Birds of a Feather, Soul Beasts in Crime-Spare the Bird!

Rustle, rustle!

The sound of vines brushing past echoed around the team.

Dozens of black vines covered in sharp thorns coiled toward Xu Huxiao's group like living creatures.

Slash!

Xu Huxiao, gripping a short blade, severed the vine reaching toward him. Sap splattered from the cut vine, which thrashed about and actually let out a serpent-like hiss!

"Everyone, be careful. Hold onto the hem of the teammate in front of you. Don't panic. This is a thousand-year Ghost Vine, but I can handle it."

[Soul Beast]: Ghost Vine

[Age]: 2,600 years

[Talent Abilities]: 1. Parasitic Entanglement; 2. Paralyzing Toxin

[Way to Court Death]: Ghost Vine and Ghost Monkey—names that court death. Birds of a feather, all of you can enter the path of death together!

Xu Huxiao activated Martial Soul Possession. Under the control of the True Stabilized Turtle-Breathing State, the colors of his Soul Rings had changed. What had originally been one yellow and one purple ring had become two bright yellow Soul Rings, pulsing up and down around his body.

His Twin Arms transformed into Platinum Dragon-Scaled Arms. Although he could not use Soul Skills at the moment, Martial Soul Possession still enhanced his overall physical condition.

He employed a variation of Revisiting the Dragon, drawing a semicircle with his right leg before stomping down.

Shocking a Hundred Miles!

A ring of shockwaves forced back the vines curling in from the ground.

At that moment, Ghost Monkeys shrieked endlessly from afar while the Ghost Vine steadily closed in nearby. Fortunately, the Ghost Vine's entangling speed was not fast.

Xu Huxiao watched the black vines winding across the ground. At such a slow speed, unless they were wrapping around a stationary target, anyone who could spot them could dodge them.

Spot them? See them?

The Ghost Vine dealt almost no damage, but it could strip away vision through mental control. Its dark vines were slow, yet poisonous.

These two types of Soul Beasts seemed to have formed a tacit cooperative relationship.

And that was indeed the case. The Enchantment Forest contained many tangible yet insubstantial Soul Beasts. Their offensive power was generally weak, but once they reached Ten Thousand Year, they could evolve and transform into physical forms with powerful attacks.

Before that, however, these tangible yet insubstantial Soul Beasts often had fixed partners. The Netherworld Ghost Monkey's partner was the Ghost Vine, which possessed Parasitic Seeds. Ghost Vine could control its prey, but its attacks were easy to evade. Yet if its target could not see, then it would almost certainly be entangled and parasitized.

The two hunted in this manner. After catching prey, the Ghost Monkeys only ate their victims' eyeballs and brains, while the Ghost Vine absorbed the bloody remains.

Panicked voices rose from the group.

"Huxiao, I think something thorny is wrapped around my foot! I can't move!"

"Me too! My arm is numb. The thorns on these vines are poisonous."

"My thigh and waist are wrapped up too! Senior Brother, be careful!"

Xu Huxiao slashed with his blade and stomped heavily. The shockwaves from Shocking a Hundred Miles once again drove back the attacking Ghost Vine.

"Don't worry. This is the Ghost Vine's Parasitic Seeds ability. We must have picked up Ghost Vine seeds while walking. The toxin does not affect the body much; it only causes paralysis."

"Nana, let go of my clothes first. I'll cut down this Ghost Vine, then help you remove the parasitic vines."

Hu Liena obediently released him. "Senior Brother, be careful."

"Don't worry. It'll be quick."

Xu Huxiao tore away the parasitic vines on his chest and arms. With his Martial Soul Possession, his arms' defense had greatly increased, and the Ghost Vine's thorns could not leave a single mark on them.

His chest, however, had been cut with several bloody scratches. Yet the moment the numbness appeared, it immediately vanished without a trace.

Nine Yang Divine Skill, immune to all poisons!

Although his Yang Origin Soul Power had only reached the level of the second Golden Sun, it was more than enough to handle this relatively mild paralyzing toxin.

After tearing off the vines on his body, Xu Huxiao scanned the area and discovered the Ghost Vine's main body clinging to a tree trunk ten meters away.

