First Soul Ring

As Bai Xiao and Hou ventured deeper, Hou slowed down. 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 nearby, but if we encounter one, I can get you out safely.)" Hou replied.

"That's good!" Bai Xiao fell silent and carefully observed his surroundings.

Hou then stopped on a tree, and Bai Xiao immediately flipped down.

"Hou hou. (Right there.)" Hou called out, pointing with a claw.

Bai Xiao looked where Hou indicated and saw a thick vine as wide as his arm. Its green surface was dotted with tiny red markings. It coiled around a tree more than ten meters tall, with some of its roots embedded in the trunk.

Fire was the best way to attack plants, but directly burning a water-filled plant would not only make it difficult to ignite, but would also produce thick smoke.

Bai Xiao did not want to create smoke, as it would make noise and attract nearby Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, or even Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

So Bai Xiao decided to use another plan.

"Little Hou, bring me some of its tissue. Also, cut off its roots and stems where they connect to the ground!" Bai Xiao ordered Hou.

Upon hearing this, Hou figured that since the boss had spoken, he should get to work.

Before long, Hou had severed the plant Soul Beast's connection to the ground and brought back a section of vine in his mouth.

Bai Xiao determined that the plant Soul Beast was now parasitizing the nearby tree. As he considered this, he used his Martial Soul to Assimilate the section of vine Hou had brought back.

"Since you know how to parasitize, I'll use parasitism against you," Bai Xiao muttered.

Bai Xiao approached the plant Soul Beast and cut a vertical slit into part of it with his knife. 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 to the Super Blue Silver Grass seeds," he thought.

"Understood, Master. Genetically modifying the Super Blue Silver Grass seeds," Rem's voice sounded in Bai Xiao's mind.

Bai Xiao watched quietly as Rem controlled his Martial Soul and modified the Super Blue Silver Grass seeds in the pouch.

"Master, the modifications are complete." Before long, Rem's voice rang out in Bai Xiao's mind.

Bai Xiao opened the pouch and scattered the modified seeds into the slit he had made earlier. Once they were in place, he used Soul Power to stimulate them, and the Blue Silver Grass began growing wildly.

Soon afterward, Bai Xiao controlled the Super Blue Silver Grass to parasitize the plant Soul Beast. He then repeated the process, cutting another opening into the plant Soul Beast and stuffing more Super Blue Silver Grass seeds inside.

Once those seeds matured, they activated Super Parasite Mode. Bai Xiao summoned his Martial Soul in his right hand and condensed flames.

However, he did not burn the vines directly. Instead, he kept a certain distance from the plant Soul Beast and used the flames' heat to speed up the evaporation of its moisture without producing smoke.

As the Blue Silver Grass continuously drained the plant Soul Beast and Bai Xiao dried it with fire, wrinkles appeared on the vines, which began to shrivel.

About half an hour later, Bai Xiao, who had been staring intently at the Soul Beast, saw a dark yellow ring appear. This should be the Soul Ring!

Bai Xiao immediately withdrew the flames and sent a signal to Hou, telling him to scout the surroundings and stand guard for him.

After receiving Bai Xiao's message, Hou immediately returned from afar to Bai Xiao's side.

Bai Xiao was extremely nervous at this moment. After all, it was his first time taking a Soul Ring!

Jokes aside, this was no time to gamble with his life.

Bai Xiao immediately calmed himself and activated his Soul Power, slowly drawing the Soul Ring toward himself. Suddenly, he felt an enormous pressure.

Could this Soul Ring be over five hundred years old? Bai Xiao thought.

Bai Xiao hurriedly activated his Martial Soul, frantically absorbing the Soul Ring's Soul Power with his own Soul Power and cells. But it was not enough. Massive amounts of Soul Power filled Bai Xiao's body, and he felt like he was about to explode!

"Rem, push the Body Martial Soul transformation process at full power!!" Bai Xiao urgently ordered.

"Understood, Master. Fully advancing the Body Martial Soul transformation process," Rem replied.

10.009%

11.057%

12.06%

As Bai Xiao listened to Rem report the numbers, he felt the pressure on his body growing lighter and lighter, since the Body Martial Soul strengthened parts of his body.

After an unknown amount of time, Bai Xiao heard Rem report, "Due to the interruption of Soul Power input, the full-power Body Martial Soul transformation mode has stopped and 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 sludge. A foul stench immediately assaulted him.

Bai Xiao wanted to strip off his clothes on the spot and wash himself in the nearest pool of water.

But when he remembered that he was deep within Sunset Forest, Bai Xiao immediately restrained himself 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 stench on Bai Xiao, he wanted to throw Bai Xiao off at once. Fortunately, he held back. It was definitely not because Bai Xiao was violent.

Hou ran faster and faster, his expression seeming to say, "As long as I run fast enough, your stink can't catch me."