Bloodthirsty Vine

Bloodthirsty Vine

After "examining" Dugu Yan's body, Dugu Bo forced out a smile and said, "Don't worry, Yanyan. You're not poisoned. You're perfectly healthy!"

"Whew, that's good." Dugu Yan let out a sigh of relief. Since her grandfather said she was fine, then she had to be fine.

"Yanyan, stay home and cultivate properly for now. Grandfather has something to take care of and needs to go out."

"Huh?" Dugu Yan's face fell. "Grandfather, you just got back, and you're leaving again?"

"Sorry, Yanyan. Grandfather really does have something to do. But don't worry—once I return this time, I'll definitely spend some proper time with you."

"All right, Grandfather. It's a promise!"

"Mm, it's a deal." Dugu Bo smiled, then strode out the door. He rose into the air and hurried toward the Star Luo Empire without stopping.

In the courtyard of the Prince Residence in Star Luo City, Anna was cultivating her soul power.

Suddenly, her body let out a crisp crack like popping beans. A powerful surge of soul power burst forth like rolling waves, and she felt as though something within her had broken through.

Anna opened her eyes, revealing beautiful black-pearl-like pupils, and exclaimed in delight, "Weisi Gege, I broke through! I broke through! My soul power has reached Level 10!"

"Oh? You're already Level 10? That's wonderful, Nana!" Dai Weisi's eyes lit up at her words. It had now been a month since he had taken Anna in.

Over that short month, Anna had not only completed the physical training Dai Weisi assigned her beautifully, but she had also kept up with her Meditation Cultivation.

She had even become able to consume Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber. By now, Anna's physical constitution had reached a frightening level—even the energy of Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber could no longer further strengthen her body.

"As expected of a genius with Innate Soul Power as high as Level 9. When I cultivated to Level 10 back then, it took me more than half a year."

After a pause, Dai Weisi smiled. "Nana, since your soul power has reached Level 10, shall we go obtain your soul ring now?"

"Sure, Weisi Gege. I can't wait to become a Soul Master." Anna smiled.

Over the past month, she had already witnessed the dazzling and varied soul abilities of Dai Weisi, Zhu Zhuyun, and the others. Deep down, she had begun looking forward to what kind of soul ability she might gain once she became a Soul Master herself.

"Then let's not delay. We'll set out now. Uncle Li, prepare the carriage! We're going to the Star Dou Great Forest!"

"Huh? The Star Dou Great Forest?" Li Hu was startled and asked in surprise, "First Prince, it's only for obtaining a First Soul Ring. Is there really any need to go to the Star Dou Great Forest? Wouldn't a nearby Soul Hunting Forest do?"

"No. I've been to nearly all the nearby Soul Hunting Forests. There are too few plant-type soul beasts there; aside from Blue Silver Grass, it's almost impossible to find any plant-type soul beasts. We might as well go directly to the Star Dou Great Forest."

Although Plant-based Martial Spirits could also absorb soul rings produced by animal soul beasts, conflicts were unavoidable during absorption. Soul Masters with Plant-based Martial Spirits were better off absorbing soul rings produced by plant-type soul beasts.

Just look at that little bastard. A perfectly good Blue Silver Emperor had been ruined by Yu Xiaogang. A Martial Spirit with a life attribute, yet he insisted on playing with poison. The first, third, and fourth soul rings were completely wasted; only the Second Spirit Ability, Parasite, was somewhat useful.

Dai Weisi certainly would not make Yu Xiaogang's mistakes. Anna's Martial Spirit was Hundred Herbs, so absorbing the soul ring of any plant-type soul beast would not cause a conflict. She could even absorb soul rings beyond her level.

"All right, Uncle Li. Hurry and prepare the carriage."

"Yes, First Prince. But since we're going to the Star Dou Great Forest, should we bring Dean Lin along?"

"There's no need. We'll only be staying in the outer region of the forest this time, so there shouldn't be any danger. Besides, even if we do run into danger, I still have plenty of Hand Grenades. There's no need to worry."

"Yes."

Before long, Li Hu brought over a carriage, and the three of them set off for the Star Dou Great Forest in grand fashion.

Li Hu was already very familiar with the route to the Star Dou Great Forest. In just a week, the three arrived at the forest's outskirts.

"My goodness! Weisi Gege! Is this the Star Dou Great Forest? It's so beautiful, so magnificent!"

Looking at the lush, flourishing trees, the ancient towering woods, and the verdant layers of mountains before her, Anna cheered at the sight of such scenery for the first time.

If Dai Weisi had not held her back, this silly girl would probably have plunged headfirst into the forest.

Dai Weisi could not help but smile wryly. When he had first arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest, he too had been shocked by the sea of trees before him.

However, after witnessing the corpses scattered throughout the forest with his own eyes, his impression of the Star Dou Great Forest had changed completely.

Within the forest, Soul Masters hunted soul beasts, and they also hunted weaker Soul Masters. Soul beasts ate Soul Masters, and likewise ate weaker soul beasts.

Here, no one knew whether they were the hunter or the prey.

"Nana, remember this. The forest is extremely dangerous. Don't shout or make a fuss here, or you might attract powerful soul beasts."

"Mm, I understand." Anna hurriedly covered her mouth.

"All right, let's go."

Li Hu led the way ahead, while Dai Weisi kept a constant watch on the surrounding soul beasts, especially plant-type soul beasts.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

All of a sudden, a ten-year Soft Bone Rabbit came running over, happily gnawing on a blade of grass, unaware that the god of death was about to arrive.

Whoosh!

A sharp dagger tore through the air, shooting toward the Soft Bone Rabbit's back like a streak of white lightning. With a squelch, the Soft Bone Rabbit was pierced through by the Soft Bone Rabbit Dai Weisi had thrown, dying on the spot.

White soul power seeped out from its body and slowly hovered over the Soft Bone Rabbit's corpse.

"Good! Looks like lunch is taken care of." Dai Weisi smiled, then walked over to the Soft Bone Rabbit's corpse and explained, "Nana, watch carefully! When absorbing a soul ring, you need to release your soul power to draw in the soul ring, then use meditation to add it to your Martial Spirit, like this."

He released his soul power and drew the soul ring toward himself.

"Since my soul power is only Level 48 and I haven't reached a bottleneck yet, I can't absorb a soul ring. The soul ring will dissipate after an hour. Let's rest for now, and we'll look for a soul beast suitable for you this afternoon."

Dai Weisi sat down and roasted the Soft Bone Rabbit. Though it was unwise to light a fire in the forest, they were still on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, and with Li Hu, a Soul Saint, present, they did not need to worry about enemies approaching.

After lunch, the three of them continued onward in search of a soul beast suitable for Anna. Heaven rewards those who work hard. After wandering through the forest for three shichen, Dai Weisi finally found a soul beast suitable for Anna.

He looked up at a hundred-meter-tall tree. Above it, an extremely conspicuous blood-red vine was tightly wrapped around the trunk.

The vine was covered in sharp barbs that pierced through the bark, greedily sucking up the tree's nutrients. Before their eyes, the great tree gradually withered away.

Upon seeing the blood-red vine, the well-informed Li Hu immediately cried out, "Your Highness, that is a Bloodthirsty Vine, a soul beast that survives by parasitizing other living creatures and absorbing their nutrients!

"The longer the Bloodthirsty Vine's vines grow, the greater its cultivation. Its vines are already nearly seven meters long, so it is clearly a Bloodthirsty Vine with a cultivation close to seven hundred years!"