Dragon Blood Vine

The three of them walked on, searching as they went.

They continued until they passed the shady side of a dense forest.

Hu Liena stopped in her tracks and pointed at a vine wrapped around an ancient tree up ahead.

"Little Junior Brother, look! What's that?!"

Ling Xiao followed her gaze, his pupils narrowing slightly.

A pitch-black vine was wrapped densely around the ancient tree.

Fine barbs covered its surface, and it gave off a chilling fluctuation of Soul Power.

Ghost Vine.

One of the common Plant-type control Soul Beasts on the Douluo Continent.

It was known for parasitizing, restraining, and devouring its prey's life force.

In the original story, Tang San's second Soul Ring came from a six-hundred-year-old Ghost Vine. Its Soul Skill, Parasite, was a classic plant-control ability.

Ling Xiao looked at the Ghost Vine, a flicker of interest in his eyes.

Its control abilities suited his needs fairly well.

It was also a better match for his Plant-type Martial Soul.

The next moment, he frowned and shook his head.

"No. It's too young."

This Ghost Vine was only around three hundred years old.

For an ordinary Soul Grandmaster's second Soul Ring, three hundred years was a good choice.

But for Ling Xiao, it was nowhere near enough.

Besides, the Ghost Vine was one of Tang San's signature Soul Rings.

There was no need for him to follow a path someone else had already walked.

His Demon Fruit Tree Martial Soul had limitless potential.

He wanted to forge a path of his own.

Hu Liena thought it was a pity, but she respected Ling Xiao's choice.

The three of them skirted the Ghost Vine grove and continued deeper into Star Dou Forest.

The deeper they went, the higher the Soul Beasts' levels grew.

The auras of thousand-year Soul Beasts became more frequent, too.

Chrysanthemum Douluo grew increasingly vigilant, keeping Ling Xiao and Hu Liena firmly behind him.

His Titled Douluo aura spread faintly, deterring the high-level Soul Beasts lurking nearby.

"Senior Yue Guan, have we gone too deep?"

Looking at the ancient trees packed tightly around them, Hu Liena couldn't help asking in a hushed voice.

"Saintess, please don't worry. With me here, there won't be a problem."

Chrysanthemum Douluo answered at once.

"Even if we encounter a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, I'm confident I can get the two of you out safely."

The confidence of a ninety-fifth-level Titled Douluo was no empty boast.

After walking for a while, Ling Xiao suddenly stopped.

His gaze fixed on a crevice in a huge boulder not far ahead.

Steep rock walls flanked the crevice.

A crimson vine coiled over the boulder like a giant dragon.

The vine was as thick as an arm, its surface covered in red patterns like dragon scales.

Its branches stretched dozens of meters, blanketing the entire boulder.

Blood-red flowers bloomed at the tips of the vine, giving off a dense fluctuation of Soul Power to lure in prey.

"Is that... a Dragon Blood Vine?!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo's pupils contracted, and the words burst from his mouth.

The Dragon Blood Vine was an exceedingly rare Plant-type Soul Beast.

It lived by drinking the blood of Soul Beasts and possessed powerful physical defenses, along with the ability to restrain its prey over a wide area.

Its vines were incredibly tough, impervious to blades and spears, and its Dragon might could forcibly suppress the flow of Soul Power.

Ling Xiao's eyes lit up.

This Dragon Blood Vine was eight hundred years old.

Hu Liena grew excited, too.

"A Dragon Blood Vine! This one should meet your requirements, right, Little Junior Brother?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo's expression grew grave.

He turned to Ling Xiao.

"Lord Ling Xiao, this Dragon Blood Vine is indeed suited to your needs, but absorbing an eight-hundred-year Soul Ring will be difficult!"

"If the energy within the Soul Ring runs wild, at best it will damage the foundation of your Martial Soul. At worst, your body will explode!"

He had His Holiness the Pope's orders to ensure Ling Xiao's safety.

Ling Xiao kept his eyes fixed on the Dragon Blood Vine.

