Do Plants Need to Learn to Bind?

"Xiao... Xiao San..."

Yu Xiaogang weakly opened his eyes and saw the slightly dim Spirit Ring as well.

As a theoretical Grandmaster, he naturally understood what had happened.

Awkward.

Extremely awkward.

Not only had he failed to protect his disciple in danger, but he had also made his disciple suck his butt, and in the end, he had even caused his disciple to miss his best opportunity.

If word got out, would he have any face left as a Grandmaster?

He had to salvage his dignity!

He had to shift the blame or put a better spin on this!

"Xiao San..."

Yu Xiaogang struggled to sit up and looked at Tang San with an expression of "gratitude" and "relief."

"You've had it hard. Not only did you save your teacher's life, you even lost part of your opportunity because of it."

"But!"

Yu Xiaogang abruptly changed his tone, confidence lighting up his face.

"You mustn't feel regretful. Although some of the Spirit Ring's energy has dissipated, this is precisely the will of heaven!"

"The will of heaven?" Tang San looked at him coldly.

"That's right." Yu Xiaogang began spinning his tale.

"The Datura Snake is incomparably overbearing. After all, you only have a Blue Silver Grass Martial Spirit. If the Spirit Ring had been at full strength, absorbing it with your current physique would have been extremely risky. You might even have exploded and died."

"Now that some of its energy has dispersed, it has become gentler instead, making it more suitable for you to absorb."

"Besides..."

A gleam flashed through Yu Xiaogang's eyes as he brought out his trump card.

"This step of yours was far steadier than Ye Liuyun's!"

At the mention of Ye Liuyun, Tang San's eyes indeed flickered.

"Think about it. What did Ye Liuyun absorb? Most likely a plant-type Spirit Beast like a Ghost Vine. Plant matched with plant may be safe, but it has no innovation whatsoever. Its potential is locked from the start."

"But you!"

Yu Xiaogang pointed at Tang San, his voice impassioned.

"With a plant-type Martial Spirit, you absorbed the Spirit Ring of a beast Martial Spirit! This is a magnificent feat that breaks convention! This is the greatest practical application of the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul!"

"The explosive power and toughness of a beast Martial Spirit will grant Blue Silver Grass an unprecedented qualitative transformation."

"Even if this Spirit Ring only has the effect of a three-hundred-year one, the boost to your actual combat strength will absolutely crush any plant-type First Spirit Ring!"

"Xiao San, you won in terms of philosophy. You won in terms of vision!"

His speech was stirring and impassioned, its logic forming a perfect loop.

As Tang San listened, his previously gloomy mood actually improved considerably.

That was right.

Although its age is a little low, I'm walking a path nobody has ever walked before.

Using a plant to absorb a beast ring—how could such an advanced concept compare to Ye Liuyun's ordinary path?

As long as the philosophy is advanced, what does this tiny loss matter?

Tang San took a deep breath, and the resentment in his eyes faded.

"Teacher is right."

"I was too short-sighted."

Tang San bowed to Yu Xiaogang, then sat down cross-legged and began drawing in that "discounted" Spirit Ring.

Watching Tang San enter a cultivation state, Yu Xiaogang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and let out a long breath.

That was close. I finally talked my way through it.

But... my butt really hurts.

Outside Nuoding City, on the main road.

The setting sun stretched Tang San and Yu Xiaogang's shadows long behind them.

Tang San walked along the road, feeling the Soul Power flowing through his body, a confident curve lifting the corner of his mouth.

Although saving his teacher had delayed him and reduced the Datura Snake Spirit Ring to barely three hundred years, he was not discouraged.

First Spirit Skill: Blue Silver Entanglement.

Not only did it possess the Datura Snake's toughness, it also carried a powerful Paralysis Toxin.

Although Ye Liuyun's Blue Silver Grass could regenerate, it was only annoyingly persistent, like chewing gum.

But my Blue Silver Grass was a venomous snake.

Once it bound someone, the toxin would enter their body. No matter how strong their vitality was, the paralysis would leave them unable to move.