He strode forward, slashing continuously. As he neared the tree, three pitch-black thorned vines with a metallic gleam lashed toward him.

Xu Huxiao swung his blade, but failed to cut them apart. Instead, the short blade was twisted and snapped by the three noticeably strengthened vines.

"Looks like these three vines are the Ghost Vine's main limbs."

Xu Huxiao intended to end this quickly. Plant-type Soul Beasts had strong vitality, but their methods of attack were limited. This Ghost Vine's important abilities were its Paralyzing Toxin and its powerful, python-like constricting force.

But its toxin was useless against Xu Huxiao, while strength happened to be his specialty.

Xu Huxiao grabbed the black-gold vine winding toward him. Its thorns could not pierce his dragon-scale-covered palm at all. The black vine wrapped around his arm and gradually tightened.

It dragged him toward the tree, and Xu Huxiao followed its pull.

Seeing that the Ghost Vine had succeeded, the Ghost Monkeys darting around nearby shrieked with even greater urgency and excitement.

When he reached the trunk, Xu Huxiao saw the Ghost Vine's true body. Its main vine was as thick as a bowl and deeply embedded in the tree trunk. It had no roots and no thorns; instead, countless tiny rootlets had pierced into the tree.

Three main branches extended from it. Two wrapped around Xu Huxiao's Twin Arms, while the third bound his waist.

Like three pythons, they continuously coiled and constricted.

Pain shot through the muscles in his arms and waist from the tight binding, but Xu Huxiao's expression remained unchanged.

Now that he had found the main body, he only needed to destroy it.

Just as faint dragon-shaped force rose around Xu Huxiao, Xu Bayan's unhurried voice came from behind him.

"Son, how is it? Need your old man's help? This Ghost Vine has split into three main branches, so it must be at least 2,500 years old."

"No need, Father. I can handle it."

As soon as he finished speaking, dragon roars sounded from Xu Huxiao's Twin Arms. His muscles tensed as he took a step back, ignoring the vines wrapped around his Twin Arms.

His Yang Origin Soul Power circulated at full force, dyeing the dragon-shaped force gold. Facing the spot where the black Ghost Vine's main body wrapped around the tree, which took two people to encircle, Xu Huxiao thrust out both palms.

Roar!

The heaviest force, Double Dragons Fetch Water!

Boom!

A huge, irregular gap was blasted through the middle of the trunk, while the Ghost Vine was completely shattered.

The Ghost Vine was dead.

Xu Huxiao's Double Dragons Fetch Water was the most forceful palm strike of the Dragon-Subduing Palm Art. Amplified by his Essence Intent Realm, its already formidable force doubled again, enough to sever metal and shatter stone.

The Netherworld Ghost Monkeys' shrieks stopped. They seemed to have been frightened by the brutal attack.

With a thought from Xu Huxiao, his inner perception shifted to the Outer Force. Faint transparent ripples instantly spread out, and every Netherworld Ghost Monkey struck by them trembled before scattering and fleeing.

At that very moment, the blasted-open tree collapsed.

When the tree fell, the monkeys scattered!

Although his Outer Force had only a weak effect, possessing merely a slight restraining power, the Ghost Monkeys were special, illusory Soul Beasts that were tangible yet insubstantial. Aside from fighting their own kind, they had never felt the influence of anything external.

When Xu Huxiao's Outer Force spread out, combined with the sight of him smashing the Ghost Vine apart, it scared the Netherworld Ghost Monkeys out of their wits.

Xu Bayan and Luo Ming both nodded in satisfaction.

One thought, As expected of my son!

The other thought, As expected of Young Master Huxiao!

Meanwhile, Jin Huan and Xiao Kong exchanged glances, unable to hide their shock. A tree that took two people to encircle had been blasted apart—and he had not even used a Soul Skill.

This... was this something a level-twenty Soul Grandmaster could do!?

Xu Bayan burst into laughter and patted both of them on the shoulders. "Hahaha, my son was born with God-given strength. Nothing strange about that, nothing strange at all."

Xiao Kong had no particular reaction, but Jin Huan's eyes shifted. He immediately suppressed his shock and congratulated him, "A tiger father has no dog son. Congratulations, Your Excellency. Young Master Huxiao has inherited your talent; his natural gifts are unmatched."

