sometimes a familiar relative, sometimes a strange enemy...

These illusions constantly assaulted their minds, attempting to make them lose themselves.

However, with the help of the underworld, the four of them remained clear-headed and were not misled by the illusions.

Suddenly, a thick fog surged in from all directions, enveloping the four of them.

"Oh no, this is the Mist Devouring Heart!" Nine-Tailed Fox's expression changed, and she exclaimed in alarm.

The "Mist Devouring the Heart" phenomenon is one of the most dangerous phenomena in the Mirage Forest. It can erode a person's mind and drive them into madness.

"Everyone, close your eyes and hold your breath!" Lu Lingxi shouted.

The four immediately did as instructed, but the mist seemed to be everywhere, and even if they closed their eyes and held their breath, they could not stop the mist from encroaching.

"This fog is too powerful!" White Tiger said through gritted teeth, his consciousness beginning to blur.

Seeing this, Youming commanded the black flames to form a huge fire shield, enveloping the four of them. Under the protection of the fire shield, the encroachment of the mist was finally blocked.

"Youming, well done!" Lu Lingxi said approvingly.

"Master, there seems to be something in this mist," Youming suddenly said, his eyes sharpening.

"What did you notice?" Lu Lingxi asked.

"I sense an indescribable aura..." Youming said, suddenly extending his claws to reach into the mist.

With a crisp "crack!", it seemed as if something had been torn apart by the Netherworld.

The fog began to dissipate, and the surrounding scenery gradually became clear.

Before them stood a huge, withered tree, its branches draped with vines, the ends of which were connected to glistening, translucent fruits.

"This is... the Blood Mirage Tree!" Nine-Tailed Fox's expression changed, and she exclaimed in surprise.

The Blood Mirage Tree is a special plant in the Mirage Forest. Its fruit produces a mist that devours the heart, making it an extremely dangerous creature.

"So it was it that was causing this trouble!" Lu Lingxi snorted coldly and swung her longsword at the Blood Mirage Tree.

"Crack!" The Blood Mirage Tree's trunk was cleaved open by the Flying Snow Sword, and a large amount of viscous liquid flowed out from the crack, emitting a strong smell of blood.

"Roar!" The Blood Mirage Tree let out a shrill roar, and its branches began to lash wildly at the four of them.

Lu Lingxi reacted quickly, swiftly wielding her Flying Snow Sword to cut off the lashing branches one by one.

The white tiger brandished its fists, unleashing golden fist shadows that hurtled towards the Blood Mirage Tree.

Nine-Tailed Fox waved its folding fan, unleashing a series of wind blades that slashed towards the Blood Mirage Tree.

Youming stood to the side, his hands ablaze with black flames, ready to provide support at any moment.

Under the combined attack of the four, the Blood Mirage Tree quickly succumbed, with most of its branches being severed and its trunk covered in wounds.

"Roar!" The Blood Mirage Tree let out a desperate roar, and its body began to tremble violently.

"Oh no, it's going to self-destruct! The Blood Mirage Tree's self-destruction is extremely powerful, enough to destroy everything around it." Nine-Tails' expression changed, and he exclaimed in alarm.

"Retreat! Retreat..." Lu Lingxi shouted, pulling Youming and Baihu up and flying backward.

Nine-Tailed Fox also quickly flew backward.

With a deafening roar, the Blood Mirage Tree exploded, sending a powerful shockwave spreading outwards.

Lu Lingxi, Youming, Baihu, and Jiuwei were all thrown away by the shockwave and crashed heavily to the ground.

"Cough cough..." Lu Lingxi coughed a few times and got up from the ground. She felt as if her internal organs had been shaken.

"Master!" Youming rushed over and helped Lu Lingxi Yao up.

"I'm fine." Lu Lingxi shook her head.

"What about that Blood Mirage Tree?" the White Tiger asked.

“It has turned to ashes,” Nine-Tailed Fox said.

The four looked around and found that most of the mist in the Mirage Forest had dissipated, and the surrounding scenery had become clearer.

"Does this count as passing through the Mirage Forest?" the White Tiger asked uncertainly.

"Not yet." Nine-Tailed Fox shook its head. "The Mirage Forest is just the first hurdle. There are even more dangerous ones waiting for us."

"No matter what happens, we must get through it," Lu Lingxi said firmly.