Soldier Grass

A black-and-red triangular fighter jet streaked across the blue sky. Xue Xi looked around with eager curiosity, touching this and inspecting that. It was far more advanced than the little electric scooter she'd had in her previous life.

Hong savored the Highland Barley Wine in his glass, looking thoroughly pleased, while Thor watched Xue Xi, who was gawking like a country bumpkin, with amusement. "What, want one?"

Xue Xi nodded eagerly. With one of these, she wouldn't have to struggle through the wind while flying on her blade. She could travel the world with Little Wolf in a plane. How wonderful would that be?

Hong set down his glass and turned to her with a faint smile. "Sure. How about I use a King-Level Intelligent Fighter Jet to cover the cost of this meal for my second brother and me?" Xue Xi hurriedly nodded in agreement. She was getting an incredible deal.

"Good, then. I'll have someone park the fighter jet behind your restaurant. You'll just need to complete a simple ownership registration."

Thor traced his finger over the map, muttering, "That kid Luo Feng is absurdly lucky. I've passed through this area so many times. How come I never found all those Spirits of Vegetation? What a mystery."

Seeing that they were almost there, Hong clasped his hands behind his back and walked to the cabin door. "Let's go see what secrets this island is hiding."

The fighter jet hovered in the air, and the hatch lowered. Hong and Thor flew off first, heading toward Mist Island in the middle of the lake. Xue Xi tossed out the Coiled Dragon Blade, bent her knees, and jumped neatly onto it, following the two of them.

When they reached the sky above Mist Island, they saw Luo Feng sitting cross-legged on the outskirts, his aura growing steadily stronger. An empty Willow Heart shell lay beside him. Clearly, he had already consumed it.

Sensing their approach, Luo Feng quickly stopped cultivating and stood up. He nodded slightly to Hong and Thor, then looked in surprise at the graceful figure behind them. "Xue Xi, what are you doing here too?"

Xue Xi put on a stern face and pretended to be annoyed. "What, I'm not welcome? Afraid I'll take some of your Spirits of Vegetation?"

Luo Feng quickly waved his hands. "Of course not. I was just a little surprised. I was planning to give you some Spirits of Vegetation, actually. The stronger you get, the more you understand just how much Gene Multipliers help. I'll have to eat plenty more Braised Pork Knuckles in the future, too."

Xue Xi gave a soft snort, accepting his explanation. Then she proudly ran her index finger across the tip of her nose. "Exactly. And I got lucky today, too. Let's see what those people who said behind your back that you only got them because of me have to say now."

Luo Feng froze, then was happy for her. Only those who had experienced the benefits of increased Gene Multipliers could understand how rare they were. "Really? Congratulations!"

Hong and Thor were a little put out watching the two people who had been the first to benefit from the discovery congratulate each other, so they forcefully changed the subject. "Luo Feng, take us to the Spirits of Vegetation. From the looks of it, you've already consumed one, right?"

"Yeah. My physical fitness has reached the intermediate War God level, and my Spiritual Force is now at the peak War God level."

They walked toward the center of Mist Island as they talked. Trees and plants grew lushly all around them, but the place was eerily silent, without the slightest sound of any living creature.

Xue Xi spotted a saw-toothed plant nearly two people tall and looked at it curiously. It reminded her of the weeds that grew near the orphanage in her previous life. Because of their sharp, blade-like teeth, everyone had called them Soldier Grass.

As Xue Xi was reminiscing, the giant Soldier Grass suddenly moved, slashing at her, the nearest person.

"Xue Xi, watch out!" Luo Feng's sudden shout snapped her back to the present. The Soldier Grass had already reached the space just in front of her brow, without making a sound.

Xue Xi's pupils contracted sharply. She bent backward at the waist, and the Soldier Grass barely missed the tip of her nose. It cut off a few strands of hair that had lifted into the air, then continued its slash toward Luo Feng and the others.

"Hmph!" Luo Feng held his War Blade across his body, lightning crackling over it. Then he slashed at the Soldier Grass with incredible speed.

"Nine-Layered Thunder Blade!"

He sliced the Soldier Grass waving in midair cleanly in half, as if chopping vegetables. Green liquid splattered across the ground.

Only then did he relax. He put his blade behind his back. "Are you all right, Xue Xi? There are lots of plant life forms around here. Be careful."

Xue Xi had dropped her carefree, sightseeing attitude. After confirming she was fine, she nodded and spread her Spiritual Force around her, alert to her surroundings like a radar.

Hong and Thor remained where they were, watching the two with interest. They planned to leave this Spirit of Vegetation, whose fighting strength rivaled that of a King Rank Monster, for the two of them to handle as training. Given their own strength, they could step in if either of them ran into danger.

Thor shook his head. "These things are much harder to deal with than ordinary Monsters. Let's see what happens."

Sure enough, the Soldier Grass, cut in half, quickly grew back as if it had been drinking Highland Barley Wine. Worse still, two more Soldier Grass plants swayed toward them, preparing to attack.

"Looks like ordinary weapons can only do limited damage to them. We need to find the roots of all three and kill them in one strike. We can't give them a chance to recover!" Luo Feng analyzed seriously.

Xue Xi watched the roots of the Soldier Grass hidden in the dense forest. Finding them would take time, and she wasn't sure whether there were any other dangers. She needed to think of another way.