Xu Bayan glanced at Jin Huan. "Enough. No need to flatter me. Huxiao wants to cultivate quietly, understand?"

Jin Huan immediately bent at the waist. "Yes, yes. Jin Huan understands."

He knew about the grudge between the Xu Family and Flash Mongoose Douluo five years ago. It seemed Demon Bear Douluo was still wary of that matter, which was why he did not want others paying too much attention to his son's talent.

With the Netherworld Ghost Monkeys no longer affecting them, everyone in the team regained their vision.

They had not seen Xu Huxiao's powerful palm strike, but even if they had, they would not have felt much.

Huxiao's strength was already absurd enough. No matter what else he did, it would not be surprising.

Since the Ghost Vine's Paralyzing Toxin was not especially potent, the seven of them rested briefly before the effects were mostly dispelled, and they continued exploring the forest.

However, they did not venture any deeper. A single Ghost Monkey and Ghost Vine had caught them off guard. If not for Xu Huxiao, with their vision gone, all they could have done was ask for help.

The depths of the forest surely contained Soul Beasts with stranger and more powerful abilities. A thousand-year Soul Beast had already appeared, so exploring this area was the most suitable choice.

If they truly could not find anything suitable, they could go deeper later.

Just as Xiao Kong had said, it was not easy for Soul Masters to find Soul Beasts suited to them. Soul Masters like Xu Huxiao, who had clear goals and successfully carried them out, were rare.

The seven-person team did not encounter a suitable Soul Beast until evening.

Either their age was too low, or their attributes were incompatible.

Still, it had been more than enough for their first forest adventure. They had gained a great deal, especially in teamwork and dealing with various types of Soul Beasts.

Such experience could not be learned from books.

Xu Bayan, however, had gained something else: ingredients. Two green deer with springy, tender meat.

At dusk, the clouds blazed like fire, streaked with multicolored light.

Just as everyone prepared to leave the deserted island and board the boat, Xu Huxiao's ears twitched. Then he looked into the sky.

A fiery-red bird with three colorful tail feathers was flying toward their island at incredible speed.

Three seconds later, Xu Huxiao grabbed Xu Bayan and said, "Father, catch that bird. It's a rare Phoenix-Feathered Red Demon Bird, 780 years old. It's perfect for Jingjing's second Soul Ring!"

"Oh? You're sure?" Xu Bayan looked over upon hearing that.

Xu Huxiao did not answer immediately. Instead, he said to Bao Jingjing, "Jingjing, if your second Soul Ring comes from that Phoenix-Feathered Red Demon Bird, it will at least give your Abalone a detoxifying trait. If you're lucky, there may even be an unexpected benefit."

"What do you think?"

"Detoxification? Then I want it, Brother Huxiao." Bao Jingjing answered firmly. When facing the Ghost Vine's Paralyzing Toxin earlier, she had wished her Abalone possessed detoxifying abilities so she could help the team.

Now that such a good opportunity had appeared, she naturally had to seize it.

After receiving her answer, Xu Huxiao looked to his father to confirm it.

But Xu Bayan did not make a move. Instead, Jin Huan volunteered. Seven dazzling Soul Rings lit up, and Jin Huan's round body swelled another size as his lower jaw and mouth enlarged.

Gurgle, gurgle~

His third purple Soul Ring lit up. Radiant Gold Entanglement!

Jin Huan raised his head and opened his mouth toward the Phoenix-Feathered Red Demon Bird still far away in the sky. A brilliant golden frog tongue shot out over an extreme distance.

It struck the demon bird with perfect accuracy!

Screech!

Then the tongue twisted and tied it up tightly. No matter how the demon bird struggled and cried, it could not break free.

"Back!"

The radiant golden frog tongue retracted. Jin Huan's second Soul Ring lit up, and a foot kicked toward the demon bird's head from nowhere.

The poor Phoenix-Feathered Red Demon Bird fell unconscious.

Xu Huxiao handed the short blade to Bao Jingjing, signaling that she could deliver the final blow.

Bao Jingjing stepped forward. Looking at the enormous, beautiful demon bird before her, she raised her blade toward its neck.

A deep, resounding shout came from the sky.

"Stop! Spare the bird!!"