A year of arduous spear training had greatly strengthened his body and meridians.

On top of that, his spiritual power was already comparable to a Soul Elder's.

"Senior Yue Guan, I know the risks. But fortune favors the bold!"

Ling Xiao turned to Chrysanthemum Douluo, his tone calm but resolute.

"I'm confident I can absorb this Soul Ring."

Chrysanthemum Douluo looked at the determination in Ling Xiao's eyes and was briefly at a loss for words.

Lord Ling Xiao was gentle and refined, but stubborn to the core.

Once he made up his mind, it was hard to change it.

As Chrysanthemum Douluo hesitated, Hu Liena spoke up, too.

"Senior Yue Guan, I believe in Little Junior Brother. He never does anything unless he's sure he can handle it. If he says he can do it, then he definitely can!"

"We'll stay with him. Nothing will go wrong!"

She had nearly blind faith in Ling Xiao.

From a year ago until now, Ling Xiao had created too many miracles.

She believed this time would be no different.

Chrysanthemum Douluo took a deep breath, then finally gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Fine! Since Lord Ling Xiao has made his decision, I'll obey!"

"Thank you, Senior Chrysanthemum."

Ling Xiao gave a slight nod, gratitude flickering in his eyes.

The next moment, Chrysanthemum Douluo's expression turned fierce.

He released the full force of his Titled Douluo aura!

The terrifying pressure swept across the forest like a tsunami.

The Dragon Blood Vine, which had been lashing about, trembled violently beneath the Titled Douluo's pressure.

All its vines curled up together like lambs waiting for slaughter.

So what if it was a top-tier Plant-type Soul Beast?

Before an overwhelming difference in level, it didn't even have the right to fight back.

"Lord Ling Xiao, go ahead! It won't lay a finger on you!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo said in a low voice.

Ling Xiao nodded and tightened his grip on the long spear.

He stepped lightly, his body shooting forward like an arrow.

With the force of a thousand jun, he drove the spear precisely into the Dragon Blood Vine's main stem.

The spearhead pierced its dragon-scale-like outer layer, and crimson sap gushed out like blood.

The Dragon Blood Vine tried to struggle, but Chrysanthemum Douluo's pressure pinned it firmly in place.

Ling Xiao twisted the spear, crushing the Dragon Blood Vine's core.

A dazzling Yellow Soul Ring rose from its corpse.

Its color was more than a shade deeper than that of an ordinary Hundred-Year Soul Ring.

A dense surge of Soul Power rippled outward.

Ling Xiao didn't hesitate. He immediately sat cross-legged and reached toward the Soul Ring.

The Yellow Soul Ring was drawn toward him and settled around his body, enveloping him entirely.

The immense, violent energy of the Soul Ring surged into him like a raging river, battering through his meridians.

Ling Xiao's meridians throbbed with tearing pain.

He circulated the Heaven Origin Soul Art to its limit, and the phantom of the Demon Fruit Tree slowly unfurled behind him.

Its branches and leaves swayed, gradually absorbing the violent Soul Ring energy and guiding it along his meridians until it finally flowed into the sea of energy in his dantian.

Deep in his sea of consciousness, the Demon Fruit Tree trembled with delight.

Once the Soul Ring had been fully absorbed, it would bear its second fruit.

Time passed, second by second.

The absorption of the Soul Ring progressed steadily.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Hu Liena stood at Ling Xiao's side, watching his condition intently and keeping an eye on their surroundings.

Just then, a jumble of footsteps and voices suddenly came from not far away.

"Stay alert! We're getting closer to the heart of the forest. Stick with the group, and don't wander off! We could run into a thousand-year Soul Beast at any moment!"

A familiar voice rang out.

Hu Liena's expression changed. She looked toward the sound.

A group of Soul Masters dressed in blue were heading their way.

It was a party from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin led the group.

A crowd of collateral disciples followed behind them.

The two groups suddenly came face-to-face in the forest.