As Bai Xiao and Hou ventured deeper and deeper, Hou's speed gradually slowed. They should have been close to their destination.
"Is there any danger nearby?" Bai Xiao asked worriedly.
"Hou hou. (There are signs of Thousand-Year Soul Beasts moving around nearby, but if we encounter one, I can get you out safely,)" Hou replied.
"That's good!" Bai Xiao fell silent at once, cautiously observing his surroundings.
Soon after, Hou stopped on a tree, and Bai Xiao immediately flipped down.
"Hou hou. (Right there,)" Hou called out, pointing with his claw.
Bai Xiao looked in the direction Hou indicated and saw a thick vine, as thick as his arm. Its green surface was dotted with tiny red markings. It coiled around a tree over ten meters tall, with some of its roots embedded in the trunk.
The best way to attack plants was with fire, but if one directly roasted a moisture-filled plant with flames, not only would it be difficult to ignite, it would also produce thick smoke.
Bai Xiao did not want to create smoke, because that would cause a disturbance and attract nearby Thousand-Year Soul Beasts or even Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.
So Bai Xiao decided to put another plan into action.
"Little Hou, bring me some of its tissue. While you're at it, cut off the roots and stems connecting it to the ground!" Bai Xiao ordered Hou.
Hearing that, Hou figured that since the boss had spoken, it was time to get to work.
Before long, Hou had destroyed all of the plant Soul Beast's connections to the ground, and it also brought back a piece of vine in its mouth.
Bai Xiao judged that the plant Soul Beast was now parasitizing the nearby tree. As he pondered, he used his Martial Soul to Assimilate the piece of vine Hou had brought back.
"Since you can parasitize, then I'll use parasitism against you," Bai Xiao muttered.
Bai Xiao approached the plant Soul Beast and used his knife to slice part of it open vertically. Then he took out a small pouch filled with seeds of the modified Super Blue Silver Grass.
"Rem, add the parasitic genes just extracted from the plant Soul Beast into the Super Blue Silver Grass seeds," he said in his mind.
"Yes, Master. Genetic modification of the Super Blue Silver Grass seeds is now underway." Rem's voice appeared in Bai Xiao's mind.
Bai Xiao watched quietly as Rem controlled his Martial Soul to modify the Super Blue Silver Grass seeds inside the pouch.
"Master, the modification is complete." Before long, Bai Xiao heard Rem's voice in his mind.
Bai Xiao opened the pouch and scattered the modified seeds into the wound he had cut earlier. After placing them inside, Bai Xiao used soul power to catalyze the seeds. The Blue Silver Grass immediately began growing like mad.
Soon afterward, Bai Xiao controlled the Super Blue Silver Grass to parasitize the plant Soul Beast. Then he repeated the process, cutting a new opening into the plant Soul Beast and stuffing more Super Blue Silver Grass seeds inside.
Once those seeds matured, they activated super parasitic mode. Bai Xiao summoned his Martial Soul with his right hand and condensed flames.
However, he did not directly burn the vines. Instead, he kept a certain distance from the plant Soul Beast and used the flames' intense heat to accelerate the evaporation of its moisture without producing smoke.
As the Blue Silver Grass continuously drained the plant Soul Beast, coupled with Bai Xiao drying it with fire, wrinkles began to appear on the vines, and they started to look somewhat shriveled.
About half an hour later, Bai Xiao, who had been staring intently at the Soul Beast, saw a deep yellow ring appear. This should be the Soul Ring!
Bai Xiao immediately put away the flames and sent a signal to Hou, telling it to scout the surroundings and stand guard for him.
After receiving Bai Xiao's message, Hou immediately returned from afar to his side.
Bai Xiao was extremely nervous as well. After all, this was his first time—like a young maiden climbing into a bridal sedan chair!
Joking was one thing, but one could not joke around with one's life.
Bai Xiao immediately calmed himself. He circulated his soul power and slowly drew the Soul Ring toward himself, when he suddenly felt an enormous pressure.
Could this Soul Ring be over five hundred years old? Bai Xiao thought.
Bai Xiao hurriedly activated his Martial Soul, using his soul power and cells to frantically absorb the Soul Ring's soul power. But it still was not enough. The massive soul power flooded his body, and Bai Xiao felt like he was about to explode!
"Rem, push the Body Martial Soul transformation process at full force!!" Bai Xiao urgently ordered.
"Yes, Master. The Body Martial Soul transformation process is being advanced at full force," Rem replied.
10.009% 11.057% 12.06%
As Bai Xiao listened to Rem report the numbers, he could feel the pressure on his body growing smaller and smaller. Since the body parts affected by the Body Martial Soul would be strengthened, he could feel it clearly.
After an unknown amount of time, Bai Xiao heard Rem report, "Because the soul power input has been interrupted, the full-force advancement mode for the Body Martial Soul transformation process has stopped and has entered background operation. Current Body Martial Soul transformation progress: 97.5%."
Bai Xiao stood up and discovered that his body was covered in cold sweat and muddy grime. A foul stench immediately hit him.
Bai Xiao wanted to strip off his clothes right there and wash himself in the nearest pool.
But when he remembered that he was deep within Sunset Forest, Bai Xiao immediately held himself back and called for Hou.
"Return to Base Two immediately," Bai Xiao said urgently.
A cat's sense of smell was far sharper than a human's. When Hou caught the stink on Bai Xiao's body, it wanted to throw Bai Xiao off at once. Fortunately, it held back. It was definitely not because of Bai Xiao's violence.
Hou ran faster and faster, its expression seeming to say, "As long as I run fast enough, your stink can't reach me."
Before you continue