When that happened, you would be the target, and I would be the hunter. With my Tang Sect Hidden Weapons, killing you would be as easy as slaughtering a dog.

Tang San clenched his fist, revenge gleaming in his eyes.

"Ye Liuyun, just wait."

"I'll let you know that only a Martial Spirit guided by the Grandmaster is truly perfect."

Nuoding Academy, the rear mountain flower garden.

Normally deserted, this place had now become Ye Liuyun's sacred ground for cultivation.

He sat cross-legged amid a dense patch of Blue Silver Grass. The surrounding Blue Silver Grass seemed like his subjects, pulsing with his breathing as they gathered faint yet pure botanical essence into his body bit by bit.

"Hey! Cousin!"

A crisp shout shattered the tranquility.

Xiao Wu skipped over, a trace of newly advanced Soul Power rippling from her body.

Clearly, this hundred-thousand-year Rogue Rabbit had already condensed her own First Spirit Ring as well.

She ran up to Ye Liuyun, crouched before him, and curiously examined him as he rested with his eyes closed.

"You've been hiding here all day. Did you condense your First Spirit Ring too?"

Ye Liuyun slowly opened his eyes. In that instant, an invisible breeze seemed to sweep over the once-still grass.

"Mm." He answered blandly.

"What skill is it?"

Xiao Wu blinked her large eyes and guessed with an expression that said she knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Is it Bind?"

"Among the plant-type Spirit Beasts I know, nine out of ten can Bind. It's a little old-fashioned, but it's still practical..."

"Bind?"

Ye Liuyun glanced at her as though he were looking at a fool who had yet to be weaned.

"Xiao Wu, have you gone stupid from staying in the human world too long?"

"If you know that nine out of ten plant-type Spirit Beasts can use Bind, then it's an innate skill. Why waste a Spirit Skill slot on it?"

Xiao Wu choked on his words. She puffed out her cheeks in displeasure and haughtily retorted.

"Then tell me, what is your First Spirit Skill? What else can a trash Martial Spirit like Blue Silver Grass do besides tying people up?"

Ye Liuyun stood and brushed the grass clippings from his clothes.

He raised his right hand, and a stalk of Blue Silver Grass appeared, crystal-clear throughout, with dark golden liquid flowing through its veins.

"My First Spirit Skill is called—Parasitism."

"Parasitism?" Xiao Wu froze. "What use is that? Sprinkling seeds onto other people? They'd just slap them off before they even sprouted."

In Xiao Wu's usual understanding, Parasitism was a rather useless skill.

It was not that it lacked power, but it required planting seeds first before activating them.

Furthermore, Blue Silver Grass was not strong enough. The parasitic grass would be snapped by an opponent in an instant.

This skill was not even as useful as Bind.

At least Bind could hold someone back for a while.

Ye Liuyun sneered without explaining.

His Spirit Skill was not what mattered. What mattered was his Endless Life talent.

The Spirit Skill best suited to oneself was the best one.

With a casual wave, he sent Blue Silver Grass seeds drifting toward a small tree as thick as a bowl nearby.

First Spirit Skill: Parasitism, activate.

Without making a sound, the Blue Silver Grass silently sprouted.

That vibrant little tree began to wither and yellow at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Its leaves withered, its bark cracked, as if all its life force were being drained away.

"Th-this..." Xiao Wu's eyes widened, and she covered her mouth.

Frightened, she quickly shook her clothes and vigorously patted the butt she had just sat on, afraid that Blue Silver Grass seeds might have gotten onto her.

Ye Liuyun looked at the small tree that had become rotten wood, deeply satisfied.

After assessing its strength and absorption efficiency, he found that it was two hundred percent of the Soul Power consumed to release the Spirit Skill.

Although the Soul Power consumption of a First Spirit Skill was not particularly high, Parasitism was a weapon for prolonged battles against opponents of the same rank.

Xiao Wu's scalp went numb as she watched.

She could only feel that making Ye Liuyun her little brother was a long and arduous task.